Chapter 4

Ming Shiyu, familiar with the layout, pushed a shopping cart to the entrance. Considering the day's extensive shopping list, he specifically asked the Zombie Brother at the front counter, "Do you offer home delivery for large items?"

"Of course! But there's a 10% delivery fee based on the total cost of your items." The Zombie Brother's tone was enthusiastic, but his face remained rigidly expressionless—a clear case of facial paralysis.

Hearing about home delivery put Mu Li's mind at ease. He had been worried that if they bought two mattresses, their small car might not have enough space.

Ming Shiyu nodded slightly, signaling Mu Li to follow. They entered the supermarket, which was eerily quiet except for the distant roars of zombies and human screams echoing faintly from afar.

A shiver ran down Mu Li's spine. He whispered, "Those sounds... are they Players?"

"Mm." Ming Shiyu found himself wanting to smile at Mu Li's anxious expression. Lowering his gaze slightly, he tossed a bottle of body wash into the cart. "Pick out whatever you want. Don't worry about the price."

Mu Li blinked. "Okay!"

Although Ming Shiyu was very generous, telling Mu Li not to worry about the cost (should it be called "Points" here?), Mu Li still mentally kept a tally, determined to repay him when he had the means.

For now, staying at Ming Shiyu's place, he could help with the housework, making his stay more comfortable, which he considered his rent.

Mu Li first went to the home goods section. After much deliberation, he selected the most comfortable mattress. The sample size was 1.8 meters wide, which perfectly matched the width of Ming Shiyu's beds. Mu Li asked the sales assistant for two mattresses.

Ming Shiyu happened to walk over just then and left his home address. After they paid, the supermarket would deliver the items directly.

Next, Mu Li bought four sets of bedding, along with pillows, comforters, blankets, and the like. He wasn't being extravagant; these were all essential items.

Finally, having resolved the biggest issue, Mu Li exhaled and smiled at Ming Shiyu. "Thank you for accommodating me, Mr. Ming."

"Hmm." Staring at the dimple in his cheek, Ming Shiyu paused for two inexplicably long seconds before saying, "It's not accommodation."

The two of them scoured the Zangzang Supermarket, their shopping cart overflowing with essentials. When the cart couldn't hold everything, Mu Li grabbed another one.

In the food aisle, Mu Li hesitated, eyeing the ingredients. He lowered his voice and asked, "Can... can normal humans eat this? Is there any contamination in the zombie world?"

"If it's for sale, it's safe to eat," Ming Shiyu replied, in a good mood. He gently pressed Mu Li's cowlick. "Everything in the supermarket is fine."

Mu Li hadn't combed his hair that morning. His hair was long, nearly shoulder-length, and at first glance, he looked like a young girl with a bob haircut, very pure.

Feeling embarrassed by Ming Shiyu's touch, Mu Li flushed and grabbed a plastic bag, beginning to select ingredients for stocking up.

After all, they couldn't come here every day. Mr. Ming had important matters to attend to. It was best to buy everything they needed now to avoid troubling him further.

While cleaning earlier, he had noticed that the kitchen contained nothing but a cast-iron pot. He wasn't sure if the natural gas even worked.

After selecting the ingredients, Mu Li turned to the kitchenware section to purchase the remaining items. He mentally reviewed the list to ensure nothing was missed before heading to the checkout counter with Ming Shiyu.

After coordinating the home delivery time with the supermarket, Mu Li stressed that the order must arrive in the afternoon so they'd have enough time to unpack and organize.

Seeing his earnest expression, Ming Shiyu's lips curved slightly as he turned away to cough a few times.

Startled, Mu Li rushed forward. "Are you feeling unwell? Let me drive instead."

"I'm fine, just a tickle in my throat," Ming Shiyu replied, shaking his head.

"Right, is there a pharmacy nearby? I could get you some medicine," Mu Li said, scanning the surroundings.

"No need, my condition doesn't require medication," Ming Shiyu said. The two of them carried eight large shopping bags, filling the trunk and back seats of the small car to the brim.

The walk back left Mu Li exhausted. Yet Ming Shiyu, the patient, showed no signs of exertion—his face remained pale and unflushed, as if he hadn't carried any weight at all.

Indeed, as a game NPC, Ming Shiyu possesses extraordinary abilities.

Mu Li secretly envied him. If I were an Alpha, I'd probably have such terrifying stamina and strength too.

Just as he closed the back door, Mu Li walked toward the passenger seat. Before he could even touch the door handle, he heard a scream: "Help me!!!"

Mu Li instinctively turned toward the source of the sound. About five meters away, a group of zombies was chasing a woman he recognized—the one he'd seen in the cabin!

Could this zombie world be the "Zombie Campus Survival" Beginner Instance the System had given me earlier?

Chang Xiang was filled with regret. She'd thought leaving the Zombie Campus would mean clearing the instance, but she hadn't realized the outside world was just as overrun with zombies!

If she hadn't awakened a special talent that allowed her to escape quickly, she would have died long ago.

Just as she was about to collapse from exhaustion, she spotted a sedan nearby and a human who was clearly not a zombie.

"Help! Can I get in the car?" Chang Xiang pleaded, her body splattered with zombie blood, making her look utterly pathetic.

Mu Li glanced at Ming Shiyu, who had emerged from the driver's seat upon hearing the commotion. His eyes remained impassive. "No."

Chang Xiang begged desperately, "The zombies... they're coming! Please, help me!"

Mu Li couldn't bear to watch, so he went to the passenger seat and gave her a bottle of mineral water to soothe her throat. He then carefully asked Ming Shiyu, "Can she hide in the mall?"

Ming Shiyu nodded. "Anything visible can be hidden."

Chang Xiang was reminded that the mall before them must have places where she could hide. The two men she had encountered remained calm even as the zombies closed in, suggesting they were powerful figures with hidden strengths.

If she pestered them, she might even provoke them and die faster.

Chang Xiang thanked Mu Li for the water and activated her talent, sprinting toward the mall.

Mu Li was curious: what would the Zangzang Supermarket look like through Chang Xiang's eyes?

But there was no opportunity to ask now. He returned to the passenger seat, and they drove home.

Ming Shiyu noticed Mu Li's hesitant expression in his peripheral vision and raised an eyebrow. "What did you want to ask?"

Mu Li tightened his grip on his shirt. "I gave that girl water without asking you first..."

"It was just a bottle of water," Ming Shiyu said. Though he couldn't understand Mu Li's overflowing compassion, it wasn't worth dwelling on. Besides, if Mu Li hadn't been kind enough, he wouldn't have asked for her help in the first place.

He could see the deepest thoughts of everyone he encountered, and most players' minds were black or gray, filled with fear, scheming, and brutality.

Occasionally, he'd meet weak, useless players, their minds a pale, almost invisible white, consumed by thoughts of giving up and fleeing.

But the first time he looked at Mu Li, he saw a pure, gentle green.

Like the forest behind him at that moment, it carried a fresh, pure quality, like a breeze blowing across the grass.

Ming Shiyu's heart stirred, and only then did he ask the young man before him for help.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ming Shiyu heard Mu Li ask, "So, from a player's perspective, what do the Zangzang Supermarket and the zombie employees look like?"

Mu Li's curiosity was too strong to ignore.

"Due to the game's filter settings, they see only collapsed ruins and rubble. Unless they find the correct entrance, they can't see the real place," Ming Shiyu explained. "If she accidentally stumbles upon the entrance..."

His voice trailed off as he turned the steering wheel left, and the town's appearance sharpened in the thinning fog.

"Hmm?" Mu Li's eyes remained fixed on the youth who had piqued his interest.

"She'd probably die," Ming Shiyu said calmly. "The boundary between players and NPCs is clear. You can't cross it."

"Then... what does that make me?" Mu Li hadn't checked the System since last night, partly because he wanted to avoid it.

"You... you should be grateful you haven't entered the Beginner Instance yet," Ming Shiyu said. His deep connection to the Main System gave him access to much of its information. "Once you enter the Beginner Instance, you'll be officially registered as a Player."

"What about now?"

"Now you have a place to live, and you're an Unemployed NPC," Ming Shiyu said, showing a rare sense of humor.

The label of "Unemployed NPC" stung Mu Li. He resolved to look for a job once Ming Shiyu recovered, so he wouldn't be a burden.

When they arrived home, Mu Li first organized the groceries into the refrigerator, arranging the staples like rice, flour, oil, and salt in the cabinets for easy access.

He washed all the kitchenware thoroughly and left them to dry on the windowsill. The weather was beautiful, and they'd arrived home just after ten o'clock.

Mu Li only realized this after checking the System.

Busy with housework, he'd missed countless donation messages from the Livestream Room.

After wiping down all the furniture with disposable cloths, the doorbell rang. Ming Shiyu, who had been sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper, heard the chime and went to answer the door.

The Zangzang Supermarket delivery worker, a zombie, arrived that morning because Mu Li had repeatedly emphasized the urgency of his order.

Mu Li was delighted and casually handed the Zombie Brother a can of orange soda. "Thanks for the hard work."

Under Ming Shiyu's peculiar gaze, Mu Li closed the door. Only when their eyes met did he scratch his head. "What's wrong?"

"You really like giving things to people," Ming Shiyu said, his voice filled with the curiosity of someone stating a fact.

"It's probably an old habit. I like to give small gifts to express my gratitude. Think of all the service workers we encounter daily—they work so hard. It's natural for me to show them kindness and appreciation."

Ming Shiyu fell into thought.

Mu Li stripped the bedding and tossed it into the washer-dryer. The machine in this apartment could both wash and dry, so there was no need to worry about it not drying properly.

Still, Mu Li decided to hang the clean bedding out to air dry for the afternoon.

Ming Shiyu helped arrange the mattresses on the bed. As he left the bedroom, he saw Mu Li already busy in the kitchen.

It felt like the first time their home had ever been this... lively.

Why did just one extra person make everything so lively?