You're Going to Pet Me Bald

Compared to humans, zombies had slightly poorer eyesight, but much sharper hearing and sense of smell.

If there were survivors in the mall, they would have a hard time hiding from the Devourer. And unless they had a thick iron door, nothing could stop the fairly strong, tool-using Devourer.

There probably weren't any survivors left in the mall.

Chen Luo stroked Mi Li's head. "Mi Li, let's form a team from now on. That way, we can look out for each other."

Mi Li nodded, her cheeks flushed.

Leaving all these supplies in the mall behind simply wasn't Chen Luo's style.

Right in front of Mi Li, Chen Luo put every supply that caught his eye on the mall's second floor into his Ability Space.

Mi Li was trustworthy. Although Chen Luo hadn't teamed up with her and Mi Ling in his previous life, he had interacted with them and knew what kind of person Mi Li was.

Besides, he couldn't let one concern after another stop him from collecting the supplies here.

He had always intended to reveal some of the truth about his Ability Space to his core members anyway.

Mi Li didn't overthink it. She merely parted her soft pink lips slightly, marveling at the wonders of spatial magic.

When they went up to the third floor, they didn't encounter any more mutants, only ordinary zombies.

After taking some time to clear out the zombies, Chen Luo inspected the supplies on the third floor.

The vegetables were wilted, but still barely edible.

Chen Luo took them anyway. Even if he didn't eat them himself, he could trade them with others later.

Not everyone was as picky as he was. Even vegetables in this condition would be treasures in their eyes.

The meat, however, really wasn't worth taking. It had all spoiled.

In summer, without refrigeration, meat would go bad in three days at most.

Mi Li found the cabinet containing raw pig's trotters and took out a moldy trotter. Unwilling to give up, she sniffed it, then looked utterly disappointed. It had gone completely bad.

Getting diarrhea would be the best-case outcome of eating a trotter like that.

Mi Li let out a long sigh, wondering whether she would ever get to eat braised pig's trotters again.

Watching from the side, Chen Luo chuckled inwardly. Rather than tell her outright, he planned to surprise her.

"Let's go," Chen Luo said. "It's time we left."

Only the second and third floors of the supermarket had supplies. The other floors housed clothing stores, play areas, restaurants, and a cinema.

Mi Li nodded.

"Mi Li, why don't you come see where I live and stay for dinner?" Chen Luo asked.

Without their experience in the mall, Mi Li would definitely have refused. Now, however, she hesitated.

It wasn't that she didn't want to go, but she needed to stay home and wait for her sister. If her sister returned and couldn't find her, how worried would she be?

Rice had said that Mi Ling was definitely alive and had a feeling that she would come back for Mi Li.

Mi Li didn't know whether that was true, but she wanted to believe it. Otherwise, she couldn't imagine how painful a world without her sister would be.

If she hadn't run out of food at home, Mi Li would have stayed there waiting for her sister instead of going anywhere. She would never have come out with Chen Luo.

Looking torn, Mi Li said, "Brother Chen Luo, I want to go too, but I have to wait for my sister. How about I visit after she comes back?"

Chen Luo had already promised Rice that he would take the cat to eat braised fish. Mi Li might have been hesitant, but Rice couldn't wait.

Rice urged Mi Li directly, "Didn't you leave a note at home? Mi Ling won't worry when she sees it. Besides, I have a feeling she won't come back today."

Only people communicating mentally with Rice could hear the cat's words.

Hearing that, Mi Li seemed to make up her mind. "Brother Chen Luo, your home isn't far, is it?"

Chen Luo gave her the address. It wasn't far at all. "All right, then," Mi Li said. "But I can't stay too long."

Chen Luo glanced at her. If you wanted to stay the night, I certainly wouldn't refuse.

He called Su Dazhu and Dharma King over, and they all set off for home.

Rice was the most impatient of all. The cat had even dreamed of eating fish the night before.

There was no greater happiness in the world than a cat getting to eat fish.

As he drove, Chen Luo couldn't help finding Rice's restless impatience amusing.

This cat really was extraordinary, actually able to sense danger.

Although that ability was still weak, it was already incredible.

Only a mental ability user of at least level ten could do something like that.

But why hadn't Rice sensed that Dharma King would bite the cat?

After thinking it over, Chen Luo had his answer. That hadn't counted as danger at all. It had been an opportunity instead.

Soon, Chen Luo arrived home.

He didn't ask Ma Yu to open the door, since he had a key.

The house was pitch-black. Ma Yu, who had been keeping an ear out for any movement at the entrance, quickly noticed someone coming inside.

When she saw Chen Luo and the others, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Then she spotted Mi Li and was stunned. How had he gone out just once and brought back such an astonishingly pretty young woman?

Chen Luo introduced them with a smile. "Mi Li, this is Ma Yu. You can call her Sister Yu."

"This is Mi Li. Just call her Mi Li. Lili doesn't sound as nice."

Mi Li politely greeted her as Sister Yu.

Rice urged, "Fish, fish, fish."

Chen Luo laughed. "Sister Yu, let's get dinner started. First, make some braised fish for this little-well, Rice."

Ma Yu gave Rice a surprised look. It certainly was a beautiful cat, but making food for the cat first? That was quite the special treatment.

Even Dharma King didn't get that kind of treatment.

"Cats shouldn't eat anything too salty," Ma Yu said. "How about I make some steamed fish instead?"

Mi Li agreed on Rice's behalf without hesitation.

Rice, however, told Ma Yu, "Make two. Big ones."

The voice suddenly sounding in her mind startled Ma Yu. Only after Chen Luo explained did she understand why Rice enjoyed such high status.

Before Chen Luo had returned, Ma Yu had already begun preparing dinner. The ingredients were ready, and she had only been waiting for him to get home before cooking them.

At Chen Luo's request, she served Rice two steamed sea bass first.

When the dish was set down in front of Rice, its delicious aroma filled the air.

Mi Li liked fish too, but these had been made for Rice. If no one else had been there, she would definitely have snatched one.

With everyone standing nearby, however, she was too embarrassed to do that.

All she could do was discreetly swallow.

Boohoo, Rice, you don't even know to give me one. All that love I've given you was for nothing.

Ma Yu's cooking was beyond reproach, of course. Smelling that tantalizing aroma, Rice was so excited the cat nearly cried.

Heaven has taken pity on me! I, Rice, finally get to eat fish again, and it smells so good!

Rice gave a joyful meow, then began feasting from the plate prepared for the cat.

Watching from the side, Mi Li could barely think about anything else.

Meanwhile, as Rice ate, Chen Luo couldn't resist vigorously stroking the cat with both hands.

Petting a cat felt good. Petting a cat nonstop felt good nonstop.

Rice couldn't help saying, "Gentler, gentler! If you keep petting me like that, you're going to pet me bald."