Chapter 200: Raising a Little Zombie 18

Xie Hui instinctively turned his head to look. The person standing there was He Fang, accompanied by an older man Xie Hui had never seen before.

“What is it? Here to say goodbye?”

He Fang had dragged his father along, and He Fang’s Father felt almost breathless. After catching his breath, he spoke:

“Mr. Xie, please wait.”

“What is it?”

He Fang’s Father glanced at the child beside Xie Hui. Remembering what He Fang had told him earlier, he smiled kindly and even reached out to ruffle Yunyun’s hair.

“Mr. Xie, could we have a proper discussion?”

Afraid that Xie Hui might be unwilling, He Fang’s Father quickly added a promise:

“I assure you, we will never agree to such absurd things, nor will we let your son become a test subject.”

Xie Hui looked down at the child beside him. Yunyun tilted his head up, clearly tempted by the offer, but afraid his father might refuse, and even more afraid that his presence might sway his father’s decision.

“Alright.”

Xie Hui nodded in agreement and followed He Fang’s Father back into the base.

In such a short time, Xie Hui didn’t believe they could devise any elaborate plan against him. Besides, with his current level of ability, he felt confident enough.

No matter the schemes, they would be crushed under absolute power.

He Fang’s Father led them to the conference room where discussions were usually held. Besides him, the Base Leader and several high-ranking officials were already waiting.

In such a brief period, they had already learned the background of the situation.

Xie Hui had already drawn attention due to his status as a Fourth-rank Ability User, and now there were rumors of his zombie son.

As soon as they entered, everyone’s attention was on the child Xie Hui was holding.

From the outside, he looked like an ordinary child, perhaps just more refined and attractive than most.

“Let’s get to the point. I have somewhere to be.”

Xie Hui sat down and, after speaking, glanced at the people in the room.

“Mr. Xie, why are you unwilling to stay?”

It was He Fang’s Father who spoke, his tone genuinely sincere.

“We can assure you, nothing will happen to your son.”

Xie Hui didn’t trust the male and female leads. If either of them had said this, he would have had a blade to their throats by now.

But the person speaking was a high-ranking member of the base. Just the fact that they were willing to shelter so many ordinary people in the apocalypse made Xie Hui inclined to trust their integrity.

“My son’s identity is unique, especially after what Yao Yu said. Without any guarantees, it’s hard for me to believe.”

Xie Hui voiced his concerns, noticing the child beside him had visibly wavered after He Fang’s Father spoke.

“Mr. Xie, what kind of assurance would you need?”

He Fang’s Father genuinely wanted them to stay, for various reasons.

A Fourth-rank Ability User increased the Guardian Team’s chances of returning safely from missions, and his son was among them.

The base lacked enough Ability Users, and dangerous missions were much simpler with Xie Hui.

The immense benefits Xie Hui brought made He Fang’s Father resent Yao Yu and Huo Li for revealing the situation.

After He Fang’s Father finished speaking, Xie Hui thought seriously and, under their scrutiny, replied:

“No assurance can put my mind at ease.”

Many things have a chance of failure, but when it comes to Yunyun, there’s no room for even the slightest mistake.

Xie Hui’s words were understandable to those present.

The Base Leader then personally approached, looking at the well-behaved Yunyun, and spoke sincerely:

“Mr. Xie, I won’t hide anything from you. Today, we received news from another province’s Survivor Base. They were hit by a zombie tide, and the casualties were significant.”

“Our base currently lacks enough Guardian Team members, and we have so many ordinary people here.”

“I hope you can stay.”

After explaining, the Base Leader extended his hand to Yunyun and said:

“Little one, Uncle believes in you. Even if you’re a zombie, you won’t harm people randomly, right?”

Yunyun glanced at his father. He found this person familiar, having often seen him on the news while watching with his dad.

Yunyun admired him and used to roll up a book to mimic this uncle’s way of speaking before the apocalypse.

Impatient for his father’s answer, he eagerly reached out to shake the offered hand.

“Even though I’m a little zombie, Uncle, I’ve never bitten anyone.”

With Yunyun already leaning towards them, and considering the many innocent people in the base, Xie Hui finally compromised and decided to stay.

The previous incident had caused quite a stir, and most people were aware of Xie Hui’s son’s zombie identity.

So the Base Leader seized the opportunity to publicly reveal Yunyun’s identity.

On the electronic screens in every building of the base, the Base Leader and He Fang’s Father stood on either side of Yunyun.

“We should fear mindless monsters that only know how to eat, not our fellow humans. We won’t abandon anyone, even if they’ve become a zombie.”

Yao Yu had expected the outcome to be in her favor, but instead, they publicly revealed his identity, eliminating any future concerns.

Most of the Guardian Team believed in their Captain’s words, and many had gone on missions with Yunyun.

They remembered Yunyun’s obedience and never saw him bite anyone.

As for the ordinary people in the base, they had a fervent, almost blind trust in the Base Leader.

If the Base Leader said the zombie was rational and not dangerous, then it was rational and not dangerous and wouldn’t attack them!

Who would dare question it? These were the words of their Base Leader.

If it weren’t for the Survivor Base, they would have long been homeless, wandering outside as one of the zombies.

Afterwards, the members of the Guardian Team, worried that ordinary people might still be afraid, took Yunyun for a walk around the bustling market.

What biting zombies? Where could you find such an adorable little zombie!

With the Guardian Team members who protected the base’s safety all daring to get close to Yunyun, the ordinary people had no objections. They even grew curious about what kind of strange creature this little zombie was.

Some warm-hearted old madams, with hands as withered as old wood, clasped Yunyun’s hand in their palms.

“Little one, have your father dress you in more layers. Your hands are freezing.”

…

Half a month later, Huo Li, along with Yao Yu and two of his closer subordinates, prepared to leave the Survivor Base to establish their own private base.

“Why stay here, working so hard every day just to barely fill your stomachs? Come with us, leave this place. Our base will only have Ability Users, and it will definitely be better than staying here.”

After Huo Li finished speaking, several people nodded in agreement. He handed them the Crystal Cores he had prepared beforehand.

Just then, they heard someone shouting outside.

“He Fang, hurry and check! Your dad’s been bitten by a zombie!”

He Fang, who was in the crowd and had been flexing his wrist, ready to give Huo Li a beating, went blank upon hearing this. It wasn’t until someone nudged him with an elbow that he snapped out of it and ran outside.

He Fang’s father was an Ability User, and his ability level wasn’t low. He occasionally went on missions.

This time, he had gone out to rescue a researcher from the Capital Research Institute. She was quite old and reportedly trapped in an underground lab, barely alive when rescued at nearly fifty years old.

On their way back, they encountered a small zombie tide. A second-tier zombie attempted to attack the researcher, and He Fang’s father was bitten while saving her.

After such a long time, if bitten by an evolved high-tier zombie, even an Ability User could be infected.

He Fang’s father was getting on in years. Initially, he felt nothing from the bite, but as they neared the base, the wound began to change.

Because he was an Ability User, the process was slow. The Guardian Team member who called He Fang over did so to allow father and son to see each other one last time.

Outside the base, He Fang’s father lay there, his face twisted in pain. As He Fang approached, he struggled to speak:

“He Fang… in the future, be more careful.”

“Tell your Uncle Li for me—the researcher has been safely brought back.”

At this moment, He Fang couldn’t even cry. His hand trembled as he reached out to touch his father, but He Fang’s father placed a gun in his palm instead.

Many who witnessed this scene couldn’t help but tear up.

He Fang’s father didn’t want to become a zombie and harm others. He knew that no one but his own son should do what needed to be done.

Even if he was about to turn into a zombie, in He Fang’s heart, he was still his father. Anyone else pulling the trigger would leave a shadow in He Fang’s heart.

“He Fang, pull the trigger.”

His father’s command made He Fang instinctively grip the weapon, close his eyes, and pull the trigger.

Only after the gunshot rang out did his tears fall, and he cried out hoarsely:

“Dad!”

Xie Hui and Yunyun, who had just arrived, stood in solemn respect for He Fang’s father, who lay there having passed away.

Several members of the Guardian Team went over to comfort He Fang, and some prepared to carry away He Fang’s father.

At that moment, one of the people who had agreed to leave with Huo Li threw the items Huo Li had given him back in his face, spat, and said:

“I’m not leaving. So what if life is tough? Even if I die, I’ll accept it!”