Yao Zuizui felt a dark cloud of dread settle in her heart.
So zombies have their own base too?!
Wouldn’t she, a human, be torn apart and devoured alive by those terrifying zombies if she went there?
Or… was He Si planning to turn her into a zombie?
Yao Zuizui couldn’t help but shudder, her fear written all over her face.
He Si couldn’t resist curling his lips into a faint smile, his gaze making her feel even more creeped out.
“Qiqi, it seems you’re afraid of me again?” He licked his lips, his throat dry.
Yao Zuizui didn’t understand when they had become so familiar that he was calling her “Qiqi” so casually.
It wasn’t fear.
In all her years, she had never been afraid of anyone.
She was just worried that if He Si got upset, he might kill her, forcing her to slink back to the immortal realm in disgrace.
The Immortal Sovereign would definitely be displeased.
He Si narrowed his eyes. “Hmm?”
He tightened his grip on Yao Zuizui’s wrist. How dare she space out?
Her wrist turned pale under his grasp, the pain snapping her back to reality.
She hurriedly denied it. “Of course not! I’m not afraid of you. You’re so gentle—why would I be scared?”
She forced out a few awkward laughs to cover up the blatant lie.
He Si gave her a meaningful glance but didn’t press further. “Then let’s go.”
And so, Yao Zuizui followed He Si, stepping onto a path of no return.
What she didn’t expect was that the zombie base was actually quite close—just half a day’s drive from their current location.
The zombie base was built atop S City, the second-largest metropolis in the country before the apocalypse.
With its dense population and proximity to the sea, it was easy to defend but hard to attack.
Now, every single person there had turned into a zombie.
The city had become a zombie metropolis, devoid of any living humans.
No living person dared approach, either, because the moment they got close to the outskirts, they’d be swarmed by hordes of zombies, making it impossible to advance.
Yao Zuizui had no wounds on her body, yet she still effortlessly attracted the attention of every zombie.
The moment they neared the city’s outskirts, the zombies grew restless, letting out agitated roars.
He Si took her hand.
The moment his broad, icy fingers wrapped around hers, the zombies inexplicably quieted down.
It was as if she had become invisible—they sensed nothing unusual.
Even when she brushed past a zombie, it showed no reaction.
He Si smirked and led her through the zombie horde, strolling as casually as if they were taking a leisurely walk.
Yao Zuizui passed by a zombie every three steps, yet none of them paid her any attention.
Feng Ran and Lu Jiang had been following them but vanished in a flash as they approached the city.
Yao Zuizui had no idea where they went, and she didn’t dare ask He Si.
Right now, she was too preoccupied with He Si’s tight grip on her hand.
His hand was cold, yet her palm grew slightly sweaty—because his touch was nothing like a human’s.
Devoid of warmth, it was chilling to the core.
He Si seemed to sense her discomfort and tightened his hold. “They won’t attack you as long as you’re touching me. Let go, and they’ll swarm you instantly.”
Yao Zuizui immediately stopped struggling, obediently letting him lead her.
“If you don’t want to hold hands, that’s fine too,” He Si said casually.
Yao Zuizui looked at him hopefully—she really didn’t want to be held by a creep forever.
“You can hug me or kiss me instead.” He Si turned to her, his eyes glinting with amusement, clearly proud of his own dark humor.
That was, until he saw Yao Zuizui’s lips twitch as she stared at him like he was an idiot.
His smile faded, and his expression turned stern. “Let’s go back.”
He Si’s residence was a seaside villa, just ten steps away from the ocean.
Under the evening sunset, the villa was bathed in a bloody hue.
Yao Zuizui gazed at the sea—unchanged despite the apocalypse—vast and boundless, its waves shimmering under the fading light.
Did the ocean even know the world of humans had been turned upside down?
Before she could dwell on it, He Si pulled her into his room.
“This is my room. You can only stay here. If you leave, you must hold my hand—otherwise, you’ll die.” His tone was serious, making it clear this wasn’t a joke.
Yao Zuizui surveyed the room in despair.
A bed.
A desk.
A large wardrobe.
A floor-to-ceiling window covering an entire wall.
And nothing else.
She sighed internally. *You live in a villa—couldn’t you at least get a bigger room? Or maybe two beds?!*
One bed, two people—how were they supposed to sleep?!
He Si seemed to read her mind.
He raised a brow. “What, is the bed not big enough?”
Truthfully, the bed was already huge.
If Yao Zuizui slept alone, she could roll around eight times without falling off.
But the moment she factored in He Si, it suddenly felt way too small.
She’d prefer an entire ocean between them!
Shooting him a resentful look, she flopped onto the bed like a lifeless doll, burying her face in the sheets—she didn’t want to face this cruel world.
“Hungry?” Seeing her listlessness, He Si played his trump card.
“No.” If it was just more compressed biscuits, she had zero interest.
“You can have whatever you want.” His voice carried a hint of gentleness and indulgence.
*Yeah, right. Whatever I want.*
*Liar.*
She knew exactly what was in his tiny storage space—and none of it was what she craved.
So she lifted her head from the sheets and challenged, “I want barbecue. Got any?!”
“I do. But you’ll have to come downstairs with me.” He extended his slender, immaculate hand, waiting for her to place hers in it.
Yao Zuizui didn’t believe him for a second.
But she swallowed her skepticism, eyeing his serious expression.
*Food is food.*
*Might as well take advantage.*
Grumbling, she reluctantly placed her hand in his.
His grip was still cold, still tight—as if afraid she’d run away.
Pouting, she let him lead her downstairs.
In the kitchen, He Si worked one-handed, swiftly setting up the barbecue equipment—charcoal, grill pan—everything was fully stocked.
Then, like a magician, he began pulling things out of his storage space.
Cumin, salt, pepper, five-spice powder, chili flakes, cooking oil, barbecue sauce…
All the seasonings Yao Zuizui had missed dearly.
Soy sauce, ginger juice, red wine, rice wine, minced ginger, minced garlic, lemon juice, tenderizer, brown sugar…
Even before the apocalypse, she’d never been this meticulous with her barbecue.
The dazzling array of seasonings left her wide-eyed.
And He Si wasn’t done.
Fresh, vibrant greens—just looking at them made her mouth water.
Thin slices of beef, still frosted, pink and tender—she could already imagine the taste.
Tiny, adorable meatballs, neatly packed and waiting to be devoured.
Seeing Yao Zuizui’s starry-eyed expression, He Si seemed immensely satisfied.
He smirked, giving her hand a light squeeze. “Well?”
Snapping out of her daze, she turned to him, stunned. “Is this really the apocalypse?”
“Of course.” He chuckled. “But if you like, you can eat like this every day.”
Yao Zuizui gulped. “But you said your storage space was too small…”
He scoffed. “And you still believe that?”
Her cheeks flushed. Of course his space wasn’t that tiny—he’d lied to stir up conflict.
Like how Feng Ran’s attitude toward her had shifted once supplies ran low…
Pursing her lips, she decided not to dwell on it. *Who cares, as long as he has food?*
Still, she needed to test the waters before deciding how to treat him. “So… how much food do you actually have?”
“Don’t worry. Enough for you to eat well for centuries.” His tone was casual as he began prepping the ingredients—one-handed, since the other was holding hers.
“I—I’ll help!” Eager to eat sooner, Yao Zuizui pitched in.
With her one free hand and his, they made quick work of it.
She held the meat steady while he basted it.
She arranged the veggies while he seasoned them.
Soon, everything was ready.
Yao Zuizui brushed oil onto the grill, and within moments, the sizzling sound filled the air.
After days of surviving on compressed biscuits, this was the most beautiful sound in the world.
She eagerly laid the beef slices on the grill, watching them curl and turn from pink to a rich, savory gray.
Just the sight made her mouth water.
The aroma of roasting meat filled the air—a scent she thought she’d never experience again in this world.
She grabbed her chopsticks, picked up a piece, dipped it in sauce, and stuffed it into her mouth.
*Wow.*
*This is what makes life worth living.*
Could anything be better?
Glancing at He Si, she noticed he hadn’t touched a single bite, just watching her devour the food with rapt attention.
He didn’t seem bored at all.
“Why aren’t you eating?” She stuffed another piece into her mouth.
“I don’t need to eat.” His lips curled slightly, his gaze fond.
“……” That settled it. Yao Zuizui’s resolve to stick by He Si’s side was now unshakable.
Even if she was supposed to be pursuing someone else, for the sake of food, she’d follow him to the ends of the earth.
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