The Young Mistress Turned Into a Zombie - Chapter 6

Haha, she can’t be talking to me, can she? Meng Lin thought optimistically.

But as far as she could see, she was the only zombie left standing.

Her brain, which had long since degraded to a low-power, senior-citizen mode after years of idleness, felt like it had finally reached its limit. This day and night of fantastical adventure had completely fried her CPU.

She stood there, stunned, still clutching the iron bar stained with the brains of her own kind. She looked anything but innocent.

Just then, a figure leaped down from a wall, appearing out of nowhere. The newcomer carried a massive camouflage rucksack and a sniper rifle slung over one shoulder. A vintage baseball cap was pulled low over a fresh crew cut, leaving only a side profile visible. The person spoke shortly and decisively: “Retreat, now!”

Where did this one come from? Meng Lin wondered, her thoughts lagging. And why does that voice sound so familiar?

She had only wanted to escape, but now she was trapped between a rock and a hard place. A law-abiding zombie like her, cornered by two humans in the middle of the night on a narrow path? Where was the justice in this?

Before she could sink any further into despair, a hand suddenly clamped around her wrist.

Shen Que’s palm was burning hot, clamping down on Meng Lin’s cold skin with an overbearing, unquestionable grip. Before she knew it, Meng Lin was being dragged along.

The night was pitch-black, and it looked like it would rain again tomorrow. Not a single sliver of light broke through the gloom.

The sound of their heavy breathing echoed along the narrow, winding path.

Meng Lin had no idea how they were finding their way. This wasn’t even a road anymore. They were darting in and out of buildings, slipping through what looked like staff-only delivery corridors, before finally emerging into an alley.

The woman with the crew cut pried open a manhole cover. The little girl stayed close to her side as the woman gestured to Shen Que.

Meng Lin guessed it was a signal for her to go down first.

Fine, fine, I get it, Meng Lin thought. I’ve learned my lesson about getting ambushed. Isn’t this enough? I’m already here!

The zombie planted her feet like a stubborn little weed and tried to yank her arm back.

But the shameless human just uprooted the weed.

Meng Lin was hoisted over Shen Que’s shoulder and carried into the deep, foul-smelling sewer. This time, Shen Que led the way, with the crew-cut woman and the little girl following close behind, completely cutting off the zombie’s escape.

With a sniper rifle swinging in the distance, Meng Lin dared not resist.

This was Meng Lin’s first time ever going into a sewer. In the years since humans had vanished, the underground had apparently become a paradise for rats and cockroaches. The ground was sticky, and every step she took made a sound that would make any zombie’s scalp tingle.

After wading through the water, they finally stepped onto solid ground. The conditions here were a bit better, and it looked like an old utility tunnel for water and electricity.

Shen Que pulled out a flashlight, and its white light flared. Meng Lin squinted, and after a moment, she realized there wasn’t a single zombie in sight in this tunnel.

There had been a few scattered corpses in the sewer they just left. Meng Lin suddenly realized that this path had already been cleared!

Her heart sank. She felt more certain than ever that her earlier guess was probably true. City A might be the zombies’ last stronghold, and now that stronghold was about to be broken. That meant she…

“Alright, let’s take a break,” Crew Cut’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “The little girl can’t run anymore.”

After all the twists and turns, Meng Lin had completely lost her sense of direction. They seemed to be in an under-construction subway station. The floor tiles hadn’t even been laid yet, and only the basic concrete foundation had been poured.

No wonder those two dared to sneak into City A all by themselves. They were fighting a tunnel war.

As Meng Lin pondered this, she realized the voice she was hearing sounded more and more familiar. She turned around, and her eyes widened in shock. The woman with the crew cut was someone she knew!

Jiang Hui was Shen Que’s close friend from school and Meng Lin’s arch-rival.

She was several years senior to them, a graduate student in biology. The irony was that she wasn’t even a biology major, yet she was studying it!

Meng Lin and Jiang Hui had always been like oil and water. From their first meeting, Meng Lin knew she was trouble. Back then, Jiang Hui looked completely different. She had long hair and always wore a flowing white dress, earning her the title of “Goddess” in their department. But in reality, her tongue was so sharp it could poison a pig.

So what was this? An alumni reunion?

Jiang Hui sat down cross-legged without a care in the world. She lit the alcohol stove and threw in two packs of instant noodles. The aroma of braised beef drifted through the steam, leaving Xia Li staring in awe.

The little girl, exhausted and frightened, huddled beside her, hugging her knees with a timid expression.

“Eat up and get your strength back,” Jiang Hui said, pulling sports drinks and chocolate from her backpack as if by magic. She urged the girl to eat while calling out to Shen Que, “Come over here and eat. Aren’t you tired after running all this way? There isn’t a soul in sight around here. The only zombie is right by your side.”

Shen Que still held her flashlight, scanning their surroundings one last time before pulling Meng Lin back with her. She sat down with her legs tucked under her, choosing a spot a little away from the other two, but she didn’t let go of Meng Lin’s hand for a second.

Jiang Hui was used to this. She just kept slurping her noodles, completely unbothered.

Influenced by Jiang Hui’s relaxed vibe, Xia Li gradually grew bolder. Jiang Hui handed her a pair of chopsticks and the pot lid. The girl hadn’t eaten a hot meal in so long that she practically buried her face in the noodles. Halfway through, she would suddenly snap out of it and glare at the zombie across from her, only to go back to eating. She repeated this cycle over and over.

Meng Lin was at her wit’s end. She couldn’t understand how anyone could be this crazy. Why were they acting like girls on a camping trip in the middle of a zombie nest?

“Eat up, or you’ll only have soup left,” Jiang Hui muttered. “You have no idea how much trouble I went through. That drone is on your tab now. I told you that old bastard was trash, but you had to wait until we caught him red-handed. If we’d just shot him dead earlier, we wouldn’t have all this mess to deal with.”

“No way. The more I think about it, the angrier I get. You don’t get any noodles. Go sit and think about what you’ve done!” With that, she decisively shoved the last mouthful of noodles into her own mouth.

Xia Li asked cautiously, “Can I… have the soup?”

At her words, both the living and the dead stared at her in surprise.

Jiang Hui asked, “Oh, so you’re not mute?”

Xia Li nodded. Jiang Hui patted her stomach, leaned back with her arms supporting her, and grinned. “Alright, the soup is yours. After you’re done, tell us what’s the deal with your fake dad. We need to write a report so we don’t get chewed out.”

Meng Lin, with no food to eat, could only listen to the gossip. The more she heard, the more shocked she became. She never imagined someone could be so vile.

It turned out the old bastard really wasn’t Xia Li’s father. They had both lived in Da Qingshan Base, a survivor base run by a non-governmental organization. It followed the rule that those who do not work shall not eat, so everyone had to work regardless of their age.

Xia Li wasn’t born an orphan. Her real father had died protecting her and her mother, who were then taken in by the base.

During a mission to clear land, she and her mother joined the team. It was a long-distance mission, and they were assigned to logistics. They never saw the rest of the team return. Instead, they were met by a swarm of zombies.

The entire squad was wiped out. Xia Li survived because her mother hid her under a car, where she witnessed living demons.

He Sheng had lured the zombies. This wasn’t the first time he’d done it. He seemed to have discovered a way to hide from zombies, using it to hoard the gear and supplies he needed. He found Xia Li but didn’t kill her. After all, a frail, sick girl like her was far more useful.

After taking the car, He Sheng didn’t return to Da Qingshan Base. Instead, he headed south. He used the persona of a “sick father and daughter” to deceive many kind-hearted survivors. Xia Li had tried to escape once, but her attempt only got a good person killed. From then on, she had no choice but to endure his torment and play the part of his mute, sickly daughter.

The team that brought them into City A had also been He Sheng’s target, but things had taken an unexpected turn.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. A grand stage for a piece of trash. Come on, if you’ve got the guts.”

Jiang Hui sat with her legs crossed, swinging one foot back and forth. “Little sister, you’re lucky. I’m lucky too. When we get out of here, you’re going to tell this whole story to our Commander again. And remember, you need to emphasize how vicious this person’s methods were, how heinous her nature is, and how we heroically rescued you from despair.”

“Our entire trip’s expenses depend on your story.”

Xia Li nodded blankly.

Meng Lin was fuming. She was furious that she’d gone too easy on her opponent, and even more enraged by Jiang Hui’s flippant attitude.

But halfway through her anger, she was stopped cold by another thought.

What Commander? Why do they need to file a report?

Report… expenses… their weapons and gear…

Jiang Hui stood up and jerked her head toward Shen Que. “Come here a second.” After a couple of steps, she turned back and added, “You come alone. Deal with her first so you don’t scare the little sister. She’s an important witness!”

Shen Que said nothing. She took out two pairs of metal handcuffs and locked Meng Lin’s wrists and ankles, pinning her into an X-shape on the ground.

Meng Lin: ?

Jiang Hui burst out laughing. Xia Li watched her, the fear in her eyes gradually turning into curiosity.

The two women moved to a corner, their voices dropped very low. Meng Lin couldn’t turn her head, so she could only endure the humiliation and strain her ears to eavesdrop.

“The mission is only half complete, and we’ve wasted too many supplies. We have to get the team back,” Jiang Hui said, her playful tone gone, replaced by a grim seriousness. “I understand how you feel, and I’m surprised too. But you’re not alone in this. You know we’ve staked everything on this operation. Every minute we waste here, countless children, women, and elderly people like Xia Li are in danger. Their lives matter too.”

“I know. I’ll take full responsibility for the consequences.”

“You’ll take responsibility? With what?” Jiang Hui asked, crossing her arms. “Shen Que, the organization has tolerated your behavior long enough. You’re incredibly capable, but no matter how skilled you are, you’re still just one person. Do you really think Old Lu will let you bring a zombie back to camp? To you, she’s Meng Lin. To everyone else, she’s just a mindless beast that bites!”

Shen Que looked up at her.

“What? Are you going to kill me too?” Jiang Hui snapped back.

“No, you’re right,” Shen Que said calmly. “That’s why I’m not going back with you.”

“…” Jiang Hui was so angry she almost laughed. She stared at Shen Que in silence for a long moment before exhaling sharply. “I should have known.”

“A madwoman’s actions are never surprising to a sane person,” Shen Que said, meeting her gaze. Jiang Hui snorted in frustration. “But do you really think Old Lu will let you leave?”

“She won’t.” Shen Que knew it for certain. She pulled a letter from her coat. “Give this to her. Tell her I’ve agreed.”

Jiang Hui’s pupils dilated. She glanced back at the zombie sitting by the fire. “You…”

“I have no regrets.” Shen Que smiled and tapped the letter against Jiang Hui’s chest. “Sister Hui.”

The conversation ceased. Meng Lin glared in frustration at the person opposite her.

How the hell is that damn instant noodle soup so good? What is it, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall? Why is she slurping so loudly?

She hadn’t caught a single full sentence. All she’d heard was some nonsense about whether someone was alone, some organization, some mission.

Oh no! Could Shen Que have really been recruited by the government?

Did she find out something? Is she going to hand me over to the organization for some dead body research?

Footsteps approached from behind. Meng Lin felt the long-dead hair on her neck stand on end.

Jiang Hui stopped in front of her and crouched down with a rogueish air, silently sizing her up.

—What’s with that look? Is this a funeral viewing?

Meng Lin bristled just looking at her. She wanted to bite her, but her hands and feet were bound, and she’d forgotten to tear off that damn piece of tape!

“Whoa, the Eldest Young Lady still has such a temper. I guess I really am unforgettable.”

Jiang Hui smiled and watched her for a moment. Then her gaze softened, and she let out a faint sigh. “So, she really did die.”

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