Chen Xing was too oblivious to realize Yan Junxi was jealous. All she knew was that he didn’t like her, and as long as he meant her no harm, she couldn’t care less whether he liked her or not. "I’ll be staying in Hualai City."
’The whole world is in the same situation right now. What difference does it make where I am?’
’As long as there are supplies to collect, I’m fine.’
’Besides, I need to keep an eye on the Research Institute. I might be able to dig something up.’
Just then, the sound of helicopter propellers echoed from overhead.
"Are you sure you won’t come with us? We’re the only ones left in this building," Song Yiguo said. He hoped Chen Xing would come along; after all, she had saved his life.
"No, but thank you! Can I really take whatever I want from here?" At the mention of supplies, Chen Xing’s eyes lit up, shining with a brilliant light.
She didn’t notice it herself, but the two men across from her were both startled.
Yan Junxi, in particular, alertly pulled Song Yiguo’s hand. "Since she doesn’t want to come with us, we can’t force her. How about this: give her your number and tell her to call you if she needs anything." Jealousy was one thing, but he wasn’t the type to not repay a kindness, especially when she had saved the person he loved most.
"The supermarket on the second floor is mine. Take anything you want from inside. This is the remote for the roll-up door. As for the things in the other homes, just take what you need. I’ll settle up with the owners after this disaster is over. If you don’t have a place to stay, you can live here. The passcode is ****." Song Yiguo was not one to go back on his word. As he spoke, he walked over, grabbed a notepad, and wrote down a string of numbers, handing the note to Chen Xing. "Call me anytime you need help!"
Since Chen Xing was determined to stay, he didn’t press the issue.
This building was very safe, and the supplies inside were more than enough for her to live on for a long time.
Chen Xing didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted the note.
’This is a good deal.’
Song Yiguo and Yan Junxi wasted no more time. They went to the far end of the living room, pulled down a narrow, retractable ladder, and climbed up to the rooftop platform.
The roaring from above was deafening, agitating the zombies below, whose bloodthirsty instincts had returned.
However, the door downstairs was incredibly sturdy. The zombies rammed it for a while, but when they saw the helicopter fly away, they gradually dispersed.
Chen Xing watched this scene unfold on the security monitor mounted on the living room wall.
’Looks like this place will make a great temporary shelter!’
After dealing with the pregnant woman’s body, Chen Xing left her temporary home. Since Song Yiguo had given her permission for the supermarket, she naturally started with the big haul.
With the remote from Song Yiguo, she was spared the tedious process of prying the door open.
Inside, everything was neatly arranged, not at all in disarray from the sudden zombie outbreak.
The only issue was the lack of power, which made it rather dark inside. Even the security cameras had stopped working, which was what she was happiest about.
She closed the door behind her and, without any hesitation, collected everything.
Although the supermarket wasn’t as large as the last one she’d cleared, it wasn’t much smaller. The quality of the goods, however, was far superior. The vegetables, fruits, rice, and other agricultural products were all organic. The pork and beef were top-grade, and the chickens and ducks were all free-range...
Looking at the daily necessities, they were all major international brands as well.
Just by looking at these products, she knew that the people living in this building were all wealthy.
’Since these are the homes of the rich, I should naturally go in and do some harvesting.’
Only about ten minutes had passed by the time she left the supermarket.
Next, she started searching door to door, beginning with the first-floor restaurant. She wouldn’t miss a single one.
Upon entering the restaurant, Chen Xing realized it was a members-only establishment that didn’t serve non-members.
Now she understood why the entrance door was so sturdy. The place wasn’t open to the public, so there was no need for it to be wide open.
After searching three floors, Chen Xing was in a wonderful mood.
The supplies were more plentiful and of better quality than she had imagined, far exceeding her expectations.
Coming out from the third floor, she entered the stairwell, intending to continue her search on the fourth.
Suddenly, a loud CLANG echoed from the stairwell.
It wasn’t a loud noise, and normally, no one would have paid it any mind. But at a time like this, it couldn’t be ignored.
Especially since Song Yiguo had said everyone in the building had already left.
She roughly estimated that the sound had come from halfway up the building and immediately lightened her steps as she headed upstairs to investigate.
’If it’s a person, I can’t do anything about it. But if it’s a zombie, I’d rather deal with it now for peace of mind.’
She went all the way up to the nineteenth floor in one go. There were no more sounds. It was so quiet all around that she could hear her own breathing.
The exit from the stairwell opened into the elevator lobby, which was split into left and right sides, each with six apartment doors. Twelve units per floor.
She wasn’t sure if the sound had come from this floor.
To check if it was a zombie, Chen Xing deliberately knocked on the metal elevator door, creating a crisp sound.
After waiting a moment, no zombie roars followed. This proved that whatever made the noise was human.
Sure enough, the faint sound of footsteps came from inside apartment 1902, followed by someone checking the situation through the peephole.
Once Chen Xing confirmed it was a person, she paid it no more mind and quickly went back downstairs to continue collecting supplies.
’Since someone’s home, I’ll just skip this apartment.’
After she finished searching the restaurant on the lower floor, she began prying open the apartment doors one by one.
The doors of high-end residences weren’t easy to pry open. Even for someone like her, who had survived ten years in the apocalypse, it took quite a while to get one open.
Fortunately, every home was well-stocked.
After searching more than ten floors, it was time for lunch.
The supplies could be collected later, but she couldn’t go hungry.
Song Yiguo’s kitchen was fully equipped. The pantry was filled with stored food, and the two double-door refrigerators had very little empty space.
It seemed the two of them usually cooked and ate at home.
Chen Xing immediately started cooking.
There were still a little more than half the floors left to search; the afternoon would be plenty of time.
In the refrigerator, there was a large black fish, already cleaned. Steaming it with some ginger and garlic would be best. She also pan-fried a marinated steak, stir-fried a plate of bean sprouts and green vegetables, and made a bowl of silky-smooth steamed egg custard...
In less than an hour, a small feast was ready. Paired with a bowl of glistening rice, Chen Xing eagerly took out her phone, hit record, and started eating.
To be honest, she had rarely cooked in her past life. She had mostly just watched videos and imagined it.
’Maybe I was born to be a chef.’ Cooking felt completely natural, as if she were a seasoned pro. It wasn’t unfamiliar at all; in fact, it felt like second nature.
She even suspected she might have been a chef before she lost her memories.
She ate with the speed of a true foodie, clearing her plate in just about ten minutes.
Just as she set down her chopsticks in satisfaction, the doorbell suddenly rang.
Two figures appeared on the living room’s monitor, showing the building’s main entrance downstairs.
When she saw the people standing downstairs, Chen Xing’s expressionless face instantly turned ice-cold. Her gaze was like a sharp sword piercing through the screen.
Hao Wenli!!
How could she remain indifferent and calm seeing this woman?
The most bitter part of her past life wasn’t dying at the hands of Cheng Fang, but that she had trusted Hao Wenli so completely.
She had once thought that fate, seeing how lonely and pitiful she was, had sent an Angel to her side. She had treated Hao Wenli as her rock, a best friend with whom she could share anything and everything.
Chen Xing’s gaze fixed on Hao Wenli’s delicate and fair face.
If things had followed the path of her previous life, she shouldn’t have met Hao Wenli for another two years, and certainly not in Hualai City.