Chapter 6: A Last Stand
It’s a pity that zombies don’t understand strategy; they only sense the lure of fresh blood, even if it’s just a cat.
“Meow—”
The black cat’s meow was filled with terror. Facing the zombies, it felt the same deep fear as a human.
It was scared!
“Kitty!”
“Kitty!”
Qin Xiao, that goofball, opened the window and yelled at the black cat, “Run! Go, go, go!”
Ji Nian beside him: …
Some zombies, hearing Qin Xiao’s voice, stopped in their tracks, slowly turned their heads, bared their teeth at him, and ran back, roaring at the bottom of the building.
As if they were cursing him, “You bastard! Come down here if you dare!”
“Come down and fight! I guarantee I’ll chew you into all sorts of shapes!”
“What the hell are you yelling for? You’re wasting my energy!”
The cat was doomed to escape, eventually being savagely devoured by the zombies. There wasn’t much meat on the cat; they gnawed it until there were no bones left.
But Ji Nian was thinking.
He hadn’t seen animals being bitten by zombies before, nor had he seen animals infected with the virus.
Now, even if the virus wasn’t infectious to animals, what about being bitten?
What would happen if they were bitten?
If animals became zombies, they would far surpass humans in speed, sense of smell, and agility.
Then they…
Qin Xiao, who seemed carefree, had the same thought as Ji Nian.
He closed the window, poured a cup of hot water, and drank it without flinching, making a smacking sound. “Different species are different, animals aren’t necessarily infected. Don’t overthink it.”
Mainly, overthinking was useless.
Death was death.
It would only add to their worries.
In the blink of an eye, a week passed in that room. Their remaining supplies were dwindling.
Qin Xiao suggested, “Why don’t you come with me?”
“Go out? To feed the zombies?” Ji Nian was blunt.
“Why would we? With your brother here, I won’t let them hurt you one bit.”
Sitting on the sofa, Qin Xiao said, “This week, we haven’t seen a single living person. This place is full of ominous energy, and the yin is heavy. If we stay any longer, even if we aren’t eaten by zombies, something else will happen.”
“To tell you the truth, my grandma lives in the mountains. Last night, she appeared in my dream and said everything was fine there, and she told me to come quickly.”
Qin Xiao nudged Ji Nian with his elbow. “I’m not joking, here, my grandma’s photo.”
Ji Nian looked, and saw Qin Xiao holding a photo that was folded several times.
It showed a woman in a gaudy red dress and a scarf blown by the wind, posing dramatically by hugging a tree, exuding a strong rustic style while thinking she looked fashionable… a woman whose face was difficult to make out, presumably an elderly woman.
“My grandma raised me. I didn’t live with my parents until third or fourth grade.”
Qin Xiao stared at the photo, saying word by word, “My parents went out the day the virus broke out and never came back. At that time, I was watching a comedy in my room, laughing so hard, my stomach hurt even when I answered the phone.”
“Don’t you think I’m a terrible person?”
Ji Nian nodded obligingly, “You are.”
Qin Xiao: …
“I really want to go see my grandmother, to see if she’s okay.”
Qin Xiao stroked the photo. His grandma’s face was precisely where the photo was creased, and from being kept in his pocket, the features were worn away.
“We’re just waiting to die here, really, Ji Nian, come with me?”
Qin Xiao said again, “We need something to strive for, right? If my grandma is gone, then so be it. But if she’s still alive, we’ll be saved.”
“We’re going to die here anyway, Ji Nian, don’t you think so?”
Qin Xiao looked at Ji Nian, speaking earnestly, his eyes clear. Every word was sincere.
“Let me think.”
Listening to his proposal, Ji Nian’s mind was in turmoil. Outside was a known danger.
Even if they were skilled, they couldn’t beat that many zombies.
But here, it was no different than death.
Would anyone come to save them?
Even if they did, could they wait that long?
Ji Nian thought all night and agreed to go out with Qin Xiao.
They packed their things, taking everything they could carry, but they didn’t dare pack their backpacks too full for fear of being burdened and slowing them down.
Before leaving, they showered, changed into clean clothes, and tidied themselves up. If they died, they’d die looking their best!
It was a last stand!!
Zombies! Here we come!!
___________
TRANSLATOR’S NOTE: I LOVE APOCALYPSE GENRES~