Chapter 37: Just sleeping?
“Aishh!! It’s already been 3 days! When will the rain stop?!” Watching the relentless downpour, Zhang Xiao Qiang sighed in frustration. There was no way of knowing what would happen after the rain, however, it was certain that the zombies would not just die out! He shook his head and went back into the cave.
When he re-entered the cave, he saw Yang Ke’er behaving mischievously again. She held a Beast Horn Spear behind her back with one hand, while another hand held to her forehead as though she was gazing into the distance, acting like she was Sun Wu Kong. When she saw Zhang Xiao Qiang coming in, she hastily shifted her stance and pretended to be practising her thrusts.
“Trying to slack when I’m not around again?” Zhang Xiao Qiang rebuked Yang Ke’er. In this world, having learnt an additional skill meant an extra tool for survival. Whether one had talent was one thing, whether a person put in hard work was another thing, even the most talented geniuses would not amount to much without hard work!
“What…. I was just resting my sore arms a little while, it was really for a short while! Plus, when I was working hard, you didn’t see, if you didn’t see those times, how would you know if I didn’t put in effort!” Yang Ke’er shuffled her feet begrudgingly, while trying to act cute.
“Alright alright! Continue your practice!” Zhang Xiao Qiang felt goosebumps.
The Beast Horn Spear in Yang Ke’er’s hands was about 1.6m, almost as tall as herself. Thinking about her body proportions, Zhang Xiao Qiang sighed again: “The areas that she should be developing isn’t developing, instead, her growth hormones are going to her bloody height. There’s nothing to appreciate ah!”
He had made the Beast Horn Spear for her, because he wasn’t a petty man. Even though Yang Ke’er had her weaknesses, and was cowardly, she wasn’t bad as a person, and knew who treated her well. She could be considered to have matured a little. It was just that this little lass would try to use her lack of body proportions to try and hook Zhang Xiao Qiang!
Her teasing was also a sort of torment for him, each time she tried to disturb him, he would think back to the time where he had accidentally peeped at her while bathing. Then he would suddenly regain his clarity, it was not that he shunned her, but to just thinking of hugging that ‘washing board’, he couldn’t get excited! Furthermore, with her around, Zhang Xiao Qiang had no chance to spend some time with Miss Five (His own hand), thinking up to this point, it truly made him want to cry!
He lit a new cigarette, and eyed the 2 simple leather hides in front him. His heart was filled with excitement as he cut them into strips and sew them into the camouflage clothes. “Even if they can’t block bullets, they can at least withstand the claws of the zombies?” He thought silently. His mind was suddenly filled with the memory of the D2 tearing apart the huge bus, “Other than the D2!” He made the decision then, if he ever saw a D2 again, he would have to run far away!
“It looks a little big? I can’t get used to it!” Yang Ke’er wore the camouflage clothes and spoke.
The camouflage suit looked extremely baggy on Yang Ke’er’s body, like a little girl wearing her father’s clothes.
“True, it does look a little too big…Oh! I got it.”
Zhang Xiao Qiang then pulled out a belt and draped it around Yang Ke’er’s waist, giving her the appearance of a cute military lady.
Yang Ke’er stuck her chest out, at the same time adjusting the belt, “It’s a little tight” she moaned.
“No choice, since you’re lacking a waist.” Zhang Xiao Qiang rolled his eyes and replied.
Yang Ke’er began to do some waist stretching, as Zhang Xiao Qiang lit up a cigarette, feeling bored. Suddenly, he seemed to have thought of something, and grabbed a plastic pail and walked towards the cave exit.
Beside the cave entrance, he used the pail to gather the rain. He was unsure if this was the right decision, as he remembered the previous time when he was tormented just after being drenched a little. It was an agony he never wanted to experience again. However, since leaving home, and barely escaping death numerous times, Zhang Xiao Qiang came to crave power. The power to control his own life and death, not leaving it to some ridiculous encounter which could rob him of his life, nor luck to protect him.
Carrying the pail, he went back to the platform, where Yang Ke’er was currently using a needle to alter her camouflage uniform under the lights. Obviously, she was not satisfied with Zhang Xiao Qiang’s sewing skills.
Looking at the huge pail of water, Zhang Xiao Qiang began questioning himself, why the hell did he collect such a big pail?! Is it his hoarding nature again? Anything that seems the slightest bit valuable, he would forget himself and collect as much as possible?
He grabbed a small cup to be filled, and as he stared at the water, he began to struggle internally. Should he drink it or not? This question was currently the most important at this moment.
“Lesser, I should try a lesser amount first!” He could not bear to down such a huge amount.
He straightened himself, as he watched the water trickle into the cup, and the agonizing and unbearable pain during that 2 days flashed in his mind again. He spaced out as he lapsed into a dilemma again! Before he knew it, the cup was filled to 80%.
Looking at the cup, the numbing courage that he had mustered began to dissipate like the clouds, as he placed the cup on the simple table on the platform.
He heaved a long sigh, lighting up a cigarette and eyed the pool below the platform absent-mindedly.
“Glug glug…. Ah!” “Deng!”
From behind, the sound of Yang Ke’er drinking and relishing before placing the glass cup back on the table came travelling to Zhang Xiao Qiang’s ears.
He felt something wrong, and immediately swivelled around.
Only to discover the empty cup on the table, while Yang Ke’er strolled back to the bed to continue working on the clothes.
“Wait!” Zhang Xiao Qiang called out frantically.
“……” Yang Ke’er turned around to look at him, uncertain.
“Why did you not ask me before touching my cup?” He was furious, this stinking lass really did not know the meaning of death!!
“Uncle, don’t be petty! I don’t mind it, so why should you?” Yang Ke’er retorted animatedly.
“Forget it, are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?” Zhang Xiao Qiang asked once again.
Yang Ke’er scratched her head in confusion, before rubbing her stomach, massaging her face, and massaged the back of her head. She then replied: “Nope.”
“There must be, try checking again.” Zhang Xiao Qiang continued pressing.
“I don’t think there is? I just feel the urge to sleep!” Yang Ke’er rubbed her eyes.
“Just sleeping?” He couldn’t believe it.
“En! Uncle, did you put something in the water?! You’re so despicable!” She quipped while reaching for her bed and snuggling under the covers.
Zhang Xiao Qiang wanted to retort but he noticed that she had already fallen asleep. Watching her sleeping face, Zhang Xiao Qiang could not help but stand guard, thinking to do away with her the moment she showed signs of turning.
“I hope she doesn’t transform into some weird thing.”
Zhang Xiao Qiang did not try to disturb her sleep, instead, he stood vigilantly.
After an uncertain amount of time, Yang Ke’er’s body suddenly twitched, and Zhang Xiao Qiang got nervous, his right hand gripping the Beast Horn Spear tightly, preparing to attack anytime.
Yang Ke’er turned around, her mouth mumbling in her sleep, as she scratched her backside while still sleeping. Being frightened for nothing, Zhang Xiao Qiang gradually calmed down but maintained his watch.
On this night, Yang Ke’er slept extremely well, while Zhang Xiao Qiang suffered greatly.
This lass was young, but she had many bad habits, like grinding her teeth, snoring, salivating in her sleep. She seemed to possess any crude forms of behaviour, and every little movement on her part would cause Zhang Xiao Qiang to tense up.
The funniest moment was halfway through her sleep, a strange liquid came flowing out of her nose, causing Zhang Xiao Qiang to be fearful that she was finally turning. Suddenly, she breathed heavily, and the unknown substance became a nose snot bubble, matching her breath as it became smaller and bigger with each intake and exhalation. He had a strange sense that he was watching a cartoon character sleeping.
After looking at his watch and noting that it had been almost 8 hours, Zhang Xiao Qiang could not withstand the droop of his heavy eye bags, and he fell asleep accidentally.