Lin Mingmei did not dwell too much on Qin Yueming’s reaction. Once she saw him finally finish the noodles, the irritation lingering in her chest eased considerably.
“If that still isn’t enough, there are more noodles in the kitchen. I can cook another bowl.”
“No, this is already enough,” Qin Yueming replied quickly.
Lin Mingmei merely nodded.
Without making it obvious, Qin Yueming quietly studied her expression. The temper she had shown moments ago had faded just as quickly as it appeared.
So she only got angry to force me to eat.
For someone so sharp-tongued, she was unexpectedly kindhearted.
His thoughts drifted uncontrollably back to the elderly couple at the convenience store.
Before leaving with the supplies, Lin Mingmei had deliberately acted fierce and intimidating just to force them to close the shutters and hide inside.
If only they had listened to her.
If only he had not barged into the store with that injured woman.
Perhaps none of that tragedy would have happened.
The noodles in his mouth suddenly tasted unbearably bitter.
Lin Mingmei looked at his complicated expression in confusion.
Did my cooking somehow become terrible?
Why does he look like he’s swallowing poison?
Qin Yueming forced down the rest of the noodles, using the food to suppress the bitterness rising inside him.
The moment Lin Mingmei reached for the empty bowls, he moved before she could touch them.
Her hand froze midair.
“I’ll wash them,” Qin Yueming said firmly. “I can’t let you handle everything alone.”
Before she could respond, he carried the bowls into the kitchen.
Lin Mingmei slowly withdrew her hand, an unfamiliar feeling settling deep inside her.
No one had ever done such small things for her before.
From childhood until the end of her previous life, she had always been the one taking care of everyone else.
Just then, the toddler lying on the mattress suddenly began convulsing violently.
Lin Mingmei cried out in alarm and rushed to the bedside.
Hearing her voice, Qin Yueming immediately abandoned the dishes and hurried over without even drying his hands. Seeing the severity of the seizure, he quickly pried the child’s mouth open and stuffed a piece of cloth inside to prevent him from biting his tongue.
“Master! His ability is awakening right now! It’s an earth ability, and this is the critical moment! Kill him immediately and absorb it!”
Heiqiu’s frantic voice exploded inside her mind.
Lin Mingmei frowned deeply.
“Master! The space desperately needs an earth core! Hurry!” Heiqiu shrieked again.
Lin Mingmei remained silent.
Qin Yueming restrained the child’s thrashing body and glanced toward her. Seeing the heavy expression on her face, he assumed she was simply terrified for the child’s safety.
His voice softened unconsciously.
“What relationship do you have with this child?”
Lin Mingmei snapped out of her thoughts and slowly shook her head.
“I don’t know him. Earlier, I encountered a man carrying him while being chased by a huge group of zombies. Before he died, he begged me to save his son.”
A massive zombie horde…
Qin Yueming silently confirmed his earlier impression.
This girl was far too softhearted.
Most people would have run for their lives without even looking back. Who would risk themselves to save a stranger’s child?
Someone like her would suffer terribly in this cruel world.
Qin Yueming wanted to tell her to prioritize her own safety in the future, but the words refused to leave his mouth.
Meanwhile, Lin Mingmei paid no attention to his thoughts.
Her mind was filled entirely with Heiqiu’s relentless screaming.
As long as she killed the child now, she could absorb his newly awakened earth ability.
Heiqiu desperately explained the benefits.
Earth nourishes water, and water sustains wood.
She had already absorbed Qin Yueming’s water core. If she obtained the earth ability as well, her space would gain both water and fertile soil. She would finally be able to grow crops and produce food forever.
Faced with such overwhelming temptation, who could truly remain unmoved?
It was only one child.
In her previous life, countless children had died during the apocalypse. Once food supplies were exhausted, some survivors had even treated children like livestock.
Even if this child survived today, he would likely die sooner or later anyway.
Just as Lin Mingmei’s thoughts descended into chaos, the toddler suddenly spasmed violently.
His upper body jerked upward.
His eyes flew open.
His pupils had completely dilated, and his eyes glowed with a terrifying crimson light. His delicate face twisted in unbearable agony.
Lin Mingmei instinctively staggered backward in shock.
A moment later, the child’s body suddenly went limp.
Qin Yueming gently lowered him back onto the mattress before turning toward her and slowly shaking his head.
Lin Mingmei’s voice tightened.
“What does that mean?”
Qin Yueming looked at her apologetically.
“I’m sorry… I couldn’t save him.”
Lin Mingmei stood frozen.
Dead?
Then what about the earth ability?
“Master, you idiot! The moment the host dies, the newly awakened earth core disappears completely! That moment just now was your only chance, and you wasted it because you hesitated!”
Heiqiu screamed furiously.
The earth ability… was gone?
Which meant the fertile soil needed to grow fruits and vegetables had disappeared as well?
Lin Mingmei felt as though lightning had struck her from head to toe.
Just because she hesitated for a single moment, she had lost an incredibly valuable earth ability.
A wave of overwhelming grief instantly swallowed her whole.
Qin Yueming gently closed the child’s eyes.
This was the first time the boy had opened them since arriving here.
And it was also the last.
Seeing Lin Mingmei standing there with such devastated eyes, Qin Yueming could not stop himself from stepping forward and gently pulling her into his arms.
“Don’t blame yourself too much,” he murmured softly. “You already did everything you could.”
Lin Mingmei shook her head against his chest.
How could she not grieve?
That was an earth ability!
Her future fruits and vegetables were gone!
Qin Yueming’s heart felt unbearably heavy.
She had risked everything to save this child, dragged him out from the middle of a zombie horde, and even ventured back outside alone to search for medicine.
She truly had done everything she possibly could.
“It’s not your fault,” Qin Yueming continued softly. “His body was too weak. No child that young could survive such a severe fever. The fact that he held on this long was already a miracle. Perhaps dying now is kinder than suffering later.”
As he spoke, Qin Yueming awkwardly patted her back.
Thud.
Thud, thud.
Each heavy pat nearly made Lin Mingmei cough blood.
Is this giant soldier trying to kill me?!
Lin Mingmei immediately shoved him away and glared at him furiously.
Qin Yueming awkwardly hid his hands behind his back.
He truly had no experience comforting girls. He simply had not expected her body to be so fragile.
Ignoring his embarrassed expression, Lin Mingmei walked to the wardrobe and took out one of Gao Lang’s thick winter coats. She carefully wrapped the child’s body inside before lifting him into her arms.
Then she headed toward the door.
Qin Yueming followed closely behind.
“Let me carry him.”
Lin Mingmei did not argue and handed the child over. She tightened her jacket, grabbed her framing hammer, and headed downstairs.
Once they reached the green space below the apartment building, Qin Yueming gently laid the child onto the grass. He looked around for something to dig a grave with.
At that exact moment, Lin Mingmei suddenly pulled back the coat covering the child.
Then she raised the framing hammer high into the air.
Before Qin Yueming could react, the hammer came crashing down.
The child’s skull shattered instantly.
Qin Yueming’s pupils contracted violently.
“You…”
Lin Mingmei slowly lifted her head, her expression cold and unreadable.
“There. Now we can bury him.”
Qin Yueming silently processed what he had just witnessed, but ultimately chose not to ask further questions.
He quickly dug a shallow grave and carefully buried the child.
Sensing the heavy silence between them, Lin Mingmei finally spoke.
“Destroying the brain ensures he won’t turn into a zombie.”
Qin Yueming immediately understood.
“So their weakness is the head?”
“Correct,” Lin Mingmei replied calmly.
Qin Yueming nodded thoughtfully.
“I understand.”
After a brief pause, he added quietly,
“You actually don’t need to explain yourself to me.”
Lin Mingmei blinked in surprise.
“Hm?”
Qin Yueming looked at her steadily.
“No matter what you choose to do, I trust you completely. I believe you always have your reasons.”