The Basement

The next day, Stel definitely started thinking about taking action against Bobby. Keeping this eyesore on the second floor was eventually going to be a disaster for him. It would be better to get rid of him sooner rather than later. Moreover, Stel had already planned out how to eliminate Bobby.

Early the next morning, Stel prepared to leave and head to the water room of the apartment building. As soon as Elsie saw Stel about to leave, she jumped up from her bed in a panic. She took three steps in two and grabbed Stel's arm.

"Master, where are you going?" Elsie asked anxiously.

"Obviously, I'm going out. Can't you see?" Stel replied.

"I know you're going out, but... there are zombies outside. Why are you going out?" Elsie was worried the last time Stel left, and now he was going out again without even saying what he was going to do, which scared her greatly.

Seeing Elsie blocking his way, Stel frowned and shook off her hands. "Do I need your permission to go out?"

"But..." Elsie feared that if something happened to Stel, she would be left here to starve to death. However, she was even more afraid that Stel would abandon her and escape alone. She would rather die with Stel than watch him survive alone.

"Master, please, you've seen it yourself, there are more and more zombies outside. It's too dangerous! You absolutely can't go out!" Elsie pleaded almost desperately. She was just short of kneeling down to beg Stel not to go out.

At this moment, an idea suddenly came to Elsie's mind. She tore off her top, exposing her fair skin. She also ripped off the last piece of clothing covering her body, revealing everything to Stel.

Hoping Stel would shift all his attention to her, Elsie wanted him to forget about going out. She was willing to endure physical pain every day rather than let Stel leave.

"Get out of the way!" Stel had long lost interest in Elsie's body after these past few days of madness. He pushed her aside, causing her to stumble back and fall hard. Before Elsie could get up, Stel stepped forward, grabbed her by the chest, and threatened loudly, "I know what you're afraid of. You're just worried that if I die, there will be no one to bring you food. Don't worry, even if I die, it will be in front of you. You are nothing but a dog. Do as you're told and stop talking nonsense, understand?"

"Yes..." Elsie could only nod helplessly under Stel's threat, lying on the cold floor with tears streaming from her eyes. She knew that not only could she not stop Stel, but if she continued to try, her own death would come even sooner. She had to give up.

Seeing that Elsie no longer blocked him, Stel squeezed her roughly, then opened the door and turned to leave. Before leaving, he didn't forget to remind Elsie, "If I come back and find you haven't opened the door for me, you're dead. Understand?"

Elsie, enduring a burning pain in a certain part of her body, nodded repeatedly. Even without Stel's reminder, she knew she would rush to open the door as soon as he returned.

After all, as long as Stel was here, she had a hope of surviving!

"Clack!"

With that sound, the apartment door closed. Stel left the apartment. As soon as he stepped outside, a putrid smell hit his nose. The stench was overwhelming, the kind that stings the eyes! If it weren't for Stel's high tolerance, he would have vomited immediately from the smell. Vomiting would mean losing the precious food he had managed to eat. He had to endure it! He couldn't afford to throw up the food.

Holding his breath, Stel stepped over a row of zombie corpses at his feet. He crossed the hallway and descended the stairs.

"Hiss... hiss..."

"Fuck!"

As soon as he turned the corner, he saw three or four zombies standing by the stairs, facing the wall. Stel was startled. Even though he knew the zombies wouldn't attack him, their hideous faces still made him feel deeply nauseous. Stel felt a wave of irritation.

But the zombies, even when they saw Stel, didn't react. They just continued to stand there, facing the wall.

"These damn things nearly scared me to death. How can something so ugly just stand here?" Stel muttered, growing more annoyed. "What if they scare someone?"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Stel grabbed his weapon and approached the zombies. With swift, clean strikes, he decapitated them one by one. 

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Before they could react, all the zombies had their throats slit while they were still facing the wall.

After killing the zombies, Stel dragged their bodies downstairs and threw them off.

"Thud!"

The three bodies hit the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. The other zombies downstairs heard the noise and came over, but not detecting the scent of humans, they stopped and stood still. Stel walked down the stairs, clearing out all the zombies he encountered along the way. After reaching the ground floor, he turned and headed to the basement of the apartment building.

Stel had a simple reason for going to the basement: to find the water valve control switch for each apartment. He had previously asked Elsie if the water valves for the building were controlled from inside the apartments or from outside. Since they still had running water and electricity, these utilities were essential for their survival. If the zombies damaged the water valves or the electrical panel, they would be forced to move to another place.

Elsie had told Stel that the apartment's water valves were in the basement. There was a central control station for the water valves that someone regularly checked before the apocalypse. Now, of course, no one was coming to check it.

When Stel reached the basement, it was pitch dark. Without careful attention, it would be easy to trip over the steps on the floor. Stel had to bend slightly and move slowly, inch by inch. He didn't know where the light switch was, so he had to proceed in the dark.

"Tap! Tap!!"

The only sound in the basement was Stel's light footsteps. During his pauses, the silence around him was so intense it was almost tangible.

"Damn, where is that water valve?" Stel cursed as he moved forward slowly. He kept walking along one path when suddenly, he heard a faint sound in the distance. Accompanied by a flickering light, it was several meters away from him. What was that?

Stel blinked and rubbed his eyes to ensure it wasn't a hallucination caused by prolonged time in the oxygen-deprived basement. Could it be that there were other survivors in the basement?