Chapter 56: The Childlike Zombie
“What are you doing, Mommy?”
Facing the innocent, human-like mimicry of the fungal monster, Lin Jiayao didn’t waver.
But something in her peripheral vision caught her attention.
She looked past the girl’s white hair, at the people in the distance.
The naturally expelled fungal tendrils writhed on the ground, coalescing into clumps, releasing one last burst of spores before turning to ash.
The spores dispersed into the air, inhaled by the very people who had expelled them.
As I feared…
Lin Jiayao’s greatest worry had materialized.
She had witnessed the fungus’s insidious method during her first visit to Donghai City.
Even after being expelled, the tendrils could survive for a long time.
Even if she ordered this fungal monster to repeat the process, it would only deplete the life force of those infected.
Who had brought this insidious fungal zombie to Donghai City?
Or rather, who, or what organization, had deliberately spread it?
Lin Jiayao remembered the protective gear in the Voodoo Cult members’ backpacks.
They were the prime suspects.
Suddenly, she felt a tug on the pistol in her hand.
She looked down and saw the little girl standing on tiptoe, her small, nimble tongue licking the gun barrel that had been pressed against her forehead.
“Blech.”
The girl’s face scrunched up in disgust, her tongue refusing to retract.
Lin Jiayao looked at her for a long moment, sighed, and lowered the pistol.
Although it was a monstrous zombie, it seemed harmless.
And it was the only one who could prevent the fungal zombies in Donghai City from spreading further while she was gone.
Like hiring a temporary worker.
No, a temporary fungus.
As Lin Jiayao considered how to establish some ground rules with the fungal monster, the little girl started playing by herself.
She had been hanging her head, tongue lolling out.
But noticing a drop of saliva fall to the ground, she seemed to have found a new toy, shaking her head and flinging saliva everywhere.
Lin Jiayao: “…”
A minute ago, she might have thought it had the intelligence of a teenager; now she doubted it even reached kindergarten level.
“Sigh…”
Lin Jiayao turned and walked towards the extraction point.
As expected, the white-haired girl followed closely behind.
The girl’s little legs moved quickly. She tried to overtake Lin Jiayao and speak, but seeing her expression, she remained silent.
Reaching the extraction point at the shopping mall, Lin Jiayao turned to face the girl.
“I need to tell you something.”
Lin Jiayao looked at her calmly.
“What is it, Mommy?” Hearing her address her, the girl perked up, looking at Lin Jiayao.
“I’ll be leaving for a while. Before I return, you must promise me two things.”
“Okay.”
“First, control the other tendrils and spores, prevent them from spreading further.”
“Second, don’t kill anyone.”
“Can you do that?” Lin Jiayao asked.
“Kill? You mean… humans? Keep them alive? Mm-hmm, I understand.” The girl nodded vigorously.
“Good. I’m leaving now.”
The extraction time was approaching; she had to hurry.
She didn’t know if she could trust this zombie monster, but it was her only option for now.
Just as she was about to enter the mall, the monster called out to her.
“Mommy…”
Lin Jiayao stopped and turned, looking at the fungal monster questioningly.
It opened its arms, bit its lip, and lowered its head slightly, avoiding Lin Jiayao’s gaze, as if afraid.
“Hug… hug?”
Finally, it mustered the courage to speak.
Its words startled Lin Jiayao.
She thought back. She had indeed promised.
But she had agreed casually, distracted by other thoughts, and had completely forgotten.
Looking at its hopeful eyes, Lin Jiayao stiffly opened her arms.
She hadn’t hugged anyone other than her sister in a long time, let alone a fungal zombie.
But she wouldn’t break her promise.
Unlike the reserved Lin Jiayao, Huayibai reacted with unrestrained enthusiasm.
It threw itself into Lin Jiayao’s arms, nuzzling its head against her happily.
But it quickly controlled its excitement, releasing its grip and taking two steps back.
“Thank you, Mommy.”
Huayibai watched as “Mommy” simply nodded and turned to leave without a second glance.
Huayibai hesitated, watching “Mommy’s” retreating figure until she disappeared into the mall.
After a moment, it quietly followed, peering through the glass windows.
It saw “Mommy” find a stool inside a store on the first floor, sit down, and lower her head, remaining motionless for a long time.
And Huayibai could no longer sense “Mommy’s” presence?
Had “Mommy” left?
After watching for about ten minutes, Huayibai slowly moved towards the mall entrance, inching closer to “Mommy.”
Every few steps, it stopped and looked around, pretending to just be passing by, seemingly afraid of displeasing “Mommy.”
Finally, it reached a spot less than three meters away and watched from a distance.
After some hesitation, Huayibai moved closer to “Mommy.” But there were no more intact stools around her.
It thought for a moment, and its red eyes flickered with a scarlet light.
White tendrils extended from its long hair, reaching out and intertwining, forming a white, fungal bench connected to “Mommy’s” stool.
It looked like a single long bench.
It sat down, slowly lay down, and rested its head on “Mommy’s” lap.
When would Mommy come back?
When would that warm, familiar, comforting presence return to this body?
Curling up like a baby, it smiled sweetly and closed its eyes.
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