I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl-Chapter 69 – A Night with a Restless Mind

I looked at Celes, still sitting calmly with a cup of tea in her hand. Curiosity began to creep into my mind, especially after seeing her serious reaction when I mentioned New Dawn. Finally, I asked softly, trying to dig a little deeper.

"You know New Dawn?"

Celes turned to me and nodded slightly, then replied while slowly rotating her cup,"Of course. They’re quite well-known these days. An extraordinary group that managed to take over and restore a former major military base to use as their headquarters. Many say it’s one of the safest places left."

I frowned a little, not expecting them to be that famous. "Hmm... I didn’t know that. The way information spreads among humans is... terrifyingly fast," I muttered—half impressed, half amused.

Celes gave a faint smile, then stood up and asked me to follow her. "Come on, I’ll show you the room you can use for the night."

We walked through the quiet hallway of the villa, dimly lit with warm-toned lights that added to the cozy atmosphere. The room she showed me was simple but clean and comfortable—with a soft bed, a small wardrobe, and a window facing the outer wall.

"Feel free to rest. I imagine you’ve come quite a long way."

I nodded. "Thank you." Then stepped inside and threw myself onto the bed. The softness of the mattress against my back made me realize how tired I really was. I stared at the ceiling for a moment, thinking about how, even on the brink of extinction, humans could still build places like this.

Meanwhile, outside the room, Celes remained awake.

She sat back in the living room, staring blankly at the now-empty cup. Her thoughts drifted far—logistics, security, and the future of those under her protection. Despite the base appearing tidy and organized from the outside, the truth was quite the opposite. Food supplies were dwindling, and their weapons and defenses were far from sufficient should a large-scale attack occur.

"If things stay like this... it’s only a matter of time before everything collapses," she whispered.

Meeting Sylvia—the Zombie Queen feared by the military—was both a huge opportunity and a tremendous risk. But New Dawn... that was another light in the darkness. Perhaps it was time to open up, even just a little.

The night passed, with two very different women sitting in silence in different places. One slowly drifted off to sleep, while the other kept watch, thinking about an uncertain future.

Morning sunlight slipped through the gaps in the curtains. Warm, but not blinding. The morning air felt fresh—different from the scent of blood and corpses that usually filled my nose in the ruined cities I left behind. Slowly, I opened my eyes and stared at the wooden ceiling above me. For the first time in a long while, I had woken up in a real bed.

I sat at the edge of the mattress, letting my feet touch the cold floor. Then I stood and walked over to the window, pulling aside the curtain. From there, I could see the base’s courtyard: women training with old weapons, some cleaning the area, and a few young boys helping carry water or supplies. Imperfect, yes—but alive. And that was rare.

A few minutes later, a knock came at the door.

"Sylvia, are you awake?" Celes’ voice called from outside. freёwebnoѵel.com

I opened the door and looked at her. This time, she was wearing a light combat outfit: black pants and a fitted gray long-sleeve top.

"Yeah," I answered briefly.

"Good. I thought you might want to see how we run things around here," she said with a faint smile.

I nodded. "Sure."

We walked side by side toward the open training area. There, several women were practicing with old firearms, while others trained in hand-to-hand combat or spear techniques. Celes greeted each one warmly—not with forced politeness, but with sincere familiarity.

"They respect you," I remarked, slightly impressed.

"I never asked for their respect. But I’ve been here since the beginning. Many of them lost everything, and all I could offer was a place to survive."

I studied the women more closely. Old scars, traces of trauma, and exhaustion still lingered in some of their eyes. But there was also hope. Determination. Something I rarely saw even among hardened military fighters.

One small boy approached timidly, holding out a small apple. I stared at him... then gently took it without saying a word. He smiled shyly, then ran back to his group.

Celes chuckled softly. "That’s Devan. He gives fruit to people he thinks are strong."

I stared at the apple for a moment before tucking it away.

After a while, we returned and sat on the second-floor balcony of the villa, overlooking the world beyond the walls. The view was quiet, but full of hidden dangers. The outside world was never truly silent.

"So, will you contact New Dawn?" I asked, crossing my legs.

Celes gazed into the distance, the morning breeze catching strands of her silver hair. "I’ll seriously consider it. This place can’t survive forever without allies. And honestly... I trust you."

I nodded slightly. "If you need someone to vouch for you, just tell them you met a ’passing Zombie Queen.’"

She let out a small laugh, then stood and offered her hand. "Thanks for stopping by, Sylvia. You’re welcome to stay longer if you’d like... but I get the feeling you’re not one to stay in one place."

I looked at her hand, then gave it a brief shake. "I’ll leave this afternoon. But if you need me... I can appear at any time."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, curiosity flickering. "Spatial skill?"

I just smiled without answering.

After a light breakfast and more talk on the balcony, I decided to explore the base on my own. Celes allowed it with a nod and simply reminded me not to scare the children. I couldn’t promise that, considering my supposedly "naturally intimidating aura," but I went anyway.

The base’s walkways were neatly arranged. Small wooden and lightweight steel homes stood in rows, with makeshift solar panels on their roofs. Some women were sewing, repairing clothes, or sorting supplies. Others chopped wood or crafted traps from scrap metal and wire. Not luxurious, but filled with the will to survive.

Some children watched me from a distance, whispering among themselves. When I turned to look, they quickly pretended to be busy. One of them even walked into a post from staring too long. I just sighed and picked up the pace.

As I passed the logistics barracks, I saw a group of women checking their weapons. Most were old rifles or scavenged guns, already worn down. Even so, their movements were practiced. Calm. They knew what they were doing.

"Not enough weapons to fend off a serious attack," I murmured. Even just one elite zombie like me could break through this place quickly.

On the eastern side of the base, there was a small farming plot. Potatoes, corn, and some herbs were growing in roughly tilled soil, surrounded by a low wooden fence. An elderly woman was teaching two girls how to weed.

When I passed by, she turned and greeted me.

"You’re Celes’ guest, right?"

I nodded.

"If you’re a zombie, then you must be that one they say can talk?"

"I suppose so," I replied curtly.

She chuckled, her voice raspy but warm. "Strange times we live in. But if Celes trusts you, then I won’t worry. Don’t hesitate to drop by for some herbal tea."

I nodded again and moved on. The more I observed, the clearer it became—this base was built on blood, sweat, and the sheer will to survive... yet it remained fragile. Not enough weapons. Too few men. No automated defenses like the military has. If they were attacked seriously, their chances of survival were slim.

But they didn’t give up.

And somehow... I respected that.

As I made my way back toward the center of the base, I saw Celes standing on one of the watchtowers, watching me from afar. Her eyes narrowed, but her smile was faint. She didn’t wave or call out, only gave a small nod—a silent acknowledgment from one leader to a creature that... wasn’t even human anymore.

I nodded back, then continued my walk toward the villa.