"Open the door, it's fine!"
Chen Du called out, his tone laced with impatience.
Xie Li clenched her teeth, her face still clouded with hesitation.
"I... I can't! I'm scared!"
"Damn it!"
Chen Du's frustration was evident.
"If you don't open the door, I'll leave you behind!"
Xie Li's face paled at his words. With a deep breath, she shut her eyes, mustered her courage, and rushed forward, pushing the door open with a forceful shove.
Chen Du was startled.
Is this woman out of her mind?
Is she trying to charge in and feed herself to the zombies?
Reacting quickly, Chen Du yanked Xie Li back, then stepped forward himself, pistol in hand. He aimed into the room and fired without hesitation.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A rapid burst of bullets tore through the air, riddling the two zombies inside with holes.
At least the immediate threat was neutralized.
Chen Du grabbed Xie Li and pulled her into the room, slamming the door shut behind them. He immediately removed the empty magazine from his pistol and began reloading it with 9mm bullets from his backpack, one by one.
This was the most tedious part—having to manually reload after every magazine.
Chen Du turned to Xie Li, his expression serious.
"Dr. Xie, there's something I need to make clear. First, we're teammates. I'm not here to babysit dead weight. Second, I'm the leader. When I give you an order, you follow it. No more 'I'm scared' or 'let's just leave' nonsense.
"This isn't the peaceful world we used to know. Your high education and medical expertise don't mean squat here. If this hadn't been a routine zombie cleanup but a situation where we were being chased by a horde, your indecisiveness could've gotten us both killed."
Xie Li's face fell, but she knew Chen Du was right.
"I'm sorry. I understand. I'll listen to you from now on..."
Chen Du nodded, satisfied.
"Don't worry. I told you I'd keep you safe, and I meant it. When I told you to open the door, I was confident the zombies wouldn't get to you."
Xie Li nodded sheepishly.
Pleased with her compliance, Chen Du pulled out a can of luncheon meat, two packs of self-heating rice, and two pieces of fruit. In this post-apocalyptic world, such a meal was a rare luxury.
Xie Li couldn't help but swallow hard at the sight of the food.
"Let's eat. We'll stay here tonight and see if we can leave this neighborhood tomorrow."
Chen Du had no intention of moving on. At night, the zombies became far more active, their senses heightened compared to the day. Venturing out now would be like cutting your finger in the deep ocean—it would only attract a swarm of sharks.
He opened the rice packs, letting them heat up on their own.
"Chen Du, where exactly are we going? Today's journey was so nerve-wracking, it nearly scared me to death! Honestly, I think we'd be better off staying in that little supermarket we passed earlier."
Chen Du smirked.
"What do you know?"
"I don't know, but you could at least explain it to me," Xie Li muttered, pouting.
"That supermarket was useless. It had nothing we needed, it was crowded with people, and it was in the middle of the city where the population density is highest. Staying there for a day or two might have been fine, but what about the long term?
"If a massive zombie horde ever overran that area, we'd be lucky to leave even a trace of ourselves behind."
Xie Li's mind immediately conjured up images of an endless sea of zombies, hundreds, if not thousands, surging toward them. Her delicate face turned pale at the thought.
Even though it was just her imagination, the fear was real. She couldn't help but admire Chen Du's foresight.
She wasn't a foolish woman. Though she might be more timid compared to Chen Du, she knew how to read the situation.
At that moment, Xie Li felt certain that following Chen Du had been the right decision.
After their hearty meal, Chen Du wasted no time in getting some rest. In this apocalyptic world, especially while on the move, every minute of rest was precious.
Stamina was the key to survival.
Seeing this, Xie Li lay down beside Chen Du and closed her eyes, trying to rest as well.
But with such a strong, masculine presence lying next to her, sleep eluded her.
She couldn't help but wonder, How can he be so indifferent with a beauty like me lying right here? Am I not attractive anymore?
Xie Li felt a pang of defeat.
Before the apocalypse, she had been the undisputed campus belle at the nation's top medical university. Even at the hospital where she worked, she was renowned as a brilliant chief physician.
How had things changed so much that even Chen Du seemed uninterested?
While Xie Li was lost in her thoughts, Chen Du's mind was clear. He knew the difference between rationality and primal instincts.
Thinking about such things in a time like this was nothing short of suicidal.
Chen Du had adapted quickly to the post-apocalyptic world. He maintained a strict sleep schedule and had developed a light, alert form of rest.
It allowed him to stay vigilant, ready to wake at a moment's notice, while still ensuring his body got the rest and recovery it needed.
...
The next morning, the vibration of his phone jolted Chen Du awake.
He sat up in one swift motion, scanning the room to ensure there was no danger.
Then, he opened the day's email and received his daily unlimited supplies: cold medicine.
It was a practical resource. In such harsh conditions, many people were exposed to the elements, making colds and fevers common. Without timely treatment, they could be deadly.
Chen Du nudged Xie Li awake, then walked to the balcony and pulled out his binoculars to survey the street.
The scene outside was eerily calm, with only a few zombies in sight.
But Chen Du wasn't fooled by the apparent tranquility. He had learned the hard way.
Initially, he and Xie Li had traveled on the main streets.
The cunning zombies might dislike the harsh sunlight, but they weren't afraid of it.
The moment they spotted living targets, they would charge with relentless ferocity.
In the end, Chen Du and Xie Li had narrowly escaped by ducking into a nearby apartment building.
Xie Li rubbed her eyes, glaring at Chen Du's back with a mix of annoyance and resentment.
"What a stubborn man! He doesn't have a romantic bone in his body!"
Chen Du overheard her muttering and chuckled.
"Don't worry. Once we reach our destination, I'll let you sleep as much as you want."
Xie Li's cheek flushed at his words.
Let me sleep as much as I want?