The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 513: A Greedy Fox...Uh, Dragon

Chapter 513: A Greedy Fox...Uh, Dragon

Greed was the true root of all evil, Xu Feng thought as he moved his fingers and toes, shaking off the stiffness from his "nap."

"Gurgle," his stomach was waking up too...

The noise outside had lessened significantly after his involuntary rest. It hadn’t been a planned nap, but he did feel more refreshed as if the brief knockout had somehow recharged his spirit.

He had dreamed of his grandmother again, recalling their time together in the countryside, and that alone seemed to energize him beyond words.

Before his nap, Xu Feng had been busy.

He had shoved at least one copy of every book in the bookstore into his space, along with items from the storage room and a bunch of miscellaneous belongings from the apartment above. The strain of moving so much into his space had given him a splitting headache, which led to his unexpected nap.

During his sleep, the murky grey of the outside world had darkened into night.

Xu Feng now knew for sure that it had been daytime when he first arrived in the grocery store, and now it was clearly nighttime. The new noises outside were hard to ignore.

Like the time he’d spent in Xu Zeng’s little fortress, nighttime was still the time when the zombies went wild. The sounds were loud, almost chaotic, and had a strange, manic energy that could almost be described as joyous, though Xu Feng knew that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him.

Zombies didn’t feel joy; they were simply crazed.

Peering out the window toward the grocery store, Xu Feng’s stomach growled. He wondered if the men from earlier had survived or not.

There were a few zombies lingering around the Piggy grocery store, but that didn’t prove anything. From what he had observed during the day, it was clear the man with Ling Ling had escaped in their SUV, leaving the two men who were searching for Xu Zeng behind as bait for the zombie cat.

Who had won that fight? Xu Feng didn’t know. His greed had kept him occupied, and now there was no way to be sure if the men were still alive, hidden somewhere in the grocery store, or if the zombie cat had devoured them.

Xu Feng took another look at the scene outside before his stomach growled again, louder this time. He lifted a hand groggily and rubbed his belly in slight annoyance. He had wasted a day because of his greed, but he wasn’t foolish enough to try traveling under the cover of night with zombies raving about without a car.

If it wasn’t suicide, it was hard mode, and he wasn’t ready for hard mode. He should probably attempt killing a few zombies with his pipe first before attempting that level of adventure.

His stomach growled even louder as if to remind him it was neglected and in desperate need of food. Well, considering where he was, "yummy" was a luxury. Even when cleaning up earlier, Xu Feng knew better than to use tap water. What if it carried the zombie virus?

The electricity was out, and while he could see in the darkness, it didn’t keep him from bumping into the bed of the former apartment owner a few good times.

With a sigh, Xu Feng grabbed one of his camping finds, a sturdy flashlight, and used it to guide his way to the kitchen. He pulled out a few more supplies from his space, making sure to only take out what he needed.

When he only took out or put in a few items, it didn’t completely drain him, but he still felt lethargic. Maybe he needed more rest? Or perhaps it was just hunger? Xu Feng wasn’t sure, but he knew one thing: he was going to eat, gross zombies outside or not.

He set out to make a simple meal.

Despite knowing he should manage his rations carefully, his hunger urged him to cook two packs of instant ramen. He also brought out some canned fish, a bottle of water for cooking, and a small bottle of his personal wine. He wouldn’t drink too much—not enough to get wasted—but it would be a small comfort from Donghua, and he needed to manage his water supply carefully.

Xu Feng prepared to make a fire to cook his meal, but to his surprise, the gas burner in the kitchen turned on with a satisfying click. A small flame appeared on the stovetop. He blinked in surprise, then smiled gratefully. It seemed the previous occupant hadn’t had an electric system or a gas line that was tied to the grid.

Instead, it was a straightforward, old-model stove that came in handy for the hungry dragon.

As he rummaged through the kitchen, he noticed a few items in the fridge. There were some moldy side dishes and once-frozen dumplings, but they had long since gone bad. The smell of spoiled food wafted out, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the stench of zombies.

Xu Feng wrinkled his nose and quickly shut the fridge and freezer, deciding it was best to leave it closed. The last thing he needed was more rancid odors filling his nose.

He focused on cooking his meal, listening to the sounds of zombies nearby and in the distance. The gas stove heated up the pot of water quickly, and soon he was stirring the ramen, adding the canned fish to the pot for a little extra protein. The smell of cooking food filled the kitchen, and Xu Feng’s stomach growled louder in anticipation.

As he quietly ate his meal, Xu Feng couldn’t help but feel a pang of loneliness. The noises of the zombies outside were a reminder of the dangerous world he was in.

He was still hungry after finishing the ramen, but he didn’t complain or eat more of his limited rations. Getting home was his top priority, but he also needed to find more food and water.

He sipped his wine slowly, savoring the taste. The warmth of the wine spread through him, easing some of the tension in his body. He knew he couldn’t afford to relax too much, but for now, he allowed himself a moment of peace.

It was very chilly now that night had fallen. Xu Feng could do that much, although the temperature didn’t bother him much. His body seemed to do well in the cool climate, and he had always enjoyed the heat of summer too.

Xu Feng stared into the darkness outside the window, lost in thought.

He missed his family, his friends, the life he had before all this chaos—his garden in Donghua, warm nights in his lovers’ arms, his growing family... he missed it all. But he knew he couldn’t dwell on the past.

He had to focus on the present, on surviving and finding a way back to Donghua or wherever he truly belonged. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he "died," or if any time had passed at all. Everything ahead was uncertain.

Xu Feng leaned back against the borrowed bed, letting out a long breath. This was his second time in this unknown person’s bed. In the past, he would be disgusted at the fact that he was in some stranger’s bed without washing the sheets, but now, he was a new and improved man!

His germaphobe habits needed to be ignored! This was the apocalypse!

The night was still young, and the zombies outside were still active. He would have to wait until morning to make his next move. For now, he would rest and gather his strength.

He closed his eyes, letting the sounds of the zombies fade into the background. He knew he couldn’t let his guard down completely, but he also knew he needed to conserve his energy for whatever came next.

As he drifted off to sleep, Xu Feng couldn’t help but hope that tomorrow would bring better luck.