Chapter 24: "I'd Rather Starve Than Eat Your Food!"

Zombie groans and roars echoed through the pitch-dark night. The road was littered with remains from the previous day's onslaught by an off-road vehicle. Even with the motorcycle's headlight on, Zhang Cheng had to reduce speed and proceed cautiously to avoid crashing 鈥� an accident could be disastrous, especially without medical help.

It took Zhang Cheng longer than usual to reach the yoga studio. The oatmeal and mineral water he had left behind were still scattered around, untouched. After parking his motorcycle and lighting a cigarette, he didn't honk the horn; the distinctive sound of his motorcycle was enough. As expected, Chen Shiru, hiding in the storage room, heard the noise.

Zhang Cheng waited downstairs. The sound of his motorcycle's engine attracted a horde of zombies. However, there was no sign of Chen Shiru. Zhang Cheng called out, offering food like ham, luncheon meat, biscuits, and Snickers bars.

From upstairs, Chen Shiru, in tears, shouted back, "I'd rather starve than eat your food!" Zhang Cheng was stunned, and so were the zombies around him. Her outburst was like a dinner bell for the zombies, who now turned their attention to the second floor, revealing menacing faces and dark teeth.

The zombies, now in a swarm, began to converge on the yoga studio. If they all poured into the second floor, the sheer number could break down the storage room door, sealing Chen Shiru's fate. Zhang Cheng knew that making noise could distract zombies, but there wasn't enough time to lure them far away. In the face of so many zombies, even if he created a loud disturbance, they would ignore him once they set their sights on a target.

With no easy way out, brute force was the only option. Zhang Cheng planned to enter the yoga studio, close its main door, and clear out the zombies inside. However, even with a stick to smash their heads, it would be a time-consuming task.

In a tricky situation, Zhang Cheng, discarding his cigarette, called out to the terrified Chen Shiru upstairs, "I'm giving you a chance, beg me to save you."