IETSTSMLARA | The Post-Apocalyptic Black Lotus | 126
The crystal nucleus of the Zombie Emperor was injected into his body. Lin Su, whose consciousness had been fading, was pulled back and sat up from the ground.
The flesh on his arm, which had been torn apart by bites, was rapidly healing.
Zombies do not need to eat, but they take pleasure in turning all living beings into lifeless entities. The biting of low-level zombies is purely instinctual.
As for the higher-level ones, it's similar to the relationship between humans and vampires. Even if they once belonged to the same species, when there is a difference in species and an imbalance of power, the ensuing conflict and sense of inequality become decisive factors.
In his memories, the original owner’s name was Peng Fei, a wood-based ability user. The current time is the early to mid-phase of the apocalypse, where chaos reigns everywhere. Small bases are scattered all around, and the strong are revered.
Only in large bases, where the military is in control and powerful ability users stand side by side, can the survival of humans in this apocalyptic world be barely maintained.
As a second-level wood-based ability user, the original owner wasn’t very conspicuous among the other users of gold, fire, thunder, and ice abilities. However, in this situation where zombies generally hadn't yet reached the second level, self-preservation was still possible.
But in the apocalypse, with the struggle for resources and without the constraints of law and order, the suppressed sides of human nature were fully exposed.
The original owner got into a conflict with another gold-based ability user over a second-level crystal nucleus. He thought it was merely an internal disagreement and that even if they disliked each other, there wouldn't be any ill intent during the team's mission to gather supplies.
However, he didn't expect to be pushed directly into a zombie horde during a small-scale zombie tide, becoming bait to buy time for the person who harmed him to escape.
The gold-based ability user was named Wang Jianfeng, the original owner's enemy. This was the first name Lin Su committed to memory.
His gaze swept across the desolate scene, the surroundings filled with ruins. The buildings, long abandoned and ravaged by uncontrolled fighting, had crumbled into wreckage.
Humanity’s civilization had endured a catastrophic ordeal, and even if they managed to survive, much of what they had achieved would be set back by decades, or even longer.
At this point in the apocalypse, various large bases were established, with small bases scattered everywhere. It wasn't that people didn't want the protection of a large base, but migrating recklessly could lead to countless dangers, potentially resulting in the total annihilation of the base's population halfway through their journey.
The original body was part of a base called Linyang Base, which, including ordinary people, consisted of only a few hundred individuals.
In this world's timeline, it wasn't until many years later, when a vaccine appeared, that a glimmer of hope emerged.
By that time, many of the smaller bases had already vanished, having been worn down over years of resistance, with no other fate but to be engulfed by zombie tides.
If left unchecked, the original owner’s enemy would eventually die, but allowing him to die without repentance would be too lenient for someone like him.
The most terrifying aspect of the apocalypse wasn’t the struggle for resources, but the loss of humanity. People like him, even if the apocalypse ended, would never be able to return to a normal human life.
The surrounding zombies slowly gathered around Lin Su, their faces ghastly and fanged, their clothes tattered, their bodies covered in greenish corpse spots and dried blood. There were adults, children, men, and women among them.
The stench of decay filled the air, even without the need to approach. Only a few zombies had patches of clean clothing left, and even though Lin Su had now absorbed the crystal nucleus of the Zombie Emperor, he had no desire to stay in this graveyard-like environment every day.
Based on his previous experiences in post-apocalyptic worlds, Lin Su knew that the Zombie Emperor possessed the power to repair its body. Its vision and sense of smell were intact, and unless something went wrong, its other senses would also be restored.
However, it no longer had blood flowing through its veins or a beating heart.
Lin Su placed his hand over his chest, where his heart was as still as a stone. While blood was not necessary, to blend into human society, he needed to simulate a pulse and a heartbeat.
Simulating a heartbeat wasn’t difficult; it just required the continuous use of energy. Lin Su carefully estimated the normal rhythm of a human heartbeat and gradually began to replicate it.
However, perhaps he had his hand over his heart for too long, system 06 asked: 【Host, have you fallen in love at first sight with someone?】
There was a hint of concern in the mechanical voice.
Lin Su, whose simulated heartbeat had been steadily increasing, almost let it calm back down. 【Just because I've turned into a zombie doesn't mean I've lost my sense of aesthetics.】
No matter how the zombies looked when they were alive, they were definitely not attractive now with their ghastly faces and fangs. The aesthetic sense of irrational zombies was drawn to fresh flesh, while those who regained their senses would have an aesthetic similar to humans.
【I thought you might have a zombie's aesthetic; my apologies,】 System 06 responded.
It was like how System 06 needed to rely on big data analysis to determine whether a human was beautiful or not.
By comparing data points, it could draw conclusions, but other systems could tell beauty at a glance.
For example, the luxurious streamlined body, neatly arranged data, and even the smallest elements inside might exude a sense of cuteness.
【Are you trying to stop me from falling in love?】 Lin Su asked, even though the mission had not yet been announced. He sent a signal to drive away the surrounding zombies, and once they cleared a path, he began walking toward the direction of Linyang Base.
【Absolutely not! Our system respects the host's personal freedom, and we would never interfere with your love life. You can't accuse me of that,】 System 06 responded with righteous indignation.
If it got reported, it might end up being sent back to the factory for repairs. After finally becoming somewhat useful, it didn’t want to risk turning back into a useless system. System 06 felt that every piece of its data rejected that possibility.
Lin Su understood System 06's concerns and shifted the topic: 【What type of energy does this zombie crystal nucleus have?】
Other matters could be set aside for now; teaching a lesson to someone who is a beast in human clothing was the top priority.
【It's an all-element type, top of the line. It cost the host five million star coins,】 06 reported.
The value was equivalent to the highest reward from a single mission.
But just as Lin Su knew the system well, the system also knew its host.
Lin Su chuckled softly and said: 【Well done.】
Getting the best all at once would save a lot of trouble later on. As for the star coins, the extra reward from this mission should make up for it.
Linyang Base was a small base with only a few hundred people. It was more of a village than a base, consisting of dozens of low courtyard houses grouped together. High walls made of bricks and stones were erected around it, and the iron gates, when closed, were enough to keep out some of the zombies before they evolved into higher forms.
Most of the people in this base were ordinary, with only a dozen or so ability users. Losing even one would be a significant blow to the base.
"I am very sorry. This time we encountered a small zombie horde, and □□ Fei ventured too deep into it. We didn't have time to save him before he lost his life," said the thin, crew-cut man standing in the small square. "But Peng Fei's death was not in vain. During our search for supplies, we found some vegetables and fruits, which means we now have seeds. With these, there is hope for the future."
The crowd standing together initially had expressions of numbness. They were alarmed by the death of an ability user, yet not a single person showed genuine sadness. It wasn’t until they heard about the seeds that a faint glimmer of hope appeared on some of their faces.
"We've lost another ability user. Can we really withstand the next zombie horde?"
"The zombies are getting stronger and stronger. Even if we plant the seeds, can we really survive to see the harvest?"
"How will the seeds be distributed?" someone asked.
"Fruits and vegetables are food, but seeds are resources," the thin man said. "In the apocalypse, nothing comes for free. If you want seeds, you'll have to trade them for crystal nuclei."
This was the law of the apocalypse: ability users needed crystal nuclei, and ordinary people needed to survive, so the nuclei had become a form of currency.
However, the man’s next words caused an uproar among the crowd: "One seed for one level-one crystal nucleus—this is a reasonable demand, isn’t it?"
"Where are we supposed to get that many?"
"What if the crops fail? Won't the crystal nuclei be wasted like water spilled on the ground?"
"It's already come to this, who can guarantee the germination rate of the seeds?" the thin man retorted. "You're worried they won't sprout, but if they do, the crystal nuclei you get in return will far exceed the cost of the seeds."
The crowd hesitated, but the man gave a signal, and someone stepped forward from the group.
"Brother Wang is right. If we want to eat our fill, we have to pay the necessary price. I'll buy ten pumpkin seeds, and when the pumpkins grow, the seeds inside should belong to me, right?"
"Of course," the thin man replied. "One leads to two, two to three, and three to everything. The initial investment must be worth it."
The person paid ten crystal nuclei and took the seeds. Hearing this, others began to waver.
After a few people made their purchases, the thin man raised the price again: "There aren't many seeds left. Early birds get a discount. If you don't act quickly, the price might go up even more later."
With this monopoly, all the seeds were quickly sold out. The people left holding their seeds, while the thin man gleefully weighed the bag of crystal nuclei.
Lin Su, who was perched on a tree trunk on a nearby hill, observed the entire scene. He didn’t recognize everyone in the crowd, but he clearly recognized that man—Wang Jianfeng.
【Aren't you going to expose him now?】 System 06 asked.
In the apocalypse, water sources and land had been massively polluted. Initially, people could survive on stored food, but eventually, they had to find ways to regenerate food.
However, the polluted livestock couldn't be eaten, and feeding them required large amounts of edible plants.
When the first crops were planted, people discovered that the polluted land couldn't grow normal plants, and even if they did grow, they were mutated. Water could be filtered and boiled without causing much harm, but the inability to grow plants meant humanity had no future.
In the early days of the apocalypse, some large bases that had managed to secure high-intelligence talent did develop methods to purify the land. However, smaller bases that were completely cut off from the outside world remained unaware of this progress.
The seeds that people bought couldn’t be planted successfully, which meant that all their savings were wasted.
【They wouldn't believe me now,】 Lin Su said, bending down to sit on the tree trunk. His heart thumped steadily in his chest, but as a zombie, he no longer needed to eat anything.
One is the person who came back with the seeds, with real benefits in front of him, and the other is a person who is said to be dead and has no value.
If Lin Su returned abruptly, he might be suspected of not being who he claimed, especially since he had no evidence to support his claims.
Before the apocalypse, people were already cautious about trusting others. Now, as the world had plunged into chaos, no one trusted easily. People had seen too much of human nature’s coldness. Only when solid evidence was placed before them would they recognize deceit.
The base, housing a few hundred people, might have accumulated at most a few thousand crystal nuclei. Now, nearly all of it was concentrated in Wang Jianfeng's hands. This kind of ruthless exploitation, leaving no safety net, could work once but would lose effectiveness afterward.
Unless someone had a clear escape plan, they wouldn’t usually push things to such an extreme.
Lin Su waited from dawn until dusk, leaning against the tree as the entire base plunged into darkness. Only the stars shone above, with not a single light visible.
In the early days of the apocalypse, people might still have access to electricity, but now, even candles were used sparingly.
Gone were the days of a sleepless city; the starry sky seemed to press down directly onto the heads of those below. The Milky Way shone brilliantly, but in this world, Lin Su was probably the only one in the mood to appreciate it.
The night was eerily quiet, with only the distant, muffled growls of zombies echoing faintly. Yet, due to Lin Su's command, not a single one dared approach. The tightly shut iron gate creaked open slightly.
A head peeked out, glancing around cautiously before the gate swung wide open. A vehicle roared out, heading down the distant road.
The passengers were none other than the base's few remaining ability users, including Wang Jianfeng.
In the apocalypse, ordinary people wouldn't dare travel far, but ability users had a much higher chance of survival. They encountered more people and had a sharper sense of danger. Small bases like this one had no way of sustaining themselves long-term in the apocalypse. If everyone attempted to move, food supplies would run out quickly, and the journey would be too much for many to bear.
But with only ability users on the move, their chances of reaching a larger base were much higher.
No one had an obligation to protect others, but to so ruthlessly drain everyone else's resources for their own temporary survival, completely disregarding how those left behind would manage, made these ability users even more terrifying than the zombies—a true plague on humanity.
The sound of the vehicle was hard to ignore in the stillness of the night, and the sudden glare of its headlights practically jolted the entire base awake. People rushed out of their shelters in a panic, only to see the vehicle's taillights disappearing into the darkness and the wide-open gate.
"What's going on?!"
"Did someone run away?"
"The only working vehicle has been taken!!!"
"The fuel drums are empty—how did this happen?"
"The guards are gone! They were in on it—they've been in on it all along!"
"The warehouse—check the warehouse, quick!"
The base lit up, and an unprecedented panic began to spread. It wasn't until someone went to check the warehouse and ran back, saying, "It's empty! Everything inside is gone, and Zhang Quan, who was supposed to be guarding it, wasn't there at all."
"Did they take everything and run away?"
"What should we do now? Are we just going to wait here and die?"
The sounds of wailing and commotion echoed from afar. Even though someone suggested chasing after the vehicle, the remaining few ability users hesitated. It wasn't because they were afraid of death, but because human legs simply couldn't catch up with a car.
Venturing out at night on foot—whether they could catch up or not was uncertain. What they feared most was being killed by zombies along the way. They couldn't afford to lose any more ability users now.
"We can't go."
"They really have no humanity."
"You all aren’t planning to leave us too, are you?"
"..."
The cries and clamor spread far, and at some point, the figure on the tree stump on the dirt mound had disappeared.
The vehicle drove through the darkness, and the people inside looked at the dim lights of the base in the distance. One of them tossed a crystal core in his hand and said, "The base is probably in chaos by now."
The person in the front passenger seat rested his feet up front and said, "That base had no future anyway. Staying there would only mean waiting to die. Instead of everyone dying together, it's better to save our own lives. At least they contributed to our survival."
"Speaking of which, Jianfeng was smart to take the crystal cores. Even if we make it to Pojun's base, we’ll be able to establish ourselves there. We brothers need to stick together, and who knows, maybe we can even become leaders." The man in the back seat said.
Wang Jianfeng snorted and said, "You guys have such little ambition. Do you know how many people are in Pojun's base? Fifty thousand. If we could drive that Wang Pojun out, with our fifty thousand, we’d be living comfortably, eating well, and enjoying life."
"You’ve got some ambition," someone next to him praised.
The vehicle and its occupants were unusually relaxed, with only the headlights illuminating the road ahead.
But just as people were starting to doze off, a heavy thud on the roof snapped everyone awake.
"What’s going on?!"
The vehicle came to an abrupt halt, and those who had just woken up slammed into the seats in front of them. Two events happened simultaneously, sparking anger: "Can’t you drive properly?!"
"Up ahead, up ahead…" The driver, trembling, couldn't care less about their anger and pointed ahead.
Several people looked outside. Although the headlights didn't reach very far, they could see figures moving in all directions.
"It’s a zombie horde…" one person mumbled.
"Surrounded on all sides, how could there be such a massive horde?" The person in the passenger seat, no longer relaxed, spoke with a grave tone, "What do we do now?"
"How the hell should I know!!!" one person roared in frustration.
The largest zombie horde they had seen in the base numbered at most a hundred, but now, even without precise estimation, it was clear that the number of zombies surrounding them was definitely in the thousands.
The vehicle couldn’t possibly break through. Zombies, being mindless, could continue surrounding them indefinitely, but as humans, they would be stuck here and likely perish within three days.
“Damn it, who said the zombie hordes are all gathered in the east? There aren’t any here!”
“I shouldn’t have come out with you guys. We’re not eating well and are going to die here first.”
“This doesn’t look like a spontaneous gathering; it feels like it’s been organized,” Wang Jianfeng said through gritted teeth, panting.
“Is there a zombie king nearby?”
Their discussion didn’t last long because the zombies had already surrounded them from all sides. Even though the car windows were tightly sealed, they weren’t completely airtight. The faint scent of living humans was enough to drive the surrounding zombies into a frenzy, clawing and biting at the car.
Their greenish faces and sharp teeth, smeared with blood and viscera, made everyone inside the car gasp in horror.
The constant banging on the windows kept everyone’s nerves on edge.
“What do we do?!”
“I don’t want to die yet. If I had known, I would have stayed at the base and avoided this situation.”
“Damn it, is this some kind of revenge?! Instead of attacking the base with all those people, they target us?!” Someone yelled in anger. As the words left their mouth, a sharp, clear snap echoed from somewhere.
The zombies clawing and biting at the windows suddenly stopped, and not a single growl was heard.
In the eerie silence, the people in the car grew even more anxious. At that moment, the zombie horde parted, as if to welcome someone. Even the menacing, bloodthirsty zombies seemed to show a hint of respect.
A tall figure slowly approached in front of the headlights. The people in the car instinctively held their breath, but when they saw who it was, their eyes widened in shock: “Peng Fei?!”
【That name has reduced the host’s dominance by eighty percent.】06 analyzed.
Lin Su agreed with this assessment but maintained his facade, determined to see it through.
“How could it be him?!”
“He’s standing right in the middle of the zombie horde; is he a zombie now…?”
“But he doesn’t look like one.”
“There was news from Pojun’s base that zombies can evolve. After evolution, they shed their hideous appearance and become more human-like as they grow stronger.”
“But wasn’t he just turned into a zombie?”
Their voices trembled with uncertainty. Lin Su didn’t look towards the figure but addressed the retreating zombies, “Don’t grab too hard; if you damage the car, it’ll be useless.”
The zombies growled a few times. Although their intentions were unclear, it was evident they were apologizing. Lin Su, observing the trembling people inside the car, couldn’t help but think: 【They seem a bit cute.】
System 06, at that moment, felt it had lost some of the host’s favor: 【Next time, I’ll make sure to choose a world full of humans for you.】
A useful and obedient system is indeed the most endearing.
【Well, you’re cute too.】Lin Su complimented understandingly.
System 06 felt its mechanical heart swell with pride, feeling that it was the host’s most excellent partner.
【So, you’re not interested in them, then?】System 06 felt a bit anxious, remembering that the host had previously praised cuteness with ulterior motives.
Lin Su promptly threw the recently complimented System 06 into the "black room," a small confinement area.
Lin Su turned and smiled at the people inside the car. The headlights illuminated his eyes, giving them a momentary gleam.
He didn’t take any action but simply stared at the people inside and asked, “Will you get out on your own, or should I make you?”
“Drive, drive…” Wang Jianfeng, hiding behind the seat, instructed the driver.
The driver, in a panic, instinctively started the car and tried to ram into Lin Su. However, as the car passed over him, it felt as if it had collided with nothing.
Instead, it was suddenly blocked by the horde of zombies that had surrounded them. The person who had been in front of their car was now standing by the car’s side, easily removing one of the car doors with a slight pull.
The scent of living humans caused a brief moment of agitation among the zombies.
Lin Su discarded the car door with a bang. The only sounds now were the screams and heavy breathing of the people inside the car.
“It wasn’t me who pushed you!!”
“It’s Wang Jianfeng! If you’re looking for someone, find him, don’t come after me!”
“It wasn’t my doing. If you’re looking for revenge, go after the right person. Don’t kill me!”
Wang Jianfeng, a metal-element ability user, knew he couldn’t escape. When Lin Su reached out to grab him, sharp spikes emerged from Wang Jianfeng’s hands.
However, despite the spikes piercing Lin Su’s palm, not a single drop of blood was seen.
Lin Su withdrew his hand, and the visible wound healed before their eyes. When he reached out again, he effortlessly snapped the spikes apart with his bare hands and pulled the astonished Wang Jianfeng out of the car.
“You’re a monster! You’re a monster!!” the witnesses trembled.
Wang Jianfeng struggled desperately but was easily subdued by Lin Su, who broke one of his arms with little effort.
Wang Jianfeng cried out in pain, “So what if I pushed you? It’s my bad luck to end up in your hands. If you’ve got the guts, just kill me!”
He wanted to avoid the agony of being tortured to death.
Lin Su ignored the others in the car and effortlessly lifted Wang Jianfeng off the ground. “Why should I kill you directly? When I was bitten by zombies, it was incredibly painful. I struggled for a long time without dying. Besides, listen to my subordinates; they’re saying they’re so hungry and want to eat your flesh and drink your blood.”
The zombies responded with growls, as if in agreement with Lin Su.
After finishing his sentence, Lin Su threw Wang Jianfeng into the horde of zombies. The moment he landed, countless zombies swarmed over him, and the sounds of tearing and biting filled the air.
Wang Jianfeng’s screams pierced through the night, and blood splattered everywhere. A leg was even torn off but was quickly consumed by the zombies, leaving no trace behind.
The end was brutal; it was not an exaggeration to say he was turned to pieces.
Lin Su then turned his gaze to the people in the car. One glance made them all shiver. The driver, who had tried to run over Lin Su, trembled uncontrollably, and a smell of urine filled the air.
“Don’t kill me, please, please! I’ll work for you like a mule, I didn’t mean to hit you, it was Wang Jianfeng who incited me, it’s really his fault!” the driver begged, tears streaming down his face.
The 1.8-meter-tall man was terrified, but he wasn’t ashamed; after witnessing the earlier scene, no one wouldn’t be afraid.
“I wasn’t planning to harm you,” Lin Su said softly.
He was merely avenging the original owner. How they treated the people of Linyang Base was of little concern to him.
In a world like this, there’s not much room for compassion. To survive, one might even need to consume blood and flesh, and there would be no pity, not even for children.
“We really know our mistakes, really…” the others hastened to say, sensing a chance to ease their situation.
“Please, spare us. We’ll give you anything you want.” They looked at him with hope and apprehension.
“Since we were once part of the same base, you can go,” Lin Su said with a smile.
“Thank you, thank you.” The others breathed a sigh of relief, showing gratitude, “Thank you, Peng Fei.”
The driver started the car, but Lin Su grabbed the edge of the vehicle and said, “I don’t think you understand what I meant. What I mean is, you should get out and leave on foot. I’m keeping this car.”
The people stared at him, confused and helpless, glancing at the surrounding zombie horde.
They swallowed nervously and said tearfully, “We…”
“Don’t return to the base. They won’t touch you. You have half an hour, then it’s up to you to survive,” Lin Su’s smile disappeared. “If you don’t leave now, I can send you on your way right now.”
He didn’t sound like he was joking. The group quickly unbuckled their seatbelts and got out of the car, nervously glancing at the zombie horde.
The presence of living flesh made the zombies restless, but Lin Su merely signaled, and the zombies parted to create a path.
The group cast one last reluctant glance at the supplies in the car and cautiously made their way through the zombie-formed path. Once they had passed through, each of them breathed a sigh of relief and sprinted away, not daring to look back.
Lin Su then retrieved the repair tools from the trunk and reattached the car door to its original position. Since he was holding the door with one hand, he couldn’t use the tools.
A hand with a bluish-purple tint pressed down on the door while the other hand offered Lin Su the tools. The hand appeared stiff, but the tools were still quite functional.
Lin Su smiled and took them, saying, “Thank you.”
System 06, finally released from the black room, asked, 【Why was the car door damaged?】
【I got a bit carried away with the show-off earlier. Next time, I’ll be more careful.】Lin Su replied.
Show-off was fun for a moment, but fixing the car afterward was a chore, and the arrogance hidden beneath the name had been exposed.
System 06 silently recorded the scene of Lin Su repairing the car.
System 06 expected Lin Su to drive away immediately, but was surprised when the car headed toward the base.
Before the zombie horde dispersed, they had brought news of the group’s fate.
They had been infected by stray zombies and none survived.
As the car arrived at the base, the night was still heavy, and the usually pitch-black base was dimly lit by candlelight. Everyone gathered together, their faces clouded with despair.
The headlights coming through the iron gate sparked hope in everyone.
"Are they back?"
"They really didn't abandon us?"
"They're finally back!"
Some people began to cry as the iron gate was hurriedly opened. When the vehicle drove in, it was surrounded by a crowd.
As Lin Su got out of the car, he met the nearly desperate gazes of everyone, but when they saw him, their desperation turned into astonishment.
"Why is it you?"
"Didn’t Peng Fei die?"
"Where are Wang Jianfeng and the others?"
"You’re not working with them, are you?"
"You haven’t been infected, right…?"
"No," Lin Su felt that having avenged his former self, he could now live for himself. Since he was going to live for himself, it was better to use his own name. "I was indeed almost bitten by zombies at the time, but at the last moment, I broke through to level three and survived."
Hearing that he had not been infected, the crowd visibly relaxed. "So what about this vehicle?"
"I was pushed into a horde of zombies by Wang Jianfeng. When I came back, I happened to encounter that guy trying to escape, so I intercepted the car. They couldn’t fight me and fled," Lin Su explained.
"Wang Jianfeng is really something."
"Yeah, selling one crystal core for each seed, and pushing our base's people into danger. He’s a scoundrel. Peng Fei, you must have been scared."
"So what about our supplies? Did you bring them back?"
At the question, everyone looked eagerly at Lin Su.
"Yes, I brought it back," Lin Su said. "You can check to see if it’s correct."
Everyone squeezed towards the vehicle, and Lin Su was pushed aside by the crowd. He watched silently as they scrambled to count the supplies.
Beside him stood a dirty boy holding a similarly dirty little girl with a dark face. They stood quietly, feeling somewhat out of place amidst the frantic crowd.
Lin Su himself was not very clean, deliberately so to avoid suspicion. He folded his arms and asked, "Aren’t you going to count your supplies?"
"We don’t have anything to count," the boy glanced at him and replied in a hoarse voice.
The little girl, though very weak, stared at the direction of the vehicle and said, "Brother, I’m hungry."
"Go eat something at home," the boy said, turning to leave with the girl. However, his staggering movement suggested that his strength was likely at its limit.
Lin Su stepped forward and took a bag of supplies from the back of the vehicle. Someone frowned and said, "That’s my stuff."
"What are you doing?!"
"I brought back all the supplies for you. Asking for a little reward isn’t too much, is it?" Lin Su said.
The crowd, which had been noisy earlier, fell silent.
After Lin Su turned to leave, someone muttered, "Then take someone else's stuff. Why mine?"
Lin Su ignored him and placed the bag of cookies into the boy's arms, saying, "Here, eat this. It’s too late to prepare something else now."
The boy’s cracked lips trembled slightly, while the girl eagerly hugged the bag of cookies. The boy stopped her, saying, "Chouchou, you can’t take it."
The girl looked visibly disappointed. The boy turned to Lin Su and said, "I don’t have anything to give you."
"In the future, if I need your help, you have to assist me," Lin Su said. "You can go now."
The boy swallowed and said, "I will."
He left, carrying the little girl, and from a distance, their voices could still be heard. The girl’s weak yet excited voice said, "Brother, we have food now."
"Mm..."
The people were still arguing over the supplies on the vehicle, with some complaining about missing items.
Lin Su didn’t pay attention to the result and went back to his assigned room—a single room with a single bed. Only those with special abilities in this base received such treatment.
Zombies don’t need sleep, but Lin Su hoped to maintain a human routine to avoid revealing his secret someday.
In the morning, the noise outside had not yet subsided. Lin Su listened from the window.
"I’m really missing a crystal core. Who else could have taken it?"
"With so many people accounted for, we’re the only ones missing."
"It’s good enough that we got some back. Missing two isn’t a big deal..."
【They really have energy.】 Lin Su sighed, took out a clean set of clothes from the wardrobe, and changed into them. Though simple in style, they were clean.
After washing his face, Lin Su stepped out of his room and onto the open ground of the base, saying, "Everyone gather around. I have something to say."
He was seen as the one who had brought back the supplies, and with his recent breakthrough to level three, his credibility was solid.
The crowd gathered in a scattered manner. When Lin Su saw that enough people had assembled, he said, "There is a reason why Wang Jianfeng ran away, and you could even say their reason was correct."
As soon as he said this, the crowd, which had been listening quietly, erupted in anger. "Running away was right?"
"Are you really not working with them?"
"Explain the reason then!"
Their questioning was filled with intense emotions, as if they were directing all their confusion and anger at Lin Su.
System 06 spoke up: 【The host should not have come back.】
It was a system, Lin Su’s partner, and couldn’t ignore the betrayal of its host.
【I don’t need those things either.】 Lin Su was indifferent. Whether it was the supplies or the people’s words, he only cared about helping those in need.
The apocalypse didn’t allow for too much kindness, but within his ability, he wanted to preserve its seeds for the world that would come after the end of the apocalypse.
"Listen to me!" Lin Su said sternly. "I’m talking about the reason, not whether what he did was right. If you don’t want to hear it, you can leave now."
Many people were intimidated by his tone, and those who had just questioned him fell silent.
The scene returned to silence as Lin Su spoke, "The supplies around here have been almost exhausted, and the contaminated land can’t grow new plants. If we stay here, we’ll only be waiting for death. So we need to relocate to a larger base. Are you willing to come with me?"
The crowd was silent; no one expressed willingness.
"Still talking about leaving," someone said.
"Who says the land can't grow plants? If you want to leave, go by yourself. You can’t take the supplies."
"Even if we go, we’ll be wiped out just ten miles outside the base..."
Their voices were low, but Lin Su heard them clearly. Even the remaining few with special abilities clearly showed no interest.
Perhaps they believed the base would endure, or they were too frightened by the horrors of the apocalypse to take that step, or perhaps they did not trust him.
Lin Su had asked and done his part: "In that case, I’ll go on my own..."
"Can we come with you?" a hoarse voice asked.
Lin Su looked over and, under the sunlight, noticed just how terribly thin the boy had become overnight. "You can come."
The boy shrank back a little as he met Lin Su’s gaze. "But we might be a burden."
"It’s okay," Lin Su said, walking towards the crowd. He patted the boy’s head and said, "Just follow me. Let’s go."
He moved decisively, and the boy, carrying the girl, staggered to keep up, surprising everyone.
As Lin Su passed by the vehicle from the previous night, vines emerged from his hand. With a forceful tug and a loud crash, he ripped the car door off again. "I fixed this door last night. You’ll have to fix it again."
System 06 clapped in praise: 【Host, well done!】
This time, the host didn’t need to fix the door.
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Thanks for the update
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