The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 80.2

The man wore a black uniform and a cap, looking down at her with sharp, angular features.

Blushing slightly, Zhou Tiantian murmured, “Hello.”

“Hm.”

In the original story, this man was the mercenary leader Zhou Tiantian would eventually follow.

Meanwhile, Ye Yuanhua reported in through the general channel. His burly build caught the attention of the city defense personnel, who were eager to recruit him, granting him better treatment than most.

While waiting in line, he also witnessed people being expelled from the base mostly the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, along with some troublemakers.

They were forced to live in the tent area outside the city, where harsh conditions often led to unrest.

In just the short time he stood in line, Ye Yuanhua saw several young men beating an old man before being stopped by city defense patrols.

As Su Zhen and the others began their new lives in the base, Tang Jing also settled into a leisurely routine.

Though there was no electricity or communication tools here, the well water was usable, and there was a small vegetable garden behind the house.

After a few peaceful days, Tang Jing packed up and set off with her senior and the little zombie baby in tow.

As time passed, more and more plants and animals would become infected and evolve. During this period, they needed to collect as many crystal cores as possible to enhance their strength.

Not long after leaving the cabin, Tang Jing sensed the presence of a mercenary group nearby. To avoid running into them, she quickly took a detour in the car.

However, the mercenary group also had energy users who detected their presence and immediately gave chase.

Tang Jing’s car couldn’t outrun the modified vehicles of the pursuers, and they were soon caught.

Realizing escape was impossible, Tang Jing put a hat on her senior and wrapped the little zombie baby in a pre-prepared swaddle, placing it in her senior’s arms to disguise it as an ordinary infant.

Thanks to her level-up, the black veins on her senior’s face and hands had disappeared. Now, apart from her eyes, she looked almost no different from a normal person as long as she didn’t speak.

As for the eyes, they could just say she was wearing colored contacts.

The mercenary group bought the explanation.

But believing them was one thing seeing two women with a child, avoiding the base and wandering alone, still seemed suspicious. “Why aren’t you heading to the base?” they asked.

The leader of the mercenary group was a woman, standing at 172 cm tall with a striking buzz cut and sharp facial features. Her skin was tanned from exposure to the elements.

She was decisive in both action and speech, her eyes flickering between Tang Jing and Xu Yushu, sensing something unusual about the pair.

“The base has too many stifling rules. We prefer the freedom of the outside world,” Tang Jing replied smoothly, her arm draped over Xu Yushu’s shoulders, unfazed by the woman’s skeptical gaze.

The woman clicked her tongue, as if recalling something. “Tell me about it. Every month, you have to hand over a set number of crystal cores, or you get shoved into the outer districts. And if you’re deemed useless, they’ll dump you in the tent zones outside the city.”

“I’m Feng Man. What should I call you two?” Feng Man didn’t need to ask to recognize their relationship. Even before the apocalypse, same-sex relationships were legal. Now, no one cared as long as you weren’t dating a zombie, anything went.

“I’m Lou Jing, and this is my senior, Xu Yushu,” Tang Jing answered calmly.

From the start, Feng Man hadn’t heard Xu Yushu speak. “Is your girlfriend shy?” she asked curiously.

Tang Jing immediately understood the implication. “Her vocal cords are damaged. She can’t speak.” As she said this, she tapped Xu Yushu’s back lightly, prompting her to nod obediently in agreement.

“Alright then.” Feng Man, realizing they’d already wasted enough time, didn’t press further. Before leaving, she asked, “Where are you headed next?”

“Just wandering around, gathering supplies.”

“That might be tough. The towns near the base have been picked clean, almost down to the dirt,” Feng Man joked.

Tang Jing smiled. “We’ll go further out if we have to.”

“Just the two of you?” Feng Man was shocked.

Some places were dangerous even for their group of over a dozen mercenaries, let alone two women especially with a child in tow.

She’d been eyeing the baby in their arms since the beginning. “If you’re carrying an infant, you should hurry to the base. Sure, the rules are strict, but it’s better than losing your lives.”

“We’ll consider it,” Tang Jing said gratefully.

“See you,” Feng Man waved casually and left with her team.

According to the energy-user detection, they had initially thought someone had been kidnapped, but now it seemed the perception was mistaken.

The upper echelons of the base were still keeping the method of extracting energy from crystal cores a secret, so ordinary people in the base remained unaware that anyone could become an energy user, given the right conditions.

To further control these energy users, the mercenary guild used crystal cores as currency, circulating them among ordinary people and mercenaries alike.

Su Zhen had guessed all these rules correctly.

Tang Jing glanced in the direction of the base before driving off with her senior sister in the opposite direction Feng Man’s team had taken.

They had narrowly escaped detection this time, but there was no guarantee they’d be as lucky next time. To stay safe, it was best to avoid encounters whenever possible.

Xu Yushu poked her arm with a finger.

Tang Jing glanced at her and immediately understood. She reached over and patted her head, saying, “Senior sister was so well-behaved just now.”

Xu Yushu nuzzled her face into Tang Jing’s palm, her eyes narrowing happily.

“Grrr.” The little zombie baby, no longer swaddled, protested, also wanting a pat.

Seeing him compete for attention every day, Xu Yushu angrily lifted him and tossed him into the back seat, growling a warning. The little one whimpered pitifully and didn’t dare approach again.

Tang Jing couldn’t help but chuckle but didn’t intervene.

Before leaving the small house, Tang Jing had driven to the factory. The mercenaries who had been there were gone, and after a quick search, she confirmed Feng Man’s words nothing remained.

Worried that Su Zhen and the others might come looking, she left a discreet mark at the entrance, a prearranged signal they had agreed upon before parting ways. If they saw it, they’d know Tang Jing had been there. If possible, they’d meet on the 15th and 30th of each month.

If something went wrong, they’d truly be on their own.

In the following days, Tang Jing and her group traveled to many places, collecting numerous crystal cores. Their levels rose steadily.

Xu Yushu was the strongest among them. A month earlier, she had already reached the high-level zombie tier. After absorbing more crystal cores recently, her red pupils now held traces of black. Currently, she could command a thousand zombies at her will.

Now, the trio, one human and two zombies sat atop a high-rise building, basking in the sunlight. Below, countless zombies roamed in orderly patterns, as if following commands.

“Eat.” Xu Yushu handed Tang Jing a lollipop.

Since reaching the high-level tier, Xu Yushu could now speak one word at a time. After months together, Tang Jing had grown accustomed to understanding her.

But such peaceful days couldn’t last. In their second month of wandering, the zombies began stirring restlessly. Hordes upon hordes surged toward them.

In the original story, this was the moment when a Zombie Emperor emerged among the undead, issuing commands to annihilate humanity and turn the world into a paradise for zombies.

And it was also the time when the zombie tide would assault the S City base.

[System: Attention, attention. Main quest progress has reached 50%. Host may act freely.]

Hearing this signal, Tang Jing knew this world was coming to an end.

“Let’s go, senior. Before we leave, we must make one last contribution to human civilization.” Tang Jing took her hand and stood up.

“Alright.”

A year ago, the base had announced the method for using crystal cores. Because of this, numerous fights and brawls broke out within the base, and those involved were detained by the city defense department.

Another development was that Dr. Su had successfully developed an antidote. If someone was scratched or bitten by a zombie, this medicine could neutralize the virus within twenty-four hours.

The moment this news broke, survivors in S City Base and several other bases felt as though they had glimpsed a ray of hope.

Life was moving in a positive direction, but a year later, when massive waves of zombies began marching toward them, the survivors in the base grew restless with fear.

“Brother Su.” Ye Yuanhua, now the deputy director of the City Defense Office, rushed to the laboratory building as soon as he received the report.

Su Zhen was in the middle of analyzing a set of data when Ye Yuanhua arrived. He was surprised normally, the man would be on duty at the City Defense Office at this hour. Seeing the unease on his face, Su Zhen asked, “What’s wrong?”

“According to reports, zombies from all over the country are moving toward the bases organized and in massive numbers.” Ye Yuanhua sensed something ominous. “Brother Su, what should we do now?”

“Don’t panic,” Su Zhen replied. “The higher-ups in the base will have an answer for this. Let’s wait and see.” Then, remembering something, he quickly added, “Make sure to contact Lou Jing and the others. If the zombies really are coming, they won’t be safe out there.”

At the very least, the base had defensive walls outside, there was nothing.

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