Shelter.
A group of survivors had come out from the basement.
They similarly stood on the rooftop, looking at the situation outside. All of them were already wide-eyed, as if stunned on the spot, not a ripple visible in their eyes; that was being frightened by the scene before them.
The driver who wanted to drive the road roller, seeing the scene before him, had already collapsed onto the ground.
"Bro Duong, what on earth happened?" a survivor couldn't help but ask.
They had waited in the basement, huddled in a corner with their heads covered, awaiting fate's judgment.
Who could have thought, after being called up by Bro Duong, what they saw was the current situation.
Countless zombie corpses, severed limbs, piled up everywhere. Children, seeing such a bloody scene, were all scared until they cried.
Duong Vinh slowly said, "Still remember that sword-carrying survivor just now?"
"Remember."
"It was him! It was him who killed these zombies! Duong Lo and I stood on the rooftop and saw with our own eyes! That street full of zombies was like leeks in a field, torn apart, slaughtered, crushed by him one sword strike after another!"
Duong Vinh felt as if he was talking about some extremely incredible matter.
He observed the crowd's expressions.
Just as he thought, all revealed incredulous expressions.
Just as they were gazing.
A figure appeared in the distance.
It was the sword-carrying, familiar person.
"He's back!"
The crowd quickly went downstairs to welcome him.
At this time.
Lam Pham, entering the shelter, was surrounded by them.
He could, from this group of survivors' eyes, see a fiery brilliance.
"Thank you for saving us," Duong Vinh sincerely thanked.
Lam Pham smiled, "No need for thanks. Encountering people who similarly possess hope, I often won't sit idly by. Besides, you are a police officer, right?"
Duong Vinh said in surprise, "You can even see that?"
"Mm, similar temperament to Officer Hoang."
"Duong Quang Apartments also has police officers? Don't know what he's called, perhaps I really know him."
"His name is Hoang Quan. Not at Duong Quang Apartments. He is a zombie, a police officer who, even turned into a zombie, still maintains his own ideals."
Hearing Lam Pham say these words.
Duong Vinh felt his entire perception thoroughly shattered.
Since the apocalypse arrived, he truly had experienced many things.
Also witnessed many incredible things.
But uniquely, encountering this person before him, he felt his past perceptions thoroughly blown to smithereens. That was the shattering of perception towards ordinary people.
"Hoang Quan! I know him! That's my idol! Also the idol of many police officers in the system! Upright and hating sycophancy, takes great care of juniors, and also solved many major cases, cracked many cases!"
Duong Vinh didn't expect his recognized idol, even turned into a zombie, still persisted in his own ideals.
"Mm, I think also because of such ideals, so he can maintain rationality. Right, the zombie corpses outside might still need you to clean up yourselves. In the short term, no zombies will appear. I've already eliminated the source. Later, if you encounter this type of zombie, must be careful. If can eliminate, then quickly eliminate. If cannot eliminate, must hide."
Lam Pham told them some of his experiences.
Of course, he didn't need to hide.
Duong Vinh nodded. Thinking of the situation before, what the other person said were all true situations, yet he himself was still doubting. Now thinking about it, truly very embarrassing.
Lam Pham said, "Have you thought about changing your living environment? Duong Quang Apartments is advertising rentals. You all meet the requirements. I think staying at Duong Quang Apartments, can support each other, help each other."
If it were any other survivor, definitely wouldn't hesitate to agree. Having such a thigh to rely on, don't even mention how comfortable.
"No. A complete shelter is very hard to form. Duong Quang Apartments and our side here are somewhat far apart. And Hoang city is so large. I think if various places have shelters, for some survivors full of hope as you said, also a kind of place of hope."
This was his thought after pondering.
Indeed, moving to Duong Quang Apartments, truly no need to worry about danger, can live leisurely there. But the shelter they built together, not someone's shelter, but a shelter for all hope-filled people.
Lam Pham said, "I respect your choice. Even if you really encounter danger, just hide in the basement is fine. I will occasionally pass by here."
"Thank you." Duong Vinh thought of Lam Pham's strength; indeed capable of saying such words. That was strength surpassing what ordinary people could perceive.
Duong Lo asked curiously, "Bro Lam, you being able to become so strong, is it because of crystals? The crystals we obtain are all used to enhance defenses. Through my brother's and my verification, crystals seem only to allow metal materials to undergo earth-shattering improvements."
"No. I don't use crystals to enhance my own strength. You're not wrong. Crystals, until now, can only allow metal materials to achieve improvement," Lam Pham said.
Duong Lo was somewhat regretful.
If could enhance physical fitness, truly good.
Then humans truly could contend with zombies, use zombies' strength to defeat zombies.
The three exchanged.
After this matter, Duong Vinh and Duong Lo led Lam Pham to look around everywhere. Even internal structures and such, all shown to him. Compared to the simple exchange before, an earth-shattering change occurred.
Trust, besides being slowly established through long-term living together.
There is also another kind: displaying absolutely suppressive strength, making the opponent understand, you are clearly already so strong, where still need to deceive my trust? Want anything, just crush with strength is enough.
This kind of trust is fastest.
After a moment.
Lam Pham bid farewell to them.
Duong Lo and Duong Vinh saw him to the door.
"Work hard! Believe in a beautiful future! I am always cleaning Hoang city's zombies! I think one day, we can freely cheer, shout outside, and not be chased, bitten by zombies!"
Lam Pham said to them resolutely.
Being able to meet survivors who, besides Duong Quang Apartments, still maintain humanity, truly very not easy.
Mutual non-abandonment, non-giving up, able to make contributions for each other.
Duong Vinh: "Work hard!"
Duong Lo: "I always carry hope for the future!"
Street.
Lam Pham thought of current survivor shelters.
Total number of people in all shelters combined, should be several thousand. Some good, some bad, but all living people.
Walked very far.
Many zombies wandered on the road surface. This group of zombies "ugh ugh"-ed and roared. Without any external factors influencing, indeed extremely gentle. But... just like that.
"Hey!"
Greeted them.
Instantly, roars unceasing, all rushing towards him.
Looking closely, could see within that group of zombies, actually one without clothes, upper body somewhere even embedded with two iron rings. Honestly, this truly damages the image.
He continued cleaning.
Encountering zombies, then clean them thoroughly. Besides, this place's distance from the previous shelter, wandering, wandering, truly very easy to wander over there.
After a moment.
Surroundings quiet. Everything returned to its previous appearance. Only these corpses lay on the ground.
Passing by a small shop.
Entered shop, opened refrigerator, bought a can of cola, unscrewed cap, glug glug drank. Burped. Very comfortable. Life just proceeds amidst cleaning zombies and occasional enjoyment.
Just as he tilted his head back drinking Coca-Cola.
He slightly narrowed his eyes. In a distant building, seemed like someone holding a mirror, reflecting light, shining into his eyes.
"Survivor?"
Able to have such behavior, definitely survivor. Could it be a zombie foolishly holding a mirror shining at people?
Walked towards that side.
Arrived before a building, looked up towards above. It was on the 7th floor.
This kind of building in Hoang city very many. Downstairs shops, not residential area, just a standalone building there.
Many zombie corpses on the ground, looked as if crushed to death, time somewhat long, bloodstains on ground already congealed.
A Jeep parked at the entrance.
Didn't think much, walked inside. Clearly no zombies. If survivors, should be able to drive away.
Took elevator, thought of 7th floor. Unexpectedly needed to swipe card. Surprisingly, he saw a card on the elevator floor. Swiped it once. Elevator operated, slowly rising towards 7th floor.
7th floor arrived.
Elevator opened.
He stood before a security door, said softly, "Excuse me, is anyone here?"
Survivors hiding in houses, already very rarely seen. Unless house hoarded many supplies, otherwise who could endure in house for over a month.
Just as he finished speaking.
Door opened.
Opening door was a female, made up. Wait... makeup, what the hell?
"Hello," Lam Pham said with a smile.
"Come in."
Entering room, Lam Pham slightly frowned. A smell in room. This smell like smell of blood. Also he found, inside that tightly closed room door, had "ugh ugh" zombie gloomy roars.
"You shone a mirror at me. Is something the matter?"
He looked at that female. Wore thin nightgown. Overall, a kind of indescribable strangeness. Definitely zombies in room. And this female survivor actually appeared very indifferent, also everywhere exuded an indescribable coquettish aura.
"I'm very scared," the female finished speaking, thought of getting close to Lam Pham, hiding in embrace, wailing.
But just got close, was pushed away by Lam Pham.
"Please have some self-respect. If something the matter, just say."
Lam Pham relatively resistant to this kind of situation. You scared, think of hugging, possible. But can you not dress properly, don't be like this? I'm only twenty, still very young.
The female, as if not expecting, actually such a male survivor would exist.
She proactively approached, yet actually could be pushed away by him.
Male survivors who came here before all, smiling, hugged her, hands very dishonestly touching her back.
"Can you take me and my child away?" the female said charmingly.
Lam Pham asked, "Where is the child?"
"In the room," the female pointed to a room.
Lam Pham looked at that room. He could say with one hundred percent certainty, zombies confined in that room, absolutely zombies.
Walked to the door.
Hand fell on the doorknob.
The female's expression changed slightly, as if expecting something.
Lam Pham looked towards the female, "I can sense, what's confined in here are zombies. You let me come to this room, what exactly do you want to do? Or do you want me to enter, as food, to feed the zombies inside?"
As he spoke these words.
The female's expression instantly underwent an earth-shattering change.
Crack!
Opened the door.
Inside room, pitch black.
He turned on the light. Unexpectedly saw a child zombie only seven or eight years old facing the wall, swaying there.
Logically speaking, the sound of opening door already alerted zombie.
How come this zombie seemed not to have heard?
Could it be ears have problems?
Room extremely messy. Walls had blood. Could see a male corpse, head gnawed off, fallen to one side. Clearly before him, someone came here, deceived by woman, finally tragically met a cruel fate.
At this time.
The female appeared behind Lam Pham, suddenly wanting to push Lam Pham forward. When pushing, also threw a drink can towards the zombie, then thought of closing the door.
But she didn't expect Lam Pham, standing at doorway, didn't move at all.
And the zombie, hit, reacted, turned around, corner of mouth dripping sticky fluid, roared, charging towards this side.
Lam Pham lifted his foot. Thump! Directly kicked the zombie flying.
"Ah! Bao Bao!"
The female saw child kicked flying to wall, screamed, ran inside, hugged Bao Bao to check situation.
Zombie child's occiput caved in, yet still could move. Opened mouth, roared, fiercely bit female's neck, crazily gnawed.
Instantly fresh blood splattered. Female screamed tragically in pain.
Seeing this scene, Lam Pham frowned.
The bitten female's pupils moved, pale eyes appeared. In an extremely short time, turned into zombie, together with child zombie, rushed towards Lam Pham.
Lam Pham lifted his foot, a total of two kicks, slightly exerted force, directly kicked them to wall. Bodies split open, quietly lay there, also never moved again.
Closed the door.
"Why can this kind of existence be? This is wanting me to be food for her child."
Lam Pham shook his head.
Walked into living room.
Saw photo hanging on living room wall. Family of three, smiling, overflowing with happiness.
In photo, child wore headphones, hugged woman's neck, smiled very happily.
Turns out couldn't hear movement, also because this child's hearing problematic.
Immediately after.
He, on dining table, saw a book. Picked up to look.
Flipped through.
Soon, he found why that female wanted to do such a thing. This book recorded species evolution requires devouring large amounts of energy. When energy reaches a certain degree, then can undergo earth-shattering changes.
Instantly understood.
This female tricked him in, just wanted child to eat him, thereby obtaining energy.
"She hopes her child can obtain sufficient energy, thereby evolve, return to past appearance?"
"Hope is good, but thoughts very terrible."
"This book clearly just a nonsensical pastime work, yet in desperate times, became someone else's life-saving straw in heart, thereby extremely believing content within."
"Can understand your motherly love is great, but cannot understand you transferring great disaster onto others."
Put down book.
Stared intently at trash can underfoot. Inside had used condoms. Instantly deduced entire story. Attract males in, then play poker, exhaust male's stamina, finally send into that room.
"Ai."
Shook head, turned and left.
Towards this situation, he couldn't possibly accept.
Perhaps he admitted in peacetime, this female was a kind woman. But in apocalypse, people around situation changed, then can for relatives do all sorts of evil things.
From hope-filled kind person transformed into frighteningly scary person.
...
Nighttime.
Lam Pham, at computer desk, checked places. Place after place noted down. Marked by him all already cleaned.
During this period.
His cleaning range grew larger every day.
If survivors lived within this area.
Then safety factor exists.
Perhaps will occasionally meet one or two zombies.
But absolutely won't encounter zombie tides in hundreds or thousands.
Lam Pham leaned back against chair, looked up at ceiling.
"Life indeed very beautiful. But sometimes encountering matters, truly very anxious."
He sighed with emotion.
Thought of protecting Duong Quang Apartments. Thought of cleaning Hoang city's zombies. Again thought Hoang city could restore past prosperity and peace.
But all thoughts so difficult.
"Tomorrow continue to work hard."
"Oli gei!"
Clenched fist, cheered himself on.