[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-zombie-apocalypse-creation":3,"chapter-zombie-apocalypse-creation-zombie-apocalypse-creation-chapter-357":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Zombie Apocalypse: Creation",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1886834,2510,"Chapter 357: Chapter 357: Addressing the Metro","zombie-apocalypse-creation-chapter-357",357,"\u003Cp>As Lianzheng stared at the three cans before him, a surge of ideas appeared in his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shit! Why didn't he tell me this is the kind of food he's providing? This is going to be the easiest job I got.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lianzheng throwing the paper full of ink into the trash and taking another one out, the two slowly walked out of the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thanks, god, I'm not the leader... I would rather starve than make plans on paper.\" Cheng Zui murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah...\" Tingliao murmured as he closed the door behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the time was now six, hundreds of people had gathered before the staircase, all waiting for a certain individual to show up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of Lianzheng's men, along with the police force, were maintaining order, with several women on the side already cooking the canned food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Lianzheng was standing a little far back from the staircase, just far enough that people below couldn't see him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next to him were Cheng Zui and the police chief, their hand on the rail guard as they looked down at the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is everyone here?\" Lianzheng asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yep, two of our men just gave me the signal.\" Cheng Zui replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You ready?\" The police chief asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lianzheng didn't reply, but he took a deep breath before walking forward as he approached the staircase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he travels down the staircase, he notices Tingliao standing next to Liu Peng and his son, as if he is making sure they don't try anything stupid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, he sees Lingling and Zhezhe both standing next to the table, getting ready to distribute the food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good evening, everyone. You all probably have already learned that I'm now the leader of the station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I know some of you might not know me. My name is Lianzheng... You guys probably don't really care who's in charge.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The awkward silence made Lianzheng more nervous, but he continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I used to be one of you, living in tents and waiting for food relief in line until the second outbreak and running all the way to here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was starving, along with my brother... But eventually, I was able to start going outside to salvage food.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Lianzheng continued, his face looked proud, as if he was extremely satisfied with his accomplishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was able to lift myself out of poverty. And then I was able to meet my wife Lingling... She's over on the side right there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the crowd turned their head towards where Lianzheng pointed, their eyes instantly turned into a wolf looking at sheep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn't because of Lingling's look. It was the food on the tray and the beef smell that had spread through the entire station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, nobody dared to make a move or ask to hurry as Lianzheng's men heavily guarded it with guns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahem, you might all be wondering where we got the guns that looked different from the police.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or you might simply wonder where we got all this food from. It's not because we found some secret stash from the outside.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a short silence, Lianzheng finally revealed the news that shook the entire crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The army has finally come to rescue us. The country hasn't forgotten us into the dirt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd instantly burst into chatter, but Lianzheng didn't stop them as he knew it was going to be explosive news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, the station finally turned back into dead silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But as most of you know, all the other metro stations will never let any outsiders come in, even if it is our fellow countrymen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they aren't wrong. Everyone knows how much damage the outsiders have done to us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many of us lost our loved ones in that second outbreak... But this time, it's going to be different.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lianzheng took a short breath, then continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't ask much from you all, but I have one simple question for you all... Are you willing to continue to stay in tents all day, not knowing when your next meal is?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or are you willing to join us in taking over the entire metro station to reunite the country back together?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lianzheng turned silent, the entire crowd burst into chatter once again—this time lasting much longer than the first one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Some of you probably made up your mind. Some of you might still be undecided... Please make sure you make the right decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tomorrow, you join us, and we'll go back home once and for all. Or we'll go back to living in tents, waiting for the next handout that will never come.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lianzheng ended his speech, the crowd burst into cheers. But a small fraction was still pessimistic, only clapping because of peer pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tingliao, you can open the food line now. It's a single-file line only.\" Lianzheng warned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Tingliao moved to the side, the crowd flooded into the designated line that had been set up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With more and more people lining up in a zip-zag, several of Lianzheng's men started flexing their weapons toward a few people who tried to cut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That was an amazing speech.\" The police chief complimented as he walked back down to the ground floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you... Speaking of speech, you want to give a speech to everyone while they're eating?\" Lianzheng offered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, no, I'm good. I'm not really good at public speaking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How can a police chief be bad at public speaking? That doesn't sound right.\" Cheng Zui pointed out as the three of them headed over to the long line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, there's a reason why I'm still a commissioner 2nd class and not higher... Lianzheng, what's your next plan?\" The police chief curiously asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just need you to crack down on any crimes that would have broken the law before the outbreak——\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yo, you guys don't have to wait in line. There's an employee line over here.\" Tingliao waved as he noticed the three lining within the people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the line with no end in sight, the three headed over to the shorter line where some of Lianzheng's men had been lining up and eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shouldn't we fit in with the people?\" The police chief pointed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"People are not blind. They could tell if someone is just making a show... Besides, people care more about actual things being done for them.\" Lianzheng argued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I guess...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Imagine if you risk your life, and you tell me that I don't even get a faster line getting food?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would be mad as hell for my brothers and me. They should be thankful that we're even giving them these kinds of meals in the first place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Zui's straightforward talk made the police officer a little uncomfortable, but he knew Cheng Zui was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Language Cheng Zui. Everyone here is a comrade. There's no our brothers and others. We're all living in the same country.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lianzheng's serious tone made Cheng Zui close his mouth, realizing the words he said were promoting disunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Police Chief, I actually have one request... Do you have contacts with other station's police force?\" Lianzheng asked in a calm voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A little. We usually like to have contacts between us in case there's a break-in or expedited criminals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since we're in the outer layer of the city, I barely need to contact them at all... I still have a station messenger that can contact most of them, though.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Great. Can you bring it to me later tonight? I want to make a deal with all of them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All of them? You sure?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm sure of it. They'll make their choices when they hear things unfold above them...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lianzheng didn't elaborate any further, keeping the two on the hook as the three of them started eating the food in their tray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the clock struck eight, the entire metro station was dead silent, with only whispers coming from different tents along its path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lianzheng and the police chief were both sitting in the security guard's office, which had a mic and speakers on the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I already dialed and told them to listen in at eight. Most of them responded, but a few on the other side of the city didn't,\" the police chief pointed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's okay... You can start it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The police chief pressed a button, and a sound of static appeared before stabilizing into a preset channel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hello, this is metro station fifty-five. My name is Lianzheng, and I have an announcement for all of you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lianzheng took a short breath to shake off the nervousness, then continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The army has arrived in Foshan, and they'll start clearing the city within the next few weeks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tomorrow, they'll be launching an artillery strike on the city to thin out several densely populated zombie hordes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that's not why I called you here today... I, Lianzheng, representing Metro Station fifty-five, was offered the chance to reunite with them by the army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, I haven't said yes yet. I realized that everyone down here should be allowed to rejoin our fellow countrymen above ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, anyone willing to join me and the movement to reunite with the outside world, please come over tomorrow and meet up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'll be awaiting your response... But please, consider this your last chance of leaving this metro once and for all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1560,"2026-06-10T06:59:31.433Z",1,"novelbin.me","73afafa1e03e169a56b6f78cb9be76d4e53adfebc1bdd13625329e66410663d1","zombie-apocalypse-creation-chapter-358","zombie-apocalypse-creation-chapter-356",829,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fzombie-apocalypse-creation-cover.jpg"]