Chapter 7: The Zombie Virus Might Be Acting Up
It had to be the little zombie’s healing ability kicking in.
At least, that was what Pei Zhi told himself.
He kept holding him for a while longer, not letting go until his own arms began to ache, and then leaned back to inspect the wound on his shoulder.
To his dismay, not only had the bite failed to close, but the bruised, blackened skin had crept across his chest and down half of his arm.
There was no alternative left; he had to resort to the final method. Pei Zhi seized the little zombie by the shoulders, pressed him against the wall, lowered his head, and kissed those pale lips.
Time seemed to freeze in that instant. A wash of white light flooded his vision. Pei Zhi could clearly hear the frantic pounding of his own heart. The blood in his veins surged straight to his head, leaving his thoughts in utter disarray.
The zombie virus might be acting up, Pei Zhi thought.
If there was any chance of survival, he had to take it. Everyone possessed a primal desire to live. Even in an unforgiving apocalypse, humanity fought on; only by staying alive could one ever reach toward hope.
Pei Zhi wrapped an arm firmly around the boy’s waist, locking him in his embrace as he tentatively deepened the kiss.
The boy’s lips were ice-cold, yet soft and smooth. Pei Zhi could not help but close his eyes…
The little zombie did not have much emotional reaction at first, simply letting it happen. But as the kiss went on and on, he grew restless and irritated. He reached up, planting two small hands against Pei Zhi’s shoulders to push him away.
Yet the man’s shoulders were like an unyielding mountain, impossible to budge. Annoyed, the little zombie squirmed, bared his two sharp canine teeth, and bit down hard on the man’s tongue. Only then did Pei Zhi release him.
The little zombie sputtered and let out two displeased grunts, venting his frustration.
Once his complaint was out, he smacked his lips together.
An intensely sweet, rich flavor spread across his tongue. In a flash, the little zombie’s eyes lit up. Overcome by instinct, he threw himself forward, wrapped his arms tightly around the man’s neck, and sank his teeth in.
His sharp little fangs pierced straight through Pei Zhi’s lips without hesitation. The moment warm blood welled up, the little zombie gulped it down eagerly.
It was so sweet, so fragrant! He had never tasted anything so delicious in his life!
Pei Zhi grimaced in pain, trying to push the biting creature away, but his limbs were turning to lead. His face went ghostly pale, and he barely had the strength left to lift an arm.
His vision blurred at the edges, and the blood creeping through his veins felt as though it were freezing solid—the undeniable signs of turning into a monster…
He had always known this day might come for him.
Whatever, he thought weakly. This little zombie has never had meat or blood. Let him have his first taste.
Pei Zhi resigned himself to his fate and shut his eyes.
Half an hour later, the little zombie let out a satisfied burp and finally let go. By then, Pei Zhi had completely lost consciousness, slumping limply against the wall.
The little zombie hurriedly summoned a tin of canned meat from his spatial storage and tucked it into Pei Zhi’s lap. “Awoo, awoo!”
Here, I’m giving this to you!
This man had given him such sweet blood to drink, so he wanted to share his best food in return.
Yet Pei Zhi’s head remained bowed, offering no response.
The little zombie squatted in front of him, tilting his head down to peer closely at his face. The man had no color left, his lips drained of life, looking as if he were on the brink of death.
The little zombie nibbled nervously on his own fingertip, staring with guilty eyes. He wondered if he had taken too much blood just now, but the taste had simply been too irresistible.
To make up for it, he pulled out a whole pile of good things from his space—canned rations, compressed biscuits, instant noodles, sausages, and several bottles of juice—and laid them all out before Pei Zhi.
He shook the man’s leg, trying to coax him to eat, but Pei Zhi did not stir.
The little zombie stayed crouched by his side for a long time, calling out over and over, but the man never answered.
Feeling guilty at first, then simply bored, his attention was eventually caught by the colorful box in the far corner.
He trotted over and picked it up. It was a small birthday gift box, well-preserved under a layer of protective plastic wrap. The little zombie tore the wrap away and opened the lid. Resting inside was a silver ring. He tossed the ring aside without a second thought, then transferred all the smooth pebbles from his pocket into the box instead; they fit perfectly.
He held the box up and shook it, delighted by the rhythmic rattling inside. Chuckling with a soft giggle, he wanted to run to Xiao Wan to show off his new treasure. But when he looked left and right, the empty warehouse reminded him she was gone. Letting out a crestfallen whimper, he hugged the box to his chest and trudged back to sit beside Pei Zhi.
Poisoned deeply by the virus, Pei Zhi remained unconscious for the rest of the day. When hunger struck, the little zombie crunched happily on a brick of dry instant noodles. True to his generous nature, he did not forget to share, stuffing a few dry noodles into Pei Zhi’s mouth. When the man failed to chew, the little zombie uncapped a water bottle, poured a mouthful down his throat, and helped wash the noodles down.
By nightfall, pitch darkness swallowed the room. Unable to see anything, the little zombie fumbled blindly until he crawled into Pei Zhi’s arms, curling up against his chest to sleep.
The apocalyptic night was dead quiet, broken only by Pei Zhi’s strained, ragged breathing.
The little zombie reached out in the dark, resting a cold palm over the man’s chest. He patted him gently, stroke by stroke, letting out soft, soothing whimpers to comfort him.
Toward the early morning hours, Pei Zhi’s breathing finally leveled out, and he drifted into a peaceful slumber.
When daylight filtered through the dirty windows, Pei Zhi’s brow twitched, and his eyes slowly opened.
His color had completely returned, and the burning agony in his body was gone. He sat up abruptly, tearing aside his shirt to check his shoulder. The flesh where the monster had bitten him was clean and smooth, leaving behind not even the faintest scar.
The little zombie’s healing ability really had worked. Pei Zhi let out a long breath of relief, deeply grateful to have clawed his way back from the edge of death.
Not far away, the little zombie was squatting on the floor, quietly playing his stone-tossing game. The gentle click-clack of pebbles sounded in a steady rhythm. Pei Zhi stood, walked over, and patted the boy on the shoulder, saying with sincere gravity, “Thank you.”
Feeling the touch, the little zombie caught the falling pebble and looked up. Seeing Pei Zhi awake, he immediately held up the colorful box to show off. Afraid the man would not understand, he tipped the pebbles inside and snapped the lid shut, proudly demonstrating that it was made for holding stones.
“It’s a very nice box,” Pei Zhi praised softly. He patted the boy’s unruly curls and added in a deep voice, “Come on. I’ll find you an even better one.”
Hearing that there was an even better box, the little zombie eagerly grabbed Pei Zhi’s hand, impatient to go.
Leaving the basement warehouse, Pei Zhi guided him into the mall’s jewelry section. Most of the glass displays had been smashed, with gold, silver, and diamond pieces left scattered across the floor, ignored by scavengers who cared only for food.
After rummaging through the rubble, Pei Zhi gathered twenty small, rounded ingots of solid gold and a massive diamond, placing them neatly into a pearl-inlaid jewelry box. “Use these to play throwing stones.”
The little zombie looked at the pearl-studded treasure box, then down at the paper birthday box he had found himself. He loved both and refused to part with either.
He tucked the paper box safely into his spatial storage and began inspecting his new gift. The gold ingots were plump and round, looking utterly adorable. When he tapped them together, the soft clinking sound was delightfully crisp. Finding them endlessly amusing, the little zombie hugged the box close and plopped down on the tile to play.
Pei Zhi surveyed the surroundings. The ground floor was dedicated to jewelry and cosmetics, the second floor had clothing, and the levels above held restaurants, arcades, and a cinema.
Early spring brought a lingering chill to the air. His own jacket was ruined from the gore of the battle and had already been discarded; he needed to take the little zombie upstairs to find some clean clothes.
The Food-hoarding Zombie Was Kidnapped by the Apocalyptic Boss
