Chapter Three: Facing Zombies for the First Time

There were still about ten minutes left to prepare. Everyone present wore a look of anxious tension, gripping their weapons tightly. Even Watermelon clutched her knife, restless and uneasy, glancing around nervously.

Li Feidao, meanwhile, was focused on prying open a lock with his axe. The sales hall was located in a small county town rather than a bustling metropolis, and the counter selling domestic phones was secured with a bright red Sanhuan padlock. The axe couldn’t easily break it, but with careful leverage, he could pry out the straight metal shackle.

A tall and burly man, Li Feidao found the right spot and exerted all his strength. With a crisp snap, the shackle came free. He breathed a sigh of relief, gently removed the lock, and opened the cabinet to retrieve the phones inside.

These domestic phones were not smart devices, but old-fashioned feature phones. Their notable characteristic was their incredibly loud speaker volume—several times, if not more than ten times, that of brands like Samsung, HTC, Motorola, or Apple.

The “Sound East Plan” was simple: turn the phone’s volume to maximum, toss it into a corner, and use the blaring music to lure the zombies away. Care was needed, though—throw too hard, and while the phone itself might survive, the battery would surely pop out.

“All set. These domestic feature phones are simple to operate. You all know how to use them, right?” Li Feidao asked the four women.

They all nodded.

By holding down the call key, the phones powered on. The startup chime was so loud it startled the women, and they hurriedly muffled the phones until the sound stopped. Once settled, they navigated to the phone’s music folder—two songs were preloaded.

One was “Phoenix Legend,” the other “Most Dazzling Ethnic Style.”

Both songs were thunderous and high-pitched—perfect for attracting zombies.

The four women gripped the phones intently, practicing their operation with solemn expressions. Of them, only Qiu Xiaoyan looked plain; the other three were reasonably attractive, though their thin arms and legs made them seem unreliable.

There weren’t many phones in the display cabinet—just twelve. However, in the small storage room beneath, there were another forty or fifty. Li Feidao found the stockpile excessive; the wholesale price might be low, but how could they possibly sell so many in such a small town?

After rummaging around for a while, he found nearly a hundred sheets of phone stickers. He called Qi Xi and the others over and had them use the stickers to secure the batteries, so they wouldn’t fall out when thrown.

Many hands made light work, and soon the phones were ready.

Li Feidao checked his watch and said gravely, “Five minutes left. Steady yourselves. Stay alert and don’t make any mistakes. Be bold but careful, and you’ll survive.”

The group was inspired by his words. Hope flickered in their eyes as they nodded firmly. Qi Xi’s face remained expressionless, while Watermelon, hearing these familiar words, couldn’t help but recall fragments from a past life, lost in thought.

Li Feidao glanced at these two, a trace of displeasure in his heart, but said nothing.

Qi Xi’s legs had gone numb from squatting so long, so he quickly sat atop the counter. Taking a deep breath, he began the classic act of seeking divine help in a crisis, silently mouthing, “Amitabha, merciful Guanyin Bodhisattva, Tathagata Buddha, please bless me with good fortune...”

He wasn’t praying for safety, but for improved luck.

That’s right—luck, or more precisely, a boost to his luck stat. Qi Xi was preparing to use his random skill.

If he ended up with a useless skill, it would be a wasted opportunity. Given his track record, it wouldn’t be surprising if he drew something like [Fast Talker] or [Drooling Increase]—utterly pointless skills.

Despite his anxiety, Qi Xi could only proceed.

[Random skill draw in progress... Please wait... Five... Four... Three... Two...]

No one else could hear the voice in his mind. Qi Xi held his breath, his heart pounding with nerves.

[One...]

[Ding!]

His digitized worldview instantly displayed the new skill before his eyes.

[Name: Thirty Years of Single-Minded Focus]
[Category: Skill]
[Effect: Increases right hand strength by 50%. Duration: 40 seconds. Cooldown: 4 hours]
[Note: Why are you so strong? Ha! Because I’ve been single for thirty years, kid!]

Qi Xi stared at the skill in silence. It wasn’t bad, but the meaning behind the name was almost obscene. In this digitized worldview, everything seemed bizarre. If not for this system, the skill would simply appear in his mind with its effect, duration, and cooldown—no name or commentary. The names and notes were entirely the product of this twisted system.

He felt cheated.

For a moment he was frustrated, convinced he’d been duped into picking this digitized worldview. But he didn’t have long to dwell on it—a voice snapped him back to reality.

“It’s time.”

Li Feidao hefted his fire axe, stepped to the door, and spoke in a low voice.

Everyone rose at once. When the door opened, the four women dashed out first to execute the “Sound East” plan.

Soon, the thunderous sound of “Phoenix Legend” and “Most Dazzling Ethnic Style” blared from afar.

“Let’s move!”

Qi Xi and the others waited thirty seconds. Then, at Li Feidao’s signal, the four sprinted out.

The supermarket was only fifty meters from the sales hall. Running at full speed, they reached it in seven or eight seconds.

The moment they entered, lifting the curtain, a zombie reeking of putrefaction lunged at them.

“Roar!”

The zombie’s body was mottled with corpse spots, its eyes cloudy, mouth agape and drooling. The thick saliva dripped incessantly, laden with potent pathogens. The stench radiating from it was far worse than rotten eggs, nearly unbearable. The wounds on its body had already turned white and begun to rot—a truly terrifying sight.

Even though they’d mentally prepared themselves, the scene was more horrifying than any movie. The sight of the zombie was so revolting it almost made them want to flee on instinct.

The zombie opened its mouth wide, its throat convulsing, and let out a low, guttural growl. In an instant, it lunged, claws slashing through the air, its cloudy eyes seeming to glow with a feverish, pathological excitement—a primal urge that sent chills down their spines.

“Move quickly!”

Li Feidao’s voice was low and urgent as he swung his fire axe with a speed greater than the zombie’s, bringing it down savagely.

With a whoosh, the axe split the air and struck the zombie’s head with a crack, instantly shattering its skull like a smashed watermelon—red blood and white brain matter splattered everywhere, devoid of the usual scent of blood, leaving only the overpowering stench.

Standing too close, Li Feidao was sprayed with blood and brains, his skin burning with pain. Still, the zombie virus could only be transmitted through blood contact with wounds, so mere splatter was not fatal. The stench, however, was overwhelming, enough to make anyone retch.

Qi Xi and the others, heeding Li Feidao’s command, sprang into action—gathering food and water.

Of the four, Qi Xi was the calmest. He vaulted behind the cashier counter, grabbed a handful of bags, and tossed them to Watermelon and Nan Housheng. “Use these.”

They took the bags and swiftly dispersed, collecting supplies while keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. There was no way this was the only zombie in the store.

Li Feidao’s axe was stuck in the zombie’s skull. He gave the corpse a hard kick, wrenched the axe free, and glanced ruefully at the blade—too much hacking at skulls would soon dull it.

Zombies weren’t as fearsome as they looked. Their top speed barely matched a brisk human walk; their strength was ordinary. What made them truly terrifying was their utter disregard for death, the ease with which a scratch could infect others, and, above all, their endless numbers.