Chapter 77 – Apocalypse Arc: Zombie Siege: Rebirth in the Apocalypse—My Secret Lover (15)
The man grabbed Tan Qingqing’s arm, trying to get her to leave with them. They had gathered enough supplies, and the opposing group clearly wasn’t easy to deal with.
However, Tan Qingqing remained unmoved. She scrutinized Shao Licang from head to toe and noticed that he wasn’t wearing the jade pendant, which left her somewhat disappointed.
Where exactly had that squirrel come from? Who had sent it to ruin her plans? Fortunately, the jade pendant had already recognized its owner through a blood bond, meaning no one else could access its space. She still needed to find that squirrel and retrieve the pendant.
Unbeknownst to Tan Qingqing, the jade pendant had already been reset. She was still dreaming of ruling the apocalypse.
As she was lost in thought, Shao Licang closed his eyes, releasing his mental power like a vast net that enveloped Tan Qingqing’s mind. Strands of dark energy wrapped around her ability crystal. Unless Shao Licang willingly removed the dark energy, she would never be able to advance her power level again in this lifetime.
Tan Qingqing only felt a slight stabbing pain in her temples, but she didn’t pay much attention to it. She assumed it was simply due to the excessive strain on her mental power—after all, she had killed too many zombies in the early days of the apocalypse and had just fought Shao Licang.
After the apocalypse began, nightfall always came unusually fast. It was already 4 p.m., and the sky was starting to darken.
Once night fell, zombies would become significantly more active, so it was best to return as soon as possible.
Neither Shao Licang nor Tan Qingqing wanted to engage in further conflict, so both teams took their collected supplies and headed back.
The sound of car engines attracted nearby zombies, who howled and chased after the vehicles. Their speed had clearly increased, but they still couldn’t outrun four wheels and were soon left far behind.
After a fast-paced drive back to the villa, despite a few minor incidents, everyone’s faces were filled with joy. Not only had they gathered plenty of supplies, but they had also learned to better control their newfound abilities. Their excitement over their new powers hadn’t faded, and even after returning to the villa, they were still enthusiastically discussing whose ability was the strongest.
“Ah Cang~”
Hearing noises downstairs, Bai Tang didn’t even bother putting on his shoes before rushing down. When he was still five or six steps from the bottom, he leaped straight into Shao Licang’s arms.
Shao Licang was utterly terrified by Bai Tang’s reckless move. He caught him with one hand supporting his body while the other gave his little butt a light but firm pat. “You little troublemaker, are you trying to scare me to death? Don’t ever do that again.”
Bai Tang covered his little butt and pouted in protest. “I knew Ah Cang would catch me!”
It didn’t really hurt, but getting spanked in front of so many people was embarrassing. Bai Tang buried his face in Shao Licang’s chest and refused to come out.
“I want Ah Cang to watch a movie with me.”
His voice was slightly muffled. Shao Licang, worried that Bai Tang might catch a cold—perhaps from eating too many nuts and getting overheated—asked the old butler to prepare some herbal tea. Then, he carried Bai Tang upstairs.
Bai Yun was still upstairs. As Shao Licang passed her, she keenly caught the scent of women’s perfume.
Tang Tang never wore perfume. And they had been out gathering supplies—where could the scent have come from?
Her expression darkened slightly. Watching Shao Licang naturally stop Bai Tang from grabbing more nuts—his gestures as intimate as those of a couple in love—she silently descended the stairs and subtly inquired about what had happened while they were out.
During dinner, the villa’s power suddenly went out. The abrupt darkness was accompanied by the distant howls of zombies.
Shao Licang reached out to comfortingly pat Bai Tang’s little head but was surprised to feel two pointed things.
Bai Tang’s squirrel ears.
In the darkness, squirrels couldn’t see well. Instinctively, he curled up in Shao Licang’s arms, trying to make himself as small as possible for protection.
Shao Licang’s hand trailed down to Bai Tang’s lower back—sure enough, his fluffy squirrel tail had also appeared.
Fortunately, Bai Tang was wearing a rabbit-themed onesie today, so there was no need to worry about his tail being exposed. As for his ears… Shao Licang pulled up the hood of Bai Tang’s outfit and put it over his head.
The lights flickered on and off a few times before finally stabilizing, restoring brightness to the villa.
The sudden light made everyone squint in discomfort. Holding Bai Tang in his arms, Shao Licang stood up and said, “Tang Tang’s clothes got dirty. You all go ahead and eat first—I’ll take him to change.”
After closing the bedroom door, he pulled back the hood. Bai Tang’s pointed ears twitched adorably.
“Why did your ears come out?”
Bai Tang’s ears were a sensitive area, and Shao Licang’s touch sent tingling, electric sensations through him.
“I don’t know, they… they just came out.”
Bai Tang’s big, innocent eyes shimmered with moisture, making Shao Licang’s heart melt into a puddle.
“Can you retract them?”
Shao Licang didn’t want others to know that Bai Tang could transform into a squirrel. Although the world was in chaos now, there was no guarantee that order wouldn’t be restored in the future. If certain people found out, Bai Tang could be in danger.
“I’ll try my best.” Bai Tang held his breath and—whoosh—his ears disappeared, replaced by normal human ears emerging from his hairline.
“Amazing!” Shao Licang smiled and affectionately ruffled Bai Tang’s soft hair as a reward.
Unsure whether Bai Tang’s transformation was stable, Shao Licang decided not to take him back downstairs. Instead, he brought food up and personally fed him.
…
Meanwhile, the group that ventured out daily to hunt zombies had become more adept at fighting. However, they also discovered that zombies were evolving rapidly—some had even developed supernatural abilities.
Unlike humans, zombies never experienced fatigue and possessed tremendous strength. Even with their growing experience, the group had to exert considerable effort to take them down.
As more people in the city began awakening abilities, most failed the process, turning into zombies instead. Hospitals were the first to become havens for the undead, followed by malls and other densely populated areas.
Day and night, the city echoed with the endless howls of zombies.
“We can’t stay here any longer.” He Lang wiped his glasses and stared at the terrain map on the computer screen. “This is a coastal city, and the sea level is rising. At this rate of tidal increase, the city will be submerged in less than a month.”
“D*mn it, boss, where are we going?” A burly man turned his head and asked.
“Let’s go to Y City. It’s located in the northwest, sparsely populated, and has fewer zombies.” The one speaking was Bai Yun. According to the original plot, the protagonist and his group were supposed to go to A City, where the Bright Base of the capital was located. But now that he and his younger brother were on the same side as the protagonist, he couldn’t let the male and female leads meet—avoiding them was the best option.
“I disagree. Y City may have fewer zombies, but it’s mountainous, with dense forests. If humans can mutate into zombies, then animals and plants can mutate as well,” He Lang countered.
Both Bai Yun and He Lang had valid points.
Shao Licang pondered for a while before making the final decision—they would head to Y City.
If it were just him and his men, it wouldn’t matter where they went, as long as they survived. But with Bai Tang, things were different. Sometimes, human nature was more terrifying than zombies. A City, being the capital, had the safest base, but it also attracted many people trying to reach it. Bai Tang carried a secret—he couldn’t risk exposing him to danger.
Since the boss had spoken, no one had any objections.
The vehicles, food, and weapons had already been prepared by Shao Licang. The only thing left was to gather the supplies they had recently collected.
Before leaving, Bai Tang gently touched the things in his home, reluctant to part. Once they left, they would never return.
Shao Licang went upstairs to look for him and found Bai Tang staring blankly at the TV.
“Can I take this with me? I’ll hold it the whole time, and it won’t take up much space.”
Bai Tang raised a small squirrel plush toy. He truly loved this squirrel—it looked almost identical to his original form.
The space in the vehicle was limited. Aside from seating, all the remaining room was used for essential supplies and food.
“Of course, you can bring anything you want.” Shao Licang picked him up, along with the plush toy.
Hmm… after some time of proper care, Bai Tang had finally gained a little weight. But to Shao Licang, who had awakened his supernatural abilities, Bai Tang still felt as light as a kitten.
“I only want this one. Thank you, Ah Cang…”
Bai Tang took the initiative to kiss Shao Licang on the cheek—a loud “smooch” echoed in the room.
The scene left Hei Zi, who had come upstairs to call them, utterly envious.
“Uh, boss, we’re ready.”
No wonder everyone had been pushing the task onto each other, unwilling to come up and call them. Facing the boss’s guarded, almost thief-catching gaze was truly heartbreaking. Sob, sob… I really wouldn’t steal your little cutie! What’s wrong with letting me take one more look…
“Got it.” Shao Licang responded, pulling up Bai Tang’s hood to prevent his ears from accidentally showing, then carried him downstairs.
Upon seeing Bai Tang dressed in a little tiger outfit, the people downstairs were instantly smitten— their eyes filled with hearts. So cute, I want to pet him~!
“Boss, you’re the commander. You can’t afford to be distracted. Just let Bai Tang ride with me instead.” Come here, little brother, into my arms! said a burly man, clearly unafraid of death.
“How could we trouble you?” Bai Yun’s expression was cold and arrogant, but then she forced a polite smile. “He’s my little brother; I can take care of him. Bai Tang will ride with me.”
Having one Shao Licang was already frustrating enough—now there were even more people trying to take her brother? No way! Besides, Bai Tang looked especially adorable today—energetic and cute in his little tiger outfit.
“No need. Tang Tang will ride with me.”
Shao Licang wasn’t about to give them the chance—not even Bai Tang’s sister.
Once they finally got into the car, everyone turned back to look at the villa, feeling a deep sense of reluctance. They might never return.
But time waited for no one. The cars sped away.
Many others had also begun considering escaping the city. The roads were jam-packed with vehicles, yet not a single person dared to honk—afraid of attracting zombies.
He Lang, an expert in computers, connected to one of the remaining functional satellites and guided the convoy through smaller roads. The journey was smooth and unimpeded—until nightfall, when zombies became most active.
At that point, they had no choice but to stop and rest.
This was a newly opened hot spring inn, and there weren’t many tourists. After dealing with the few zombies that used to be the owner and staff, they temporarily settled in.
The electricity was still running, but for safety reasons, they drew the thick curtains shut, completely blocking out any light from escaping.
Just as they were having dinner, there was a knock at the door.
Everyone became alert, grabbing the nearest weapons, and even loading their guns.
Zombies didn’t knock on doors. That meant whoever was outside had to be human. In the apocalypse, ill-intentioned people were far more common than one would hope. They got into formation—some standing behind the door, while others remained in place, ready for anything. Hei Zi stepped forward to open the door.
“Phew, why did it take so long to open the door? Are you all dead or what?”
A sharp-voiced girl stepped inside, leading a group of people who quickly filed in after her.
The moment Bai Tang spotted a familiar figure among them, he instinctively turned and hugged Shao Licang from behind.
Ah Cang is mine. No one can take him. Not even the female lead, not even the official love interest!