Chapter Ninety-Five

Chapter Ninety-Five

When Shen Xiuzhe awoke, he found himself in a purely white room, with ceilings, walls, floors, and even the bed beneath him all in white.

The overwhelming whiteness was blinding, and the room was eerily silent.

A faint smell of disinfectant lingered at the tip of his nose; the room was seamless, with no superfluous items and no visible exits.

But Shen Xiuzhe knew exactly where he was, his piercing gaze fixed on a specific point on the wall: "Open the door."

The silence was suddenly broken by a harsh sound from the top of the room, like a microphone screeching as it was turned on, followed by a stern female voice: "You are now our prisoner, with no right to make demands. You are sentenced to □□ for three years, during which you cannot leave this room..."

Shen Xiuzhe's sharp gaze softened with resignation upon hearing the voice, interrupting before she could finish: "Mom, stop playing around, open the door."

The front wall of the white room suddenly flipped outward, revealing the scene outside.

A woman in a white lab coat stood there, waving at him.

Shen Xiuzhe got out of bed and walked towards her. Since the apocalypse, the heavy cloud in his heart had finally dissipated.

Being alive was enough.

The two had strikingly similar facial features, yet their demeanors were entirely different.

Ran Qing, seeing her son after a long separation, was overwhelmed with emotion and moved to embrace him: "Xiuzhe!"

Shen Xiuzhe gently pressed his hand against her forehead, scanning the surroundings. "Alright, enough of reunions for now. Where are the others?"

Ran Qing withdrew her hand, slightly annoyed, moving away from the obstructing hand. "Your companions? They haven’t woken up yet."

"And Lin An? The young man with bangs covering his eyes?"

Shen Xiuzhe looked at his mother, unsure how long he had been unconscious, but knowing Lin An, a zombie, wouldn't succumb to the drug, he must be awake.

"His constitution is quite unique. Though initially my intentions in bringing him were not pure, now, no one can harm him."

"Ah, you mean him," Shen's mother's expression grew complex, she looked at her son, hesitating to speak.

"What happened to him?" Shen Xiuzhe's expression changed instantly, pressing for an answer.

Their current location, an underground research facility in Baize City, appeared unassuming but was equipped with state-of-the-art research tools and top medical experts. Its security system, advanced from the start, made breaking in or out extremely difficult.

Lin An, a zombie with powerful abilities and human-like intelligence, was a rare specimen for every researcher.

To them, he was an invaluable research subject.

"They couldn’t have done something to Lin An..."

Seeing her son's menacing aura, as if he was about to annihilate the entire base, Shen's mother hurriedly intervened: "Don't panic, he's fine, really. You'll see when you go to him."

Shen Xiuzhe followed his mother to find Lin An, noticing that the entire research facility’s security system was active. Some areas required a password and iris verification, which would have been time-consuming without his mother's guidance.

Shen Xiuzhe had visited this place before the apocalypse. Back then, the security wasn’t as tight, with many systems merely for show. After all, entering passwords in every corridor for the lab or other areas was cumbersome, so only key areas were secured.

"You haven't done anything to him, have you?" Shen Xiuzhe couldn’t help but worry.

Ran Qing, hands in pockets, scanned her iris and pondered, "Hmm, does taking a bit of body tissue count?"

Shen Xiuzhe's just-relaxed face darkened again.

Mrs. Shen continued at a leisurely pace, "For instance, samples like hair, fingernails, oral mucosal cells, blood, and so forth. Of course, all these are taken with the person's consent."

Shen Xiuzhe was at a loss for what expression to use: his mother was definitely doing this on purpose.

He then decided to remain silent, knowing he'd understand everything once he saw the person.

They didn't encounter anyone else along the way, making the research facility feel eerily deserted. However, as soon as Ran Qing opened a door, lively voices immediately wafted out.

A group of professors and researchers, about the same age as my mother or older, were huddled around something, muttering incessantly.

"Come on out, grandpa has something fun here."

"We shouldn’t laugh at you, it’s too cold inside, the body can't handle it. When you get old, you'll end up with rheumatism like us."

"I remember there’s a hammer in the lab, should be able to break this ice."

"Nonsense, what if you hit the person?"

Shen Xiuzhe stepped forward, seeing they were surrounding a large block of ice.

The ice was thick, with a curled-up person faintly visible inside.

"Lin An," Shen Xiuzhe called out.

The motionless person inside the ice suddenly stirred, the ice shattering into tiny crystals, and the person inside lunged out to embrace Shen Xiuzhe's waist, who in turn wrapped his arms around the other.

The group of elders, who had been coaxing in vain, burst into cheers: "Aww."

Some glanced teasingly at Ran Qing, who clenched her teeth in frustration: "A grown child can't be kept at home."

Lin An seemed fine on the outside, but Shen Xiuzhe, who knew him well, realized that he must be struggling with social anxiety amidst so many people, and quickly asked if there was a spare room near his mother.

Mother Shen, somewhat reluctantly, led them next door. As she was asked to leave first, she stood at the door and declared, "You have only ten minutes to talk. I'll come in after that, I mean it."

Not understanding his mother's erratic behavior, as soon as the door shut, Lin An looked up anxiously, "What do we do, I've messed everything up."

"What?"

On the verge of tears, Lin An recounted to Shen Xiuzhe what had happened since they lost consciousness.

It turned out that soon after they passed out on the beach, someone approached them. Lin An, unsure whether the newcomer was friend or foe, hesitated to act rashly.

Surprisingly, the person recognized Shen Xiuzhe and was even friends with his mother.

There was no antidote for the anesthetic, and they would wake up naturally in a few hours, so these people took everyone back to their residence while still unconscious.

Knowing that Shen Xiuzhe's mother was unharmed, Lin An breathed a sigh of relief, but the thought of having to meet her now made him nervous again.

At such a critical moment, everyone else was unfortunately unconscious.

Lin An wanted to suggest waiting until everyone woke up before going together, but the moment they found out he was Shen Xiuzhe's companion, their enthusiasm made it impossible for him to object.

So, he followed his unconscious companions, accompanying these people to the research institute.

Lin An was incredibly anxious, staying close to his unconscious companions during the journey, fearing that these people might be deceiving him and were not as benevolent as they seemed.

He was also worried about how to act if he really met Shen Xiuzhe's mother soon.

Feeling like his brain was splitting from the anxiety, luckily, he had prepared in advance. The note Shen Xiuzhe gave him had already outlined what to say at their first meeting – polite, not overly eager, yet charming enough to make a good impression.

As Lin An was recalling this, he looked up and saw a woman standing not far in front of him.

That was Shen Xiuzhe’s mother!

There was no doubt about it, Shen Xiuzhe and his mother looked strikingly alike.

Both had phoenix eyes, but compared to Shen Xiuzhe’s sharp and fierce look, his mother’s eyes seemed much softer, with slightly upturned corners adding a touch of allure.

Their facial features were similar, yet their styles were distinct. Shen Xiuzhe appeared more rugged, while his mother's beauty was accentuated by an elegant demeanor, creating a unique aura.

No, this wasn’t the time to be comparing their resemblances. What should he say in greeting? What was it again?

He had memorized the contents of the note the first time and reviewed it daily, but now his mind was a complete blank.

He couldn’t remember anything.

Frozen in place, he watched her approach and observe Shen Xiuzhe for a long while. Discovering that her son had no other injuries and was merely unconscious, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She slapped Shen Xiuzhe lightly on the forehead, her elegance momentarily disrupted, muttering about her "dead son" who hadn't come home or sent any messages in three years, worrying her that he might have died somewhere.

As she looked up to speak to him, her mouth opened as if she was about to say something.

Lin An’s legs trembled. He had never been this scared, not even when facing the Zombie Emperor. He had to say something; it was crucial to make a good impression on Shen Xiuzhe’s mother.

So, before she could speak, Lin An bowed almost 180 degrees and blurted out loudly, “Hello, hello, my name is Lin An. I truly love Shen Xiuzhe and I intend to marry him. Please, please don’t tear us apart!”

Suddenly, there was silence all around.

Everyone turned their heads to look at Lin An, then glanced down at Shen Xiuzhe lying there, and finally looked towards Shen's mother.

Ears perked up high, their eyes twinkled with the flames of gossip.

Some of the older professors wrinkled their faces into a frown, looking at the still unconscious Shen Xiuzhe with a mix of perplexity.

Shen Xiuzhe was practically raised under their watchful eyes; some of them never married or had children, so they doted on him like their own. They had always hoped he would find a partner and marry soon, but they never imagined this tall, strong, and skilled young man would be... the one to be married off.

Well, let the children have their own fortune; let Ran Qing handle this matter.

Ran Qing was indeed bewildered. The boy before her, whose face was not very clear and seemed quite young, was frantically asking her to marry off her son to him. Ran Qing felt her brain wasn't quite catching up.

Wait a moment, let her sort this out first.

Is this boy Shen Xiuzhe's boyfriend? And he wants to marry Shen Xiuzhe, which means her son is... the bottom?

Impossible, the difference in their height and build is so vast, and her son doesn't seem like someone who could be “submissive”.

Could it be a sacrifice for love? After all, this boy looks so frail; his small frame couldn't possibly endure a whole night.

Ran Qing felt a complex mix of emotions, unsure whether to be happy that her son returned safely and found a partner, or to be melancholic that her son was about to be married off.

Her complicated feelings delayed her response to Lin An.

Thus, what everyone saw was Ran Qing staring at Lin An with a serious expression.

Lin An felt like he had lost everything in his life and should find a place to bury himself.

Who could have thought that after Shen Xiuzhe wrote so much, he couldn't remember a single word of it, and the only thing that came to his mind was a mixed version of the notes written by Xu Fang.

Xu Fang had no family, having grown up in an orphanage, and had never been in a relationship. Although a social genius, he was clueless about what to say when meeting a partner's parents. However, he had watched a wide variety of melodramatic TV series, from dramatic love pursuits to intense mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts, and cutthroat workplace dramas; he loved them all, even rewatching some several times.

The note Lin An had prepared, filled with phrases cherry-picked from melodramatic TV shows he had watched.

Perhaps because these lines were overly dramatic and deeply etched in his memory, they crowded out all normal speech in his mind when he was nervous, leaving only these phrases to slip out.

Seeing Shen's mother staring at him with a solemn face, Lin An bit his lip, nearly on the verge of tears. For him, a socially anxious person, mustering the courage to greet and make small talk with his partner's mother was already a challenge, and now he had botched it all.

He wondered if he'd be scolded, if Mrs. Shen would dislike him.

Lin An even imagined a scene where he was driven out of Baize City, walking back to Chuxi City alone, silently leading his dog.

Finally, Ran Qing snapped back to reality, accepting her son's preferences. As long as he was alive and back, nothing else mattered. Whether he was the top or bottom in the relationship, what did it matter to her? That was the couple's own business!

"Your name is Lin An, right? I approve of your marriage with my son. I'm a very open-minded parent and won't stand in your way. Let's arrange the wedding soon!"

Lin An sneaked a glance at her expression, relieved to see no signs of anger. He had been ready to flee, but now felt a turn of fortune, not being disliked.

Mrs. Shen really seemed to be a kind person.

The others, who were there for the gossip, were fully satisfied and immediately applauded in approval.

As they carried the unconscious man and dog on a stretcher, the group headed towards the research institute. But just as Lin An stepped through the gate, an alarm sounded, red lights flashing all around. The blinding red lights and the shrill sound of the alarm instantly shattered the harmonious atmosphere, putting everyone on edge.

"Be careful! This is a zombie invasion alert; there are zombies here!"

Lin An: "..."

Felt like crying again.

He had been too nervous earlier and had completely forgotten about this.

Anxiously revealing his identity, Lin An even lifted his bangs to let everyone see his eyes. This was the end of their journey, and standing before him was Shen Xiuzhe's mother. He couldn't hide his truth any longer, nor did he wish to.

His experiences in the Snow City taught him that he would always be an outsider, but there would be people like Shen Xiuzhe and his companions who would accept him, and others who would dislike him. Rather than hiding, he preferred to reveal himself openly. If they disliked him, considering him a zombie and wanted to kill him, then he would run first and later sneak back to find Shen Xiuzhe.

Frequently praised by his companions, Lin An was now confident in his unique abilities. He was sure these people couldn't defeat him, and he could escape if necessary.

Their reactions didn't disappoint him; none showed disgust. Instead, their faces were filled with fervor.

Even an elderly man pushed his way to the front, almost knocking Lin An over: “This is hope, a rational zombie! Look at him, apart from his eyes, he's just like a normal person.”

Lin An hastily stepped back, only to have another person lean in close: “What do you usually eat to replenish your energy?”

“Do you eat people?”

“When you eat people, how well do you like them cooked?”

“Can you communicate with other zombies?”

“Did you do something to prevent this, or did something happen to make you like this?”

“Is it a physical issue? Can we examine your body?”

Lin An: “?”

Ran Qing pushed the crowd away: “What nonsense are you all saying? You're scaring the child.”

As she spoke, she lifted Lin An's bangs to look at him, and Lin An, too nervous to meet her gaze, lowered his eyes.

Ran Qing let go of his hair, but after a few seconds, she lifted his bangs again.

After repeating this several times, she finally said with satisfaction and pride, “My son has inherited my good taste in people; this child is really good-looking.”

Lin An: This habit of flipping the bangs... truly like mother, like son.

Afterward, everyone's attitude towards him became noticeably warmer, their enthusiasm almost overwhelming.

Even so, the tense and cautious Lin An obediently followed them, dutifully answering questions and complying with their requests.

With Shen Xiuzhe's mother present, Lin An wasn't worried about them harming anyone. After entering the heavily guarded research institute, the other unconscious individuals were taken away.

Ran Qing went to see her son, so she asked Lin An to accompany a group of elderly men for blood tests and examinations. Lin An obediently followed.

He underwent various scans and blood tests, and had his eyes checked. The elderly professors found him likable for his compliance.

It was rare for children to be in the research institute. Shen Xiuzhe was brought here at a young age because his mother wanted him to pursue a medical career. Although talented, he eventually chose his father's profession and became an explorer.

Shen Xiuzhe was anything but obedient as a child, stubborn and ill-tempered, often speaking harshly. At that time, these people could blatantly flatter him, saying he had a strong personality.

Not to mention someone like Lin An, who was both good-looking and well-behaved.

Moreover, he was the first zombie they'd seen who was indistinguishable from a normal person. He might just be humanity's last hope.

He was a true treasure.

The atmosphere in the research institute hadn't been this relaxed in a long time. The elderly gentlemen asked about Lin An's family background, his health, and their journey so far. Learning that Lin An's parents had both passed away, they became even more affectionate towards him.

Lin An answered whatever was asked, but when the conversation turned to his relationship with Shen Xiuzhe, he blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Seeing his shyness, the elderly men became even more enthusiastic.

"Speaking of which, you were really brave at the entrance earlier. Ran Qing was stunned; it's the first time I've seen her like that."

Lin An's expression stiffened. In fact, he had hypnotized himself to bury this incident deep in his mind, but now his dark past was freshly unearthed.

"Hahaha, I didn't expect someone as young as you to overpower Shen Xiuzhe. No wonder Ran Qing looked so conflicted."

Lin An: Huh? What? Overpower who?

"That kid used to pull my hair when he was young, causing my current baldness. Finally, someone can handle him."

Lin An looked at the other person's shiny forehead, doubting that hair-pulling was the real cause.

"Come on, share with us old folks how you convinced Shen Xiuzhe to marry you."

Lin An: "..." Help me, it was just a slip of the tongue in a moment of panic.

"We are truly in love, please let your son marry me!" An old man even mimicked this.

"No, that's not it, you're too old to get it right. He said 'We are truly in love, and I will marry him. Please don't tear us apart!'" The imitation was more dramatic and emotional.

Lin An really wanted to find a hole to bury himself in.

The old men burst into laughter. If Xu Fang, thick-skinned as he is, were here, he would not only join in the laughter but also add various tones and gestures, playing along to amuse them.

If it were Shen Xiuzhe, he would probably intimidate these unserious old men with force.

But it was Lin An here, thin-skinned and shy, standing and speaking normally was already a result of a long journey of self-training.

Yet, he was being teased by everyone, his embarrassing past repeatedly brought up and discussed.

Lin An's eyes brimmed with tears, wishing to dig a hole to hide in. But the floor seemed too solid to dig through, so he decided to encase himself in ice instead. If he couldn't dig a hole, he would retreat into an ice block.

Seeing Lin An suddenly turn into an ice block, the old men realized their jokes had gone too far.

They tried to soothe him with consoling words and apologies.

But it was completely ineffective.

It wasn't until Shen Xiuzhe arrived that he emerged from the ice block.

No wonder his mother looked so conflicted. Shen Xiuzhe hadn't expected so much to happen while he was unconscious, missing Lin An's words, which he never heard firsthand – a pity, indeed.

Lin An felt both aggrieved and self-reproachful, believing he had not only failed to make a good impression in front of Shen Xiuzhe's mother but also embarrassed himself by turning into an ice block in front of those grandfathers. He had regretted it as soon as his mind cooled down inside the ice, realizing they were just joking and not mocking him, but by then, it was too awkward to come out.

"It's okay. My mom loves good looks. She planned to devote her life to medicine and remain single, but couldn't resist my dad's charm and ended up marrying him. Just show yourself around her a few more times, and she'll forget all her principles," Shen Xiuzhe advised him.

As for the others, Shen Xiuzhe would make those old men keep their mouths shut.

They only dared to tease Lin An because he was obedient and shy. If it were Shen Xiuzhe standing there, they definitely wouldn't dare to make such jokes.

"They didn't really do anything to you, did they?" Although he knew the old professors and his mother meant no harm, with zombies everywhere, Lin An's presence was an unknown factor, and he couldn't guarantee these people wouldn't harm Lin An for some greater good or hope for humanity.

But no matter what happened, he would always stand by Lin An's side.

Lin An shook his head. "They just drew some blood and took a few scans, like a normal medical check-up."

The door behind them opened, but no one was there, only Shen Xiuzhe's mother's voice: "Ten minutes are up, I'm coming in. You two haven't been up to anything, have you?"

Before Shen Xiuzhe could react, Lin An quickly pushed him away, stood up straight, and assumed a formal posture as if ready for inspection.

Shen Xiuzhe's mother peeked around the door and, seeing that the two hadn't been misbehaving, stepped inside.

"By the way, mom, where's dad?" The base only had Shen Xiuzhe's mother, and his father hadn't appeared. Under these circumstances, his father should not be away from his mother.

Ran Qing's expression was solemn: "Your father, he... left."

Shen Xiuzhe's heart sank. Had he turned into a zombie? Or been devoured by one? He had anticipated such scenarios; the worst he imagined was losing both parents. At least, for now, his mother was still alive.

"He went with a team to the mountains behind us to collect medicinal herbs. It's been many days. The research institute is running low on various materials and drugs, making it impossible for us to continue our research."

Shen Xiuzhe: "..."

A vein throbbed on his forehead as he reminded himself this was his own mother.

Outsiders only knew that Baize City, located on a small island, was famous for its medicine. However, the larger island behind Baize City's island, shrouded in fog and rich in vegetation, bore numerous rare medicinal herbs. Most of Baize City's pharmaceutical materials were harvested from there.

"Since the apocalypse, we have been conducting various studies, trying to find a zombie vaccine. But a year has passed with no progress, and we're running out of medicinal herbs. Baize City is in chaos, and we can only stay in the research institute."

Ran Qing sighed at this point.

Mrs. Shen, when serious, indeed looked very professional. Lin An and Shen Xiuzhe exchanged a glance, feeling confident they could handle these questions.

When Ouyang Dong woke up, he was surrounded by a group of elderly men, who handed him various herbs to catalyze. Though confused, he proceeded with the catalysis after seeing his leader nod in agreement.

The once scarce rare medicinal herbs suddenly became abundant and even improved in quality.

The old men looked at Ouyang Dong as if he were their own son, each trying to persuade him to join their research teams.

Ouyang Dong: "...No need, I'm not into studying and don't understand scientific research."

When Wudo woke up and presented a red meteorite, and Shen Xiuzhe explained its origin and effects to everyone, even Shen Xiuzhe's mother couldn't hide her excitement, eagerly wanting to take the stone for research.

Mrs. Shen was pleasantly surprised by her son bringing back so many revelations. If the meteorite had indeed appeared alongside the zombie virus and could affect both zombies and humans, then a vaccine might soon be developed. But all of this would require thorough analysis and experimentation.

"Um, I heard that Baize City has a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. My grandmother is ill and in desperate need of this medicine," Wudo inquired of Shen Xiuzhe's mother, who was eager to leave.

Wudo's grandmother was still unconscious, and she was growing impatient, eager to cure her grandmother as soon as possible.

Ran Qing paused, then looked at the anxious young girl: "The research institute doesn't have any ready-made medicine. We can only make it once Shen Xiuzhe's father returns from Crescent Island with the herbs."

Some herbs were completely depleted, and even though Ouyang Dong could catalyze them, there needed to be seeds or seedlings to start with.

Disappointed but persistent, Wudo asked, "When you say the institute doesn't have it, do you mean it's available elsewhere?"

Ran Qing nodded, impressed by the girl's acumen: "Indeed, all newly developed drugs are stored in the Medical Building. But currently, it's inaccessible. I know you're anxious, but that place is dangerous. Once we have the necessary herbs, I'll make the medicine for you immediately."

"Dangerous? What's dangerous about the Medical Building?"

Shen Xiuzhe hadn't inquired about the specific situation in Baize City. The Medical Building, a landmark of Baize City, stored all newly developed medicines and hosted various medical conferences and award ceremonies. It was a special and sacred place for the residents.

"Do you remember a man called Professor Zhang from the research institute?"

Shen Xiuzhe without hesitation: "I don't know him."

"The young man in his twenties who was balding. As a child, you insisted on calling him 'grandpa', despite being scolded by your dad."

Shen Xiuzhe: "...I remember now. And please, don't discuss my embarrassing past here."

"His full name was Zhang something... I forget. Anyway, after the apocalypse, almost all surviving researchers focused on the zombie vaccine, but only his research made progress."

"That sounds good."

Shen Xiuzhe's mother shook her head, her expression serious: "Our research aimed to revert zombies back to humans and prevent uninfected humans from turning. But what he developed was a method to control zombies through brain stimulation. Initially, everyone was thrilled, thinking we could drive the zombies out of Baize City and stop them from harming people. But Professor Zhang refused to share his findings and fled the institute with his work. Now he controls a horde of zombies in Baize City, claiming to conquer the world. It's ridiculous, a man in his forties, bald and all, is less mature than Xiuzhe was at five. Now most of Baize City is under his control, and he's created various mutated zombies guarding the Medical Building, making it impossible to enter."

After hearing Shen Xiuzhe's mother's complaints, Wudo looked at Shen Xiuzhe with bright, hopeful eyes.

For them, any problem solvable by force is not really a problem.

Since Professor Zhang can control the zombies, just kill them all.

Lin An looked at Shen Xiuzhe, eager to find a cure for Granny Wu. Uncertain when Shen's father would return, they opted for a quicker way - heading directly to the medical building for medicine.

Knowing her son and daughter-in-law, or rather, son-in-law, were heading to the medical building, Ran Qing strongly dissuaded them, even entrusting the meteorite to others for research.

She didn't want her son to face death upon his return; the zombies there had mutated, making them difficult to handle even for those with special abilities. A longer-term plan seemed wiser.

She even took her stubborn son to see a captured zombie, contained in a reinforced glass room. Its grey limbs elongated, resembling a four-legged spider, it screeched and thrashed upon sensing their presence, skillfully climbing the smooth glass walls, appearing extremely aggressive.

"I suspect that Mr. Zhang has fused zombies with animal cells. The various mutated zombies in the medical building exhibit both human and animal traits, and are more violent than ordinary zombies. This one was caught by your father with great difficulty."

Shen Xiuzhe, observing the restless zombie, suddenly asked, "What's on its head? Why is it wearing a helmet?"

The zombie's head was adorned with a metallic, worn-out helmet, oddly shaped and far from perfectly round, looking quite bizarre.

Lin An had been wanting to ask the same question, but didn’t dare to.

"That's something Professor Zhang invented. Once placed on the zombies, it enables their control. However, the iron construction of this house blocks the signal, preventing him from controlling this zombie or detecting its location. And yes, the helmet is indeed ugly; I thought the same when I first saw it."

Realizing that the controlled zombies all wore this unsightly device, the task seemed easier - his metal abilities could instantly twist off the zombies' heads. As he was about to demonstrate to his mother, someone tugged at his sleeve.

Lin An looked at him with anticipation.

"Alright, your turn," Shen Xiuzhe offered the opportunity to Lin An.

"Turn for what?" Shen's mother, realizing they were speaking in riddles, was completely lost.

"Lin An's abilities are powerful; he can kill this zombie instantly," Shen Xiuzhe explained.

"Instantly?" Shen's mother was skeptical. Her husband, despite his prowess, had struggled to capture this zombie. She believed in Lin An's abilities, especially after witnessing his rare ice powers previously, but killing a zombie instantly seemed unlikely.

Lin An gazed at the zombie in the glass room. In a blink, the once lively zombie turned into a mummified corpse and crumbled to dust.

Shen Xiuzhe was about to praise Lin An, but noticed he wasn't looking at him. Instead, Lin An was eagerly seeking approval from his mother, with a look of anticipation for praise.

Shen Xiuzhe: "..."

Shen's mother was indeed astonished. Without Lin An doing anything visibly, the zombie had vanished without leaving a trace.

"What exactly is your ability? Isn't it ice-based? How did you manage to disintegrate the zombie like that? It's incredible."

Upon learning Lin An's ability was water-based, she quickly connected it to water's properties. Indeed, extracting moisture from any living organism would be fatal, and manipulating water molecules could explain his ice powers.

Seeing the group's reaction to the news of numerous mutated zombies in the medical building, their faces showed not fear, but an eagerness to engage.

Having made it all the way here from Chu Xi City after the apocalypse, she ought to trust their capabilities.

"Alright, you can go to the medical building, but I'm coming with you."

Shen Xiuzhe frowned: "Why do you want to come?"

"Hey! What's with that disdainful look? I'm your mother, after all. If you're confident about defeating those zombies, I'll go to retrieve the medicine. Also, the medical building stores valuable research from our predecessors. What if it gets damaged in the fight? Don’t underestimate me, I have my own powers."

"What kind of ability?"

Shen's mother pulled a small knife from her lab coat pocket and swiftly made a small cut on Shen Xiuzhe's hand.

An unguarded Shen Xiuzhe thought to himself: Endure it, she's your mother.

Then, she placed her hands over Shen Xiuzhe's wounded hand, and a faint golden light emerged from her palms.

Lin An and Wu Duo watched in amazement as the light shone. After a minute, Shen's mother removed her hands and declared, "Done."

Shen Xiuzhe's wound had healed.

Lin An and Wu Duo applauded enthusiastically: "This is a healing ability, so impressive!"

Shen's mother, somewhat proud, said, "I am the only known healer in Baize City. Those old fellows are green with envy."

Shen Xiuzhe bluntly remarked, "You didn't sterilize that knife just now, did you? And why cut my hand? Why not cut your own? The healing is too slow; if it were any slower, my wound would have healed by itself. And does your ability cure diseases? Is it effective against zombies?"

Faced with her stern son, Shen's mother gave a perfunctory smile: "The knife and clothes are sterilized daily. Cutting myself would hurt, you know. Currently, my ability only heals external wounds. It's ineffective for severe bleeding and useless against zombies. Take me with you; you don't know the way, nor which documents to take."

Shen Xiuzhe, looking at his unblemished finger, thought, 'Indeed, cutting oneself hurts, but not others.'

He sneered and transformed the small knife in his mother's hand into a metal stick.

Shen's mother couldn't smile anymore; that knife was a token of love from her husband!

If not for Lin An hugging Shen Xiuzhe around the waist and Wu Duo restraining Mrs. Shen, the two might have ended up in a fight.

When Xu Fang woke up, he found they were preparing to fight zombies again, and among them was a woman strikingly similar to their leader - a female version of him!

"A female leader, is this?"

Xiao Fu also woke up, and Lin An decided to bring it along. After all, if he disappeared, Xiao Fu would definitely sneak out to find him, so it was safer to take it with them.

Granny Wu, probably due to her age, hadn't woken up since falling unconscious. The institute was secure and tightly guarded, impossible to exit without a password, so it was best she rested there. They would return quickly with the medicine.

After rescuing Ouyang Dong from the enthusiastic encirclement of elderly professors, the group set off in an RV towards the medical building to search for medication.

However, seeing the elderly woman sitting on the bed in the RV, lost in thought, Xu Fang asked with a sense of deep curiosity, "Isn't Granny Wu in a coma? Why is she here in the vehicle?"

Not just him, but even Shen's mother, who was busily exploring the RV with fascination, was puzzled: "How did she get out of the institute? Without registered identity or a password, it's impossible to leave the institute with its full security system activated. What's the story behind this elderly lady?"

Lin An speculated that Granny Wu had been feigning sleep before; she probably woke up earlier. Although she couldn't recognize them, they had all been together for some time. She might have overheard their departure plans and sneaked along.

Wu Duo thought Granny Wu might have momentarily regained her senses, like that time in the Desert's Eye. Excited, she approached, only to be greeted with a headbutt. Alright, it seemed she hadn't recovered after all.

Ouyang Dong shrugged, "Her background? Just a legendary figure of no particular distinction."