Chapter 41: Mibao: So Happy
Expensive things do have their perks.
The cheap invincibility buff only provides protection, but this one not only keeps Mibao safe from harm, it also bounces zombies back.
Since zombie strength is far too weak against this buff, every rebound just instantly wipes them out.
If the buff could talk, it would probably feel a little wronged.
Wasn’t this like using a butcher’s cleaver on a chicken?
Isn’t this pure waste?
This buff can withstand the attack of a Great Immortal, yet now it’s being used against a bunch of little nobodies?
Tsk.
But Mibao didn’t know that. She saw the zombies flying backward and crashing to the ground one after another, and she was thrilled: “Wow! Amazing!”
Her big brother is amazing!
[Hide, quick!]
Xiaonian shouted.
He had already paused the buff—too expensive, had to save it.
Just that brief moment had cost five thousand system coins.
Although Mibao was excited, she immediately followed Xiaonian’s instructions and ran into the nearest classroom.
And then… the classroom was filled with zombies.
Mibao: “…”
Xiaonian: […]
Wait a second—don’t tell him that Lucky Buff last time really overdrew all her luck?
[Mibao, charge into them! The faster the better!]
To save money—Oligei!
Mibao nodded, let out a roar, and charged into the zombie crowd!
The horde of terrifying zombies scared her, but she knew if Big Brother told her to do it, he must have his reasons!
Big Brother would never hurt her!
Mibao pumped her little legs, like a tiny cannonball, and rammed her head into the zombies.
Then the classroom lit up with a display of zombie “fireworks.”
Twelve seconds later, Mibao stopped, panting heavily.
Xiaonian looked at the 13 seconds remaining, heart aching so much he could hardly breathe.
Seventeen thousand system coins… gone.
Xiaonian was still secretly aching over the loss, while Mibao huffed and puffed her way onto a clean desk and lay down.
The classroom floor was covered in zombie corpses, and she really couldn’t find anywhere else to rest.
“Big Brother, that really powerful thing… it must be super expensive, right?”
Xiaonian, still nursing his pain: [Hm?]
“Big Brother must’ve spent lots and lots of money, right?” Mibao’s big eyes stared at the classroom ceiling. “Thank you, Big Brother.”
[…Don’t worry about it. As long as Mibao is safe, Big Brother is satisfied.]
Suddenly, the thirty thousand system coins didn’t feel wasted anymore.
“Brother, the points I work hard to earn from missions—can you use them too?” Mibao blinked her wide eyes, almost on the verge of tears.
Brother treats her so well…
She was so happy, so content.
That amazing thing just now must have been very, very, very expensive…
Mibao didn’t yet know the word precious. All she could do was pile up “expensive” again and again, as if the more times she said it, the truer it became.
Since she was little, her only family had been her father. Her grandparents on both sides had passed away early, so her whole world was just her dad.
So even though her dad wasn’t close to her, she would still stumble forward toward him.
But…
But…
Her brother appeared.
And her brother was so good to her.
He would comfort her with a gentle voice, he would give her super expensive things.
Normally, Big Brother always told her not to rush and to take things slowly, but just now he urged her to hurry. That had to be because that thing was especially, especially, especially expensive…
Wuwuwu…
Mibao didn’t know what that emotion was—she just felt like crying.
So she really did start crying.
Seeing Mibao’s face covered in tears, Xiaonian froze.
[M-Mibao, what’s wrong? Why are you crying? Were you scared just now? I’m sorry, it was Big Brother who didn’t think about your feelings…]
He had been so focused on saving resources that he forgot—Mibao was still so little. Facing that many terrifying zombies and still having to run straight at them must have been terrifying.
Xiaonian felt a pang of guilt.
Why was he being so calculating?
“Wuwuwu… no, that’s not it…” Mibao sobbed as she tried to explain through hiccups, “It—it’s because I’m too happy… it’s called… called crying from joy!”
Brother Chaoyang had told her that when you’re really, really happy, sometimes you cry.
That’s called crying from joy.
And Mibao felt like that was exactly what she was doing right now.
Xiaonian froze for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh.
[Silly child.]
Mibao wiped the tears off her face. “I’m not silly! Mibao is a smart kid, and in the future I’ll earn lots and lots of points—all for Big Brother to use!”
She didn’t know exactly how much Big Brother had spent, but she remembered him saying her points weren’t easy to earn.
And if something was hard to earn, then it must be expensive. She wanted to give all the expensive things to Big Brother!
[Alright, alright, Mibao is the smartest, and in the future you’ll earn lots and lots of points.]
Xiaonian coaxed her, but he didn’t really take it seriously.
He didn’t hope for Mibao to become accomplished or powerful—just for her to grow up safe and sound.
But Mibao took it very seriously, and carved it into her heart.
She remembered Big Brother once said she was a “celebrity system,” and that to earn lots and lots of points, she had to make lots and lots of people pay attention to her.
So, while licking her lollipop, Mibao started struggling to turn her little brain.
She had to attract lots and lots of attention—but without putting herself in danger. Otherwise, Big Brother would have to spend lots and lots of money again.
She wondered how Brother Chaoyang and the others were doing… they should be fine, right?
—
Since the giant bees outside hadn’t dispersed yet, no one could leave. Chaoyang used the walkie-talkie to tell Chaolu that everyone would just have to endure here for a day.
The best outcome would be that when they woke up tomorrow, the bees would already be gone.
If not… then they’d think of another plan.
“…By the way, where’s Mibao?” Near the end of the talk, Chaolu asked casually.
She just liked hearing Mibao call her. That sweet little voice could sweep away her fatigue.
But…
There was no reply from the other end of the walkie-talkie for a long time.
That sent a chill of dread through Chaolu. “What happened? Did something happen to Mibao? Is she hurt?”
Chaoyang instantly didn’t know how to answer her.
Ye Duo, sitting beside him, also fell silent. In the end, she took the walkie-talkie and said, “I’m sorry. I let go of Mibao’s hand. At the time we were exhausted—if I hadn’t let go of someone, the three of us might all have been in danger, so…”
“Are you out of your damn mind?!”
After a two-second pause, Chaolu exploded, cursing outright.
Ye Duo was stunned by the scolding.
After all, these past few days Chaolu had always been good to her. She thought that no matter what, she and Chaolu counted as friends now…
“You think Mibao’s a burden, don’t you? Goddammit!” Chaolu was so furious she swore again and again. “Who the hell do you think you are?!”
Ye Duo panicked. “That’s not it, it’s just—the situation was urgent, and sometimes you have to make a choice. Two people surviving is better than three people dying…”
“Did you ever ask the person you abandoned whether they wanted that?” Chaolu clenched her fists tight. “A choice? Don’t give me that bullshit!”
If it was really about making choices, then back at Red Maple Town, in Hope Garden, she shouldn’t have saved Ye Duo in the first place!
After all, one more person just meant one more mouth to feed, didn’t it?
If it was really about choices, then when those bald thugs kidnapped the adults, they shouldn’t have intervened either—they should’ve just turned around and left, right?
To hell with “making choices”!
