Chapter 30: Cockroach

On the flatbed cart.

Besides Zhao Xiao Yan, Chen Mu also placed two large pieces of plastic, each about the size of a person, mainly so that when needed, various suitable containers could be made.

The storage room originally belonged to the canteen's area, so the straight-line distance between the two places is not far; however, the path winds and twists, requiring a long stretch of concrete road.

If one took a shortcut across the grass, the distance would be much shorter, but first, the road is difficult to walk and the flatbed cart cannot pass; second, the danger lurking in the grass is enough to make one's flesh creep.

Zhao Xiao Yan sat in the cart for a while, then got out to walk on her own; when she grew tired, she returned to the cart.

Along the way, they encountered several waves of ants.

As Tang Jing said, those large black ants in the classroom are actually uncommon, while the household ants before us, which are still small animals even for modern humans, are the mainstream.

Although each ant is tiny, their numbers are terrifying, and ants do not care about the size of their opponent; upon encountering something edible, they always rush up to take a couple of bites.

Therefore, the three always detour around them.

Fortunately, the several waves of ants encountered were not numerous; as long as they did not get too close, they could still avoid provoking them.

They walked for about two hours.

They finally arrived in front of the canteen's main building.

Three stories high and covering 1,500 square meters, the canteen's main building normally handles lunch for over 1,000 teachers and students of Ziwei High School, and is one of the places most familiar to students.

However, the back kitchen area had never been visited before.

On the back door side, there were several small doors for canteen staff to enter and exit, all tightly shut, and the three or four steps also hindered the trio's progress.

Only a freight vehicle passage was available for travel.

The canteen's overall terrain is relatively high; this passage is a slope of about 30 degrees, and its length feels like climbing a small hill for present-day humans.

The three avoided the central friction zone and proceeded upward from the right side.

At this moment, Zhao Xiao Yan got off the cart to walk on her own, while Wei Dalei pushed the flatbed cart up the slope without effort, his speed even exceeding Chen Mu's.

This several-meter-long slope, with stops and starts, ultimately took nearly twenty minutes.

After reaching the top and looking down, there was a feeling of having ascended a summit and gazing downward.

"Over there."

Chen Mu pointed to the double-door entrance on the right side.

The doors inside the canteen, to keep out pests, are mostly seamless one-piece doors; however, this double door formerly used for transporting goods has its left side half-open at the moment.

Perhaps when the disaster struck, the staff here were still working.

The entire canteen was dead silent.

The ceiling height far exceeds that of the storage room, and is even higher than the classroom.

Upon entering the interior, a chilly draft swept in.

Due to long-term oil erosion, the floor became sticky and even somewhat adhesive to the feet.

"I've never been here before." Zhao Xiao Yan felt uneasy inside, yet at the same time extremely curious.

"For now the time is still short; if we wait another week or two, the stored vegetables and food in the canteen will rot and attract many flies and crawling pests, so I'm eager to come early, preferably hauling as much supplies as possible in one trip."

"It should still be fine for now."

"Also, don't be careless."

"What if we really encounter mice?" Zhao Xiao Yan instinctively leaned toward Wei Dalei.

"I told you not to come along." Wei Dalei grinned widely, clearly pleased.

Chen Mu sighed; without the apocalypse, this guy would be a lifelong bachelor.

"It's been this long already; it's normal for mice to appear in the canteen, so we should move as quickly as possible…"

Before his words finished, Zhao Xiao Yan's face changed dramatically, her mouth agape as she stared at Chen Mu's back.

Chen Mu didn't even have time to turn around; he dashed to the flatbed cart in a single stride and reached out to touch that huge piece of plastic.

The next moment, that piece of plastic suddenly transformed into a semicircular cover, enveloping Zhao Xiao Yan, Wei Dalei, and himself—all three were covered inside.

Only then did Chen Mu dare to look back.

It was a cockroach as large as a car.

Its body gleamed with oil, its rapidly twitching antennae whipping like whips, and the fine hairs on its six legs were distinctly visible.

Wei Dalei hadn't even reacted yet.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xiao Yan was so frightened she sat down directly on the ground.

"Holy shit!"

When Old Wei realized it and turned to look, he too was startled into a stumble; although he is rash, he is still just an ordinary person, and anyone normal would be frightened by this sight.

Chen Mu waited until the plastic cover took effect, then pressed a grip inside and held on tightly.

To be honest, his calves were involuntarily trembling.

The reason humans always regard insect swarms as hypothetical enemies in sci-fi is that the appearance of insects most easily provokes human discomfort.

Even without shrinking, most people still instinctively loathe and fear cockroaches.

Especially this American cockroach common in the south, which can reach three centimeters in length and moves as fast as a sports car, has driven countless northerners newly arrived in the south to mental breakdown.

And, most importantly,

This guy!

It can fly!

When provoked, it will fly straight at your face and ask if you're scared.

Even if a slipper smashes it, the scattered splatter of its innards can make one feel nauseated all day.

This is what a cockroach is.

It doesn't eat people.

But it can nauseate a person to death.

For Chen Mu and his two companions now, the cockroach before them, though merely an ordinary roach, is larger than all of them put together; even if it doesn't bite, a bump could knock someone half-dead.

"Will it... will it eat people?" Zhao Xiao Yan stammered.

In this situation, she could still speak; Chen Mu actually admired her for that.

Wei Dalei was far braver, and with the girl he liked nearby, he stepped forward to shield Zhao Xiao Yan, raising his wolf-tooth club, ready to attack head-on if Chen Mu's plastic cover failed.

"It should be fine; it can't get in." Chen Mu reassured.

"If it comes in, I'll smash it flat with one hammer!" Wei Dalei gripped his weapon tighter, as if psyching himself up.

Fortunately, cockroaches aren't especially aggressive insects; this little roach circled the plastic cover a few times, seemingly catching a scent but unable to reach the food.

Finally.

It flicked its antennae a few times and crawled away.

The three exhaled in unison.

"Oh my god!"

Wei Dalei's bravado vanished; he nearly buckled, about to retort, but seeing Zhao Xiao Yan beside him, he snapped upright and feigned toughness: "You little thing, next time I'll see if I can hammer you to death!"

Chen Mu also felt a weak, relieved sensation after surviving a great danger.

Although cockroaches usually don't hunt live prey, when the moment arrives, that instinctive fear isn't something you can just talk away.

Humans are still too fragile.

Especially psychologically.

"How are you? Continue or head back?" Chen Mu quickly composed himself, but he didn't know how the other two were, especially Zhao Xiao Yan.

Wei Dalei gave Zhao Xiao Yan a troubled look.

Before he could speak, the girl who had just been frightened into sitting on the ground had already stood up, taken a deep breath, and said seriously: "I'm fine."

Wei Dalei smiled: "Then let's continue!"

"Okay."