Back Home

[Apocalypse, I'm back.]

The familiar but grimy air occupied Jiang Chen's nostrils as he stepped back onto ground. He took in a slow, long breath and looked at his surroundings—the abandoned cars, cracked roads, collapsed buildings, and the mindless zombies.

This was the place he had left.

He glanced at the cage in his hand where the cute but ignorant hamster lied silently in the cage. Jiang Chen poked its soft belly only to confirm that it had passed away. He let out a sigh.

The nut had been its last dinner.

The idea of traveling with another human was unrealistic for now. Jiang Chen felt a little upset.

He followed the familiar street. Jiang Chen was careful not to disturb the powerless zombies that wandered the street as he approached the mansion.

During the day, the zombies were not frightening at all. He would even go so far as to describe them as harmless. But once night settled, even the nearly invincible Death Claw would have to think twice before entering a zombie-filled street. Without the limitation of sunshine, the zombies were as crazy as someone on drugs. They utilized every single mutated cell in their body to chase anything alive.

The mansion looked the same, but the iron gate was reinforced with steel wires. Sun Jiao must have done this while he was gone.

He walked up to ring the doorbell. Soon after, he heard steps from inside before the iron gate was flung open.

.

A graceful figure crashed into his chest. Jiang Chen anticipated the hug with both his arms extended. He welcomed the warmth he had longed for since he had left.

A wet sensation covered his lips.

"You’re finally back." She gasped to gather her breath as she ruefully looked at Jiang Chen.

"I missed you dearly, my honey." Jiang Chen slapped the firm butt as a grin appeared on his face.

"Come in."

Jiang Chen stepped into the mansion as Sun Jiao skillfully locked the gate behind her.

He noticed that though it looked the same from the outside, the mansion's interior had been upgraded. The small decorative forest was chopped down to create watchtowers by the wall that were equipped with barbed wires and lined with hidden trenches. Even the mansion building itself was reinforced with the windows fitted with steel bars.

"What did you do to my mansion?" A bitter smile appeared on Jiang Chen’s face. [This is no longer a mansion anymore, it's a fortress.]

"It is going to be safer this way," Sun Jiao proudly said. "The mansion wasn’t protected at all before. I gathered some materials from the area and reinforced the place."

"I think anyone would notice if we didn’t do anything." Jiang Chen sighed.

"But this is our home after all. We can't pretend that no one lives here. There will be survivors that notice this place eventually and spread the news."

"You’re right. Thank you." Jiang Chen realized he had underestimated the situation and how crucial the problem was.

In the apocalypse, zombies were not natural protection. They were pretty much decoration during the day time. The survivors were not the friendliest people either. The absolute neutral Sixth Street was considered to be the most sympathetic force on the wasteland. If people discovered that there was food here without any protection, floods of people would rush to this place. Regardless of Sun Jiao’s strength, there was no way she could guarantee the safety of this place.

The most dangerous creature in the apocalypse weren’t the zombies but the humans.

"But why did you break the marble statues at the front door?" Jiang Chen directed a pained gaze at the mansion. The mansion had been luxurious before, but now it had no aesthetics whatsoever.

"It occupied too much space. There was no need for cover within the wall. It would just prevent me from shooting intruders," Sun Jiao reasoned with him.

[Okay fine, you are right.] Jiang Chen sighed and accepted the idea.

He pulled open the mansion's security door.

"Where's Yao Yao?"

"That girl missed you a lot too." Sun Jiao glanced at Jiang Chen with a puzzled look. She fixed his collar for him. "Go to her room. She’s been tinkering around with some small equipment to help you out."

"Mhmm." Jiang Chen nodded and walked to Yao Yao's room.

He slowly pushed open the wooden door, the hinges squeaking loudly. The room was dark. If not the rhythmic breath, he would have thought the room was empty.

[This girl, is she still in bed?]

Jiang Chen could not help but smile. He knew too well that this timid girl was always a bit dizzy in the morning due to her malnourished body.

A light, metallic scent filled the room which made Jiang Chen sniff the air. The delicate wooden desk most likely once belonged to an equally adorable girl, but the table now was filled with electronic equipment and gadgets. The full-sensory computer Jiang Chen had purchased for her was on it as well as some other unknown devices. There was a silicon board that looked as though it had come straight out of a science fiction novel on the table corner, but half of it was broken. The exposed wires were fused to another piece of circuit board.

Although he was curious, he didn't have the bad habit of touching other people's possessions without permission.

He moved his feet only to feel an obstructive force. He picked up a programming book full of professional terms and notes, reminding Jiang Chen of the "study gods" back in university.

Although he passed his computer level two examination [1], he did not understand the book contents at all.

[Is this a more straightforward and concise programming language?]

Yao Yao curled under her bed sheet as if in a sweet dream. She looked like a cute squirrel and her slightly pouted mouth like soft candies. Her hands hidden in front of her chest gave Jiang Chen a strong desire to protect her.

[Looks like she’s been eating well.] Jiang Chen kneeled down and indulgently rubbed her soft hair. Although the room was dark, her slightly chubbier face indicated her improved body condition. The gentle and soft snores made Jiang Chen not want to disturb her sweet dream.

But he really wanted to hug her.

"Yao Yao, Yao Yao," Jiang Chen lightly called.

"Huu... Heehee." Yao Yao dazedly rubbed her eyes as she sat up. With her sleepy eyes, she stared at Jiang Chen and smiled.

Then like a koala, she wrapped her arms around Jiang Chen's neck and closed her eyes again.

"Hehe, big brother, don't leave anymore. Yao Yao has been trying very hard. Yao Yao is excellent now." She murmured the words before it turned into a light snore again.

[This girl, did you mistake me for a pillow again.] Jiang Chen was about to wake her up when he saw the dark circles around her eyes illuminated by the dim lighting from under the window curtain.

He thought about her murmured words and felt a bit teary.

"Yao Yao is good. Sleep for a bit more." He placed the sleeping Yao Yao on the bed again and tucked her in.

He leaned down and gently kissed her soft forehead.

As if dreaming about the sweetest thing in the world, a joyful smile appeared on her face. The slightly quirked lips had a silver string attached to it.

Jiang Chen left the room and closed the door.

"Did you eat her?" Sun Jiao watched with a mocking gaze as Jiang Chen came down the stairs.

"Am I a monster or what?" He rolled his eyes and sat across from her.

"Yao Yao," Sun Jiao hesitated, but she made up her mind and said, "Yao Yao... she really cares about you. She’s been studying computer-related knowledge for the past few days and even asked me to bring her a couple of books from the library. I don't know if what I did is correct. She’s been extremely dedicated. Maybe she wants you to notice her, and this is her way of expressing her emotion to you. "

Sun Jiao was adjusting the way she phrased her words to correctly express the intention behind the conversation.

"I... thank you."

"Only thank you?"

"But only, you are part of my family." Jiang Chen made up this mind and solemnly looked her in the eyes.

She suddenly climbed onto the table and grabbed him by the collar. In front of Jiang Chen’s shocked eyes, she laughed.

"You mean, you’re going to eat her as well?"

"That’s brotherly love. What do you want it to be?" Jiang Chen looked at the suspicious Sun Jiao. Her unexpected actions made her difficult to figure out.

"Oh? I can see that she likes you as more than a brother."

Jiang Chen became silent.

"Don't you want to say something?"

"Can’t you let me go first?"

"No, what if you disappeared again?" Tears suddenly rolled out from Sun Jiao's eyes. It made Jiang Chen frantic although he didn't know why. What made this audacious girl cry?

"I won’t disappear, honey." Jiang Chen said with a bitter smile. He reached out his hands to hug her, but she blocked him.

"Who knows? You have girls on the other side, right?" The gaze Sun Jiao used to stare at him startled Jiang Chen.

"Eh, why are you asking this?" Jiang Chen dodged her eyes.

"Yes or no." Sun Jiao did not give Jiang Chen the chance to avoid the topic.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath and honestly answered, "Yes!"

Prepared to be tied down by this wild girl, Jiang Chen was surprised when she withdrew her hand from his collar.

"You are an honest guy." Sun Jiao didn't get off the table. She half kneeled and looked into Jiang Chen's eyes.

[She smiled? Why is she smiling?]

Jiang Chen had a strange look on his face. " I am honest to my woman."

[There is no reason to lie at all.]

"So, I am fortunate to be your woman then," Sun Jiao teased him.

"If you don't want to be, I won't force you." The complexion on his face gave away his anxious thoughts.

"..." Sun Jiao had the same expression. She gently bit her lips. "Of course I want to be, but I am a bit angry at the fact that you ditched me here to find another woman."

"I'm sorry." Jiang Chen silently lowered his head but after a pause, looked up again. He carefully met her eyes. "Although whatever I say will not make the situation better, if there’s anything I can do to make up it to you, I can do it."

"Really? Anything?" Sun Jiao mischievously examined Jiang Chen's face.

"Mhmm."

"Okay then, let's start."

"Hmm?"

Before Jiang Chen could gather his thoughts, Sun Jiao had already made her move with the agility of a cat. Jiang Chen had no chance to react before he was tied down to the chair.

Sun Jiao stepped on Jiang Chen’s armrest, giving him flashbacks of when they first met.

"I, I mean."

"What did you say?" Sun Jiao acted like she didn't hear him and put her head closer. Jiang Chen now realized that she had changed into something else when she went upstairs, switching from her tracksuit into an attractive shirt.

It was his first time seeing Sun Jiao wear stockings.

He thought about the clothes he had bought for them and realized clothing after the apocalypse was not an issue as there were stores everywhere.

"No, nothing, this rope just looks familiar," Jiang Chen said with a bitter smile.

"Hehe, then let me show you again," she whispered, her red lips grinning wickedly, "how great I am."

[1] Computer Level Two examination is a certificate you can acquire for computer proficiency