Hoang City, Sunshine Shelter, Hospital.
Vuong Tu Hien paced anxiously back and forth in the hallway, his brows locked, his face a mask of tension and worry. He occasionally glanced down at his crotch, wishing he could just chop off the useless, rotten thing.
In his eyes, what was merely an iron door had sealed off all his paths.
"It's going to be okay."
Lam Pham, standing to the side, offered comfort. He truly admired Vuong Tu Hien's ability. So impressive, to be able to accomplish this. And Trieu Van's love for Vuong Tu Hien was truly genuine; she didn't despise his zombie identity. Perhaps this was a case of love blossoming over time.
Or perhaps, love could truly break the boundaries of species.
"Mmm."
Vuong Tu Hien nodded, really wanting to kneel by the wall and pray to the heavens. He asked for nothing else, only for her safety.
Creak.
The door pushed open.
Vuong Tu Hien shot his head up, walked to the gurney, and looked with a pained heart at the lying Trieu Van. Then he looked at the nurse who had examined her.
"How is she?"
"What's the situation?"
Desperate to know the results, Vuong Tu Hien cared deeply for Trieu Van. If anything had happened, for him, it would be as if his whole world had collapsed.
"Don't rush, let the nurse speak slowly." Lam Pham gently patted his shoulder, then asked the nurse, "Are the test results normal?"
Ever since the Sunshine Shelter got on track, the hospital had been up and running. Although there weren't many doctors and nurses, it was enough to meet everyone's needs.
The nurse said, "Brother Lam, how should I put this... everything is fine. Both the fetus in her womb and she herself are okay. It's just that the rate of formation is too fast, beyond our imagination. When we did the ultrasound just now, the fetus in her abdomen was still growing."
Truly, this situation was beyond imagination.
It could only be called incredibly unbelievable.
At least within their scope of knowledge, it was simply mind-boggling.
Vuong Tu Hien let out a sigh of relief. Nothing else mattered. The most crucial thing was that she was okay; that was the result he wanted to hear.
The nurses looked at Vuong Tu Hien with a mixture of curiosity and astonishment.
The person before them was a zombie.
And the pregnant woman was a human. A union between a zombie and a human had actually produced an offspring. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, who would believe such a situation was possible?
"It's okay, don't worry." Lam Pham patted Vuong Tu Hien's shoulder. Look how scared the poor guy was. Fortunately, everything was fine. If something had happened, he suspected Vuong Tu Hien might have committed suicide.
Don't think it's impossible. Honestly, given Vuong Tu Hien's feelings for Trieu Van, that possibility was very high.
"Yes, yes, it's good that she's fine. It's good that she's fine."
Vuong Tu Hien was truly at ease now.
Lam Pham said, "I think it's best for her to stay here. It just happened yesterday, and today it's like this. If things continue to develop at this rate, it feels like this child will be born very soon."
Vuong Tu Hien didn't even think about it and agreed immediately. Right now, as long as it was for Trieu Van's good, he would agree to anything unconditionally.
"Staying here is good. I'm not going back either. I want to take care of her."
"Alright, you stay here and wait for the child to be born. As it happens, Professor Ha is very interested in you. Let's go over to Professor Ha's place for a visit later."
"Huh?"
"Don't worry, it's nothing. Just a small matter."
"Oh."
Lam Pham instructed the nurses to take good care of Trieu Van and to call him immediately if anything happened.
Leaving the hospital.
Co Hang and the others were already waiting downstairs.
When they saw Lam Pham come out, their gazes all fell in unison on Vuong Tu Hien.
They already knew about the matter.
They just wanted to see for themselves. After all, everyone was curious, and they even wanted to give Vuong Tu Hien a thumbs-up and call him a badass.
They exchanged glances.
For the moment, they said nothing, but their exchanged looks seemed to be transmitting information to each other.
"Is he a badass or not?"
"A total badass."
"This is making history, the union of a zombie and a human actually produced an offspring."
"Badass-class, for sure."
"Holy crap..."
Vuong Tu Hien lowered his head. Was there something on him? Like, were the clothes he was wearing too handsome, or had his pill-shaped hair bun today attracted their attention?
"Congratulations," Co Hang said. Although he didn't know Vuong Tu Hien well, it didn't stop him from offering his congratulations. Life was just that simple; a single word of congratulations could make a person's mood joyful.
Look, a smile appeared on Vuong Tu Hien's face.
"Thank you," Vuong Tu Hien said his thanks.
Captain Lei, Old Chung, Dam Thanh, and the others did the same.
"Congratulations."
"Congratulations."
"Congratulations."
Curious as they were, their congratulations came from the bottom of their hearts. Vuong Tu Hien's role in the apocalypse was significant. From what they had learned from Lam Pham, he had been sending zombies out to search for Creators and human survivors.
During this period, he had provided the locations of many Creators.
And many survivors who were rescued also had Vuong Tu Hien to thank.
Their attitude towards Vuong Tu Hien was the same as their attitude towards Officer Hoang.
"Thank you."
Vuong Tu Hien's mood was indeed very good. He felt that heaven had been kind to him. In the peaceful era, he was just a keyboard warrior hiding behind a computer screen. Online relationships were his most forward steps, yet they had also made his already difficult life even more miserable.
The apocalypse broke out, and he became a zombie despised by everyone. But who would have thought that the world was so wonderful, that it would let him meet his true goddess.
He originally thought that being able to see his goddess every day for the rest of his life was the greatest happiness.
Who could have imagined... the goddess was carrying his child.
Even if he were to die now, he would die without regrets.
Absolutely no dissatisfaction whatsoever.
"He and I are going to Professor Ha's place. You guys keep an eye on the hospital, just in case something happens," Lam Pham reminded them. He wasn't talking about something wrong with Trieu Van, but about the child in her womb. It was an unknown variable until now. The offspring of a human and a zombie, what exactly would it turn out to be?
Until now, that was still a mystery.
"Got it."
"Leave it to us."
. . .
The Laboratory.
Professor Ha looked at Vuong Tu Hien before him. Even with his vast knowledge, after hearing about this matter, it had also stirred up a huge wave in his mind. He was so shocked he was speechless, not even knowing what words to use to describe such a thing.
"Professor Ha, in your previous research, did you ever discover this kind of situation?" Lam Pham asked.
Professor Ha shook his head. He really wanted to say, "I was researching the transformations of zombies. Why on earth would I think about whether they still have reproductive abilities after turning into a zombie?"
"Vuong Tu Hien, can I conduct a thorough study on you?" Professor Ha asked.
"Y-yes... you can." Vuong Tu Hien glanced at Lam Pham, then looked at Professor Ha and nodded cooperatively. A study was a study. He was also willing to make a small contribution to humanity.
He wanted to accumulate some good karma for his soon-to-be-born child.
"Follow me."
Professor Ha led the way, and Vuong Tu Hien obediently followed behind.
Soon.
They arrived in front of an instrument that one could lie down on.
"Lie on it," Professor Ha said.
"Oh."
Vuong Tu Hien obediently lay down, at the same time looking around suspiciously. He was a little nervous now, not knowing what was going to happen next.
Lam Pham stood quietly to the side, saying nothing. Professional matters had to be left to the professionals.
Professor Ha was their most professional expert here.
"Professor Ha, what is this?" Vuong Tu Hien saw Professor Ha sticking something to his head, and it was even connected to wires. Although he seemed to have seen similar things in movies, he was the test subject now. To be honest, he was a little nervous.
"Don't be nervous, it's a routine test."
"Oh."
Professor Ha busied himself, then stared at the screen, observing very carefully, nodding from time to time.
"Little Pham, look. In normal zombies, their brains are dead. The moment they turn into zombies, their brains have already died. But the brainwaves of evolved zombies reappear, indicating that their brains might not be truly dead, but in a state of suspended animation, and under the influence of some factor, they become active again."
Professor Ha didn't care if Lam Pham understood or not. After all, besides Vuong Tu Hien, only Lam Pham was here.
"Oh."
Lam Pham nodded, cooperating with the experimental environment Professor Ha had created.
At this time, Professor Ha picked up a syringe. "I'm going to draw some of your blood now. Don't be nervous."
"Oh."
Vuong Tu Hien cooperated, telling himself not to be nervous, but his body tensed up, and the syringe actually couldn't penetrate.
This situation left Professor Ha a little helpless.
"Professor Ha, should I make a cut with Frostmourne?"
"Mmm, you can."
Hearing the conversation between the two, Vuong Tu Hien hurriedly said, "No need, I was just a little nervous just now, my skin was tense. You can draw it now."
He knew just how terrifying the Frostmourne Lam Pham carried was.
That was a great weapon for slaughtering zombies.
The number of zombies that had died by this weapon was countless, unimaginable. If he got cut by it, how much would that hurt? So, that short sentence completely sobered him up.
Sure enough, Professor Ha's second attempt with the needle was very effective.
"Let me take a look at his blood situation. Although I've had it before, after such a long time, there should be changes."
Professor Ha began to observe the blood situation.
Gradually, he frowned, as if he had discovered something strange.
"Ah..."
A sound of surprise, and then nothing followed.
"Professor Ha, what's wrong?" Lam Pham asked.
Professor Ha said, "I just did a comparison and found that in his blood, there is actually no virus that turns people into zombies. This is very strange. I have also observed Officer Hoang's blood. Although he has reason, it is similarly contagious."
"Also, the lucky cells contained in his blood are very few. Compared to the sample drawn before, at least 80% of the lucky cells are gone."
Professor Ha looked in astonishment at Vuong Tu Hien lying on the experimental table.
Vuong Tu Hien's and Professor Ha's gazes met.
He was a little nervous.
This was like going to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor clearly hadn't said anything, but when their gazes met, it felt like there was a problem with him, and the doctor was organizing his words to tell him this bad news.
"Don't be nervous, it's nothing. Trust in science. You are fine, and Professor Ha is very skilled," Lam Pham comforted him.
"Oh."
Vuong Tu Hien glanced at Lam Pham. Alright, the most unscientific person here is you, and you're telling me to believe in science. Since you're the one saying it, I'll choose to believe it.
Professor Ha already felt that Vuong Tu Hien's evolutionary situation was very unusual.
Needless to say.
Dong Dong was a zombie and had been living in the Sunshine Shelter all along. He could learn and had reason, but the situation in his blood was different from Vuong Tu Hien's.
It was just a pity.
Professor Ha didn't know why Vuong Tu Hien could become like this. Perhaps it really had to do with his individual constitution.
"Vuong Tu Hien, take off your pants," Professor Ha said.
"Huh?"
Vuong Tu Hien's eyes widened, looking at Professor Ha in shock. He was a bit dazed. Why are you telling me to take off my pants for no reason?
"You had relations with someone, and the other party's belly became like this in just one night. Do you think that's a normal situation?"
Professor Ha had lived for so many years and had never seen such an unbelievable thing. If he didn't get to the bottom of it, he really wouldn't be able to eat or sleep in peace.
"Not normal."
Vuong Tu Hien knew it was very abnormal. He also wanted to know his own situation, but his knowledge was too shallow. It was very difficult for him to understand.
"So you take off your pants, and I will take some samples from you there," Professor Ha said.
Vuong Tu Hien swallowed.
He kind of wanted to say... how about we just leave it at that.
But Professor Ha's appearance clearly showed that he wouldn't give up until he figured it out.
"Do I really have to take them off?"
"Of course, you have to. Otherwise, how can I accurately find the location? Don't worry, there are only the three of us here, no women."
Professor Ha was an experienced person. Seeing Vuong Tu Hien's hesitation, he thought it might be shyness. Even after becoming a zombie, shyness still existed. This was a very normal emotion.
So he needed to reassure the young man, to let him boldly take them off without worry.
Since the words had been said to this extent, what else could Vuong Tu Hien say? He could only obediently take off his pants. His movements were a bit awkward. After all, even as a zombie, he was shy, especially with Brother Lam and Professor Ha staring at him, which made him feel a little uncomfortable.
The pants were gone.
The cartoon underwear was also gone.
Lam Pham saw Vuong Tu Hien's little brother, blinked a few times, and felt that something was not quite right, but he didn't say anything. This was a very private matter, and it wouldn't be good to say it out loud.
Professor Ha turned his back to prepare the tools, not having observed carefully yet. After preparing everything, he walked over to Vuong Tu Hien's side, and when he saw the single ounce of flesh there, he couldn't help but be slightly stunned.
He grabbed and pulled it, very puzzled.
"Did you not notice this aspect before?"
Vuong Tu Hien's heart was bleeding. When he was fifteen, he had discovered that he was a little abnormal. Others, in a dormant state, were at least the length of a middle finger, or at worst, a thumb. But he was only one-third the length of a thumb.
Later, his parents took him to the hospital, and the doctor said his situation was a bit special and required surgery.
If it had been discovered a few years earlier, a full recovery would have been possible.
Now, there was nothing to be done, only to try his best.
Because of this, from then on, Vuong Tu Hien began to feel a little insecure and never went to public bathhouses. He was afraid of being seen by others.
Just as he was about to explain.
Professor Ha said, "It's alright, no need to say anything. Short and small, but elite. As long as it's useful, that's what counts."
Vuong Tu Hien: ...
Professor Ha began to extract the required samples. For Vuong Tu Hien, he felt nothing, just a bit of a cold sensation when the needle touched him.
Then it felt like something went in, and very quickly, it came out again.
"Alright, you can put your pants on."
Hearing Professor Ha's voice, Vuong Tu Hien hurriedly put on his pants. "Is there anything else?"
"No."
"Then can I go to the hospital to see Trieu Van now?"
"Yes, go ahead."
Hearing the affirmative answer.
Vuong Tu Hien jumped to the ground, said goodbye to Lam Pham, and then hurriedly left. He was too embarrassed to stay here and felt it was better to go to the hospital to accompany his goddess.
Lam Pham didn't disturb Professor Ha's observation.
He waited with his hands behind his back.
After a while.
Professor Ha looked at Lam Pham in shock. "His fluid has vitality and can create life, but there's something not right about it. It's different from a normal human's fluid."
"Then do all other normal zombies have it?" Lam Pham asked.
Professor Ha said, "Impossible. A normal zombie's body has already decayed. This possibility cannot exist. Little Pham, can you do me a favor?"
"Please, go ahead."
"Can you find Officer Hoang? I want to take a sample from him to see. If he has reason and is an evolved zombie, and can create life, I think this situation can be said to have truly broken a boundary."
Hearing Professor Ha's request.
Lam Pham blinked.
To be honest, he felt it was a bit difficult to do.
"Should I give it a try?"
"Mmm, give it a try."
Lam Pham took out his satellite phone and called Officer Hoang. If Vuong Tu Hien knew that Lam Pham and Professor Ha had extended their demonic claws towards Officer Hoang, and if he had his contact information, he would definitely be shouting... Officer Hoang, you must be careful, they're coming for you.
. . .
In a place relatively far from Hoang City.
A figure moved at high speed, shifting left and right, so fast that only an afterimage could be seen. And in the open space ahead was clearly a fusion-type zombie.
Bang!
The afterimage merged. Under the sunlight, the armor shimmered. The metal-covered arm shot forward, directly punching through the chest of the fusion-type zombie.
Even though this fusion-type zombie had the ability to predict, it still couldn't react in time.
Officer Hoang's movements were fluid. After punching through the fusion-type zombie's chest, he grabbed its head with one hand and crushed it directly, like a watermelon. A crystal fell to the ground.
The current Officer Hoang was no longer the same as before. Under Lam Pham's forceful feeding, he had even tasted the flesh and blood of a Creator. His own level of evolution was, of course, unimaginably powerful.
Officer Hoang's evolutionary path was the "Undead." He had a crystal in both his heart and his head, meaning he had two crystals.
Even if Officer Hoang's head was blown up, it couldn't kill him.
"So strong."
Lam Pham's voice came.
Officer Hoang, who could now show expressions, had a slight change in his facial expression. Hearing that familiar voice again, he turned to see Lam Pham walking over with a smile.
Officer Hoang looked at Lam Pham, opened the mask covering his face, and put the crystal he had just picked up into his mouth.
Officer Hoang, who had long been able to improve on his own, was becoming stronger and stronger in the apocalypse.
This was a joyous event for the surviving humans. After all, the person, or zombie, who was working to end the apocalypse was getting stronger.
"Officer Hoang, you know Professor Ha, right?" Lam Pham asked.
Officer Hoang nodded, indicating that he knew.
"Professor Ha has something he needs your help with. It concerns the life and death of humanity. I hope you can make a trip to the Sunshine Shelter."
He didn't say that Professor Ha wanted him to take off his pants and draw his fluid for research.
This kind of request was better left for Professor Ha to say himself. Otherwise, if he said it, he was thinking, would Officer Hoang think he was insulting him and then fight him to the death.
"Okay."
A man of few words, he didn't want to say much.
But he said it very decisively and firmly, enough to prove that when Officer Hoang heard that it concerned the life and death of humanity, his sense of responsibility completely erupted.
"Should I carry you?"
Lam Pham recalled the usual mode of transportation was carrying, but facing Officer Hoang, he chose to ask for his opinion. If Officer Hoang had a different posture in mind, he was very willing to cooperate.
"Piggyback."
"Alright."
. . .
Hoang City, Professor Ha's research lab.
"Professor Ha, I've brought Officer Hoang. Tell him your thoughts directly. I can't say it. After all, you are highly respected, he will listen to you."
Lam Pham quietly whispered in Professor Ha's ear.
Professor Ha thought that Little Pham would have already told him when he brought Officer Hoang back.
He didn't expect that he hadn't said it yet.
But the problem wasn't too big. For the sake of science, there was nothing that couldn't be said.
Professor Ha walked up to Officer Hoang, and Officer Hoang was clearly very respectful towards Professor Ha. Even though he was a zombie, he knew that the Professor Ha before him was once someone who had made contributions to the country.
Even now, in the apocalypse, he was still fighting on the front lines. Such actions truly made Officer Hoang feel respect.
"Hello, Officer Hoang. I am currently conducting an experiment and need your data, so I would like to extract some samples from you. Do you think that's possible?" Professor Ha asked for Officer Hoang's opinion.
Professor Ha also greatly admired Officer Hoang. Even after becoming a zombie, he still relied on his beliefs to force himself to remain sane, not harming humans like other zombies, but always protecting them.
What kind of unwavering belief was needed to achieve this?
Hearing Professor Ha, Officer Hoang didn't hesitate at all and began to dismantle the armor on his body. As the armor came off, the police uniform inside was revealed. Although it was already tattered and stained with blood, when worn on Officer Hoang, it was still so dazzling.
Officer Hoang paused the movements in his hands and looked at Lam Pham, "You, get out."
"Why should I get out?"
"Then I'll go?"
"Alright, I'll go out."
Lam Pham was very helpless. Was Officer Hoang shy about his body being seen by him? He, Lam Pham, was an upright person with no thoughts about other people's bodies. Why was he being so shy?
But for Officer Hoang, he thought Lam Pham knew too much.
He could never forget the other party taking him to the river, stripping him naked and throwing him in, then fishing him out, and many other things, deeply imprinted in his mind.
So he couldn't let Lam Pham see him having his sample taken.
As an officer, he had to have his dignity.
After Lam Pham left.
Professor Ha had Officer Hoang lie down and said with a smile, "Little Pham is a really good kid. The person he mentions most often in front of us is you, Officer Hoang."
Officer Hoang said, "I know he's a good person, a savior in the apocalypse."
Professor Ha said, "Yes, he is indeed a savior. If it weren't for his appearance, I really find it hard to imagine how many people would still be alive."
"Very few, very few," Officer Hoang replied.
When he was with Professor Ha, Officer Hoang's words started to increase.
Professor Ha nodded and seriously began to extract the sample.
After a while.
When Lam Pham entered, Officer Hoang had already put on his armor and was quietly waiting for Lam Pham's arrival. For Officer Hoang, why didn't he want to say more to Lam Pham?
The reason was very simple.
He found that Lam Pham was a chatterbox. If he engaged with him, it was very likely that Lam Pham would just babble on and on in his ear. So, to prevent this from happening, he could only remain silent.
To let Lam Pham understand that he, Officer Hoang, spoke very little.
"Take me home."
"Don't you want to see Dong Dong?"
"No."
"Alright."
Lam Pham carried Officer Hoang on his back and left the shelter. Not long after Officer Hoang's front foot had left, Dong Dong hurriedly ran to the door of the laboratory.
Professor Ha, who was conducting an experiment, heard the sound and, seeing that it was Dong Dong, said, "Dong Dong, Officer Hoang just left."
Dong Dong lowered his head and left in great disappointment.
In Dong Dong's mind, he had thought he would be able to see Officer Hoang.
. . .
Lam Pham took Officer Hoang back to his original place.
As soon as he returned, he hurriedly went to Professor Ha's side.
"How is it?"
Lam Pham was very eager to know the situation with Officer Hoang's fluid.
Professor Ha said with emotion, "Vuong Tu Hien might be a unique existence in the entire apocalypse. Officer Hoang's sample has no vitality whatsoever and even contains the virus."
"Then what is the reason why Vuong Tu Hien became like this?" Lam Pham asked.
"I don't know. It might really have to do with his own constitution. The human body is very mysterious. Even after a hundred years of research, no one dares to say they fully understand it. It's possible that when he turned into a zombie, his samples already had vitality."
"Alright."
For this kind of profound question, Lam Pham didn't want to think too much about it.
Professor Ha said, "What I want to know most now is the situation of the fetus in the womb. Is it human, a zombie, or a combination of both?"
Lam Pham said doubtfully, "Professor Ha, didn't you say that Vuong Tu Hien's fluid has no virus? Then it must be human."
"No, having no virus doesn't mean the fetus is not a zombie. After all, Vuong Tu Hien is a zombie. His DNA has already changed, so he will still pass on the zombie characteristics to the next generation."
Professor Ha said.
Lam Pham thought, according to this trend, the fetus should be born soon.
But at this moment.
The satellite phone rang.
He answered the phone.
And heard Vuong Tu Hien's emotional and panicked tone.
"Brother Lam, she's about to give birth."
"So fast?"
Lam Pham, holding the phone, stared blankly, his whole person dumbfounded. He had expected it to be fast, but this was too fast.
They had merged last night.
And today there was a result.
But now was not the time to be shocked.
"I'll be right there."
He hung up the phone.
"Professor Ha, Vuong Tu Hien's wife is about to give birth."
"Ah..."
Hearing this news, Professor Ha also blinked. His own knowledge had been completely shattered. More and more unbelievable things were happening. This was not a good thing for Professor Ha.
It meant that what he had learned might be too limited.