"How is she?"
"Captain, her body is too weak. She might not make it..."
In a hazy state, a conversation drifted into Jiang Ziqi's awareness.
Jiang Ziqi felt as if she were dreaming.
Who was speaking?
Was it the person who had held her? There were so many of them, and their clothes looked so fine.
She wanted to open her eyes and look, but she couldn't move at all. Instead, she felt her soul rising higher and higher.
Was she dying?
She could no longer think.
There was no life's kaleidoscope of memories, just the sound of voices before she fell unconscious again.
"There's no other way. Use the mutant gel."
"This, understood!" The voice held a clear trace of shock and confusion, but more so, relief.
What was that?
As darkness enveloped her, this was the last thought Jiang Ziqi had.
...
"Captain, look at her!"
"Wu Tian! Shield up!! Wang Zhihai! Gun loaded, quickly!"
So noisy, have I woken up again?
What's wrong with them? Why do they look like they're facing a great enemy?
I shouldn't be able to open my eyes.
And my head hurts so much!
Something wants to burrow into my brain.
"Captain! Shoot!" Many voices urged them to shoot.
Why aren't they shooting? Aren't they afraid of zombies?
Amidst the intense pain, she could still sense the outside world.
"Wait a moment, there seems to be a turn for the better..."
"But, Captain..." The person fell silent, as if seeing something incredible.
At the same time, Jiang Ziqi felt a cool, comfortable sensation surge from her right side into her brain. The pain instantly subsided significantly, and a strong wave of sleepiness washed over her again.
...
"Boom!"
Thunder rumbled, and the heavy rain seemed relentless.
"Ah!" Jiang Ziqi sat bolt upright in bed, gasping for breath.
It felt like she had a terrible nightmare.
The commotion startled Zhao Anjing and Zhu Mingjun, who were on guard nearby. They quickly aimed their assault rifles at the person sitting on the bed.
Jiang Ziqi: (๑o﹏o๑)!!
Why are two people pointing guns at me the moment I wake up!
She quickly raised her hands to signal that she was a harmless little creature.
But when her gaze fell upon her right arm, her expression instantly changed.
There, a tentacle-like appendage, over a meter long, resembling an octopus's limb, was attached to her right shoulder.
However, the tentacle looked limp, more malnourished than she was.
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the entire room fell silent.
She was half-human, half-zombie.
No one spoke. Fortunately, Zhao Anjing, under pressure, said, "Don't get agitated. Our captain saved you. He'll be here soon. Just try to stay calm."
While keeping an eye on her, Zhu Mingjun whispered to Zhao Anjing, "Do you think she can still talk?"
His voice was very low. Zhao Anjing was about to reprimand her cheap master for his careless talk.
However, Jiang Ziqi, who had been sitting on the bed in a daze for a while, replied, "I can still talk. I'm fine."
She could hear that?
Zhu Mingjun had whispered it right by her ear!
Zhao Anjing's hair was almost standing on end. Her hearing was even sharper than a zombie's.
Just then, the door opened, and Lin Yuan entered with Wu Tian and Mu Qingtian. Before even looking at the bed, he said,
"Little Zhu, she's awake?"
Only then did he see Jiang Ziqi sitting on the bed.
"Oh, oh, sorry, sorry. I didn't see you just now."
Seeing Lin Yuan, who had rescued her from the zombies, Jiang Ziqi shook her head.
(/w＼) Shy.
Her face turned slightly red, but then she thought of her current emaciated appearance, and her eyes dimmed.
However, Lin Yuan didn't mind this. Instead, he sat down with Wu Tian and the others, as if the tentacle, which resembled the night demon they had killed, didn't exist.
"Um, cough, cough, your name is Jiang Ziqi, right?"
"Mhm," the girl on the bed replied somewhat timidly.
Wu Tian looked at Jiang Ziqi, his expression normal, but he was thinking to himself, when she was lying down, he didn't feel much. Now, looking at her.
She looked so petite, barely reaching 1.5 meters in height, making the abnormal tentacle seem longer than her entire body.
Tsk, if her body were to be consumed, she'd definitely be a cute girl.
Lin Yuan's got it good.
Just as Lin Yuan was about to continue speaking, he suddenly felt a chill.
That's strange, my body is so strong, I shouldn't feel the cold so easily.
Without dwelling on it, he continued, "Do you feel any discomfort in your body?"
"No."
"Gurgle gurgle~"
Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Ziqi's stomach rumbled.
"It's not me, it's not me! I'm not hungry."
"Gurgle gurgle hulu~" Her stomach protested even louder!
Her stomach told her brain, of course you're not hungry!
"Hahaha, then let's go eat. But we need to confirm what kind of meat you eat first?"
Lin Yuan held two chunks of raw meat in one hand and a bag of roast chicken in the other, placing them in front of Jiang Ziqi.
The raw meat was obtained by Wu Mengyao shooting a quail with a crossbow. It had flown in to seek shelter from the rain while Mu Qingtian was sniping. It happened to encounter Mu Qingtian and Wu Mengyao, who hadn't eaten fresh meat in a long time.
Pathetic.
The roast chicken was vacuum-sealed and had been heated.
Although Jiang Ziqi was somewhat innocent and cute, she knew they were trying to determine her dietary habits.
Fortunately, she had no appetite for the bloody raw meat. Instead, the fragrant, steaming roast chicken made her stomach churn with hunger.
She carefully took it and began to eat without any regard for appearances.
At this moment, the coldness deep in the eyes of Lin Yuan and the others had disappeared. If she had shown any interest in the raw meat, even if she had only glanced at it with a bit of desire, Lin Yuan would have been prepared to shoot her.
If one's appetite cannot be controlled, it's no different from having a zombie by your side.
Wu Tian and Mu Qingtian also relaxed their hands, which had been reaching for their guns.
Zhao Anjing and the others kept their guns slightly raised, but Lin Yuan didn't tell them to lower them.
Jiang Ziqi, who was devouring the food, didn't notice these details. She was simply too hungry, and with the addition of the tentacle, she was even hungrier.
She finished two roast chickens in less than three minutes.
It was fortunate that she still had her sanity and didn't chew and swallow the bones.
She looked at Lin Yuan with pleading eyes, as if to say,
Food, hungry~
Lin Yuan gave her a look that said "wait a moment" and turned to press the intercom, "Sister Qin Xia, is the food ready?!"
It wasn't Qin Xia who answered, but Wang Zhihai, who was also helping, "Captain, let's stir-fry all those packaged cured meats with the rice."
"Alright, remember not to add the spicy ones yet. Stir-fry them in a separate pot, add some canned peas or other vegetables. I remember there are still a few radishes that aren't rotten, let's use them for soup."
The stove on the rooftop had been upgraded to three. Besides the one outside, the other two were on the rooftop of Building One, right next to the elevator shaft. Lin Yuan had also built a flue, so cooking here was quite pleasant, especially when it rained and it wasn't suitable for cooking outside.
"The food will be ready soon. Do you want to meet your boyfriend now?"
"Is, is he still alive?" Jiang Ziqi thought of her boyfriend who had abandoned her and run away at the last moment, her voice inevitably tinged with disappointment.
"He's alive. Otherwise, how would I know your name? I'll call him over then. I won't interfere with your personal matters, but remember not to use your right hand. We still don't know if it's infected."
"Mhm, I understand. By the way, I don't even know your names yet?"
"My name is Lin Yuan, and I'm their captain," Lin Yuan said, extending his hand to shake hers.
"I'm Wu Tian, the captain's wife, hahaha," Wu Tian said with a hearty laugh.
"Mu Qingtian, the team's sniper."
"Zhao Anjing, I used to be a goth girl with heavy makeup, now I'm just a regular member," Zhao Anjing said, mimicking the gesture and extending her hand to shake hers.
"Zhu Mingjun, a student who plays with swordsmanship, now also a regular member," Zhu Mingjun said, scratching his head with a hint of憨厚.
Although not everyone shook her hand, Jiang Ziqi was still very happy.
Lin Yuan didn't pay much attention to it. Relationships weren't built with a single handshake; they would develop through further contact.
The door was then knocked upon. The man who had been rescued today appeared humble, but even Zhao Anjing could see the unconcealed defiance in his eyes, as well as the way he looked at the female members of the team.
"Alright, you talk. Remember to be polite and don't fight, understand?" Lin Yuan glanced at him and instructed.
He didn't care about his gaze. He always believed in exchanging sincerity for sincerity; if it wasn't reciprocated, then so be it.
Leaving the room, Lin Yuan and the others didn't go far, asking Wu Tian to help with cooking. Only Mu Qingtian and Zhu Mingjun were left behind.
They were there to keep a slight watch.