Zixin stumbled out into the street, his heart racing and his lungs burning. He couldn't shake the image of the woman's face from his mind. Her terrified eyes haunted him. How had he let himself get distracted like that? His brother, his only family left, was out there somewhere, and he'd wasted precious time.
In a surge of frustration, he pulled the snake off his neck and tossed it to the ground.
"You've been nothing but trouble!" he yelled, the heat of his anger bubbling over.
"I was trying to keep you safe!" the snake protested, its little voice trembling. "This is just the first day! If you don't rack up enough points, you're not going to make it!"
"Make it for what?!" Zixin snapped back, his fists clenched at his sides.
"Bigger, badder enemies!" the snake shot back, its beady eyes wide with fear.
Zixin froze, a chill running down his spine at the thought. He gripped the snake tightly, feeling its scales wriggle helplessly in his grasp.
"What do you know?" he demanded, shaking it slightly. "Tell me right now!"
The snake gulped, its voice barely a whisper.
"It's only going to get worse from here. This is a test for your race, Zixin. Only the strongest will survive, and the strongest have to face a great battle in the end. If you want to stay alive, you need to start racking up points and leveling up as fast as you can!"
Zixin's heart sank at the weight of those words. This wasn't just some game. It was a fight for survival.
"I'm only trying to help you," the snake panted, desperation creeping into its tone. "Trust me. I'm bound to your soul. If you die, I die. We're in this together."
Zixin hesitated, the tension in his grip easing just a little. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
"I just want to find my brother," he admitted, the anger fading into a dull ache in his chest. "I can't do this alone. I can't."
"I get that. But you can't let emotions cloud your judgment," the snake urged. "Focus on the task at hand. The more points you get, the stronger you become. And the closer you'll get to finding him."
Zixin looked down at the snake, seeing the sincerity in its tiny eyes. He had to trust something. Someone. Even if it was a snake.
"Alright," he said, reluctantly releasing it. "But if you lead me into danger again…"
"I promise to do my best," the snake replied, a hint of determination in its voice.
Loud sounds of shuffling were heard behind him.
The situation was fucked up as it was. When he had driven that moped with that woman, the sound alone had attracted a shit ton of those things, and now the zombies had all surrounded the hospital. He had no other choice but to hide for now.
That was the safest option.
"Or you can fight them now… and get points…" the snake said softly.
Zixin glared at it, instantly silencing it.
"You don't have to be so cold, ah. I'm just suggesting it for your own good."
"If I go for it, I will be swarmed. And all the points I earned will be a waste. Do you want that?" he grumblingly mumbled as he climbed over the gate and rushed toward a nearby building.
Zixin sighed, ducking down when a blood-soaked zombie shuffled past him.
Everything was fucked up.
He quickly ducked into a nearby apartment. The door was, of course, ajar. Vigilantly, he entered the first house he could see on the ground floor, which would make it easier for him to escape, but it too had its downside. If those things discovered him and attacked at night, then he was toast.
Carefully, he checked every nook and corner of the house. Realizing it was empty, he finally settled down. He closed all the windows and doors and shut the curtains.
Sighing, he sat down on the ground, hugging his slightly aching head. So many notification sounds were ringing in his brain.
After defeating that zombie baby, he had gotten that ridiculous notification that he was a baby killer now.
A big notification stood right in front of his face.
[Upgraded to Level 4 now. Congratulations, Baby Killer!]
Scoffing, he opened his notification.
[Name: Yu Zixin
Level: Level 4
Race: Human
Job: Undetermined
Mode: Easy
Strength: 6(10)
Dexterity: 7(10)
Health: 100(100)
Stamina: 10(10)
Luck: 2(10)
Mana: 230(500)]
[Additional mission completion reward: A mana gem. It once twinkled in the sky, but now it's on your hand. Use it wisely.]
"What additional mission?" It sounded ridiculous, of course.
He summoned it.
It was a red gem that looked like an uncut, unpolished stone, but it had a bright shimmer to it.
But the snake that had been silently coiled around him suddenly let out a loud hiss.
Without any warning, it lunged and took a bite of the gem.
"What are you—?"
Before he could even finish the sentence, the small snake had swallowed that humongous gem, letting out a loud burp.
"Hey! Do you wanna die? Spit that out!"
He tried to get that gem stuck in its body, but the snake, which was normally active, started to act hazy.
"Huh… what… I don't feel that good… burp…"
Its gem-like red eyes started to close on their own.
"Of course you don't feel good. You just ate a fucking stone! Spit it out!" he whisper-shouted as he wrangled with its small body.
But the limp little noodle just sighed and lay softly in his hand.
"I feel weird…" it mumbled, moaning softly.
Yu Zixin, who had never raised another living thing before, started to panic.
In this apocalypse, this thing was the only companion he had. And the thing knew a lot of things about this mutation. He couldn't let it die.
As he was thinking of ways to make it puke, the small, limp body let out a little shimmer.
It started to float out of his slightly trembling palms.
The little body coiled in on itself like a little rope.
It shone with a bright silvery sheen with a bloody tint, and soon the light grew blinding.
Zixin scrunched his eyes, trying his best to get a good look. But the light was too blinding. He could barely see.
Through his lashes, he noticed a small pink foot appear before his eyes. The small toes curled up.
Soon, the light died down to reveal a pale young man hugging his bent knees.
Well.
There was the other thing.
He was naked as the day he was born.
Mouth wide open, he just watched the young man float down to the ground.
Slowly, the man looked up, blinking his wide, innocent eyes. Pupils like rubies gazed at him in astonishment.
"Why are you looking at me like that…" a soft mumble came out of his plump pink lips.
"Um… who are you?"
"It's me. I'm your little snake," he whispered, crawling over to him.
Well… nothing was left to the imagination there.
"Why are you looking away? Have I become hideous?" the young man mumbled as he gazed down at his hand.
"Ah! Why do I have hands?!"
The zombie grunting outside became louder.
Stunned, Zixin quickly cupped the young man's mouth tightly.
"Quietly."
Those stunned, doe-like eyes blinked up at him in shock.
Zixin silently gulped. Those eyes really looked like little gems, shining softly. Stunned by that sudden thought, he quickly removed his hand and moved away from him.
"Get dressed."
"But how am I human… Zixin, look! I even have a human penis." He smiled dazzlingly as he touched himself.
"Stop being inappropriate. And get dressed," he said through his gritted teeth.
"But snakes never wear clothes. You were not offended before."
"No buts! Get dressed."
He tossed his jacket over to him.
Pouting, the young man draped the coat over his slender shoulder as he stood up.
In their position, with Zixin sitting and him standing, he of course came face to face with that offending organ.
To his shock, that thing was pink and pretty.
"If you wave your thing in front of my face, I will cut it off," he grumbled through his gritted teeth.
The young man pouted even more.
"What's offending about it? I have the same organs you do…" Saying so, he found some pants in the bedroom and put them on.
"Why did I change, though…" Mumbling, he came and sat down beside him.
Zixin scooted away and leaned against the wall with his eyes closed.
Even now, he couldn't get that image out of his head.
'I have seen many naked men. This is not such a bad thing…' he told himself.
"Why are you being so cold to me…" the man mumbled ever so softly as he nuzzled close.
"Can't you sit on your own?"
"No, the floor is cold… I want body heat."
Zixin sighed, looking into the distance.
'What have I gotten into…'