Apocalypse Escape: Day One of Survival

”Good afternoon, all surviving residents of Song Family Pavilion. After a careful morning of investigation, we have discovered a resident in Villa 35 who was infected by the acid rain and turned into a zombie.”

”This resident was not reported, as their family chose to conceal the infection. After the infected individual reanimated, they proceeded to viciously attack their family.”

”By the time we arrived, only one young female resident survived out of the family of seven in Villa 35.”

”We must remind all residents of Song Family Pavilion, whether you are original residents or newcomers who have arrived in the last two days, to notify us immediately upon discovering anyone with a high fever. They will be quarantined and managed collectively!”

”Please trust the government and the military. We will not take any forcible measures against any resident who has a high fever but has not yet turned.”

Song You’ai, Song Youzhi, and Song Youyi exchanged glances.

Song Yaoguo finished the last of his noodles with a sigh. ”Villa 35... that’s my clan uncle’s family. A young woman... could it be that Song Xue girl? Is she the only one left in the whole family?”

Half the residents in Song Family Pavilion had the surname Song. From what they had heard over the past two days, quite a few of their clan relatives had seen their entire families wiped out.

The family in Villa 53, who had previously concealed an infection and were all killed, were also clan relatives with the surname Song. And now, it was the family in Villa 35.

”Sigh.” Old Mrs. Song sighed. ”How could they be so foolish? Why not report it? They already said they wouldn’t take any forcible measures until it was confirmed they’d turned into a zombie.”

”Sigh.” He Shuping also sighed. ”It’s because they didn’t believe them, I suppose.”

”Fools,” Song Yaoguo cursed, shaking his head. ”Did they think the government and the army were going to harm them? Uncle Song... really, sigh!”

A man in his nineties, and still so muddle-headed. He doomed his entire family.

Xie Ning scanned the QR code for the mutual aid group and joined.

After the group owner lifted the mute, the chat exploded into chaos again.

[Villa 75 Translator Qian Tao]: Let me ask the group owner, when exactly can we leave? We’re stuck in our houses and can’t get out, and what little food we have left is about to run out!

[Villa 79 Uncle Ge Liang changed his name to Justice Uncle]: What’s this little Jap spouting nonsense for? Who do you think you’re questioning? You got no right to speak here, so shut the hell up!

[Villa 75 Translator Qian Tao]: Uncle, the war of resistance has been over for decades. Why are you still so indignant? We’re in an era of peace now! We’re all friends, there are no ’Japs’ here.

[Villa 79 Justice Uncle]: Bullshit! It doesn’t matter how many years have passed. You’re a dog who’s forgotten his ancestors. Shut your mouth.

[Villa 79 Yanzi Feifei]: I agree, the little Jap should shut up. We’re discussing internal matters among our own people. A little Jap has no right to run his mouth here.

[Villa 96 Trickling Stream]: I agree +1

A long string of ”+1”s followed, making Xie Ning’s lips twitch.

[Villa 75 Translator Qian Tao] posted a crying emoji: This is racial discrimination. Can the group owner do something about this? @Group Owner

[Villa 79 Justice Uncle]: Who are you @’ing, you shameless bastard! They’re busy as hell right now, don’t bother them.

A barrage of ”shameless +1” comments followed, silencing the young translator, Qian Tao.

[Villa 97 Song Fu]: Let’s talk about something important. The internet connection is spotty, and we don’t know when it’ll go out completely.

[Villa 13 Tie Zhu’s Shop]: You all know who broke into my warehouse to steal last night, don’t you? Shameless bastards! Serves them right that their whole family is dead and gone to hell.

[Villa 97 Song Fu]: Uncle Song Gao, we’re all from the same clan. You don’t have to be so vicious!

[Villa 13 Tie Zhu’s Shop]: Same clan? Pfft! A clansman who steals is still a thief. Once a thief, always a thief, for generations to come.

[Villa 97 Golden Years]: Stop cursing. The young Song Xue will feel terrible if she sees this.

[Villa 13 Tie Zhu’s Shop]: Why should I care how she feels? It was their group who stole from me the day before yesterday, and the day before that! Thieves! Shameless bastards!

Lu Wei sent out a group owner announcement, informing everyone that they were currently discussing a plan. The travel plans for tomorrow were temporarily on hold, postponed until the day after tomorrow at the latest.

Calculating the date, that would be September 15th.

[Villa 53 He Village He Shufen] has invited [He Dayong’s Mom] to the group chat.

[Villa 53 He Dayong’s Mom]: @Group Owner, can admins just kick people for no reason? Why was I kicked just for speaking the truth? The whole family in Villa 85, Xie Ning’s family, are no good. Xie Ning from Villa 85 disregarded our lives, bullied a poor orphan and widow like us, and threw us out of Villa 85! Don’t we get a say in this? The previous occupants of Villa 53 were wiped out. Is it appropriate to put our family, young and old, in a place where a bunch of people died? I’m old and have neurasthenia. If I don’t sleep well at night, I can’t function in the morning! We, the current residents of Villa 53, strongly demand a different villa.

System Notice: [Villa 53 He Dayong’s Mom] has been kicked from the group chat by an administrator.

The group owner has enabled verification for joining the group.

Xie Ning watched, her expression turning grim.

Beside her, Song Kexin was howling with laughter, clutching her phone and rubbing her stomach.

”Give me the group ID, give me the group ID! I want to get in and see what’s so funny,” Ji Taixian yelled.

[Villa 84 Li]: Ms. Zhu, come over and cook tonight. I’ll throw in another half-pound of rice for you!

[Villa 98 Ping Ping An An]: Let me think about it.

[Villa 79 Justice Uncle]: I already said, take stuff like cooking arrangements to private chat. Don’t clog up the group chat and bother everyone.

[Villa 98 Xu Bailiang]: Sorry to interrupt, but we’ve run out of food over here. Can anyone bring us some rice, flour, oil, or anything like that? We can pay triple or quadruple the price.

[Villa 84 Think-Think Little Fairy]: Xu Bailiang? No way, no way, no way! Is this the Xu Bailiang I’m thinking of? Are you the Xu Bailiang who starred in *Me and the Stars, Face to Face*?

[Villa 98 Xu Bailiang’s Assistant]: Are you a fan of our Brother Liang? Do you have any spare rice, flour, or oil? Could you bring some over? We’ll pay.

[Villa 79 Justice Uncle]: Take your begging to private chat!

Below that, a whole string of people posted a ”wide-eyed” emoji.

This was followed by a row of ellipsis marks with six dots.

Song Kexin was rolling on the sofa with laughter.

”Oh, oh my god, I can’t take it! Uncle Ge Liang is hilarious. He can kill any conversation, anytime, anywhere! Haha, hahaha.”

The group chat suddenly went quiet.

Song Kexin looked at her phone and saw that the group owner had enabled mute-all mode again.

A moment later, the group owner posted: At 7:30 PM, supplies will be distributed to each villa. There will be a fixed amount of about three days’ worth of food and purified water. We hope everyone will use it sparingly.

After the mute was lifted, a string of praises filled the chat.

Xie Ning silently muted the group’s notifications. Then she got up and went upstairs, planning to use one-third of a bucket of purified water to take a combat shower.

’It’s too damn hard to shower with only 500ml of water!’

Xie Ning could only wet a towel and slowly wipe herself down. Then she realized she’d somewhat overestimated her combat shower skills.

’This isn’t nearly enough to get clean...’

Glancing at the smart water dispenser in the living room, Xie Ning steeled herself and filled a large cup of water to continue washing.

After using three or four more cups, she barely managed to finish her shower.

Looking at the bottom-loading water jug of the smart dispenser, it seemed like only a little over half a jug was left.