CHAPTER 2010: CHAPTER 2003: YOU STILL HAVE ME

Tang Ye glanced at the card in his hand before handing it back. The person on the other side took it and curiously asked, "Boss, don’t you have one?"

She shook her head, "No."

"Ah? What will you do when the Zombie King comes in?"

"Don’t worry about me. Let’s talk about you first. So, what about the others?"

"They’re all reporting to Wanhe Third District now. I have to stay here and deal with those things first." Mi Dongdong said honestly. Then, Ning Yu’er turned her head to look at the partition door beside her and asked, "How much is left?"

"A lot, a lot. It was originally prepared for you, boss, but when we got the goods from the black market, you disappeared. We didn’t dare to sell it because this stuff is too harmful. It’s been sitting here for a year or so already," Mi Dongdong said with a slightly complaining tone, as if Ning Yu’er had done something outrageous.

"Then why do you have to deal with it?"

"Boss, you wouldn’t know, but to enter the Dried Leaves Sanctuary, there’s a character evaluation. We heard this from some stranger’s mouth. The people who enter the sanctuary are generally those who aren’t of bad character. If we go in and these things are discovered, life would become difficult."

Mi Dongdong explained, and Ning Yu’er nodded knowingly. The things they referred to were substances extracted from some special plants, called "deactivation agents."

This substance has limited use. It’s generally used in labs for experiments on zombies. You could say it’s the tranquilizer specific to zombies, temporarily disabling them.

However, deactivation agents are strictly banned substances in survivor bases because they’re highly addictive to humans. Once exposed, it becomes impossible to quit—ordinary drugs pale in comparison!

As the Apocalypse has progressed, the Cloud Gorge Base still officially bans widespread drug distribution as it did before the Apocalypse. However, ordinary drugs are nearly legalized in secret because they’re insignificant to New Humans.

Typically, only ordinary people and low-level New Humans are affected.

But deactivation agents are different. They’re extracted from evolved plants, and a high enough concentration can affect even Level 8 New Humans. Therefore, many survivor bases have strict controls over deactivation agents, and possession is a capital offense.

Those caught would be hanged, their bodies displayed on the anti-zombie wall for a week!

Although Ning Yu’er could understand Mi Dongdong’s explanation, she didn’t quite agree.

"No need to deal with it. Just leave it here. Nobody will care about you at this point."

"But..."

"Trust me. Do as I say. Quickly gather your things and report to the Dried Leaves Sanctuary. If you’re late, there won’t be another chance."

"Alright, boss. I’ll listen to you. By the way, is your purpose for coming this time the same as before?"

"Yes."

"That’s simple. What model do you need? While you were gone, we stocked up well and can definitely meet your needs." Mi Dongdong said confidently, but Ning Yu’er shook her head, "It’s different this time. I need the maximum dosage."

"The maximum dosage... higher than H07?"

"It should be..." Ning Yu’er was uncertain, and Mi Dongdong opened the partition door, retrieving an oddly-shaped metal bottle from a wooden box inside.

"How about this?"

Ning Yu’er took it and was about to nod but then thought of something and shook her head again.

"No, give me the concentrated type, at least six hundred milliliters or more."

"What?" Her words startled Mi Dongdong, who looked at her with a strange expression. "Boss, what I have is enough to knock out a Level 8 zombie. You want the concentrated type... and six hundred milliliters... are you going to drug the Zombie King?"

Ning Yu’er said nothing, and Mi Dongdong realized his joking guess was correct.

She didn’t respond, and he didn’t ask further. In the past, they never questioned Ning Yu’er about her use of deactivation agents.

"Do you have it?"

"We did make some. Boss, wait here."

Mi Dongdong went back into the partitioned room and soon returned with a larger metal bottle.

"Is this okay?"

Ning Yu’er examined it carefully, thought for a while, and finally nodded.

She took out a brand new syringe from the innermost cabinet. The syringe was thick, comparable to an adult human arm. She skillfully twisted the end off, attached the needle, and inserted it into the soft top of the metal bottle, drawing out the pale-yellow liquid.

"That’s it. I’ll be off now. Remember what I said—leave those things and hurry to Wanhe Third District to report."

"Got it, got it!" The chubby little man nodded repeatedly, and Ning Yu’er said nothing more. She tucked the filled syringe into her waist, turned, and left the shop. By the time Mi Dongdong realized it, she had already vanished without a trace.

Meanwhile, Tang Ye had rummaged through Cloud Gorge Base’s war material storehouse but couldn’t find the chocolate Ning Yu’er wanted, forcing him to return empty-handed.

Arriving in front of the half-collapsed building, Tang Ye inexplicably paused. Not knowing what he was waiting for, he stood there for four or five minutes before entering. Heading to the second floor, back into the doorway where they had been entwined a while ago, he saw she had already dressed.

"Does it look good?" Sensing Tang Ye’s return, she lifted the oversized pants that clearly didn’t fit her like lifting a skirt and seriously asked him.

Tang Ye nodded without denying it. In his heart, no matter what she wore, she looked good.

"Good."

"Hehe, that’s good."

She smiled, putting down the pants, and walked over. However, before reaching his chest, Tang Ye noticed the smile fading from her face, replaced by an unusually serious expression.

"Aren’t you afraid?" She looked at him and posed this question.

Tang Ye shook his head but quickly nodded, "I wasn’t before, but now with you, I’m a little scared."

"It’s okay. I wouldn’t want to be just a pretty face for you. Don’t worry, you have me. At least I can help share some of the burden, right?"