My Girlfriend is a Zombie Chapter 1316: Choice
However, Yuwen Xuan’s plea for assistance echoed into the void… Ling Mo’s focus had already been captured by the captive Old Gou. He was left to navigate this disjointed conversation single-handedly…
Ling Mo, chin in hand, was intently observing the “bat” Zombie being apprehended by Xia Na and Black Silk.
The captured creature fiercely glared at him, its struggles against the silver threads proving futile.
“Leave it for now, it will eventually speak,” Ling Mo decided after a few seconds of scrutiny, abandoning the immediate interrogation.
With the crucial “tongue” secured and the terms of cooperation with the Zombie Alliance finalized, Ling Mo surveyed their surroundings. “Given the recent disturbance and the potent scent of blood,” he mused aloud, “more zombies are likely to converge here soon… We should relocate.”
The moment his words left his lips, a Dark Shadow materialized and was flung from his hand, hurtling towards Chuchu’s head.
The Female Zombie reacted swiftly, her hand shooting out to intercept the projectile just shy of impact.
“What is this?” Chuchu inquired, her brow furrowed as she examined the peculiar device.
“It’s a Communicator. Fully charged, it offers extended usage. Once I extract definite Intelligence from this specimen and finalize my arrangements, I will contact you with it. Conversely, if you acquire any valuable Intelligence, simply press the call button to reach me.”
As Ling Mo explained, he offered a casual wave. “No need for goodbyes then. We must depart swiftly. Ah, right. Dan Chun is located behind that building. I confined a cluster of common zombies within her room merely to deceive you all. While they pose no threat to her, the cramped space will become uncomfortable. You should check on her promptly.”
“You…” Chuchu’s gaze flickered between Ling Mo and the Communicator in her grasp. Resisting the impulse to destroy the device, she let out a subdued grunt before turning her attention to the area behind the ruined structure.
A line of unassuming residential houses stood there. Had Ling Mo not indicated otherwise, she would never have suspected Dan Chun was being held within that vicinity…
Meanwhile, inside one of the rooms, Dan Chun was suspended mid-air, emitting soft whimpers. Her eyes were wide with terror as she gazed down at the densely packed horde of zombies below… Since the combat erupted outside, these zombies had been ceaselessly roaring, their frenzy escalating… And here she was, a Senior Zombie, being tossed about like a mere plaything by these low-level kin…
Responding to Ling Mo’s mental summons, a contingent of Female Zombies, including the mutated beast Xiao Bai, quickly assembled.
With no need for concealment, this marked the inaugural gathering of all the Female Zombies. While Xia Na and the others remained composed, Xu Shuhan was visibly astonished, uttering exclamations of disbelief repeatedly as she instinctively retrieved her recorder to document her shocked observations…
“Madman, we can disengage now,” Ling Mo declared, slinging his backpack over his shoulder as he positioned himself directly behind Ting without any hesitation.
The axe-wielding Female Zombie immediately cast an unfavorable glance his way, a predatory grin spreading across her features.
Observing this, Yuwen Xuan’s heart tightened, yet he noted Ling Mo’s apparent indifference, as if completely unfazed.
Perhaps… he had grown accustomed to such treatment?
Yuwen Xuan couldn’t help but entertain the thought.
“Ah, she can accompany us,” Ling Mo announced casually.
A faint smile touched his lips. “Truthfully, I feel significantly more at ease now.”
“Haha…” Yuwen Xuan responded with a laugh, regarding Ling Mo with a complex mien. “I comprehend your sentiment about no longer being alone… but who else would bring not only zombies but a mutated beast along for the journey!”
After a brief pause, Yuwen Xuan continued, “Ling Mo, we are fundamentally different. I struggle to articulate it precisely, and I recognize the difficulty you face in explaining it to me, but deep down, I am certain: our circumstances diverge.”
“You…” Ling Mo started to speak but ultimately remained silent.
Another stretch of silence ensued before Ling Mo finally inquired, “So, have you reached your resolution?”
Yuwen Xuan nodded, his gaze then drifting towards Ting, whose attention had already been drawn to a nearby corpse.
“In truth, this decision should have been made over a year ago,” Yuwen Xuan murmured softly, his eyes fixed on Ting. “Yet, making a resolution is one thing; acting upon it is another. Honestly, I’ve contemplated numerous scenarios of what I would do if I were to find her. But the answer was invariably—I don’t know… However, witnessing ‘Host Xu’ now, I realize my own fortune. My brother-in-law can assist me, can’t he?”
With a beseeching gaze turned towards Ling Mo, he pleaded, “If anyone else knew about this, they’d certainly brand me a lunatic. But you grasp my predicament, don’t you? Even if she’s no longer the woman I remember… even if she’s ceased to be human, do those distinctions truly matter to us… Just because she transformed into a Zombie, am I meant to abandon her, even extinguish her myself? No, that’s a choice neither you nor I can make, can we?”
“I already made a grave error once. This time, I refuse to err again… Ling Mo, please, lend me your aid!” Yuwen Xuan's voice suddenly boomed.
Ling Mo observed the nearly frenzied Yuwen Xuan and then cast his eyes upon Ting, who remained fixated on the corpse, utterly impassive…
A sudden recollection surfaced of Ye Lian’s eyes the moment he first discovered her on that bus…
“You’ve spoken the truth; I understand,” Ling Mo offered, a faint smile touching his lips.
Yuwen Xuan instantly exhaled a breath of relief, gratitude flickering across his features. He bowed his head, murmuring, “I’ve already done all within my power… Should I have a future, and in the future, I shall repay your kindness… For Yalin, and for what you’ve done for me today…”
Over ten minutes elapsed. As Ling Mo and his companions departed from the scene, he found himself the sole human amidst the group…
“Where is Yuwen Xuan?” Xia Na inquired, surveying her surroundings.
Ling Mo, evaluating a piece of Gel in his palm, looked back. “Perhaps our paths will cross again soon…” he remarked with a touch of wistfulness.
…As tranquility once again descended upon the area, a subtle sound emanated from the remnants of the shattered structure.
A section of concrete shifted almost imperceptibly, just twice, before a hand, drenched in blood, emerged from beneath it.
“I heard it… I overheard their entire conversation…” a rasping voice whispered, “Cursed humans, cursed humans! Those within Central City won’t…”
A sudden flurry of footsteps intruded, and shortly thereafter, a pair of feet materialized outside the crevice.
“Do you hail from Central City?” a voice queried.
The hoarse voice faltered for a moment before responding, “Yes.”
“You mentioned humans earlier… What precisely transpired?” the voice pressed further.
After a brief contemplation, the hoarse voice posed a question, “If I reveal all, will you offer your assistance?”
“Naturally.”
Without further hesitation, the hoarse voice recounted the entirety of what it had perceived.
“I comprehend… His strategies are indeed entirely inscrutable…”
“You recognize this human?” the hoarse voice inquired, unable to suppress its curiosity as it listened to the Zombie’s musings, urgently pressing, “Very well, extricate me first, I must…”
Bang!
As the slab of concrete came crashing down, the hoarse voice was abruptly silenced by the muffled impact.
Observing the crimson fluid slowly seeping through the fissure, the Zombie lifted the foot that had appeared to tread so lightly upon it.
“A Zombie too inept to articulate its intentions clearly is better off deceased. Furthermore, intriguing developments should not be disrupted by the likes of you.”
After a soft self-muttering, the Zombie lifted its gaze towards the far end of the street: “Cooperation… Ling Mo, what precisely are your objectives?”
The distant figure posing this question was identical to the one previously encountered in Mountain Town…
The sole divergence was that this apparition appeared somewhat younger than its precedent…
Yet, their tone and bearing remained precisely the same…
“We shall soon converge, Ling Mo, exceedingly soon…” the figure whispered.
…“So, you’re implying that this Panda and those two Zombies have been shadowing us all along? It’s utterly bizarre, I find it difficult to believe…” At this juncture, Xu Shuhan trailed Ling Mo, bombarding him with questions without pause. Having subsided from her initial shock, she was now consumed by an intense curiosity. After all, Senior Zombies possessed the capacity for communication, or it could be termed as a ‘Mate’ bond; however, mutation beasts were an entirely different matter. And witnessing Xiao Bai’s willing deference in carrying Ling Mo, it even exhibited a degree of closeness towards him. Setting aside its crimson eyes, its behavior was nearly indistinguishable from those Pandas that once subsisted on charming performances.
But after observing this mutation beast’s physique inexplicably inflate moments prior, and its terrifying display as it effortlessly pulverized a common zombie, Xu Shuhan grasped that this creature was unequivocally not amiable merely because of its cute facade. Likely, save for Ling Mo, its response to anyone else would be a swift, fatal strike, wouldn’t it?
“Ling Mo, how did you manage to assemble such a retinue? Do you intend to orchestrate a Zombie Legion? Who was the initial Zombie you enticed? Do you harbor any other Zombie confidantes concealed elsewhere?”
Xu Shuhan’s inquiries tumbled out in rapid succession, compelling the one being questioned to betray a look of exasperation.
Who could have foreseen that after their first public revelation, the challenges faced would not be annihilation or distrust, nor the struggle of navigating the delicate balance between humans and Zombies… but rather, how to manage this Female Zombie whose professional habits persisted relentlessly?