"Thud!" With a dull sound, Wang Qiang's back hit the ground heavily.
"Hey, Qiang, you, are you okay?"
Seeing his brother fall and muffled groan, Tang Xiaoquan assumed he was injured, and hurriedly rushed forward.
"I'm, haha, I'm fine." Awkwardly wiping the sweat off his face, Wang Qiang struggled to stand, a wave of aching pain surged through his body.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"No, I'm not, let's quickly get inside! Those beasts are almost here!"
Indifferently nodding, Tang Xiaoquan understood that this was not the time for pretenses at the brink of survival, so without another word, he supported the dazed and weak woman and headed inside.
As soon as they stepped into the house, Wang Qiang followed with the baseball bat that had fallen to the ground earlier.
Watching the delicious food gradually move away, the frenzied zombie howled at the sky, desperately waving its shriveled arms, angrily scratching at the folding bed, intending to chase the fleeing delicacy. Yet, the one-meter-high fence was an obstacle it couldn't overcome no matter what.
After returning to the small room, the trio of King Tang wasted no time and swiftly hid in the inner bedroom. After all, the woman's series of "ghostly wailings" had already attracted the attention of the zombies downstairs. It wouldn't be long before they came to attack.
However, what Tang Xiaoquan didn't expect was that the zombies arrived faster than he anticipated; just as he was closing the bedroom door, the dragging footsteps echoed from the corridor.
"Ah~ woo woo~" The woman was about to scream, but Tang Xiaoquan quickly covered her mouth and scolded softly: "Do you want to get us killed? Stop shouting! Do you understand?"
Trembling, the woman nodded, her face full of terror, perhaps realizing she had overreacted. After she nodded in agreement, Tang Xiaoquan sighed lightly and gently added: "I know you're scared, I'm scared too, but to survive, we must overcome our inner fears. Now, I need you to control this fear and stay quiet; otherwise, if those beasts outside detect our presence, then we…"
Tang Xiaoquan didn't finish his sentence, worrying that it would burden the woman unnecessarily. Besides, he believed that, as long as she wasn't foolish, she would understand the implication of his words.
In the bedroom, the three remained silent. In just a short while, the enclosed 9-square-meter room was overwhelmed by the stifling air, making their stay unbearable.
Wang Qiang subconsciously glanced at the woman sitting with her knees hugged beside him; the intimate contact with her earlier still lingered on his mind.
But it wasn't surprising, given that he was a man, after all, a young guy just over twenty at the peak of his vigor.
Moreover, at this critical moment, such a delightful feeling could alleviate some of the fear caused by the beasts outside. But the downside was that his sweat was now uncontrollable, akin to a faucet left open.
"It seems these beasts have significantly enhanced hearing after their mutation." Tang Xiaoquan wiped the sweat off his face, continually pondering the clues he had about zombie behavior over the past two days.
There's no choice; no one knows how long this catastrophe will last, so it's always wise to prepare in advance—something constantly emphasized by the Law of Survival.
Time slowly passed as each of the three harbored their own thoughts. The air in the room grew thinner, but even so, none of them had the intention to open the door.
The zombies wandered mindlessly outside, deprived of sound, they clustered like headless flies, occasionally bumping against the surrounding walls with dull thuds, as if venting their inner emotions.
Thus, humans and zombies stalemated until the deep night's darkness gradually faded, and only then did the beasts reluctantly leave the corridor, one by one.
Listening carefully to the diminishing sounds from the corridor, Tang Xiaoquan finally felt a little relieved.
"They've left, let's go outside. But be careful, there might still be stubborn ones in the corridor, so let's be cautious and avoid making loud noises. …Hey, do you understand?"
Patting the woman beside him, Tang Xiaoquan felt uneasy seeing her tremble almost all night; he was worried about her mental state since a single scream like last night's could spell disaster...
Absentmindedly nodding, the woman was evidently still trapped in her nightmarish memories.
"Sigh~" Tang Xiaoquan sighed helplessly, understanding the woman's reaction.
He stood up and took a T-shirt and beach shorts from his wardrobe. In a calm tone, he said: "Don't worry, it's over now. At least, for the moment, we're safe. Also, I've got these clothes for you; the bathroom is outside. I suggest you clean up, change into fresh clothes, and adjust your mood."
Handing the clothes to the woman, Tang Xiaoquan called Wang Qiang outside and soberly stated in a low voice: "Starting today, we need to reduce our meals, from two a day to one."
There's no alternative; with more mouths to feed, the former food reserves barely suffice for Tang Wang alone, let alone now with the addition of the woman. After weighing the situation all night, Tang Xiaoquan had to explain the gravity of the situation to Wang Qiang.