Ye Chen did not slow his pace, continuing forward. Ye Zhu glanced at him, noticing his indifferent expression, his eyes constantly shifting, vigilantly scanning their surroundings to avoid any sudden attacks from zombies. He showed no sign of halting. She cast a brief glance back at the black-haired young man, who was rapidly catching up.
Ye Zhu silently turned her gaze away, quietly following Ye Chen.
"Hey, don't walk so fast!" The young man caught up and positioned himself in front of them, blocking their path. His eyes briefly swept over Ye Zhu's delicate, adorable face before shifting to Ye Chen. A wide grin spread across his face as he chuckled, "Bro... no, wait, 'big brother,' your brilliance is unmatched, your handsomeness irresistible, captivating millions of girls, making countless married women fall head over heels... you are the idol of this apocalypse, the model for all men..."
Ye Chen furrowed his brows slightly, raising his hand to interrupt the flattery. "Are you asking me to take you in?"
The young man froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "No wonder you're so sharp, with your unparalleled charm and grace, your ability to see right through people. You're the savior of this post-apocalyptic world, the role model for every man..."
Ye Chen coughed lightly, his tone indifferent, "Apologies, though I understand that without someone to look out for you, you'd likely be dead by now—like earlier, when you would have been torn apart by zombies if we hadn't shown up—unfortunately, we don't take on useless people. Apologies."
The young man's face immediately crumpled, his heart aching as he silently thought, You could have been a little more merciful...
Ye Zhu, whose heart was softer, noticed the young man's pitiful expression and tugged at Ye Chen's sleeve. "Brother, just take him in. It's rare to see another living person."
"Yeah, yeah," the young man nodded eagerly, his eyes fixed on Ye Zhu, who looked so cute and angelic that he couldn't help but admire her. He quickly added to Ye Chen, "I'm not useless! I know a lot of things!"
"Oh?" Ye Chen glanced at him indifferently, "Go on, then. Tell me."
The young man thought for a moment, holding up his fingers. "I majored in the humanities in university, so I'm excellent with languages. I also know a bit about computers. I was the team leader in a state-owned enterprise, and I've also…"
Ye Chen turned to Ye Zhu and said, "Later, when we get back, I'll fry some potatoes."
"Mm," Ye Zhu obediently nodded.
"Make sure to add some chili, it'll make it tastier," Ye Chen added.
"Mm."
The young man, standing to the side, was dumbfounded. He blinked, then began to weep silently, Is there really no need to completely ignore me like this...
Ye Chen continued walking with Ye Zhu, bypassing the young man without a second glance, as though he hadn't even noticed him. The young man stood there, head lowered, fingers digging into his palm, until he suddenly looked up and turned around, shouting desperately, "Please, take me with you! I'll do anything you ask!"
He was out of options.
Having witnessed Ye Chen's immense power, he knew that in this zombie-infested world, he would inevitably die, whether by zombies or starvation, if he continued alone. Thus, he had no choice but to find a strong protector, someone who could shield him from the disaster. Ye Chen was undoubtedly his best—and possibly only—choice.
Hearing the almost frantic shout, Ye Chen halted. Ye Zhu stood beside him, glancing at the young man, but saw no emotion on his face.
After a moment, Ye Chen entered a nearby room, retrieved a kitchen knife, and tossed it to the young man without a word, before turning and walking away.
The young man stared blankly at the knife in his hands, utterly confused. Just then, Ye Zhu's playful voice rang out, "Hurry up and go! Watch out, the zombies behind us might catch up!"
Zombies, the very embodiment of nightmare. The young man snapped out of his stupor, filled with joy. He quickly ran after them, following closely behind Ye Chen. He glanced at the imposing figure ahead, feeling as though an impenetrable wall had been set between them. He, who was so skilled with words, now found himself at a loss, unsure of how to start a conversation with this man.
Ye Zhu, seeming to notice his discomfort, smiled playfully. "Don't mind him, my brother is just like that."
The young man smiled wryly.
Ye Zhu, with her sparkling eyes, tilted her head and asked curiously, "What's your name?"
Seemingly recovering from his earlier dismay, the young man smiled again, replying, "I'm Bai Long, also known as Little White Dragon. I was once known in Qing University as the modern-day version of the famous General Xiao Bai Long. That's me! Ah, but this isn't the right place for an autograph, maybe next time. Hey, don't walk so fast, wait up!"
...
As they turned a corner, Ye Chen suddenly halted and made a motion for silence.
Ye Zhu obediently closed her mouth, knowing that Ye Chen only ever gave such signals when they were in danger, and he would never need to command her unless it was necessary.
Bai Long, confused, stepped forward. "What's wrong?"
Ye Chen furrowed his brow.
Bai Long, startled, immediately closed his mouth. He couldn't explain why, but he felt a deep sense of unease, a fear he couldn't quite place. Perhaps it was the overwhelming strength Ye Chen had just displayed, or maybe it was his cold, heartless rejection.
Ye Chen glanced at Bai Long, who, feeling a tightness in his chest, thought that perhaps his earlier behavior had displeased Ye Chen. His eyes filled with an almost desperate plea.
Ye Chen gave him a disdainful look, then spoke quietly, "You two wait here. I'll check it out. If we run into zombies, Bai Long, make sure to protect my sister."
Bai Long felt a huge weight lift from his chest, his tension easing. He stood taller and confidently assured, "Of course, you can rest easy. With me here, nothing will happen to your sister."
Ye Chen nodded and gave Ye Zhu a reassuring glance, signaling that everything would be fine. He then took the fire axe in hand and walked ahead. The hallway was littered with bloodstains, and a door stood slightly ajar. Inside, it was so silent that even the faintest sound seemed magnified.
Ye Chen took a deep breath, kicked the door open, and immediately saw the sight inside: crouching before them was a monster the size of a lion. Its fur was pitch black, and its claws were sharp.
"Indeed, a mutated dog," Ye Chen's eyes darkened. From the foul, pungent odor in the air, he knew there was a mutated dog nearby—its unmistakable stench, a hallmark of these altered creatures.
"Roar!" The mutated dog, sensing Ye Chen's presence, turned its head, glaring at him. Its vicious fangs were bared, and bits of flesh and intestines still hung from its teeth.
Ye Chen frowned. He couldn't understand who had brought a pet dog into the apocalypse, causing it to mutate into a grotesque giant, with strength comparable to twenty men.
Dogs, with their heightened sense of smell, had adapted impressively after the viral outbreak, though their physical power was still far less than that of an ant. In the late stages of the apocalypse, finding a creature more formidable than an ant was exceedingly rare.
In a battle between a lion and an ant of equal size, the lion would certainly be the one to fall.
Thus, while this mutated dog was not as terrifying as a mutated ant, it still posed a serious threat to Ye Chen. Although their powers seemed equal, the differences were immense.
The dog's speed, reflexes, and agility far surpassed those of any other creature of similar strength—including humans.
Moreover, the dog's claws and teeth were deadly weapons. In a contest of equal strength, a human would be hard-pressed to defeat a dog.
Ye Chen had no choice but to fight.
At that moment, the mutated dog lunged at him. In the blink of an eye, it closed the distance and was practically on top of him, its speed far exceeding Ye Chen's.
Two seconds to cover a hundred meters—that was the monster's pace.
Ye Chen broke out in a cold sweat, gripping the fire axe tightly. As the mutated dog charged at him, he swung the axe with all his strength, sending a gust of wind through the air.
Whoosh!
The mutated dog skillfully dodged the strike, its body twisting as it moved behind Ye Chen, slashing at him with a razor-sharp claw.