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Wang Chao's proposal was quickly put on the agenda after everyone's agreement.
The group first used old cloth to write a message: "We have food here! Please find a way to contact us, and we will come to rescue you!" Wang Chao and Liu He hung this makeshift banner on the balcony, hoping someone would see it. As Wang Chao glanced at the dwindling supplies in the two shopping carts, he realized that this situation couldn't continue; they needed to find new food. Otherwise, even if they rationed their meals, the supplies wouldn't last more than a few days.
Liu He also recognized the problem and discussed it with Wang Chao. "Wang Chao, the food is running out, and that's not a sustainable solution. The nearest supermarket isn't too far, but it's not exactly close either." He pointed towards the distant supermarket, visible only by its rooftop from their seventh-floor vantage point. Recently, the number of zombies had been increasing. During their several rescue missions, the seven-member team was shocked to find almost no living men; it was unclear whether they had all turned into zombies or if the survivors had simply left.
Seeing that they had added an elderly man and three women to their group while only finding one middle-aged man, Wang Chao thought about how heavy their burden was becoming. They couldn't possibly send these women out to search for food and rescue others. Thus, going to the supermarket for supplies became their top priority. The worrying issue was that zombies were multiplying nearby, and Wang Chao knew that as time passed, fewer people would remain alive.
A week had already passed since the zombie outbreak, yet there was still no news from the government. The survivors had to focus on how to save themselves first.
"We can't wait any longer; if we do, we'll just be waiting for death!" Liu He said to Wang Chao. Wang Chao nodded, understanding that Liu He was referring to going to the supermarket. Liu He gathered the eight men together and announced, "The food in the shopping carts is clearly insufficient. Today's mission is to go to the nearby supermarket and bring back food and water! We only have four backpacks here, so this time only four of us will go."
Looking at Wang Chao, who nodded in agreement, Liu He continued, "This time, both Wang Chao and I must go. That leaves two spots open; does anyone among you want to volunteer? Of course, I must make it clear that this mission is dangerous—we might not come back." Liu He's words were true; one wrong step could mean they would never return.
The people around them fell silent; it was natural to be quiet when betting one's life on such matters.
After a moment, a high school student named Zhang Ruyi raised his hand and said, "I—I’ll go!" Liu He nodded in acknowledgment. Before he could speak again, another high school student raised his hand and said, "I'm Ouyang En; I'm in the same class as Zhang Ruyi. I—I’ll go too." Liu He nodded again and said, "Great! That makes four of us!" He then pulled out two sausages from behind him, broke them in half, and distributed them among the four who were about to head to the supermarket.
Liu He said, "There's a chance we might not return. Originally, these sausages were meant for dogs, but now they're the best we can offer. Eat up." Afterward, the four silently consumed their meal, fully aware that this might be their last time eating sausages in their lives. Outside their door stood a crowd of women and elderly people who silently shed tears upon hearing Liu He's words.
Wang Chao smiled and said, "Be confident! This time we’ll definitely bring back some delicious braised pork!"
The others managed to muster bittersweet smiles in response.
"Buddha bless, Buddha bless," Old Lady Wang prayed repeatedly as she watched the four people who had arrived at the community from her window.
The four formed a diamond-shaped formation, moving quickly forward. Liu He led the way, with Zhang Ruyi and Ouyang En flanking him in the middle, while Wang Chao brought up the rear. Many believed that the person at the front faced the most danger, but in reality, it was the one at the back who was in greater peril. They had to be vigilant against surprise attacks from zombies behind them while also enduring the anxiety of what lurked in their rear. This dual challenge was daunting.
The group advanced swiftly, avoiding large hordes by finding alternate routes and dispatching lone enemies with a swift strike. "This seems pretty easy," Zhang Ruyi remarked with a laugh.
Wang Chao and Liu He exchanged glances but said nothing. Both understood that true danger lay in numbers. If they entered a supermarket, the enclosed space could easily trap them. Wang Chao's deeper concern wasn't just about zombies; it was about the possibility of encountering a zombie dog at any moment. With so many people owning dogs now, it was likely that one could burst out unexpectedly. If that happened, getting entangled with a zombie dog while being surrounded by a zombie horde would spell disaster—unless they grew wings, they would surely meet their end inside.
However, Wang Chao would never voice such demoralizing thoughts at such a critical moment.
The four continued forward at a good pace until they reached the supermarket entrance. They found the doors wide open, unsure of how many zombies had already flooded inside. Liu He made a shushing gesture and stepped in first, signaling for everyone to enter slowly. Wang Chao was the last to go in and couldn't help but gasp.
Inside the supermarket's main hall on the first floor, it was nearly packed with zombies. Ouyang En slipped slightly and almost fell, but Wang Chao quickly steadied him. Looking at the densely packed zombies that resembled ants, Wang Chao glanced up through the stairwell and noticed that there weren't many zombies on the second floor. He pointed upward, and the others understood his intention.
"How do we get up? The stairs are in the middle," Zhang Ruyi whispered.
Wang Chao pointed to a shelf and said, "We can climb up from there!"
Liu He nodded, sheathing his machete at his waist. Wang Chao gestured for the three to go ahead while he stayed behind. Liu He knew this wasn't the time for modesty; he rubbed his hands together and climbed up the shelf like it was a ladder, using both hands and feet to reach the second floor swiftly. Once there, he surveyed his surroundings before waving for the others to follow.
Zhang Ruyi and Ouyang En mimicked Liu He's actions and climbed up as well.
Seeing that the three had climbed up, Wang Chao finally made his way up as well. Upon arriving, he noticed the first floor was packed with a dense crowd of people, a veritable army of the lost. In contrast, the second floor appeared cold and desolate. Although there were Zombies present, having four people together made it much easier to handle. Wang Chao signaled for everyone to spread out and fill their backpacks as quickly as possible. Ouyang En and Zhang Ruyi exchanged glances before heading off to another side.
Wang Chao watched as the two left but felt no sense of unease. He then began to fill his own backpack alongside Liu He.
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