Lingquan jumped unto the counter, repeating Bai Shiyue’s question.
"What are you making."
"I guess vegetables lo in, stead rice and egg drop soup. Whatever i find in the fridge."
[If there’s so fish there, grill it up for .]
"Thought you weren’t interested in human food."
["..."]
[With how the apocalypse has changed, I’m actually feeling hungry.]
Qingran chuckled slightly, she was kinda happy the apocalypse was only affecting certain places. If she could survive this, then in 30 months tis, she’d be out of this hell for good.
"What is the zombie count so far? Before and after..."
Lingquan sprawled lazily across the counter, his tail flicking back and forth as he pulled up a translucent screen only Qingran could see.
[Initial outbreak: 2.4 million infected in the first 72 hours.]
"..."
That’s more than the people in all zones.
[Current active count across all five zones: approximately 1.9 million. That includes both turned and ferals. The numbers are unstable, so evolved, so decayed, and so... disappeared.]
Qingran poured the egg mixture into the simring broth, watching it swirl into delicate ribbons.
"Disappeared..how?"
[A few reports from the surveillance nodes showed so zombies simply vanish after staying dormant too long. No decay. No remains. Just gone. Possibly absorbed or reclassified.]
"Reclassified?"
[Can’t confirm. System data is incomplete. This version of the apocalypse is layered, we’re missing pieces.]
Qingran stirred the pot, her mind working as fast as her hands. "So the numbers don’t just drop because we kill them. The environnt itself is unstable. That’s not how it was last ti."
[Exactly. And the ones that are still around? Stronger. Smarter. So are mutating early. I’d say each zombie you t is the better version of next zombie. It’s not going to be an easy fight.]
Qingran scoffed. "Great. Zombies with initiative."
She opened the fridge, spotting a few sealed packets of frozen white fish. She tossed one onto the counter beside Lingquan and flicked the switch on the induction grill.
"I’ll make yours first so you don’t complain."
[That’s why you’re my favorite host.]
"Because I feed you?"
[Because you didn’tdie. Yet at least.]
She rolled her eyes and stepped aside while the fish sizzled on the grill, the scent of ginger and scallions quickly filling the space.
The rice cooker beeped again, right on cue.
"Push the updated map stats to my dashboard after dinner. I want to see which sectors are losing survivors the fastest."
[Already prepared. Spoiler: Guyoung’s burning through them. Half their zone turned into a nest.]
"Not my problem," she muttered, plating the lo in with a practiced hand. "If I want to et Feng Yizhou I’d have to pass through each zone to get to him. If Guyoung is all zombie...it would be impossible to fight your way through."
She grabbed two bowls and set them aside—one for Lingquan, who wouldn’t technically need it, and one for herself.
The rest she began arranging into simple, portioned trays.
One thing at a ti. Feed the group. Scan the map. Set a route. Inventory supplies. Secure the rest of the hotel.
They started filling out after taking their baths, ng Nian and Feng Yuxi were all cladded in black.
Black turtleneck sleeves and cargo pants paired with boots. Yuxi even had fingerless gloves on.
"You guys look cool.."
".."
Feng Yuxi smiled, she didn’t want to admit it looking at the situation but she looked so badass right now, she was crying inwardly.
"I can’t say the sa thing about myself.."
Bai Shiyue was wearing the sa thing as them but due to her protunding belly, she looked quite out of place.
"A mother fighting to protect her child. There’s no one cooler than you here."
Qingran offered her a seat, as Shiyue smiled..thanking her.
Qingran didn’t join them to eat, not yet. She had to take a shower herself. Before all the ash and filth got stuck to her body.
"Lingquan what’s the closest mall here.."
[Mhm...that would be RED, it’s 2 miles away from this hotel. What are you planning to do?]
Qingran smiled, the best thing the apocalypse could offer.
"Raiding. I’m going to clear the mall.."
["..."]
[Why am I not surprised.]
"I have to get all the good stuff before others get it."
She took off her clothes as she got into the room, placing them neatly on the bed before stepping into the shower.
She left the hot water soothe her skin, washing all the sand, soot and ash off her body.
Lingquan hovered near the bathroom doorway, lounging in the air like so overgrown housecat with too much curiosity and not enough sha.
He peeked in with his back turned.
[You’re too calm about this.]
"It’s just a mall, not a war zone."
[With how unstable things are, it could be both. What if it’s already a nest?]
"Then I’ll clear it. It’s not hard."
[You’re not even going to take one of them with you?]
Qingran scrubbed the dried blood from under her fingernails. "They’re not ready. Yuxi’s hands are still shaking, Bai Shiyue can’t move too fast, and ng Nian’s pretending not to limp."
[You noticed all that?]
"I notice everything."
Lingquan stayed quiet after that. He knew better than to argue when she slipped into that tone.
She didn’t ask for help, she never did.
She just calculated and moved. If the others needed ti to adjust, she would give them ti.
By keeping every threat at bay herself.
After the water stopped, she dried off briskly and pulled on a clean set of clothes, loose black cargo pants, a snug grey top, utility vest, gloves, and a lightweight jacket with interior holsters sewn in. Her hair she tied back in a firm tail, away it from her face.
She erged from the room, twisting her belt tight and tucking two slim blades into the sides.
"Where are you heading?"
Yuxi asked, seeing her all dressed up...she knew it wasn’t for sleeping.
"I’m scouting for a bit. You all stay in this suite and don’t leave."
Bringing out a gun, bullet, baseball bat and knife, she handed it to them.
"Use this to protect yourselves if anything happens."
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