Zixin received multiple notification dings annoyingly ringing in his ear. Pushing the guy's head that was nuzzling him, he opened the new notifications.
[Mana Gem consumed.]
[Mutation detected.]
[Companion evolution successful.]
[Species has changed.]
[Unknown species.]
[Potential evolution path: ???]
[Updating species status window... it will take a while….]
"So you're not even a snake now? You're an unknown species." Zixin said, pushing the persistent guy's head off his shoulders. "Can you not do that, please? It's quite annoying. I don't like people touching me."
"But I'm so cold."
"That's what happens if you don't wear clothes."
"I'm wearing clothes though."
Zixin gazed at the coat that was half-heartedly draped on his naked shoulders. His eyes traveled down the naked chest to his pants that hung loosely on his hips. "You need to wear a shirt also."
"But it's so constricting. I don't like these clothes."
"What is with you and buts? Just wear clothes if you want to be warm." He pulled the coat that was wide open and made the guy sit straight. "And why the hell did you even eat that thing?"
"I don't know. I just felt like it. It looked delicious…" He licked his plump lips with his red tongue. It weirdly felt sensual.
"God…" mumbling, he tried his best to distract himself from this new intrusion in his life. He pulled out another bread packet and handed it to the guy without looking at him. "Eat."
A pale hand took the bread.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed the man looking at it confusingly, turning it from side to side.
"Give me that!" He plucked it from him, tore open the plastic, and handed it back to him. "Eat."
"But…"
"No buts!"
"Okay…" Dejected, the man bit the bread and chewed on it. "But I like meat…" he mumbled under his breath.
"Sorry, don't have a luxurious meal ready for you. You just have to adjust to what I have, or you can go scavenge for food yourself." He snarkily countered.
"You want me to leave?" The man mumbled in shock. "You're so mean, Zixin. I'm your soul-bound beast. How can you say that? Mean…" He scoffed and looked away with his cheeks all blown up like a kid.
Sighing, Zixin took out the small can of Spam. "Here." He handed it to him.
"Eeee! Thanks!" The man took it happily and ate it with relish.
Looking at his handsome face that didn't match his behavior, a sudden thought came to him. "How old are you?"
"A day old." The man said with a grin. "You hatched me, didn't you, Zixin~"
Zixin just gaped. "Yeah… I gotta adjust to this new world…" He went back to eat the half-eaten bread, his eyes occasionally falling on his new companion. "What's your name, by the way… Sorry, I didn't ask before…" He awkwardly scratched his head.
The man just tilted his head. "I don't have one. Can you give me one?"
Smiling to himself, Zixin thought about it. The guy looked like a fresh bun that he had had in his hand, plump and pale and cute. "How about Bao?" he said without realizing it.
"I like it! I'm Bao!" He crawled closer. "I really like it." His coat had come undone, revealing his pale expanse of chest.
Zixin scooted farther away. "Wear your clothes properly." He mumbled, clearing his throat.
Suddenly, a notification ding was heard loudly in his ear. He opened it instantly.
[Species status window updated]
[Name: Bao
Level: Level 4
Race: Unknown?
Job: Undetermined
Mode: Easy
Strength: 10(10)
Dexterity: 10(10)
Health: 100(100)
Stamina: 10(10)
Luck: 9(10)
Mana: 1800(1800)
Special ability: Predator Sense]
Looking at the unnatural status, he let out a loud sigh. "Yeah, the snake has more mana than me… and more luck than me… Great."
After the meal, they decided to rest up. The bedroom was off-limits because there was a corpse in there. So they closed up the room and decided to sleep on the living room sofa. Well, if it were for one person, it would have fit perfectly, but the team had now grown to two. Bao also needed space.
Taking the gentleman route, he let the little snake take the sofa while he just lay flat on the ground, gazing up at the ceiling.
"Why don't you join me too?"
"No… just sleep quietly."
"Why don't you like talking? I like talking very much."
"Just go to sleep, will you?"
"I can't. I really would like to talk to you. Tomorrow, when you wake up, I want you to kill as many zombies as you can. Kill, kill, kill. And get as much mana as you can. Only then will you be able to deal with what happens later."
Zixin looked up at him curiously. "What happens later?"
Bao just opened his mouth wide as if to say something, but he let out a sigh. "I am not allowed to tell you. Just… do that, will you? Please… pretty please…"
"Fine, fine." He pulled the blanket over his head.
"Zixin… can I also be like a human now? Will I need to poop every day? Because I usually only poop once a week or so… Will I have to poop every day? I don't like that. It takes time and it smells and…"
Zixin shot up, glaring at him.
The young man shut up instantly with a pout.
Sighing, he lay down, rubbing his aching head.
"Good night, Zixin…" a soft voice whispered in the dark.
It had been so long… so long since someone had said good night to him. Weirdly, it made him feel all tingly inside. Rolling away, he mumbled a good night and went off to sleep.