Apocalypse: the Most Ruthless Person

After dinner, we entered the leisurely moments of the day.

Except for those on lookout and Chen Hanzhou, everyone leaned back against the wall, facing the fields, sitting on the soft, dry grass, feeling the world’s tranquility. The faint stench that used to surround everyone was replaced by a touch of fragrance.

Lu Yubo smoked and asked, “Brother Su, do you think we can build this place into a safe base?”

“There are farmlands here, and there must be wells in the nearby village, so planting and breeding aren’t an issue. It’s indeed not a bad place,” Yuwen said, rubbing the calluses on his hands and gazing into the distance, his voice carrying a hint of regret, as if there was something imperfect about it.

Zhang Su exhaled a mouthful of smoke and said, “From a survival perspective, it’s indeed not bad.”

“What else needs to be considered?” Zheng Xinyu asked instinctively, swinging her legs, enjoying the rare leisure.

“Of course, it’s about safety and protection!” Zhang Su took a deep breath and said, “Have you forgotten about the zombie tide this morning? As long as you’re slightly careful with the scattered zombies on the road and fields, it’s nothing. But if there’s another inexplicable zombie group attack, how do you defend this damn place?”

“You don’t expect the wall behind us to block the zombies, do you? I have no idea how old this wall is; it feels like a few people could easily knock it over…”

“And other survivors, if they set their sights on us, use Molotov cocktails, suicide cars, or lead a group of zombies to attack us, blocking our retreat path, then aren’t you all done for?”

Everyone fell silent, and after much experience, none doubted that what Zhang Su said could happen.

Before the apocalypse, the likelihood of bad things happening was small; but post-apocalypse, Murphy’s Law was ever-present. As soon as you think something bad might happen, it quickly comes true!

The Nonghua Glass Factory was formerly a manufacturing plant, and it was especially open for convenient loading and unloading. To build defensive structures here, unless you have heavy machinery, is pure fantasy.

“Nearby villages are the same. Right now we have only about a dozen people, and with our current weapons and equipment, crafting a safe zone out of a regular small village is too difficult.”

Yuwen voiced his thoughts: “Mr. Zhang’s previous plan is more suitable. A farmhouse hotel, nestled against the hills and near the water, is easier to defend. Even a hotel in a resort, leveraging its geographical advantages, could create more possibilities, far better than this place.”

Zhang Su nodded, his peripheral vision catching new team members Liu Tianji and Wang Xin lost in thought, and said, “Hey, Xiaoliu, Xiaowang, you haven’t properly introduced yourselves yet, so why don’t you do so?”

Upon hearing Zhang Su call their names, Liu Tianji and Wang Xin promptly stood up, smiling and scratching their heads.

“Well, I’ll go first!” Liu Tianji bowed to the group: “My name is Liu Tianji, a programmer at an internet company, hehe, just a typical code monkey in the general sense.”

Wang Xin immediately added, “I’m the same; I’m Wang Xin, and we both used to be code monkeys.”

“You two are really unlucky; your previous work provides no help now, quite unfortunate.”

Zhao Dezhu shook his head.

“Don’t say that…” Yuwen quickly corrected, “These two programmers are at least young and strong. Even I, a slightly older language teacher, can keep up with Mr. Zhang’s pace. With their capabilities, they’re bound to create more wonders!”

Zhang Su clearly perceived Yuwen’s value; combat power reaching the baseline was one thing, but his rhetoric was quite skilled. Anything he said didn’t just have a full effect; it enhanced that effect by at least two levels.

Liu Tianji and Wang Xin nodded immediately, acknowledging their shortcomings, promising to work hard, while simultaneously flattering Yuwen for being older yet so vigorous, testing their language skills considerably.

“People say programmers don’t understand human relationships, that they’re all socially anxious; now seeing these two today really breaks my perception.”

Yu Qing smiled and said.

“Teacher Xiaoyu praises us too much. You don’t know; our company’s internal competition is fierce. Just like Zhou Litao who fled today, he was our boss and was quite skilled at making things difficult for us. If you offended him before, it was guaranteed to be a tough month.”

Liu Tianji shook his head and said.

“Alright.” Zhang Su gestured for Liu Tianji and Wang Xin to sit down, then turned to Zhang Ya and said, “Originally, I didn’t want to say anything, but after considering it, I decided to let everyone know. Zhang Ya, why don’t you introduce yourself?”

“Ah? Oh…” Zhang Ya, seemingly a bit nervous, looked at everyone and said, “Actually, um… I used to be part of Liang Dacheng’s survivor team.”

“Oh?”

“Eh?”

“Holy cow…”

As expected, everyone reacted with surprise.

“Don’t be so startled; let her speak.” Zhang Su calmed the crowd.

Zhang Ya then repeated everything she had previously told Zhang Su, and finally shrugged, “Liang Dacheng chose me then, and I had no choice but to join his team. But this time, I chose Brother Su’s team, and I hope everyone can accept me.”

“Brother Su’s attitude is my attitude. Welcome, welcome, welcome Sister Zhang Ya!”

Lu Yubo clapped.

“As long as you don’t compete for my husband, all sisters are welcome!”

Zheng Xinyu hugged Zhang Su’s neck, her face full of laughter.

“Welcome, welcome!”

No one objected; it was natural in the apocalypse to choose better, stronger, more attractive teams to survive. Every leader also found ways to pull tight those who followed them; it was a mutually beneficial relationship.

Howl howl.

During the conversation, a zombie emerged from the corner of the wall, unaware of its fate, walking towards the group, probably still excited at discovering such a bounty of blood.

Tan Huajun raised a crossbow and swiftly ended it, Pang Dakun hurried over to the zombie and pulled out the crossbow arrow, quickly cleaning it on the grass before handing it back to Tan Huajun, showing great coordination.

“Old Tan, your daughter must be about the same age as this little guy, right?”

Zhang Su saw the scene, smiling, and asked.

Mentioning his daughter, Tan Huajun looked towards the city district, pursed his lips, and said, “He’s two years older than my daughter.”

“Two years is nothing; how about it, Xiaopang, acknowledge her as your foster mother, and let Old Tan watch over you from now on, sound good?”

Zhang Su suggested.

“Sure!”

Pang Dakun answered very readily.

“Is this okay?”

Tan Huajun was a bit at a loss.

“That’s great, Sister Tan!”

“Look how sensible Xiaopang is, just accept him.”

“Accept, accept.”

Everyone didn’t care much, following Zhang Su’s lead and started to make a fuss.

Tan Huajun took a glance at the neatly dressed Pang Dakun. Though not exceptionally handsome, he was a decent young man and much better than some of those youngsters who only fill twenty yuan of gas at the station for their motorcycles.

Zhang Su, seeing Tan Huajun’s emotions loosen, said, “Old Tan, there aren’t many capable and hardworking young men like Xiaopang these days. It’s not a bad idea to teach him early and keep him as a son-in-law.”

Tan Huajun’s expression darkened slightly. She shook her head and said, “I don’t even know if my dad and Xiaolan are still alive… alright, since everyone insists, I also think Xiaopang is a good kid, so from now on, he’ll be my godson. No bullying him!”

“Godmother!”

Pang Dakun, without hesitation, upon hearing Tan Huajun’s agreement, immediately kneeled and bowed to her.

“Get up, get up, why go through all this ritual?” Tan Huajun hurriedly helped Pang Dakun up.

“Congratulations Old Tan on your godson!”

“Haha, isn’t it customary to give gifts? Here, this is from Uncle!”

Zhao Dezhu took out a half-finished bag of nuts and a new pack of Yuxi cigarettes from his pocket.

“I have some too, I have some too.”

“Here, sister also got you some tasty treats!”

“Thanks, thank you. *sobs*”

In no time, Pang Dakun’s arms were filled with a variety of snacks.

“It’s a happy occasion, why are you crying?” Zhang Su handed a box of unopened cigarettes to Pang Dakun.

“My real mom never bought me so many good things. Becoming a godson and getting so much to eat, I’m touched, I want to cry.” Pang Dakun looked teary-eyed at everyone.

Zhang Su raised his hand and gently tapped Pang Dakun on the head, making a clapping sound, and said, “Alright, alright, take a break, be ready to stand watch at nine o’clock.”

“Okay.”

Answering with a nasal tone, Pang Dakun sat back down beside Tan Huajun and began to organize the snacks in his arms, not forgetting to share many with his godmother.

“Huh?” Suddenly, Zhao Xue asked in puzzlement, “Did you guys hear any insect calls?”

This question left everyone momentarily stunned.

Zhang Su moved his ears slightly and was the first to react, saying, “There are insect calls! Damn, there really are!”

With his keen hearing, he could even vaguely make out the calls of other animals from the direction of Panggezhuang, with the sound of dogs being the most evident.

“Now that you mention it… I’m sure there weren’t any yesterday!”

Yuwen said with certainty. He sat on the roof of Shuwa Village’s fertilizer store keeping watch all night, finding the silence somewhat otherworldly.

Zhang Su, contemplating, looked up at the sky and said, “Yesterday’s rain was not simple. It not only replenished the zombies but also awakened the previously dormant animals. Good Fortune, did you feel anything special?”

Good Fortune had been lying between Zhang Su and Zheng Xinyu. Upon hearing the question, it merely shook its head.

“Then are the animals in the village the same as you now?”

Zhang Su continued to ask.

Good Fortune made a very human-like pout, with its tongue hanging to one side, as if in a disdainful expression.

“Brother Su, I have a guess.” Zheng Xinyu stroked Good Fortune’s back and said, “Could it be that the animals awakened before the heavy rain gained intelligence and enhancement like Good Fortune, and those that awoke after remained ordinary animals?”

“Now that you say it, Xinyu, it’s really possible.”

“I feel there is some truth to it.”

“Forget about that, can we catch a pig to eat?” Zhao Dezhu proposed a very constructive suggestion.

Woof!

The first to respond to the call was none other than Corgi Good Fortune, who sprang up from lying down to a standing position in a flash, exceptionally straight.

Zhang Su found Zhao Dezhu’s proposal amusing: “We just got a stable place to stay, and already you’re thinking about a pig. Are we humans just too greedy? … Just saying, Zhuzi, even if there is a pig, can a fish slaughterer like you handle it?”

Zhao Dezhu pounded his chest and said confidently, “Brother, not just a pig, even a cow and I would make it crystal clear for you!”

“Do you want a dinosaur next? Think about those later; let’s first get through tonight safely!”

Zhang Su glanced at everyone around him. Though they were chatting and laughing, their bodies were still very exhausted.

Without certainty, one cannot take risks. Being alert to potential crises is the current team’s top priority, not yet to the point of casual exploration.

As the sky darkened, everyone scaled the wall to return to the glass factory. Everyone was exhausted today, and many chose to rest early.

With ample space now available, some who didn’t wish to squeeze into the RVs laid their bedding on the clean factory floor. It was a bit cold, but they gained precious roominess.

Zhang Su still chose to sleep in the RV, and couldn’t quite understand why those who declined warmth and comfort would opt to sleep on the floor.

With the camp’s expansion, the guards were not just Pang Dakun and Good Fortune on the rooftop, but also Zhong Xiaoshan sitting on top of the RV, watching the factory gate direction, holding a gun.

As the team grew, Zhang Su’s vigilance increased and once again, the core among the core members were deployed to stand guard at night.

At night, two vehicles sped past. Pang Dakun notified Zhong Xiaoshan via walkie-talkie, waking many people, but nothing happened. The vehicles made a U-turn after encountering a dead-end bridge and sped back towards the city, completely unaware of the large group of people residing in the glass factory.

Aside from the two vehicles, no other disturbances occurred, allowing everyone to sleep well.