Chapter 9 - The Long Night

I never expected Ye Ling’s friend’s house to be so well-equipped. Besides the Hummer, the house had everything: satellite TV dish, solar water heater, and most importantly, it even had a small generator! It was completely self-sufficient, which made me wonder if Ye Ling’s friend had foreseen this kind of Resident Evil scenario!

Having a generator and satellite dish meant that we could watch TV! We could find out what was happening outside! Our phones could also be charged, so we could check the status of the nearest stronghold-the Armed Forces Department.

Understanding the situation outside was our top priority, but there seemed to be a small issue with the satellite dish, so watching TV wasn’t possible for the time being. Fortunately, we had a tech whiz here, Liu Yonglin, who could modify a nail gun into a lethal weapon, so fixing a satellite dish was nothing for him. We began listening to the radio, hoping to receive messages from the Armed Forces Department.

“Zz, zz, zz, zz.”

After some static, we finally tuned into the frequency for the broadcast from the Armed Forces Department. The voice of the director came through, a voice with an innate authority, but it sounded weak.

“To everyone still alive, this is the Armed Forces Department. I am Director Li Feng. I believe you can hear my voice. The Armed Forces Department has fallen. The monsters are at my door. I will take them down with me. This is the final broadcast. FZ-HOPE City has been abandoned. But, survive, good luck to you all. Boom-! Zz-zz-zz-!”

Dead silence fell over the living room. Although we expected the situation to be dire, this was beyond our worst fears. The fact that the Armed Forces Department had been overrun by zombies meant there was no safe haven left in FZ-HOPE City! FZ-HOPE City had been abandoned!! This meant there would be no rescue from Tian Chao. Worse, it might get wiped off the map by a nuclear bomb, just like in Resident Evil!

Everyone in the living room was weighed down by an overwhelming sense of despair. No one spoke because we knew that words were pointless now. Just as we were enveloped in silence, the snowy static on the TV suddenly gave way to a new image:

“This is a live report from NCTV. I am your host, Hua Sha. The government is currently in discussions to counter the riots occurring everywhere.”

I could no longer suppress my anger. What do they mean by riots?! Dead people are wandering the streets-how is that a riot! The media is completely controlled now! Is the truth going to be buried just like this? Are people going to die without any clarity as to why?!

“Currently, FZ-HOPE City has been fully sealed off, and the military has refused to disclose any information. Similarly, CCL City, adjacent to FZ-HOPE City, is experiencing large-scale riots with nearly 10,000 deaths. Behind me are the bodies of some of the victims. The mayor of CCL City has declared a state of emer… Bang-! Bang-! Bang-! Ladies and gentlemen, that’s gunfire! Gunfire! The police have finally opened fire! Although the situation is still quite unclear-”

The host began screaming before she could finish her report! All the corpses behind her were suddenly getting up!

“Ah-! Help! No-! Ahhhhh!”

The camera dropped to the ground, and the TV screen was filled with chaotic images, sporadically punctuated by blood-curdling screams. All we could see on the screen were some feet shuffling around, but their movement unmistakably belonged to zombies! The host had likely become one of them by now! But these scenes only lasted for a few seconds before the broadcast cut back to the studio.

Thanks to the satellite dish, we could also tune into international channels, but the more we watched, the colder our hearts grew:

“The U.S. leaders have abandoned the White House and issued a statement relocating the government’s operations to an aircraft carrier at sea.”

“There are rumors suggesting the use of nuclear weapons by the government.”

“Paris and Rome are in chaos, with rampant looting.”

“BJ City remains stable.”

“The military has been deployed.”

Judging from the footage on TV, the situation isn’t just happening in FZ-HOPE City. Similar events are occurring across Tian Chao and even around the world!!

I have a feeling that this world is collapsing, little by little, until it finally collapses completely!

“I can’t believe it; it’s only been three days, just three short days, and the whole world has changed!” Ye Xiang lamented, holding his head.

“And the Armed Forces Department nearest to us has already fallen,” Shen Wei said, her brow furrowed tightly.

Xueqi, on the other hand, said, “There must still be absolutely safe places. The government hasn’t completely halted its operations, and it seems the situation here in Tian Chao is much better than in other countries.”

Compared to their lengthy discussions, I simply said, “We just need to survive.” Everyone except Ling Qimeng was taken aback. “Hmm?”

Ling Qimeng calmly added, “That’s right, I think Tiankuang is right. No matter how much we worry, it won’t change the situation. So, until we find a safe haven, all we need to think about is how to survive! Do our utmost to survive!” It seems that what happened at the gas station had a significant impact on both Ling Qimeng and me.

After a long silence, Xueqi suddenly stood up and walked towards the room.

“Xueqi, where are you going?” Ye Ling asked worriedly. If someone in the group developed psychological issues in this situation, it would be troublesome. But Xueqi just smiled and said, “I think it’s pointless to keep racking our brains here, so I’m going to take a hot shower.”

Shen Wei stood up as well and said, “In that case, I want to go too.” Then even Ling Qimeng and Ye Ling began to chime in. It seemed that the various filth accumulated during the three-day bloody journey had pushed the ladies to their limits. For safety reasons, they had to bathe collectively. Of course, this is Tian Chao-no mixed-gender bathing. And before entering the bathroom, the ladies issued a stern warning to the three of us who were left outside: spying would have serious consequences!

The women’s voices from the bathroom were quite loud.

“Ms. Ye, yours are quite large.”

“Yes, people often say that.”

“Oh, so full of confidence.”

“Xueqi, yours aren’t small either.”

“Hey, don’t touch there!”

“Let me go.”

“…”

As I emerged from the bedroom, I was greeted with bursts of laughter from the bathroom, and I noticed two “wolves” wagging their tails as they sat by the bathroom door.

Ye Xiang, seeing that I had changed out of my blood-stained clothes, nudged me with a knowing look and said, “Should we, uh, follow international tradition and take a peek? The girls inside seem to be having a blast. It’s like a scene from paradise, hahaha!”

Just then, Liu Yonglin joined in, “Yeah, yeah, Tiankuang, come on, let’s uphold the male tradition and sneak a peek!”

I thoughtfully considered it for a moment, resting my chin on my hand, but eventually shook my head. “Ling Qimeng and Xueqi are in there. If you guys want to end up as eunuchs, be my guest. I won’t stop you.”

Though Xueqi and Ling Qimeng may look fragile on the outside, they are way more lethal to zombies than Liu Yonglin and Ye Xiang. Especially Xueqi, who displayed formidable combat skills during the fight that evening-truly deserving of her title as the heir to Tian Chao’s swordsmanship. Unless faced with a swarm of zombies, a few stragglers are absolutely no match for her. Even though Ling Qimeng isn’t as mighty as Xueqi, she’s still quite fierce; she claims to be a martial arts enthusiast herself.

While we couldn’t sneak a peek, indulging in some daydreaming was harmless, right? Just as Ye Xiang and I were sprawled on the couch, lost in our imaginations, Liu Yonglin came bursting out of the bedroom, thrilled. “Look, guys! Check out what I found!”

Ye Xiang and I were stunned, at a loss for words as we stared at the pink underwear in Liu Yonglin’s hand. We could only think of one thing: Could this guy be the infamous underwear thief? At that moment, Liu Yonglin realized what he was holding, turned red, and quickly tossed the underwear aside to reveal a white box about the size of two milk cartons. “Look, I found something great!” he declared.

“More underwear?” Ye Xiang teased.

But Liu Yonglin ignored him and opened the box to reveal a brass-colored object-bullets! It was full of bullets!

The presence of bullets implied one thing-there could be guns here!

Ye Xiang and I immediately joined the search and soon discovered a hidden metal compartment in the upstairs bedroom wardrobe, covered and locked away beneath a pile of underwear. After a considerable effort to pry it open with a steel bar, we were nearly floored by what we saw-three guns gleaming with cold, metallic luster lay quietly inside the compartment, like sleeping tigers ready to unleash a deadly strike upon awakening.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and said, “Ms. Ye mentioned this was her friend’s house. What kind of friend is this exactly?”

Ye Xiang exclaimed, “Wow, this is intense! You guys know how strict gun control is in Tian Chao. Just one of these would be enough to trigger a police lockdown across the city, let alone three!”

Liu Yonglin, meanwhile, picked up one of the three guns and struck a shooting pose with a wicked grin, like a pervert ogling a nude beauty, and muttered, “Type 95 5.8mm Automatic Assault Rifle, kind of a waste of bullets.”

“Liu Yonglin.”

“And this is the Type 99 Sniper Rifle with a suppressor! The legendary heavy sniper! Weighs 11 kilograms, with a five-round magazine.”

“I’m telling you, Liu Yonglin,” I said, as Liu Yonglin continued to ignore us, too enthralled. He picked up another gun and continued his monologue, “This is the Ithaca M37 Riot Shotgun! Powerful stuff! An American standard shotgun, and it was highly active during the Vietnam War!”

After a while, Liu Yonglin finally returned to normal and asked us to help load the magazines with bullets. There was quite a stash of ammunition. Liu Yonglin repeatedly reminded us that even without bullets, the guns should never be pointed at people-they should only be aimed at zombies.

“So, Liu Yonglin, you seem to know a lot about these guns. Did you learn all this from video games?” I asked, noting how familiar he seemed with the firearms. Liu Yonglin just laughed and replied, “I used to get professional training from instructors at the private military company BlackWater when I was in the United States. That’s when I got to handle real guns.”

Comparisons can be infuriating-this guy has had such good fortune. Handling real guns is a dream for many men; most everyday folks would never get the chance to even see one, let alone shoot one. His marksmanship would certainly come in handy now.

Looking at the pile of loaded magazines, I shrugged and said, “By the way, what kind of person is Ms. Ye’s friend? Storing so many guns and bullets in Tian Chao is definitely illegal.”

Ye Xiang stroked the metallic surface of the gun and speculated, “Who knows? Maybe they’re a gun smuggler.”

Liu Yonglin, however, disagreed with Ye Xiang’s theory. “I think they might be someone from the military. The Type 95 Assault Rifle and Type 99 Sniper Rifle are both standard issue in Tian Chao’s military. It’s almost impossible for civilians to get their hands on them.”

While we were engrossed in our conversation, there was suddenly a commotion outside. Could it be that zombies had discovered us? I was about to go to the third-floor balcony to check, but as soon as I stepped out of the room, someone unexpectedly hugged me! In that instant, I broke out in a cold sweat; my arms were pinned, and I had no way to fight back. Just as I was about to resist, I realized my head was buried in something soft, and a mixture of fragrance and alcohol wafted into my nose. The softness nearly suffocated me. As I struggled to free myself, I finally managed to shift my body enough to see that it wasn’t a zombie holding me but Ye Ling, wrapped in nothing but a large bath towel!

Ye Ling leaned against me with a playful smile, her cheeks flushed red. The pair on her chest pressed against my right shoulder as she whispered boozily in my ear and gave me a peck, “Tiankuang, come join us for a drink.”

Ye Ling’s sudden move left me stammering, “Ms. Ye, have you been drinking?!”

I might handle zombies with ease, but girls are a different story-I wouldn’t be nicknamed Sakuragi Hanamichi otherwise, especially when it comes to a woman who’s already tipsy.

“Just a little bit,” she replied.

“Wow, Ms. Ye, you kissed Tiankuang; does that mean I can get a kiss too?” Ye Xiang chimed in. Before he could finish, Ye Ling planted a kiss on him as well. Ye Xiang touched the spot on his cheek where he’d been kissed, a blissful look on his face, blood even trickling from his nose. But his happiness was short-lived, as Xueqi suddenly appeared and knocked him out with a wooden sword, dragging him away. According to Xueqi, it was time to prepare dinner, and she needed his help. Watching Ye Xiang’s towering figure, I couldn’t help but recall the line from a famous comedian: “Big head, thick neck; if he’s not a big boss, he must be a cook.”

I shrugged helplessly at Liu Yonglin, who nodded at me and took a gun to stand guard on the balcony. We had no idea what was happening outside, but my priority was to take the inebriated Ye Ling back to the girls’ room.

To minimize risks, the girls shared a room, as did the guys. This set-up provided some level of safety, allowing us to look out for each other if zombies broke in.

As I carried the now-sleeping Ye Ling toward the stairs, I found Qimeng sitting there in nothing but two pieces of intimate clothing, her impressive figure on full display. Grabbing my pants leg, she slurred, “You big perv, what are you up to with Ms. Ye on your back? Haha, three Tiankuangs!”

Sighing at Qimeng’s drunken state, I said, “I’ll just drop Ms. Ye back to her room and then I’ll be right back.”

After a long struggle, I finally managed to get Ye Ling back to the girls’ room, only to nearly lose it upon discovering Shen Wei asleep on the couch in just her underwear.

After taking a few deep breaths, I quickly put Ye Ling to bed and then covered Shen Wei with a blanket. I hastily left that room filled with springtime allure, moving as fluidly as possible-lest my self-control faltered and I devolved from a human into a beast.

Passing by the kitchen, I noticed Xueqi preparing dinner while Ye Xiang sat nearby, muttering to himself as he peeled potatoes. After making sure that Xueqi hadn’t “chopped anything off” Ye Xiang, I hurried to the staircase to check on Ling Qimeng. Judging by her earlier state, she’d probably had quite a bit to drink too.

Women are indeed strange creatures. Sometimes they’re as fragile as glass, breaking from the slightest impact, yet other times they’re resilient like tempered glass, strong enough to put many men to shame.

“Qimeng, why did you drink too?” I put a jacket over her shoulders and sat down beside her. Although the house was heated, wearing just thin undergarments was definitely not enough. Qimeng said, “Yeah, I’m just exhausted. It’s hard to believe how quickly everything changed in just three days.” Her voice wavered, the alcohol and the mental strain from the past days taking their toll. She curled up in the corner, tears streaming down like a breached dam. “They’re all dead. Even my brother is gone, and Pengxiao…”

Lin Pengxiao, Qimeng’s boyfriend, had crossed our path while we were escaping from the rooftop. But by then, he was no longer himself-he had become a zombie. He died by my steel spike. Before this Resident Evil outbreak, Qimeng had been the girl who turned me down.

Qimeng seemed lost in the past, continuously reminiscing, especially about her and Lin Pengxiao:

“Pengxiao was so gentle.”

“Me and Pengxiao.”

“You know, Pengxiao, he…”

I let out a long yawn.

“Hey! Are you even listening?”

“So sleepy.”

“This is why I think you’re boring!”

“If I were interesting, I’d be an actor.”

“You never go along with me, which is why I…with Pengxiao…”

“Enough already!”

I couldn’t hold it back anymore and shouted, “Why do you keep bringing up Lin Pengxiao with me? I’m not him! He’s dead! You need to start accepting reality! He died-by my hand, just like Ling Feng! The world is collapsing, but we’re still alive! We’ll continue to survive! Absolutely-”

Before I could finish, a warm, damp mouth pressed against mine.

The night was long.

Footnote:

1. -Ge(-哥):In Chinese, using “xx哥” to address someone is quite common, especially in Mainland China and other Chinese-speaking communities. This way of addressing typically carries a sense of affection and friendliness, indicating respect and amiability towards the person.