After finalizing their plan, the group carefully carried the supplies they had gathered from the supermarket at the corner and set off down the main road. However, they hadn’t walked far before they were startled by the sight of thirty or so zombies crowding near the subway entrance about 200 meters away. Given their current weapons and strength, there was no way they could ensure a safe retreat.
Gao Yun and Brother Long exchanged several glances before deciding to retreat. Their equipment was too inadequate; the best weapon they had was the axe in Brother Long’s hand. The rest were makeshift weapons like metal rods with knives, baseball bats, crowbars, and kitchen knives. Except for Brother Long and his group, the others were facing zombies directly for the first time and needed two people to deal with one zombie, making it an uneven fight.
The group quietly and cautiously retreated. Unfortunately, they were not lucky on their way back. They encountered a small group of seven or eight zombies, likely drawn out by the noise from a nearby alley.
Everyone was already carrying supplies, and their physical stamina was waning. They had to fight quietly to avoid drawing the larger group of zombies on the main road, making the battle more difficult. Thankfully, no one was injured, and they managed to return to the neighborhood safely.
When they arrived, covered in grime and stench, the waiting residents quickly came out of their homes, eager for the distributed food.
Yu Xi also came out, not for the food, but to ask Chen Ya about the situation outside. The trip hadn’t gone well, and the supplies they found were minimal, leaving Brother Long and his group discontented.
“Are you really going to distribute the food to them?” Brother Long pulled Gao Yun aside to discuss the matter. He respected Gao Yun for his abilities and calm demeanor, which had garnered the support of many in the neighborhood. Brother Long wanted to recruit Gao Yun as an ally. Knowing they were at a disadvantage due to their small numbers, Brother Long was keen to expand his team quickly.
“We agreed that households without young adults, especially those with residents over fifty, would receive the food,” Gao Yun said, understanding what Brother Long meant.
“The neighborhood can only be a temporary refuge. We can’t stay here forever. Do you plan to take these people with us when we flee?” Brother Long asked.
“If we can find a bus or a public transportation vehicle, maybe,” Gao Yun replied, frowning.
“Come on, Gao Yun. Listen to your Brother Long. The world has changed. I understand you want to help and save people, but you can’t save everyone. Those who trust you and are willing to fight alongside you are the ones you truly need to help.”
Gao Yun remained silent. Brother Long felt frustrated that his heartfelt advice wasn’t appreciated. He turned and saw someone in the food queue complaining, which only fueled his anger.
“Why is it just chips, seeds, and drinks? Only two apples? That’s too little; this won’t even last a meal!” Tan Qian, with her pinched expression, made her face look even more bitter.
Some were grateful for any supplies without having to go out, but others were dissatisfied with the small quantity and voiced their grievances, emboldened by Tan Qian’s words.
“Exactly. There are four of us, including my eighty-year-old mother-in-law and an eight-year-old kid. This is far from enough…”
“Do you think we’re useless because we’re old and that’s why you give us this junk food?”
“Are you hiding the good stuff that fills your belly?”
Tan Qian, feeling supported, straightened her back. “After being out for so long, this is all you bring back? Who believes that? I think you’re just trying to pacify us useless old folks! You young people talk about caring for the elderly, but you’re just saying one thing and doing another! There are several supermarkets around here! How could there only be this little food?”
…
At this point, even Bian An and Chen Ya were visibly displeased. The youngest security guard, infuriated, turned to Yu Xi and said, “What’s wrong with these uncles and aunties? They used to be polite and friendly. Now, it’s us who are fighting zombies, reinforcing the gates, patrolling at night, and finding food! We’ve done so much, and they still think we’re hiding food? If we were, we wouldn’t give them anything! I haven’t even eaten yet!”
Yu Xi exchanged a glance with Chen Ya, who sighed, “An old saying goes, ‘A favor of a pound of rice will be repaid with a ton of resentment.’ It seems the ancients were right.”
Gao Yun approached, and several familiar residents quickly surrounded him. Tan Qian, leading the group, softened her tone slightly but remained firm, “Xiao Gao, don’t blame Auntie for saying this, but you know, I’m a widow and the only one supporting my family. The world has changed, and it’s full of monsters out there. Auntie is old and useless, and I’ve cried so many times alone at home…”
At this, someone in the crowd interrupted, “Oh, Auntie Tan, why are you pretending to be a lonely widow? Don’t you have a son at home? He comes back every weekend with his wife, driving a fancy car, bringing all sorts of things. It’s quite lively!”
“Who is that? Who’s spreading rumors? I’ll rip your mouth off for lying!” Tan Qian snapped, shouting in the direction of the voice with surprising energy.
The crowd parted to reveal the speaker, a fifty-something-year-old woman from the same building as Tan Qian, but in a different unit. Her family had enough food, so she hadn’t sent her son out to risk his life. They were there for the spectacle, given that there was no internet and they couldn’t go out, making life quite boring.
The woman, known for her sharp tongue, continued while cracking sunflower seeds, “Oh, really? You think you can rip my mouth off? Let’s see who rips whose mouth first! Your precious son was home yesterday, eating at the window while Gao Yun and the others were cleaning out zombies. It was like watching TV for him. And now you act like a lonely widow? Did your son turn into a zombie last night?”
“Rubbish! Your son turned into a zombie! My son is fine! You wretched woman, watch your mouth!” Tan Qian was furious, her food and drink bags snatched from her hand by Brother Long.
“These supplies are for elderly people without young adults at home,” he said.
Someone chimed in, “Yes, Tan Qian, you’re not alone. You have a son, yet you complain about the supplies. If you’re so dissatisfied, your son should be the one finding food for you, not hiding at home watching.”
“Everyone, shut up!” Tan Qian yelled at those supporting Brother Long, then turned to Gao Yun. “Xiao Gao, Auntie has no choice. My son is sickly, and my daughter-in-law, who is lazy, is now pregnant… So, Auntie has to shamelessly come for supplies.”
“Fine, you can take the supplies,” Gao Yun said, making Brother Long frown. But then he added, “But it’s a loan. Tomorrow, we’re going out again, and your son will join us.”
“What? No, he can’t! It’s dangerous out there—”
Gao Yun interrupted, “So, your son can’t go, but we can? No discussion. Only elderly without young adults can get food. By coming for supplies, you’re agreeing to your son joining us, or I can’t justify it to the others.”
Turning to Brother Long, Gao Yun said, “Give her the food.”
Brother Long weighed the plastic bag in his hand, smiling, “Take it. When your son gets his share tomorrow, return what you took today.”
Tan Qian panicked, waving her hands, “No, I won’t take it! If anyone is going, it’s not my son!”
She tried to leave, but Brother Long’s men blocked her.
“Auntie, that’s not fair. We all live in the same neighborhood. Why should we do all the hard work?”
“Exactly. We kill zombies while your son watches from home? Does he think he’s some kind of lord?”
“Yes, neighborhood safety is everyone’s responsibility. Your son lives here; he should contribute!”
The few people blocking Tan Qian laughed and joked lightly, but they didn’t loosen their grip on her one bit. Tan Qian turned to the crowd for help, but those waiting in line for food wanted their share and naturally wouldn’t help her. The young men who had just faced zombies for the first time were still shaking with fear and resented her for wanting to get something without any effort. They silently mocked her for being selfish and greedy. No one spoke up to help her.
Tan Qian grew even more panicked. She was genuinely scared of Brother Long and his men, who seemed like they had bad tempers and wouldn’t hesitate to come to her home and drag her son out to fight zombies. She only had one son, raised with great difficulty, and couldn’t bear the thought of sending him into such danger.
With a sudden resolve, Tan Qian blurted out, “You don’t need to go out to find supplies. I know where we can get some!”
Yu Xi, who had just finished asking about the situation outside and was about to leave, stopped and looked at Tan Qian.
“Have you all forgotten? There’s a convenience store in our neighborhood!” Tan Qian said, pointing back and locking eyes with Yu Xi’s cold gaze.
Tan Qian hesitated for a moment, but compared to the imposing Brother Long and the highly respected Gao Yun, a frail-looking girl who had just started her senior year in high school was no threat.
The residents hadn’t forgotten about the convenience store, but their sense of lawfulness in the early days of the apocalypse kept them from thinking of raiding it. Now that Tan Qian brought it up, many were tempted.
“These are extraordinary times, and extraordinary measures are needed. The convenience store has plenty of supplies and no danger. Why should anyone risk their lives to find food outside? Yu Xi, can you really stand to see all your neighbors go hungry?”
Tan Qian’s words struck a chord, and soon people began to murmur in agreement.
“She’s right. Even though it’s the Yu family’s store, it’s unreasonable for everyone else to starve while the supplies just sit there gathering dust!”
“The Yu family is just three people, and Yu Xi is just a girl. They can’t eat all that food. It would be good to share some with everyone…”
“Yes, but there are so many people. Can there be enough to go around? This might not be fair…”
“We can buy it from her; it’s not like we want it for free.”
“Exactly. The store has a lot of instant noodles, and I saw half a shelf of canned goods…”
“Not just that. There are also rice, flour, noodles, and tons of snacks…”
“No wonder they’re not worried. My kids haven’t eaten, but they have mountains of food…”
“We’re all from the same neighborhood, yet they are so cold-hearted…”
At first, everyone knew the supplies belonged to someone else, but once the idea was raised and others followed suit, their attitudes quickly changed. They felt entitled to the supplies and saw Yu Xi’s reluctance as selfish and cold-hearted.
Tan Qian wasn’t happy either. She had rented the garage to the Yu family and had kept a spare key. The garage was right under her unit, and she had been treating it as her backup supply storage since the apocalypse started. With the neighborhood busy clearing zombies, she hadn’t had time to move things, but she considered everything in the garage hers. Though it would inevitably cause conflict with the Yu family, she never feared them. Now, to protect her son, she didn’t care about the consequences. She figured she could still claim a large share since it was her garage, and maybe even secretly move some supplies to her home during the chaos.
Feigning concern, she said, “Yu Xi, can you really bear to see your neighbors starve?”
Yu Xi stood with her hands in her pockets, her expression neutral. “Yes, I can.”
Everyone: …
“They’re just neighbors, not my family. If they want food, they can go out and find it themselves. The supplies are ours, and I have no obligation to share. If I don’t give them, what can they do? Steal it? If I resist, will they attack me?”
Though her words made sense, they sounded cold and heartless to the others. Those who had spoken earlier felt a sting of humiliation but were about to argue when Yu Xi suddenly smiled.
Yu Xi, a naturally beautiful girl, looked warm and approachable when she smiled. “Auntie Tan, you probably thought I’d say something like that, right? Haha, I’m not that cold-hearted. I also feel for everyone going hungry. I planned to discuss with Gao Yun and Chen Ya about sharing the supplies with everyone!”
Tan Qian: …???
She’s lost her mind! There’s so much food there!
xxx
Thingyan
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