Chapter 031 Sweeping the Building


    The dramatic events at dusk had left Zhang Su and the others shaken. After returning to unit 801, they threw themselves into intense training, as if physical exhaustion was the only way to quell their fear. The high-intensity workout rapidly depleted their food supplies, so much so that even Zhong Xiaoshan, who usually skipped dinner, ended up eating a bowl of River Snail Noodles.


    Night fell, and the sky was clear with a bright moon and sparse stars. The three of them sat around the coffee table under the dim light of a small lamp. The soft, hazy glow gave the scene a mysterious air, almost like a clandestine gathering of some secret cult.


    “Brother Su, our food and water are running out pretty quickly,” Zheng Xinyu said with a hint of worry.


    Zhang Su was well aware of the problem, but it was a consequence of a policy shift he had deliberately made. “The increased consumption of supplies is due to the higher training intensity. This trade-off is necessary. Food and water can be replenished if we venture out, but if we don’t get stronger, we’ll just end up dead.”


    Previously, their strategy had been to conserve supplies and stretch them as long as possible. But now, Zhang Su had shifted focus to prioritizing physical development, exchanging food for strength. Both women nodded in agreement—merely scraping by wasn’t a sustainable strategy. When supplies inevitably ran out, death would come all too easily.


    “That’s why we can’t just stay holed up here. We need to start scavenging for supplies and incorporate real-world experience into our daily training,” Zhang Su said firmly, raising a finger for emphasis.


    “You mean…” Zheng Xinyu’s eyes lit up as she pointed in the direction of the underground parking lot.


    Zhang Su immediately knew she was referring to the van downstairs, which was loaded with supplies. He shook his head. “The situation in the parking lot is unclear. We shouldn’t go there unless absolutely necessary.”


    “You’re right…” Zheng Xinyu frowned in thought before suggesting, “How about starting with the other units in this building? The entry doors are locked, so it should be relatively safe.”


    Zhang Su nodded. “Exactly. Our building has 24 units. Based on occupancy rates, maybe seven or eight are vacant. Excluding our floor and Brother Li’s unit, there are probably 14 or 15 left to check.”


    “I have a way to get a rough idea of who’s still living in our building!” Zheng Xinyu said excitedly. Before they could respond, she dashed to her room and returned with her phone. “Most people in the homeowners’ group chat have updated their real addresses. We can search for 03-1, 3-1, or Building 3 to figure out the occupancy.”


    “Great idea, Sister Xinyu! You read it out, and I’ll jot it down,” Zhong Xiaoshan said, opening the notepad app on her phone, eager to contribute.


    “Alright, here we go. The first floor is fully occupied. The second floor…”


    Before long, they compiled a list of occupants.


    “The first, third, and fourth floors are fully occupied. On the second, fifth, and eighth floors, Unit 2 is empty. Sixth, ninth, and eleventh floors don’t have a Unit 1. As for the seventh, tenth, and twelfth floors, we’re not sure. Is that right?” Zhang Su asked, reviewing the list. Sear?h the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    “Correct, but just because a unit appears empty doesn’t mean it really is. Some people might not have updated their address, or they might not even be in the group chat,” Zheng Xinyu clarified.


    “True, and those who updated their address might not even live here anymore. Still, this gives us a decent starting point. Let’s call it a night for now. Tomorrow, we’ll start sweeping the building,” Zhang Su concluded.


    As the discussion ended, Zhang Su cast a meaningful glance at Zhong Xiaoshan, who looked slightly uneasy.


    “Um, I’ll head back to my place now,” Zhong Xiaoshan said awkwardly, sensing that Zhang Su didn’t plan to let her stay the night.


    After seeing her off, Zheng Xinyu watched through the peephole as Zhong Xiaoshan closed the door to unit 802. She then hesitantly asked, “Should we let her stay here overnight?”


    “There’s no need for that right now,” Zhang Su replied, shaking his head. Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, “But if you’re so concerned about her, I wouldn’t mind going over there to keep her company.”


    “Get lost!” Zheng Xinyu punched him lightly in the arm.


    “Hey, you suggested it! I’m just respecting your wishes,” Zhang Su teased, moving toward the door as if to leave.


    Zheng Xinyu quickly blocked the door, retorting, “I misspoke! What I meant to say was, ‘Go to hell!’”


    “Stingy as ever… Everyone’s exhausted, and you’re the only one whose thoughts are in the gutter!” Zhang Su quipped as he turned toward the bathroom. Remembering there was no running water, he sighed and changed course toward his bedroom, waving her off as he went.


    “Dirty-minded? You’re the one who said you’d go over there! Damn it,” Zheng Xinyu muttered, following him and grumbling under her breath. Keeping her voice low, she stuck close, unwilling to let him have the last word.


    Zhang Su, ever the gentleman, didn’t let her provocations get to him. That night, he truly did nothing but rest, getting a good night’s sleep to recharge.


    The next morning, Zhang Su stretched by his open window, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air. “Man, that felt great!” he exclaimed. Exhausted from their new routine and deprived of entertainment, he had managed to fall asleep by 10 PM—an early night compared to his pre-apocalypse lifestyle. Waking at 7 or 8 AM was now his new norm.


    By 9 AM, Zhong Xiaoshan arrived at 801, her body sore from yesterday’s training. She had thought her previous work at the hospital was strenuous, but it paled in comparison to this.


    Zhang Su understood that both women’s bodies were under significant strain. But survival left them no choice—there wasn’t enough time to rest.


    “I thought about it last night. We’ll start sweeping upward, but to ensure safety, we need to block off the seventh floor’s emergency stairwell,” Zhang Su explained.


    “Block our way downstairs? Why? Zombies aren’t great at climbing stairs,” Zheng Xinyu questioned, confused.


    “They’re slow, but they can still climb. Blocking the stairs isn’t just to stop zombies. It’s also to prevent other people from sneaking in. Who knows if there are other survivors in our building?” Zhang Su’s expression darkened.


    “If there are, that’s a good thing. More people means more help,” Zhong Xiaoshan said as she massaged her sore arms.


    “Heh…” Zhang Su chuckled coldly, shaking his head. “In minor disasters, I believe in people’s goodness. But in a situation like this? Trusting strangers is more dangerous than not trusting them.”


    “Well, I’m just lucky to have met two kind people like Brother Su and Sister Xinyu,” Zhong Xiaoshan said, throwing in a bit of flattery.


    “Cut it out. Let’s get to work,” Zhang Su said, waving them along.


    The three began by trying to block the stairwell with a small sofa, but it wouldn’t fit through the emergency door. Left with no choice, they stacked Zhong Xiaoshan’s vanity table on top of the sofa. This improvised barricade effectively blocked the stairs.


    To make it more secure, Zhang Su tied two metal spoons to the vanity table. The spoons clanged together with the slightest movement, serving as a rudimentary alarm. They were satisfied with their handiwork—getting to the eighth floor would now be a noisy, near-impossible task.


    As for the elevator? It had been stuck on the sixth floor since that fateful day, and no one knew whether it was broken or if something worse was at play.