Ch 132: TGCIR

Fortunately, the zombie horde didn’t seem to know what they were doing. Li Weilan was swept up and carried along with the group.

The few zombies that lost last formed the outer ‘guard,’ while several other nearby zombie groups seemed to have similarly chosen their ‘leaders.’ When these leaders met, Li Weilan noticed something: without exception, these zombies were relatively undamaged and, judging by their faces and bones, still retained some semblance of their former human features.

Shen Cheng also noticed this.

Zombies and the word ‘handsome’ don’t typically go together, but it was clear now, with the four chosen ones standing out, Shen Cheng and Li Weilan both started to wonder: what was going on? Was this a coincidence or a rule? Why did the selected zombies still have somewhat handsome features despite being zombies?

It was strange.

Li Weilan recalled what Shen Cheng had told him: the task was to “investigate the stability of the zombie horde.”

Since they received this task, there must be something unusual about the zombie horde.

This ‘unusual’ aspect had already shown itself: the zombie horde was selecting ‘leaders’ and commanders using a surprisingly mild method that preserved the horde’s vitality and sharpness.

Indeed, it was strange!

Li Weilan observed the other selected zombies more closely and noticed something odd: two zombies displayed typical zombie traits, but the other one seemed unusually bulky, which matched its stout form.

That bulge even occasionally moved, almost as if it were alive.

Noticing Li Weilan’s gaze, that zombie scanned the surroundings with a fierce and icy stare. Li Weilan averted his eyes and lowered his gaze: its sharp awareness of being watched suggested it was more than an ordinary zombie!

Li Weilan lowered his gaze, concealing his complex emotions.

Their group followed the largest zombie at the front, but Li Weilan noticed that periodically, the particularly watched zombie would start wriggling for a while, then leave the group for a short time before rejoining.

Among zombies, there was no concept of ‘monitoring’ or teamwork, so such behavior, which would immediately be deemed suspicious as espionage among humans, went unnoticed. However, after this happened two or three times, even Shen Cheng noticed it: “Lanlan, that zombie at the front has left our group several times already.”

Leaving the group meant whatever was in its bulge could be seen by other zombies.

What was in the bulge?

Li Weilan had a vague idea. The next time the zombie left the group, he quietly slowed down and followed its tracks to a distance where Shen Cheng could adjust the camera to see.

Unable to follow himself, Shen Cheng used the camera to observe closely. What she saw made her gasp in disbelief. She whispered to Li Weilan, “It seems to be a human child!”

A human child!

And it was being fed!

The child opened their mouth to eat the orange slice the zombie fed them, eating happily. The zombie fed the child slice after slice, occasionally patting and rocking them. The child smiled sweetly in its arms without making a sound.

A child and a zombie—such a terrifying combination—had somehow survived together, with the zombie even leading the group?

This defied all logic!

Li Weilan, being disguised as a zombie, couldn’t smell the human scent. But the other zombies, known for their craving for living beings, showed no interest in a child living right under their noses?

Li Weilan immediately deduced the reason: this zombie had a way to mask the living scent, and it was willing to help the child hide!

Achieving this could involve many gas or wind-type abilities, but this cooperation went far beyond the typical relationship between zombies and humans. Even if there were evidence, anyone familiar with the post-apocalyptic world would find it hard to believe!

After all, zombies and humans were natural enemies. Ever since the apocalypse began, humans had been striving to eradicate zombies and restore the old world order. If people heard of a zombie raising a human child, their wildest guess would be that the child was being kept as ‘reserve food’!

But from afar, Shen Cheng saw the scene: the child chewing on the orange slice, smiling with little dimples, even gently touching the zombie’s cold face without fear.

While this sight would be terrifying to most, if one ignored the zombie’s rigid facial expression, they could see traces of indulgence and care in its stillness.

Shen Cheng couldn’t fathom how the zombie managed to obtain such food, or the lengths it went to care for such a fragile child who might not even survive in a human shelter. The idea that this child was merely future food seemed implausible.

Future food?

Who treats future food with such tenderness!

Li Weilan remained silent for a long time before carefully stepping away without alarming the zombie.

“Lanlan,” Shen Cheng called worriedly after they had walked a safe distance, “Is this the reason for the stability of the zombie horde?”

Li Weilan shook his head: this zombie was raising a ‘child,’ but simply raising a child was far from explaining the overall ‘stability’ of the horde.

Li Weilan asked, “Is the task complete?”

Shen Cheng checked the task progress and said dejectedly, “Not yet.” There wasn’t even any sign of progress.

“Since the task involves ‘stability,’ it must be about events happening within a certain range, or something affecting the leaders of the zombie groups,” Li Weilan said quietly. “This single zombie might indicate normalcy within a small area, but it’s far from explaining overall ‘stability.'”

“Oh,” Shen Cheng thought they had found the reason.

Sensing Shen Cheng’s slight disappointment, Li Weilan continued analyzing, “But from this zombie, we can guess a few possibilities for ‘normalcy.'”

So it wasn’t entirely useless information.

Shen Cheng glanced at the time: her disappointment wasn’t due to anything else but because, ever since they were chosen as a ‘team,’ the zombies had been mechanically walking, walking, walking. Nearly 8 hours of the 24-hour mimicry equipment duration had already passed. She worried that they might run out of time before completing the task, risking exposure.

She didn’t want to see her boyfriend in danger!

Hearing about the ‘possibilities,’ Shen Cheng couldn’t help but ask, “What possibilities?”

“If zombies gain human-like intelligence and recognize a competent ‘king’ among them, what do you think will happen?” Li Weilan asked.

Shen Cheng was startled.

Until now, everyone believed zombies lacked higher intelligence and simply followed higher-level zombies instinctively.

For zombies, higher levels represented everything, and high-level zombies could completely control lower-level ones. This was why the Research Institute planned to use a nuclear bomb to eliminate all zombies by gathering them into a designated area. They saw it as the simplest and most effective solution.

But what if zombies figured this out?

This particular zombie hid a human child, indicating some level of intelligence. But if that intelligence brought ‘compassion’ and care, could other zombies’ intelligence bring scheming and ambitions similar to humans?

“Too bad we can’t understand what that crow was saying,” Shen Cheng sighed. If they could, they might already know their mission’s objective.

“Maybe we can understand,” Li Weilan suddenly said.

His gaze sharpened as he turned and headed back toward the zombie and the child: “If there’s one who can understand, there might be others.”

“!” Shen Cheng understood his point.

That zombie was carefully placing the child back into its chest. As it lowered its head, its seemingly blind eyes lingered tenderly on the child for a moment. Suddenly, as if sensing something, it snapped its head up, its fierce gaze locking onto Li Weilan!

It pushed the child’s head back into its chest—only now did Li Weilan and Shen Cheng realize that what appeared to be clothing was actually a loosely hanging tumor-like pouch. The child’s head disappeared into this pouch, hidden completely from view!

Realizing its secret had been discovered, the zombie raised its hand. A fierce gust of wind whipped around Li Weilan, sharp as knives, forming a massive vortex that lifted the ground itself!

It was a wind-type ability zombie!

Li Weilan used teleportation to dodge two meters away.

Reappearing like a ghost behind the zombie, he struck its neck with a palm, causing it no harm. Yet, the child in its pouch looked directly at Li Weilan with wide, terrified eyes.

The child had a deeply fearful gaze.

Li Weilan, with sincerity in his heart, said to the child, “I mean no harm.”

Despite his words, the moment the zombie realized Li Weilan was behind it, it launched a wind blade while holding its child, wishing it could be ten feet away from him.

This time, Li Weilan dodged without counterattacking. He stood behind the zombie again and looked at the child, saying, “I mean no harm.”

The child took a deep breath, then said, “Liar!”

“Attack!” the child shouted angrily, clinging to the zombie’s neck, “Attack, liar!”

“?” Both Li Weilan and Shen Cheng were stunned: this child, who seemed to be well-nourished but developmentally delayed, was old enough to understand and speak. They could shout?

At the child’s command, the zombie attacked again. Both Li Weilan and Shen Cheng realized that the child might be the actual decision-maker in this pair. Li Weilan looked at the child and said, “I’m not a zombie. Have you ever seen a talking zombie? This is a disguise.” He paused, “You don’t have to keep following the group. Give me the information, and I’ll give you enough food for half a year.”

“!!!” The child’s eyes lit up.

Perhaps because the ‘parent’ they were with was a zombie, the child seemed very mature for their age. They swallowed their saliva at the sight of the candy Li Weilan took out from his pocket but still resolutely said, “No! If you see us, you’ll tell on us!”

“This kid is smart.”

Both Li Weilan and Shen Cheng sighed: children in the apocalypse matured quickly, and this one was no exception.

Li Weilan, seeing no other way, sighed and was about to remove his disguise. Shen Cheng stopped him, suggesting, “Try reasoning with them first. We don’t have to fight.”

After a scuffle, and seeing that Li Weilan was far stronger, the child’s guard was up, and they wouldn’t listen to him. In such situations, a female might be more effective.

Hearing this, Li Weilan’s brow furrowed dangerously, “Is that possible?”

Shen Cheng was about to argue that they could at least try when she saw Li Weilan pulling out a pile of supplies from his space, spreading an array of items directly in front of the child.

A few pieces of candy were one thing, but enough supplies to feed someone for six months was a different story. Even the child’s hardened heart was moved.

This time, it was the zombie that suddenly stopped using its abilities and turned straight toward the supplies.

“??” The child called out several times, even patting the zombie, but it didn’t respond as it usually did. Finally, the child reluctantly looked up at Li Weilan and said, “Fine, that’s what it wants. Ask your questions!”

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋