Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]

Chapter 184: Chapter 184 - Immoral guy

Zei sat quietly in the far corner of the warehouse, knees pulled up to his chest, arms looped loosely around them. Though everyone kept a careful eye on him—some suspicious, others openly cold—he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he looked oddly content, like just being there among them was enough.

His gaze trailed over each person: Yunfeng standing guard near the supplies, Muchen murmuring something to Hana while checking a map, Yuki sitting in Lu Zhi’s lap playing with a strand of his hair. For the first time in days—maybe weeks—Zei felt human again.

Just then, a chilled bottle of energy drink was held out in front of his face.

Zei blinked up in surprise and found himself looking into a pair of dark, sharp eyes set on a stern, handsome face. The young man was dressed in a fitted brown shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and black tactical pants that clung snugly to his frame.

Zei gave a slow, appreciative grin. ”You’re cute.”

Jai’s brow twitched. ”I don’t trust you one bit.”

Unfazed, Zei took the drink, twisted the cap, and sipped it. He winced immediately. ”Ugh. This doesn’t taste that good... Do you guys have anything else? I prefer lychee drinks.”

Jai just stared at him, momentarily speechless. ”Do you think we’re running a catering service here?”

Zei tilted his head, still sipping.

”We don’t even have food for ourselves,” Jai snapped, clearly losing patience. ”You shouldn’t have gotten this drink in the first place. But thankfully, we’re kind people. We don’t like starving others.”

With a frustrated huff, Jai pulled a crushed chocolate bar from his side pouch and tossed it at Zei’s face.

Zei caught it, blinking in surprise.

”Eat it and replenish your energy,” Jai said with a final glare. ”We’re moving soon.”

Zei stood up quickly and began trailing behind him like a lost puppy. ”Wait—why are we leaving, ah? I heard you guys have food, clean water, medical supplies—this place looks perfect! I think this is the safest place I’ve seen before!”

”oh my god won’t you stop talking...” jai mumbled cupping his ears tight.

Zei continued to walk alongside Jai, a persistent bounce in his steps as he poked him with annoying regularity. ”Why is that... hey cutie, answer me... why aren’t you answering, hmm? This is boring...”

Jai let out a long sigh, jaw visibly tightening. He kept his eyes forward, pretending not to hear.

Yunfeng, who had been nearby checking their exit route, paused when he caught the string of Zei’s words.

”Who told you we have supplies?” Yunfeng asked sharply, turning his head just enough to throw a suspicious glance at Zei.

Zei blinked at him, the same wide-eyed, annoyingly innocent look painted across his face. ”Oh, that school kid told me. He said you guys had food, guns, and even some cute girls in your group.”

Yunfeng’s brows knitted instantly. A deep, restrained fury bristled beneath his calm. School kid...?

Zei continued casually, oblivious to the rising tension. ”Tsk, that immoral guy even said you had a stockpile. Why’d you even let someone like that into your team? This is why you’ve gotta be selective, you know. Survival isn’t a charity.”

The words hung in the air like poison.

Muchen, who had been silently walking beside Yunfeng, clenched his fists. His voice, when it came, was low and bitter. ”It must be Jiang Hao. That fucker. I knew we shouldn’t have trusted him. I should’ve shot him the moment he ran off.”

Yunfeng said nothing. But his jaw twitched and his gaze darkened. The earlier attack—the sudden freezing, the helplessness he’d felt, Muchen’s safety hanging by a thread—all of it was spinning back into his mind now with sharpened clarity.

It had been more dangerous than he realized.

Muchen had nearly been hurt. Killed, even. If he hadn’t broken free from the freezing in time... Yunfeng didn’t even want to imagine it. He’d protect Muchen with everything he had. And it was Jiang Hao who had led danger right to their door.

Yunfeng clenched his teeth, the decision hardening inside him like steel.

Next time they met, Jiang Hao wouldn’t walk away.

Zei, meanwhile, had skipped a few steps forward and now stood beside the two of them. He gave a lazy salute, then smiled brightly as if nothing serious had just been discussed.

”So, why are we leaving this place? It’s so comfy here! I mean, come on, it’s dusty, yeah, but cozy, no?”

Yunfeng didn’t dignify him with a response. He stood up, wordlessly took Muchen’s hand, and pulled him along without looking back.

”Huh? Hey! Come on, answer me—why are you guys being mean again?” Zei pouted and ran after them like a scruffy, persistent puppy following its owners. ”You’re gonna hurt my feelings! Do you even have a hospitality department or what?”

Yunfeng didn’t stop walking.

Zei had been bugging them for a while now—trailing after Yunfeng, poking his shoulder every few minutes, repeating the same whiny tone like a persistent child. Finally, Yunfeng snapped—not with anger, but with a grim edge in his voice.

”Because we’re going to be bombed.”

Zei halted mid-step, his eyes going wide. ”Bombed?” he echoed, blinking rapidly. ”Why? How do you know that?”

Yunfeng didn’t answer. His jaw was tight, and his focus had already shifted as he crouched beside Muchen, carefully tying scraps of bed fabric around his arms and legs. The makeshift padding, although crude, would soften the impact of bites if any zombies got too close. Each knot was pulled with practiced care, and Muchen sat quietly, watching him.

Zei tilted his head, watching the scene unfold. ”Why do you guys do that, by the way?” he asked, trying for a light tone. ”Do you feel cold or something? Because I know a store that still has puffer jackets. Really good ones, fluffy and waterproof too. You don’t have to strap yourselves up like a cotton wad.”

He chuckled at his own joke, but the sound didn’t last long.

Muchen’s hand paused on his own arm. His gaze sharpened. ”His ability...”

Yunfeng glanced up at him, immediately sensing the shift in his tone.

Muchen’s voice dropped to a breathy realization. ”His ability works on zombies.”

For a moment, the warehouse was silent, save for the rustle of old tarp and metal. Then Yunfeng’s eyes widened. A spark lit behind them, not of flames, but of hope.

”If he can freeze people...” Muchen continued, his voice rising with quiet urgency, ”then maybe... maybe he can stop them too.”

Yunfeng turned his head slowly toward Zei. For the first time, there was no scowl, no sharp glare—just a flash of astonished consideration. The corners of his lips twitched upward.

Zei, still standing in confusion, blinked at the both of them. ”What? What’s the joke?”

Neither of them answered immediately. Muchen let out a breathless laugh, the kind born from the edge of hopelessness suddenly being pulled back. Yunfeng’s chest rose with the smallest sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing just a bit.

They had something now—a new piece on the board.

Zei looked between the two of them, confused and slightly offended. ”Hello? I’m right here. Why are you smiling at me like I’m a dog who learned to fetch?”

Yunfeng stood up slowly and walked over to him. ”You said you were lonely, right?”

Zei blinked. ”Y-Yeah...?”

”Well,” Yunfeng said, his expression serious now, voice steady, ”if you want to stick around, we’re going to need you. But if you ever lie to us again or hurt anyone...” his eyes burned—not with power this time, but with a dangerous promise. ”I will burn you down to ash. Got it?”

Zei’s playful grin twitched, but then he slowly nodded. ”Yeah... Got it.. so whats the joke?”

Yunfeng sighed. The new guy had something wrong with his head.

Muchen looked excited as he whispered the new plan to him.. he gestured for Yunfeng to talk to the new guy.

Before this, the strategy had been simple and desperate—duck, run, hide. Survive. But things had changed. They had a new member now. Someone whose strange and dangerous power could actually shift the odds in their favor.

Yunfeng stood in front of Zei, arms crossed, eyes sharp. ”You, my friend... if you do this, you’ll be officially part of the gang.”

Zei blinked, tilting his head like a curious dog.

”All you have to do is walk ahead of us.”

”...Wait,” Zei said, his expression twisting. ”Are you throwing me out as zombie bait? I don’t like that plan. I really don’t like that plan.”

Yunfeng rolled his eyes. ”Not bait. You freeze them. We kill them. Then we move forward without risking anyone. It’s efficient.”

The boy looked hesitant for half a second, then his lips stretched into a mischievous grin. ”Ohhh... I get it now. Tactical use of power. You guys are finally seeing my brilliance.”

Yunfeng didn’t react to the cocky statement—he was used to worse. But there was something hopeful brewing in his chest again.

Until Zei added cheerfully, ”But my powers are quite limited, you know. I can only use them twice a day.”

Yunfeng’s face fell slightly. ”Twice?”

Zei nodded innocently. ”Yup. Well... actually thrice. But I already used it three times today.”

Silence.

Zei blinked at the stunned faces around him, then added with a bright smile, ”So I can’t use it again until tomorrow.”

Yunfeng stared at him.

Muchen groaned and rubbed his temple.

Jai cursed under his breath. ”You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Zei’s smile faltered. ”What? Did I... say something wrong?”