Chapter Twenty-Six: The Laboratory (Part One)

Searching relentlessly, a week passed in the blink of an eye. Zhao Qiang had scoured every possible place near his home, rescuing many survivors, yet not a trace of his wife could be found.

That very day, Zhao Qiang brought Dr. Mei Qiu to the supermarket. Their shared ordeal and youth quickly helped Mei Qiu bond with Li Zihan and the others. Wei Tao said nothing; to him, one more or one less person made no difference—the burden on his shoulders remained the same.

As Zhao Qiang’s search continued, the ranks of survivors grew. Even a small rescue squad, with Zhao Qiang's help, managed to reach the supermarket safely. With more people around, Wei Tao’s load lightened considerably. Under Mei Qiu’s direction, every new arrival underwent tests for restorative abilities. The results left Zhang Yongming rather disheartened; apart from himself, everyone else possessed superhuman healing.

“Any idea what’s causing this?” Zhao Qiang, in his usual lazy fashion, flopped onto the soft sofa.

Mei Qiu shook her head. “I don’t know. We don’t have any equipment here. I can’t analyze it yet.”

“Tell me what you need, and I’ll get it for you,” Zhao Qiang said lightly. The recent battles had given him plenty of experience. Even if he were to face a mutant zombie—the Crusher—again, he was confident he could take it down quickly.

“I’m coming too. Damn, I’ve been cooped up for too long.” The speaker was Cai Jiashu, a lieutenant in the army. After losing contact with the main force, he and his squad had held their position at the rendezvous point. Only after encountering Zhao Qiang and learning the situation did they follow him to the supermarket. After a few days of rest, upon hearing Zhao Qiang was heading out to find lab equipment, the burly man’s spirits rose.

“There’s a hospital not far from here, supposed to have the best equipment in Changsha. Tell us what you need, and we’ll bring it back,” Zhao Qiang said, as if fetching machines were no different from rescuing people.

“If only it were that simple,” Mei Qiu replied despondently, sinking into her chair. “The equipment is too large. Without trained personnel and proper tools, none of you can guarantee it’ll be brought back intact.”

“It’s still better than sitting around here,” Cai Jiashu muttered. He stood, saluted, and said, “Don’t worry, Doctor Mei. We’ll be careful—we won’t damage your equipment!” His scholarly name belied his true nature—a born warrior who cared for nothing but the chance to fight.

“No. One mistake and those machines are useless. I can’t let you risk your lives just to bring back a pile of scrap metal,” Mei Qiu shot down the idea at once.

Cai Jiashu hesitated, full of respect for doctors. Seeing Mei Qiu’s refusal, he had no choice but to rub his hands together helplessly and sit back down, glancing at Zhao Qiang, hoping he might plead his case.

Zhao Qiang nodded to Cai Jiashu, signaling him to be calm. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Doctor Mei, what if we escort you there, and you do the work on site?”

“That could work!” Cai Jiashu exclaimed. “That way, you won’t have to worry about us damaging your equipment.”

Mei Qiu shook her head, about to object, but Zhao Qiang interrupted her. “I understand your concerns, Doctor Mei. This mission is risky, but if it can help us understand what’s happened to us, it’s worth it. As for your safety, I promise: as long as I live, I’ll get you back here unharmed.”

“We’ll make sure the mission succeeds!” Cai Jiashu and several members of the rescue team stood, giving their assurance.

Seeing their determination, Mei Qiu finally nodded her consent.

“I’ll need an assistant,” she said as everyone began to prepare. She stopped Zhao Qiang before he could leave. “Preferably someone with a medical background.”

With a medical background? Zhao Qiang glanced at Li Zihan and asked, “Doctor Mei, how about me? Given the uncertainties we might face, I can't guarantee everyone's safety. The more people, the greater the risk—I don't want Li Zihan exposed to danger as well.”

“It’s fine. I can manage alone; I’d just need more time,” Mei Qiu replied, not pressing the issue. She, too, understood the dangers ahead.

“Brother Zhao, let me come with you. I won’t hold you back!” To everyone’s surprise, the delicate Li Zihan stood up, walked to Zhao Qiang, and volunteered.

“Let her go.” Wei Tao, who had been silent until now, spoke up. To protect the supermarket, he’d never joined Zhao Qiang’s missions, which meant Zhao Qiang had never had to worry about anything at home. “She can take care of herself.” Wei Tao had his reasons—recently, Li Zihan had been learning combat skills, mostly to get closer to him, and had put him through his paces. She was no longer the fragile girl she had once been.

Seeing Wei Tao’s approval, Zhao Qiang no longer objected. He smiled, patted Li Zihan’s shoulder, and said, “Alright, you’ll assist Doctor Mei. Leave the fighting to us.”

On the bus, Zhao Qiang surveyed the group. Cai Jiashu and his team sat together, excitedly checking their gear as if heading to a routine drill, not a deadly battle. Li Zihan sat with Mei Qiu, who was quietly instructing her, the girl nodding earnestly.

As their destination neared, Zhao Qiang stood and announced, “Everyone, our mission is to protect Doctor Mei and her research. To avoid unnecessary trouble, we need to keep noise to a minimum. No one is to fire unless absolutely necessary. Understood?”

Zhao Qiang had earned the respect of the fighters through his actions. Though young, he had become their de facto leader.

“No problem!” they replied in unison. Cai Jiashu even drew his knife and twirled it. If it came down to blades, he thought, he’d show the zombies who the true master was.

Seeing their fighting spirit, Zhao Qiang nodded, then looked at Li Zihan and Mei Qiu. “Zihan, take care of Doctor Mei. No matter what happens outside, I don’t want either of you affected. Can you do that?” With Li Zihan, Zhao Qiang always spoke gently, never commanding—she was like a younger sister to him.

Li Zihan nodded playfully. “Mission accepted, Comrade Zhao.” With a grin, she pulled the still-nervous doctor into conversation.