Chapter 12 The Apocalypse 11
I have absolutely no appetite!
Lu Xuejin sighed and thought.
Luo Mingchuan remained calm throughout, as if what was in front of him was not a tender piece of fat, but a lump of rubber that the zombies had no desire to eat, just like him.
Sigh, two oddballs!
He felt deeply regretful that he couldn't see his beloved younger brother running towards him like a dog.
Having come to this conclusion, Lu Xue decided to take a step back and leave.
The stench was constant; just standing there, you could feel the filth spreading through the air and clinging to you.
I need to take a shower when I get home.
Seeing his actions, a fierce glint flashed in the thug's numb eyes, and he suddenly threw an empty soda can forcefully in the direction of the two.
Clang—
The can smashed to the ground, the crisp sound suddenly breaking the silence of the alleyway and instantly attracting the attention of all the zombies nearby!
In an instant, the once calm horde of zombies moved toward the alley entrance at an unimaginable speed, their mouths wide open, revealing sharp teeth with thick, foul-smelling saliva hanging from the tips.
The thug grinned smugly. His cracked lips opened and closed a few times, as if to say: If you don't help me, I can't leave, and you won't live either. You're all dead!
The more zombies surrounded him, the wider his grin grew. Only a few days into the apocalypse, he had completely abandoned any semblance of humanity, unhesitatingly pushing his fellow humans to their doom. Even if making noise wouldn't save him from hiding in the garbage heap, and would only lead to the tragic deaths of two innocent comrades, he didn't care.
After all, he killed more than just these two people in this way. The wails and cries of those who were once high and mighty before their deaths are now quite pleasant to hear.
You all deserve to die.
The scoundrel thought to himself in a twisted way.
But then, to his horror, he discovered that the horde of zombies did not pounce on the two and tear them apart as expected. Instead, they stood still, their stiff heads slowly turning, ignoring the two living, naked humans, and all staring at his location. In his excitement earlier, when he threw the can, his arm had been exposed to the air, and even though the stench of garbage masked it, the faint scent of life had been keenly detected!
"...!" The moment the nearest zombie ripped open the pile of trash and its fingernails reached out, the thug's tense mental state collapsed. He kicked away the zombie in front of him and tried to run away in a panic, but more zombies blocked his way. "Get out! Get out!"
The smell of blood filled the air, and the zombies became even more excited, like a swarm of sharks.
"I don't want to die! I don't want to die! Get out of here!"
The hand that had thrown the can was raised high, its fingers outstretched menacingly, desperately tearing at the zombie, trying to break through to safety.
Amidst the layers of zombies, eyes consumed by panic were fixed on Lu Xuejin and Luo Mingchuan.
Why weren't they attacked?
Why didn't they come to save me!
Why were they so indifferent and unmoved?!
A piece of flesh was forcibly torn off, and the virus irreversibly surged into his body. Before long, he would become a member of the zombie horde.
"Monsters! You are monsters!" the thug cried out in despair, just like those he had once pushed to the brink of despair. He had completely forgotten how happy he had been laughing back then.
A few minutes later, the crowded horde of zombies dispersed, and a brand-new corpse slowly stood up and staggered into the ranks.
Utterly boring.
Luo Mingchuan indifferently looked away.
Witnessing the tragic death of one of his own kind, he felt no emotion whatsoever, only finding the farce utterly boring.
He'd been like this since he was a child—lacking the will to survive, devoid of empathy, a monster even his own father despised. He only found joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness in Lu Xuejin… even excessive anger.
"Let's go." Lu Xuejin turned around.
A habitual faint smile hung at the corner of his mouth, but he seemed less interested and more bored than when he was teasing Luo Mingchuan.
Luo Mingchuan saw not a trace of pity or emotion in his eyes.
Those clear pupils, illuminated by the sunlight, reflected a soft halo, and anyone gazed upon like that would mistakenly believe they were being cherished. Yet, those eyes were actually empty, unmoved even by the death of their own kind.
Forever pure, forever innocent.
Luo Mingchuan couldn't help but feel his Adam's apple bob, suddenly enveloped by a strong excitement and a secret joy.
At this moment, how similar they are.
Orphans without parents, brothers who depend on each other for survival, enemies who hide daggers behind smiles, kindred spirits who keep secrets from each other, and cold-hearted accomplices.
Luo Mingchuan doesn't believe in gods or Buddhas, but he can't help but think that fate brought them together.
He followed Lu Xuejin, his gaze falling on the back of her fair neck, half-hidden by her black hair, where there was a small bump.
On the way back, the spherical robot kept reassuring Lu Xuejin: "Baby, don't be afraid. That's not a real person, just randomly generated data. You can treat it like a game. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, chuckle~"
[He was the big bad guy who started it, it has nothing to do with you, baby! Don't be afraid, baby!]
The cave also projects an animated short film featuring fluffy kittens and puppies, which is very effective in relieving stress and clearing the mind.
It seemed to misunderstand his indifference as a state of shock and dazedness.
Silicon-based creations, incapable of generating natural emotions, are comforting a human known for their rich and varied emotions.
Lu Xuejin found the scene very interesting.
He really wanted to ask a sarcastic question: "What are you pretending for?"
He couldn't bear to think that this would be so bad for the baby's system.
Back in the room, Lu Xuejin hugged Dongyao and kissed its forehead from a distance. Her eyes drooped innocently, and her voice was full of gratitude: "Xiaoyao, thank you for comforting me. I'm alright now."
"It's good that you're alright, baby." Dong Yao's voice sounded dizzy.
Even without actual contact, the sensory system still detected the aura emanating from Lu Xuejin's body. It was a clean, light fragrance, so pure that it was without a trace of impurity, reminding the system of warm sunlight, making it feel warm and intoxicating as soon as it got close.
It nestled in Lu Xuejin's arms, lazily sliding its mechanical arm, showing no desire to leave.
Unaware that the person holding it had bloodshot eyes, with a mixture of pleasure and insatiable malice churning within them.
"...It's so good to have you with me. And my husband, even though he doesn't remember me, but..." Lu Xuejin lowered her eyes and pursed her lips meaningfully.
...
Although they have no appetite or need for food, the two still maintain the habit of eating three meals a day. When food enters their mouths, they can still taste the flavors of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy.
Luo Mingchuan no longer needed tutoring, and Lu Xuejin no longer needed to work night shifts. In this secluded little building where only the howls of zombies could be heard, two months flew by. The blazing sun was replaced by intermittent rain and oppressive clouds. The fan was put away in the wooden cabinet, and short sleeves were replaced by long sleeves and light jackets.
After lunch, Luo Mingchuan was clearing away the dishes and turning on the tap. The water splashed and rinsed away the remaining stains in the bowls. Just as he was about to squeeze out some dish soap, he suddenly turned his head and heard the sound of the door opening.
Luo Mingchuan paused in his work, knowing that Lu Xuejin was about to go out again—he always went out for a walk every now and then.
Having not had her hair cut for a while, Lu Xuejin's hair had grown to shoulder length, covering the small protruding bones at the back of her neck.
Disliking the wind making his hair blurry in his eyes, he pulled out a pack of hair ties, grabbed a handful, and tied them into a small bun at the back of his head. Some stray hairs clung to the side of his face, swaying gently with his movements and the wind, giving him a soft look.
Wandering through the horde of zombies, watching these lifeless, swaying undead, a sense of decay and destruction permeated the streets and alleys.
It's hard to imagine that this city would one day be so quiet.
Lu Xuejin followed the group into the street. The zombies here retained their human clothing and decorations, allowing him to guess their past identities. Some were dressed neatly and in somber colors, probably elites busy with work; others carried cloth bags with withered vegetable leaves draped over the sides, emitting a sour smell, clearly indicating they were selecting food when the disaster struck.
Some of the faces were very familiar; they were the same residents she used to see every day when going up and down the stairs. Lu Xuejin smiled at them and waved to greet them.
The neighbors responded with either silence or howling.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up. Lu Xuejin looked up and around at the sky. She saw that the thick, layered clouds had dispersed, and a bright, round sun peeked out, casting down its vibrant colors.
The beam of light found Lu Xuejin's location like a stage spotlight. Against the gray background, he and several nearby zombies were highlighted, and the shards of light shimmered in his eyes, radiating a golden glow.
Looking back, several tall buildings stood before her, and behind the glass of the lower floors, the slow, stiff shadows of zombies flashed by. Lu Xuejin found an angle where the sunlight, the gray shadows, the buildings, and the corpses created a perfect picture.
With a couple of light taps of her fingers, Lu Xuejin sighed regretfully, "If only we had a drawing board. It would be such a shame not to paint such a beautiful scene."
Dongyao immediately flew over, raised her little camera, snapped a couple of photos, and fawned over him: "Baby, I took a picture!"
“…Xiao Yao is so thoughtful. Thank you.” Lu Xuejin patted the robot’s head from a distance.
A sudden feeling of boredom washed over me, and my smile failed to reach my eyes.
The photos are taken one-to-one, a flawless record.
It's very real, but also very boring.
Only when chaotic, unrestrained, and hazy colors are applied to the canvas can it barely be considered interesting.
But what's the point of talking to a programmed being? They have absolutely no sense of aesthetics.
This time I wandered quite far, and before I knew it, I was near the bar where I worked. Although the streets here had become dirty and chaotic, with signs of collisions and conflicts everywhere, the underlying atmosphere was still vibrant, and the zombies' clothing was many times more fashionable than those I had encountered before.
Zombies thronged the entrance to the bar, the glass of the reptile shop was shattered, and the animals inside had vanished.
Lu Xuejin strolled around the area for a while, and seeing that the dark clouds were dispersing and the light was about to dominate the sky, she decided to turn back the way she came.
He took a few steps and then stopped.
Among the swaying horde of zombies behind them, one zombie stood out from the crowd.
His appearance wasn't as grotesque or exaggerated; to the naked eye, there were no areas of decay, and his dark blue skin couldn't conceal his handsome, deep-set features. His trench coat remained clean and crisp, standing out starkly among the horde of zombies, most of whom were covered in blood.
The zombie broke away from the group and walked straight towards him.
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