Chapter 35: Actually, It Is Quite Nice to Feel Nothing at All

Life continued in its slow, steady rhythm. Xiao Guang had developed a lean, athletic build, and his daily habit of digging and clearing ground had become a source of physical pain that he had grown strangely addicted to. It wasn't that he was deranged; rather, it was because the two girls were becoming increasingly vibrant and lively, and he had nowhere else to vent his excess energy.

Xiao Guang had been venturing out more frequently. As someone who rarely ate vegetables, he found himself feeling a strange sense of anxiety whenever his supply began to dwindle.

With his search area constantly expanding, Xiao Guang decided it was finally time to head further out—to the countryside. After feeding his two zombie companions that morning, he stood over a map, brow furrowed in deep study, trying to decide which direction to take.

He was currently located in the northern part of Seoul. He wanted to keep heading north, still nursing a faint, lingering fantasy that if he just kept going, things might get easier, and perhaps, just perhaps, he could find a way back home.

But plans rarely survive reality. After picking the name of a village on the map, Xiao Guang began his preparations.

He filled the truck’s fuel tank to the brim, packed three extra jerrycans into the trunk, grabbed a case of instant noodles, and loaded five 20-liter jugs of water. Shovels, a steamer pot, gloves, toilet paper—Xiao Guang realized he seemed to need everything. By the time he had finished organizing his cluttered thoughts and loading the truck, it was already noon.

He glanced at Bae Joo-hyun and Min-ju waiting beside the vehicle and hesitated. He decided to wait until tomorrow morning to depart; his innate fear of the darkness left him little choice. With five or six hours of daylight left, he reminded himself that there was no need to rush.

"We aren't leaving today. Everyone back to the living room."

He noticed the walkie-talkies in their hands. He took Min-ju’s to check it—did these things really have such long battery lives? Didn't they play with them every evening?

As for the changes in his two zombie companions, Xiao Guang felt everything was moving in a positive direction. When he had first brought them home, they possessed only the most basic reactions and instincts, but now, there were clear signs of evolving emotions.

He had even discovered the secret to their metabolism. He had once worried about waking up to a foul-smelling bed, but his fears proved unfounded. Whenever Bae Joo-hyun and Min-ju would sneak off to the bathroom together and return with their clothes—especially their pants—looking a bit disheveled, he knew they had taken care of business.

There was another issue: they seemed to love rinsing themselves with water. This forced Xiao Guang to keep extra towels in the bathroom; after a rinse, they had to be dried off. He couldn't afford to absentmindedly reach out to hug Bae Joo-hyun or Min-ju’s backside, only to end up with a handful of water.

"Let’s have powdered milk for lunch."

Xiao Guang had broken into a warehouse yesterday that was packed with milk powder for the elderly. It was his first time seeing that specific type, but the label didn't matter—it was milk.

The iron tin stated a net weight of 900 grams. Xiao Guang poured a third of it into a basin and added boiling water, releasing a fragrant aroma.

Bae Joo-hyun’s small face had a visible pink hue, and Min-ju’s deathly pallor had softened into a fair complexion. Both beautiful heads rested on their chins against the dining table, staring intently at the basin. Xiao Guang felt like he was feeding kittens or puppies.

"Can't drink it yet, it’s hot."

"No fear!"

"Gurgle..."

Xiao Guang looked at their expressions and reached out to block the basin.

"Hot means hot; it will burn your stomach if you drink it now. Wait."

"Don't want to wait."

"Right."

Bae Joo-hyun seemed to have mastered the ability to express herself with two-word phrases, and Min-ju was improving too; at least she had moved beyond mere gurgling, and her pronunciation was becoming clearer.

Xiao Guang sighed, pulled them both onto the sofa, and wrapped his arms around their waists. They loved being held and were much more obedient when he did.

"I’ll give it to you once it cools down. We’re going out tomorrow. It’s different from before—we’re going further."

"Gurgle..."

Bae Joo-hyun remained silent. Xiao Guang tilted his head to look at her; her red eyes were still fixed on the dining table, full of anticipation.

That look made Xiao Guang smile. From resisting him, to having their mouths pried open to be fed, to now craving food—in his eyes, these were all signs of progress.

As for Min-ju, he reached into the gap of her clothing to touch her. She was becoming more fleshy, her frame filling out, no longer as soft as before. However, Min-ju’s perception of the outside world was noticeably weaker; she seemed accustomed to following Bae Joo-hyun’s lead, acting like a mere echo of her companion.

Xiao Guang had overlooked how zombies were supposed to drink from a basin. Once it finally cooled, he saw four hands reaching for the bowl and quickly intervened.

With their shaky hands, they would surely tip the whole thing over. Normally, he would feed them himself, having them kneel on the floor and tilt their heads back while he poured.

But seeing the look in their eyes, Xiao Guang took the basin away and returned with a bag.

Inside were promotional gifts he had brought back with the milk: cups specifically designed for the elderly, much like those used by toddlers, with a flat-mouthed straw attachment.

They were likely meant for bedridden patients. He filled two of the cups and shoved them into their hands.

"Drink it yourselves."

With a walkie-talkie in one hand and a milk cup in the other, Xiao Guang couldn't help but laugh at their expressions.

Clearly dissatisfied, weren't they? Unhappy?

He took the cup from Bae Joo-hyun’s hand. She immediately knelt on the floor, tilting her head back, her mouth open in a cute, expectant way.

"No, no, no. Not today. You have to drink it yourselves. It will exercise your swallowing muscles. I suspect your nerves are like those of paralyzed patients, but you aren't patients. I believe you will recover."

Xiao Guang placed the flat mouth of the cup against Bae Joo-hyun’s lips, but no milk flowed out.

He picked it up to check. It was a leak-proof design; it wouldn't drip unless sucked upon. That was good. He pressed the cup back to her lips and helped her close her mouth, guiding her to bite down on the straw.

"Suck."

No reaction. Xiao Guang sighed and tried again. "Suck. Suck hard."

He saw Bae Joo-hyun’s neck move slightly—a swallowing reflex. He leaned in close, looked into her eyes, and exaggerated his own lip movements to show her how to suck.

Bae Joo-hyun stared at his lips, seemingly understanding she needed to mimic the motion, but her mouth remained pursed, and still, she felt none of the milk she craved.

"Ah..."

"Don't be impatient. I know you've forgotten how. Look at me, take it slow."

Xiao Guang heard the frustration in her voice and tried to teach her patiently. Bae Joo-hyun’s red eyes stared at him, her lips working hard, but there was still no progress.

*Clatter!*

Bae Joo-hyun swiped the cup away. She stood up, paced in front of Xiao Guang with increasing speed, then turned and walked toward the hallway, crashing through the door of the innermost room.

Xiao Guang watched her vanish, then looked at the cup lying on the floor. His own temper flared. He sat on the sofa, fuming. What was this? He was taking care of her out of the kindness of his heart, and this was how she threw a tantrum?

Min-ju looked at the brooding Xiao Guang, then at the cup on the floor, and finally down at the one in her own hand.

Her memory felt hazy. It seemed like a long, long time ago, she had seen a similar scene: a father, a mother, arguing... Min-ju suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. She dropped her cup, clutched her skull, and crouched on the floor.

The sound of the cup hitting the ground made Xiao Guang look up. Watching Min-ju huddled there, he let out a long, heavy sigh, took a deep breath, and stood up abruptly.

"Damn it... I must owe you both something."