Apocalyptic Gratitude Duck - Chapter 8

Qiao Yanyu smashed the mutated hedgehog’s head, sending blood and flesh flying. The creature’s body toppled to the ground with a heavy thud.

She retrieved an orange crystal from its skull. Unlike the rectangular Zombie Crystals, this Mutated Beast’s crystal was diamond-shaped.

The crystal was already level 1, but unfortunately, the mutated hedgehog, aside from its spiny coat, hadn’t displayed any special abilities. This meant Kexin likely wouldn’t gain any new skills.

Mutated Beasts with special abilities were exceedingly rare, but even a level 1 crystal would ensure Kexin could evolve to level 1, upgrading her existing skills.

After rinsing the crystal clean, Qiao Yanyu fed it to Kexin. The crystal tasted like strawberry-flavored shaved ice, a flavor Kexin had never experienced before. She rested a small paw on Qiao Yanyu’s foot, tapping it rhythmically with each bite, pausing to look up at her with wide, round eyes.

Knowing Kexin’s habits, Qiao Yanyu unscrewed the cap of her water bottle and brought it to Kexin’s lips.

Kexin took a big gulp of water before continuing to crunch on the crystal, clearly enjoying it. Seeing the remaining crystal fragments in Qiao Yanyu’s palm, she pecked at them with her duck-like beak, trying to get every last piece.

Before Kexin could finish eating, her owner pressed a finger to her forehead. Just as Kexin was puzzled, she watched as the owner gathered the fragmented crystals into a pile and swept them all up in a single gulp.

After eating her fill, Kexin visibly plumped up, her weight doubling. Her appearance became more combat-ready: her wings grew fuller, her legs more muscular, and the feathers on her head and neck shimmered with a magnificent golden hue.

Kexin lowered her head to examine her claws, which, in her combat form, resembled those of a hawk—too sharp to accidentally scratch her owner. With a thought, she retracted them, transforming them back into duck-like webbed feet.

After reaching level 1, Kexin could freely switch between her combat and normal forms without excessive energy expenditure. Her innate skills had also improved, but they still fell far short of her peak state.

She loved the feeling of growing stronger!

Kexin’s gaze drifted toward the remains of the Mutated Hedgehog, a flicker of longing and restlessness surfacing in her eyes. Since her evolution, her craving for fresh meat had intensified. Eating Mutated Beasts made her feel warm and energized, filling her body with vitality.

How tempting…

Kexin gently bit her owner’s fingertip. The slight sting startled Qiao Yanyu, who looked down to see Kexin gazing up at her with bright, sparkling eyes.

“What do you want?” Qiao Yanyu asked curiously.

Kexin skipped over to the Mutated Hedgehog, her wings pointing at the creature.

“You want to eat it?”

Kexin usually ate fresh fish to supplement her diet, but after her mutation, her body’s nutritional demands had increased. It was understandable that she would crave meat.

After Qiao Yanyu nodded in silent permission, Kexin began devouring the Mutated Hedgehog with gusto. She ate quickly and hungrily, occasionally letting out a triumphant cry when particularly satisfied.

The metallic scent of blood thickened in the air, attracting nearby low-level zombies. A piercing cry suddenly split the sky, carrying a powerful warning aura. The zombies shuddered imperceptibly and scattered in all directions.

Before long, little meat remained. Kexin picked up what she considered the best piece and brought it to her owner.

It was a large hunk of meat, completely boneless and still steaming.

Kexin’s cheeks were stained with blood, giving her usually pure and cute appearance a slightly savage look. Her large, round black eyes gazed up at Qiao Yanyu with the same unwavering trust and dependence as before.

Qiao Yanyu picked up a towel and wiped the blood from Kexin’s duck-like beak. “Are you full now?”

Kexin puffed out her little chest proudly. Not only had she eaten her fill, but she felt stronger too.

Qiao Yanyu stroked Kexin’s head, then found some ziplock bags. She portioned the Mutated Hedgehog meat Kexin had given her and stored it in her Spatial Warehouse, saving it for when Kexin was hungry again.

Noticing Kexin’s puzzled expression, Qiao Yanyu gently explained, “It’s not a good time to start a fire right now. We’ll eat when we get home.”

At the mention of home, Kexin’s eyes lit up. She grabbed the hem of Qiao Yanyu’s clothes, eager to hurry home. Once they were home, her owner would stroke her fur and cuddle with her as they slept.

Qiao Yanyu chuckled softly. “We can’t go home today. It’s too dark. Let’s gather some supplies and make do here for the night.”

Both she and Kexin were currently at level 1. Spending the night here wouldn’t be a problem. Besides, the distance to home made them vulnerable to ambushes by Mutated Beasts in the dark. It was best to wait until dawn to return.

“Quack…”

The little spark in Kexin’s eyes was instantly doused by Qiao Yanyu’s words. Seeing her owner grab the flashlight and stride away, Kexin hurried after her, determined to protect her.

Qiao Yanyu first placed the mutated hedgehog’s spiny skin into a large storage box before allowing Kexin to store it in her Spatial Warehouse, to avoid damaging other supplies. These spines could later be used to create traps for catching small mutated beasts, providing occasional extra meals.

Apart from some plastic items damaged during the battle with the mutated hedgehog and a few iron basins crushed into thin sheets, most of the items on the second floor remained intact. Qiao Yanyu, shining her flashlight around, was delighted to discover a corner packed with large boxes of bottled water—nearly twenty cases—and seven small cases of alcohol fuel, two cases of laundry soap, various toiletries and cleaning supplies, kitchen utensils, pots and bowls, flashlights, umbrellas, and rubber boots. These were all items that would be impossible to produce in the future.

It was one surprise after another. These supplies would allow her and Kexin to live comfortably. Even if they later found themselves unable to find food, they could still trade these goods with others. Soap, for example, would become priceless in the future, let alone flashlights. With enough batteries, flashlights could save a significant amount of fuel at night.

On a separate shelf at the very top, there were five or six down comforters, some travel backpacks, slippers, and rubber shoes. After learning that Kexin’s Spatial Warehouse had doubled in size, Qiao Yanyu waved her hand and instructed Kexin to pack everything into it.

Descending from the second floor to the first, they found the ground floor severely damaged, half the rear wall collapsed, and many foods reduced to powder. Qiao Yanyu hurried to the outermost counter of the supermarket, where she found two boxes of lighters and a pile of batteries in various sizes.

This was undoubtedly Qiao Yanyu’s best find of the night.

In a blizzard, starting a fire was a torment. Without skill, you could rub your hands raw and still fail to ignite a spark. Even if you managed to start a fire, whether it would catch was pure mysticism.

Those who have lived through the Apocalypse, both humans and animals, share an uncontrollable fervor for gathering supplies.

Just as Qiao Yanyu finished packing the batteries into her bag, Kexin produced a can of sugar from somewhere, offering it to her like a treasured treasure. Praised by Qiao Yanyu, Kexin’s enthusiasm for finding items intensified. Her wings flapped vigorously, creating a whistling wind, and she brought every perfectly packaged item she found to Qiao Yanyu for approval before storing it in her Space.

Almost everything salvageable on the first floor had been collected, filling the Spatial Warehouse to capacity. Qiao Yanyu’s backpack was also stuffed to bursting. Satisfied with their haul, she and Kexin returned to the second floor.

Qiao Yanyu unfolded two down comforters. She laid one, folded in half, on the floor and draped the other over herself. Just as she settled into bed, Kexin squeezed in from the other side, instinctively curling into her owner’s arms.

Kexin’s small body nuzzled against Qiao Yanyu’s dry palm, purring for her to stroke her feathers. Pets should be petted every day, Kexin thought smugly. Her owner’s hands were so soft and warm, and her unruly feathers quickly smoothed under the gentle touch. Kexin loved this time after meals, when she could drift off to sleep cradled in her owner’s arms.

Qiao Yanyu’s gaze softened as she stroked Kexin’s small head, her slender fingers trailing down the white wings. Whenever her touch reached the tips of the wings, Kexin would instinctively twist around, urging her owner to pet the other wing instead. But when that wing was stroked to its tip, Kexin would twist back again.

Kexin squirmed like a pancake on a hot griddle, restless and uneasy.

Qiao Yanyu, puzzled by Kexin’s awkward behavior, was about to switch hands when Kexin suddenly wrapped her wings around Qiao Yanyu’s hand and exposed her pale belly.

Qiao Yanyu began gently rubbing Kexin’s belly. The soothing touch eased Kexin’s discomfort, and she relaxed, clinging contentedly to Qiao Yanyu’s hand and drifting off to sleep.

Qiao Yanyu continued to rub Kexin’s belly rhythmically, her eyes half-closed as she rested briefly.

As Qiao Yanyu and Kexin caught up on their sleep, hurried footsteps echoed down the street.

Leading the group was a burly man with a bulging backpack and several cleavers strapped to his waist. Beside him walked a man and a woman, all equally robust and similarly armed.

The short-haired woman in black on his left rubbed her aching shoulders and pleaded, “Brother Ping, let’s find a place to rest today. We’ve already taken down so many zombies.”

The man on the right chimed in, “Yeah, Brother Ping, my legs are about to give out.”

Zhang Ping stopped, glancing at the pitch-black houses around them. His eyes glimmered with an eerie green light under the moonlight, like an animal’s eyes that could see clearly in the dark. His burly frame made him look like a crouching, ferocious wolf.

His gaze swept the area before settling on the small convenience store with the red sign. He said gravely, “We’ll rest here tonight. Let’s see if there’s anything useful inside.”

“Thanks, Brother Ping!”

His teammates cheered happily and rushed into the store.

The three of them entered the convenience store one after another, swallowing hard. Someone let out a curse.

Looking at the empty shelves, their hearts ached, and they began cursing together.

“Damn it! They stripped it bare! Not even a single item left!”

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