With no other choice, Evan Ran made a small cut on his fingertip and held it out in front of Sophie Yu.
"Please take it easy. Seriously. Do not drain me dry."
Sophie nodded obediently and wrapped her hands around his finger. The moment her lips touched his skin, she began to draw blood with a soft, instinctive pull.
Her expression was pure bliss.
Evan felt the suction and estimated that she had already taken about twenty milliliters. He quickly pulled his hand back.
"I have no idea how often you need this," he muttered. "If you end up needing a few hundred milliliters a day, I really will die."
He sighed and started eating his instant noodles.
After the meal, Evan sat on the couch to think about their next steps. They needed a plan for the coming days, especially if they were going to move to the supermarket warehouse soon.
Sophie, however, had no intention of giving him space. She sat right beside him, pressing close enough that he could feel her warmth against his arm.
"I swear, were you always this bold before?" Evan asked.
He had been single for a long time. Sophie's direct affection left him overwhelmed.
"I do not know," she said with a small blink. "I just really want to be near you."
Evan rubbed his forehead.
Was this because she had drank his blood?
Was it emotional dependence?
Or did she simply want to stay close long enough to eat him later?
He would rather not think about that possibility.
Planning came first.
"Sophie," he said, "Do you have anything at home that could work as a weapon?"
His hammer worked, but its handle was too short. The frying pan had the same issue. Fighting zombies with short-range weapons meant exposing yourself to bites. And even if he could not be infected, it did not mean he wanted to test how many bites he could survive.
Weapons mattered, especially since the path to the supermarket required crossing two intersections. Fights were inevitable. And he would have to protect Sophie, who looked far too delicate to survive a real battle.
"Weapons…" Sophie tapped her chin. "I do not think I have any. But I know that the old man across the hall, Mr. Sun, collects swords and stuff like that."
Evan's eyes brightened.
"Across the hall? Good. Stay here. I will go check."
He glanced outside. The sky was darkening. Nighttime was dangerous, and any task worth doing needed to be done immediately.
"No," Sophie said, gripping his arm tightly. "I want to go with you."
Evan let out a long breath.
Was he really being clung to by a former zombie girl?
At least she was beautiful. If she looked like a classic horror zombie, this entire situation would have been a nightmare.
"Fine," he said. "But stick close behind me. If anything goes wrong, you run back home immediately. Understand?"
"Yes, Master."
The word hit him like a spark of electricity. He stiffened.
Master.
For a man who had never dated, this was the kind of thing that could cause blood pressure spikes. They had known each other for less than a day. How could she already be calling him that?
Maybe his blood really did have some unexpected effects.
But now was not the time to dissect that mystery.
He strapped his tools and prepared himself, then opened the door with Sophie right behind him.
The corpse of the neighbor auntie still lay sprawled on the floor.
"That is her," Sophie whispered. "She might have keys."
Evan nodded and searched the body. Sure enough, he found a set of keys. Perfect. No need to break down the door and attract attention.
He inserted the key and slowly opened the door.
The apartment was silent.
But the fact that the auntie had turned into a zombie meant something in here had gone wrong. Evan did not trust the silence.
He picked up a decorative apple from a side cabinet and tossed it onto the floor.
A heavy thud echoed.
If a zombie was present, it would respond.
He counted ten seconds.
Nothing.
Evan's tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Stay quiet," he whispered to Sophie.
They entered the living room.
The layout was identical to Sophie's apartment. Two rooms and a living space. Both bedroom doors were shut.
Sophie took a step toward the nearest door. Evan grabbed her wrist immediately.
Tightly closed rooms were the most dangerous.
He pressed his ear to the door. Nothing. He slowly pushed the handle.
A sharp squeak rang out from the old hinges.
A roar exploded from inside the room.
"There is a zombie in there," Evan said.
He lifted his frying pan defensively and opened the door fully.
Inside, sitting on a lounge chair, was an elderly man with gray hair. His wrists, ankles, and torso were bound tightly with rope. Fresh blood stained his lips, and he snapped viciously at the air when he saw Evan.
"That must be Mr. Sun," Evan said. "The auntie tied him up, but she was bitten by him afterward."
There was no pity in his voice. A year of surviving the apocalypse had hardened him. He had seen every kind of tragedy imaginable.
"Come on. We are here for his collection."
They moved to the study room across the hall. This was likely where the collector kept his treasures.
Evan opened the door carefully.
His eyes widened.
The entire room was filled with swords.
"Look at this bronze sword," he said softly. "If it is real, it is valuable. But useless in combat."
He picked up another blade.
"This one is dull. No good."
Another.
"Too ugly…"
He scanned the racks until his gaze landed on a long, elegant blade.
A Tang dao.
Shaped somewhat like a katana, but heavier, stronger, and made for combat. Likely a modern reproduction rather than an antique.
Evan lifted it and tested the balance.
"The edge is sharpened. It has a bit of weight. Perfect."
His smile grew.
If he maintained it well, this blade could take down hundreds of zombies.
In his previous life before being transported to this world's apocalypse, he had once picked up a katana from a zombie dressed like a cosplay swordsman. That blade had only killed a few zombies before chipping beyond repair.
A Tang dao was different. Reliable. Durable.
Just as Evan admired the craftsmanship, a loud crash came from the bedroom.
"Not good. The zombie broke free."
Evan reacted instantly.
"Sophie, behind me!"
She stood near the study door. The zombie only needed two steps to reach her.
But then something unbelievable happened.
The gray-haired zombie lunged toward Sophie…
and did not attack her.
Instead, it desperately tried to push past her into the study room, ignoring her completely.
Evan stood frozen.
This was not normal.
Something about Sophie… was affecting zombies in a way he had never seen before.