Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]

Chapter 183: Chapter 183 - Accepting Zei

The young man sat up slowly, cradling his cheek.

his expression somewhere between confusion and disbelief .

His fingers trembled as they touched the burn— it burned and stung upon touch.

”You... you burned me...” he murmured, voice hollow.

His lips parted slightly, eyes glassy with disbelief.

His hand reached out to the side, brushing over the surface of a discarded soda can. Its reflective surface caught the warehouse’s dim light, offering a warped mirror.

He held it up, turning it slightly, and stared.

There it was—raw, blistered skin, curling slightly at the edges. A second-degree burn. Ugly and cruel.

Yunfeng stood up again slightly swaying a few feet away, breathing heavily.

”That’s what you get for sneaking in and attacking my family,” Yunfeng said coldly. ”You better leave... or you’ll have it worse.”

The young man looked up at him—confused, broken.

He wasn’t crying, but something in his gaze crumpled.

”I... I just wanted to meet the other survivors,” he said softly, clutching the can tighter in his burnt fingers. ”I’ve searched for days... I didn’t think anyone was left. I thought I was the last.”

His voice cracked. His head bowed.

And then—tiny footsteps broke the silence.

”Yuki!” Yunfeng called, eyes widening.

The little girl had darted across the room with the soft pitter-patter of small feet. Her monkey still clung to her arm, but she didn’t hesitate as she knelt beside the man.

She looked at his face—not with fear, but with sadness.

With the gentlest hand, she reached out and placed her palm against his burn.

”Yuki, don’t!” Yunfeng sprinted after her, his heart leaping into his throat. He reached out to pull her away—but paused mid-motion, his hand frozen in disbelief.

Before his eyes, the red mark began to fade.

The blisters retracted, the skin smoothing over as if time itself reversed. The angry wound melted away under her touch until it vanished entirely, leaving flawless, unmarred skin behind.

The man’s eyes widened. He blinked, disoriented. ”What... did you...?”

Yunfeng stood in stunned silence. And for once—speechless.

After a beat, he stepped forward, scooping Yuki into his arms protectively, but without his earlier aggression.

”Don’t get close to him,” he said softly, pressing her close to his chest. His voice was gentler now, less fire, more tremble. ”You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

Yuki looked up at him with her large round eyes and blinked slowly, then glanced back at the stranger, who now sat quietly, stunned.

”But... he’s just lonely,” she whispered.

Yunfeng stilled.

”Huh?” he asked quietly, confused.

The little girl’s voice quivered as she looked up at him, tears shining in her lashes.

”I was lonely too... before you found me,” she said, hugging the small monkey tightly against her chest. ”I was scared all the time. I didn’t speak. I didn’t sleep. I thought no one wanted me.”

She wiped at her cheek with the back of her hand and sniffled. ”You brought me here. You’re my friend. I don’t want people to be lonely anymore...”

Yunfeng’s grip around her tightened slightly. He swallowed hard.

Behind them, Muchen had slowly approached.

He stood beside Yunfeng, watching the stranger with a more thoughtful gaze now.

The stranger still sat there, stunned, as if unsure whether to smile or cry.

”I didn’t mean to hurt anyone,” the young man said, finally breaking the silence. ”I just... I didn’t want to be alone again.”

Yunfeng looked down at Yuki in his arms then he looked at the others, who were slowly recovering from the psychic freeze.

And then... back at the young man on the floor.

The fire within him hadn’t gone out.

But it flickered differently now.

”Tell me your name,” Yunfeng said, voice low but steady.

The young man blinked. ”It’s... Zei.”

Yunfeng nodded slowly.

”Well, Zei...” he glanced down at Yuki, then back at him. ”If you’re lying, or if you ever hurt anyone here... I will finish what I started.”

Zei managed a weak, half-smile. ”Fair enough.”

Yuki peered up at him. ”You can stay... but only if you play nice.”

Zei chuckled softly. ”I’ll do my best, snowflake.”

Yuki’s nose crinkled at the nickname, but she didn’t correct him. She just nodded solemnly.

”should we tie him up?” muchen mumbled under his breath.

”muchen...” Yunfeng’s hands trembled slightly as he gently cupped Muchen’s face, turning it side to side, scanning every inch.

His heart still beat wildly from fear—fear of losing him.

”Does it hurt anywhere? Are you feeling good? Dizzy? Sick?” he asked in rapid succession, brushing strands of hair away from Muchen’s temple.

His thumb grazed the corner of Muchen’s lips, as if searching for hidden bruises. ”Muchen...”

Before Muchen could respond, Yunfeng pulled him into a tight embrace, burying his face into the crook of his shoulder.

Muchen froze for a second—then smiled, soft and real.

He wrapped his arms around Yunfeng and held him back just as tightly.

”I’m fine,” he murmured into Yunfeng’s ear. ”I’m okay... don’t worry.”

Still in Yunfeng’s arms, little Yuki squirmed awkwardly, her cheeks blooming red from the sudden crush.

She wiggled and looked up at them with a flustered expression.

”Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you here,” Muchen said, his voice gentle as he leaned down and gave her blushing cheek a small, affectionate pinch.

Yuki squeaked and ducked her head, pressing her burning face into Yunfeng’s neck like a shy kitten.

Her tiny hands clung to his jacket. Yunfeng smiled softly and adjusted her in his arms.

Hana approached, her arms crossed and her expression serious. She glanced behind them, where Zei now sat quietly on a broken crate, looking completely out of place amid the rubble and tension.

”Are you seriously planning to keep this guy around?” she whispered in Yunfeng’s ear, careful not to let Zei hear. ”He has strange powers and he’s dangerous.”

Yunfeng’s jaw tightened slightly. He didn’t look at her—his eyes were still on Muchen, brushing dirt off his sleeves—but her words echoed in his mind. The image of their frozen bodies, the paralyzing helplessness... it haunted him.

But so did Yuki’s voice.

”I don’t want people to be lonely.”

He glanced over at Zei, still sitting there, fingers nervously picking at the edge of his sleeve. His face looked oddly youthful now, boyish and unsure. His eyes were cast downward, not meeting anyone’s gaze.

”I know,” Yunfeng said at last, his voice low. ”He’s dangerous. But...”

He turned slightly toward Zei, narrowing his eyes. Subtly, almost instinctively, he inhaled through his nose.

There it was—that scent.

Woody. Warm. Ancient.

Cedarwood, maybe. Or sandalwood. Something primal.

Yunfeng’s eyes narrowed slightly.

”He’s an alpha,” he said under his breath.

Hana blinked. ”Alpha?”

”Yeah.” Yunfeng shifted Yuki to his hip and stood straighter. ”That scent—it’s deep. Sharp. ”

She paled slightly. ”Then why—”

”If he tries anything,” Yunfeng said, his voice turning to steel, ”I will take care of it.”

At that moment, Shao and Jai walked up cautiously. Their postures were tense, eyes trained on Zei like watching a wild animal from the edge of a cage.

”This is risky,” Jai muttered, arms crossed. ”You saw what he did. He just waved a hand and stopped us like puppets.”

”I couldn’t even blink properly,” Shao added. ”I was wide awake, watching myself frozen. That’s not a skill, that’s... something else.”

”He could easily kill us,” Jai finished, frowning hard.

The room fell into an uneasy quiet. The others gathered behind them—all uncertain, all afraid.

Yunfeng let out a long breath. His eyes returned to Zei.

Zei, who now sat hugging his knees, chin resting on them. He looked small. Tired. Lost.

”He’s an alpha... a powerful one. He could be of use.” Yunfeng mumbled softly. ”I think his abilities stretch to zombies too. Right?”

Zei nodded blinking innocently.

”I’ve seen him use it against them... it’s really a useful power..” Muchen stepped forward beside him. ”And if he betrays us... we fight.”

Yunfeng smiled faintly. ”Yeah. We fight.”

Zei blinked slowly, his wide eyes flicking from Yunfeng to Muchen and back again.

His lips parted as if in awe, then softly closed, as if afraid to breathe too loudly in case he broke the moment.

”You guys... accept me?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper blinking his doe like eyes up at him.

Yunfeng’s brows twitched. Something in that soft gaze irked him.

”Tsk,” he muttered and turned his face away. ”Yeah, yeah. But don’t you dare try anything fishy. I swear, I’ll burn you into crisps.”

The flames that curled along his fingertips momentarily hissed before disappearing into his skin again.

Zei blinked again, sitting up straight. ”You...” he started, carefully, ”Can I ask you something?”

”What?” Yunfeng snapped, his tone still irritable.

Zei leaned forward slightly, clasping his hands together. ”Are you... are you dating THE Muchen?”

Yunfeng’s whole body stiffened.

”What—what the hell kinda question is that?!” he barked, turning beet red almost immediately. ”isn’t it obvious?”

Zei gasped.

Muchen, who had been silently standing beside him, let out a soft chuckle. ”Is it really that shocking?”

”I knew it!” Zei gasped, clapping his hands together with a gleam in his eyes. ”You’re like... the most powerful couple in the apocalypse! That’s so cool.”

”A star and a literal comet!!”

Yunfeng gritted his teeth. ”who are you calling a comet!”