Chapter Four: Dire Circumstances

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[The Third Day...]

After writing these three words, Fan Li hesitated for a moment before putting down his fountain pen.

It was already the third day since the apocalypse began. Not only had the television gone silent, but even the radio had lost all signal, and by morning, the electricity that once illuminated his home was gone as well. This county town, never prosperous but always convenient, had become a city of the dead.

Fan Li had been waiting for rescue that never came. Much as he loathed to admit it, he had to accept the truth: the county had fallen into complete paralysis.

There was no order on the streets, only the wails and roars of zombies. Compared to the day, they seemed even more frenzied at night. Fan Li glanced at his watch; it was three in the morning.

“It’s about to begin.”

With a quiet sigh, Fan Li heard the piercing, continuous howls rise again outside his window.

After three days of careful observation, Fan Li had noticed that at this precise hour, the zombies outside would begin their wild howling, as if possessed. This madness lasted anywhere from five to ten minutes.

The night was deep and the room pitch dark. Outside, countless grotesque, terrifying zombies stood in the shadows. Shrill, ear-splitting screams echoed through every corner. If not for his experience over these past three days, Fan Li might have believed he had truly descended into hell.

Compared to nights, the zombies were much quieter by day. Lacking any form of entertainment, Fan Li spent most of his time exercising and sleeping.

He did not want to die, so he forced himself to maintain a basic exercise routine. Fortunately, he had always enjoyed sports—every weekend he and his friends would gather for basketball—so his physical condition was far better than most his age.

Beyond exercise, what occupied the longest hours was sleep. With the streets outside crawling with zombies and filled with harsh noises at night, daytime was far more suitable for rest and recovery.

“There’s not much food left,” Fan Li muttered, opening the refrigerator and frowning at the lone piece of bread, a single sausage, and half a bag of pickled vegetables.

With the power gone, the fridge was now useless. The only reason he kept food inside was from habit, a remnant of the world before the end.

Hope for rescue was dwindling fast.

He had originally planned to wait patiently for a rescue team, but now, with three days passed since the outbreak, not only had no help arrived, he hadn’t even seen a single living soul on the streets.

If he wanted to survive, he would have to rely on himself.

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His food supply was nearly gone. Though the power was out, the water was still running. Even so, with a full supply of water and relying on body fat, he could last five to seven more days. But water would keep him alive, not keep up his strength.

Once hunger set in and his strength began to wane, then all hope would truly be lost.

He couldn’t go on like this!

Fan Li clenched his fist.

No matter how he rationed, the remaining food would last only two more days. Any longer, and his physical abilities would begin to decline.

He cursed his solitary lifestyle. In the past, he had always relied on takeout and convenience foods; he had never bothered to stock up on rice or flour at home.

There were plenty of supermarkets outside, even a small convenience store in the neighboring housing complex. But the world outside was fraught with danger. If he charged out and was surrounded, not even “Aili” could save him—one person could not fight off so many. He would be torn apart and devoured.

After all, he was the only living thing left in this room. He dared not risk winding up the music box, and so he remained unsure of Aili’s true powers.

Outside was not an option.

But this building—this might be worth considering.

Of two evils, choose the lesser.

“Compared to the chaos outside, this apartment building might offer an opportunity. Even if there are zombies, their numbers can’t compare to those in the open. If I’m bold enough, maybe I can scavenge the supplies I need.”

No longer hesitating, Fan Li took a fierce bite of bread from the fridge.

Whatever happened, he had to try.

With his plan set, he finally felt a sense of purpose. The confusion, helplessness, and doubt that had plagued him vanished.

Only now did he truly enter a calm, collected state.

Compared to the streets, the apartment was undoubtedly safer. And compared to exploring other buildings, searching his own block was the most secure option.

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There were only two apartments per floor in this building. His neighbors had struck it rich and moved out long ago, leaving only abandoned junk behind. There would be nothing of value—or edible—there. Upstairs, aside from the married teachers who had died, the only other resident was an anime enthusiast from a well-off family who rarely stayed there, leaving only models and figurines.

“Downstairs lived an elderly couple. The wife was bedridden, cared for solely by her husband. They rarely went out, except when their children visited and took them home for a while, leaving the apartment empty.”

Fan Li shut the windows tightly and began pounding the floor with his fists. The thumping echoed through the building—anyone with hearing would notice such a racket. But downstairs, there was no response at all.

“Could it be... the old couple were out when the apocalypse hit?”

“Unlike me, old people always keep a stock of food. If I could search their apartment, maybe I’d find what I need.”

But the door below was tightly shut. Breaking into an old community apartment wasn’t hard; the challenge was whether he could avoid drawing the attention of any lurking enemies while prying it open.

So, after much deliberation, Fan Li narrowed his target to the deceased teachers’ apartment upstairs. He remembered that day clearly—the man was panicked, the woman in an apron, her face twisted and utterly irrational. In such chaos, it was likely their door had been left unlocked.

Burglary was a serious crime. In peaceful times, not even ten times his courage would have compelled Fan Li to enter someone’s home without permission.

But this was the apocalypse. Order had collapsed; the law was shrouded in darkness. In the face of despair, so-called propriety had vanished.

Survival came first. For Fan Li, nothing was more important now than staying alive.

He now had a reason—no, an obligation—to hunt for food.

All hope for rescue was nearly gone. While he still had strength, even if he encountered a zombie, he might have a chance to fight back. But if he waited until hunger sapped his strength, there would be no hope at all.

“There’s a hammer left over from renovations.”

“Maybe I...”

“I can use it as a weapon, at least to defend myself...”