The Post-Apocalyptic Survival Journey After Becoming a Beautiful Girl Chapter 18

I didn't agree. Instead, I took the dagger and asked another question.

"When we reach safety, we'll give you the food." The woman answered like that, which made me frown, but I couldn't say much. Her wariness toward me was only natural—if I ran off with the supplies, this mother and daughter might really starve to death here.

"I hope you don't plan on breaking your word." After warning the woman, I extended my hand. She looked down at it, stunned for a moment.

"My name is Fang Yuxuan." I blurted out my name instinctively, but suddenly realized something was wrong! That was clearly a man's name. No choice—I thought for a moment in my head before correcting: "Fang as in 'square earth and round sky,' Yu as in 'rain,' Xuan with the grass radical."

"Fang Yuxuan? Hello... I'm Bai Xiaoxiao." The woman reached out and shook my hand. Whether intentional or not, she deliberately applied some force, but to me, it didn't feel particularly strenuous. Yet she kept squeezing my hand, her face already flushed red, gritting her teeth as she continued.

After waiting a while, until this woman... Bai Xiaoxiao finally gave up, I asked slowly, "Was that... fun?"

"Hah... I... now I believe you can kill over a dozen zombies, hah..." The woman panted heavily as she answered.

So she was still doubting me?

But I was also doubtful... my strength seemed to be growing gradually since I woke up, especially after eating, drinking the glucose, and swallowing the ham sausage. I could very clearly feel my body slowly strengthening. Now I even had the illusion that if I jumped, I could reach the ceiling three meters high.

Of course, reason told me this was just an illusion. Maybe I really had gotten stronger, but it couldn't possibly surpass human limits all at once, right?

I was only a little over 1.7 meters tall. With my arm extended, I could reach maybe just over two meters. To touch a three-meter ceiling, how high would I have to jump?

Wait...

"Why not give it a try?" I muttered to myself, head lowered.

"Huh? Big sister? Try what?" The little girl immediately responded.

"Uh... nothing, I'll just try." I didn't mention my illusion, but I still took two steps back. Without a running start, I simply jumped straight up from where I stood, bending my knees and springing upward!

"Slap!"

A crisp sound rang out—my palm had actually smacked against the three-meter-high ceiling!

I really had gotten stronger!

Landing... I stared quietly at my palm. The layer of dust on it told me clearly: your body has likely surpassed ordinary human limits.

"Wow!! Big sister jumped so high! Juan'er wants to try too!"

"Fang... Yuxuan? Have you trained in martial arts?"

Little Juan'er's voice and Bai Xiaoxiao's voice both reached my ears, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Facing their different gazes, I could only say sheepishly, "Mm... I've practiced a bit." Then I looked at the little girl and added, "You still have a long way to go before you can jump that high. Grow to my height first."

Bai Xiaoxiao's look toward me instantly changed, while the little girl's affectionate gaze turned into admiration. To be honest, I wasn't used to that kind of look, but it felt pretty good.

"Then... Yuxuan, should we get going?" Bai Xiaoxiao urged quickly. Maybe my jump had given her a bit more confidence in being rescued?

But... when did she start shortening my name?

Forget it, none of that matters anymore. The physical enhancement has lifted my spirits quite a bit. At least... it gives me another sliver of hope to keep living, doesn't it?

I nodded and took another look at the mother and daughter. Not bad—at least they weren't like those idiot women in novels or movies who clatter around in high heels during the apocalypse. Both of them were wearing sneakers.

But still...

"Before we leave, you'd better tie something around your arms."

I lowered my head and thought for a moment, then said, "Go find some quilts or something and wrap them around your arms. When zombies come, it'll at least give you some protection. Also..."

I turned my gaze to the man lying on the ground. "Take off his bulletproof vest. Bai... Miss, you put it on."

Bai Xiaoxiao froze for a moment, lowered her head in thought for barely two seconds, then nodded at me and turned to walk into the hallway. In no time, she came back out carrying two quilts. Using my fruit knife, she cut them into strips, tied them around her own and her daughter's arms, then walked over to her husband's body. She murmured a few words, and thanks to my now-sharpened hearing, I caught every one of them clearly.

"Husband... I gave away your favorite knife, and I'm taking the clothes off your back... I'm sorry. But for our daughter's sake, for Juan'er to grow up healthy and survive... I'm sorry."

Her voice carried a hint of a sob. I had the tact not to disturb her and instead popped a piece of gum from my pocket into my mouth, feeling a bit bored. As for where the gum came from?

I found it, of course! Plain and simple! Hmph!

Chapter 15: Finding the Exit

This woman, though... Bai Xiaoxiao, was it?

Better to use her name. Calling her "this woman" or "that woman" all the time feels a bit disrespectful.

I thought to myself as I watched her struggle to take off the bulletproof vest and then laboriously put it on.

Watching Bai Xiaoxiao's difficulty was exactly why I hadn't told the little girl to wear it. The vest was heavy—not unbearably so for an adult, maybe ten or so pounds—but for a seven- or eight-year-old child, that weight would be enough to keep her from moving at all.

Still... mentioning children and ten-pound weights reminded me of my own childhood. A schoolbag stuffed full of books easily weighed twenty or thirty pounds back then. Yeah... that was exhausting.

I'm getting off track. Anyway, I chewed my gum and waited until the woman had finally prepared everything. She'd also put an extra couple of layers of clothes on her daughter. The weather wasn't cold yet, but it wasn't warm either—just comfortable, I'd say.

"What's this for?" I asked, pointing at the extra clothes on little Juan'er.

"Like you said, maybe it'll protect her a little. Even if I can't give her the vest," Bai Xiaoxiao said, stroking Juan'er's head as she spoke to me.

I nodded and didn't say anything else. As for two layers of clothes?

Tch. This woman had probably never faced those things before. Forget the green monsters—even the most ordinary zombie could tear through those clothes and dig out her heart.

Just as I was about to leave, I couldn't help reminding the mother and daughter one more time: "No matter what happens, you follow my orders to the letter!"

I didn't want any accidents from things spiraling out of my control, so it was necessary to hammer this in beforehand.

Bai Xiaoxiao didn't hesitate. She nodded to show she understood, and little Juan'er also nodded in a dazed way.

Whatever. This woman was what she was. If something really went wrong, I'd just run on my own.

But... could I really abandon a child and flee? Could I really...

Asking myself this, I took a step and started down the stairs.

The zombies in the stairwell were almost completely cleared, but as we descended, the number of zombie corpses gradually increased. Relying on my own abilities, I no longer lowered my voice and asked naturally, "Miss Bai... what were your family of three doing at the hospital?"

"Getting medicine for Juan'er."

"Was it urgent?"

"Mm, Juan'er had a high fever at the time, and antipyretics were already too late. My husband made this decision, stubbornly bringing me and our daughter to the hospital."

Bai Xiaoxiao's voice came from behind, and by then, we were already standing at the iron door on the fifth floor.

"Your husband is a real man." I didn't hold back my praise.

"But... where were you staying before?" I pressed my face against the iron door, lowering my voice and gesturing for the mother and daughter behind me to keep quiet.

"We've been at the Armed Police Detachment. My husband is an armed police officer. There's food, water, and weapons there, but no medicine." Bai Xiaoxiao's lowered voice came from behind.

"That Armed Police Detachment you mentioned, is it..." I was about to ask if it was the 'Tiexi' Armed Police Detachment, but suddenly