Good ways to deal with zombie hordes

Calling the giant corpse a "fool" is no exaggeration; he truly lives up to his name. Ever since he realized he was in a survivor's camp and out of danger, he'd been clamoring for food and drink. Given his filthy and foul-smelling state, I suggested he wash himself before eating, but he refused, insisting on eating first and then washing. He looked at me pitifully, muttering as if he were about to pass out, "I'm so hungry!" So, I reluctantly called Liao Donghui over.

Liao Donghui pinched his nose and dragged him to the artificial lake, using a large hose to pump water for a thorough cleaning—the lake water was much cleaner than him. The man then sat by the lake, showering while wolfing down the mushy biscuits that had been soaked through. After finishing, he lay down on the spot, ignoring Liao Donghui's shouts, and fell asleep with his eyes closed.

After he had eaten, drunk his fill, and slept soundly, it was already the next day. He finally had the energy to tell me about his origins. My only assessment after hearing it was that this guy was the epitome of an idiot.

The zombie, named Yuan Xikun, was 23 years old and lived in Fengcheng, the provincial capital. His purpose in coming to Huaicheng was to find a girlfriend—or more accurately, a female online friend. The two had been dating online for over a month before the apocalypse and had planned to meet in person for the girl's birthday in April. However, the zombie outbreak derailed their plans. Unable to bear the worry and longing, he stayed home for months, pondering a brilliant idea. He set off from Fengcheng in early July, enduring countless hardships, and arrived in Huaicheng, 300 kilometers away, thirteen days later.

Unfortunately, the address his girlfriend gave him was deserted, overrun with zombies. He spent two days in that apartment building, scrutinizing every zombie's face inside and out, but to no avail. He then went to nearby streets and examined each corpse one by one. He collapsed on the pile of zombies under the triple blow of high temperature, dehydration, and hunger. If it weren't for his "golden armor," he would have almost become my victim.

The Golden Armor is actually a steel, fully enclosed neck protector helmet that he modified himself. It weighs 15 kilograms, is equipped with pure polycarbonate goggles, and has a switchable filter breathing port for the mouth and nose, connected to a plastic tube for inhalation. Wearing it on his head not only prevents his breath from leaking out, but also protects him from being eaten by zombies, making him impervious to knives and bullets—a valuable tool for any journey.

Of course, zombies don't just attack people's heads; human flesh and blood are so delicious, they'll gnaw on anything they can get their hands on. So how do you avoid this danger? Yuan Erhuo had a brilliant plan. He ripped rotten flesh and blood from zombie corpses, smeared it on every inch of his skin, and then covered himself with the rotting hearts, livers, lungs, and intestines of zombies. He stood in a pile of zombies to test it out, and hey! Not a single zombie gave him a second glance; they were all his brothers!

And so, Yuan Xikun, disguised as a zombie, set off. He first drove over thirty kilometers on the highway, only to encounter a traffic jam. The road was completely blocked by zombies and abandoned vehicles, stretching as far as the eye could see. He had to get out of the car and walk, climbing over guardrails, and heading towards Huai City in the vast wilderness. When thirsty, he drank the water strapped to his waist; when hungry, he avoided other zombies and found an open space to eat some dry rations. He walked for thirteen days.

After he finished recounting his experience, he covered his face and sobbed, as if he was also deeply ashamed of his foolish and devastating behavior.

I was just about to tell him to forget it, that he'd already made a mistake and would correct it later, when I saw him pull a cell phone out of his backpack and cry out, "It's out of battery. I won't be able to find her by looking at her picture anymore."

What can I say? I think I would have collapsed if I had to wear that helmet for two hours, but he could wear it for thirteen days! To leave the safe zone and risk his life to walk with zombies for a female online friend he's never met, ruining himself like this, the passion of this idiot is incomprehensible.

"Let's talk about your girlfriend later. You just said you walked from the highway exit to Huaicheng. Were there a lot of zombies along the way?"

"There are many, on and off the road, everywhere, especially on the highways, they're packed."

"Are they all heading towards Huaicheng?"

"No, that's not it. They have no direction; they go in all directions, and quite a few are coming towards Huaicheng."

The roads have been blocked for some time now, and we have people patrolling and guarding every entrance to the city, but Yuan Xikun still managed to enter. This shows that some zombies do indeed take unconventional routes and are difficult to control.

What's the situation in Maple City right now?

Yuan Xikun sniffed and said, "There are so many zombies, it's not as peaceful as your Huaicheng. The government is gone, and someone has built two bases to receive survivors. They each have their own armed forces, killing zombies and setting up roadblocks all over the city. The only problem is that supplies are hard to come by, they've all been taken by the people at the bases."

"Have you entered the base yet?"

“I didn’t go in,” he said, sticking out his neck. “If I had gone in, I wouldn’t have had any freedom. I would have to listen to other people’s arrangements. I heard that you don’t work, you don’t hand over supplies, and you don’t get any food there.”

I smiled and said, "We do too. The cookies from last night and the rice porridge from this morning are on me. There's no lunch for you, so take your things with you when you leave. I won't see you off."

Can you eat for free in our small city? Are people from the provincial capital more sophisticated or something?

Leaving the idiot behind, I took four female team members out with me, and based on yesterday's experience, I led them through the streets all day. In the evening, I deliberately drove around the outskirts of the city, where we encountered Zhou Yi and Gao Chen leading their team in a fierce battle on the very edge of the city. I also joined in for a while, and finally went home with the third team.

After sending Duan Mingzhe to drive the girls, I sat in the passenger seat next to Gao Chen, looking at his clearly defined knuckles as he gripped the steering wheel: "The person we just rescued is from Fengcheng. He confirmed your theory that there are zombies everywhere, not just on the highways. We're in a bind now. We don't have enough people. If we kill them, we definitely can't kill them all. If we don't kill them, we don't know how long we can hold out."

"Kill as many zombies as possible before the zombie horde forms." Gao Chen was always very polite, and would tilt his head slightly when speaking to me. "It is unwise to fight against the zombie horde, but since it is a horde, it will eventually recede."

"We might be able to hold out for two or three months, but if we're besieged for a year or two, we're finished. The zombies will continue to mutate."

“I thought about this issue again when I went back the day before yesterday. I wasn’t sure about it, so I didn’t tell you. Based on the distribution and movement of the zombies in Huaicheng, I think they won’t stay in a place without prey for long. Even if the zombie horde passes through Huaicheng, as long as they don’t find any living people, they should continue to move.”

I was a little stunned: "More than a hundred veterans."

Gao Chen's lips curled up: "That's why I said my thinking wasn't mature enough. I haven't figured out a way to hide more than a hundred people yet."

Hiding over a hundred living people? I stared blankly at his sharply defined jawline, his smooth, straight nose, and his perfectly proportioned profile, not blinking for a long time. You think I'm indulging in his beauty? No, I'm simultaneously indulging in his beauty while contemplating important matters; an idea is about to spring to mind.

Back at the veterans' quarters, Liao Donghui and Yuan Xikun were standing in front of the administration building, arguing and pulling at each other. When they saw me, they rushed to complain: "Doctor, as you asked, we didn't hit or scold him and even gave him three packs of biscuits, but this guy just won't leave. He's been hanging around here all day. Should I go and call the security guard to throw him out?"

Yuan Xikun was as thin as a ghost. He was being pulled around and swayed, but he stubbornly refused to move an inch: "Didn't you say that only those who stay have special skills? I have special skills. I can modify cars, appliances, and tools. Why can't I stay?"

I laughed: "You love your freedom, you don't want to work and just want to eat, we can't force you to stay."

Yuan Xikun's hair, washed with dirty water, was sparse and fluffy like tumbleweed. He stammered excitedly, "I meant I don't want to work at the Maple City base. The people there look down on people and boss around survivors. You saved me, so I'll do some work for you."

I pretended to think deeply, and after a while said, "Alright, I do have a task for you now."

"What?"

"Modify the electronic gate of the veterans' hospital, making it thicker and taller, so it can withstand a category 10 typhoon!"

Regardless of whether the zombie horde will come, even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, we must be fully prepared. When Yu Zhongjian and Han Bo were in their positions, I could still consult with them when problems arose. Now that they've fallen or disappeared, I suddenly feel like half of my backbone has been ripped away. I have no choice but to bite the bullet and take the lead.

Fortunately, I still have many trustworthy companions around me: Zhou Yi, Xiao Hei, Gao Chen, and all the survivors. I trust them because I know that at this stage, we all share the same goal, and no one has time to think about anything else. We can deal with the future later; those who can be brothers will continue, and those who can't will go their separate ways. Right now, surviving together is the most important thing.

It wasn't lunchtime yet, so I took my megaphone to the cafeteria and saw several young women huddled in a corner, chatting and laughing. I went over to take a look and found they were watching a baby rabbit that had just opened its eyes in a cardboard box. They were huddled together, all fluffy and adorable.

"How cute!" I said.

Chen Ruonan looked up at me with an innocent smile: "Right? Sister Qi thinks it's cute too, right? When it grows up a little more, it can be free-range on the grass, hopping around, how fun!"

"Hmm, let them grow up and roam free. Keep a pair for breeding, and kill the rest to make roasted whole rabbits, spicy rabbit heads, and Sichuan-style rabbit meat. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Rabbits are so cute."

Chen Ruonan pouted and remained silent. The girls only looked reluctant, but no one said anything as stupid as how they could eat rabbits. I chuckled, turned on the megaphone, and started calling out "hello, hello" in all four directions of the cafeteria, testing the system.

My mom took off her arm sleeves and walked over to me from the operating room, her expression not very pleasant: "Dafeng, what have you been doing these past few days? I can't find you anywhere to talk to you."

"Tell me what it is now." I looked down and fiddled with the megaphone. I wondered if it was a bad battery connection, because the sound was sometimes loud, sometimes soft, and sometimes not at all.

"What are your thoughts on Dandan's situation? Keeping her locked up all the time isn't a solution."

I didn't remember until she mentioned it. I forgot to feed Yu Yu again today; she's been hungry for two days.

“I told you all a long time ago that he has a mental illness, but none of you took it to heart. Now look what’s happened, your beloved Dandan is gone, and Han Bo was also injured by him. What can we do but lock him up?”

“This child is so pitiful. How could he have gotten such a disease? He always seemed like such a good person. I’m still so upset. If he can’t be cured, his life will be ruined!” My mother sighed.

I still can't understand my mom's thought process: "You still sympathize with him? You should sympathize more with Xiao Bo. What did he do to deserve this? He got a gash on his head for no reason. It's so unfair."

My mom's expression turned a little strange. She tugged at my sleeve and lowered her voice, saying, "I was just about to tell you about Xiao Bo. I went to deliver lunch to Xiao Bo at noon, and Ma Li was there too. I thought they were getting along well."

"Yes, they are good friends."

My mom slapped my arm and clicked her tongue, saying, "Why don't you think things through? What good friends can a boy and a girl have? You should go see Xiao Bo more often. I've been there five times and I've seen Ma Li three times, but I haven't seen you once!"

"Dr. Tang doesn't allow me to get too close to the patients."

"How can Ma Li contribute?"

"Mom, you've misunderstood. Ma Li is Xiao Bo's ex-girlfriend. They've broken up now and are just friends."

My mom was shocked: "What? They dated? Then... did they rekindle their old flame?"

"Nothing of the sort, we're just friends."

My mom snorted and said, "If you keep acting so heartlessly, you'll have nowhere to cry when Xiaobo gets taken away!"

I was dumbfounded: "What did you say? Xiao Bo and I are just buddies, brothers!"

Her eyes revealed the stubbornness and shrewdness unique to middle-aged and elderly women. She said, "You'll be twenty-seven in a few months. Don't you think about your own life? Are you planning to be an old maid? In this day and age, there are fewer and fewer good young men. Look at all the pretty girls in our yard. Compare yourself to them in the mirror. Look how dark your face has become! I've seen several men trying to get close to the girls. Why isn't anyone trying to get close to you? That Xiao Zhao, he used to say he loved you, but now he runs away as soon as he sees you. I've figured it out. You can't change your personality. You can't handle most men. Just look at Xiao Bo. He's your childhood sweetheart. We all know his character. If you don't hurry up, you'll miss your chance!"

"Sigh." I was helpless. I used to worry that Han Bo would trick me, but now I'm being asked to join him. "Mom, I don't like Xiao Bo, and he doesn't like me either. There's absolutely no way we can be together. Besides, I don't have time to think about these things now. Let's just focus on staying alive."

My mother smiled wearily: "Living, what does it mean to live? It means living a life with hope. Your father and I used to hope that you would get married and have children soon. You could go wild if you wanted, and we could stay home and help you take care of the kids. Now, in the blink of an eye, society is in such chaos, and countless people are dying. If I had to say what I still hope for, it would be that you would have someone by your side, someone who could take care of you, love you, and protect you, even if your father and I were gone."

I froze for a moment, a layer of white sweat breaking out on my neck: "Mom, please don't talk nonsense, okay? Please don't hurt me, okay? What do you mean you and Dad are gone! The three of us are a family, we live together and we die together! If you two are gone, I won't live either!"

My mom patted my hand: "Look, you're talking like a child again. Why are you going to die with us? Your dad and I are twenty or thirty years older than you, so we'll definitely go before you."

Me: ......Oh, so you're going to die of old age? Then I won't go with you guys.

After confirming several times that Han Bo and I had absolutely no romantic feelings for each other, my mother walked away with a calculating look on her face. I had a feeling she was plotting something against me, but with important matters at hand, I didn't have time to be careful.

During mealtime, I held another briefing for everyone, emphasizing that this matter concerns everyone's safety and that we need to work together, not just have me make the decisions.

The main content was to inform about several possible ways a zombie horde could form, and our response measures in the event of one. The work remained the same: stockpile as many supplies as possible, strengthen the defenses of the veterans' fortifications, and intensify monitoring and clearing of zombies outside the city. Then, I raised the issue of how to make over a hundred people invisible.

"I personally think Captain Gao makes a lot of sense. Zombies won't stay in a place without living people for long. As long as we can disguise Rongjun as a dead zone, the zombie horde will eventually retreat from Huaicheng. Well No. 1 has now reached groundwater under Grandpa Tian's technical guidance, and the grassland renovation behind the inpatient department is almost complete. We've collected a lot of crop seeds, so we can expand the planting area in the future. As long as we get through this wave, survival will no longer be a problem. Let's brainstorm and think of a solution together. Raise your hand if you want to speak."

The crowd chattered amongst themselves, with people raising their hands to offer suggestions every now and then. Some suggested that everyone hide inside the hospital building, keeping the doors and windows closed, and the zombies should leave after a month. Others suggested relocating personnel to various relatively enclosed buildings within Huai City, where fewer people would make them less noticeable to the zombies. Still others proposed simply building a huge plastic greenhouse to cover all the exposed areas of the veterans' quarters.

Every suggestion has its supporters and opponents. Supporters believe that extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and that the hardship can be endured. However, the flaws pointed out by opponents are irrefutable. This is a matter of being prepared for any eventuality, and no one dares to claim that their solution is 100% perfect.

Several people were arguing heatedly, their faces red and necks bulging, filling the canteen with a noisy commotion. After waiting a while and seeing that no one could reach a consensus, I used the megaphone again: "Quiet down, everyone. I've remembered all your suggestions. Don't argue yet, we'll vote later. I also have a solution, but before I say it, I hope you can finish your food, otherwise I'm afraid you won't be able to eat later."

Everyone looked at me with confusion. I chuckled and said, "Let me introduce you to someone who has successfully become invisible in a horde of zombies. I think we can learn from him."

Yuan Xikun, his mouth full of rice, was called upon by me to give a speech at the table. Although his demeanor was not particularly dignified, he was completely unfazed. In front of more than a hundred people, he excitedly and animatedly recounted his experience of successfully moving from Fengcheng to Huaicheng.

After he finished speaking, I grabbed the megaphone and shouted, "My method is to kill more zombies, store more corpses, dig out more internal organs, smear our entire bodies with the blood, flesh, and brains of zombies, and hang the walls of the veterans with the hearts, lungs, livers, and intestines of zombies!"

The sounds of retching echoed throughout the canteen.