Through the resident forum’s contact reporting thread, the building contacts had all exchanged personal information and contact details and joined the group chat.
By the time they gathered again in the afternoon, they had already grown familiar with one another.
Jiang Cheng’s appearance was genuinely ridiculous, but under the current circumstances, laughter was hardly appropriate—the pile of bodies in the square still hadn’t finished burning. Thick smoke and a foul stench continued to rise from the fire.
No one actually laughed. Song Jingshuo looked at her, exasperated. “What is that?”
The backpack, the folding shopping cart, and the fire axe tucked behind her waist were all understandable. But the bulging lump inside her shirt—no one knew what to make of that.
Jiang Cheng had no choice but to explain. “My cat is stressed out from the fright. I have to keep him with me, or he might die of shock.”
Those who had owned cats understood how easily they could get stressed. But Song Jingshuo gave Jiang Cheng a long look.
Jiang Cheng: “What?”
Song Jingshuo shook his head. “This doesn’t seem like you.”
Jiang Cheng twisted the corner of her mouth. “We’ve known each other for less than six hours.”
Her words made everyone suddenly realize—it was true. They had only known each other for a few hours. Fewer than half of them could even remember each other’s names.
Yet everyone knew Jiang Cheng’s name. Everyone knew she lived in 0306, Building 2.
When Song Jingshuo said, “This doesn’t seem like you,” everyone silently nodded in agreement. Because in their minds, Jiang Cheng was different from the other neighbors whose faces and personalities were still blurry. Her image was already crystal clear.
The coldness with which she had told people, in her gentle voice, to put down their weapons and obediently go wait for death in the property management conference room—and now her refusal to abandon a pet—the contrast was striking.
Jiang Cheng stroked Mo Li through her shirt, mixing truth with falsehood. “My parents passed away. This is my only family.”
Understanding dawned, and everyone accepted the explanation.
But one person hesitated, then still asked Jiang Cheng, “Are you sure it’s just stress? Could it be infected by the virus, like the humans?”
Jiang Cheng’s heart tightened.
Bitten, transformed, grown larger—Jiang Cheng was already certain Mo Li had been infected. But his mutation had taken a different path from the humans’.
Not only had his physical parameters strengthened after the transformation, but he had also retained his rationality.
From last night until now, Jiang Cheng had not observed any case of an infected attacking another infected. That suggested the infected recognized each other in some way—maybe through scent, maybe something else. But Mo Li and Shen Wei had not recognized each other as kindred. Neither had acknowledged the other as the same kind.
Mo Li’s mutation was something else entirely.
It could even be called evolution.
But under the current circumstances, with everyone on edge and seeing threats everywhere, revealing the truth might not win her any trust. She could end up being treated like the people in the conference room.
For humans who still retained their sanity and hadn’t begun to turn, everyone was willing to give them time for observation.
But for a cat? There was no reason to extend that same courtesy. If Jiang Cheng herself were unaware of the situation, even she would prefer to kill it by mistake rather than let it live and risk the consequences.
“Of course not,” Jiang Cheng said, looking directly into the questioner’s eyes. “Last night, someone I was helping turned in my apartment. I fought her off, and the cat got scared.”
From morning until now, everything she had said had been on point and convincing.
Everyone nodded, accepting her explanation.
Residents gathered bit by bit.
Master Luo arrived as well, his brow deeply furrowed. “My wife says the cafeteria’s food supply will only last the rest of us one more day. According to the schedule, today was a delivery day, but with everything that’s happened…”
Jiang Cheng said, “Then arrange for a few of your people to come with us.”
Master Luo looked troubled. “Well… we don’t have any money.”
Jiang Cheng had anticipated this.
Master Luo continued, “The manager can’t be reached, and the accountant didn’t come to work today. She said she’s too scared to come out.”
Jiang Cheng replied, “That’s fine. Tell everyone I’ll cover the cost of buying food and supplies for the property management staff.”
Master Luo’s face lit up. “Oh, really? That’s—how can we—”
Whoever provides the money calls the shots.
Jiang Cheng had her reasons.
But others understood this principle too, and they had their own calculations.
Song Jingshuo stepped in. “It’s not right for you to pay alone. How about this, Master Luo—tell everyone that the money for the property management supplies will be covered jointly by Song Jingshuo from Building 4 and Jiang Cheng from Building 2. Fifty-fifty.”
Everything about Song Jingshuo, down to his belt, screamed brand-name luxury. He had that elite aura. He spoke in a way that made people feel at ease. He looked like the kind of highly educated, outstanding young talent who had entered a major corporation early.
After going back and reviewing the day’s events, he had realized something: everything Jiang Cheng had thought of, he could have thought of too. Every cold decision she had made, he could have made as well.
But he had been a step behind her every single time. She was always the first to think of things, the first to make the right decision without hesitation. By noon, everything had naturally centered around her, with her in the lead.
Yet she hadn’t even been among the first wave of people who came down and bravely cleared the garden.
And somehow, she had set the pace from the very beginning.
It was only after reviewing everything that Song Jingshuo felt a twinge of regret.
Because he, too, liked being in control. He didn’t enjoy simply following someone else’s orders.
Jiang Cheng glanced at Song Jingshuo. Their eyes met, and in that brief moment, they understood each other perfectly. People who are alike find it easier to understand one another.
Jiang Cheng gave a slight twist of her lips. “Okay. We’ll both contribute.”
There was no point in competing now. There weren’t any tangible benefits to speak of yet—just the authority to coordinate and call the shots. No need to fight over it. Cooperation was the priority.
Song Jingshuo gave a small nod. Cooperation came first.
Master Luo happily went off, called over two young security guards, and even brought out a flatbed cart from the property management office. Including himself, that made three people—enough.
By nearly two in the afternoon, the East Gate was packed with a sea of residents. It looked like over a thousand people. Even though some had raised objections earlier, Jiang Cheng had hit the mark: many young singles weren’t in the habit of stockpiling supplies, and their food at home truly wouldn’t last much longer.
If they didn’t take this opportunity to go in an organized group, they wouldn’t dare go alone.
So even those who had been reluctant felt they had no choice but to show up.
Of course, there were definitely some who hadn’t come. The entire compound shouldn’t have only this many people.
Master Luo handed Jiang Cheng a bullhorn. She stood on an elevated spot and began to speak:
“We don’t know what the situation is like on the streets right now. Try to stay close and keep up with the group. Those of you with protective gear, try to stay on the perimeter and stay alert at all times.”
“No one knows how long this situation will last. I personally suggest not buying things like snacks. Our carrying capacity is limited. Focus on essentials: rice, cooking oil, salt, sugar, toilet paper—things for survival.”
“If you don’t have a handcart, buy one as soon as you get to the supermarket.”
She kept it concise, sticking to the key points. As she jumped down and barely had time to steady herself, Song Jingshuo reached out and took the bullhorn. “Let’s be mindful, everyone. Try to keep the women toward the middle.”
Jiang Cheng glanced back at him over her shoulder.
Someone grumbled, “Why? My life matters too.”
Song Jingshuo didn’t argue with him. He just smiled with a hint of mockery. “Then you can walk in the middle too.”
A chorus of boos rose from the crowd.
Li Jiangbing jumped up and shouted, “Are you even a man? Look at you, pathetic!”
Muttering under his breath, the man shuffled back a few steps and disappeared into the crowd.
At 2 o’clock sharp, the young residents of the apartment complex were ready to go.
After a morning of fighting, many had gained experience and done whatever they could to protect themselves.
Some had used tape to bind magazines to their forearms as makeshift arm guards. If an infected lunged and tried to bite, the magazines could block them—paper wasn’t easy to bite through.
Others had put on motorcycle helmets to protect their necks and faces.
There was even someone wearing ice hockey gear. It looked incredibly practical under the circumstances, and more than a few people envied him. But he was a rare case—there wouldn’t be many ice hockey players in any city.
The security guards opened the main gate and cheered everyone on. “Go early, come back safe! Watch yourselves!”
Regardless of whether they had supported the idea before, when people gather in large numbers to do something together, it’s hard not to feel the adrenaline surge.
Many raised their makeshift weapons—clubs, kitchen knives, hammers—and let out howls of excitement, marching off with high morale.
Song Jingshuo called out, “Jiang Cheng, you should walk in the middle.”
His voice carried, and since everyone recognized Jiang Cheng, many eyes turned to her.
With Mo Li bundled against her chest, a backpack on her back, her handcart in her left hand, Jiang Cheng reached her right hand to the small of her back, pulled her fire axe from her waistband, and swung an X-shaped arc through the air.
“I’m fine,” she said.
The axe whistled through the air as she swung it. The weapon looked light in her hands.
She’s really strong, many people thought. No wonder she’s so bold.
Li Jiangbing stayed close to Jiang Cheng. “Don’t worry, I’m right here.”
He had also upgraded to a fire axe. On his left arm, he wore an arm shield—it looked like some kind of game or movie merchandise, and it was hard to tell if it would actually offer any protection. But with an axe in one hand, a shield on his arm, and his tall, muscular frame, his appearance was nothing short of intimidating.
Standing next to Jiang Cheng, he looked like her bodyguard.
Song Jingshuo couldn’t figure out how Jiang Cheng had won over this big guy. His protectiveness toward her was very obvious.
Every time he appeared, he stuck close to Jiang Cheng, always standing by her side. And she called him by the last two characters of his given name, familiarly. They didn’t look like a couple, but they were definitely closer to each other than anyone else here.
Was he trying to pursue Jiang Cheng?
Song Jingshuo thought with a hint of disdain. Women always had this advantage.
Watching Song Jingshuo walk off with someone else, Li Jiangbing leaned closer to Jiang Cheng and whispered furtively, “Why does he always act so intense around you? You think he’s trying to ask you out?”
But Jiang Cheng understood people like Song Jingshuo far better than Li Jiangbing did. Because she and Song Jingshuo were the same kind of people. Even though Song Jingshuo was tall, handsome, and well-off, Jiang Cheng felt not a single flicker of hormonal attraction toward him. Her mind was entirely focused on controlling the situation in front of her and securing her own safety.
She turned her head and glanced at Li Jiangbing. “I think he thinks you’re trying to ask me out.”
That took a second to process. Li Jiangbing’s eyes went wide. “I’m not!”
Absolutely not.
He liked soft, cute, sweet girls. Before all this, when he ran into Jiang Cheng in the hallway, he had thought she looked soft, sweet, and pretty—that was why he had tried to strike up a conversation.
But now, what was etched into his memory was the image of Jiang Cheng last night in the hallway, shouting “Get back!” as she gripped her baseball bat, charged forward, and smashed an infected to the ground with one swing.
The silhouette of her back was seared into his mind.
He definitely did not want to date her. He just wanted to follow her lead.
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