Chapter 2: Eat More, Look How Thin You Are
Pei Zhi withdrew his lightning, shook the little zombie off his leg, and warned coldly, “Run again, and I’ll split your head open.”
The little zombie did not dare run anymore. Letting out a soft “Awoo,” he obediently fell in step behind Pei Zhi.
Wherever Pei Zhi went, he followed.
On the way back, they came across a small pile of rubble. Pei Zhi cleared it in an effortless leap.
Shen Qing and Lin Feng simply vaulted straight over it.
Seeing Pei Zhi pull ahead, the little zombie panicked. He scrambled up the pile using both hands and feet, but lost his footing and rolled down the other side. Covered in dust, he scrambled up and hurried to close the distance behind the man.
He was terrified that if he lagged behind, the man would strike him with lightning again.
Before long, the group returned to where the military vehicle was parked.
Two zombies had surrounded the vehicle. One was gnawing uselessly at the door, while the other dragged its long nails across the window, producing a piercing screech.
The survivors inside had no abilities and were huddled together, shivering in terror.
Lin Feng activated his wind ability, instantly blowing the two low-tier zombies aside, while Shen Qing used his fire ability to reduce them to ashes.
Seeing the danger pass, the survivors finally opened the door and stepped out.
Pei Zhi’s squad had rescued three survivors: a delicate-looking young man with short hair, a middle-aged woman, and a young girl who looked to be around the little zombie’s age. The girl was extremely timid, keeping her head low and not daring to look at anyone.
The delicate young man was named Cheng Yu, around twenty years old. The moment he saw Pei Zhi return, he hurried over to greet him, unable to hide the admiration and delight in his eyes. “Captain Pei, you’re finally back! Are you hurt? I was so worried about you!”
Pei Zhi frowned slightly and stepped sideways to walk right past him.
Cheng Yu pulled back his hand in embarrassment. Just as he was about to follow, he noticed a filthy figure trailing behind Pei Zhi.
He instantly eyed the newcomer with suspicion, a flash of jealousy crossing his face.
“Who are you?” Cheng Yu asked coldly. “Did Captain Pei rescue you too? Even if it’s the apocalypse, you should still care about basic hygiene.”
Even so, Cheng Yu was secretly pleased. It would be best if this newcomer stayed dirty forever; that way, Cheng Yu would remain the best-looking one in the group.
With that thought in mind, he went back to strike up a conversation with Pei Zhi. Although the man was always cold and distant, that handsome, aloof demeanor only made him more attractive to Cheng Yu.
Seeing Pei Zhi open the trunk and rummage through the tool kit, Cheng Yu smiled eagerly and leaned in. “Captain Pei, what are you looking for? Let me help you!”
The little zombie followed behind like a little tail, letting out a soft “Awoo” beside them.
Cheng Yu glanced at the beggar-like youth and felt another wave of jealousy. Even though the youth was a filthy mess, his facial contours hinted that he was quite good-looking underneath. Quietly, Cheng Yu stuck out a foot to trip him.
The little zombie’s movements were already somewhat stiff. With this trip, he tumbled straight to the ground, landing on his bottom in a complete daze.
Pei Zhi had already found the tool he wanted: a pair of pliers.
Cheng Yu blocked the fallen little zombie behind him and gave a flattering smile. “Captain Pei, take a rest. Whatever needs doing, let me do it!”
Pei Zhi’s patience ran out, and he barked coldly, “Get out of the way!”
The man’s aura was overwhelming, and the chill rolling off him felt sharp as a blade.
Cheng Yu shrank back immediately, stepping aside in silence.
Pei Zhi walked over and pulled the little zombie up from the ground. Supporting the youth’s shoulder with one hand, he lifted his chin with the other. “Open your mouth.”
The little zombie obeyed and parted his lips. “Ah…”
Pei Zhi peered inside, but couldn’t spot the two small fangs. Zombies usually bared their sharp fangs only when tearing into meat or drinking blood; right now, he had retracted them.
“Where are your teeth? Pop them out.”
The little zombie blinked twice, worked his jaw, and two sharp little canine teeth poked out.
Watching this from the side, Cheng Yu’s eyes widened in sheer horror. He stumbled backward, tripped over his own feet, and fell flat on the ground, pointing a shaking finger. “Z-Zom… Zombie!”
The little zombie tilted his head and let out a friendly “Awoo” at him.
Cheng Yu was scared out of his wits. Scrambling to his feet, he screamed and bolted straight into the nearby woods.
The little zombie opened his mouth wide again, displaying his little fangs for Pei Zhi to inspect.
Pei Zhi stared at the sharp tips, lifted the pliers, and clamped onto the left canine tooth. Just as he was about to wrench it free, a woman’s voice called out from behind: “Captain Pei! Dinner is ready, come eat while it’s hot!”
Without turning around, Pei Zhi kept the pliers firmly clamped on the tooth. “Coming.”
He had to pull out these sharp fangs to keep the creature from biting anyone.
“Hurry up! I just made vegetable noodles, and they’re piping hot. You ability users have worked hard all day.” The middle-aged woman was Mother Chen, a plump woman in her fifties with a warm, kind smile. When she walked over, she was shocked to see Pei Zhi holding pliers to the mouth of a skinny, frail boy.
“Good heavens! What on earth are you doing?!”
She rushed forward and slapped the pliers right out of Pei Zhi’s hand.
Mother Chen pulled the little zombie close and shielded him behind her back. “Captain Pei, you can’t treat a toothache like this! Pulling teeth out in the wild will cause an infection!”
Pei Zhi picked up the pliers from the ground and explained calmly, “It’s not a toothache. I’m pulling out his fangs.”
Mother Chen scolded him immediately. “That’s even worse! Look at this poor boy—he’s nothing but skin and bones. How can you pull his teeth right now? Take him back, give him plenty of rest and nourishment, and wait until he puts on some weight before finding a dentist.”
The little zombie seemed to sense Mother Chen’s kindness. Leaning against her pitifully, he let out a soft, sweet sound: “Awoo…”
Mother Chen’s maternal instincts instantly flared. Gently patting his frizzy hair, she said with deep affection, “There, there, poor child. Once you gain a little weight, Mother Chen will take you to see a proper dentist. Goodness, why are you covered in black soot? Did you get burned by fire?”
The little zombie lifted a finger and pointed straight at Pei Zhi. “Awoo, awoo!”
Pei Zhi admitted without missing a beat, “It was me.”
Mother Chen stared at Pei Zhi in pure disbelief. “Captain Pei, how could you use your ability on a child?!”
Pei Zhi tried to reason with her. “He is not a child. He is a zombie.”
Mother Chen shot back, “Captain Pei, since when can zombies understand human speech? And since when do zombies not bite people?”
Pei Zhi rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. It was impossible to explain.
Without another word, Mother Chen led the little zombie over to the front of the vehicle to get him some noodles.
A portable camp stove sat by the car, supporting a medium pot where noodles bubbled merrily alongside fresh wild greens.
Shen Qing was ladling noodles for the shy little girl, while Lin Feng handed out pairs of chopsticks to everyone.
Mother Chen quickly found a clean bowl and scooped up a generous portion of noodles with her chopsticks. Filling the bowl to the brim, she handed it to the little zombie with a gentle smile. “Eat more, look how thin you are.”
The little zombie held the warm bowl tightly with both hands, letting out a grateful “Awoo” toward Mother Chen.
Mother Chen stroked his frizzy hair once more and let out a soft sigh. “Sigh, what a pitiful child… to think he can’t even speak.”
The Food-hoarding Zombie Was Kidnapped by the Apocalyptic Boss
