Chapter 863: The Emotions of Zombies
Chapter 863: Chapter 863: The Emotions of Zombies
The bus quickly arrived at the gate of the safe base.
The one guarding the gate was Hong Yu.
He was very serious as he held the infrared thermometer and checked the temperatures of the survivors entering the safe base.
Making sure not a single Zombie entered the safe base—that was his duty.
Whatever he did, he always did it very seriously.
Inside the bus, Fan Tangtang and the Xiao Lan Zombie were obediently squeezed together, hiding in the second floor area that was Xiao Niu’s exclusive sleeping space.
They had no breath, no heartbeat, so quiet it was as if they had never existed.
But to pass through the safe base’s gate, besides the manual temperature checks, there was also a scanning device that could see the outlines of luggage or items inside vehicles.
The security equipment was also to prevent any Zombies from sneaking into the safe base.
Today’s Gatekeeper was only Hong Yu; he was taking temperatures while also watching the images on the scanner.
The bus door slowly opened, and Hong Yu walked up.
It was still that youthful, slightly immature face, looking a bit more resolute than usual, but when he spoke his face still turned red.
"Xiao Fan, Sister Tu, you’re back."
A faint blush hung on Hong Yu’s face as he held the thermometer and checked the Bai Family one by one as they sat on the sofa.
"Hong Yu, did you beat that game yet?"
Bai Yifan didn’t look Hong Yu in the eye and deliberately asked about something else.
"I beat it, then started a new run."
Hong Yu said with a smile.
"Everything’s been going pretty well lately, right?"
The Base Commander’s voice suddenly came from a corner.
"Hello, Base Commander! Everything at the base is good, very good."
Hong Yu was startled by the sudden sound of the Base Commander’s voice and hurriedly stood at attention.
"Mm, just follow the normal procedures."
The Base Commander smiled kindly, even stretching out his arm for Hong Yu to take his temperature.
The Bai Family exchanged glances and suddenly thought of a serious question.
While everyone had been discussing how to sneak the Xiao Lan Zombie and Fan Tangtang into the safe base, the Base Commander had been quietly listening on the side.
He hadn’t expressed any opinion...
And the Base Commander had kept such a low profile in the bus, not saying a single word, even the Zombie Kings had automatically overlooked his presence.
Hong Yu quickly took the Base Commander’s temperature, then lifted his foot to get off the bus.
Just as he reached the door, he suddenly raised his head and looked up at the second floor of the bus.
"What is it?"
Bai Yifan noticed Hong Yu’s movement, his heart leaping into his throat.
"N-no, nothing."
Hong Yu shook his head, hesitated for a moment, then stepped off the bus.
He didn’t look at the images on the scanner at all; he just watched the bus drive away.
This did not meet the standards, nor was it his usual style; he had always been strictly by-the-book.
This time, he didn’t look.
"Xiao Fan and Sister Tu are amazing!"
Hong Yu muttered under his breath, then stopped paying attention to it and started checking the next wave of survivors.
This time he could let it slide, but others definitely couldn’t.
He believed the Bai Family definitely had their reasons, and wouldn’t endanger the safe base—after all, the Base Commander had been on that bus.
Inside the bus.
"Phew—what a close call!"
Bai Yifan let out a breath of relief, and a grin instantly spread across his face.
Like he’d just successfully cheated on an exam.
"Ahem, I still have things to do. Drop me off by the base building in a bit."
The Base Commander gave a light cough. He couldn’t quite understand why the Bai Family was so cautious about bringing the Zombie King into the safe base, and even doing it right under his nose.
Bringing them in was bringing them in, so what?
This was his own place anyway; even bringing in an entire Zombie horde wouldn’t be a problem.
"Got it."
Bai Yifan answered, and the bus stopped at the entrance of the base building.
Just then, Song Hongfei came out of the base building and happened to walk up to the bus door.
"Base Commander, you’re back!"
Song Hongfei greeted the Base Commander with a smile, then raised his hand to wave at the Bai Family in the bus.
The issue of zombie marine creatures invading the land had been perfectly resolved; humans and Zombies could also work together.
This was good news for Song Hongfei, because his daughter was a Zombie.
If humans and Zombies really could cooperate, his daughter wouldn’t have to stay in a Zombie nest every day; maybe she could come home every few days and reunite with the family.
"Mm, I’m back." The Base Commander nodded and winked at Song Hongfei. "Brother Bai and the others have something to discuss with you. Go on up and talk with them on the bus."
With that, the Base Commander went into the safe base building.
Because Xiao Niu and the Xiao Lan Zombie got along very well, Song Hongfei was also extremely friendly toward the Bai Family.
Hearing that Bai Anhai was looking for him, he didn’t even think about it and went straight onto the bus.
As soon as he got on, the bus doors closed.
"Dad."
A crisp voice sounded, and Song Hongfei suddenly looked toward the stairs and saw his daughter.
The daughter who looked exactly the same as she had before the apocalypse.
The rotten flesh had completely healed; her flawless white skin looked as though it would break at a touch.
There was no trace of a Zombie’s hideous appearance.
That was his daughter, Song Wenwen.
"Wenwen, you’re better?"
Song Hongfei’s eyes instantly grew moist.
Ever since Song Wenwen had left the safe base, they hadn’t seen each other again. When she left, there had still been black scabs of blood on her face, and she hadn’t really counted as a Zombie King yet.
"Mm."
The Xiao Lan Zombie saw the two clear trails of tears slide down Song Hongfei’s face, and an unfamiliar emotion surged up in her heart.
She raised her hand to touch her own eyes; they were very dry, with no tears flowing out, but in her brainwaves there was a surge of yearning sadness.
She thought her feelings were still very faint right now; at the very least, her bloodthirsty impulses were still much stronger than family affection.
So she had never taken the initiative to look for her family. She only came to see Xiao Niu because Xiao Niu was special—she had brainwaves.
The Xiao Lan Zombie knew she couldn’t harm Xiao Niu, which was why she liked being with her.
As for the Song Family, they were her family, but when she saw them, besides familiar faces, she also saw a pile of flesh and blood.
The scent coming from her own flesh and blood relatives made it even harder for a Zombie to restrain its instincts.
Today, seeing those two clear trails of tears, a taut string in the Xiao Lan Zombie’s mind seemed to snap.
Maybe, the meaning of her existence now wasn’t just devouring flesh and evolving.
She stayed silent, quietly watching the father who had doted on her ever since she was little.
She tried hard to recall the family affection she had felt in childhood, but it was always shattered by the bloodthirsty urges.
The scent of flesh and blood and the loving scenes of home crisscrossed in her mind, and for a moment the Xiao Lan Zombie lost focus.
"Xiao Lan, what’s wrong?"
Fan Tangtang tugged at the Xiao Lan Zombie’s hand and asked curiously.
"N-nothing."
The Xiao Lan Zombie shook her head slightly, but her brainwaves collided with Fan Tangtang’s.
Zombies didn’t need to lie to each other.
Fan Tangtang could feel the Xiao Lan Zombie’s question.
She was asking why Tangtang could feel the presence of family affection, and could peacefully stay with her parents.
The bloodthirsty instinct was so strong, yet Fan Tangtang seemed to have never felt that instinct toward her mom and dad.
Could a Zombie’s emotions really become as rich as before?
Fan Tangtang looked up at the Xiao Lan Zombie obediently; her brainwaves had already given the answer.