Chapter 44

Chapter 44

A pair of large hands, clad in leather gloves, shielded Tang Man’s face, preventing it from making harsh contact with the ground. The crisp, clean scent of the boy filled her nostrils with each breath.

Alarmed, Tang Man activated her power, entangling the zombie with vines. The creature, already at its last gasp, could only submit as she bound it tightly.

Pushing away the warm embrace, Tang Man rose. Ignoring Sheng Yao’s injuries for the moment, she grabbed her machete and strode over to the thoroughly restrained zombie. She hacked at it relentlessly, the blade dulling before she finally severed the Level 3 zombie's head.

Only after ensuring the threat was completely eliminated did she turn her attention to Sheng Yao, whom she had just pushed aside.

Sheng Yao was wearing a lake-blue down jacket that day. The back had been torn open by the zombie’s claws, scattering white duck feathers everywhere. The edges of the tear were stained crimson with blood, dyeing the feathers a vivid red.

Sheng Yao’s mother knelt beside him, tears streaming down her face. Her hands fluttered helplessly, as if unsure what to do.

Tang Man knelt beside Sheng Yao, her voice heavy with concern. "Take off your jacket. Let me see the wound."

Sheng Yao managed a weak smile and nodded, removing both layers of his down jackets. Beneath, he wore a white T-shirt, now blood-soaked and clinging to his back.

Tang Man’s face grew grimmer. If the wound had been on his arm, cutting it off might have saved him. But on his shoulder...

She ripped away the bloodied fabric from his back, then stood to retrieve the backpack she had discarded earlier. From it, she pulled out gauze and medical supplies, wordlessly tending to his wounds.

Sheng Yao’s mother remained silent the entire time. Once Tang Man finished, she gazed at her with desperate hope. "Manman, A—A Yao will be fine, right? Once his wound heals, he’ll be okay, won’t he?"

Tang Man lowered her head, unable to meet those tear-filled eyes. "I’ve done all I can. The rest... depends on him."

A heavy silence fell for a moment before Sheng Yao’s mother sank to the ground, wailing as if all strength had left her. "No, no... Manman, you know so much—there must be a way to save A Yao, right...?"

As Tang Man stared at the bandages on Sheng Yao, memories of fallen comrades from her past life came flooding back. She hadn't expected to lose another companion so soon in this life—barely a month of peace—and this time, it was someone who had gotten hurt saving her.

"Mom, stop crying. It’s just a wound. It’ll heal soon. Anyone would think something terrible happened to me..." Sheng Yao mustered a weak smile to comfort his mother.

He told a few more jokes, finally managing to stop her tears.

"Mom, I suddenly want some sweet milk. There’s half a cup left in the thermos in the car. Could you get it for me?" Sheng Yao suddenly asked.

"Of course, of course! I’ll go right now. Wait here." His mother seemed to understand something, quickly struggling to her feet and hurrying outside.

Once she was gone, Sheng Yao turned his gaze to Tang Man. "Sis, you’re hurt too. You should treat your wounds..."

Only then did Tang Man realize. She glanced down at the cuts on her arm from the metal blades and nodded silently, using the remaining medical supplies to dress her wounds.

As she worked, Sheng Yao kept talking, rambling as if giving final instructions.

"Sis, if I really turn into a zombie, please take care of Mom and Lao San for me. If that jerk Sheng Zhang bothers you again, just kick him out. Don’t let him disgust you..."

"Mm."

"There are candies under my pillow, in the bedside drawer, and deep in the wardrobe. They’re for you now. Don’t waste them..."

"Mm."

"Sis, you have to kill me before I fully turn. I’ve been handsome all my life—I don’t want to become something so disgusting after death."

Tang Man’s hands paused briefly. "...Mm."

"Tang Man, I..." His expression suddenly turned solemn, but after struggling for a moment, he closed his mouth without finishing.

Tang Man stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. "What else do you want to say?"

His dark, almond-shaped eyes held a complex emotion. He studied her face for a long moment before finally curving his lips into a smile—just like when they first met.

"Tang Man, you’ll remember me, right?"

Tang Man stared at him for a long time before nodding silently.

Having said his piece, Sheng Yao’s mother "coincidentally" returned with the milk.

"Son, here’s the milk. Drink some..." His mother unscrewed the thermos, her eyes red-rimmed as she helped him drink the warm milk.

The three of them didn’t return immediately. In their current state, Tang Man would only be quarantined if she went back, while Sheng Yao would likely be shot on sight by the guards at the entrance.

The factory’s stench was unbearable, so they returned to the bus. The air inside was thick with tension.

Zhongqiu curled up in Tang Man’s arms, dozing off. Tang Man, exhausted from the earlier battle and still suffering from a headache, felt equally drowsy, but she fought to stay awake for Sheng Yao’s sake.

Sheng Yao’s hands and feet were bound with vines, and he wore a face mask—at his own request.

His mother sat beside him, holding his hand, her hands trembling slightly. The two of them waited silently for what fate had in store.

Sheng Yao’s peach-blossom eyes kept returning to Tang Man’s face. Her face was pale—was it from blood loss...?

The pain in his back grew worse, and his mind became foggy. Slowly, his eyes closed as his consciousness sank into darkness.

Sheng Yao’s mother, her attention fixed on him, quickly noticed something was wrong. His palms were burning hot, and his forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.

"Manman, come quick! What’s happening to A Yao?" Her voice was frantic.

Tang Man roused herself and stood. After examining Sheng Yao’s body and wounds, she exhaled in relief.

"He’s awakening a superpower."

His mother froze, then her expression transformed into one of relieved joy. She clutched Tang Man’s arm like someone clinging to hope. "Then A Yao... he won’t turn into a zombie, right?"

"Mm. At worst, he’ll fail to awaken and remain an ordinary person."

"Then—then what should I do now?" His mother frantically searched through her bag, unsure what to look for.

"I brought fever medicine. Give him one, then make sure he drinks plenty of warm water..."

The three humans (and the cat) stayed on the bus for two days. Fortunately, Tang Man always carried enough food and water to last three to five days whenever she went out, and over time, Sheng Yao and the others had adopted the same habit. Thus, they didn’t have to worry about supplies.

Tang Man spent the first day in a daze, sleeping on the bus seat. By the second day, she had recovered enough energy to get busy. She collected all the zombie cores from the factory’s fallen zombies and cleared out any remaining undead, filling her waist pouch to capacity.

She also searched the factory’s employee dormitories, gathering useful supplies with Zhongqiu’s help. However, she only packed what they could use.

In the factory warehouse, she found large quantities of fabric, foam, and polyester stuffing material.

While this fiberfill might not make the warmest clothing, it provided better protection than down at blocking Level 1 zombie attacks.

She decided to bring some back—some to be made into removable liners for Tang Teng and the others to wear outside, and the rest to be traded at the supply exchange for winter clothing. The exchange would probably welcome them.

Tang Man spent the entire day busy packing their finds, waiting only for Sheng Yao to wake before returning to the safe zone.

After two days of unconsciousness, Sheng Yao finally awoke, his fever having subsided. When he saw Tang Man and his mother again, it felt like a lifetime had passed.

"I... I’m still alive?" His voice trembled slightly.

"Son, you’re alive! You’re still alive!" His mother pulled him into a tight embrace, laughing tearfully.

In just two short days, she had aged noticeably, with a few silver strands appearing at her temples.

Sheng Yao's mind was foggy for a moment before he pieced together the current situation. Then, his eyes lit up with excitement: "Did I develop a superpower?"

According to the latest official information, those bitten by zombies would turn into zombies within 12 hours at the latest. If they didn’t transform, there was a fifty percent chance they would unlock a superpower.

"You’ll know if you try," Tang Man said indifferently.

Sheng Yao held out his hands, his face reddening as he attempted to activate his superpower. He had always envied Tang Teng and Tang Man for developing their superpowers and had long since learned from Tang Teng how to use them.

After straining for a while, an ice spike as thick as a pinky finger appeared in his palm.

He strained again, but the ice spike in his palm didn’t grow any larger. His face scrunched up in frustration: "I’ve used up my power."

Tang Man raised an eyebrow. It seemed that although Sheng Yao had awakened a strong offensive ice ability, his potential was limited.

Ignoring his disappointment, she threw him a large pack of chocolates to replenish his energy before heading straight for the driver’s seat: "Since you’re awake, we’re heading back. Xiao Teng’s probably freaking out after two days without us."

Tang Man didn’t drive the bus into the safe zone, stopping it a few hundred meters away from the entrance.

"Auntie, you go in first. Call Xiao Teng out, and then Sheng Yao and I will enter," Tang Man said from the driver’s seat, turning to Sheng Yao’s mother.

She had already discussed her plan with them on the bus, so Sheng Yao’s mother quickly got off and went to line up at the entrance to enter the safe zone.