Do you want me to help you turn back into a human?

"Wh-…What?"

Fang Li's words left Mumei completely stunned.

But at the same time, a somewhat flustered emotion welled up within Mumei's heart.

It was the kind of reaction someone has when their secret thoughts are exposed.

Seeing Mumei like this, Fang Li's eyes flickered slightly.

Immediately afterward, Fang Li ruthlessly revealed the deepest desire within Mumei's heart.

"You… want me to help you turn back into a human?"

At that moment, Mumei's heart trembled.

Yes.

That was the reason Mumei had come looking for Fang Li.

Perhaps, even Mumei herself hadn't realized it?

In truth, just like Ikoma, this girl also longed to become human again.

Therefore, after witnessing Ikoma's transformation back into a human because of Fang Li, the deepest desire within the girl called Mumei was born.

This desire, though once suppressed by Mumei, had not disappeared.

It prompted Mumei's subconscious actions, leading her to find Fang Li.

However, Mumei had always been unwilling to admit this thought.

Not that she didn't want to admit it, but that she couldn't.

"No!"

Immediately, Mumei almost uncontrollably took a step away from Fang Li, her gaze fixed on him.

"I can't turn back into a human!"

This sentence was less of a statement to Fang Li and more of a warning to herself.

"If I turn back into a human, my strength will definitely decrease a lot, and I might not even be able to fight the Kabane anymore!"

"If I can't fight the Kabane, I'll become useless!"

"Then, I'll definitely be abandoned!"

Mumei's voice echoed throughout the surroundings.

It was only then that Mumei realized.

She had unknowingly shouted at Fang Li.

"Th-that…" Mumei was immediately at a loss.

Fang Li, on the other hand, hadn't shown the slightest surprise from beginning to end, looking at the bewildered Mumei with thoughtful eyes.

Then, Fang Li spoke.

"Frankly speaking, I know you didn't willingly become a Kabaneri."

Fang Li's words startled Mumei again, and after reacting, she immediately shook her head, saying, "That's not right, I voluntarily became a Kabaneri."

Mumei knew clearly.

The reason she had become a Kabaneri was not like Ikoma, who had been suddenly bitten and, in order to save his life, used methods to suppress the Kabane virus from invading his brain, thus being forced to become a Kabaneri.

In reality, Mumei had never been bitten by a Kabane.

Therefore, Mumei had volunteered.

However, Fang Li had said this.

"That's not what I'd call volunteering, is it?" Fang Li grinned, saying, "You only became a Kabaneri based on someone else's wishes, following someone else's expectations; it can't be considered voluntary at all."

Mumei's fist clenched suddenly.

"You don't know anything…" Mumei stared intently at Fang Li, speaking in a low voice, "You don't know anything, so don't talk like you understand me so well."

"…Don't know anything?" Fang Li met Mumei's gaze, replying with this sentence.

"How do you know I don't know anything? Maybe I know more than you do?"

Leaving behind these words, Fang Li seemed to no longer want to pay attention to Mumei, walking towards the cave ahead.

Seeing this, Mumei's delicate and lovely face was filled with struggle, and after a while, as if giving up, she followed behind Fang Li, heading towards the cave.

The cave that Fang Li and Mumei found seemed to be a mine.

Therefore, inside the cave, there were not only rails used for transportation but also lights for illumination.

However, perhaps because of the Kabane, this mine had been abandoned, and all the equipment was covered in the traces of time, with only the lights seeming to still be functional.

So, Fang Li lit the lights, causing the cave to be filled with a bit of light and warmth.

Then, Fang Li and Mumei casually found a place to sit down.

Perhaps because she was sulking, Mumei sat down across from Fang Li without a word, looking like a pouting child.

Looking at Mumei like this, Fang Li couldn't help but chuckle. He took out water and biscuits from his Leg Pouch and asked Mumei, "Want some?"

"No," Mumei replied without thinking, but immediately reacted and glared at Fang Li. "You know I'm a Kabaneri and only need to drink blood."

"But I'm not asking a question I already know the answer to, okay?" Fang Li leisurely tore open a biscuit, ate it with water, and said, "Even if you know the other person doesn't need it, you still have to ask at a time like this. That's what you call etiquette."

"I don't understand things like that," Mumei said sullenly. "I was only taught how to fight Kabane."

"Is that so?" Fang Li asked seemingly casually, "Didn't your parents teach you?"

Mumei fell silent.

The atmosphere around them suddenly became heavy.

In this era overrun by man-eating monsters, asking about someone's family and getting this kind of reaction meant that even an idiot would know that their family was long gone.

And Fang Li was neither an idiot, nor, because he was familiar with the original story, should he have approached this forbidden zone.

However, Fang Li, as if on purpose, continued to press, "What? Didn't your parents really teach you?"

"...Maybe they did, but I've forgotten," Mumei buried her head between her drawn-up knees, her expression hidden. Only her voice continued to sound, "That was a long time ago."

"Is that so?" Fang Li shrugged and suddenly said, "In other words, you don't have any family now?"

"That's not true," Mumei directly denied, resolutely replying, "I still have Brother."

Mumei, who answered in this way, didn't know.

When she mentioned this so-called 'Brother', there was no curiosity in Fang Li's eyes, only sarcasm.

"Brother, huh?" Fang Li munched on his biscuit and said leisurely, "I presume he's not your biological brother either, is he?"

"Whether he's biological or not doesn't matter," Mumei slightly raised her head, looked at Fang Li, and her eyes were full of spirit. "Brother is very good to me, and that's enough."

"Good to you?" Fang Li couldn't help but laugh.

This time, even the smile was full of sarcasm.

The meaning of that sarcasm was understood even by Mumei, who didn't understand much about human relationships.

In this situation, an unprecedentedly strong emotion surged in Mumei's heart.

"What are you laughing at?"

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