Chapter 7 Birth

Chapter 7: Birth - Life is a Miracle

The residents watched the zombies pouring out from every nook and cranny, remarking how they were quite like cockroaches—when you thought there were only one or two, several nests of eggs had already hatched at home.

The zombies, like fans who had snatched front-row standing tickets to a concert, exerted every ounce of their strength, rushing forward desperately, hoping to secure a spot in the first row to satisfy their empty stomachs that hadn’t eaten in two days.

Bai Suizhi and Kahn lay peacefully on the rooftop, like fishermen quietly waiting for all the zombies to enter the reading room before casting their net.

Seeing that most of the zombies had gone inside, Bai Suizhi and Kahn swiftly climbed down from the roof. They then locked the door together and added an extra layer of security with an iron chain provided by a second-floor resident.

Two late-arriving zombies were locked outside. Bai Suizhi used his helmet to block one zombie’s wildly grasping hands, then kneed it in the stomach. As the zombie stumbled forward, Bai Suizhi plunged his knife into the back of its head, completely disabling it.

Kahn was also confronted by a zombie. He executed a neat sweep kick to knock the zombie to the ground, then pinned it by the neck and drove his knife into its eye, twisting the blade forcefully to scramble its brains.

Bai Suizhi helped Kahn up from his knees and praised him: "Well done."

Kahn sheathed his knife and smiled somewhat sheepishly.

The two ran side by side back toward the residential building. The community residents had likely already begun their operation, and they needed to hurry back to assist.

Sure enough, seeing that the music from the reading room had drawn the zombies away, the community residents quickly carried out the plan they had discussed in the group chat.

First, the residents of Building 1 implemented the "Stairwell Zombie Cleanup Plan" to ensure the safe descent of the couple from Unit 103.

A middle-aged man from Unit 106 took the lead, wielding his collected bayonet rifle with impressive skill. His family had initially opposed him going out, but he insisted. He didn’t overthink it—he simply felt that if others were in trouble, he should lend a hand. Besides, the two young people from the seventh floor had volunteered to lure the zombies away. At over forty years old, he could almost be their father; there was no way he should hide behind others.

Many in the community shared this man’s sentiment. Seeing two young people step up, they felt ashamed to stand by idly. Moreover, this operation would significantly reduce the number of zombies in the community, benefiting everyone.

The man wielded his bayonet looking mighty. The blood groove design allowed for smooth stabbing and withdrawal, making zombie killing effortless. As he stabbed, he thought to himself, "I’ll definitely give that seller a five-star review later."

The twins from Unit 102 overcame their initial fear, bravely donning their Taekwondo protective gear. Following their father’s lead, they tied ropes to the stair railings and fire door handles at the corners, then crouched in hiding nearby, ready to deliver a finishing blow whenever a zombie tripped.

Once the zombies in the stairwell were cleared, the aunties from Units 105 and 102 escorted the couple from Unit 103 downstairs, armed with kitchen knives.

Building 2 had also sprung into action. The man from Unit 207 tied bedsheets, quilts, and clothes into a long rope and slowly climbed down. His wife couldn’t resist commenting, "How come those two young guys climbed down so stylishly, but you…"

Her words were cut off by her husband’s angry shout: "Lin Jiajia!"

"Alright, alright, I won’t say anymore. Take your time."

Yue Shaolin, fueled by his wife’s teasing, channeled his frustration into agility and slithered down like a nimble earthworm. His wife quickly retracted the rope once he safely reached the ground.

Yue Shaolin knew it was to prevent zombies from climbing up, but he couldn’t help sensing a hint of disdain in his wife’s hurried movements. He shook his head, convinced he was overthinking it.

Yue Shaolin started his motorcycle and rode to the first floor. Wu Feng happened to be carrying his wife down at the same time. While carrying her all the way was an option, the risk of a zombie suddenly appearing made it too dangerous.

Wu Feng helped Guo Mengting onto Yue Shaolin’s motorcycle. Yue Shaolin used his jacket to tie Guo Mengting securely behind him, worried she might lack the strength to hold on and fall off later.

The aunties from Units 105 and 102 looked at Guo Mengting with sympathy and concern. "Oh, you poor child, you’ve suffered so much," they said, their eyes reddening as they spoke.

Yue Shaolin couldn’t stand such scenes. "Are we done talking? I’m starting the bike if we are."

He then revved the motorcycle. Building 2 and Building 3 were separated by a small garden, and fortunately, no zombies appeared along the way. Yue Shaolin quickly brought Guo Mengting to Building 3, where people were already waiting to receive them. After completing the handoff, Yue Shaolin turned back to pick up Wu Feng.

On their way back, Bai Suizhi and Kahn dealt with three or four stray zombies. By the time they returned, Wu Feng and Guo Mengting had already safely reached Unit 303. Yue Shaolin was leaning against his expensive motorcycle, waiting for them.

Bai Suizhi nodded at the man first. "Hello." He swallowed the words "flashlight guy" that nearly slipped out.

Yue Shaolin extended his hand. "Hello, I’m Yue Shaolin."

Bai Suizhi shook his hand. "I’m Bai Suizhi."

Yue Shaolin then turned to Kahn and reached out his hand. "Hello, patient gown guy."

Kahn, bewildered, shook his hand. "Hello, I’m Kahn."

Yue Shaolin praised them, "You two young men are really impressive." He patted their shoulders.

Bai Suizhi replied, "It was nothing, just a small effort."

Kahn nodded in agreement.

Yue Shaolin said, "Many people aren’t willing to make even a small effort. And this was no small effort—it was a matter of life and death."

Bai Suizhi and Kahn didn’t say anything more, feeling somewhat embarrassed by the praise. After all, they were only in their early twenties. It was impossible not to feel nervous in such situations, but the most precious thing about youth was their fearless courage.

Bai Suizhi didn’t seek validation from others, but that didn’t mean he didn’t appreciate it. Being acknowledged by an older brother figure naturally made him happy.

For Kahn, it was the first time in his life he had done something to help others and received recognition. He felt a deep sense of accomplishment and happiness. Although he had initially done it for Bai Suizhi, he now found joy in it himself.

After adding the man as a friend, they went their separate ways home. Since the zombies in their building had been cleared, Bai Suizhi and Kahn took the stairs up.

The man watched them walk away calmly and felt a mix of envy and admiration, though he would never show it. He casually called for his wife to lower the rope and began twisting his way up again like an earthworm.

Once home, Bai Suizhi and Kahn first went to the balcony to retrieve the rope, then removed their protective gear. They rinsed their knives in the sink and disinfected them repeatedly with alcohol. Though it might not have been entirely effective, it provided some psychological comfort.

After finishing everything, they collapsed onto the sofa. Bai Suizhi looked at Kahn with sparkling eyes. "We actually succeeded."

Kahn, infected by Bai Suizhi’s joy, felt a faint happiness spreading across his face. "Yeah!"

They looked at each other, their eyes reflecting each other’s smiles—pure and beautiful.

Everyone in the group chat was focused on the delivery progress of Unit 103. As time passed without news, tension grew. Bai Suizhi also kept a close watch, praying nothing would go wrong.

Three hours later, Wu Feng posted a video of a tiny baby in the group chat. Everyone, regardless of what they were doing, stopped to watch the video. The baby was small, red, and wrinkled.

Wu Feng said excitedly, "Really, really, thank you all again. Both mother and daughter are safe."

The man from Unit 106 looked at the baby in the video and chuckled. "So ugly."

The aunt beside him, who was wiping his knife, leaned over and smacked his head. "All newborns look like this. Haven’t you seen one before? Our daughter was just as wrinkled and monkey-like back then, and look how pretty she is now…"

The aunt from Unit 102 showed the video to her twin children. "Look, this is the baby just born from that auntie."

"So small. It doesn’t even look as big as my book."

"You were just like this when you were born—small and soft. Mom and Dad were too scared to touch you back then. Your dad even got scolded half to death by your grandma for being too afraid to hold you two, crying even harder than you both."

The twins laughed heartily at their father, who lowered his head in embarrassment.

Yue Shaolin shoved the video in front of Lin Jiajia’s face, his eyes shining. "Holy crap, it’s a daughter. Wu Feng is so lucky. Honey, I want a daughter too." He nuzzled against his wife’s arm.

Lin Jiajia kicked him irritably and moved the phone farther away to get a better look at the newborn girl. The phone had been too close earlier, almost making her cross-eyed.

After a moment, she suddenly said, "Okay."

Yue Shaolin froze, as if he couldn’t believe his ears. "What did you say?"

Previously, Lin Jiajia had never wanted children, believing that having a child would distract her from her work. Yue Shaolin respected her opinion, thinking that raising a furry child could be like having a child too. He had just casually mentioned it earlier, never expecting Lin Jiajia to actually soften her stance.

Lin Jiajia couldn’t be bothered to repeat herself and turned back to watch the video of the baby, ignoring Yue Shaolin. She had simply suddenly felt that having such a little one in their lives might actually be quite nice.

In Room 303, Cui Qishan breathed a sigh of relief. The surgery had gone very smoothly, with no complications whatsoever. As she looked at the little girl lying on the bed and Guo Mengting, who was still unconscious, her eyes welled up with tears. She thought to herself how incredibly difficult it had all been.

After sending the video to the group and updating everyone, Wu Feng hugged his wife and cried, "Honey... we have a daughter... you've worked so hard..."

When Guo Mengting woke up, the first thing she did was thank Cui Qishan. She knew how much pressure Cui Qishan had faced to perform the surgery, and no amount of money could ever repay this kindness. The same went for everyone else in the community—she would forever hold this gratitude close to her heart.

Guo Mengting patted Wu Feng and said, "Bring our daughter over, let me see her."

With Cui Qishan’s help, Wu Feng carefully placed the baby next to Guo Mengting. Guo Mengting gazed tenderly at the little girl, who was nursing, and gently touched the baby’s forehead. Only then did it truly feel real to her. She whispered softly, "This little one."

As soon as Bai Suizhi saw the video, he immediately grabbed his phone and ran to find Kahn, who was organizing the notes he had taken that morning. Bai Suizhi played the video, and the two of them leaned in, heads together, watching the newborn girl. Kahn asked curiously, "What’s her gender?"

Bai Suizhi replied, "A girl, just a tiny little thing."

Kahn asked tentatively, "So, it’s a girl—no other genders?"

Bai Suizhi responded curiously, "Yeah. You don’t actually think there are dozens of genders, do you?" Some foreigners believe in more than just male and female when it comes to gender identity, and Bai Suizhi was a bit surprised that Kahn would ask such a question.

Kahn avoided the question and instead poked at the baby’s face in the video, exclaiming, "Wow, she’s amazing."

Bai Suizhi didn’t press further and simply watched the video of the little girl alongside Kahn. "Life's a miracle," he said.

A tiny life had just been born, in this zombie-infested era—it was hard to say whether it was fortunate or unfortunate.

Still, the arrival of new life is always a surprise. The gloomy mood that had hung over the community these past few days lifted somewhat with the arrival of this new member. A seed of hope broke through the barren soil, sending up a small, tender sprout.