Chapter 43

Two vehicles, eight men.

They pulled up in front of the auto factory.

“Red Star Automobile Factory? This is the place?”

“Looks pretty rundown. You think it’s already been picked clean?”

“Nah. I’ve been watching it for days. Yesterday and the day before, I saw vehicles coming and going. There’s definitely still stuff inside.”

“But what if we run into whoever’s in there?”

“Then we take ’em out. They’ve only got one minivan, no more than six people. We outnumber them. We chase ’em off and grab all the ready-made goodies.”

“I’m betting we won’t even bump into them. That’s why we picked this time on purpose.”

“You guys are real sneaky bastards.”

The men in the vehicles flashed thumbs-up at their companions.

“Sneaky my ass. Alright, let’s go in and block ’em!”

“Move out!”

The two vehicles revved their engines in unison as the drivers floored the gas.

The next instant, a furious roar erupted from inside the factory—

“Roar!”

The earth-shaking bellow sent everyone reeling backward into their seatbacks.

The drivers instinctively released the brakes, and both vehicles sputtered to a halt.

It wasn’t just their cars—the ground itself was trembling!

What the hell was that? A zombie?

How could anything make a sound that terrifying?

In the next breath, roars rose from all directions—

“Roar! Roar! Roar!”

One after another, they surrounded the men, echoing relentlessly.

It was as if that first mighty roar had summoned every zombie lurking in the darkness.

They bellowed in response, echoing their leader—the one from inside.

The men, brimming with confidence moments ago, panicked in an instant.

They whipped their heads toward one another, faces drained of color, lips quivering. No one could get a word out.

What now? What the hell do we do?

After what felt like forever but was only a few dozen seconds, someone finally snapped out of it and bellowed, “Go! Get us outta here!”

“Yeah! A Long, A Hu—start the damn cars! Let’s get back!”

The men frantically urged the drivers on. The drivers fumbled with the gears and ignition in a panic.

But the engines had stalled, and they wouldn’t catch right away.

The men grew even more frantic.

“What the hell are you two doing?”

“Come on! Hurry up!”

Just then, a blinding white light swept over them.

Harsh high beams pierced the windows, lighting up the interior like daylight.

The men instinctively glanced back, then shielded their eyes.

Too bright. Too piercing.

In their blurred vision, a massive steel beast seemed to charge at them from the distance, roaring as it came.

Those twin beams were like lasers shooting from its eyes.

Something barreled toward them, and yet the men sat frozen, unable to even shout.

“It’s over… we’re done for…”

“Help…”

The gap closed fast. The lights grew brighter. The roar louder.

The beast drew nearer.

As it was about to slam into them, the men screamed in unison, clutching their heads.

“Ah! Ahhh!”

The next moment, a screech of grinding metal filled the air.

The beast whipped its head and tail, veering sharply. It grazed past the lead vehicle with a howl and sped away.

Only then did the men realize what was happening. They spun around and scrambled to the windows to look.

Not a beast! Not a zombie!

It was a vehicle!

A pickup truck!

The very one they’d been plotting to hijack.

With a flick of its tail, the truck floored it and vanished down the street.

The men sat there, still shaken, staring at one another.

“A Kai… go check if the cars are damaged.”

“Why don’t you go?”

With the situation unclear, no one dared step out. The drivers kept trying the ignition.

This time, the engines roared to life. Not wanting to linger, the group turned tail and fled the scene.

No one spoke the whole way back, each lost in their own calculations.

How could a car make a sound that terrifying?

Had the vehicles come alive, or were zombies behind the wheel now?

And with driving skills like that?

On the empty street, two or three zombies wandered aimlessly.

Lin Zao had no idea that someday, someone would compliment his driving skills.

He gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled hands, eyes locked dead ahead, swerving left and right with intense focus.

Fu Cheng rode shotgun, while Lin Xiaobao buckled into his safety seat. Even with seatbelts, the father and son got tossed around.

Fu Cheng’s tall, sturdy frame let him grab the overhead handle and hold steady.

Poor little Lin Xiaobao, small as he was, bounced back and forth.

Both cried out in unison.

“Zao—”

“Dad—”

“Help—”

After a bit, once the rearview mirror showed no sign of the pursuing vehicles or the auto factory, Lin Zao finally relaxed. He eased off the brake, slowed down, and continued along the road.

Fu Cheng and Lin Xiaobao settled back into their seats, faces ashen, hair a mess.

Lin Zao stole a glance at them and couldn’t help bursting into laughter.

They looked like a pair of dirty dogs fleeing a disaster—one big, one small.

Fu Cheng and Lin Xiaobao stared at him in disbelief.

—You’re laughing?

The pair grumbled in unison.

“Zao!”

“Dad!”

“Alright, alright, no more laughing.”

Lin Zao pressed his lips together and kept driving.

“Dad, you were speeding! That’s not safe!”

Fu Cheng still couldn’t string long sentences together, so Lin Xiaobao served as Big Daddy’s mouthpiece, speaking for both of them.

“If I hadn’t sped, we wouldn’t have been safe,” Lin Zao said with an awkward smile. “Besides, didn’t I make sure you were buckled in first?”

Lin Xiaobao crossed his arms. “I was buckled! You drove too crazy!”

“It wasn’t on purpose. I was just protecting you guys. You gonna puke? Tell Dad if you are—I’ve got a plastic bag.”

“No way!”

“Good.” Lin Zao glanced at Fu Cheng. “What about you? You okay?”

Fu Cheng paused, then balled his fist and gave Lin Zao a thumbs-up.

—Nice driving, Little Zao.

Lin Zao puffed up proudly. “I think so too. Who knew I was a secret race car driver? That was intense—we almost crashed, but I pulled off a perfect drift, right past them. So cool!”

Lin Xiaobao, however, was far from pleased.

“Big Daddy, whose side are you on? Dad was speeding! Speeding! And you don’t even scold him—you praise him?”

“You two are so reckless and immature. You never give me a break!”

Lin Xiaobao clutched his chest like an angry old man from TV, pretending to be utterly offended.

“Come on, don’t be mad.” Lin Zao soothed him. “This was a special situation. Next time, I’ll be careful. When you grow up, Dad and Big Daddy will teach you to drive. You can take us for rides. Deal?”

Lin Xiaobao pouted but mumbled, “Fine, I guess.”

He was almost mollified when Big Daddy turned around and redirected the thumbs-up to him.

—One for you too.

“Hey!” Lin Xiaobao fumed again. “Big Daddy, what are you doing?”

Lin Zao explained, “Big Daddy thought you were mad because you didn’t get a thumbs-up.”

Hmph!

Lin Xiaobao huffed loudly and turned away, ignoring his two idiot parents.

His chubby cheek puffed out, lips pursed enough to hang a teapot from.

Lin Zao chuckled as he peered out the window, checking their location.

Hmm…

Home was in South City, but they were heading north.

He could turn around up ahead, but Lin Zao wasn’t ready to head back yet.

So…

Scenery whipped by as Lin Zao scanned for spots to scavenge supplies.

Street-side supermarkets and shops were either locked tight or long since looted and smashed open.

Lin Zao had no intention—or guts—to rob anyone, so he didn’t stop.

His rule was simple: unclaimed stuff was fair game if the owners had fled or turned zombie. But if someone still needed it to survive, he wouldn’t touch it.

Then inspiration struck—a perfect spot popped into his head.

The veterinary station!

South City was newer development; North City used to be farmland and villages.

Even as times changed and fewer folks farmed or raised livestock, the station—set up years ago by the authorities—still stood.

Lin Zao glanced at Fu Cheng, made up his mind, and punched the gas.

Fu Cheng met his smiling gaze and sensed mischief.

—What’s Little Zao plotting now?

—To the veterinary station!

About an hour’s drive later, the family reached the North City Veterinary Station.

A modest brick bungalow sat by the roadside, its white sign with black letters reading “Little City North District Livestock Veterinary Station.”

North City had lower population density than the south—mostly elderly holdouts in sparse towns.

They’d seen few zombies along the way.

The station was pitch black, no staff in sight.

The garage roller door had been forced halfway open—someone had clearly rummaged through.

Lin Zao drove over scattered debris, circled around, found the back entrance, and pulled into the rear yard.

By now, it was midnight.

Lin Xiaobao slumped in his seat, eyes closed, limbs splayed, drooling bubbles.

“Pop—pop—”

Lin Zao didn’t wake him. He parked, opened the door, and tugged Fu Cheng out.

“Come on.”

Lin Zao uncuffed himself, grabbed a flashlight.

Fu Cheng clasped his wrist, shielding him as they entered, one in front of the other.

Once sure it was empty, Lin Zao began a thorough search.

There was still plenty left.

A desk held a shattered glass pane pinning down a calendar and patient records.

A computer had been there—Lin Zao spotted the mouse on the floor.

Iron shelves lined the walls, files in disarray, a few medicine bottles spilled on the ground.

Lin Zao’s eyes lit up. He scooped them up, only to find veterinary meds.

No matter—they’d work for Fu Cheng.

He grabbed a couple, about to pocket them, when something felt off.

He shook one. Empty. Just the bottle.

Damn. Lin Zao tossed it aside.

No wonder it was untouched.

He stood, scanned the room—nothing worth taking. Disappointing.

An hour-plus drive for zilch.

“Brother Cheng, let’s head out…”

Lin Zao turned to call Fu Cheng.

But Fu Cheng stared upward at the ceiling.

No—not the ceiling.

A small loft, makeshift from wooden planks!

Rural shops and convenience stores often had them—splitting one story into two, ladder access for storage.

Maybe something up there?

But if the ground floor was stripped bare, surely the loft was too.

Lin Zao hesitated, unsure whether to check.

Fu Cheng growled low from his throat.

The next instant, rustling came from above.

Like rats or roaches—but more like a zombie.

A loud “Bang!” as something slammed the wood.

Bang—bang—

Bang! The plank cracked!

Fu Cheng lunged, wrapping Lin Zao in his arms and shoving him against the wall.

The loft collapsed with a crash. Fu Cheng shielded him with his back from the falling boards and dust, holding tight.

Lin Zao squeezed his eyes shut, clinging to Fu Cheng, arms outstretched to block for him too.

“Brother Cheng…”

“Grrr—”

At last, the debris stopped falling.

Dust settled, silence returned.

Lin Zao waved away the floating grit.

He didn’t check anything else—just patted Fu Cheng’s back frantically. “Brother Cheng, you okay? Hurt anywhere?”

Fu Cheng shook his head, reached up through the motorcycle helmet, and touched Lin Zao’s cheek.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

Lin Zao looked up. Fu Cheng turned.

Together, they gazed at the collapsed loft.

Half the structure had given way, spilling medicines and supplies.

Worst of all, a zombie sprawled atop the pile.

A small one in a white coat—a station worker, bitten somehow and locked up there, dead or alive.

Its presence had scared off looters from climbing up—they’d only grabbed what was below.

It had battered the planks, desperate to escape.

Tonight, it broke through.

It fell, snapping its own neck on impact. Now it lay still.

Its head lolled at an unnatural angle, eyes wide open.

Dark blood pooled beneath it.

Lin Zao scrambled back, careful not to touch.

Fu Cheng stepped forward, grabbed its coat, hauled it up, and propped it against the wall.

Lin Zao took deep breaths to steady himself, then approached slowly. He reached out, gently closing the zombie’s dull eyes.

“Thank… thank you…”

Lin Zao wasn’t even sure what he was thanking it for.

He just felt that it would be best—at the very least—to say something to it.

Lin Zao lowered his head, gazing at the scattered veterinary drugs and medical supplies.

Above his head, more debris continued to tumble down from the collapsed loft.

He crouched down and picked an iron box labeled “Large Dog Muzzle” from the pile of pet medications.