The system's words travelled around my mind several times while Jiang Roulan's lips moved, but I couldn't hear any sound. I felt a dull ache growing in the back of my head, as if someone had just kicked me with steel boots.
"Roulan... are you telling me it's really the 15th?" I could feel my vocal cords trembling in my throat, but I couldn't accept this truth.
She looked at me with the warmest chestnut coloured eyes, and suddenly hugged me, her arms wrapped around my back, and pulled me tight. It wasn't strange, but warm. I felt another human's warmth, and it soothed these fragmented feelings.
"It's okay, just breathe..." Her soft body enveloped me like a hugging pillow. "I don't know what happened, but I know you aren't the type to lie for no reason." Jiang Roulan whispered in a soft voice while stroking the back of my head.
'Is this the power of an older woman, someone with life experience?'
Maybe I was still just a child, not much different from Zombie Qinglan, but thanks to Roulan, my mind became stable, and the ache in my head faded.
Everything returned to calm.
"Fuuu…"
The sound of Roulan's heartbeat was soothing and helped me focus and realise that it didn't matter if two weeks or two months passed. If anything, this was good news because it meant the zombies took longer to evolve into Stage Twos.
"All better, handsome?"
"Yeah, thanks... it feels amazing."
Maybe my choice of words could have been better after the incident earlier as she noticed where and what cushioned my face when she hugged me. I half expected her to jab me or something, but Jiang Roulan just covered her mouth and started to laugh.
"Hahaha! I can't believe I scolded you earlier and here I am crushing your face with my breasts..." She glanced at me with a wide grin and patted my chest with a nasal huff. "Well, I can't even get mad at you for this one."
"Should we get some rest?" I asked before flopping on the bed. "The sun will rise soon but I am still aching all over."
"Yes please! But no more funny business, or else!"
Jiang Roulan narrowed her eyes, but the smile betrayed any sense of menacing aura, and I just waved at her and closed my eyes on the soft pillow. "I can't believe you're sleeping in my bed... you're lucky I am a kind older sister."
"Hmph."
'Why didn't you tell me about the delay?'
I asked the system while enjoying the warmth of Roulan against my arm.
She seemed like the type to move a lot while sleeping.
[You were still adjusting on the first day you woke up. It would have caused you to panic.]
The logic seemed quite solid, and I didn't deny that it might have caused me to overreact in the past. Was it the increased spirit or the three life-or-death situations? Maybe a mixture of everything since I became alone in this world.
"Why didn't I check the date?" I muttered, a little frustrated with myself. I always thought that I would face an apocalypse perfectly, at least when reading novels. However, it seemed I wasn't that special after all.
"It was a simple mistake, don't blame yourself... Mn....." Jiang Roulan hummed before rolling towards me and then hugged my arm. Even in her sleepiness, the hot cop comforted me—after all, Jiang Roulan was growing on me.
'System... Tell me something.' I opened my eyes, the darkness strangely bright for me since reaching rank four as I peered at the pretty face resting on my shoulder. 'Her strength isn't high enough to fight a stage two zombie, or a horde right now is it?'
[System Message: There is an 85% chance she will die or become infected.]
'Why is her survival rate so high?'
[Reply: Because of her skills and determination over the years!]
The system never sugar-coated things when asking about something seriously. This feature was an advantage that I had over normal humans. Because it subtly taught me that skills were just as important as reaching a higher rank.
'In that case, I should probably help her grow stronger, but I cannot forget myself.'
I would check the new tabs I had unlocked once I recovered: the Martial Arts Training and Physique tabs.
For Roulan, I would buy her the Strength and Speed Elixir.
"Haa..."
Although having a beautiful woman hugging me felt quite refreshing and exciting, it didn't help with the act of falling asleep. I closed my eyes and tried to count sheep, but they all looked like Roulan and were far too bouncy.
"Let's go..." I slipped from her embrace and climbed off her bed before creeping into her living room. The place looked quite different to what I imagined with pictures of Jiang Roulan from her childhood to her current self.
I noticed a glass cabinet in the corner with dozens of awards for martial arts, self defence and even police medals for her service and bravery.
She didn't seem that talented a cook because her kitchen was full of microwave meals and ready-to-eat packed foods in the fridge. The bin full of beer bottles also brought a smile to my face because it betrayed her usual clean and neat atmosphere.
"Phew!"
I dropped onto her sofa with a thud, my head sinking into the expensive and soft headrest as my eyes became heavy, as if someone was pouring sand into my eyelids.
Strengthening Roulan will help protect me if Zombie Qinglan goes berserk, though I am stronger now.
The violent and fearless nature she has could catch me off guard if I lowered my guard, and right now, even with her skills, Jiang Roulan would lose.
"Nn...."
Never had I found a sofa so comfortable. Was it Roulan's faint scent, or the darkness without a speck of light... or maybe I just didn't quite trust Jiang Roulan and the others to sleep so easily beside them.
"Tomorrow, I will make a full plan and decide on where to create a safe zone..."
And just like that, as if I never struggled.
I drifted off to sleep.