At midnight, it began to rain.
The pattering rain startled many awake, but when they opened their curtains to see the blood-red downpour, they quickly shut their windows and doors in fear.
Those who had gone out to watch the red moon last time had all turned into zombies, so no one was curious this time.
Of the two people in the house, Zhuo Ni was fine and slept soundly. Xiao Chongyan, however, did not sleep a wink. The scenes of the apocalypse replayed in his mind. Thinking of the place that was still barely resembling the human world, which would soon become a purgatory, he couldn't fall asleep.
The hatred from his past life, the murders, the killings, the betrayals, the loss of humanity, and the collapse of civilization that he had witnessed with his own eyes, filled him with a wave of sadness just thinking about it.
Would it all happen again?
He had been reborn once, and the heaviest burden on his heart was revenge. He couldn't change his own fate, nor could he save others. It had always been like this, countless times.
These negative thoughts lingered in his heart until just before dawn. Xiao Chongyan felt a slight fever. Before an ominous premonition could even form in his mind, his thoughts gradually blurred, and he soon lost consciousness.
Zhuo Ni woke up but didn't see him, feeling a little surprised. In her previous memories, Xiao Chongyan usually woke up quite early.
But she didn't think much of it, assuming he wanted to sleep in. She went to the kitchen to boil water and make breakfast.
She didn't know how to cook, so after boiling water, she went to knock on his door.
She knocked for a long time without a response, and the door remained closed. She thought he might have left, but after a brief check, she kicked the door open.
Xiao Chongyan lay on his bed, his entire body as red as a ripe shrimp. He must have been unbearable with the heat, so he had stripped off all his clothes. Thus, he was completely naked in front of Zhuo Ni.
The system's vision was immediately filled with a mosaic.
Seeing him like this, Zhuo Ni had no intention of taking advantage. Instead, she quickly checked his body. After confirming he was not seriously ill, she breathed a sigh of relief.
According to the plot's description, people would experience a feverish process before awakening their powers.
The system had previously mentioned that he had eaten a lot, which was a sign before the awakening of his abilities.
Zhuo Ni helped him change into light and comfortable clothes, carried him to the living room, and wiped his face. She let him sleep on the sofa and then returned to the kitchen to continue her work.
While cooking, she chatted with the system: "How long does this reaction of his usually last?"
The system replied: [Generally about three to four days. However, fever is also a precursor to becoming a zombie. Host, do you want to find a rope and tie him up?]
Zhuo Ni: "I want to tie you up, and preferably gag your mouth too."
System: [...]
He felt wronged, but he didn't say it.
Instead, he secretly stirred up trouble.
[Then, Host, what do you plan to do if he really turns into a zombie?]
If he turned into a zombie, would his Host still be able to stomach him?
Zhuo Ni replied sinisterly: "Then I'll catch people and feed him to it."
System: [...] If he weren't just data without a physical form, his Host would probably want to kill him first.
Trembling.
Zhuo Ni was actually just trying to scare the garrulous system.
If Xiao Chongyan turned into a zombie again this time, she would kill the people who harmed him in his past life, and then kill him.
Taking his soul, she would leave this world together. Su Dan Novel Network.
The reason she was undertaking this so-called mission was, firstly, because she liked living a simple and happy life with him, and secondly, because she wanted to change his tragic life as depicted in the original plot.
However, if she couldn't even achieve that, she wouldn't implicate innocent people.
The conversation ended with the system falling silent.
Zhuo Ni boiled white rice porridge again. With the experience from last time, she didn't add too much rice this time. Also, inspired by Xiao Chongyan from yesterday, she diced some potatoes and added them in.
However, when the diced potatoes were cooked with the rice, the potato cubes turned into mashed potatoes and disappeared.
She carried the porridge and chili sauce to the living room. While watching Xiao Chongyan, she finished her breakfast. She opened the window and looked outside. Because of the red rain last night, the outside was now a sea of red.
It looked like a ghost town.
"Hey!"
"There are people there!"
Suddenly hearing a shout, Zhuo Ni looked up. On the street not far from the house, stood six or seven young men and women, waving at her.
They had backpacks on their backs and exuded youthful energy. Despite fleeing for their lives in this ghost-like city, they were a rare sight of youthful vitality.
The group quickly walked over and stopped in the small courtyard outside the house.
One of the boys spoke: "Friend, is this your house? Can you let us in to hide for a bit? We can offer food."
Zhuo Ni walked over and opened the living room door, letting them in.
It was a group of three males and four females. They not only had backpacks but also pulled a suitcase. Upon entering the spacious and bright living room, they all looked a bit surprised.
But they were polite, only glancing around before looking away. The boy who had spoken earlier said sincerely:
"Thank you. Zombies are chasing us from behind."