The little zombie’s voice was soft, almost as if she were acting spoiled. The moment he heard it, the man’s long, narrow black eyes narrowed dangerously.
If he still couldn’t figure out what the little thing wanted to eat, then he would have lived all these years for nothing. But…
Did this little thing even understand what she was saying?
Yu Yan took advantage of the moment to pinch the little zombie’s chin, “You’re not allowed to talk like this to anyone else from now on.”
Shu Ran didn’t quite understand.
【Why?】
As she spoke, she easily slipped free from the man’s hand, lifted her soft waist, and firmly clung to him.
Then she wriggled upward twice more, successfully nestling into the crook of his neck.
Now that she had finally managed to snuggle up against him, Shu Ran happily smiled. She licked her tender, sweet lips, and her eyes curved slyly.
With that movement, the tip of her pert little nose happened to brush across the man’s prominent Adam’s apple.
Yu Yan instantly clenched his fists and firmly held down the little zombie, who was still trying to move. His voice was low and hoarse, “There’s no reason. Just stay still and be good.”
Shu Ran was very obedient. If he told her not to move, then she wouldn’t move. She simply stared at his Adam’s apple without blinking with her beautiful fox eyes.
The man took some time to regain his composure. Once the strange sensation had nearly faded, he finally asked in a low voice, “Do you know what those things are? Why are you so eager to eat them?”
Shu Ran shook her head and answered seriously,
【Of course I know. They’re energy. Eating them will help me advance to the next level.】
This energy was just like the spiritual energy in the God Realm. The more she absorbed, the warmer her whole body would feel. Once she absorbed enough, she would be able to level up.
That was how she had always cultivated before.
“You can level up…”
Yu Yan repeated the little zombie’s words. Then, with a sudden burst of strength, he lifted her up with one hand.
Under the strange moonlight, he quietly looked up at her.
Those old fools at the research institute had told him that if he couldn’t find a way to clear the violent energy, he would eventually be killed by it himself.
They said it was all punishment for having such a sinister ability, one that brought misfortune upon both his father and mother.
Death was his best destination.
But today, everything was different.
He had picked up a little zombie—and not just any little zombie. She was perfectly compatible with him and could even help him advance to the next level.
The corners of Yu Yan’s lips curled into a mocking smile.
He wondered whether those people who were so eager for him to die would be furious enough to drop dead themselves if they found out.
Shu Ran had no idea what Yu Yan was thinking. All she knew was that she had suddenly been picked up!
She somewhat dazedly wrapped her arms around the man’s neck.
Then she felt a wave of hot breath brush against the crook of her neck, making her instinctively shrink her neck.
Shu Ran pursed her lips and, with trembling fingertips, lightly poked Yu Yan’s neck.
【Put me down.】
But the man only gave an evil little smile. “That won’t do.”
Shu Ran: （°ο°）？
Before she could say anything else, the man said with complete seriousness, “Didn’t you say you wanted more? Let’s move somewhere else, and I’ll let you absorb as much as you want.”
With that, he carried the little zombie in his arms over to a makeshift bed he had set up nearby.
After placing the little zombie on it, he lay down with her in his arms.
He tried to control the violent energy inside his body, slowly releasing it bit by bit.
Shu Ran had originally been about to struggle a little, but the moment she felt that energy, she immediately gave up.
Nestled happily in Yu Yan’s arms, she began absorbing it to her heart’s content.
……
The System was completely dumbfounded.
What kind of development was this?!
It had already thought about how it would comfort Ranran if she got kicked out.
Yet it never could have imagined that things would unfold in a direction so completely beyond its expectations.
What shocked it even more was that Shu Ran had actually awakened an ability while absorbing the energy!
And it was a rare mutated wood-type ability!
Thinking this over, the System dropped into a chair inside the space and took out a bag of tiny fish-shaped crackers to snack on.
It had to be said—Ranran’s luck was really good…
The next morning.
Shu Ran was sleeping comfortably when the rumbling noises coming from outside the window made her scrunch up her nose.
She wished she could hide her entire self away just so she wouldn’t have to hear that noise, but it was useless. The sound was actually getting closer and closer!
【Ranran, wake up! Someone’s coming.】
“Mm…”
The little zombie, wrapped up in a blanket, finally stirred and poked her head out from underneath it. But her eyes remained tightly shut, and only her curled lashes trembled slightly.
Until…
A long, slender arm that was lean yet filled with powerful strength suddenly scooped her up, blanket and all, then casually tossed her over his shoulder.
Only then did Shu Ran finally open her eyes in a daze, her hair sticking up in every direction.
Shu Ran: ??
By the time Shu Ran came back to her senses, she and Yu Yan were already sitting inside a vehicle, flying through the air.
Shu Ran sat in a daze for a moment before curiously extending a finger to tap the glass beside her.
【What is this? How can it fly?】
The System knew that Shu Ran had only learned a little about this world from the original text and wasn’t familiar with many of its means of transportation, so it began explaining.
【This is a helicopter, a type of flying transport. Because it can hover and fly at low altitudes, it’s also a very common form of air transportation in the apocalypse. But this world has more than just this one type of vehicle. There’s also…】
While the System was giving Shu Ran a crash course, the other two people in the helicopter simultaneously turned to look at Yu Yan.
One of them tried to hold back his curiosity, but in the end, he couldn’t help asking, “Boss, where did this girl come from?”
He hadn’t gotten a clear look at her face, but he was certain she was a girl.