SGT CH99: Holding Hands with the Zombie Emperor

◎”Don’t fry me.” Mousse’s legs wrapped around his waist, voice trembling as he begged for mercy.◎

Mission: Hold hands with Zombie Emperor Aix for one minute.

Requirement: Complete within ten minutes.

Mousse couldn’t even be surprised that Aix was the Zombie Emperor.

Checking the mission popped up on the livestream light screen repeatedly, confirming that this livestream really wanted him to deepen feelings with a zombie.

Simply insane.

He didn’t want to do such a thing.

As soon as this thought arose, new text appeared on the livestream light screen.

【If the mission fails, the growth rate of Scum Gong Value will accelerate.】

【When Scum Gong Value reaches the full value of 100, it will trigger a double death ending. Both you and the Zombie Emperor will die.】

Mousse: “???”

In Mousse’s understanding, the livestream light screen came to judge him, and Scum Gong Value was his evil value.

When the evil value reached full, he would die.

This made sense.

But why would it trigger a double death ending?

Why would the zombie version of Aix also die?

Mousse turned his head, his gaze falling on Aix in the driver’s seat, full of doubts.

Perhaps because Aix’s level was extremely high and he always dressed tightly, hardly any zombie characteristics could be seen on him.

Especially from this angle, only Aix’s neat black hair and clear jawline could be seen. The scarlet eyes were hidden, looking no different from the Aix in his memory.

Making Mousse recall again that period in the early apocalypse when they depended on each other, having only each other.

During that time, Mousse’s mental state was very poor, always waking and sleeping repeatedly.

To avoid disturbing him, Aix would try to keep the driving speed smooth.

Every time Mousse broke free from endless nightmares and saw Aix driving quietly, he would feel an indescribable relaxation and peace of mind.

Mousse thought a lot. When he came to his senses, he had already walked to Aix’s side.

Aix had no reaction, seemingly not minding him moving around in the car freely, nor minding him approaching.

Also true.

How could a powerful hunter care about the approach of weak food?

Mousse stood for a while, looking up at the countdown with seven minutes remaining, silently walking to sit in the empty passenger seat beside him.

He couldn’t quite explain what he was thinking.

Even if the other party was once Aix, now he had turned into a zombie.

Zombies and the former person were completely different creatures.

Cannot be mentioned in the same breath.

Zombies had no emotions, only instincts of hunting and feeding.

They had a relationship of predator and prey with humans, also a relationship between competitors.

Zombies were enemies of all humanity.

The conflicts between the two sides were irreconcilable and would never disappear.

Only intensifying.

With Aix’s powerful strength, he would definitely be humanity’s great enemy in the future.

If a full Scum Gong Value really would trigger a double death ending.

Perhaps letting the Zombie Emperor die with him was the most beneficial choice for humanity.

Just…

Mousse turned his head to look at his side.

Aix still looked straight ahead, just that the hand gripping the steering wheel appeared tense, the arm also slightly stiff.

These days, in front of him, Aix showed no stiffness in movement.

Mousse thought he wouldn’t have the rigidity of other zombies.

【Countdown: 3 minutes.】

[What are you doing, Little Cake!]

[Go go, he already cold-faced washed underwear for you, what are you afraid of?]

[If you don’t complete the mission to reform, you’ll really have to die.]

“…”

What cold-faced washing underwear? What was this audience imagining?

Clearly, he washed his own changed clothes.

Aix just froze at the door for a long time when seeing him hanging clothes wrapped in a bath towel, then angrily threw him several sets of new clothes.

For a zombie, this was probably the same principle as “food needs to be wrapped in packaging, otherwise it will get dirty.”

As for the mission…

Couldn’t expect him to hold Aix’s hand while he was driving, right?

What difference was this from being tired of living and grabbing the steering wheel?

Mousse took a deep breath, deciding to leave the choice to Aix.

“Can you stop for a bit? I’m a bit… carsick.”

A person who dared to drag race on mountain roads at night said he was carsick.

Aix glanced at him, his gaze pausing on his pale face, then calmly withdrew his gaze.

The RV continued driving.

Alright.

Mousse closed his eyes, leaning back against the chair back.

Death it is then.

The speed gradually slowed.

In the not-too-obvious push-back sensation, Mousse opened his eyes in astonishment, seeing the car stopped in a cool shade under a tree.

Mousse turned to look beside him.

Aix had already gotten up from the driver’s chair, walking toward the back of the car with a straight face.

As Aix passed him, Mousse subconsciously reached out and grabbed Aix’s hand.

Slightly cool to the touch, Aix still wore those leather gloves.

On the livestream light screen, mission timing appeared.

1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds…

Aix stopped in his tracks, half a moment later turning to look at him.

Mousse stiffened his neck meeting his gaze.

Still 40 seconds short.

Aix furrowed his brows, not knowing what he thought of, his expression gradually cold.

About to pull back his hand.

“Don’t go!”

Mousse was startled, subconsciously adding his other hand as well.

Both hands tightly gripping Aix, pulling him, like a tug of war.

Mousse was very clear that he couldn’t match the strength of a high-level zombie who was once an A-rank superpower user.

This was a timed mission. If Aix shook him off, he would have no chance to complete this mission again.

Moreover, he might anger Aix.

Then forget the mission; his life would be hard to protect.

Mousse was mentally tense throughout, nervous about Aix’s every move.

Aix actually stopped, froze there, meeting his gaze, eyes revealing suspicion and vigilance.

That was a rare expression on the cold face of zombified Aix.

Also an expression that the former Aix would never show him.

【Congratulations on completing the hand-holding mission】

【Scum Gong Value -1】

【Current Scum Gong Value: 91】

Even after hearing the mission completion prompt, Mousse still hadn’t reacted.

Scum Gong Value could actually decrease.

Although only a negligible 1 point dropped, it still surprised Mousse.

Since Scum Gong Value reaching full would trigger a double death ending.

If Scum Gong Value cleared to zero, would he and Aix both not have to die?

But Aix was already dead.

Before him was a zombie, not Aix.

Mousse felt sad.

Slowly letting go.

His hand suddenly hurt; Aix grabbed him back.

Did he anger the Zombie Emperor?

Mousse was a bit scared, twisting his wrist wanting to break free.

Unknown if the expression on his face was too fearful and resistant, or the Zombie Emperor discovered his hand was too slender and bony, without much flesh, the Zombie Emperor actually let him go.

Aix turned away coldly.

Walking to the cooking counter, he paused, reaching out to open the refrigerator beside.

Mousse only saw the Zombie Emperor take out a plate of scarlet meat still with blood threads from the refrigerator.

From the start of the apocalypse until now, it had been over a year.

The meat stored in mall freezers or residents’ homes was long gone.

Even if there was any, it had rotted beyond recognition due to prolonged power outages.

The meat in Aix’s hand was obviously fresh.

Death time wouldn’t exceed one day.

Mousse didn’t dare think about where the meat in Aix’s hand came from, or what creature’s meat it was.

He trembled and shrank his neck, curled up in the seat, raising his hand to cover his mouth and nose, trying to reduce his presence as much as possible.

Mousse heard the sizzling sound of hot oil in the pan.

The meat steak fell into the pan, oil splattering, the aroma of fried meat overflowing, filling the entire RV.

Mousse’s hair stood on end.

He could hardly imagine that after turning into a zombie, Aix still had such interest.

Not eating raw meat directly, but cooking the meat before eating.

Mousse couldn’t tell which was harder to accept, eating raw or cooked.

He could even hear Aix flipping the meat, once every 15 seconds, rigorous like a machine.

Perhaps someday in the future, he would also be flipped back and forth and fried by Aix.

Mousse felt a bit breathless, gasping shortly, then quickly covering his mouth and nose tightly.

This time the flipping sound was a few seconds slower, then the sound of the range hood being turned on.

Unknown how long passed, all sounds stopped.

Only the plate landing on the table, making a somewhat deliberate collision sound.

A few breaths later, Aix walked to his side, shadow enveloping down.

Mousse’s body stiff, hugging his legs curled in the seat, half a shoulder pressed tightly against the car door that had long been locked.

Nowhere to escape.

Aix leaned down, pulled him out from the corner between the seat and car door, holding him, walking toward the back of the car.

Mousse was scared and hugged his head, legs tightly wrapped around his waist, voice trembling begging for mercy:

“Don’t fry me.”

Being deep-fried was too terrifying; he’d rather have Aix bite off his neck and eat him raw.

Mousse felt Aix’s footsteps pause, then heard him let out an extremely angry and mocking cold snort from his throat, even carrying a taste of exasperation.

The next moment, Mousse was thrown onto the sofa chair.

In front of him was the table, with a plate of food both fragrant and colorful on it.

Mousse’s pupils constricted suddenly.

[Little Cake don’t worry, Brother X doesn’t want to rape you, just wants you to eat.]

Mousse looked at the food before him, completely unable to relax.

Not even in the mood to correct the wording of the bullet comments.

This was a steak pasta.

Rich sauce coating each strand of noodles, cut fruits and vegetables embellishing it, a perfectly pan-fried steak covering the top.

Mousse stared at that steak, face horrified.

Aix pushed the plate in his direction again, knocking on the table, the urging meaning obvious.

“No, I won’t eat!”

Mousse retreated in horror, hugging his arms, doing his best to distance himself from that plate.

An extremely resistant appearance.

Aix frowned.

Mousse had previously had stomach trouble. These days, the food Aix gave Mousse was all easily digestible porridge.

But only drinking porridge obviously wasn’t nutritionally sufficient.

The body already not very strong became even thinner, wrists feeling almost abrasive when grabbed, making Aix inexplicably irritable.

“No picking at food…”

Aix slowly spoke, voice dry, vocal cords unused for days revealing strangeness. He paused and continued:

“Whatever I provide, you must eat, otherwise…”

Mousse looked up in a daze.

That overly familiar voice almost made him cry.

But when he looked up, he only met Aix’s pursed lips and scarlet eyes.

Those eyes looked at him with some scrutiny, brows slightly furrowed, as if dissatisfied with the weight gain rate of the food he raised.

Mousse’s nose stung.

Aix no longer existed; this was just a zombie keeping him as reserve food.

Although having Aix’s face, Aix’s voice… but he was just a monster wearing Aix’s shell.

At least, Aix would never force him to eat such things.

Mousse lowered his head, the back of his hand wiping past his eyes, suppressing the urge to cry, biting his lip, insisting:

“I won’t eat human flesh.”

“How could I give you—”

Aix’s voice suddenly rose, then fell sharply and stopped abruptly.

He slowly looked up, through the car window glass, seeing his current appearance.

Aix closed his eyes, hiding his scarlet eyes.

When speaking again, his voice returned to deathly silence.

“Not what you think… it’s low-level mutant animal, ordinary people can also absorb it.”

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