The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 76.4

Fortunately, just as their fuel was running dangerously low, they stumbled upon a small, remote gas station. The area was sparsely populated, with only a few zombies wandering around. After dealing with them, they could finally relax.

Adjacent to the station was a small convenience store. Though supplies were limited, it was enough to replenish their stocks.

“Let’s rest here tonight,” Su Zhen suggested.

They had been driving nonstop for over ten hours, afraid the hostile group might catch up. Even machines would need a break by now.

Tang Jing had no objections. The place even had shower facilities, allowing them to freshen up properly.

It was the most comfortable night they’d had in half a month.

Of course, they didn’t let their guard down just because the place seemed safe. They still took turns keeping watch in pairs.

Zhou Tiantian nibbled on a piece of bread as she observed the duo beside her one human, one zombie.

Xu Yushu had absorbed three crystal cores by now. Her eyes, once entirely white, had taken on a faint pink hue, and the dark veins on her face had lightened slightly.

Whenever Tang Jing and the others spoke, Xu Yushu would turn her gaze toward them, as if listening intently.

Eventually, Tang Jing concluded that the senior, in her current state, was like a three-year-old child learning to communicate, albeit only capable of producing monotonous groans.

But even such behavior brought a pleasant surprise to Tang Jing. If the higher the level, the more lucid her senior became, then communication would become much easier.

She had even started training to untie the ropes around the other’s wrists though not completely, of course, for fear that the senior might pounce on her when she wasn’t paying attention.

“Heh.” Noticing her distrust, Xu Yushu snorted unhappily.

Zhou Tiantian, who had grown bolder by now, burst into laughter at the sight. “Senior looks just like a kitten, puffing up and hissing at you.”

Hearing this, Tang Jing also found the resemblance amusing and teased, “But way fiercer.”

Xu Yushu immediately turned her head away in a sulk.

Tang Jing laughed in surprise. “She really understands us?”

Su Zhen smiled. “Seems like a good sign.”

“So does this mean those who turned into zombies can eventually become human again?” Ye Yuanhua handed Su Zhen a bottle of water, which the latter took naturally and drank from. “Not necessarily. Their genes have been damaged, so they’ll still differ from our species in the end.”

“Are you an expert in this field, Mr. Su?” Tang Jing asked curiously.

Throughout their journey, she had never asked about their professions, but judging by Su Zhen’s demeanor, it was clear he wasn’t an ordinary person.

“A biologist,” Su Zhen replied casually.

Zhou Tiantian gasped in admiration. “A big-shot professor!”

“And Mr. Ye?” Zhou Tiantian inquired.

“My bodyguard,” Su Zhen answered.

Tang Jing chuckled, sensing their relationship wasn’t as simple as employer and bodyguard. But since they hadn’t elaborated, she didn’t press further.

As if reading her thoughts, Su Zhen coughed lightly, adjusted his glasses, and said, “Obviously, we’re also in a romantic relationship.”

Ye Yuanhua pressed his lips together and nodded, pleased by his boyfriend’s affirmation.

Tang Jing grinned. “I knew it. There was always something off about you two.”

“What about you?” Su Zhen countered.

Just as they didn’t know the others’ professions and relationships, neither did the others know theirs.

“A junior and a senior,” Tang Jing said. “Simple as that.”

Su Zhen glanced at Xu Yushu, who was leaning obediently against Tang Jing, and rested his chin on his hand. “Not just a simple senior-junior relationship, right?”

After all, in a time when death could come at any moment, dragging along a zombified senior didn’t seem like a straightforward decision.

“She’s also Zhou Tiantian’s savior.”

“And to you?” Su Zhen pressed.

Tang Jing hesitated.

Zhou Tiantian chimed in, “Because she saved me, Tang Jing insisted on bringing her along, saying we shouldn’t be ungrateful.”

Su Zhen finally understood. “So you’re doing it for her. Which means the two of you are a couple.”

“We broke up,” Zhou Tiantian said, glancing at Tang Jing with an awkward laugh. “My fault.”

Su Zhen nodded but didn’t pry further. Instead, he turned back to Tang Jing. “So one’s an ex-girlfriend, the other’s your ex’s savior. Haven’t you ever thought about ditching them and leaving on your own?”

Zhou Tiantian looked anxious, about to say something.

But Tang Jing met Su Zhen’s gaze. “Mr. Su, what exactly are you trying to test?”

Zhou Tiantian was baffled.

Su Zhen chuckled before waving a hand dismissively. “You’re a sly little fox too. Can’t even tease you properly.”

“Alright, we’ll turn in first. Wake us for the second watch.” With that, Su Zhen led Ye Yuanhua back into the house.

Zhou Tiantian pouted and muttered under her breath, “So he was just teasing you. I thought he meant it for real.”

“No, I’ll get you safely to the base,” Tang Jing replied.

Su Zhen’s words seemed to have struck a chord with Tang Jing. She glanced at the senior leaning against her shoulder and smiled faintly.

This smile didn’t escape Zhou Tiantian’s notice. Hesitantly, she asked, “Ajing, you!”

“Hmm?” Tang Jing turned to her.

It was the first time Zhou Tiantian had seen such a genuine, heartfelt smile on her face, and for a moment, she froze. Then she shook her head and chuckled. “Never mind.”

Tang Jing didn’t dwell on it, refocusing on keeping watch. But Zhou Tiantian’s mind began to wander.

By the time they switched shifts with Su and the others in the middle of the night, she was still dazed.

She felt like she had stumbled upon the truth.

So the next day, as they were packing up to leave, she blurted out, “Ajing, do you like Senior?”

Tang Jing raised an eyebrow, slightly amused by her delayed realization. She neither confirmed nor denied it, which only made Zhou Tiantian more certain.

“In that case, Senior probably likes you too,” Zhou Tiantian remarked in the car.

Tang Jing glanced at the senior but stayed silent.

The journey continued smoothly for five days, but on the sixth day, rain began to fall.

Watching the relentless downpour, Su Zhen’s expression darkened.

They had stopped at a small village, not venturing further inside but staying at a house on the outskirts. The rain made travel difficult, so they decided to rest and regroup.

“Did you notice something?” Tang Jing also looked up at the rain but saw nothing unusual.

“This rain might carry the virus into rivers and soil,” Su Zhen said grimly.

Hearing this, Tang Jing’s expression turned grave.

“What will happen then?” Zhou Tiantian, unable to grasp the long-term implications, sipped her water in confusion.

“Water shortages, and land that can no longer grow crops,” Su Zhen replied with a trace of sorrow.

Even now, in the early stages of the virus, humanity was already struggling. As resources dwindled further, true disaster would strike especially with the zombies evolving.

The higher the zombies’ level, the harder they would be to fight. By then, they’d be truly cornered.

All they could hope for was that the S City base would bring them good news.

“Grr.” Xu Yushu, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly let out a low warning growl.

Having witnessed the senior’s abilities firsthand during the journey, Su Zhen and the others quickly grabbed their weapons, alert to whatever was outside.

The rain masked all sound, making it impossible to hear approaching threats. Fortunately, the senior’s warning gave them time to prepare.

Through the rain, a dark figure moved swiftly toward them. Its speed alone marked it as a zombie.

“An evolved one,” Tang Jing stepped back. “And probably a tough one at that.”

Su Zhen also retreated to safety, with Ye Yuanhua swiftly moving to protect him.

“Grr!” Sensing danger, Xu Yushu grew restless and agitated.

The little zombie, still bound, began to cry out as well.

Tang Jing knew the zombie outside was likely of a higher level than both the senior and the little one.

She hesitated for a moment, then looked at Su Zhen. “Let me untie you, senior.”

Ye Yuanhua also sensed the threat level of that zombie and spoke to Su Zhen.

Su Zhen nodded. “We have no choice but to take a gamble.”

With just the two of them, they probably couldn’t defeat this zombie.

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