XG 27 - Don't poke a young man's confidence

A rough chuckle broke their conversation and a large, coarse hand patted Wong Xue Guo's head that surprisingly fit under his palm. "Hey, little princess, don't poke a young man's confidence. At least after doing that, praise him a little to ease his embarrassment."

Staring up at the crew cut haired man that was more than a head taller than her, Wong Xue Guo expressed her sincerity. "I did praise him. I said he did not pin a tag on his clothes."

Chen Jiang An stared at Wong Xue Guo incredulously. How is that praise?! Hearing a small giggle from Kim Sung-Ho made Chen Jiang An feel even more wronged.

"You did well." The crew-cut praised in a rather flattering manner which Wong Xue Guo refused to swallow.

"Although he does not look like it, this is the leader of my family's bodyguard team, Kang Xunsu," Wong Xue Guo introduced the well-built man.

Kang Xunsu grinned, moving his shoulder which revealed his tight muscles under his tight shirt. "And this bodyguard advises you all to get in the car. We will be getting out of here A.S.A.P."

No one argues with that.

"Mr Vihaan, what are you going to do next?" Suzie Yap asked the Indian man who had the look of someone that had lost his treasure as he gazed in the direction of the mall.

"I will take a taxi. Sung-Ho can follow me." Vihaan sighed with a pained heart at the loss of his hard-earned car that was still stuck in the shopping mall's parking lot. He could not retrieve it back and had to accept it as his liability now.

No one among them was not clear of the military’s next itinerary. The large area around the shopping mall was already cleared off in preparation for the bombing, with armed soldiers patrolling the area.

Their peaceful life would be changing soon.

Kim Sung-Ho nodded happily, expressing his desire to follow Vihaan. Vihaan chuckled lightly and rubbed the boy's head, not minding the wet soft hair under his palm.

"At this time, it might be hard to find a taxi," Wong Xue Guo said.

"We will walk as we try."

"Be careful of the drivers," Suzie warned.

Vihaan raised an eyebrow at the business card presented to him. "This is?"

"Save my contact. Who knows, maybe you will need help in the future?" Suzie Yap joked, but her eyes were serious.

Vihaan felt an ominous feeling from her words. That was why he accepted the card with a heavy heart, knowing that following her might be a good way to survive if the infection spread on a large scale. But he still has his hospitalized sister to consider.

"Go and hide in winter country. The virus is less active in cold weather," Suzie Yap advised. Although she thinks he has a good potential to have as their support with his decent morality, everyone has their own life and choice to make.

She was also not a saint that will forcefully push her ideals onto people under the banner of saving them. Not everyone will be grateful to their saviour.

Vihaan's gaze directed at Suzie Yap was tense, similar to one that wanted to say something very much. But then he changed his mind and laughed as he shook his head. "You are truly a mysterious person."

Wong Xue Guo understood Vihaan's mood well because she also wanted to know how her mother would know so much about the zombies. Common sense had her discard the crazy idea of her mother being a time traveller. She could come back using the time-travelling machine if someone in the future managed to invent one. But there was no sign of ageing from Suzie Yap at all, so it was not logical.

Without time travel possibility, the next possibility was her parents may be involved with the creation of the virus. They may have started it with a noble goal, but what resulted from it was a danger that would wipe out humankind.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Rummaging her bag, Wong Xue Guo passed one of the stun guns to Kim Sung-Ho. "Take it for self-protection."

Kim Sung-Ho accepted it with a small, shy smile. "Thank you."

"Thank you for your help back then. We shall see each other again."

Having the chance to see each other again means they would need to be alive to do so. Saying that was also a form of goodwill.

"I will see you again." Kim Sung-Ho said firmly, accompanied by Vihaan's nod.

They met each other under unwanted circumstances, fought together, and survived. It was a short time, but it felt like days. This will be a day they will not forget for a long time.

After seeing Vihaan and Kim Sung-Ho off, Wong Xue Guo could no longer ignore the fatigue clinging to her body. She climbed to the third row of the jeep, only to be told to sit in the second row. "Brother Xunsu?"

"I will sit behind. Little Yibo can sit with me."

"Danger?"

"Just in case."

"Hold on. Danger? Like we will be attacked at the back of the car?" Chen Jiang An's eyes grew wide. "Cousin, don't sit there!"

"It's too tight for three people in a row." Chen Yibo had already taken his seat behind his cousin. "I can also protect myself if anything happens."

The weak people should stay in the middle for better protection.

But Chen Jiang An refused to take it that easily. "I can also protect myself!"

"You are in second place from the bottom among our group when it comes to strength," Wong Xue Guo impatiently said. She has no complaints as the person taking first place, so why did the second place still make noise?

Just because his gender is male?

And so the second row was occupied by Wong Xue Guo and Chen Jiang An, the third with Chen Yibo and Kang Xunsu. The driver seat would be left to L.L, the sharp-eyed second in command of the bodyguard squad and Suzie Yap took the remaining passenger seat.

The car finally moved, leaving behind the infected zone. Yet fear still followed her, lingering around her heart like a phantom.

Kang Xunsu, who was seated behind her, patted the little princess's shoulder. After getting her attention, he wriggled his eyebrow at her attire before glancing at Suzie Yap.

With a pout hidden under her mask, she shook her head and wriggled her eyebrows happily.

Kang Xunsu's eyebrow raised in surprise. "No?"

"No." Wong Xue Guo could not resist giggling. Her new mother was not against her wearing these 'low grade' attire.

Kang Xunsu had seen the attire she packed for yesterday's graduation outing from her hiding place, so he knew Suzie Yap had very likely seen her shirt and jeans attire during the rescue attempt. She and Suzie Yap were now changed into clean casual sports attire, very likely changing into clean clothes together.

With her parents disallowing her to wear 'cheap' goods, it was difficult for Wong Xue Guo to buy them without being discovered. Thus, Kang Xunsu's credit card was needed. Most of her purchases were hidden in her accomplice’s house, yet to have the chance to see the sun. Of course, their movement could not be hidden from L.L, who was Kang Xunsu's roommate, but he kept their secret to keep the peace.

"Only for today's special event," Kang Xunsu reminded her.

"Doubt it. Who will still prance around in a dress and heeled shoes when they need to run from zombies?"

Just to die beautifully?

“Your mother is able to do it,” Kang Xunsu pointed out with a smirk.

If she had not seen how her mother slayed the zombies in her high heels and dress, she would have doubted his words. "Anyway, why is it only both of you? Mother did not bring more support?"

She had expected her mother to bring along her whole team, seeing that she was aware of the zombie.

"The others went to buy important stuff."

"Important stuff…"

Why could Wong Xue Guo guess that those things would be food, medicine, and petrol? Because they were the essentials in the apocalypse world!

"Nana said she went to eat dinner at a friend's house while waiting for me." Nana was the female bodyguard, also Wong Xue Guo's driver.

"We already told her we will be picking you up instead."

Their conversation could be heard by the Chen cousins, but only Chen Yibo listened to them silently. Whatever he thought about their conversation could not be deciphered from his neutral expression. As for Chen Jiang An, he fell asleep not long after the car started moving. Not even the shaking ground from the bombing managed to wake him.

Kang Xunsu tapped Wong Xue Guo's head and jerked his chin at the sleeping Chen Jiang An. "Aren't you going to sleep like him?"

Wong Xue Guo wanted to, but her imagination of where they could be attacked in the middle of the journey stopped her from completely relaxing.

"Just sleep. I will wake you up if something happens," Chen Yibo offered.

Wong Xue Guo gave him a weird look but was also wary of the belief that the words he had said out loud would make it come true. It was not the first time Chen Yibo’s words ended up coming true, which he claimed to be a logical event. While it was good that his prediction came true, what got him disliked was his inappropriate timing in voicing out his guess when his classmates were up to no good. Not long after, they get caught by patrolling teachers.

She wanted to stay awake, a decision agreed by her mind, but her body was wilful and forced her to doze off in the silent car with the comforting vibration of the vehicle. Luckily, her mind immediately woke up, ignoring the wilful body, when she felt the car stop.

The zombies had really dealt a great trauma to her mind.