Free Web NovelChapter 196: Chapter 196: Bringing Back a Zombie
A bowl of steaming rice water was passed through the crack in the cave. Due to the low temperature outside, it quickly went cold.
But the woman couldn’t worry about her child possibly getting diarrhea. She quickly took the bowl and carefully fed it to the baby.
The baby was starving and immediately began to suckle greedily.
The woman’s face twisted into a terrifying expression, as if she were trying to smile but couldn’t.
Everyone gathered around the crack in the cave, observing cautiously. Someone muttered to Zhang Aihua, "She’s probably not a zombie, just mutated."
Zhang Yiwen shouted, "Even if she’s just mutated, she’s still dangerous! She almost killed my dad. It would be easy for her to kill us!"
Zhang Aihua touched his wound, worried he might also turn into what the woman outside had become.
Fortunately, he didn’t feel anything strange yet.
Lao Er seized the opportunity, pulled a pistol from his coat, and pressed it to the woman’s forehead. "Don’t move! Behave!"
The woman showed no fear of his gun. Her eyes and heart were focused only on her daughter, leaving Lao Er at a loss for what to do.
After the bowl of rice water, the baby’s complexion improved considerably.
The woman looked up. Her terrifying pupils were a deathly ashen-gray, and she seemed to have no breath or pulse.
Lao Er’s heart lurched with a sense of foreboding. He watched as the woman grabbed the muzzle of his gun and said, "Let me and my daughter in!"
Lao Er was stunned. Just as he was about to interrogate her, Qin Shen and Jiang Si appeared.
Everyone in the cave, like Lao Er and Brother Qiu, felt a wave of immense relief.
With Jiang Si and Qin Shen here, a difficult problem like this could be left to them.
If Jiang Si and Qin Shen didn’t agree to let this strange woman stay, they could also refuse her openly and justifiably.
Before arriving, Qin Shen hadn’t sensed any sign of life from Jiao Chunzi.
The baby in her arms, however, had suffered from the harsh conditions, and its vital signs seemed extremely unstable.
Jiao Chunzi noticed Jiang Si and Qin Shen immediately. She stood up, looked at Jiang Si, and held up her child, saying stiffly, "Take my child, and I won’t kill you."
Jiang Si studied her face, expression, and movements. They were all very zombie-like, but her consciousness was clearly intact.
Jiang Si asked, "What happened to you?"
Jiao Chunzi was surprised that someone wasn’t afraid of her. Seeing how Jiang Si and Qin Shen were dressed, and noting the looks in Lao Er’s and Brother Qiu’s eyes, she determined that the two of them held a high status within the group.
Her tone became a bit more sincere. "I... I was bitten, and I turned into this. But my child is fine. You can take her in without worry. I can leave!"
In truth, she was also afraid her own sanity would gradually disappear, because the person who bit her had no sanity at all.
Jiang Si frowned. "Was the one who bit you a zombie?"
Jiao Chunzi hesitated before nodding. "Yes, but I’m not like them."
Jiang Si could also see that she was very different.
Qin Shen stared at her and asked, "Have you bitten anyone?"
Jiao Chunzi immediately shook her head. "I haven’t! I haven’t!"
"Then how did you escape with your daughter?"
Jiao Chunzi froze. "I don’t know either. It was like they were attracted by something else. In any case, they didn’t chase after me."
Jiang Si stared at her, scrutinizing her carefully. She recalled her past life, when zombies had surrounded the base. Someone had captured a woman and ordered her to drive all the zombies away.
But that woman didn’t comply and instead let the zombies overrun the entire base.
Jiang Si stared at Jiao Chunzi, and suddenly, she thought of that woman.
’Could she be the one?’
’Or maybe she has a Superpower Stone inside her, too.’
Jiang Si stepped forward and glanced at the weak child in her arms. "Come with us. We’ll take care of your child."
Jiao Chunzi was pleasantly surprised. "You really don’t mind if I come along?"
She herself was afraid she might bite someone at any moment.
And sometimes, she felt she couldn’t control her volatile temper.
She would get an intense urge to vent her rage on something.
Jiang Si nodded. "A child shouldn’t be separated from their mother."
Jiao Chunzi wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. With a terrifyingly wooden expression, she expressed her heartfelt gratitude. "Thank you. Thank you."
Jiao Chunzi held her child tight and followed Jiang Si and Qin Shen.
Lao Er and Brother Qiu stood there, stunned. ’They’re leaving just like that?’
’Judging by that woman’s description, there are definitely zombies out there.’
’Jiang Si and Qin Shen are so bold, actually daring to bring them back with us.’
Zhang Aihua was also surprised that Jiang Si and Qin Shen were willing to take in Jiao Chunzi.
But at least the immediate danger had passed, and everyone could breathe a temporary sigh of relief.
For now, there were others to handle the big problems.
Jiang Si and Qin Shen had gone out and returned with another woman.
Jiang Linhai, observing with binoculars, was startled to see the woman was also carrying a child. "There’s a little kid, too."
Shen Baoying immediately snatched the binoculars. "Let me see, let me see."
As Jiao Chunzi got closer and her face became clear, Shen Baoying sucked in a sharp breath.
’Is... is that really a zombie?’
’Wait, why would a zombie be so obedient!’
Shen Baoying was extremely worried. Jiang Si and Qin Shen didn’t arrange for Jiao Chunzi and her child to stay in the cave hotel. Firstly, they hadn’t ruled out potential dangers. Secondly, they didn’t want to frighten Shen Baoying and the others. And thirdly, the facilities on the Icebreaker were quite good.
Jiang Si brought Jiao Chunzi aboard the Icebreaker and arranged a relatively large room for them. She also took out baby formula, an automatic formula maker, and various other infant supplies. She even prepared a change of clothes and daily necessities for the woman.
Jiang Si said, "Why don’t you go get changed? I’ll watch the baby for you."
Jiao Chunzi didn’t want to let the child out of her sight. Jiang Si understood. "Then I’ll step out for now. Call us if you need anything."
"Thank you," she said stiffly.
Jiao Chunzi surveyed her surroundings in the room, felt the soft baby clothes, and looked at her child, unable to stop a sigh of contentment.
’Honestly, I was on the verge of breaking down today.’
There was a thermometer in the room, which was perfect for her reference.
She carefully wiped the dried feces from the baby’s bottom, put a diaper on her fragile little body, and changed her into clean, comfortable clothes before daring to tend to herself.
There was a mirror in the bathroom. She looked at her horrifying reflection, unable to form any expression, yet her heart ached terribly.
’I look like a monster. It’s amazing Jiang Si wasn’t scared.’
After changing into a clean, well-fitting set of clothes and putting on gloves and a mask, Jiao Chunzi felt much more at ease.
The baby was only two months old and needed to be fed many times a day.
That bit of rice water from before definitely hadn’t been enough to fill her up.
Jiao Chunzi set the temperature, prepared the formula according to the instructions, and carefully tried to feed Bao’er.
Bao’er’s eyes were shut tight, her mouth slack. But she had been drinking the rice water just fine a moment ago.
Jiao Chunzi, unable to feel body temperature or smell, flung the door open and screamed, "Help my child! Help my child!"
