Chapter 24: The Second Day (Merry Christmas to book friends celebrating Christmas)

"I don't understand, why even such powerful weapons couldn't solve the zombies..."

Zheng Xin crouched on the ground, sobbing in a low voice, sad for the sacrificed heroes, sad for herself being unable to wait for rescue, and lost and disappointed by the bleak future.

"I thought about it before, what are carbon-based organisms in front of artillery fire? But now I don't think so."

Zhang Su shook his head and continued: "My assumption was based on the premise that the military and police systems were completely intact, and that using heavy firepower could easily wipe out zombies. But... if the zombie virus is an indiscriminate infection, then..."

Human thermal weapons are indeed very powerful, but no matter how powerful the weapon is, it needs people to operate it. People—living people, uninfected living people—are the key.

"If that's really the case, isn't there no hope for rescue?"

Zheng Xin looked at Zhang Su with tears on her face, despair in her eyes.

If even powerful thermal weapons couldn't resist, how could ordinary people like them, who hadn't even touched a gun, resist?

"How could there be no hope?" Zhang Su reached out and placed his hand on Zheng Xin's cold back, his tone firm: "Being alive is hope. Live with all your might, and fight until you're at the end of your rope before saying anything!"

Lying back in bed, clearly very tired, the two tossed and turned but couldn't sleep. Finally, they drifted off in a daze, and when they woke up again, it was already past nine in the morning.

"I'm going to check on Brother Li's place upstairs." After breakfast, Zhang Su said to Zheng Xin, who was tidying up the dishes.

After getting up, neither of them mentioned the cigarette from last night, as if everything was very normal, very natural, and very logical.

No one took advantage of anyone, no one lost out; there was only the soul and body comforting each other in times of crisis.

Zheng Xin wiped the bowl clean with a tissue and nodded: "Do you need me to go with you?"

If it were yesterday, she would have been puzzled why Zhang Su was in such a hurry to search for supplies in someone else's house, but after last night's scene, she understood that this would be a protracted battle and required longer-term planning!

Taking a step back, even if nothing happened at Shengqin Garden, their ability to go out and search for supplies was very limited, so starting from the nearest place was never wrong.

"No need, I'll go myself. You lock the door in a bit and continue exercising. Don't just train your upper body strength; train your lower body too!"

Zhang Su said, walking to the window and lifting a crack to look. The sky was cloudless and clear. If it weren't for the black smoke drifting everywhere, it would be a good day.

"Got it! I'll help you put on your arm guards."

Zheng Xin carefully put the arm guards on Zhang Su and asked with concern: "If there's a situation, don't take risks!"

"Don't worry, I know my limits."

Zhang Su pinched Zheng Xin's moisturized face, picked up the axe from the ground, and walked toward the main door.

"Huh?"

Observing the situation outside through the peephole, Zhang Su suddenly discovered that the zombie corpse they had beaten to death yesterday was gone. What remained were dark stains extending from the door of 802 to the emergency exit!

Originally, he had planned to observe the situation in the stairwell before considering moving the corpse, but he hadn't expected someone to have dragged it away a step ahead...

"The zombie corpse outside is gone!"

Zhang Su's scalp tightened, and he turned to say to Zheng Xin, who was not far away.

"This... someone has been here? There are still living people in the building!" Zheng Xin said with a strange expression: "But, even if there are people, what do they want with a zombie corpse?"

Zhang Su shook his head: "Not sure! Let's ask Zhong Xiaoshan."

Gently opening the door and pushing it open a crack, Zhang Su didn't step out immediately, intending to observe the situation in the stairwell. But just then, a door-opening sound came from across the hall.

Zhong Xiaoshan walked out from inside. Unlike the nightgown from yesterday, today she had changed into jeans and a tight-fitting knit sweater, her face carrying a trace of exhaustion.

"It's me, it's me!"

Zhong Xiaoshan walked to the door of 801. Seeing Zhang Su's vigilant and suspicious expression, she pointed to the security door and said: "I dragged the corpse away. Don't be nervous."

"You!"

"You..."

Zhang Su and Zheng Xin's incredulous voices sounded at the same time. He looked at the weak-looking woman in front of him with a scrutinizing gaze, feeling very unbelievable in his heart.

From beginning to end, the two hadn't thought this would be done by Zhong Xiaoshan, but this was also good, at least it dispelled the suspicion of whether someone else had come.

"Um... the corpse was always blocking the door, not to mention it was in the way, and the weather hasn't reached the point of being very cold, so it would rot and breed germs, which isn't good for any of us..."

Zhong Xiaoshan said softly, looking exhausted but clearly in a much better state than yesterday.

"You've got guts, and strength too..."

Zhang Su pushed the door open to let Zhong Xiaoshan into the room and said.

Zhong Xiaoshan smoothed her somewhat oily hair and laughed embarrassedly: "Handsome, you flatter me. Being a nurse in the hospital doesn't allow for slacking off, so it counts as giving me good training."

"Quite impressive. Um, did you come over to eat?"

Zhang Su asked. He had promised to help Zhong Xiaoshan cook instant noodles and snail noodles, so he wouldn't go back on his word.

Zhong Xiaoshan shook her head and said: "No, I'm... I came over, I want to tell you a piece of news: we might not be able to wait for rescue for a while!"

"You mean the exchange of fire on the street last night, right?"

Zhang Su frowned and pointed in the direction of last night's exchange of fire.

"That's right. Even such intense gunfire didn't defeat the zombies. I... I don't want to wait for death. I want to join you guys, can I?"

Zhong Xiaoshan stated her purpose very directly.

She had barely slept all night last night. After seeing that tragic scene, a ten-thousand-catty stone seemed to press on her heart, making it incomparably heavy.

All along, Zhong Xiaoshan had pinned her hopes on the army even more thoroughly than Zheng Xin. When she saw that thermal weapons couldn't resist the zombie flood, she was nearly in despair.

Zheng Xin had Zhang Su's encouragement to walk out of despair, while Zhong Xiaoshan had relied on a night of bitter endurance. Under the shroud of darkness and fear, the fire of hope for survival ignited in her heart.

She knew very well that if she relied on herself, a woman, let alone breaking out, even living in Shengqin Garden was a problem. If she could join Zhang Su and the other, it would be a very good choice.

It was just a pity that whether she could join wasn't up to her.

Zhang Su looked at Zhong Xiaoshan seriously from top to bottom, and suddenly understood in his heart that actively cleaning up the zombie corpse was her showing him her ability.

"I don't need a woman who screams when she sees a zombie."

Speaking of this, Zhong Xiaoshan's fair cheeks flushed slightly. She pursed her lips and said: "I guarantee it won't happen again. Yesterday was because it was my first time... but my acceptance ability is very strong!"

After speaking, Zhong Xiaoshan puffed out her chest, as if she were expressing her determination to a superior.

"Words don't work. If you want to prove you're useful, there's a good opportunity right now!"

Zhang Su saw Zhong Xiaoshan's change. Setting aside the act of being a mistress, she had merits. Being able to walk out of despair and stimulate a strong desire for survival was very good!

The desire for survival was very important at this moment. If one's heart was like dead ash and full of pessimism, doing anything would be in a passive state, and death wouldn't be far off!

I wrote forty thousand words in one day of the story. Surely many book friends will say I'm dawdling.

It's just to highlight the protagonist's initiative ahead of other survivors.

On the first day of the disaster, instead of sitting around waiting for death, he faced it actively. This is the key element to being ahead of the vast majority of people.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 25 =====