Chapter 9: Is My Sense of Taste Different from Others?

After forcing herself to dress somewhat presentably, Lu Li went upstairs and pushed open the door.

Jiang Linyi was leaning against the headboard, his pale face shrouded in dim light. His shallow breathing made it seem as if he could slip away at any moment. His slender, jade-like fingers unconsciously rubbed the bedsheet, the fingertips tinged with a sickly bluish-white hue.

He lifted his eyes to look at her, his gaze filled with a fragile haze.

According to the original story, the villain possessed advanced regenerative powers as a mutant ability. The injuries he had sustained were nothing more than disgusting and not truly fatal. Without external interference, he should have been healed by morning. So why did he look half-dead?

"System, where is the plot right now? I clearly saw he has powers!"

[Host, the plot hasn’t advanced yet. According to the timeline, the villain’s powers should only be revealed today.]

"Then who is he pretending to be weak for? Surely he hasn’t actually fried his brain?"

[Host, the villain’s abilities haven’t been exposed yet. Do you want to continue the rescue mission? After all, every beginning is difficult. You’ve already taken a big step forward.]

Lu Li didn’t answer, but Jiang Linyi suddenly coughed violently. Blue veins bulged on his forehead as he curled up, as if he might cough up his lungs.

Watching his thin wrist rise and fall as he clutched his chest, Lu Li took small, quick steps closer. She had her eyes on the bracelet he wore—targeting his money.

Just as she was about to touch him, Jiang Linyi suddenly lifted his head, his narrow eyes fixed tightly on her.

Lu Li withdrew her hand sulkily, pondering for a moment before pulling a crumpled nutrient vial from her pocket.

She held it out in front of Jiang Linyi and pointed at his wrist.

Jiang Linyi was the villain—an impostor heir of the Jiang Corporation. After the family found the true heir with ice powers, they had kicked him out with 200,000 contribution points. He had only recently been expelled and probably hadn’t spent much of his points.

Looking at the nutrient vial and Lu Li’s frantic gestures, Jiang Linyi pursed his lips in confusion.

After she had put him on the bed yesterday, he was certain this zombie had no desire for his flesh and blood. As long as he showed weakness in front of her, she wouldn’t attack.

He cautiously shifted forward a little, wanting to observe her more carefully.

Lu Li watched the man inch closer, eyes wide with anticipation, and continued gesturing: “Give her money!”

They couldn’t communicate verbally and after a long, fruitless exchange, Lu Li threw the nutrient vial onto him, snatched off his bracelet, and tapped the screen.

“You want it?”

Lu Li nodded. Having gotten what she wanted, she was too lazy to argue. But as she turned, a pair of bony, well-defined hands grabbed her shirt hem.

Jiang Linyi’s eyelids drooped, his lashes casting trembling shadows on his pale face. “Where are you going?”

Lu Li stared at him incredulously. What was this act? Was the villain who wasn’t locked away in a lab really like this?

She crouched down and looked earnestly at the man.

He leaned weakly against the bed, skin as cold and pale as jade, lips pale, eyes misted with moisture—he looked genuinely fragile.

Was this really not an act?

Lu Li pressed his hand and pulled her shirt back. A red mark immediately appeared on his slender wrist.

If she were human, she might have been deceived by this appearance and accepted the system’s mission. But she was no ordinary human!

Recalling the expression on Jiang Linyi’s face when he saw her unmasked for the previous forty-four times, Lu Li shuddered and immediately scrambled backward, putting as much distance between them as possible.

She didn’t want to linger for even a moment longer, but the man in front of her spoke slowly, “Can I stay here?”

She was about to shake her head when the system’s interface extended a translucent claw, brandishing it threateningly at her.

[Host, if you dare refuse, I will immediately revoke all rewards and expose your identity as a zombie to the world!]

Lu Li gritted her teeth. “Damn system!”

[Host, I’m not forcing you to complete the mission, but this villain is practically coming to you! Free points, free rewards! At worst, I’ll cover all your future contact lenses!]

The system was well versed in the tactic of giving a slap followed by a sweet treat.

Lu Li considered it. She couldn’t just take the 200,000 points for nothing. Letting this villain stay might even earn her some extra points.

Besides, with the system’s help to conceal her identity, maybe she would unwittingly complete the mission through sheer luck! Early on, the villain who hadn’t been tortured could still have his morals corrected!

Jiang Linyi lifted one brow, staring unblinkingly at the expressive young woman.

This zombie had a surprisingly lively mind, and he had no idea what she was thinking—her expressions changed every moment.

He tidied the bedsheets and glanced at the bird droppings on the window, suddenly feeling a flicker of hope beyond this apocalyptic world.

“If you let me stay here, I can concoct bird repellent. I can also try making other kinds of potions.”

Jiang Linyi stared at Lu Li, uncertain if she understood his meaning.

Lu Li nodded fervently, her eyes shining with admiration.

Jiang Linyi chuckled softly. Judging by how much this bird had suffered, he was growing more curious about how she differed from normal humans.

The aroma of simmered bird meat wafted from the kitchen. The sudden scent of real food made Lu Li momentarily dazed. She immediately abandoned Jiang Linyi and rushed downstairs.

In the kitchen, steam rose from the pot of broth bubbling with chunks of tender bird meat, uniformly sized. The slightly yellowed bird skin revealed clear meat fibers beneath, each strand softened and soaked full of broth.

The rich aroma made Lu Li’s mouth water uncontrollably. She quickly ladled a bowl—the broth milky white, dotted with glistening droplets of chicken fat.

Without minding the heat, she eagerly picked up a piece of bird meat and popped it into her mouth. A gentle bite, and the meat slowly fell apart. The texture was... quite chewy, but tough! It was flavorless and sour.

She cautiously sipped the broth—neither good nor bad.

Jiang Linyi hobbled down the stairs on one leg, trembling.

Watching his overdone act, Lu Li couldn’t help but hold back a comment.

His weak body might be innate, but that leg was definitely fine. She had just pressed on it lightly with no reaction, and now he was limping. With such acting skills, it was no wonder people had seen through him!

Glancing at the nutrient vial he held between his lips, the strange odor invaded her mind, so Lu Li chose to eat the bird instead.

The jelly in the vial was soon finished, and Jiang Linyi smacked his lips as if savoring the taste.

Lu Li quietly put down the less-than-pleasant bird broth, ladled a fresh spoonful, and offered it to Jiang Linyi. He looked puzzled—did she taste differently because she was a zombie?

The rich aroma was irresistible. Jiang Linyi held the bowl, his lashes flickering, his Adam’s apple moving.

Though curious about what this zombie ate, he didn’t want to risk poisoning himself. Food with high contamination not only tasted awful but could cause mutations if consumed excessively.

Seeing Jiang Linyi hesitate, Lu Li pushed the bowl to his lips. Suddenly, she smacked her forehead, realizing her mind had dulled since becoming a zombie.

The detector’s red light scanned the bird meat: contamination level 18%.

It was one thing for zombies to eat cooked food, but the contamination level of the food itself was under 20%. In a century-old apocalypse, edible food was scarce, let alone ingredients with such low contamination.

But this food, once licked by her saliva, would he really eat it?