Chapter 137 "Would you like to come with me...?"

After chatting quietly with her friends for a while, Shen Qingqing hung up the call and stared at the bracelet on her wrist, her eyes filled with tenderness.

"Qingqing, are you ready?" Someone knocked on the door; it was Zang Lijun's voice.

"..." Shen Qingqing rubbed her cheeks, suppressing her strange expression, got up and turned the door lock, "Okay."

This is an abandoned warehouse, with a layer of dust on the ground and windows. The only iron gate leading to the outside is tightly closed, making it quite safe.

Half an hour ago, Shen Qingqing received a private message from the principal, asking if she had time to talk later.

She then found a place for everyone to rest temporarily, while she herself hid in a small room that originally served as the warehouse manager's lounge, locked herself in, and listened to the entire brief meeting.

At this moment, the door opened, and Zang Lijun was waiting at the door, while Shen Mingjiang and a group of people were in the center of the room, guarding a large pile of supplies placed on the ground.

"The inventory is complete," Zang Lijun said softly, handing a piece of paper to Shen Qingqing.

The above is a list of the supplies inside the house.

The quantity of medicines, rice, flour, cooking oil, clothing, and all sorts of miscellaneous items, including which store each item came from, were all recorded without omission.

Shen Qingqing took it and looked down to check it. The others in the room remained silent, patiently waiting for her to slowly verify it.

“No problem.” Shen Qingqing checked carefully and finally agreed. “Same as before, half will be divided equally according to the amount of effort put in, and the other half will be given to the shop owner. If you can’t find the shop owner’s address, leave a note and give it to a nearby family.”

"Okay."

In the queue, a middle-aged couple stood up and called to the others, "Come and share this."

Everyone rushed over, their expressions filled with the joy of a bountiful harvest.

The movements were swift, yet orderly and efficient.

The group neatly divided up half of their hard-earned spoils, stacked them to one side, and then went on to divide the rest, without glancing back at the other side.

Among them was a young woman in her early twenties who seemed to have just joined the group today and was not yet familiar with the rules. Upon hearing the instructions, she hurriedly followed to help, while also glancing around.

Beside her was a woman in her forties or fifties, who was tidying up quickly. The two had a good relationship, and it was this woman who brought the girl into the group.

Noticing her confusion, the aunt smiled and said, "Do you find it strange?"

"Yes, a little," the young woman whispered. "Why do Sister Fu and Brother Chang listen to that girl so much? And what about the old rules she just mentioned..."

The "Sister Fu" and "Brother Chang" she mentioned were the middle-aged couple who were leading the group. The wife's name was Fu Jinhua, and she used to be a boxing coach in a big city. The husband's name was Chang Liang, and he was a retired soldier.

The couple possessed exceptional fighting skills and a strong sense of justice. Over the course of the week, they rescued many people and formed a survivor team. They lived and ate together, and those with spare time would scavenge for supplies. Their actions were always led by the two of them.

The young woman had witnessed the two men's fighting style. People who had practiced martial arts were indeed different from ordinary people; at least when facing zombies, they had more confidence.

In her eyes, the two of them leading dozens of people to survive in the apocalypse was already very impressive, but she never expected that her impression of them would be completely overturned on her first trip with the team.

The girl named Shen Qingqing looked even younger than her, but she was highly respected in the team. Her opinions were consulted before any action was taken, and even when distributing supplies, they had to wait for her to speak before proceeding.

Moreover, this action was not initiated by her, but rather suggested by the couple.

They said, "Qingqing's side has fewer people, while we have more. Who knows if someone might secretly keep something? So we need to list everything clearly so that people can feel at ease."

Why is that?

The young woman was completely baffled.

The auntie could tell at a glance that she didn't understand, and explained with a smile, "You don't know, Shen Qingqing saved the lives of Xiao Fu and his wife."

That happened on the third day after the apocalypse.

Their county is too remote, with insufficient police force, and rescue efforts cannot reach them in a short time, causing the virus to spread extremely quickly.

After waiting for almost three days, Chang Liang and Fu Jinhua, who were capable, couldn't sit still any longer. The two of them worked together to clear out the few remaining zombies near their home, and then drove out to look for supplies while also checking on the situation in the city.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that almost the entire county had fallen, with zombies everywhere on the streets, swarming up at the sound of the noise.

Caught off guard by the sheer number of infected, the two were completely surrounded by zombies by the time they realized what was happening. Corpses on the ground were entangled under the car, rendering the dilapidated vehicle unable to start, thus trapping them in the horde of zombies.

Just when they were almost in despair, a distant horn blared, and most of the zombies scattered. Passing through the suddenly thinned encirclement, the two only saw the rear of a car speeding away.

In the blink of an eye, Shen Qingqing drove back. The zombies that had been chasing the car had long since disappeared, leaving only five or six that were still relentlessly scratching at the car door. Shen Qingqing took them down one by one with her axe, and cleared them out in two minutes.

They rescued the person from the car.

Not only that, she also took them to a car rental shop and "rented" a car again as a vehicle, and then split the spoils of this trip—several cans of gasoline—half between the two of them.

On the way, I casually taught them some tips on how to deal with zombies and some of their habits.

When it was time to part, the couple were so grateful to Shen Qingqing that they didn't know what to do.

Besides saving their lives, she also taught them how to survive in the apocalypse, which was even more valuable than simply giving them supplies.

Not to mention that Shen Qingqing did indeed find them a car and gasoline.

However, before the two could even mention repaying her, Shen Qingqing had already stepped on the gas and left while they were moving the oil drum to the new car.

The two were filled with disappointment.

They began helping other trapped people, trying to pass on this kindness.

At the same time, a rule was set: whenever passing by supermarkets, pharmacies, or other places, one must restrain oneself, only take the necessary supplies, lock the doors afterwards, and imitate Shen Qingqing's actions at the car rental shop by leaving a note for the shop owner, specifying who took the items and their contact information, and then going to the shop to compensate after everything was over.

Two days later, they met Shen Qingqing again.

Noticing that they had formed a small team of seven or eight people, Shen Qingqing joined them this time, and the two sides cooperated to scavenge for supplies. She refused the supplies that Fu Jinhua and Chang Liang had secretly put into her car, which belonged to them, and only took what was rightfully hers.

With her joining, the team became even more efficient.

Many of the dangers they encountered along the way were resolved thanks to Shen Qingqing.

She was like the team's guardian angel, able to detect zombies even before they got close. If someone fell behind, she would whir around as if she had eyes in the back of her head, and only lead the team forward again once that person had caught up.

If they encounter people in distress along the way, they will not only lend a helping hand, but also leave some supplies behind.

Furthermore, everyone witnessed Shen Qingqing using a first-aid kit hidden somewhere to provide emergency treatment to an injured person.

It makes one wonder, is there anything in this world that she can't do?

Within three days, everyone was convinced.

Compared to all her other qualities, age is the least significant.

"If it weren't for Shen Qingqing, Xiao Zhang, and your Uncle Wang, they probably wouldn't be here anymore." The aunt gestured with her lips, and the young girl looked over. Xiao Zhang and Uncle Wang were the two people working the hardest in the team.

"And Xiaonan's arm, she also helped bandage it."

The aunt sighed, "...We're so lucky to have met her."

The girl paused for a moment, then quickened her pace.

Seeing this, the aunt smiled and continued distributing the supplies, then explained, "And the 'old rules' I just mentioned were also learned by Xiao Fu and the others from Shen Qingqing."

"These are special times. It's understandable to take some things to survive, but we can't be bandits. So we have to leave a note with our names on it so we can come back and pay back the money later. And we don't take too much stuff; we leave some for the next person."

“Like a couple of days ago, we passed by a noodle shop to pick up some flour. The owner and his family actually lived on the second floor of the shop, but there were zombies on the first floor, so they were too scared to come down and almost starved to death. We cleared out the zombies and even helped them lock the shop door. They then gave us half of their flour.”

As the aunt spoke, the image of the shop owner's family being moved to tears of gratitude flashed through her mind, and she felt relieved. "So when we encounter shops like this later, we try our best to give half of what we find to the shop owner. If we can't find the shop owner, we share some with the people in distress nearby, so that everyone can have a better life."

Over the past few days, they have received countless expressions of gratitude, and many people, like Fu Jinhua and Chang Liang, have voluntarily joined the team after receiving help.

As everyone gathered together and supported each other, they gradually found that life was getting better day by day.

The young woman joined in the same way, unaware of the story behind it. Upon hearing this, she was both admiring and envious: "How is she so amazing? She knows everything, can do everything, and is such a good person..."

"Who says otherwise? Maybe some people are just born extraordinary." The aunt urged, "Alright, hurry up, we still have to deliver these things later."

Although the two of them kept their voices down, the room was only so big, and with everyone gathered together, it was inevitable that others would hear them.

Shen Mingjiang and Zang Lijun silently lowered their heads to tidy up, but they were actually listening intently the whole time.

Zang Lijun had a faint smile on her face.

With the outbreak of the virus, everyone I met, whether in the village or the county town, looked anxious and uneasy.

But these past few days, she's actually been in a better mood than before.

The father-in-law's silence, the mother-in-law's compromise, the praise from Aunt Li and others when they met, the village chief's frequent special visits, and now the gratitude of this group of strangers...

Life had never been better than it was now, and an indescribable emotion was growing stronger in her heart.

This emotion is like a gentle, warm current, waiting to accumulate day by day, continuously washing away and transforming her into a completely new person.

Shen Qingqing glanced at her mother's expression out of the corner of her eye, watched for a while, and then lowered her head to continue doing her own thing.

She overheard their whispered conversation and was certainly pleased, but she didn't feel that she could take all the credit.

What she did was merely a starting point; the establishment and operation of the team actually relied more on Fu Jinhua and Chang Liang, the couple.

If it weren't for their exceptional abilities and character, their willingness to lend a helping hand to the weak, their impartiality, and their fair treatment of every member, they wouldn't have earned the trust and following of so many people.

Furthermore, everyone in this team is actually grateful and kind-hearted.

Otherwise, if they didn't take all the supplies each time they received them, and then had to share half with others, it would probably have caused dissatisfaction long ago.

The aunt was right; they were indeed lucky, but not because they met her.

On the other hand, the team's operations over the past few days have been so successful because of the "superior" geographical environment.

The county town has a low population density, making it difficult for dense zombie hordes to form, and the probability of encountering evolved zombies is also low. At least so far, they have never encountered a single one.

If their luck continues and they don't encounter any evolved zombies, such a small team would be enough to survive until the end of the apocalypse.

Or at least, hold on until official aid arrives.

Several thoughts flashed through Shen Qingqing's mind as she heard someone calling her.

It is Fu Jinhua.

She and Chang Liang were carrying her share of supplies. "Qingqing, shall we help you put these in the car first?"

The two of them always wanted to repay her in some way. Since Shen Qingqing was unwilling to take much, they could only lend a hand in these small matters.

Shen Qingqing knew that not letting them do anything would only make them uneasy, so she nodded and said, "Okay, thank you."

"Oh, no need to thank me," Chang Liang said warmly, and went out first.

Fu Jinhua was a step behind, looking at Shen Qingqing, "We'll deliver the things on our way back, so you don't need to come along. You live far away, so go back and rest early. We'll meet at the same time tomorrow?"

After working together for a few days, the group had already established a set procedure. Fu Jinhua asked this question simply to confirm it.

Unexpectedly, Shen Qingqing hesitated for a moment and then refused: "I'm leaving the day after tomorrow. I've basically collected all the things I need for the journey these past few days, so I won't be traveling with you tomorrow."

"Meet me at the usual place at 3 p.m. After you're done here, come find me. Just the two of you don't need to bring anyone else."

Fu Jinhua was startled: "Leave? Where are you going?"

Shen Qingqing tightened her backpack and smiled, "Back to school, someone's waiting for me."

Go back to school?

Fu Jinhua was completely bewildered.

She knew it was the start of the school year... but with the virus outbreak and the country almost completely overrun, how could anyone still be thinking about returning to school?

Are you kidding me?

But judging from Shen Qingqing's serious expression, she didn't seem to be joking at all.

"You...which school are you from, and where are you from?" Fu Jinhua asked, still a little confused.

Shen Qingqing: "Fang Zhou is in S City."

Fangzhou.

Fu Jinhua felt the name sounded familiar, but her focus was quickly diverted by the mention of S City in the second half of the sentence: "That's too far!"

"Okay, don't worry," Shen Qingqing said simply.

Fu Jinhua hesitated, then suddenly noticed Zang Lijun and Shen Mingjiang beside her, remembering that the two seemed to be Shen Qingqing's parents.

They didn't come the past few days; this is the first time they've come with us.

Seeing the surprised expressions on their faces, which they had never heard Shen Qingqing mention this before, Fu Jinhua realized that Shen Qingqing probably didn't want to talk about it in front of her parents.

She said she wouldn't leave until the day after tomorrow, so I'll try to persuade her again when we meet tomorrow.

Fu Jinhua made up her mind and said no more: "Then see you tomorrow. Um... do you want to come out together?"

Shen Qingqing shook her head: "You guys go first, I have something to do."

"Okay, I'll put that thing in the car for you."

Fu Jinhua gave a signal, and the others, carrying their belongings, followed suit and left.

In an instant, only the family of three remained in the room.

Zang Lijun twisted her fingers together anxiously and asked, "Qingqing, what's this about going back to school?"

"Are you... are you leaving?" Zang Lijun's voice was a little hoarse.

She looked directly into her daughter's eyes, trying her best to hide her emotions.

Shen Mingjiang stood anxiously to the side, wanting to speak several times but then closing his mouth in embarrassment, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily as he nervously swallowed.

Dissuade? Try to persuade? Give advice?

Shen Qingqing probably won't listen to any of this, nor does she need it.

She had long since reached a place that even if they stretched out their hands, they could not reach.

Shen Qingqing didn't answer, but instead took off the backpack on her back and took out two daggers from it.

Clutching it in her hand and slinging her backpack back on, she finally answered Zang Lijun's question: "Mom, I want to ask that question again."

"I have to leave this place no matter what."

She glanced down at her toes, then looked up again with an unusually resolute gaze, simultaneously presenting a dagger: "Are you still willing to come with me?"