Chapter 16: Living Together

Chapter 16: Living Together

With someone breaking the silence, those behind grew bolder. Moreover, with soldiers present, though they were scared, at least their safety was somewhat assured.

Someone asked in a trembling voice, "Where did those zombies come from?!"

"Yes, my classmate stayed over at my place today and suddenly turned into a zombie... sob..."

"Me too!"

"Then I must be luckier! I just heard someone say zombies were coming, so I followed others running blindly."

"You're really lucky..."

No one stopped their discussion. The quarantine personnel continued their work without answering their questions.

Shenchi didn't ask anything. He quickly dressed and went out.

When Cao Kun asked about the vaccine during inoculation, he was told it was the latest "universal vaccine." Though called "universal," it wasn't effective against the new virus but could prevent other common diseases. The C1S9 vaccine was still under development and would be available soon.

Afterward, everyone had their temperatures checked. Cao Kun and his five companions were fine, but one person showed signs of being scratched and needed to be isolated for observation. His family refused to leave him, but the military remained firm.

The two men with Cao Zilong were his subordinates. Their homes were in the West Gate, which was now uninhabitable. Therefore, their resettlement was handled by the military, while Cao Zilong returned home with his cousin. They couldn't go to the countryside for now.

As for Xia Yi, his car had been abandoned on the provincial road. Shenchi silently threw his helmet to him.

Shenchi rode his motorcycle back, with the silent Xia Yi sitting behind him. On the way there, he had taken a shortcut, but now the main roads had been cleared, and all vehicles were required to stay within designated lanes.

The streets were still chaotic, with bloodstains not yet cleaned up. Bodies covered in white sheets were being loaded onto trucks, and many distraught people cried on the streets. Some citizens, covered in blood and holding kitchen knives, were escorted home by patrolling soldiers.

The police cooperated with various departments to manage traffic, register casualties, assist with physical examinations, administer vaccines, conduct post-disaster disinfection, arrange shelter for survivors, and support medical teams treating the injured.

The Armed Police conducted house-to-house searches across the city to eliminate zombies and apprehend dangerous individuals taking advantage of the chaos.

Soldiers divided into two groups: one continued to guard the city's perimeter, while the other controlled city traffic, cleared obstacles, and urgently repaired infrastructure. They also deployed AZ19 main battle tanks for patrols to suppress any threats.

Power hadn't been restored, so the government used an emergency system to broadcast messages. The highest-ranking officials, including Secretary Maojingshan and Mayor Huang Guangtao, stood on the stage alongside military representatives.

The military representatives stood tall, their voices firm and resolute, showing no signs of sorrow or fear. They were like ancient stone pillars, standing firm amidst the turmoil.

The crowd fell silent.

Without saying any comforting words, the soldiers saluted the audience for a long time. The national flag fluttered behind them as cries began to rise from the crowd.

After the military representatives stepped down, government officials approached. Secretary Maojingshan explained that the zombies were infected humans who had died from the C1S9 flu virus and then mutated into living dead.

"Remember, they are not human. They crave blood and feed on humans. Their sharp nails and elongated canines can spread the C1S9 flu virus. If you are scratched or bitten, you will be infected and turn into one of them within 48 hours. Those killed directly by bites will transform immediately upon death!"

Maojingshan's words sparked immediate uproar among the crowd. Some said these were truly zombies, signaling the end of the world!

Others claimed it was divine punishment!

Secretary Maojingshan did not refute them; he let them argue for a moment before speaking again. This time, his presence was commanding and powerful, his words decisive and authoritative.

The crowd quieted down once more, listening to his announcements regarding post-disaster arrangements. He emphasized unity and perseverance, inspiring the people to fight this catastrophe and reclaim humanity's place at the top of the food chain.

After the speech, some citizens gradually joined the rescue efforts voluntarily.

This was a disaster, and they had sensed something was wrong since the first person fell.

Their vehicle drove along Huayuan Road, encountering numerous checkpoints and obstacles.

Huayuan New Mansion was bustling with people in protective suits, Armed Police, and large groups resembling refugees moving in and out. The muddy ground was unrecognizable, and bodies were being lifted onto trucks for later disinfection and cremation.

Cao Kun didn't park in the garage but drove directly to his building. Through the rearview mirror, he saw Shenchi and the doctor approaching, the cool motorcycle nowhere to be seen.

A policeman approached and gestured for them to get out. Cao Kun complied, and the young officer, barely twenty years old, checked their hands for red stamps. Seeing the stamps, he breathed a sigh of relief and, learning they were residents, waved them through, reminding them to be careful before moving on to Shenchi and Xia Yi.

After the officer left, Xia Yi was about to bid farewell when Shenchi said, "I'll take you back first." He then stepped onto the stairs.

Xia Yi hesitated, looking at the bloodstains in the building, and decided to keep quiet.

The front door was broken, and the power was still out, so they had to climb the stairs.

The world outside was dimly lit, and the green emergency lights cast eerie shadows on the steps. Bloodstains snaked along the stairwell, spreading a terrifying atmosphere throughout the building...

Xia Yi wiped the sweat from his forehead, admiring Shenchi's composure as he walked ahead confidently. He felt fortunate to have such a capable person beside him during this crisis. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Shenchi seemed to care about him.

Xia Yi gripped the wooden stick he had taken from a mop handle at the West Gate, wiping the sweat from his palms every few steps. The higher they climbed, the stronger the smell of blood became.

Just as Xia Yi was trying to dry his hands, a faint thudding sound echoed in the silent stairwell.

Xia Yi looked up and saw a ball-like object rolling down the stairs. As it passed him, he realized it was an eyeball!

Xia Yi instinctively caught the eyeball. Examining it, he found it strange. Not only was it technically challenging to remove an eyeball intact, but even with a scalpel, it would be hard to scrape off the six extraocular muscles and optic nerve so cleanly. Even if forcibly pulled out, it should have been bloody, not white with only a few dark blood vessels and decaying flesh.

Could it not be human?

Xia Yi shook his head, thinking it might belong to one of the living dead.

"Let's go."

Xia Yi shivered, looking up to see Shenchi waiting for him.

Xia Yi took a few deep breaths and hurriedly covered his nose, following the other person.

The two of them rushed up to the 8th floor, just in time to encounter epidemic control personnel carrying a corpse down from a household. The room was in disarray, splattered with blood, and there were two people in protective suits spraying something inside.

They quickly moved aside to let them pass. As the body turned the corner, a pale hand dangled down, bearing several scratch marks on the back.

Xia Yi watched as the corpse was carried away, then uncertainly checked the door number again. After confirming it was his own home, he entered, puzzled, to ask the staff why the deceased was in his house.

The person paused their writing, glanced at Xia Yi and Shenchi behind him, and said coldly, "You're saying you're the owner of this place? Then why wasn't your information recorded during the last census?"

The person flipped through their notebook and said, "This property has been registered as unclaimed. If you have any questions, you should go to the resettlement area administration; they manage this house now."

Xia Yi felt a bit annoyed. "I'm perfectly fine, so how can my house not belong to me anymore?" He knew some people liked to pass the buck, but at such a time, by the time he ran around, the situation might already be settled.

The person directed others to speed up their work and said to Xia Yi, "Arguing with me won't help. During these special times, even if the state requisitions your property, you have no say. I suggest you register with the resettlement area administration. Only then might you get your house back when they do another count."

Xia Yi frowned. "Can't the property deed directly prove that the house is mine?"

Upon hearing this, the person exchanged a glance with their colleague and pointed at the damaged front door, "Find it first."

Only then did Xia Yi realize why those corpses had appeared in his home. He ran into the bedroom and saw that everything had been ransacked. Even the drawer containing his watch, bank cards, cash, important financial documents, and the property deed was empty.

As the person was leaving, they reminded him, "If you don't have a place to stay, you can go to the resettlement area. You might end up being allocated this very place."

"No need."

The person turned back.

Shenchi said indifferently, "He's staying with me."

The person's eyes narrowed behind their mask, and they hummed before walking away.

Xia Yi looked at Shenchi, feeling a strange sensation rise within him.

"A place like the resettlement area is not somewhere you'd want to go," Shenchi said. "Go pack your things, take all the food and essentials."

After Xia Yi packed his belongings, he followed Shenchi to the neighboring unit. Shenchi stared at the front door of his own apartment and noticed signs of tampering around the keyhole, though it hadn't been forced open.

The apartment had two bedrooms and two bathrooms, perfect for an additional person. Upon entering, Shenchi told Xia Yi to put his things on the ground and pointed to the room where he had slept. "You'll sleep in that room. Go take a shower and throw out your dirty clothes."

Xia Yi nodded, rummaged through his bag for clean clothes, and went into the bathroom.

Shenchi filled the bathtub in the master bedroom with water. He had installed the generator last night, so hot water was available.

While filling the tub, he used a mop to clean the areas they had walked through, wiping away the diluted blood that had dripped from their bodies. He then stripped off his wet clothes and threw them into the washing machine along with Xia Yi's, adding some detergent and starting a heavy wash cycle.

With the rain's cleansing, the clothes weren't too heavily stained with blood.

After a quick rinse, Shenchi submerged himself in the warm water of the bathtub. The gentle warmth enveloped his entire body, and he closed his eyes, relaxing his limbs, feeling as if he had become a carefree fish. It was a very comfortable sensation.

Shenchi touched his slightly firm abdomen, his fingertips tracing the faint outline of his abs, slowly sketching the image that was becoming clearer in his mind.