Lost Land (GL)

Chapter 8: The Eighth Night

"No way!" Mo Ran refused without hesitation. "It's too dangerous."

It would be fine if there weren't any zombies in the next classroom, but what if there were? Zhang Wanying was so frail. Sending her over there would be like throwing a juicy piece of meat to the zombies.

Besides, Mo Ran wasn't the type to hide behind a fragile girl while seeking her own safety.

Perhaps it was her personality, but she had always been the one to protect her female friends.

In her mind, she was stronger than most girls, and it was normal for her to do things like carry their luggage. It had become a habit.

"Mo Ran, I'm grateful that you saved me last night. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have escaped. But I'm not doing this because I'm grateful," Zhang Wanying's voice, soft and sweet, held a surprising amount of strength.

She turned her head to look out the window, a few strands of her unkempt hair falling around her face. Her expression was calm, even serene.

"You're not my anything, and I can't rely on your protection forever. If this is really the end of the world, I want to survive. So I'm actually apologizing for taking this opportunity to train myself."

What was she saying?

Mo Ran opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She felt a strange surge of annoyance, like she had been hit by a fluffy ball of fluff.

This girl was so...

"Am I being ungrateful?" Zhang Wanying turned to face her, a smile playing on her lips, her long eyelashes casting a shadow over her eyes.

"No, not really," Mo Ran narrowed her eyes. "It's just that I didn't expect you to say that."

She didn't look at Zhang Wanying's reaction. She turned away from the window and began to pack her backpack, accepting Zhang Wanying's decision.

Her face was dark and brooding, as if someone owed her money. She looked even cuter that way, Zhang Wanying thought.

Mo Ran's heart was a tangled mess. The brief flicker of affection she had felt for Zhang Wanying last night had vanished, replaced by a growing dislike.

It was strange. She couldn't explain it. But Zhang Wanying's detached, almost ethereal demeanor had rubbed her the wrong way.

Her words had been polite and eloquent, yet so detached, as if she was already planning for their separation.

What did she mean by "I can't rely on your protection forever"?

It was as if Zhang Wanying didn't consider her a friend, as if they were destined to part ways.

She had thought she was starting to like Zhang Wanying, maybe even consider her a friend. Now, she realized she had been wrong.

Mo Ran took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She wasn't known for her patience or her even temper. She was the opposite of Zhang Wanying.

Usually, she would have said everything that was on her mind, demanding an explanation. But with Zhang Wanying, she found herself tongue-tied.

First, she disliked her, so she didn't want to talk to her. Second, she didn't know why she couldn't say harsh things to Zhang Wanying.

Whenever she tried to speak, she would remember Zhang Wanying's tearful face, and her desire to speak would vanish.

Zhang Wanying, of course, had no idea what was going on in Mo Ran's mind. She had insisted on taking the risk because she actually liked Mo Ran and considered her a friend.