Chapter 202: Raising a Little Zombie 20

Professor Yu was the researcher whom He Fang’s father had saved at the cost of his own life. Before the apocalypse, she had already made significant contributions to scientific research.

Upon hearing this, Xie Hui instinctively glanced down at the little one who was still trying to pick out a favorite crystal core from the pile.

“I happen to be free right now.”

Xie Hui had a rough idea of why Professor Yu was seeking him out. He waved at Yunyun, who was sitting on the carpet playing with the crystal cores.

“Yunyun.”

Hearing his father’s call, Yunyun casually stuffed the crystal core he had just picked into his pocket, stood up, and took his father’s hand as they walked out together.

In light of Fu Gui’er carrying him back after he was full yesterday, Yunyun reluctantly refrained from disturbing it, allowing it to follow along.

They were led to the laboratory.

When Xie Hui arrived, Professor Yu was still busy inside. An assistant went over to remind her, and she took off her gloves and came out.

Professor Yu’s hair was mostly white, but instead of making her look old, it gave her a unique aura shaped by the passage of time.

“Hello, Mr. Xie.”

Xie Hui shook Professor Yu’s hand and then introduced her to his son.

“Hello, this is my son, Xie Yun.”

“Hello, Grandma.”

After being introduced, Yunyun greeted the elderly lady but then quickly hid behind his father.

Despite his earlier bravado, being in the cold laboratory made Yunyun feel inexplicably chilly.

The laboratory required low temperatures for many of its instruments, with the air conditioning running year-round. Professor Yu was accustomed to it, but seeing the father and son uncomfortable, she led them outside.

This area was the researchers’ lounge. Professor Yu’s assistant even poured Xie Hui a cup of tea.

“What brings you to see me?”

Professor Yu glanced at Yunyun and, under Xie Hui’s gaze, smiled slightly and explained:

“Rest assured, I didn’t come here because of your son. However, I must admit, I once considered it.”

Professor Yu leaned back in her chair, still watching Yunyun, who instinctively clung to his father’s arm.

“You might have heard my name from your teacher. When I visited him, he often mentioned you. Teacher Zheng praised you for your unique perspectives, which often enlightened him during his bottlenecks.”

“Though we’ve never met, my current experiment seems to have hit a dead end, and I was hoping you could offer some guidance.”

With Professor Yu’s reminder, Xie Hui looked at her name badge and recalled the senior sister frequently mentioned by his teacher in the original host’s memories.

The base had always referred to her as Professor Yu without ever mentioning her real name.

“Alright, I’ll just share my thoughts.”

Upon hearing that he wouldn’t be used for experiments, Yunyun curiously watched the elderly lady.

Although Professor Yu was a national treasure-level scientist, she showed no airs and treated Xie Hui with respect.

“Please, go ahead.”

“What if we don’t see the apocalypse as a disaster, but rather as a form of evolution?”

Xie Hui’s words left Professor Yu momentarily stunned.

She admitted that she had never considered it from that angle. Her mind was always focused on quickly developing a vaccine to eradicate the zombie virus from humans and restore the world to its former state.

In this absurd world, many things are possible.

Initially, Professor Yu was reluctant to believe it until she saw wildflowers growing on a rooster’s head and a small dog flying in the sky.

“Professor Yu, since your experiments have reached this point, you must realize that removing the zombie virus from zombies and restoring them to normalcy is impossible.”

Just then, a researcher accidentally dropped a glass, shattering it on the hard floor.

Xie Hui pointed to the broken glass and continued:

“Removing the zombie virus from the human body is like piecing together a glass shattered into countless fragments. It’s difficult but possible.”

“But restoring someone to normalcy is akin to turning decayed bones back into flesh. I assume, Professor Yu, you’re stuck at the second step?”

Professor Yu nodded, admitting it frankly.

“Yes.”

After her recent experiments hit a dead end, she felt lost and frustrated.

But now, with Xie Hui’s insight, her chaotic thoughts cleared, just as her mentor had described.

It wasn’t that Professor Yu hadn’t considered this perspective, but she always believed that many experiments were about breaking the impossible.

Moreover, she was unwilling to accept that so many of her kind were beyond hope.

“Professor Yu, what I’m saying is merely my personal speculation. The first mutation marked the beginning of evolution, and the second mutation was a further evolution. Those who turned into zombies during these mutations were the ones eliminated during purification.”

“If your goal is to end the apocalypse, then I believe your experimental direction is mistaken.”

Professor Yu was intent on saving her fellow humans who had turned into zombies, but from Xie Hui’s perspective, even he couldn’t save them.

In every sense, zombies were dead in this world. No matter how advanced technology became, it couldn’t restore decayed bodies and vanished souls to humanity.

Professor Yu was undoubtedly a genius, but in the most advanced world Xie Hui had visited, he had only seen bodies restored to their original state.

Rather than calling it resurrection, Xie Hui preferred to call it creating an identical robot.

Hearing this, Professor Yu painfully held her head in her hands.

Despite being accustomed to working in a cold laboratory, she shivered unconsciously.

Statistics had been compiled on the number of people who became zombies after the apocalypse. Excluding those bitten, the rough estimate was staggering.

Xie Hui patiently waited for Professor Yu to calm down. After taking a deep breath, she forced a strained smile at Xie Hui.

“I understand now…”

The Old Madam, who once appeared so dignified, now seemed hunched over, inexplicably making her look much older.

When Professor Yu was about to send them back, Yunyun, holding his father’s hand, turned his head curiously to glance at the grandmother.

“Grandma, are you really not going to use me for experiments?”

Professor Yu walked over, crouched down to meet his eyes, and gently pinched his little cheek.

“Grandma would never use her own kind for experiments.”

This was something her teacher had taught her on the very first day of class, and she remembered it well.

Drugs and vaccines could be tested on human volunteers, but their own kind should never become test subjects lying on an operating table like lab rats.

“Even little Zombies?”

Yunyun tilted his head in curiosity. Although he didn’t mind personally, the words of that aunt earlier had left a mark on his heart, constantly reminding him that he was different.

“A little Zombie who doesn’t harm others is no different from a person, sweetheart.”

Professor Yu’s hand was warm. Ever since Yunyun lost his body temperature and heartbeat, he longed for sunlight and instinctively nuzzled against the grandmother.

“Grandma did think about it before, but it was just a thought.”

“And, sweetheart, Grandma hopes you remember, you are not a little monster.”

Initially, Professor Yu had only thought of drawing a bit of Xie Yun’s blood, but she forced herself to suppress that idea.

Some things shouldn’t be started, because once they are, her desires would only grow more reckless.

The line between genius and madness is sometimes very thin, and Professor Yu used her rationality to make the completely right decision.

“Hehe, I also think I’m not a little monster.”

Professor Yu’s words instantly made Yunyun feel a surge of affection for her, even a sense of closeness.

“Grandma, I’ll tell you a secret, Dad says I’m his little treasure.”

“Even if I become a Zombie, I’m still his treasure.”

Seeing Yunyun’s proud expression as he said this, Professor Yu’s moist eyes held a hint of a smile.

“Go on, you should leave, it’s too cold here.”

After they left, Professor Yu wiped her glasses and, upon returning to the lab, thought about the current scarcity of resources. She decisively chose to halt the experiment.

Resources were incredibly precious now, mostly brought back by the Guardian Team members at great risk.

Realizing that this hope was too slim, Professor Yu decided not to persist.

It was truly painful for those who had become Zombies, but she also knew that the living were more important.

In addition, Professor Yu specifically asked the Base Leader to pass the message to laboratories in other provinces, advising them to change the focus of their experiments.

Once the most pressing matters were resolved, there would be plenty of time to continue this research in the future.

Xie Hui led Yunyun out of the lab. It was just evening, and the sunset was beautiful.

Yunyun looked up at his exceptionally tall father, bouncing every few steps.

His father’s hand was large, with a thin callus from constantly carrying out missions and slaying Zombies. When Yunyun touched it, it felt a little ticklish but also strangely reassuring.

This was a sense of security only his father could provide, one that no one else could replace.

He believed that all this darkness would eventually come to an end.

Just like the night, no matter how long, it would always be followed by the dawn.