Chapter 25: Redistributing the Dead's Resource

The group chat buzzed with intense discussion, mostly dominated by the men. The women remained silent, as if protesting in their own quiet way. 

"I suggest we break into the rooms of the dead and redistribute their supplies," Wang Gang proposed, believing it was time to consolidate all available resources. 

"Agreed. We've got nothing better to do anyway. Let's stretch our legs and get to work. Splitting up will make it faster," Ji Dayong chimed in. He, too, wanted to secure more resources. In the apocalypse, everyone was fighting to survive another day. 

"Everyone, post the room numbers of the deceased in the chat. Let's get started," Wang Lei declared, finalizing the plan. 

Soon, the sound of banging and clattering echoed through the building as doors were forced open. 

"They really have too much time on their hands. But I guess it makes sense—leaving those resources untouched would be a waste. This could buy the survivors more time," Liu Shuang'er remarked lazily, stretching and yawning as she continued to monitor the drone feed. 

She was keeping an eye on the survivors from Building 7. Wang Qiang was leading them back and forth, transporting supplies from the cafeteria to their building. 

Building 7 had suffered heavy losses, with fewer than twenty men left. However, the remaining supplies in the cafeteria would sustain them for a while. 

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'd think this was a TV drama. Look at the cafeteria—inside and out, it's bloodier than an ancient battlefield," Gu Anqing said, her drone hovering over the cafeteria entrance. The gruesome scene on the screen made her stomach churn. 

"I think this is just the beginning. Remember, the campus is far more merciful than the outside world. That night, most people were asleep here, but outside? It's probably ten, maybe a hundred times worse," Huang Ming replied. 

"Yeah, I can imagine. Outside, there are night markets, clubs, and crowds of people. That night, countless must have been infected. By now, the streets are probably packed with zombies," Gu Anqing said, her voice low as she pictured the carnage. 

Huang Ming glanced at her delicate face and chuckled. 

"Exactly. Better get used to it. Scenes like this will only become more common." 

By noon, the noise from upstairs and downstairs had finally died down. It seemed they had been busy all morning. 

For lunch, they had Sichuan cuisine, with several dishes being particularly spicy—a request from both Liu Shuang'er and Gu Anqing. Both had a taste for spicy food, but as they ate, they kept sticking out their tongues, clearly struggling with the heat. 

Huang Ming watched them, exasperated. 

"If you can't handle the spice, why eat it? You're just torturing yourselves." 

"Sss... You don't get it. It's thrilling! Bleh!" Liu Shuang'er stuck out her tongue at him, then took a long sip of ice-cold vintage Sprite. Her expression was one of pure bliss, as if her soul had been uplifted. 

Huang Ming rolled his eyes and turned to Gu Anqing. 

"Senior Anqing, you're suffering too. Why keep eating?" 

"Mmm, it's delicious. You wouldn't understand..." 

She imitated Liu Shuang'er, taking a big gulp of ice-cold vintage Coke and exhaling in satisfaction. 

Huang Ming felt a headache coming on and decided to ignore them. He pulled out his phone to check the group chat for any interesting updates. 

The group was discussing their morning "achievements" and the redistribution of resources, clearly trying to impress the women in the chat. 

"By the way, did anyone hear gunshots last night? Around midnight?" Wang Gang suddenly asked, catching Huang Ming's attention. 

"Gunshots? Didn't sound like it. I heard a noise, but I wasn't sure," Ma Tao chimed in. He had heard something too but had been half-asleep at the time. 

Others in the group chimed in—some had been asleep and heard nothing, while others recalled a noise but couldn't identify it. 

"Who cares about some noise? Did you know Building 1 is completely overrun? Almost no one's left alive. Anyone still there is hiding in their rooms, waiting to starve," Ji Dayong said, steering the conversation away from the mysterious sound. 

"Building 7 took heavy losses too. I heard they're down to fewer than twenty men, but they've cleared out the cafeteria supplies," Wang Lei added, sharing intel from a friend in Building 7. 

"Damn! Good thing we retreated in time. Otherwise, we'd be the ones in trouble. Remember, they had about fifty people when we left this morning," Ma Tao said, relieved at their narrow escape. 

He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for Ding Yang and Xu Shan, who had ignored his advice and paid the ultimate price. 

The group quickly showered Ma Tao with praise, commending his foresight and leadership in getting them out safely. 

Seeing that the conversation had devolved into idle chatter, Huang Ming put his phone down and returned to his Sichuan meal. 

"Senior Anqing, I've gathered all the materials and equipment you need. You can start this afternoon," he said. 

"Got it. Leave it to me," Gu Anqing replied confidently. This was her area of expertise, and she was determined to provide Huang Ming with top-notch weapons and ammunition. 

"What about me?" Liu Shuang'er asked eagerly, wanting to contribute as well. 

Touched by her enthusiasm, Huang Ming thought for a moment and gave her two options. 

"You? You can assist Senior Anqing or help me with the drones. This afternoon, we'll scout the other buildings. We don't have much intel on them." 

"Alright. Since we're all in the living room anyway, I'll help Senior Anqing when she needs me. Otherwise, I'll stick with you and the drones," Liu Shuang'er agreed cheerfully. 

Her medical background meant she couldn't contribute much in other areas, but she was happy to help in any way she could. 

In this brutal, bloody apocalypse, even the smallest acts of kindness brought warmth—and Huang Ming was no exception.