Chapter 34: I Have Returned to the World of the Undead

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A wave of distortion passed before Du Yun’s eyes. The intense sensation of weightlessness left her feeling as if all strength had been drained from her body. When she regained her senses, she was already back in the room of the world lost to the living dead, and in front of her, watching with a stern face, was none other than the man known as the Boss.

Du Yun’s legs had long since gone limp and powerless. She collapsed at the edge of the heated brick bed, unable to move an inch. Sitting at the head of the bed, the Boss gripped his hoe tightly, his gaze burning and intense, as if he intended to see straight through her.

Being stared at so intently made Du Yun feel alternately cold and hot, like a tiny ant under a spotlight. Despite her clothes, she felt as though his gaze had stripped her bare, not a single secret left unseen. No—this wasn’t just a feeling. She suddenly recalled the earlier events: he had indeed seen her entirely exposed! The memory made her skin burn with embarrassment. She hurriedly wrapped her arms around her chest, as if it could shield her from his view. Yet it wasn’t enough—the intensity of his gaze was more cutting than a laser, but his expression was colder than a mountain of ice.

Du Yun struggled to compose herself, but her body was so stiff she couldn’t move. Her mind churned with countless thoughts, each one making her heart pound wildly with fear.

She didn’t know how much time had passed since she disappeared. To vanish and reappear before someone’s eyes, especially in such an awkward situation—would the Boss consider her a monster? Or would he continue what had been left unfinished before, the thing so shameful she dared not name it? Or would he simply strike her down with the hoe, just as he would a zombie—ending her life with a single blow?

She was so flustered that as she tried to speak, she choked on her own breath and began to cough uncontrollably. The more she wanted to talk, the worse her coughing became, until she could barely breathe.

The Boss did not approach her, but stood up from the bed, still holding the hoe, his face expressionless.

This movement only made Du Yun more terrified. Was he about to silence her forever? Had she just arrived in the world of the living dead only to die immediately? Terror filled her eyes as she stared at the Boss, looking like a frightened little creature, her wide, watery eyes enough to evoke pity. She didn’t even notice that her coughing had stopped.

A sigh escaped the Boss as he jumped down from the bed, hoe in hand. He glanced at the bewildered Du Yun and coldly uttered two words before turning and leaving, showing her only his tall, solid back.

"Sleep? Sleep!" Only after a long while did Du Yun seem to understand his words. Her entire body relaxed at once, and she collapsed onto the bed, too weak to move.

"Phew, I thought I was going to be killed. That was close," she breathed deeply, the sense of survival so sharp that every breath felt like something she’d earned.

Watching the Boss leave, Du Yun let out a long sigh of relief. Instinctively, she thought he was making room for her, but then doubted it—he might be handsome, but he was so cold. Would he really be so considerate as to give her a whole room to herself?

No matter, she told herself. Sprawling across the bed, she stretched out her limbs. She was utterly exhausted.

She didn’t know how long she lay there before her strength returned and her stomach began to grumble in protest. Of course—she hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch in the Green Wilderness Star World. No wonder she was hungry.

Du Yun reached into her storage compartment and took out a meat bun she’d bought. The large bun was still steaming, its aroma filling the room and making her even hungrier. She was about to take a bite when she paused. The bun looked exactly as it had when she put it away—she realized the storage compartment preserved both freshness and warmth.

But that wasn’t the point. This was now the world of the living dead. Who knew when she’d get more food? She should conserve it as much as possible.

After some thought, she put the bun back into the compartment and nimbly jumped down. She decided to go to the kitchen for some flatbread to stave off her hunger. Even though two buns took up a whole compartment and seemed wasteful, food could save her life when it mattered most—best to be frugal.

In the kitchen, the fire in the stove hadn’t gone out completely. In the dim light, the girl called Peach was still sleeping soundly on the firewood pile.

Du Yun’s hunger was overwhelming. Without hesitation, she quietly took a piece of flatbread from a basin and began to eat it with bean paste and pickles, bite by bite. One flatbread later, she was still hungry and ate another, savoring the warmth and fragrance.

After two flatbreads, she finally felt revived. In the gentle firelight, she burped contentedly and let out a long sigh. Indeed, nothing felt better than being full!

Looking at the piles of flatbread in the basins, Du Yun was tempted to secretly stash some away. But after considering it, she decided against it. Eating a little was one thing, but stealing the food others needed was another.

Glancing at Peach, whose cheeks were rosy and peaceful in sleep—she looked no older than Du Yun’s own younger sister—Du Yun’s heart softened. She picked up the girl from the woodpile.

Though Peach was little and slim, she was surprisingly heavy—certainly no lighter than a fifty-pound sack of rice, Du Yun thought. Still, she didn’t put her down, but softly muttered to herself as she slowly made her way back to the room.

She set Peach down on the bed and, utterly spent, collapsed beside her. As she lay there, she thought she might have become a bit stronger, but the thought barely registered before she drifted into sleep, exhausted beyond measure.

Moonlight poured over the land, dispelling the lingering gloom. Inside, the long, gentle breaths of sleep filled the air. Sitting at the door with his hoe, the Boss finally let out a quiet sigh.

His gaze grew complicated as he looked in Du Yun’s direction. His lips moved slightly, then he warily scanned the area. Satisfied that there was no danger or hidden threat, he turned and went to the room where Skinny Monkey and the others slept. He squeezed onto the bed, found a spot for himself, and closed his eyes at last.