Chapter 4: Gaining Life and Binding the System
Li Xiaoxiao turned and entered the nearest bedroom. After locking the door, she searched the walk-in closet and bathroom—no zombies in sight. She pushed the dressing table and nightstand tightly against the door, barricading it securely.
Only then did she lean against the wall and crawl onto the bed.
She could already feel the baby pressing outward.
There was zombie blood on her pants, but Li Xiaoxiao didn’t dare to use scissors to cut them off. This was Chen Zhengdong’s bedroom; she remembered there was a collector’s dagger in the cabinet.
With a few swift cuts, she sliced open her pants and lay back down.
She began to push, timing it with her contractions.
Counting silently in her mind:
Three, two, one!
Push!
With one last forceful effort—
The baby was born!
Her abdomen suddenly felt empty, as if all the air had been let out. In an instant, she lost all support and collapsed onto the bed, even her fingers weakening. Her eyelids drooped, heavy with exhaustion.
No, she couldn’t sleep!
Desperately, she activated her supernatural ability and forced herself to sit up.
A tiny bundle lay in a pool of filth.
Li Xiaoxiao quickly reached out to support the baby, turning it over; the little one’s face was a purplish hue from the effort.
Her heart pounded with alarm. She gently lifted the baby’s legs with one hand and slapped the waist and hips with the other.
“Wah! Wah!”
The infant’s cry burst forth immediately, and Li Xiaoxiao finally exhaled in relief.
“Hah hah!”
“Bang!”
A moment after the roar came the pounding on the door.
Sure enough, there were still zombies in the villa.
Li Xiaoxiao pressed her ear to listen; fortunately, not many.
Though the bedroom door wasn’t reinforced, it was sturdy enough to hold for now against the undead.
Her daughter was surprisingly obedient, crying only twice before settling down.
Both tiny fists curled beside her cheeks as she fell asleep.
So small, covered with amniotic fluid and blood, filthy.
Li Xiaoxiao took the sterilized scissors and cut the umbilical cord, tying it off securely.
Cradling her daughter, she moved into the bathroom.
While filling the bathtub, she delivered the placenta.
[Ding! System binding successful! Parenting space acquired. Reward: 1,000 square meters of portable space.]
Suddenly, a voice echoed inside Li Xiaoxiao’s mind. Her hands paused briefly before continuing, but the space within her mind began to call forth.
Sure enough, a space slightly larger than two basketball courts appeared in her consciousness.
Isn’t this a must-have for reincarnated heroines?
Even a villainess like her had one?
Li Xiaoxiao sneered coldly. It didn’t matter; anything beneficial to her was welcome.
She calmly cleaned herself up, adjusted the bathwater temperature, and began washing her daughter.
[Please name the newborn.]
Li Xiaoxiao ignored the prompt, focusing on her task.
[Please name the newborn.]
The system reminded her again.
“Speak. What do you need me to do?” she thought silently.
[...]
This was the first time the system encountered a host who didn’t follow the usual script.
“Don’t play dead—I know you can hear me.”
[Host, you’re no longer cute like this.]
“Hah! I’ve died once already, and you’re talking about cuteness? If you don’t speak now, I won’t accept any tasks in the future.”
[No, no! I’m telling you! I’m originally a nurturing system. Who knew that when I was deployed, I ended up in this apocalypse? I’ve chosen several hosts, but none have lasted. Then I saw you, and your determination—all for your child until death. I think you can help me complete my KPI, so I helped you reincarnate back to when your baby was still alive. That’s all I have to say.]
The system’s rapid-fire explanation took Li Xiaoxiao a moment to process.
“You helped me reincarnate?”
She grasped the key point.
[Yes! I’ve used up all my energy on you!]
The system sounded pitiful.
“If you’ve used up all your energy, how can you still talk to me? Shouldn’t you shut down?”
[Don’t be skeptical. I really exhausted all my power to send you back. I could only activate after you gave birth to your child.]
Li Xiaoxiao’s hands paused, as if pondering something.
Soon, she finished bathing her daughter, wrapped her in a clean towel, and dabbed her dry. The little one was incredibly good, stretching her tiny arms and legs during the bath without crying.
“You activate after I give birth—do you get energy from the child?”
[No! I gain energy from the host completing tasks assigned by the main system. I would never harm the child or the host! I’m a system of positive energy.]
Strangely, the moment Li Xiaoxiao questioned this, the system sensed a powerful murderous intent nearby. Its survival instinct flared, hastily assuring her.
[Really, everything I say is true—not a word of lies!]
Seeing no reaction from Li Xiaoxiao, the system gritted its teeth and made a decision...
[Bonus task: Bathe the baby. Reward: Newbie gift pack.]
“Shouldn’t the newbie gift be given upon binding?”
Li Xiaoxiao didn’t fall for it.
“Ah, wrong, wrong—it’s a lottery, twice!”
The system quickly corrected itself.
“I don’t believe in luck.”
[...]
The system was nearly in tears. Why was this host so difficult?
There was no choice. It had bet everything on Li Xiaoxiao. There was no turning back. If she couldn’t help it complete the KPI, the system’s existence would end here.
[Ding! Host luck +10.]
Li Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow.
Switching to a dry towel, she embraced her daughter and laid her down to sleep on the washstand. Then she turned on the shower and quickly cleaned herself.
Her mind remained active as she opened the newbie gift pack.
A set of black gear—material unknown, soft to the touch yet highly durable.
Two short knives, one Tang sword, four machetes—cold weapons were still more practical in the apocalypse.
There was also a handgun with a six-bullet magazine.
Barely satisfactory.
Additionally, there were two healing potions and one energy potion.
The parenting space resembled a mother-and-baby room, but quite spacious.
Inside were a crib, cradle, sofa, nursing stool, and baby care station. Along the walls stood storage cabinets neatly stocked with baby essentials: diapers, bottles, wipes, waterproof pads, tissues, and more. There were breast pumps and infant formula and complementary foods for various stages.
Next to the storage was a wardrobe containing nursing clothes, baby outfits, swaddles, and baby carriers.
“Quite well equipped.”
Li Xiaoxiao noticed a separate bathroom with bathing supplies for both baby and adult.
[These are usually unlocked by completing tasks. But since this is the apocalypse, raising a child is tough. I’ve opened all permissions for you so you can raise your baby with confidence. I absolutely, absolutely support you. Also, the parenting space can be upgraded—can be upgraded—can be upgraded!]
Important things must be said three times!
“Not bad.”
Li Xiaoxiao wiped herself with the towel that had just dried her daughter and immediately changed into the system’s gear.
The soft fabric hugged her figure tightly, wrapping the graceful curves of her body.
Though she had just given birth, her figure remained flawless.
[Host, you’ve just given birth and haven’t expelled all the lochia yet, making you a walking target for zombies. You can use the healing potion.]
Li Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow; she hadn’t paid attention to the potion’s description earlier.
Healing potion: removes all debuffs and restores peak condition.
“Can it cure poison?”
[No, it only clears negative effects, not toxins.]