022 Gathering Supplies

Lu Sui stood at the entrance of the basement level stairwell, facing a glass door secured by a keypad. Through the glass, he could see a brightly lit corridor; the lights were on, and doors on either side were left open or closed, creating the illusion of a workplace during business hours. Yet, the area was unnervingly silent and completely deserted.

Lu Sui knew the code, but he chose not to enter. This was the isolation zone, and since it held nothing he needed, he saw no reason to take the risk. The weapons and gear were stored on the lowest floor, basement level five. The second basement level housed the power station, the third was the research sector, and the fourth was for material supplies.

When Lu Sui reached the third level, he noticed something amiss. Under the harsh glare of the ceiling lights reflecting off the tiled floor, a pool of dark red blood was seeping out from under the door at the far end of the hallway. If he remembered correctly, that door led to the main assembly hall, a space capable of holding five hundred people. After a moment of hesitation, he turned and walked away.

Upon reaching the fifth basement level, Lu Sui entered the code and pressed his fingerprint against the reader, causing the glass door to slide open slowly. The lighting here was dim. He opened the ammunition storage room, conducted a quick inspection, and satisfied that everything was in order, he loaded himself with a supply of ammunition before heading back upstairs to retrieve Song Yingjun to help move the rest.

As he made his way back, the situation felt increasingly wrong. Even with a zombie outbreak, it was strange not to see a single body in the building. It was as if everything had been staged, as if everyone had simply been called away. Passing the third level again, Lu Sui paused, staring deeply at the door down the hall, as if he had finally grasped the truth.

Back on the first floor, a brief panic surged through him when he found it empty, but he quickly spotted the number "2" etched into the wall. He glanced toward the floor above and let out a slow sigh of relief.

Song Yingjun, looking distracted, checked his watch and stepped outside. He turned his head and locked eyes with Lu Sui.

"Captain!" Song Yingjun grinned and ran over. "That was quick. I take it there was nothing downstairs?"

Lu Sui ignored the question. He frowned, looking toward the front. "Why did you come to the second floor?"

Song Yingjun blinked, hesitating. Lu Sui cast him a cold, sharp glance.

Song Yingjun immediately straightened his posture. "Well, the young miss wanted to... take a shower."

Lu Sui took a deep breath, strode over, and pushed the door open. Seeing Shen Heng and Wei Qing waiting inside, a flicker of irritation flared within him. He demanded coldly, "Are you both going to follow whatever she says?"

"It’s safe enough here," Shen Heng replied.

"Did you not see the zombie in the elevator on the first floor?" Lu Sui countered.

"It’s already dead, isn't it?" Shen Heng said dismissively. "A quick shower takes only a few minutes. It won't hold us up."

Lu Sui turned to look at Song Yingjun, who was still standing by the door. "How long has she been in there?"

"Uh..." Shen Heng and Wei Qing both looked at Song Yingjun.

"Twenty minutes," Song Yingjun admitted.

Before Lu Sui could respond, he heard Shen Shiwei’s voice. "You guys should wash up, too. This hot water feels so nice..." She pulled back the curtain and froze upon seeing the cold, stern face of Lu Sui.

Her hair was damp, and her fair face was flushed from the long, hot shower. She had changed into a form-fitting, blue plaid cotton dress, leaving her slender, pale calves exposed. She looked remarkably docile.

Lu Sui had intended to deliver a harsh rebuke, but for some reason, the words died in his throat the moment he saw her. He only said, "Since it’s safe here, stay inside. Don't go out." He turned to Song Yingjun. "We’re going back down to get the weapons."

"I’m going too!" Shen Shiwei chirped, trotting over in her shoes.

Lu Sui frowned at her, his tone dripping with annoyance. "Stop causing trouble."

Shen Shiwei, displeased by his comment, put her hands on her hips. "Where have I caused trouble? There must be food supplies downstairs; I want to grab some."

Lu Sui looked at Shen Heng with a cold, detached gaze, as if to say, *You’d better get your sister under control.*

Shen Heng stepped forward, his tone firmer this time. "It’s not safe downstairs. Besides, your foot isn't healed enough to walk around—stay here!"

"My foot is fine," Shen Shiwei said, lifting her injured foot and wiggling it. "It only hurts a little bit."

Shen Heng looked confused. "How did that happen?"

"The pain just went away while I was showering," she explained. "That’s why I told you all to go wash up."

Lu Sui looked thoughtful. He pushed past the others, strode over, and pulled back the curtain to the bathroom.

Shen Shiwei looked at her useless brother. "See? Someone beat you to it."

Shen Heng: "...You don't think he went in there to take a shower, do you?"

Shen Shiwei paused, then had a sudden realization. "Oh, he needs to pee."

...

As soon as Lu Sui entered the bathroom, he was hit by a faint, floral gardenia scent—the same fragrance that clung to Shen Shiwei. Glancing to the side, he saw her discarded clothes in the corner.

He walked to the shower head and turned it on. Hot, steaming water poured out, and he reached out to test it. Beyond the heat, he felt a strange, subtle, and indescribable sensation against his fingertips. It was difficult to put into words, but Lu Sui was certain of one thing: this water was not like ordinary water.

Shen Heng had plugged in a hairdryer found in the cabinet and was matter-of-factly drying Shen Shiwei’s hair. Wei Qing handed her a bottle of mineral water, standing to the side and glancing at her occasionally.

Witnessing this, Song Yingjun couldn't help but sigh. "She really is the pampered daughter of a wealthy family. For a second, I almost forgot we were on a mission and thought we were escorting the young miss on a vacation."

Lu Sui walked out, his expression complex as he looked at Shen Shiwei. Noticing his gaze, she looked back. "Why are you staring at me?"

Lu Sui held up his hand, displaying several tangled, long black hairs wrapped around his fingers.

Song Yingjun asked curiously, "Captain, are you picking up hair off the floor?"

"It came out of the shower head along with the water," Lu Sui replied in a low voice.

...

The expression on Shen Shiwei’s face froze.

"Lu Sui, don't lie to me."

"I'm not," Lu Sui said. "Before you started showering, did you ever stop to think about where this water was coming from?"

Shen Shiwei’s face turned ghastly, and goosebumps rose on her arms.

Song Yingjun stepped in, trying to smooth things over with a laugh. "What’s the big deal? The water was boiled, so it’s not dirty."