“At most, our food and water will only last us another week!”
Inside a school storeroom in Jiangcheng, a group of survivors huddled together, their expressions grim.
The oldest among them, a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, continued, “If we want everyone here to stay alive, we have to send someone out to search for food and water.”
“That is why I called this meeting today. We need to choose someone to go...”
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances. Fear and dread were written all over their faces.
The middle-aged man was Du Zhiming, the school’s dean of discipline. The rest were students who had survived the outbreak.
“But Mr. Du...” A petite, pretty schoolgirl spoke in a soft, trembling voice. She looked utterly helpless. “There are zombies everywhere! Going outside is no different from throwing our lives away!”
“So what? Are we supposed to sit here and wait for death?” A handsome boy dressed head to toe in designer sportswear rose to his feet and spoke with overbearing confidence. “I support Mr. Du’s proposal!”
His name was Chen Kun, the school’s infamous rich, handsome golden boy. Even before the apocalypse, people had constantly fawned over him.
“Young Master Chen is right! I support Mr. Du’s proposal too!” A scrawny male student chimed in, gazing at Chen Kun with a shamelessly ingratiating smile.
Everyone present knew that Chen Kun’s family was not only filthy rich—he also had an uncle who was a general in the military. Now that the apocalypse had arrived, the army might be their only hope of rescue.
Following a wealthy heir with connections in the military obviously gave them a better chance of survival.
Everyone knew whose boots they ought to be licking.
“Since we are agreed, let us choose someone.” Du Zhiming pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose and spoke with an air of authority.
The room fell silent.
No one wanted to go.
Every person in the storeroom was a student with no survival experience whatsoever. They all knew perfectly well that stepping outside meant certain death.
This was not really about sending someone to look for food and water. It was about sending someone out to die so there would be one less mouth feeding on the storeroom’s supplies.
After a long silence, Chen Kun looked toward a corner of the room. Everyone followed his gaze to Xiao Yi, who sat there alone without saying a word.
“All of us here come from wealthy families. We don’t have any real survival experience,” Chen Kun said, staring at Xiao Yi with contempt. “Xiao Yi is the only one from the countryside. A bottom-feeder like him, someone who’s spent his whole life at the bottom of society, should be used to hardship. I think he’s the best person to send out for supplies.”
“Young Master Chen is absolutely right!” the scrawny boy agreed at once, eager to suck up to him. He did not forget to accuse Xiao Yi as well. “Xiao Yi eats and drinks more than anyone else every day. One man consumes as much as two! If everyone ate like him, we wouldn’t even last a week!”
He had completely forgotten how he had once wept with gratitude when Xiao Yi saved his life.
“I support Chen Kun’s proposal too,” Ling Xueya said haughtily. She was the school beauty, with a gorgeous face and a smoking-hot figure. “Xiao Yi is the strongest one here, and he eats the most. Those with greater ability should shoulder more responsibility.”
One person after another raised a hand in support of Chen Kun’s proposal. Watching them, Xiao Yi felt his heart turn cold.
When the zombie virus first erupted, Xiao Yi had opened the door and let them hide in the storeroom. He had shared its food and water with them. Without him, they would probably have died long ago.
And now?
These ungrateful bastards despised him for eating too much and wanted to send him to his death!
Human hearts truly were more terrifying than zombies.
After spending so many days with them, Xiao Yi had finally seen just how vicious people could be.
If Heaven ever gave him another chance to choose, he would never show mercy to anyone again!
“Ahem.”
Du Zhiming cleared his throat and spoke with stern authority. “Since the majority supports Chen Kun’s proposal, Xiao Yi will go out and search for food and water. Xiao Yi, do you have any objections?”
After speaking, Du Zhiming fixed Xiao Yi with an imperious stare. His words and manner carried an authority that brooked no refusal.
He was the school’s dean of discipline, and he had long grown accustomed to throwing his weight around in front of students. Within this small group, he naturally believed that he ought to be the one in charge.
No one was allowed to defy his will.
“But... Xiao Yi was here first. All the food in this storeroom was his...” Tang Ningning, the petite and pretty girl, murmured indignantly. “If he hadn’t taken us in, the zombies would probably have eaten us by now...”
She did not dare raise her voice. She wanted to live too, and she was afraid the group would throw her outside to die with him.
“Hmph! If you don’t like it, you can go with him!” Ling Xueya said coldly. “Keeping a stupid, useless woman like you around is a waste of food anyway!”
“Then why don’t any of you go look for food yourselves?” A burly male student who had remained silent until now stood and argued back. “Chen Kun, since you’re so capable, why don’t you go? Xiao Yi saved our lives, and now we’re throwing him out. Have we lost all our humanity? How does that make us any different from animals?!”
“We’re taking a vote,” Chen Kun retorted disdainfully. “The minority obeys the majority. Do you understand? If you have a problem with that, you’re welcome to go with him!”
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