The fluorescent light winked out, plunging the hallway into darkness.
Lin Zao switched on the little bedside lamp he’d prepared and set it nearby.
Lin Xiaobao returned to Big Daddy’s lap, shifted into a comfy position, and settled in obediently.
“Dad, when are the bad guys coming?”
“Shh!” Lin Zao pressed a finger to his lips in a hush gesture. “Don’t jinx it.”
“Oh.” Lin Xiaobao clapped a hand over his mouth and whispered, “But I’m kinda looking forward to it.”
“Don’t get cocky.” Lin Zao pinched his chubby little arm. “You couldn’t take them. You can’t even beat me.”
“Um…” Lin Xiaobao tried prying at Dad’s hand but couldn’t budge it. “Okay, now I’m less excited about them showing up.”
Lin Zao nodded knowingly and let out a soft chuckle.
“It’s not ’cause I can’t beat ’em! It’s because…”
Lin Xiaobao hugged Dad’s arm and leaned back into Big Daddy’s chest.
“It’s like… like we’re camping outside in a tent.”
The stairwell was tiny, the mat was small, the lamp was small.
But Big Daddy’s embrace was huge, and Dad’s arm was nice and warm.
“It feels like… there’s this big bubble in my heart. It’s so huge it’s gonna make me float away.”
“Haha.” Lin Zao laughed and reached out to tickle him gently. “Better pop that bubble quick, or Little Bao Bao’s gonna float off! Oh no—Little Bao Bao’s turning into a bubble and flying away!”
“Nooo…” Lin Xiaobao squirmed, trying to escape. “Big Daddy, help me…”
“Brother Cheng, help!”
The father and son kept their voices low and their movements light—like kittens play-fighting—in a hushed tussle.
Fu Cheng glanced from one to the other, torn on whom to aid.
In the end, he simply tightened the arm draped across their waists, pulling them both in close.
“Hey… Big Daddy…”
“Brother Cheng…”
No sides taken.
Both little kittens were his.
The only one nearby, the little dog, perked up at the commotion. It wagged its tail and crawled out of its dog bed.
It trotted over to Lin Xiaobao and batted at Fu Cheng’s hand with its not-yet-sharp claws, trying to rescue the boy.
After a futile scratch session, it gave up and flopped down beside them to sleep.
The family played around for a bit until Lin Xiaobao finally started to tire.
He curled up with the little dog and, before long, drifted off with his eyes closed.
Lin Zao let him be and settled back in with Fu Cheng to keep watch through the night.
No matter the hour, the place, or the weather.
As long as the three of them were together, it felt just like a family camping trip.
It felt like an eternity had passed.
Dawn broke, and the rain finally stopped.
Fu Cheng remained seated in the hallway.
Lin Xiaobao and the little dog lay on his left, one small hand and one tiny paw both clutching at his clothes.
Lin Zao sprawled on his right, a little cat paw hooked into his collar, dangling off him in deep sleep.
Lin Zao had meant to just rest his eyes toward the end of the watch, but one blink had turned into full slumber.
Fu Cheng gazed at them, unable to stop the corners of his mouth from curving up.
Jangling from him like a bunch of adorable little critters—what a sight.
Just then, a cold gust whistled through a crack in the window.
Fu Cheng instinctively reached to block it but missed.
The breeze hit, and Lin Zao’s brows furrowed. He jolted awake from his dream.
“Whoa!”
He snapped his eyes open, scrambled up from Fu Cheng’s lap, and peered out the window.
“Brother Cheng, how’s it looking outside? Anyone show up?”
“Roar.”
Fu Cheng made a sound and shook his head.
Lin Zao relaxed a fraction, stood, and stomped his feet, twisting his body to shake off the stiffness.
The little mat didn’t leave much room, and half his body had gone numb.
“I’ll check the other window.”
Lin Zao called back to Fu Cheng as he did some stretches on his way to the bedroom.
It wasn’t even six yet—still just past five.
The sky outside wasn’t fully light.
The latter half of the night had passed uneventfully.
Lin Zao wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
Maybe the thief had escaped and blabbed about what happened here, scaring off the rest.
Or maybe they hadn’t given up—still lurking in the shadows, biding their time for the perfect moment to strike.
Lin Zao pressed his lips together and sidled up to the window, peeking down.
One glimpse, and he froze.
They were here!
They’d actually come!
Right when normal people would be sleeping deepest.
Lin Zao ducked behind the curtain, his fingers tapping rapidly against the glass.
One… two… three…
Two of the vehicles looked awfully familiar—they were clearly the same ones from the encounter two nights ago.
However, the cars weren’t the most numerous by far. What outnumbered them were the people!
Those who couldn’t squeeze into the cars simply followed on foot behind them.
Men and women, young and old—with one sweeping glance, it was nothing but people as far as the eye could see.
Even more abundant, though, were the young and vigorous adults, the able-bodied laborers. After all, amid a zombie crisis, they were the ones most equipped to survive.
All told, there had to be forty or fifty of them.
Lin Zao had never imagined that this small, eerily silent city still concealed so many survivors!
They were more terrifying than the zombies. They got hungry—zombies didn’t.
It was over. They were truly finished now.
How could there be…
Lin Zao snapped back to his senses. He was just reaching for the iron stick and iron basin to alert the neighbors when—
Before he could clang the basin, a thunderous “Clang!” rang out from the far end of the street.
It was Fat Aunt’s family—they had spotted the intruders too.
In an instant, every neighbor on the verge of drifting off jolted awake and banged their basins once in response.
Lin Zao gave his basin a sharp strike as well, then dashed out, scooped up Lin Xiaobao, and hurried back inside.
Fortunately, Little Bao was still fast asleep. He merely grumbled a couple of times at the noise and jostling before sinking back into deep slumber.
Lin Zao laid Lin Xiaobao on the bed. After a moment’s thought, he folded a cloth as padding and set the little dog beside him too.
In this dire situation, the little dog would have to keep him company.
Moments later, Lin Zao grabbed Fu Cheng by the arm and pulled him to the hallway window.
In the blink of an eye, the mob had circumvented the rear wall and rounded the street corner. They were almost upon them.
No mistake about it—they were making a beeline for Happiness Street!
Lin Zao’s thoughts raced in panic. He had no clue what to do.
With so many people, even one punch apiece would batter down his family’s door.
They could stack themselves up like human ladders and scale right to the third floor.
What to do? What to do?
Mustering his courage, Lin Zao crept closer to the window and peered outside.
For the moment, though, the other neighbors seemed just as flustered. No one knew how to react, and not a single head poked out.
Right then, a commotion erupted from the house next door.
Grandpa Zhang flung open his window and hurled a large red plastic bag toward the street!
The inflated bag smacked the ground and ruptured with a vicious pop.
It was like a grenade exploding—but instead of gunpowder, the contents were…
Chicken feathers, chicken blood, and chicken shit.
What on earth was Grandpa Zhang throwing that for?
He…
It clicked for Lin Zao in a flash.
Normal processions always chanted slogans.
But this group outside wasn’t making a sound.
Why?
Because zombies lurked nearby! They were terrified of drawing them in!
That’s why they stayed silent—no shouts, no slogans, not even footsteps.
Lin Zao caught on. He seized his already dented iron basin and hammered it with all his might.
“Clang clang clang—”
The people outside feared the zombies. But those hunkered down in their homes? They didn’t have to.
This city crawled with zombies!
At the same time, the other neighbors tumbled to the same realization. Some pounded basins furiously while others lobbed garbage.
They’d been hoarding trash for days, too scared to dispose of it—rotting veggie scraps, eggshells, the works!
The instant the refuse hit the pavement, a nauseating cocktail of fishy reek and putrid stench detonated outward.
Faint roars drifted in from nearby.
Down below, the crowd erupted into a few seconds of chaos. Plenty of them looked ready to turn tail.
Lin Zao redoubled his efforts, banging away relentlessly. He didn’t notice Fu Cheng beside him, face taut, Adam’s apple quivering as low growls rumbled from his throat.
But someone quickly rallied them.
A middle-aged man threw up his arm and bellowed.
“Don’t panic! Don’t panic!”
“Happiness Street’s right in front of us! We’ll charge in, seize their houses, boot them out, and hole up safe and sound!”
More voices joined the chorus.
“We’ve come this far already! No turning back now! Happiness Street’s loaded with supplies—charge, everyone! Charge!”
“People inside, open the damn doors and let us in! Cough up the supplies to share!”
“Otherwise, we’re coming in! Get out here!”
Those few shouts ignited the mob. They surged forward as one.
Some stepped on scattered glass shards, but others instantly filled the gap, pressing the assault.
“Charge! Charge!”
They brandished an assortment of makeshift weapons, savagely hammering every door, window, and wall they passed.
The barbershop sat at the forefront; its rotating signpost out front shattered in short order.
Grandpa Zhang’s place was right behind. His battered garage roller door, already a mangled wreck, wouldn’t hold out much longer.
Even so, the two sisters and Grandpa Zhang hurled debris without pause, putting up a fierce stand to repel the invaders.
“Scram! Get lost!”
“Zombies are closing in! If you don’t wanna die, beat it!”
“We’ll burn every scrap of our supplies before we give you a damn thing!”
Dozens strong, the horde was nearly at the foot of Lin Zao’s building.
That’s when a zombie materialized behind them.
—”Roar!!!”
An earth-shattering bellow tore through the air as Fu Cheng positioned himself in front of Lin Zao.
The next instant, one zombie, two, three…
Countless zombies burst forth!
