Chapter 27: The Strange Person

Shi Chao scratched his head in utter embarrassment. "Ah... yes, that’s me." He hadn't expected that in this apocalypse, someone would still remember him, a minor actor.

Someone in the crowd exclaimed, "It really is him! I remember that war drama he was in; it was so popular! He was always going 'pew-pew-pew,' it was so exciting!"

Jiang Qiyu struggled to recall. It seemed the small television in the convenience store had indeed played one of Shi Chao's dramas. She vaguely remembered him wearing a military uniform, looking upright and righteous, but she had never been interested in such things, so the impression was faint.

Suddenly, a man pushed his way forward, pointing at Shi Chao excitedly. "You! Weren't you bitten by a zombie?! We all saw it with our own eyes! You even bit Little Zhang! You son of a bitch!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd erupted like a pot of boiling water. They scattered away from Shi Chao, their eyes filled with fear and suspicion.

A woman squeezed out from the crowd. Her face was pale, her lips trembling as she pointed at Shi Chao, her voice stuttering. "I... I saw it! I saw it with my own eyes! Those zombies... they... they didn't attack him!" She took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm herself, but her voice remained shaky, laced with a hint of a sob. "I saw him surrounded by zombies. I thought... I thought he was a dead man... but... but those zombies walked right past him as if they didn't see him at all! It’s... it’s just too bizarre! I... I’ve never seen anything like it!" She covered her mouth, on the verge of tears. "It was... truly terrifying..."

"I didn't! I didn't turn into a zombie! I'm alive and well!" Shi Chao denied it vehemently, but the memories of the crew were so clear that he found it impossible to defend himself.

Jiang Qiyu walked up to Shi Chao and scrutinized him. She noticed that although his complexion was somewhat pale, his breathing was steady and his eyes were clear, showing no signs of zombification.

She extended a finger and lightly scratched his arm.

"Hiss—" Shi Chao gasped as a small wound appeared on his arm, with blood slowly seeping out.

Jiang Qiyu’s eyes remained fixed on the wound and the surrounding skin. There were no signs of decay or discoloration, and the blood was bright red, not the black color associated with a zombie virus infection.

She observed his eyes again. His pupils had not turned into the murky, grayish-white of a zombie; they remained a normal, clear black.

Lu Yao blinked his large eyes, looking from Shi Chao to Jiang Qiyu. He walked up to Shi Chao, frowned from a distance, sniffed the air like a puppy, and shook his head. "No smell. He hasn't turned into a zombie!"

Jiang Qiyu’s gaze fell on Lu Yao. The little one looked earnest, and his tone was firm; he didn't seem to be lying. She recalled that it was Lu Yao who had smelled something unusual earlier, which led them to find the bitten woman.

Now, since Lu Yao claimed there was no scent of a zombie on Shi Chao, she chose to believe him.

With this in mind, Jiang Qiyu’s suspicion of Shi Chao lessened. She nodded slightly, signaling for the crowd to quiet down. She ordered for Nannan’s mother to be quarantined—partly to observe if she would turn, and partly to see if she was connected to the mystery of Shi Chao’s survival, as the timing of the mother and daughter’s arrival was very close to when Shi Chao was supposedly bitten.

"Take her to the quarantine zone," Jiang Qiyu commanded.

Two guards stepped forward, swift and decisive, grabbing Nannan’s mother by either side.

The woman struggled, but her frail body was no match for the two strong guards. When little Nannan saw her mother being taken away, her face turned deathly pale and tears welled up. She reached out her small hands desperately, trying to grab her mother, crying, "Mommy! Mommy! Don't go! Don't leave Nannan behind!" She sobbed until she was breathless, her voice raspy, her tiny body trembling violently.

Her mother was dragged away, step by step. She kept turning her head, trying to steal one last look at her daughter, her eyes filled with helplessness and longing. She comforted her daughter gently, "Be good, Nannan. Mommy will be back soon. You must be obedient and stop crying."

Her voice choked, and tears slid silently down her face. She reached out as if to stroke her daughter's cheek, but she couldn't reach her. Nannan cried even louder, struggling desperately to break free and chase after her mother. The guards quickened their pace, and soon, her mother’s figure vanished from Nannan’s sight.

Nannan’s cries grew softer until they turned into silent sobs. She collapsed to the ground, curling into a ball, her eyes hollow, as if she had lost her entire world.

Watching this, Jiang Qiyu felt a complex mix of emotions. In the apocalypse, safety and trust were so precious, yet so fragile.

Jiang Qiyu walked along the fence of the quarantine zone, pulling hard on the wire mesh to ensure there were no loose or broken spots. Afterward, she arranged for four guards to patrol the perimeter 24/7 to prevent anyone from escaping or zombies from breaking in.

She was responsible for the safety of all the residents; any potential danger had to be nipped in the bud.

After settling the quarantine matters, Jiang Qiyu said to Lu Yao, "Come on, I'll take you to pick a room."

Upon hearing that he would be separated from Jiang Qiyu, Lu Yao immediately hugged her arm, looking pitiful. "No..."

Jiang Qiyu felt a bit helpless. "Everyone needs their own room so they can get a good rest."

Lu Yao tilted his head, seemingly not understanding why individual rooms were necessary, but he always listened to Jiang Qiyu, so he followed her upstairs obediently.

He pointed randomly at one. "Just... that one."

Jiang Qiyu smiled and ruffled his hair. "Go on, get some rest."

Lu Yao dragged his feet, lingering as he moved toward the room, like a lazy kitten reluctant to leave its owner. He would take a step, look back at Jiang Qiyu, then take another step and look back again, his eyes full of unease and dependency.

After watching Lu Yao go into the room, Jiang Qiyu gently closed the door and turned to head back downstairs. She planned to check on the quarantine zone one more time to ensure everything was secure.

She walked through the hallway with a light step, though her thoughts were heavy.

Passing through the first-floor lobby, she caught a glimpse of Shi Chao sitting on a sofa in the corner. He was holding a torn piece of paper, his thick brows knitted tightly together, looking downcast.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Qiyu asked.

Shi Chao looked up, and upon seeing it was Jiang Qiyu, he forced a smile. "It's nothing, just remembered some things from the past." He paused and added, "By the way, thank you for taking me in."