Chapter 3, The Bloody Road

The rebuttal of the chubby person with a flushed face and thick neck: "I indeed woke up when you kicked me the second time, but... at that moment, I was completely confused. I mean, it was early in the morning, and outside the window, there was a big foot desperately kicking the glass of my apartment on the seventh floor..."

Su Wan continued, "At that moment, I suddenly became alert and realized that it was impossible for me to subdue all those people with my own strength. I quickly turned over and fled back to my room, locking the door behind me. Little did I know that the strength of those madmen was so great that they soon broke a large hole in the door. I hurriedly pushed the makeup cabinet against the door and propped it up with a clothes hanger, and finally, I pushed the bed against the door... Then I discovered that during this time, that group of madmen had already dismantled more than half of my room door. I quickly pushed the makeup cabinet against the door and propped it up with a clothes hanger, and finally, I pushed the bed against the door... Then I discovered that during this time, that group of madmen had already dismantled more than half of my room door..."

The fat man hurriedly expressed his position: "Do you think I can believe you? A young lady, at the break of dawn, climbed into my room through the window on the seventh floor, disheveled, and told me that her brother had gone mad, leading a group of over ten people to bite her mother to death... I said, Miss, if you want to sell yourself, at least choose a wealthy patron. Look at me, I can barely make ends meet; how could I possibly have the spare change to indulge in your scent..."

The overweight man casually patted my shoulder and said with a hint of sadness, "Don't bother; a few days ago, when the situation wasn't so dire, Sister Wan and I had already checked online. This outbreak of the virus is global, and it seems that only a few countries like the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Iceland have not been affected. The experts are currently unable to crack this super virus, but based on its mode of transmission, they have given it a very vivid name: 'Pyramid Scheme'... However, that was news from three days ago; ever since the internet went down, we have been completely unaware of any information from the outside world."

There is nothing significant left, Su Wan glanced at the chubby man and still expressed her gratitude, saying, "Yang Ke saved me. I told him what happened at my home, but this fat guy didn't believe me... insisted that I was..." At this point, the policewoman's charming face also turned red.

Su Wan cast a grateful glance at the chubby man beside her and then said, "This is precisely the reason why I ended up with Yang Ke... We live on the 8th floor, and I initially thought that outside our window was an external air conditioning unit. I planned to jump from our air conditioning unit to the one on the 7th floor, then down to the one on the 6th floor, and from there, I could escape all the way to the street..."

Su Wan nodded with tears in her eyes, then shook her head, saying: "I indeed saw with my own eyes my mother being bitten to death, her trachea was completely severed. In that situation, even if she were urgently sent to the hospital for rescue, there would be no possibility of saving her... However, I clearly saw my mother holding a bloody severed arm in her hand, biting into the flesh of the arm, as she followed that group of madmen into the residential building across the street..."

I let out a silent sigh, thinking that Su Wan's performance at that time was already quite brave. If it weren't for her rigorous professional training, she might have become a victim long ago. Even though she is a police officer, being able to escape in such an unarmed situation is already a miracle

Su Wan took a deep breath and said, "I didn't have time to think much. I put on my clothes and opened the window. In that situation, the window was my only escape route."

I told her in astonishment, thinking to myself that it is fortunate you have undergone extensive physical training; if it were me, just looking down from the outdoor air conditioning unit on the eighth floor would cause me to fall directly to the ground.

Su Wan's words were irrefutable. I tentatively said, "Could it be that the person who researched this 'pyramid scheme' virus never intended to study such a super virus, and that the emergence of this virus was originally an accident"

The overweight man gasped and said, "Stop it, that house was bought with the money my father saved his entire life. That house is my father's life; how can it be casually damaged by someone? I woke up when she kicked the second time, and when I opened my eyes..." Su Wan interrupted the overweight man's words and corrected him, "What do you mean you woke up after the second kick? I can't even remember how many times I kicked at that time... This dead fat man sleeps like a dead pig, with no reaction at all"

Alright, alright, let's get to the point, let's get to the point. I hurriedly stepped in to mediate the situation

When she reached this point, I somewhat understood. It wasn't that she had explained it very clearly, but rather that I was accustomed to inferring the development of the plot. I glanced at the chubby man next to me, who was eating canned food with big bites, and said: "Did our police flower comrade break the glass of your window?"

The fat man was amused by her words and laughed, saying: "What you mentioned refers to a chef. I haven't yet reached the level of being a chef who cooks dishes; in that hotel, I am merely a vegetable cutter and assistant, at most I can be considered a reserve chef"

Su Wan has not yet responded, and the fat man immediately scoffed from the side: "Do you think the police station is your family's business? Is it permissible to casually bring a firearm home?"

After a moment of silence among the three, the stout man tentatively asked, "Those irrational madmen are clearly infected by some unknown virus... Do you think there is a possibility of that?"

Both the胖子 and I gasped in unison, exclaiming: "Could it be that a certain country has initiated this biochemical war?"

In this situation, the "bone holding the meat" stood up and ran away by itself; aside from the presence of ghosts, there is truly no other explanation that makes sense.

Su Wan also amused the fat man, cleared her throat, and said: "At that time, I was hanging from the air conditioning unit on the eighth floor. Looking down, there was nothing but emptiness beneath me, and I panicked. Although there was an air conditioning unit installed on the sixth floor, it was still at least four or five meters below my feet, and I dared not take the risk of jumping down. However, at that moment, those lunatics had already broken down my room door and were pushing against the makeup cabinet blocking the entrance. I knew they would rush in soon, and in my desperation, I had no choice but to kick the window of the seventh floor with all my might..."

Su Wan slowly shook her head and said, "Although what you say is correct, upon closer reflection, it is completely wrong. Think about it, such a large-scale operation cannot be accomplished by just one or two people. Not to mention that there are nearly 200 countries and regions in the world, just in China alone, there are hundreds of large cities. To cause a simultaneous outbreak of disease in so many locations would require at least tens of thousands of personnel, not to mention the logistical support, transportation tools, and warehouse vehicles, which would be an extraordinarily large scale... Such an operation cannot be carried out by any ordinary company. And among those large multinational corporations that could potentially do it, which one would undertake such a crazy act? Since it is a company, there is only one objective: to make money! If people are harmed, how can they earn anyone's money?"

The overweight man explained with a frown: "What do you mean I am not afraid of the heat? Everyone knows that overweight people are sensitive to heat! The reason I don't install air conditioning is because... because I can't afford it... Do you think I have the same benefits and allowances as you police officers? In the big hotel where I work, aside from making enough to eat, I hardly have any spare money left at the end of the year"

I have lived with my mother for twenty-four years!" Su Wan shouted hysterically, "Could I possibly mistake my own mother?"

But what about the motive? What does this person say is the motive for doing such earth-shattering things? Su Wan disagreed with the fat man's conclusion, stating, "If everyone dies, what benefit would there be for the person spreading the virus? Also, isn't he afraid of being infected himself?"

I think the fat man is right; if it were me, and someone were to kick the small window of my attic early in the morning, I might suspect it was a ghost come to visit.

Su Wan, however, detected the sarcasm and said discontentedly, "Who are you calling big-footed?"

Su Wan was clearly still blaming the fat man for not installing air conditioning outdoors. It seemed that on that day, being isolated on the outer wall of the eighth floor had put her in an extremely awkward situation. Su Wan let out a snort and said, "Who are you trying to fool? Didn't you say you work at the XXX Grand Hotel? Any chef pulled out from there earns more than our director."

I silently cursed the fat man for being so inconsiderate; even at this moment, why was he still provoking the policewoman? Sure enough, the fat man continued, "I was just momentarily upset and said it offhandedly. I didn't expect that when this lady heard it, she would rush to open the door. I was so scared that I quickly hugged her. Just think, if that door had opened, not only would she have been doomed, but I would probably have met my end as well." The fat man spoke so much in one breath that he was parched, took a sip of water, and continued, "After a while, we heard some commotion downstairs, so we leaned out the window to take a look. We saw a large group of disheveled, bloodied lunatics pouring out of our building, rushing straight towards the residential building across the street. I was so scared that my legs went weak, cursing myself for being useless. I didn't expect that when I turned around, our policewoman sister was so frightened that she cried, her face covered in snot and tears... I was so scared that my legs went weak, cursing myself for being useless. I didn't expect that when I turned around, our policewoman sister was so frightened that she cried, her face covered in snot and tears..."

I suddenly remembered something and couldn't help but jump up. I took out my phone and dialed a number. My goodness, the situation outside has already reached this point. I wonder if anything unexpected has happened in my hometown far away in Liaobei... My parents... I dare not think any further.

The overweight man instinctively reached up to touch his chubby face, and with a bitter smile, he said: "Then she said, 'What a blind dog’s eye, your young lady is selling herself while wearing a police uniform?'"

I was so choked by the overweight person that I couldn't speak, and Su Wan also eased her mood a bit and said: "When we finish work, we all hand in our service pistols to the unit's armory officer. The public security system does not allow law enforcement personnel to take firearms home."

A sense of foreboding rose within me. My father has always been fond of watching television, and ever since he suffered a stroke and became partially paralyzed, he has been inseparable from it. At times like this, he should be sitting on the sofa next to the telephone, watching TV. How could he not answer the phone? Even if my father occasionally dozed off, my mother would still answer the call. Although my mother enjoys participating in the community's dance group activities, since my father's illness, she has rarely gone out, dedicating herself entirely to caring for him. Even if my father occasionally dozed off, my mother would still answer the call. Although my mother enjoys participating in the community's dance group activities, since my father's illness, she has rarely gone out, dedicating herself entirely to caring for him.

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle, and when I turned around, I saw that Su Wan's pretty face had turned bright red. She spat and said, "Then I gave him a hard slap..."

I truly did not expect the situation at that time to be so critical. After thinking it over, I felt something was amiss and hurriedly asked, "Why aren't you using a gun? When you were apprehending the madman on the street, didn't you have a sidearm?"

The fat man sighed and said, "Then we saw something happened. A few pots of flowers that Sister Wan had placed on the windowsill fell from the eighth floor. Later, we learned that those lunatics had pushed them out. Those madmen stirred things up on the eighth floor for a while, and then there was no more noise. Just as we breathed a sigh of relief, we heard the sound of things being smashed from the apartment of my neighbor on the seventh floor, followed by faint screams..." The fat man glanced at me and continued, "You know, the quality of the buildings nowadays is quite good, and the sound insulation is very obvious. Sister Wan and I couldn't determine what exactly was happening in my neighbor's apartment, but based on Sister Wan's experience, it was clear that something had gone wrong there too. Just when we were at a loss, someone started banging on our door. It scared me half to death, and of course, I wouldn't open the door for them, nor did I dare to make a sound. Those guys saw there was no response and rushed down to start banging on the sixth floor's door, and then a scream came from the sixth floor... At that time, my face was still burning uncomfortably, so I said to Sister Wan, "Aren't you a police officer? Why do you seem completely indifferent to the suffering of the common people?"

Unexpectedly, Su Wan immediately shot a fierce glare at the fat man and said, "Who would have thought that this guy is not afraid of the heat at all? He is so fat, yet there isn't even an air conditioner installed at home."

Have we encountered a ghost

This idea, rather than being attributed to the thoughts of the overweight individual, is perhaps the only explanation we can currently conceive. However, the question remains: what about Su Wan's mother? Those infected by the virus can go insane, which we simply understand as the viral cells invading the central nervous system, disrupting the normal structure of brain cells, leading to the patient's erratic behavior—this explanation is quite reasonable. Although the actions of those deemed insane may seem irrational, fundamentally, their vital signs have not yet disappeared; they are still, at the very least, living beings. Only the living possess the ability to utilize their bodies, allowing their limbs to move. Yet, all of this has no connection to the deceased. A dead person is simply dead; after death, all vital signs vanish, and neurons are no longer governed by brain waves. In essence, the entire body is merely a mass of flesh encasing bones.

Both the fat man and I were at a loss for words, but if what Su Wan said is true, how can we explain what happened that day? Is it really possible for the dead to rise from the ground? If the dead can rise and continue to move about, then wouldn't all the fundamental theories we learned in textbooks be completely overturned?

Both the fat man and I were stunned for a long time. Finally, I lost my voice and exclaimed, "Impossible, absolutely impossible! How could something like that happen to a person in such circumstances?" I realized that my mind had clearly short-circuited, and thus the words I spoke were somewhat incoherent, only able to convey my general meaning.

"A global viral outbreak?" I asked incredulously, saying, "How is that possible? Even the most virulent diseases spread gradually. The plague that wiped out half of Europe during the Middle Ages did not appear simultaneously across the continent. Similarly, the outbreaks of 'SARS' and 'avian influenza' in recent years also gradually infiltrated one country after another; it is simply impossible for a global outbreak to occur all at once. The transmission of all viruses follows a radiative process, spreading from point to area; the idea of it blooming everywhere is merely a plot in a novel." I was able to articulate such a lengthy statement because I am a writer and had once considered writing a novel about a major disease outbreak, which led me to research relevant materials.

Looking back at Su Wan, she cried again, and after a long while, she finally raised her head and said: "Do you know why I was crying at that time? I saw with my own eyes that my brother and my mother were among that group of madmen!"

Beep... beep... beep... No one is answering the phone

I couldn't help but feel a sense of anxiety for Su Wan at that time. Even though this beautiful young police officer is now standing safely in front of me, the facts have shown that no matter how great the crisis she faced that day, she managed to turn danger into safety. However, to be honest, I still cannot imagine how she escaped. So I naturally followed up with the question: "What did you do next?"

The overweight man squinted at me for quite a while before I realized he was choking, so I quickly opened a bottle of mineral water for him. He was not polite at all, snatching the bottle from my hand and gulping down several mouthfuls before he finally managed to catch his breath

The fat man was also stirred by my words. He suddenly slapped his thigh and said, "Lao Hua is right... In a situation like this, it is simply impossible for it to be an ordinary viral outbreak; this is clearly..." He scratched his head and gritted his teeth as he said, "This is nothing less than someone deliberately spreading a virus, intending to destroy the entire human world!"

I forced myself to suppress a laugh, feeling as if my insides were twisting, and gritted my teeth to ask: "What happened next?"

Beep... beep... beep... still no one answers the phone

Su Wan maintained a clear and calm mind. She slightly shook her head and said, "The crux of the issue is not whether the emergence of this virus was intentional or accidental; the key question now is why this virus has simultaneously erupted on a large scale across the entire world"

I thought about it, and she was absolutely right. However, I immediately thought of a crucial question: "So, um... which floor do you live on?" The changes in Dalian over the past few years can only be described as rapid and remarkable, with residential buildings being constructed taller than the last, and thirty-some-story apartment buildings are no longer considered a novelty.

Ah?! Both I and the fat man were taken aback. The fat man blurted out, "What did you say? Your brother and your mother? Wasn't your mother bitten to death by your brother and his friends?" Even a question that the fat man's intelligence could come up with, of course, I also thought of it, so I looked at Su Wan, who was trembling slightly, with a puzzled expression.

I followed her line of thought and continued, "Achieving this is not difficult; as long as personnel are arranged in advance, pathogens are brought along, and they are dispersed around the world, then detonating the virus simultaneously at the scheduled time to activate it will undoubtedly yield the current outcome."

The three of us had extremely pale faces, and for a long time, none of us spoke.