Chapter 20: Following Protocol

Pressing the button, the pool cover slowly slid open. As he looked at the clear water within, Kim Min-ju’s lips began to move.

Her movements were subtle, her nearly bloodless lips twitching slightly. While she was undeniably cute, Xiao Guang sighed helplessly as he observed her expression, turning toward the villa to gather his supplies.

With a large pair of nail clippers, an old towel destined for the trash, and a jumble of toiletries clutched in his arms, Xiao Guang returned to the poolside.

Beside the pool was a drain he had previously identified as a waste outlet rather than a filtration channel—the same spot where he had washed Bae Ju-hyun’s hair last time. He set his things down and walked toward Min-ju.

Min-ju’s eyes were fixed on the pool. Xiao Guang tugged at her twice, and she followed him, albeit reluctantly. Looking at her frail figure through the helmet, Xiao Guang simply took it off; in this heat, the helmet was like a steamer, which was far too agonizing.

"Trying to bite me? See my fist? It’ll hurt if I hit you with it."

As Xiao Guang removed his helmet, Min-ju turned her head sharply toward him. Seeing her small, white teeth exposed, Xiao Guang pressed his fist against her delicate face, pushing her cheek in as he issued his warning.

"Ah~~"

Bae Ju-hyun let out a sound. Min-ju’s mouth snapped shut. She turned to look at Bae, then bowed her head and stood still, looking like someone who had been caught in a mistake. Xiao Guang looked at Min-ju and couldn't help but say, "She doesn't understand, so you don't need to be so harsh. She looks like she’s too timid to bite me."

After speaking, Xiao Guang stared blankly at the sky. His brain must have snapped; why did he feel like he understood the meaning of that simple syllable?

"Come on, sit down. Are you chewing your nails because they’re too long?"

He pulled Kim Min-ju down to sit and began the same process he had used for Bae Ju-hyun, starting with trimming her fingernails.

Xiao Guang spoke to her from time to time. Min-ju was clearly frightened; he could feel her trying to pull her hand back whenever he clipped her nails, though she didn't dare.

Once he finished with her fingernails, he looked at her dirty little feet and sighed. "You chew your toenails too? How old are you, a baby? You must brush your teeth properly later."

After tending to her toenails, Xiao Guang re-evaluated Min-ju’s state. She seemed to have adjusted somewhat, and his intuition told him she was a zombie who wouldn't dare bite anyone.

If that was the case, what was there to worry about? Strip.

Xiao Guang went first, casting aside his outer protective jacket, stripping off his heavy-duty cargo pants, and kicking off his thick leather boots. He wiped the sweat from his face, tugged at his soaked undershirt, and looked at Min-ju.

"Your turn. Do you want to take them off yourself, or should I help you?"

It was a redundant question, but if he didn't make such remarks, Xiao Guang felt life would lose its flavor. Min-ju remained seated, sneaking glances at him, or perhaps at the pool behind him.

Cooling off, he splashed some pool water on his face to refresh himself. Xiao Guang reached out toward Kim Min-ju. Sensing his movement, she looked up at him with deep blue eyes so clear that Xiao Guang felt a rare moment of embarrassment.

"It’s not that I want to take advantage of you; I’m doing this to help you. To survive here, you have to be clean. Besides, you have an odor, and you don't like that, right?"

Min-ju actually reached for the waistband of her skirt, but stopped when Bae Ju-hyun let out a sound. Regardless of her willingness, the little white lamb soon stood naked by the pool.

Xiao Guang inspected her carefully. The reason was simple: he needed to check for any graying spots on her skin. Seeing areas covered in grime, he reached out to press them, relieved to find her skin still had decent elasticity.

"Bae Ju-hyun survived by hiding in a bakery. What did you do in the changing room? What did you eat? Did you eat clothes? You must have eaten something, otherwise, your skin wouldn't be this supple."

Xiao Guang weighed her breasts with his hands. Poor thing, he could clearly feel the lack of elasticity; she was suffering from malnutrition.

He had Min-ju squat down, starting by washing her hair, then using the bath towel to scrub her face and neck, working from top to bottom. Min-ju let out low sounds, though it was impossible to tell if it was anger, fear, happiness, or disgust.

At least she was more willing to make noise than Bae Ju-hyun, which was a good sign. After cleaning her chest and back, Xiao Guang patted her to signal she should stand up.

"Stand with your legs apart, just like me. A wider angle. You’re already in this state, what’s there to be shy about? Everything needs to be washed clean."

How to put it? Unlike Bae Ju-hyun, who was completely smooth, Min-ju had a few sparse hairs, but only a few. Xiao Guang helped her clear them away, making her look completely flawless.

After forty minutes of hard work, Xiao Guang finally had Kim Min-ju clean. Looking at the pale, pristine Min-ju before him, all feelings of exhaustion vanished. No wonder he had liked her before—the pitiable face, the slender, well-proportioned figure, and those long, straight legs.

"Ah~~"

Hearing Bae Ju-hyun’s voice, he watched as she gently pushed Kim Min-ju. Min-ju tumbled into the pool, splashing quite vigorously.

Xiao Guang looked at Bae Ju-hyun helplessly. He felt he understood her intention. Ignoring the flailing Kim Min-ju, he stripped off Bae Ju-hyun’s clothes and carried her into the shallow end. Once she was seated securely, he walked over to grab Kim Min-ju, who was busy gulping down the pool water.

"Stop struggling, I’m right here."

Kim Min-ju suddenly wrapped her arms around Xiao Guang’s shoulders, leaning her head against him. Xiao Guang instinctively recoiled and pushed her away, only to realize her mouth was clamped shut; she hadn't intended to bite him after all.

He looked at his own attire, then at Kim Min-ju, and finally at Bae Ju-hyun.

"I trust you, Bae Ju-hyun. She won't bite me, right?"

"Ah~"

Fine. He didn't understand, but he would take it as a promise. Xiao Guang reached out to grab Kim Min-ju again. This time, instead of leaning in as before, she gripped his arm tightly.

Xiao Guang kept his eyes on her head, and seeing no sign of her wanting to bite, he slowly dragged her to the shallow end of the pool. After a moment's thought, he sat her down next to Bae Ju-hyun.

Is being rich a big deal? It must be. Looking at the two beautiful, fair, and delicate women sitting side-by-side—or more accurately, two beautiful, talented, pale, and stark-naked celebrities—Xiao Guang couldn't help but think that perhaps he would only ever have an opportunity like this in the apocalypse. Was this something the wealthy could experience in their daily lives?

The pool was large enough for all three of them to lounge lazily in the water, soaking up the sun. With two beautiful women to feast his eyes upon, he inexplicably found himself enjoying his current life. Xiao Guang gently patted the water, his mood quite bright.

"Hey, Kim Min-ju, you are not allowed to drink the pool water."

Xiao Guang had witnessed the entire process: how she stared at the surface, parted her lips, and slowly lowered her head toward the water. Seeing that she was actually about to drink, he shouted.

He saw both Bae Ju-hyun and Kim Min-ju shudder in unison, then glare at him.

"Ah~"

"Gulp~"

Zombies could shiver in fear, too. This apocalypse was actually quite interesting.