Chapter 19: The Aftermath​​

Su Xiaomu huddled in the corner. He'd said what he said, but he genuinely had no certainty. In this cramped space, every breath was audible.

The young man buried his head in his knees, cursing inwardly—especially Zhang Yi, cursing eighteen generations of his ancestors. If it weren't for the two of them being confined together, he could have just slipped into his special space.

The thought of exposing his space now was even less appealing. Those so-called future humans were all scum, deliberately leaving him trapped with someone bitten by a zombie.

Time crept by. Half-asleep, Su Xiaomu heard the distinct sound of the door unlocking—Crunch. He snapped to full alertness, eyes wide open.

"Damn you, you son of a—" Su Xiaomu cut himself off, swallowing the rest as he instinctively drew his neck in. The situation was against him; he had no power to resist.

Li Yansheng looked at Su Xiaomu with a faint, mocking smile. "Why did you stop swearing?" he asked. When Zhang Yi had told them, he hadn't quite believed it, but now...

Twenty-four hours had passed, and Yan Qing showed no signs of turning. It seemed Su Xiaomu had been correct.

Su Xiaomu forced an awkward smile. "Wouldn't dare. How could I dare swear at you?" His eyes shot a glare at Zhang Yi, making the message clear: This isn't over.

"Oh?" Li Yansheng glanced at Zhang Yi, who remained silent, lips pressed tight.

"Captain!" Yan Qing called out, a hopeful note in his voice. "Am I okay? Does this mean I'm safe?" He hadn't turned yet. Could the danger be over?

Just as Zhang Yi seemed about to nod, Li Yansheng spoke again. "Yan Qing, stay put a few more days. Just in case. Don't worry, we'll get you food."

Yan Qing's face instantly turned ashen at these words. Su Xiaomu, however, didn't care about Yan Qing's plight. "So, can I get out now?" he demanded. They'd starved him all day; these people were truly inhuman.

"Yes, you can leave," Li Yansheng replied, his gaze scrutinizing Su Xiaomu. "But you need to explain something. How do you know about the zombie virus?"

Su Xiaomu blinked and turned accusingly towards Zhang Yi. "You told them?!" Being around this jinxed guy never brought him anything good.

Zhang Yi didn't speak. He simply grabbed Su Xiaomu's arm and hauled him out quickly. Behind them, Yan Qing opened his mouth to say something, but all he heard was the door—Crunch—locking shut once more.

"Zhang Yi, you blockhead! You moron! You idiot!! I thought you were civilized! Who knew you were just a brute!" Su Xiaomu was usually someone who bullied the weak but feared the strong, yet he couldn't hold back with Zhang Yi...

First, he'd choked him, then he'd gripped his wrist so hard it bruised, and now he was dragging him by the arm! Did he want to leave him covered in bruises?!

Zhang Yi didn't utter a single word. He simply dragged Su Xiaomu back to their room and flung him onto the floor. "Clean yourself up," he ordered flatly, then closed the door, sat down on a chair, and fixed Su Xiaomu with an icy stare.

Su Xiaomu felt his buttocks smart from the impact. "Blockhead!" he roared. "I'm starving!" No sooner had the words left his mouth than his stomach let out an embarrassingly loud growl, making his face flush crimson.