Chapter 42: Fried Potatoes

Chapter 42: Fried Potatoes

Muzhilin was holding a piece of fried potato, feeding it to Chu Chuan.

Due to the urgency of rescuing Yi Fei at South Mountain Manor, Chu Chuan had allowed Yu Liuqing and Yang Li to board his RV, a rare occurrence.

Both of them, still in awe from Chu Chuan's earlier display, sat nervously in the vehicle, particularly Yu Liuqing, who seemed like a mouse in front of a cat when facing Chu Chuan.

Checking the time, Chu Chuan noticed that it was already ten o'clock at night. The suburbs were shrouded in darkness, with only their RV casting a faint light.

As they drove towards South Mountain Manor, countless zombies roamed about. Opening the windows would reveal the haunting cries echoing through the wilderness.

On the way, Jiang Qiuyue stirred awake. Having just awakened her healing ability, she found herself famished upon waking up.

Chu Chuan had anticipated this. Considering their transaction, he asked Mu Shiqi to prepare some frozen dumplings for her.

Staring blankly at the full bowl of dumplings on the table, Jiang Qiuyue felt a bit overwhelmed.

"For me?"

Chu Chuan nodded.

Jiang Qiuyue swallowed hard, under the envious gazes of others, she picked up the steaming dumplings and sat aside to devour them greedily. She actually wanted to maintain her composure, but her growling stomach made her feel as if she would starve to death if she didn't eat soon.

Yu Liuqing and Yang Li, sitting nearby, couldn't help but salivate at the sight of the hot food. They had not had a proper meal in several days.

Ever since the meteorite fell, destroying Song Xia Pavilion and causing countless mutations, the two could only survive on bread. Now, seeing the plump meat dumplings in the bowl, their hunger grew so intense that their eyes turned red.

Yu Liuqing, being more temperamental, felt agitated watching Jiang Qiuyue enjoy her meal while he remained hungry. Unable to tolerate it any longer, he glanced at Chu Chuan, ready to question why he was denied food. However, when their eyes met, he felt a chill down his spine.

He whispered, "We also found some crystal cores..."

Chu Chuan glanced at him and threw him a bucket of braised instant noodles from the jade ring's space. Then, he looked at Yang Li and tossed her a similar pack before leaning back against Muzhilin's shoulder to rest with his eyes closed.

Seeing the two holding instant noodle buckets in confusion, Mu Shiqi got up to fetch a pot of boiling water from the small kitchen.

"This is freshly boiled."

Yang Li hastily took it, "Thank you."

Mu Shiqi shook her head. "No need to thank me." She then turned to her elder brother and whispered, "Brother, are you hungry?" There were still plenty of eight-treasure porridge and bread in the storage bag.

Initially, she had planned to return the storage bag to Muzhilin after he regained his strength. However, Muzhilin insisted that she keep it, making her feel as if she held a great responsibility.

Muzhilin didn't feel much hunger at first, but when Mu Shiqi asked, he realized he was indeed famished.

It had been hours since their last meal, which was the congee prepared by Xie Shuyao. Although he had consumed two large bowls, thin gruel couldn't fill him up for long.

He prodded Chu Chuan's cheek with his index finger. "Are you hungry? I have rice and potatoes. Should I make some potato stir-fry for you?"

Muzhilin had purchased a lot of potatoes from the market earlier, along with sweet potatoes, old pumpkins, winter squashes, century eggs, sausages, preserved meats, grains, mushrooms, seaweed, pickled radishes, and other foods that could be easily stored in rural areas.

Chu Chuan opened his eyes lazily.

"I still have the dishes you cooked in my space."

Upon hearing this, Muzhilin decided to cook in the kitchen. Rolling up his sleeves, he said, "I'll make more while I have the time, and your sister can also have some."

Back when they were having congee, Xie Shuyao had complained more than once about Chu Chuan's stinginess, saying that he didn't give her any side dishes, leaving her with only pickles to eat.

Chu Chuan's face was etched with impatience at the mention of Xie Shuyao. "Why should I bother about her? She has a storage bag; she can feed herself."

Muzhilin chuckled, ignoring Chu Chuan's comment. Instead, he reached out to pinch the man's cheek. It was remarkable how this person's skin didn't seem weathered despite being exposed to the elements. He was genuinely curious about how this man had survived in the past with his master.

"I'll be done soon. Just sit for a while," Muzhilin said, rising to head to the kitchen. Upon seeing this, Mu Shiqi immediately got up to follow but was stopped by him.

"I can manage on my own." He wanted to avoid any potential picky eater refusing his food later.

Mu Shiqi nodded, understanding. In truth, she just wanted to keep busy, afraid of being deemed useless and discarded in their current situation.

Muzhilin patted her head gently. "Go sit with Xie Shuyao in front. She's driving alone, so go keep her company and chat. Don't be scared, okay? Big brother is here, and I'll call you when dinner is ready."

Mu Shiqi nodded in agreement. "Alright."

Muzhilin smiled and entered the small kitchen. He had previously asked Mu Shiqi to store some rice and potatoes there, which he could now use directly.

Chu Chuan watched Muzhilin the whole time. Seeing him enter the kitchen, he fell silent for a moment before following. "I have everything. Tell me if you need anything."

"Really?" Muzhilin teased, "Do you have a potato peeler?" He had indeed overlooked this item while preparing the supplies, but he had packed an extra pair of kitchen knives.

"Yes," Chu Chuan's consciousness swept through the jade ring space, accurately retrieving a brand new potato peeler. "Is this it?"

Seeing that Chu Chuan had indeed produced such a small tool, Muzhilin was slightly surprised. "You're quite well-prepared."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Chu Chuan's lips lifted, his tone tinged with pride.

"Hmm."

Muzhilin began to peel the potatoes, one after another. In his hands, the rough-skinned tubers transformed into smooth, white spheres, leaving Chu Chuan astonished.

Impressive.

"Would you like some mashed potatoes?" Muzhilin suddenly asked Chu Chuan, "Or should I fry some potato chips for you?"

Chu Chuan blinked and nodded. He did enjoy potatoes, though his most common method of consumption was roasting them. He'd learned from Ji Liuzi to simply toss them in a fire until the skin turned black, and then they were ready to eat.

Seeing Chu Chuan's reaction, Muzhilin felt a sense of accomplishment as an older classmate.

Chu Chuan often wore a stern expression, exuding an intimidating aura that made Yu Liuqing, despite being several years older, feel like the younger one.

Soon, the air inside the RV was filled with a mingled scent of sizzling cooking oil. Yu Liuqing and his two companions, who had been devouring their food with relish, simultaneously lifted their heads to look towards the tiny kitchen. They caught sight of Muzhilin feeding Chu Chuan a piece of fried potato.

"Muzhilin asked, "How's the taste? Do you prefer it undercooked or burnt?"

Chu Chuan, his eyes gleaming as he munched on the freshly fried potato, glanced at the frying pan and pointed at another golden-brown strip. "I'll try this one."

Muzhilin turned around upon hearing this, picked up the crispy yet tender potato strip with a pair of tongs, and blew on it before offering it to Chu Chuan's lips.

Chu Chuan devoured it in one bite, then looked at Muzhilin with shining eyes. "I like this kind."

Muzhilin nodded. "Then I'll fry them a bit longer."

As he spoke, he scooped up the thinner, burnt potato strips from the oil with a strainer and passed a small bowl filled with the fragrant, crispy potatoes to Chu Chuan.

"Take it out and eat."

Chu Chuan nodded, carefully carrying the bowl back to the sofa area.

Yu Liuqing gazed at Chu Chuan. Although he was also eager to taste the freshly fried fries, he didn't dare to challenge the devil in front of him for a bite.

However, he was puzzled by the fact that the chilling aura Chu Chuan emitted, which usually kept people at bay, seemed to have lessened significantly. If not for his firsthand experience of having both arms abruptly severed by Chu Chuan, Yu Liuqing wouldn't have believed that this young man was a merciless killer.

As Chu Chuan passed by Jiang Qiuyue and Yang Li, he paused and looked at them.

"Want some?"

Both Jiang Qiuyue and Yang Li were surprised, thinking that Chu Chuan was offering them a share. They were about to say "yes" when they heard his heartless response, "No."

"..."

Jiang Qiuyue and Yang Li stood there, stunned.

What just happened? It felt like they had been shown up, but surely it was just their imagination, right?

Muzhilin swiftly prepared the meal and called out to the driver's seat. Having driven for a while, Xie Shuyao shrugged her shoulders and joined Mu Shiqi as they both approached. The four of them quickly finished their lunch and continued their journey.

...

South Mountain Manor.

"What do we do? We've run out of food!"

A young man with yellow hair pulled at his locks anxiously, his eyes reddening as he spoke.

"Maybe we should try going out to search for more food?" suggested another youth with spiky hair reminiscent of a Saiyan from Dragon Ball.

"No way! Yi Fei turned into a zombie because he wanted to go out!" A curly-haired fellow huddled in the corner of the room, his eyes glued to his phone. The disaster had driven him slightly mad with fear. "I'm staying here to wait for my dad to send someone to get me! He promised he'd find a way to rescue me!"

"Woof woof!" Inside the room, Yi Fei, bound up like a mummy, had already transformed into a zombie. His expression was blank as he twitched mechanically, opening and closing his mouth in an attempt to bite.

The other three fell silent as they looked at their former friend, Yi Fei.

Back then, due to the power outage and the stuffiness of the room, Yi Fei had suggested going out to search for food, arguing that they would eventually consume all the supplies if they stayed inside. He claimed to have mentally rehearsed the plan multiple times and guaranteed its success. However, when they actually faced the zombies, they realized that these creatures were vastly different from the zombies they had seen in novels and movies!

Their speed alone was astonishing! If not for their quick reflexes, they might not have made it back alive.

At that moment, whether out of sheer terror or a surge of adrenaline, Yi Fei roared his intention to fight the zombies to the death. He even screamed about bursting their heads open. However, before he could achieve that, he found himself seized by the zombie. It was a near-fatal moment; had he not promptly crushed a Golden Shell Pearl, his fate might have been far worse than just being caught.

Amidst the sudden chaos, the others reacted swiftly, pulling Yi Fei inside the house, thus sparing him from being devoured and reduced to a skeleton. However, despite their timely intervention, Yi Fei had already been scratched by the zombie, leading to infection.

With no other choice, they bound Yi Fei before he completely lost consciousness.

"I crave some watermelon and hami melon."

The blond slumped on the sofa, deflated, and hallucinations began to dance before his eyes.

"I was still craving an iced drink, damn it! How did the world turn into this nightmare in the blink of an eye? I should've stayed home! Why did we even gather? Look what happened to Little Fei."

The group fell silent once more. In truth, they hadn't invited Yi Fei for the mere sake of a gathering. Their families were aware that the Yi family possessed Cooling Charms, Golden Shell Beads, and a storage bag. Thus, they wanted them to befriend Yi Fei, hoping to obtain one of these items.

Little did they expect the gathering to end up like this.

At that moment, a mature and sophisticated woman spoke, "I've seen in movies that if we smear zombie blood on ourselves, other zombies would perceive us as one of their own. Should we give it a try? There's a zombie right here."

This woman was a regular technician at the manor.

As the meteorite plummeted, she was accompanying this group of young masters. Who could have known that the world would suddenly transform, bringing zombies into the realm of reality? She wasn't sure whether to consider herself fortunate or unfortunate.

"No way!" The blond-haired man was the first to object. He glared at the woman fiercely. "Even if Little Fei turns into a zombie, he has to remain intact! If you dare to have any more thoughts about Little Fei, I'll throw you out to feed the zombies!"

The woman fell silent, her gaze fixated on Yi Fei, whose face had turned ashen in the corner, a look of distaste evident on her features.

Her sixth sense tingled with an impending sense of foreboding, leaving her desperate to flee, yet with nowhere to escape. She drew her arms around herself and buried her head in her knees.

"Bang!" Suddenly, the room they were in was jolted by a heavy impact. Everyone startled, immediately rising to their feet and warily eyeing the door.

"Roar!"

A zombie's guttural growl echoed, distinct from the ones they had heard before. This one was full of vitality and carried a subtle meaning that eluded their understanding.

In no time, the group heard a cacophony of zombies howling outside, intertwined with indistinct chaotic footsteps. They all realized that the colossal roar they had just heard had attracted the undead horde.

That zombie was summoning others!

"Bam! Bam! Bam!" The zombies outside battered the door fiercely, attempting to break in.

"Faster! Move the sofa! Block the door! They're coming in!!" the curly-haired man shouted hoarsely, his voice trembling with fear.

Everyone sprang into action, piling whatever furniture they could find against the entrance. Just then, a shattering sound echoed from the window.

A zombie had leaped down from upstairs, crashing through the glass and tumbling inside.

The window-shattering zombie's limbs were broken, and its neck twisted from the impact. Yet, it was oblivious to its injuries. With a head rotated a full 360 degrees, it stumbled forward on uneven legs, arms outstretched in a bizarre posture, lunging towards the people inside.

"Ugh! Ugh!"

"Ahhhh!!"

The chaos inside the house escalated instantly.

"ROAR!!" At the entrance, the mutated giant zombie finally burst through the door. It wore a security guard uniform, its eyes bloodshot, half of its face decomposing.

It roared and, grabbing a nearby zombie, hurled it inside.

The room was soon overwhelmed.

All were submerged by the zombie horde. The blond and the curly-haired one transformed into zombies, while the Saiyan-like young man and the woman were crushed into flesh by the giant zombie.

"Author's Note:"