Chapter 47: From Now On, We’re the Same Kind
This project brought together all the great scientific minds. It took almost half a year to see a little progress, and there were many detours along the way, but at least now, the low-tier zombies used for testing could regain some of their consciousness.
Whether they were the first batch to be infected before the apocalypse, or those who were bitten later, it was considered to have broken the rule that “ordinary people who are indirectly infected cannot become high-tier zombies.”
But the only missing data now was the transformation from an ordinary person to a high-tier zombie.
Most of the people who could enter the military were not ordinary people, and the personnel within the research institute all had their own duties. But the bigger reason was probably the fear of the unknown new species.
“Then your research is…”
“Stuck?”
The little zombie thought for a long time but couldn’t think of a specific, accurate description. When he suddenly saw the game console in his hand, which was also stuck, he was inspired.
“Almost.”
Shi Changyuan smiled, took off his glasses, and was about to kiss Lin Ling when he was stopped by him.
“Then why aren’t you in a hurry? You even got off work early today.”
In winter, a human’s body temperature was particularly comfortable for a little zombie, but in summer, it was not necessarily so. Even with the air conditioning on, it couldn’t block the human’s exceptionally hot body temperature. So this summer, the little zombie and Shi Changyuan had been much less clingy.
But for a human, Lin Ling’s cool, jade-like body temperature was very comfortable to hold.
“Doesn’t Lingling know why I got off work early today?”
Shi Changyuan smiled and pinched Lin Ling’s cheek. “How can someone forget their own birthday?”
“That’s right!!!”
The little zombie suddenly looked up, almost bumping his forehead against Shi Changyuan’s.
Since the apocalypse, Auntie Man had been unconscious, and Song Jing was nowhere to be found. He hadn’t celebrated his birthday since, and for a moment, he had forgotten this day.
“But how did you know today is my birthday?”
Lin Ling looked at Shi Changyuan and guessed, “Did Auntie Man tell you?”
After Little Lin Ling was adopted by Auntie Man, she had set that day as his birthday and would celebrate it for him every year. At first, he didn’t understand why humans had so many dates to commemorate, but gradually he understood.
It was a proof of love and care.
“No.”
Shi Changyuan smiled. “It was when we were in City B. I saw it on the photos. The specific date was on the back of the photos.”
“But Auntie Man did tell me that we should go upstairs for cake tonight.”
“Cake?”
At the mention of this, the little zombie’s interest was piqued.
Besides meat, Lin Ling’s second favorite category of food was sweets. There was nothing he didn’t like, from cake to milk tea to chocolate.
“Mm, it was personally made by Auntie Man. She’s been working on it for a month.”
As he spoke, Shi Changyuan, taking advantage of Lin Ling’s inattention, quickly kissed his lips, then pulled him up from the sofa.
“Let’s go. Don’t let everyone wait for the little birthday star.”
The moment the two of them went upstairs, they heard a very lively sound coming from the open main door, including Old Duan’s shouting about why there was no wine.
“Auntie Man, we’re here.”
The little zombie poked his head in and saw a room decorated with balloons and ribbons. In the center of the room, on the dining table, was a large cake, with many snacks and drinks beside it.
“Lingling and Little Shi are here?”
Auntie Man quickly placed the birthday crown she had personally made on Lin Ling’s head. The moment Lin Ling entered, a mechanism at the door released small ribbons.
“Happy birthday to our baby Lingling!”
“These are the gifts everyone has prepared for Lingling. Take a look. I guarantee they’re all things Lingling will like.”
The little zombie stood in the center of the crowd, his eyes curved, and took a photo according to their family’s old tradition.
But this time, the photo was much more crowded than before. His family was by his side, and there were many more friends. More importantly, there was a Shi Changyuan by his side.
“This is the first birthday photo with you in it.”
The little zombie took the photo to Shi Changyuan and found that while he was looking at the camera in the photo, Shi Changyuan’s gaze was always on him.
Shi Changyuan smiled and promised, “There will be more in the future.”
“You said it.”
The little zombie happily put the photo in his pocket. “If you’re not there one time, I’ll be angry.”
Hearing this, before Shi Changyuan could make another promise, the young man beside him quickly returned a kiss on his lips.
“But I believe you.”
Lin Ling’s eyes were curved. He pulled Shi Changyuan to cut the cake, and then there were various party games.
Miao Xue remembered that she had been coaxing Lin Ling and Shi Changyuan for a long time and suggested playing truth or dare. But since Little Lin Ling’s parents were present, they could only play a green, pure, castrated version, which was very disappointing.
“Little Lin Ling, we’ll remember this. We’ll definitely ask you back when we have the chance in the future.”
Miao Xue whispered in the little zombie’s ear.
“Hmph, we’ll see who’s asking who then.”
The little zombie, after a few rounds of the king’s game, and with Shi Changyuan letting him off the hook, the punishment never fell on him. He was so proud his tail was wagging.
“Alright, this is the last round. It’s my turn to ask.”
Lin Ling took off his shoes and stood on the sofa, looking down at the humans in front of him. He racked his brains but couldn’t think of anything else to ask Shi Changyuan.
After all, his past, his own past, and their feelings for each other were all connected—
There were no secrets between them.
“I really don’t know what to ask.”
The little zombie looked troubled, blinked, and thought for a moment. In the end, he decided to let the human in front of him off the hook as well.
“What I want to ask is, did you also have a part in this birthday party today?”
Shi Changyuan smiled and nodded.
“Then since I didn’t even remember, why didn’t you pretend not to know and then trick me here to give me a surprise?”
“That’s the second question.”
Shi Changyuan smiled, not answering directly, which made the little zombie in front of him pounce on him, his hands and feet wrapped around him, trying to tickle him.
“Answer quickly, I want to hear.”
“Mm… probably because I felt there was no need to hide it.”
“Lingling is a beloved baby. Of course, someone will remember your birthday and prepare for it early. And everyone thinks that on this day, Lingling should receive everyone’s gifts and blessings.”
“So a birthday party is not really a surprise.”
Shi Changyuan looked into the young man’s eyes, full of seriousness. “Our Lingling, of course, deserves the best.”
“Hmph, of course!”
The great Zombie Emperor, faced with such “praise,” only felt proud and that it was natural.
“You pass!”
“Oh, oh, oh, oh~~~”
Watching the two of them interact, the people around them started to cheer again.
Because there were too many people, this party went on until very late. By the time Lin Ling and Shi Changyuan returned home, washed up, it was almost midnight.
“You should go to sleep. You have to go to the laboratory tomorrow.”
The little zombie pushed a certain person who was pushing his luck and still wanted to take advantage of him.
“I forgot to tell Lingling. From tomorrow on, I don’t have to go to the laboratory anymore.”
“Why?”
The little zombie, who had been a bit sleepy, was instantly awake. He sat up and looked at the human in front of him with a serious expression.
“You were fired?”
“That’s not right. Isn’t the research institute yours?”
The little zombie didn’t quite understand. “You said during the day that the research was at a standstill. Why at this time…”
Before Lin Ling could finish, he seemed to remember something, and his voice came to an abrupt halt.
“Did Lingling guess?”
Shi Changyuan smiled and pulled the little zombie in front of him into his arms.
“Lingling is so smart.”
“So, can Lingling give me this gift?”
The little zombie felt Shi Changyuan’s hand on the back of his head, with a little bit of force, pressing him towards his neck.
“Are you sure? Why does it have to be you?”
“I’m sure.”
Shi Changyuan held Lin Ling, his expression unseen, but his tone was full of joy.
“Didn’t I say before that everything I do is for Lingling?”
“Even if someone is willing, I hope I’m the first, and that it’s Lingling who does it.”
“This is not just an experiment.”
Hearing Shi Changyuan’s words, the little zombie lowered his gaze to Shi Changyuan’s exposed neck, leaned over, and placed his two sharp fangs on it, gently rubbing.
But he couldn’t bite down.
“You’re so annoying.”
The little zombie lowered his eyelashes and, after a long silence, suddenly said.
“I heard before that you always experiment on yourself. Have you ever thought about what would happen if you failed?”
“If you fail, you’ll…”
“I’ll become a brainless zombie.”
Shi Changyuan smiled, his tone teasing. “Then I’ll have no consciousness and will only act on instinct. Lingling won’t dislike me, will you?”
“I will.”
The little zombie seemed to be really angry and was not even willing to coax him.
“It’s useless even if you dislike me.”
Shi Changyuan pulled Lingling in front of him, kissed the young man’s forehead, then his eyes.
“If I only act on instinct, I’ll follow our great Zombie Emperor every day.”
“Wherever Lingling goes, I’ll go. Whatever Lingling does, I’ll do.”
“Lingling is my entire instinct. The great Zombie Emperor can, for the sake of my devotion, work hard to steal some more potions from the laboratory to raise me for a while. I’ll repay you when I become a high-tier zombie.”
“Flowery words!”
The little zombie grumbled, still looking dissatisfied, but in the end, he agreed.
He slowly moved closer to Shi Changyuan and opened his mouth.
Shi Changyuan cooperated and brought his neck closer again, but Lingling changed direction, kissed Shi Changyuan’s lips, and licked them proactively, as if in comfort, or as if in welcome. Finally, he broke the corner of his mouth with his sharp fangs, and the tip of his tongue immediately rolled away the drop of crimson.
The little zombie tasted a hint of a sweet, rusty taste.
This was the first time he had tasted fresh blood. It was very strange. He felt the genes in his body get excited, screaming for more, but he couldn’t say he liked it.
Shi Changyuan felt the stinging pain on his lips, held Lin Ling’s head with his backhand, and deepened the kiss heavily.
The rusty taste spread in his mouth.
Looking at Shi Changyuan, who had instantly grown fangs and turned into a white-eyed zombie, and was no longer human, the little zombie held his face and stared for a long time, until those features slowly receded and returned to normal black pupils. Then he curved his eyes and kissed the corner of his mouth that he had bitten.
“From now on, we’re the same kind.”
