The Evolution of My Zombie Girlfriend

Mei Wen paid him no heed, sheathing his dagger as he strode to the rear of the vehicle. His brow furrowed in consternation as he gazed into the trunk, where a man lay sprawled, his body marred by countless injuries. To his surprise, there was another soul hidden within.

"He offended Xu Ge and Zhao Xu," Ayan whispered, her voice barely audible, wary of Mei Wen's reaction. She quickly adjusted her tone, referring to Zhang Xu instead, "He is Zhang Xu's younger brother... I believe he is a traveling merchant."

While Mei Wen showed little interest in the man's identity, the mention of a traveling merchant piqued his curiosity. Traveling merchants, those itinerant traders who roamed the world without a fixed abode, always carried tales and goods from distant lands.

"Are you indeed a traveling merchant?" Mei Wen inquired in a low, measured tone, his gaze fixed on the injured man.

The man coughed weakly, nodding with visible trepidation, curling into himself as if seeking refuge from unseen threats.

A faint smile flickered across Mei Wen's lips as he severed the ropes binding the man. "I have saved your life," he said, gently lifting the man to the ground. Leaning down, he placed a compressed biscuit in the man's trembling hand, his words direct yet not unkind, "Therefore, you owe me a debt."

With Mei Wen's assistance, the man sat up, clutching the palm-sized biscuit. Tears welled in his eyes; this small ration could sustain him for over a week, offering a glimmer of hope for survival.

"How may I repay you?" The man's parched throat moved, his voice hoarse and strained.

"Your name?" Mei Wen asked, his eyes lifting slightly, indifferent yet expectant.

"Zhang Xin."

"Very well, Zhang Xin," Mei Wen replied with a faint smile, "It would be most convenient if you could visit the Death Place's Third District in one month's time. I wish to conduct a long-term business arrangement."

"You will come, won't you?" Mei Wen's eyes narrowed dangerously, adding a note of menace to his words.

"Of course, I will!" Zhang Xin stammered, beads of cold sweat trickling down his spine, "How do I find you when I arrive?"

"If you come, I will know," Mei Wen stated, standing up and looking down at Zhang Xin with an enigmatic expression. He turned away, pausing only to pick up the severed arm of Zhang Xu before getting back into the car.

Kneeling on the ground, Zhang Xin watched as Mei Wen drove off, biting into the compressed biscuit. His throat ached with each swallow, but the pain was a reminder that he was still alive. This desolate area on the outskirts of the Death Place offered a narrow window of escape; he had a week to make it out alive.

"Excuse me, can you help me leave here?" The driver, who had been invisible until now, approached Zhang Xin cautiously, his voice tinged with desperation. "I'm just an ordinary person. Without the car, I have no way to return!"

Zhang Xin cast a disdainful glance at the driver, recalling how obediently he had followed Zhang Xu's orders.

The driver seemed to sense Zhang Xin's hostility, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead as he fell to his knees. "I had no choice! Zhang Xu forced me to drive. I'm just an ordinary person..."

Using ordinary people as an excuse? Zhang Xin turned away, unable to bear the sight of the driver's pitiful demeanor. His gaze shifted to Zhang Xu, still breathing faintly on the ground. Rising to his feet, he walked over.

"Were you so eager to see me dead, brother?" Zhang Xin sneered, placing a heavy foot on Zhang Xu's chest. Watching Zhang Xu spit blood and gasp in agony, Zhang Xin's twisted smile widened. "I shall disappoint you."

As a third-tier ability user, Zhang Xin's strength was inferior to Zhang Xu's, but his status as a traveling merchant had ensured he never lacked food or drink. Yet, he had nearly died here because of Zhang Xu. As an ability user, his body, though still sore, was already recovering enough for him to walk normally.

"I told you I wouldn't do business with you. Why did you push me?" Zhang Xin pressed harder, listening to the sickening crack of ribs breaking before withdrawing his foot.

Zhang Xu spat out more blood, his eyes wide with despair, lips turning blue, face pale. After a violent fit of coughing, he finally breathed his last, eyes open in eternal defiance.

"Come with me," Zhang Xin muttered, rubbing his foot on the ground before turning to Ayan.

Ayan, whose face was swollen from earlier, eagerly stepped forward. Clinging to Zhang Xin's leg was better than being left behind.

"And what about me?" the young driver asked, his eyes red-rimmed.

"You? You're on your own," Zhang Xin sneered, pulling Ayan by the arm and walking away.

A woman could still provide some entertainment on the road, but what use was a man?

The driver stood motionless, his face pale with fear. He knew that following Zhang Xin would mean certain death.

Ayan carefully supported Zhang Xin's arm, glancing back at the driver growing smaller in the distance. She sighed inwardly, feeling a mix of sorrow and relief. Even as an ordinary woman, she could survive by attaching herself to an ability user.

"Is that man alright?" Ayan whispered, looking up at Zhang Xin's impassive face. "I really saw zombies in the car earlier."

"With his strength, handling a single zombie should be no problem," Zhang Xin scoffed, not sparing Ayan a glance. He stared at the overcast sky, a flash of insight piercing through his bloodshot eyes.

From start to finish, that man had given him the distinct impression of a madman—a complete and utter madman. Zhang Xin trusted his instincts; provoking such a man would be fatal.

Meanwhile, Mei Wen hummed a tune, driving leisurely. Yu Lan gazed out the window at the rapidly receding landscape, silent except for the occasional soft gurgle from her throat.

"Lan Lan, would you like to eat a crystal core?" Mei Wen asked gently, noticing Yu Lan's vacant expression.

Yu Lan ignored him.

"Lan Lan..." Mei Wen reached out, gently touching her cheek to draw her attention. Finally, Yu Lan turned, glaring at him.

"Would you like to eat a crystal core?" Mei Wen repeated, holding two cores to her mouth.

Yu Lan hesitated, then took one core, chewing slowly. She refused the second one.

Today, she had consumed six crystal cores in total. Mei Wen noted this silently.

Each rank had a limit to the amount of energy one could absorb daily. Exceeding this limit could cause harm to the body, while falling below it would slow growth. It seemed that Yu Lan's daily intake capacity was six crystal cores.

Previously, Yu Lan had been a fifth-rank isolation-type ability user, capable of creating a protective barrier to deflect attacks. Now, she appeared to be merely a second-rank zombie.