010 Bitten by a Zombie

"Remember that basketball game you played against our school? A girl brought you a bottle of water during the break—that’s her."

Shen Heng showed little expression. "I don't remember. Plenty of people have brought me water."

Shen Shiwei rolled her eyes at him. "Gao Li said you smiled at her. She’s convinced you’re interested in her."

Shen Heng: "...I didn't, and I'm not." He added quietly, "If I ever run into her, I certainly won't let her off easy."

"Same here."

After Shen Heng finished dressing Shen Shiwei’s wounds, he checked the time and said, "Hungry? I see some ingredients left in the fridge. Want me to boil some noodles?"

"Didn't the power and water go out?"

"The gas stove still works." Shen Heng patted her head dotingly. "My little princess just needs to rest and wait to be fed."

Shen Shiwei smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "Thank you, brother."

As Shen Heng prepared to leave with the first-aid kit, Shen Shiwei called out to him, "Second Brother, leave the kit with me."

Shen Heng didn't ask why; he simply agreed and placed the kit on the nightstand.

As soon as he left, Shen Shiwei tucked the first-aid kit into her spatial storage. She climbed out of bed, searched the room, and gathered everything she deemed useful—mostly her favorite clothes, shoes, and accessories—stowing them all away in her space.

Once finished, she pulled up the quilt and lay down to get some sleep.

The system was astonished by her calm demeanor. [Host, you’re far too relaxed. There are so many zombies out there!]

Shen Shiwei acted as if she hadn't heard the system at all, showing no reaction.

The system paused for a few seconds. [Host?]

Still no response.

The system: [...Are you actually angry?]

Shen Shiwei kept her eyes closed, her breathing steady. She appeared to be asleep.

Fearing that Shen Shiwei might ignore it and fail to complete the mission, the system apologized anxiously: [I'm sorry, I was wrong. I shouldn't have said that.]

The corner of Shen Shiwei’s mouth curled up almost imperceptibly. "Where were you wrong?"

The system: [I shouldn't have criticized your personality. You’re the most beautiful host I’ve ever met, so I got a bit carried away. Plus, my emotional intelligence is low, so I inevitably say the wrong things. Please don't be angry anymore.]

"Since your attitude is good, I’ll let it slide." Shen Shiwei arched a brow triumphantly. "However, you are my system. If you ever speak up for someone else again, I won't finish your missions."

The system: [...]

As a system bound by mistake, it had no leverage.

The system: [It won't happen again.]

Knowing that the more it spoke, the more it erred, the system decided it wouldn't say another word unless it pertained to the mission.

The sky outside the window was a murky gray.

Song Yingjun pulled back the curtain to vigilantly observe the surroundings. Usually, this time of day was the liveliest, but now, there wasn't a sound to be heard, not even a shadow of a person.

After ensuring there were no zombies lurking around the villa, Song Yingjun descended from the third floor.

At that moment, Shen Heng and Wei Qing were quietly preparing vegetables in the living room. A dim, warm light from a desk lamp fell upon their faces, creating a scene of unexpected tranquility.

Seeing this, Song Yingjun felt a bit dazed. He let out a long breath before walking over. "What are you doing?"

Shen Heng: "Making noodles. Want some?"

Song Yingjun nodded. He swallowed hard; he had been hungry for a while but hadn't wanted to say anything. "Um... is there enough?"

"Two bags left, that should be enough," Shen Heng replied. "There are no supermarkets around here, so supplies are hard to come by. We’ll have to make do."

"This is already plenty." Song Yingjun looked around. "Do you need any help?"

"No, go ahead and rest."

Just as Song Yingjun sat down, a series of knocks echoed from the front door. The sound was unnervingly clear in the quiet living room, as if it were striking directly at their hearts.

Instantly, all three grew alert and turned to look at the entrance.

Song Yingjun made a shushing gesture. His right hand reached for the gun tucked in his coat as he quietly moved toward the door.

The knocking continued, now following a rhythmic pattern: two long, three short, one long.

Hearing this, Song Yingjun’s expression visibly relaxed, a smile slowly spreading across his face. He walked to the door and whispered through the crack, "Captain, is that you?"

"It’s me."

Only when Lu Sui’s low voice drifted through did Song Yingjun’s tense heart finally settle.

Song Yingjun opened the door.

Standing outside were Lu Sui and two disheveled women. Before Lu Sui could even step inside, the two women pushed past him in a frantic hurry.

Once they were inside the living room, the two women let out long, relieved sighs.

As Lu Sui walked in, Song Yingjun noticed he was carrying a bulging backpack.

"Captain, what's this?"

"Food." Lu Sui placed the bag on the coffee table and unzipped it, revealing a stash of bread, milk, and other snacks.

Song Yingjun handed some bread to Shen Heng and Wei Qing, then nudged the bag toward the two shaken women so they could choose.

"Captain, are these the ones you rescued from the teaching building?"

Lu Sui shook his head. "There were no survivors left in the teaching building. I found them on the road."

"Shen... Heng?"

One of the women suddenly spoke his name.

Shen Heng paused. He looked up at her, scanning her face with a puzzled expression. "Who are you?"

"Don't you remember? On the basketball court, I brought you water."

Shen Heng squinted. He recalled what Shen Shiwei had mentioned earlier and tested her: "Gao Li?"

The girl’s face flushed instantly. Her eyes sparkled, and she covered her face in shyness. "You really do remember me!" She turned to the girl beside her. "See? I told you."

Shen Heng’s gaze was heavy, though a faint smile played on his lips. "It really is you, Gao Li, my sister’s classmate."

Gao Li’s face stiffened. She blinked rapidly, her mind racing, before she pouted and put on a look of profound sorrow. "I’m sorry, I didn't protect Weiwei. I tried to tell her not to wander off, but you know how she is—she never listened to anyone. She insisted on going out, and then..."

Song Yingjun, who was busy gnawing on a piece of bread, looked confused. He glanced up at the ceiling and then back at Gao Li with suspicion.

The "Weiwei" this girl was talking about had to be Shen Shiwei. But wasn't she safe and sound in her room upstairs?

Shen Heng’s expression turned icy. He wanted to see exactly how this woman intended to slander his sister behind her back.

"And then what happened?"

Gao Li shot a look at the girl beside her.

Han Zhu hesitated for two seconds before saying, "She... she was bitten by a zombie."