Chapter 6, The Homeland After the Apocalypse
The little zombie's head tilted oddly, the back of its head pressed against its own back, and it fell straight onto the dust-covered wooden floor, the fierce expression on its face vanished, replaced by a kind of serene relief
It has been a full year since the arrival of humanity's end, yet time seems to have been enchanted, forever frozen in that final second without change
Upon stepping outside, the sun remains scorching, seemingly spreading its warmth to the fullest extent. Now, the duration of sunlight exceeds eighteen hours a day, and even the arrival of night is hard-won. However, even if the situation were to worsen further, humanity must continue to survive. When pushed to the brink, the remarkable adaptability that emerges in humans is often not much less than that of cockroaches.
The young man stuffed every single pack of cigarettes from the container into his backpack without leaving any behind, then cautiously checked the shotgun in his hands once more before getting up and walking towards the back room of the small shop, which appeared to be the storage area for the shop's goods.
The young man, numbly holding a gun, stared at the black, dried liquid that covered the floor of the small shop. Several human skeletons, so fragmented that even forensic experts could not piece them together, lay scattered on the ground. The shelves, once filled with goods, had collapsed nearby, now covered in dust, rendering their original appearance unrecognizable. It seemed that both inside and outside the shop maintained a uniform tone with the rest of the world, which was eerie and silent.
Desperate cries, angry shouts, and painful wails—these sounds, which could only be heard in movies, were performed without restraint in every corner of the world. This continued for more than a month before gradually subsiding. However, what followed was a deathly silence enveloping the entire world, making it difficult to see a truly living person; all that remained were soulless, walking corpses.
Oh, no, master, how many times have we been through this today? Seven times or eight times? The large red dog surprisingly spoke, and its equally frustrated expression was quite human-like
The young man paid no attention to the large dog's complaints; he slowly walked towards a small shop by the roadside with a shotgun slung over his shoulder. In front of the shop, which used to have a bright and open door, various types of car wrecks were now piled up, indeed, it was completely filled.
The young man pressed the shotgun against the emaciated chest of the little zombie, preventing it from getting any closer despite its clawing and gnashing. He did not pull the trigger immediately; instead, he tilted his head to scrutinize the little zombie before him. It was evident that this zombie had been a child of about seven or eight years old at the time of its transformation. It wore a once-yellow vest featuring the character Grey Wolf, now soiled beyond recognition. The innocent little face that should have been filled with naivety was now marred by a grotesque expression, and its mouth was filled with black steel teeth that clicked ominously.
Even if it takes a hundred times, you must keep at it! The young man slowly pressed the brake, and the long-neglected Cherokee emitted a harsh screeching sound, coming to a stop with a "crack." The young man turned and retrieved a black shotgun from the back seat, quickly checked the bullets in the gun and chambered one, then opened the car door and jumped out. Seeing the large dog still lounging in the car, he shouted, "If you want to walk back on two legs, then stay up there and don't move; otherwise, you will immediately go and clean up the trash around here!"
Do not think that this is an automobile scrapyard, for all the cars here are crashed together, with thousands of vehicles haphazardly piled up, extending for two to three kilometers in the distance. No one cares, no one pays attention. A thick layer of yellow dust has settled on them, making it appear as if they have been abandoned for several years. Occasionally, one can glimpse one or two white bones through the shattered car windows, but most of the skeletons are incomplete, missing either arms or heads. The splattered blood inside the cars has long turned a deep brown, caking the windows.
Lifting the dirty curtain, he slowly pushed open the wooden door inside with a shotgun. The young man did not rush in, for he had already noticed several clear footprints on the dust-covered floor. However, the footprints were scattered haphazardly, resembling a restless person pacing back and forth in the room.
Hiss ... ...
The room is indeed a storage space for goods, but the little zombie living here clearly has a bad temper. Everything has been torn to shreds, and not a single item remains intact. After just a glance, the young man lost interest and turned to leave this rural shop
Two months later, in a certain province in southern China
However, at that moment, a gaunt living corpse, resembling a withered figure, seemed to have caught the scent of the living. It staggered out from a dilapidated restaurant with peeling walls, following the scent. Its hollow gaze fell upon the large dog on the ground, and a flicker of excitement seemed to pass through its eyes. With a roar, its walking speed appeared to double.
From a miraculously preserved glass cabinet, the young man pulled out a few cigarettes, casually tearing open a pack of "Ninety-Five Supreme" to light one for himself. Fortunately, since the apocalypse began, it has rained very little around the world, with only two or three sparse showers a year. As a result, many items that are difficult to preserve have remained intact, thanks to the dry air, without any deterioration, just like this high-end cigarette before him.
Anyway, it might be necessary to change the car again later. Can't you choose a more upscale one? You only pick junk; I think a tractor would be more fuel-efficient! The large red dog, feeling dejected, stomped on a concrete block at its feet. The block, which was at least twenty centimeters thick, was surprisingly crushed into powder with ease, leaving onlookers astonished.
"Damn it, when did China's traffic become this bad?" The young man suddenly jerked the steering wheel in front of him, looking gloomily at the accident scene ahead, which resembled a small mountain of wrecked cars.
"Please, I have four legs!" The large red dog muttered, noticing the young man's unfriendly expression. It wisely opened the car door and jumped down, looking up at the scorching midday sun. The dog, feeling dejected, said, "Goodness, on such a hot day, I still have to do physical labor. Do you even understand what dog rights are?"
No way! The young man firmly refused, continuing to walk forward as he said, "That kind of car consumes too much fuel, it's simply not practical. We need to find a car with a fuel consumption of less than 10 liters!"
"Get as far away as you can!" The large dog shouted angrily, swinging its claws at the living corpse. In an instant, a flash of red light appeared, and the upper body of the living corpse, which was more than a meter away, actually tilted and slid away from the lower body. A large amount of thick black liquid and rotting entrails gushed out from the corpse, releasing a strong odor of decay into the air.
A hoarse low growl echoed as a small figure rushed out from around the corner, with grayish-white hair, dark red eyes, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and withered skin. Indeed, this is the most numerous type of creature in the world today— the living dead
A Beijing Jeep Cherokee, so dirty that its color is unrecognizable, speeds down an empty interstate highway at a speed of ninety kilometers per hour, kicking up a cloud of dust behind it. Inside the vehicle, a young man with short hair wears a pair of black sunglasses, leisurely driving while rhythmically tapping the steering wheel to the intense music playing in the car. In the passenger seat sits a large red dog, mimicking its owner, sporting a pair of oversized sunglasses, with its head sticking out of the window, curiously observing everything outside.
Oh dear, this is really filthy, I won't play with you anymore! The large red dog wrinkled its face in disgust, casting a disdainful glance at the half-dragging corpse on the ground, and quickly hurried towards its owner
"Get lost, can't you see that my master is in a bad mood?" The large red dog glanced impatiently at the oblivious zombie, who was still excitedly waving its arms, treating the big dog in front of it as if it were today's feast.
On that day, the apocalypse arrived. People fled in panic, driving or stealing cars to escape their original homes, darting about like headless flies in confusion. There was no government, no military. Watching friends and family transform one by one into mindless, flesh-eating monsters, everyone was engulfed in fear. Vehicles collided in a chaotic pile-up, human limbs and severed arms flew through the air, and everywhere were the bloodshot-eyed monsters searching for their next target. Watching friends and family transform one by one into mindless, flesh-eating monsters, everyone was engulfed in fear. Vehicles collided in a chaotic pile-up, human limbs and severed arms flew through the air, and everywhere were the bloodshot-eyed monsters searching for their next target.
The young man's refraining from gunfire is not an act of mercy; in this world where order has long since collapsed, any semblance of compassion is a form of irresponsibility towards oneself. At present, no one requires mercy. His reluctance to shoot stems merely from the curiosity about the rarity of the little living corpses, as children are undoubtedly the group with the least ability to protect themselves. After the streets are filled with living corpses, children become the easiest targets for them. However, once the young man's curiosity is satisfied, he unhesitatingly turns the butt of the gun and swiftly breaks the fragile neck of the little living corpse.
A red shadow rushed around the corner like lightning, and its uncontrollable inertia caused it to slide out a long muddy trench in front of the young man. However, the shadow still scrambled on all fours to the young man and excitedly said: "Master, Master, I saw a complete Land Rover up ahead, let's choose it!"