Chapter 025 Test


    Zhang Su wanted to test Zhong Xiaoshan''s capabilities. If she met his expectations and could create enough value, it wouldn''t hurt to bring an extra person along. He definitely wouldn’t make exceptions just because she was a beautiful woman. In the apocalypse, a good figure and a pretty face were only bonus points after proving one''s worth.


    Noticing the ambiguous smile on Zhang Su’s face, Zhong Xiaoshan suddenly tensed up. She asked nervously, “How do I prove it?”


    Clink.


    Zhang Su pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and handed them to Zhong Xiaoshan. “Yesterday, Xinyu and I killed a zombie who was the owner of unit 902. These are the keys. Go and see if there’s anything useful in the apartment and bring it back.”


    Zhong Xiaoshan stared at the stained keys in astonishment. After hesitating for a few seconds, she slowly reached out and took them from Zhang Su’s hand. Uneasily, she asked, “Are there other people in 902?”


    Zhang Su was surprised. He had expected her to refuse outright but hadn’t thought she would accept so quickly after only a brief hesitation. It seemed he had underestimated her survival instincts under dire circumstances.


    “As far as I know, Brother Li’s entire family of five lived together there. But…his son is definitely gone. As for the elderly couple and his wife, I can’t say.”


    “His son is gone?”


    Zheng Xinyu, who was listening nearby, muttered softly. Suddenly, as if realizing something, she gasped and covered her mouth. “That arm?”


    Zhang Su nodded silently. He recalled that three months ago, Brother Li’s son had been injured while playing in the residential area. His arm had been cut on a wrought-iron decoration, leaving a scar that looked exactly like the one on the severed arm they''d seen earlier. At the time, the incident caused a big stir, and the property management had compensated the family for medical expenses.


    Zhong Xiaoshan also remembered that arm vividly. After all, she had just dragged the zombie’s corpse into the stairwell. Now nearly thirty, and at an age where many women become mothers, she still felt a pang of discomfort upon learning the truth, even though she was unmarried.


    “There are too many people out there being chased and devoured by zombies. You can’t grieve for them all. That’s just the way things are, so don’t dwell on it.” Zhang Su tried to comfort the two women before turning back to Zhong Xiaoshan. “Any issues with this task?”


    Zhong Xiaoshan furrowed her brows in thought, then glanced at Zhang Su’s arm. Resolutely, she said, “I need the same kind of protection you’re wearing. And…I’ll need a weapon.”


    “No problem.”


    Zhang Su agreed to her reasonable requests without hesitation. Sending someone to scavenge without proper equipment would have been downright irresponsible.


    Soon, Zhong Xiaoshan was geared up, her arms wrapped in discarded magazines and plastic bags, holding a large wrench in her hands. The wrench, over a foot long, was a weapon Zhang Su had specifically commissioned. While it looked like a tool, it was useless for actual repairs—no screws matched its dimensions. It had been designed purely for self-defense.


    Watching Zhong Xiaoshan, who now resembled a guerilla soldier nervously gripping the oversized wrench, Zhang Su found the sight both amusing and unsettling. Could someone so clearly inexperienced with combat handle zombies on her own? He wasn’t sure. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he knew this was a challenge Zhong Xiaoshan had to face. Feeling responsible, he quickly taught her how to use the wrench for effective attacks.


    After seeing her off through the safety door, Zhang Su gently closed it behind her.


    “Brother Su, isn’t it a bit inhumane to send her out alone?” Zheng Xinyu asked hesitantly, watching Zhong Xiaoshan’s figure disappear through the peephole.


    “Inhumane? Humanity and civilization are practically on the brink of collapse. What’s the point of talking about being humane now? By your logic, me going out alone to scavenge is unfair to me, and sending you out is unfair to you. So what’s the solution?”


    Zhang Su didn’t stop moving as he responded. He rummaged through a wardrobe, pulling out several large backpacks and carrying them into Zheng Xinyu’s room.


    “If it were just the two of us, I’d go out for sure. But since there are more people involved, I’d rather not go alone,” Zheng Xinyu replied earnestly.


    Zhang Su paused briefly, a bit surprised by her response. He didn’t comment further, though. “Keep watch. Let me know if anything happens,” he said before crouching down to pack the backpacks with supplies.


    After a sleepless night, Zhang Su had thought a lot. He realized that leaving supplies scattered was impractical. In case they needed to evacuate quickly, they wouldn’t have time to gather everything. So he decided to pack the essentials according to their survival priorities, stuffing the backpacks to capacity. If things remained calm, accessing supplies from the bags wouldn’t be too inconvenient. But if chaos erupted, they could grab the bags and leave immediately.


    When he finished packing about 20 minutes later, he glanced at Zheng Xinyu for an update. She shook her head.


    “If there’s trouble, come back right away. If not, grab the stuff and get out quickly. Don’t dawdle—it’s probably a matter of not knowing what to take,” Zhang Su muttered.


    “She hasn’t made any noise, so it must be fine. Maybe she’s just overwhelmed by how much stuff there is,” Zheng Xinyu speculated, biting her lip. A fleeting thought crossed her mind: if Zhong Xiaoshan brought back a ton of supplies, would her own standing be threatened? She quickly scolded herself for such pettiness. Now wasn’t the time for jealousy—it was downright stupid.


    “I’ll take over the watch. You go work out,” Zhang Su suggested.


    Ten more minutes passed in silence. Not even a fly buzzed by.


    “Maybe…she took the supplies from Brother Li’s place and ran off?” Zhang Su murmured.


    “Pfft.” Zheng Xinyu, flushed from her workout, shook her head firmly. “Impossible. There are too many zombies hiding in the building. There’s no way Zhong Xiaoshan would dare run off alone.”


    Zhang Su nodded slightly. It made sense. Still, the timing felt off. Half an hour was plenty of time to loot a convenience store, let alone a single apartment. Unless she had trouble deciding what to take or suddenly decided to act like a supply hoarder…


    “Forget it. I’m going up to check.”


    Zhang Su quickly donned his arm guards, grabbed his axe hammer, and cracked open the door. While Brother Li’s supplies were important, Zhong Xiaoshan’s safety was also a priority.


    But just as Zhang Su stepped out, the safety door creaked open, and Zhong Xiaoshan returned.


    Seeing Zhang Su fully armed and ready to head out, Zhong Xiaoshan let out a relieved sigh, her face still pale from fear. “I’m back!”


    “Get in here first!” Zhang Su’s sharp eyes scanned her for signs of a struggle. Seeing no visible injuries or damage, he opened the door fully.


    “I…I only managed to bring this much back. There’s still a lot left, but I didn’t have time to grab it,” Zhong Xiaoshan stammered, placing the heavy bag on the floor with a loud thud. She bent over, hands on her knees, her chest heaving—not from physical exertion, but from the stress of the experience.