Behind Me, There Might Be Absolute Power Standing There

Tick tick!

Emma, the electric bike, had become an essential means of transportation in these desperate times. As long as you didn't go too fast, it was surprisingly safe.

The small electric donkey, painted red, leisurely cruised along the silent streets, becoming quite a sight.

Roar!

But perfection didn't exist—several zombies were following behind.

Lam Pham remained calm and unhurried. He was extremely relaxed, even occasionally turning his head to flash a friendly smile. That kind of smile might've been meant for the zombies... or for the four elderly people driving behind him.

The zombies chasing after him were perhaps attracted by the handsome appearance of the emma, wanting to touch such a divine vehicle.

Or maybe it was the sight of the old man driving a domestic car that caught their attention.

In any case, Lam Pham had seen it before—people getting so excited at the sight of a luxury car that they would kneel down on the ground to take pictures.

So, zombies wanting to touch the emma and the car was completely understandable.

No need to draw a sword and cut them down.

That wouldn't align with socialist values.

Tan Phong Real Estate Agency.

"Boss, I'm back." He stopped the emma on the side of the road and said to the boss—whose body he had cleaved in two—"Thanks."

He returned the key to the emma.

Then, he prepared to take the four elderly people into the apartment complex.

Roar!

Zombie growls echoed from behind.

Unexpectedly, the zombies had great persistence. They had followed him all the way, even appearing from around the corner.

"Sigh, was that really necessary?"

Lam Pham signaled the elderly group to stay on the bike for now, then grabbed his sword and turned to face the oncoming zombies.

To them, Lam Pham was an irresistible temptation.

They just wanted...

To eat!

Eat!

Eat!

They wanted to chew Lam Pham into a soggy pulp, with guts and organs spilling out to satisfy their endless hunger.

"I really didn't want this."

With a swing of his long sword, he sliced the closest zombie cleanly in half.

Black blood spilled onto the ground, painting a grotesque picture with splashes of rotten flesh.

"Sorry, boss. I dirtied your storefront."

He felt genuinely sorry.

He really did.

Running a business and ending up like this—how tragic.

Lam Pham felt a little down. The zombies were too violent. If he didn't fight back, he would be eaten alive.

Nine years of compulsory education had taught him—

Be a good citizen.

Never cause harm to others.

But if someone tries to hurt you, then self-defense is allowed.

According to the law:

Article 20: To prevent ongoing unlawful infringement of public interest, personal rights, property, or other rights of oneself or others, any act of resistance resulting in harm to the infringer constitutes legitimate self-defense and bears no criminal liability.

In cases of violent crimes such as assault, murder, robbery, rape, or kidnapping that seriously endanger personal safety, any defensive actions that result in harm or death to the attacker are not considered excessive self-defense and carry no criminal responsibility.

He had read this once while studying, and understood one important truth:

Be a good person, but if you must defend yourself, do it in one strike. Never go for a second.

Otherwise, it might count as excessive self-defense.

"In this current situation, even if I've cut down many zombies, the Criminal Law of the nation is still behind me, always reminding me: Don't feel guilty, don't feel bad. You did the right thing. You were just protecting yourself."

"So go ahead—protect yourself freely."

He walked into the shop.

The key to apartment 804 was right there.

The business owner had left the key here so agents could easily bring clients to view the property.

He grabbed the key.

A wide smile bloomed across his face.

It had been such a full day. He had done so many things.

"Oh right, the commission fee still hasn't been paid... But I don't have any money on me right now. Boss, I'll owe it for now. I'll pay you once I earn some."

Lam Pham didn't want to ask Ly Mai for money. That mother and daughter had gifted him such a precious divine item—he was too embarrassed to bring it up.

What's the hardest debt to repay in the world?

A debt of kindness.

Lam Pham still had his pride. Even if he had no money, he preferred to act like a rich man, puffing up his face just to save face.

He had to find something meaningful to do soon—to earn money properly.

He couldn't just stay home all day and become a shut-in. He needed to be someone useful to society.

The boss, in his lifetime, had also been a man of pride. As Lam Pham left, he bowed slightly toward the boss's bisected body.

"See you next time."

. . .

Duong Quang Residential Complex welcomed four new residents:

Veteran soldier with rich battlefield experience—Wang Trung Quoc.

Former military doctor with outstanding medical skills—Tu Que Phan.

Military industry expert with numerous medals—Chu Ai Quan.

Retired teacher who had dedicated her life to education—Luong Yen.

If this were a post-apocalyptic drama, any team encountering these four would've gone wild with joy. They were survival essentials.

They'd be worshipped like gods—one sneeze and the whole team would panic, afraid they'd caught a cold.

Lam Pham directed Wang Lao to park the car inside the complex, drawing out a parking spot.

Maybe Wang Lao hadn't intended to park it perfectly inside the lines. Lam Pham knocked on the window and gently reminded him not to park outside—it wouldn't look good.

These four lines weren't just lines. They were rules, representing order.

Wang Lao deeply agreed and used his superb driving skills to park properly.

Then Lam Pham brought them into the apartment.

"Grandpas and grandmas, this is my place. I need to head out again soon. I promised someone I'd help them rent a place—they've already paid, and I need to bring them in."

"Do you have any specific needs for the rental?"

Lam Pham wasn't thinking about charging them a runner's fee or anything like that. Helping these four elders was something he was happy to do.

Chu Ai Quan looked a bit puzzled.

"It's the apocalypse. There are no agencies anymore—how are we even renting places?"

Wang Trung Quoc simply smiled and said, "Young man, the four of us will stay together. Two bedrooms and one living room is enough. Rent's not cheap these days—here's my bank card. The PIN is 123321. However much it takes, just take it yourself. And don't forget to take a little for yourself too. We see how hard you're working—we'd feel bad not giving you something in return."

He handed over the card.

Feeling trusted by someone—Lam Pham was genuinely moved.

Who would hand over a bank card and PIN so easily?

He didn't have any cash now, but he still had a bit in his phone. If it were someone else, he'd probably charge a small fee. But from these four elders—not a single cent.

As they were about to go,

The old folks didn't bring much. Just a small wooden box.

He took a peek inside—medals. All sorts of them. Symbols of their glory.

Seeing those medals, Lam Pham felt deeply moved.

No other thought, just one resolve:

He would do everything in his power to protect these four elders—and ensure they lived peacefully.

He stepped out of the building.

The neighborhood was quiet.

He looked up at the sky.

This day had been so full, so eventful—but more than anything, it had made him happy. ❤️