The Tibetan mastiff seemed unaware of the injury on its leg, staying by the boy’s side and watching Li Ge warily.
“Mm, I’ll bandage it. It should be fine in a few days.”
Mutated animals had strong recovery abilities—once the bullet was removed, it would heal after some time.
“Big sister, you’re so kind! Thank you!”
Under the boy’s hopeful gaze, Li Ge climbed back over the wall and found Xi Zhou on the rooftop terrace.
The man leaned against the railing, looking inscrutable. He held a glass of deep red wine, his expression unusually cold.
Li Ge narrowed her eyes and walked over, extending her hand without ceremony. “You’ve got gauze in your space, right? Let me use some.”
“Reason?” He took a sip of wine, his tone indifferent.
Uh…
“I ran into an injured little animal. My sympathy kicked in, and I want to bandage it. You just happen to have the supplies I need.” She simplified the story as much as possible.
“Hah.” Xi Zhou neither believed nor disbelieved her, giving her a look as if she were an idiot. “Someone who doesn’t care whether people live or die would go save an animal? Do you think I’m that easy to fool?”
Li Ge sighed helplessly. “Is that really the impression I’ve given you? I do have compassion—it just depends on who it’s for.”
“Then tell me what you’ll gain from that animal, and I’ll consider it.”
He wasn’t unaware of the unusual situation in the neighboring yard—he just hadn’t wanted to bother with it.
Looks like he wouldn’t agree easily. She should’ve hidden some supplies earlier.
“If I treat it, I might get information about Bai Sui. Does that count?” Li Ge curled her lips mysteriously. “The one who injured it is named ‘Rui’an.’”
A man named Rui’an appearing here—it wasn’t hard to guess who he was. Bai Sui and Bai Rui’an—they were siblings.
Of course, Li Ge subconsciously ignored the fact that the original owner of her current body was also Bai Rui’an’s younger sister.
The air instantly turned cold. Xi Zhou’s expression darkened frighteningly. The expensive wine glass shattered in his hand, red wine spilling everywhere like blood.
“Take me there.”
Bai Rui’an—this name was all too familiar. The Bai family’s adopted son, Bai Sui’s brother.
Back then, Liu Boyan, Lu Nai, Wei Xiangbei, and Bai Rui’an—along with him—were five brothers who had grown up together.
They were similar in age, and their families’ interests were intertwined. Bai Sui had practically been raised under their watch.
The boy had been staring at the wall in the yard. When he saw Xi Zhou come in, his eyes lit up. He ran over and hugged his leg tightly, refusing to let go. Soon, tears began to fall.
“Brother Xi Zhou! Sob!”
Xi Zhou patted his head, then frowned. “Xiao Qi, are you home alone?”
“Mm.” Xiao Qi nodded heavily. “Mom and Dad went out. I’m waiting at home with Dahei for Mom to come back.”
“Brother Xi Zhou, I’m so scared. Everything outside has become so terrifying. Mom hasn’t come home, and Dahei got hurt too.”
After days of fear, he was still just a child. Seeing someone familiar, he could no longer hold back his tears.
“Don’t be afraid.”
Xi Zhou offered a few dry words of comfort, his tone flat and emotionless. Xiao Qi wasn’t comforted at all—his teary eyes kept spilling over.
Impatient, Xi Zhou gestured at Li Ge. “You—make him stop crying.”
Wasn’t this his kid acquaintance? Why so impatient? Li Ge lifted her chin proudly, not intending to move.
A flash of red light flickered—flames appeared at Xi Zhou’s fingertips.
Seriously?
Li Ge stared at him in shock. Even through his sunglasses, she could sense the sharpness in his gaze.
Sighing helplessly, she gave in. “Xiao Qi, don’t cry. Dahei is hurt, right? Let’s treat him first.”
Children were sensitive—Xiao Qi seemed to sense something. He looked between Li Ge and Xi Zhou, then nodded while holding back his tears.
“Okay… Brother Xi Zhou, you have to heal Dahei!”
The mastiff, which had been so imposing before, now growled uneasily at Xi Zhou’s unconscious pressure before he even approached with the gauze.
“You go bandage it.” He tossed the gauze to Li Ge and shoved his hands into his pockets, radiating cold air.
Fine. Who’s scared of you?
Li Ge crouched on the steps and skillfully removed the bullet from the mastiff’s leg.
It seemed Xiao Qi had been close to Xi Zhou before the apocalypse and relied on him a lot.
The reason he was alone was because of his parents—his mother and father didn’t have a good relationship. His father had started a new family outside.
On September 30th, his parents had gone to get a divorce. His mother promised she would come back and take him away, but that day, neither of them returned.
The boy and the dog had waited at home for a long time.
As for Dahei’s gunshot wound…
“Dahei was shot by Brother Rui’an.”
Hearing the familiar name stirred something in Xi Zhou.
Li Ge had been wanting to ask, “Why did Bai Rui’an hurt Dahei? If they’re neighbors, he should be familiar with the dog.”
“Because of Sister Xiaosui.” The boy hugged his knees, curling into himself. “Sister Xiaosui said it wasn’t safe at home and wanted me to leave with her. But my mom hadn’t come back yet, so I didn’t want to go. Dahei accidentally scratched her, and that’s why Brother Rui’an shot him.”
“I see…” Li Ge’s tone turned strange. “So Bai Sui was scratched by Dahei?”
Mutated animals were also a type of zombie. Anyone scratched by them would eventually turn into one too—just with a longer incubation period.
If Bai Sui turned into a zombie… that would be interesting.
“Wouldn’t you call that karma?”
Xi Zhou didn’t respond. His expression was grave as he asked Xiao Qi again, “Did you see Bai Sui get scratched with your own eyes?”
“I don’t know.” Xiao Qi shook his head.
Li Ge neatly tied off the gauze. “Then do you know where they went?”
“They’re going to the Eastern Base mentioned on the broadcast. Are you and Brother Xi Zhou going there too?”
“Yeah, we’re leaving soon. Do you want to come with us?”
The boy lowered his head sadly but spoke firmly. “I made a promise with Mom. I’ll wait here with Dahei until she comes back.”
Xi Zhou left him some biscuits and water. “Don’t separate from Dahei. He can protect you.”
A boy of eleven or twelve with no means of self-defense—without the mutated mastiff, surviving in this apocalypse would be incredibly hard.
“Mm. Dahei is my best friend. We’ll always stay together.” Xiao Qi waved goodbye to them.
After leaving, Xi Zhou grabbed a sports car on the road and drove out of the villa district. Li Ge looked out the window at the houses receding behind them.
“I thought you’d try to persuade him to come with us. It’s too dangerous for a kid to be alone in the apocalypse.”
She hadn’t expected him to say nothing and just leave some food.
Xi Zhou sneered. “And it wouldn’t be dangerous following me? Don’t force your ideas onto him. If he wanted to leave, he would’ve done so already.”
Li Ge frowned. “Don’t you think your way of speaking is harsh? Is it really that hard to just talk nicely?”