Chapter 4: Where Is That Filthy Kid?
Once the clothes were dry, Pei Zhi helped the little zombie dress and brought him back to the campsite.
Out on scavenge missions, the squad traveled by day and took turns keeping watch at night, always on high alert against wandering zombie hordes. As a result, everyone was running on very little sleep.
Shen Qing and Lin Feng took the opportunity to rest under a large shade tree, while Mother Chen and the timid young girl packed the portable stove and cooking pots back into the military vehicle.
Seeing Pei Zhi return, Mother Chen called out, “Captain Pei, where is that filthy kid? Did you throw him away?”
“No,” Pei Zhi answered calmly. “He’s right here.”
Mother Chen didn’t even notice the clean, delicate boy standing right beside him. She looked left and right, frowning in confusion. “Where?”
The little zombie walked up to Mother Chen, tugged lightly at the corner of her shirt, and let out a soft whimper: “Awoo…”
“Good heavens!” Mother Chen gasped as realization dawned. Gently taking the boy by the shoulders, she turned him around in admiration. “Where did such a cute little thing come from? He is simply adorable!”
The little zombie tilted his head up and chirped happily in response: “Awoo!”
Drawn by the commotion, Shen Qing and Lin Feng stood up and walked over.
“Boss, if you hadn’t told us, who would have guessed this was a zombie you picked up?” Shen Qing leaned in close, inspecting the freshly cleaned boy. “Is this really the same creature that was burnt black as coal? Talk about a crow turning into a phoenix!”
The shy girl crowded closer as well, watching him curiously. She looked to be around the same age as the little zombie. Stepping forward, she greeted him in a tiny voice, “Hello, my name is Xiao Wan. What’s yours?”
“Awoo!” the little zombie replied.
Pei Zhi chimed in from the side, “His name is Jiang Xiaozhi.”
Xiao Wan reached out and took his hand. “Come play with me.”
Jiang Xiaozhi took two steps with her, then hesitated and looked back. He pointed at Xiao Wan, pointed back at himself, and looked up at Pei Zhi with an inquiring sound: “Awoo?”
Pei Zhi gave an approving nod. “Go ahead.”
Only then did Jiang Xiaozhi happily trot off to play with Xiao Wan.
Pei Zhi was surprised to find that he could actually understand the little zombie’s whimpers now. Remembering the mention of a healing ability in the letter, he decided to look into the records to see how this legendary power actually worked.
Stepping into the military vehicle, Pei Zhi pulled out an Apocalyptic Encyclopedia and flipped through the pages for entries on healing abilities.
Method One: Channel healing energy through the palms to accelerate tissue repair and relieve mental exhaustion and stress.
Method Two: Radiate healing energy from the entire body to restore vitality to critically injured individuals.
Method Three: Soul Kiss. Use soul power through a kiss on the injured person to stimulate their own natural healing process.
To put it simply, there were three practical ways:
- Holding hands.
- Hugging.
- Kissing.
Pei Zhi frowned slightly. That third method… felt rather inappropriate.
Just as he closed the book, the car door clicked open. Cheng Yu climbed inside and sat beside him, asking with worried eyes, “Captain Pei, that boy is a zombie. Are you really planning to bring him back to the base?”
Pei Zhi slid the encyclopedia into the door pocket and let out a faint grunt of acknowledgement.
His thoughts were still lingering on the third healing method; if he ever suffered a grave injury in battle, maybe it was worth testing out.
Cheng Yu grew noticeably agitated. “He is a zombie! He will bite people! Our entire world was destroyed by monsters like him! Captain Pei, you should just kill him!”
Pei Zhi’s expression turned freezing cold. He cast an indifferent glance at Cheng Yu. “If you value your life so much, you are welcome to leave on your own.”
Without waiting for a response, Pei Zhi pushed the door open and stepped out, leaving Cheng Yu alone in the car with tears spilling down his face.
Cheng Yu felt utterly humiliated, stinging from having his true thoughts exposed so easily. Above all, his hatred for the zombie came down to sheer terror—he was terrified of getting bitten, so much so that he hadn’t dared touch any food until Pei Zhi took the creature away to wash. But beyond that, it was jealousy. The little zombie was undeniably pretty, and as long as he was around, Pei Zhi never spared Cheng Yu a second glance.
Drying his eyes, Cheng Yu glared out the window toward the boy, a glimmer of spite brewing deep inside him.
After resting for a while longer, the squad’s energy was fully restored, and they prepared to drive back toward the Western District Base.
The two military off-road vehicles set off one after the other. Pei Zhi drove the lead vehicle, with Jiang Xiaozhi and Xiao Wan sitting together in the back.
Xiao Wan was teaching Jiang Xiaozhi how to play a stone-tossing game.
The little zombie caught on quickly. Tossing a small pebble into the air, he grabbed two from the seat and caught the falling pebble in his palm, letting out a delighted coo at Xiao Wan: “Awoo!”
Xiao Wan giggled, though confusion showed on her face. “Are you really a zombie?”
She had heard Pei Zhi mention it earlier, but she had never seen a zombie like this before—one that didn’t bite, didn’t growl, and even played games with her.
Jiang Xiaozhi let out a cheerful squeak, urging her to keep playing. Xiao Wan smiled warmly, tossing the pebbles and catching them with practiced ease. “Whether you’re a zombie or not, you’re my good friend now. I’m really glad to have you around!”
Xiao Wan was about seventeen or eighteen years old. In the post-apocalyptic era, basic schooling had ground to a halt, leaving her emotionally much younger than her physical age. When the squad first found her, she had been trembling inside a locked cabinet. She never dreamed she would now have full meals to eat and a friend to play with; a tiny ray of hope had finally returned to her life.
In the front seat, Pei Zhi checked the vehicle’s navigation system. There were still two hundred kilometers left before they reached the Western District Base, and their fuel was plenty to get them there. They had also secured a substantial haul of supplies. Without wasting any time, he pressed down on the gas pedal, steering along the rough, pitted highway to make good time.
Lin Feng drove the trailing vehicle, staying right behind Pei Zhi. Shen Qing leaned back in the passenger seat and complained loudly, “Come on, Lin Feng, take it easy! My bones are about to rattle loose!”
Lin Feng ignored him completely, keeping his eyes glued to the lead car.
In the back, Mother Chen pulled out a ball of yarn. Her needles clicked in a steady rhythm as she worked, planning to knit a warm wool sweater for each of the young men in time for early spring.
The two vehicles drove until dusk before pulling over for the night. Down by a riverbank, Shen Qing used his fire ability to start a roaring campfire.
Mother Chen fetched the pot, supported it on sturdy wooden stakes, and began to cook.
The rice came directly from Jiang Xiaozhi’s spatial storage. Cooked over open firewood with fresh water, it gave off a comforting aroma.
Alongside it, she stir-fried fresh wild greens with canned beef, sending a mouthwatering scent drifting into the evening breeze.
Everyone gathered around the fire and dug in hungrily.
Even Jiang Xiaozhi held a bowl in one hand and scooped up rice with the other, eating until his cheeks puffed out like two round buns.
Only Cheng Yu sat off by himself in a shadowy corner, glaring sullenly at the little zombie with every mouthful he took.
Jiang Xiaozhi sat cross-legged right next to Pei Zhi. Once his bowl was empty, he set it down. Pei Zhi leaned in and gently brushed the stray grains of rice off the boy’s clothes.
The little zombie tilted his head back, opened his mouth wide, and waited contentedly for Pei Zhi to drop the grains of rice into his mouth one by one.
After dinner, the group settled around the campfire to rest.
Jiang Xiaozhi still slept like a human, just as his parents had taught him when they were alive. Seeing everyone lying down, he hurriedly curled up next to Pei Zhi and shut his eyes.
Lin Feng took the first night watch. Leaning his back against a boulder with arms crossed, he kept a sharp eye on the surrounding wilderness.
Late in the night, a quiet rustle came from the dense brush nearby. Lin Feng instantly snapped to attention, hand ready to draw his weapon as he barked into the dark, “Who’s there?!”
The Food-hoarding Zombie Was Kidnapped by the Apocalyptic Boss
