Chapter Seventeen: A Moment of Peace

There was another terrifying discovery—Ma Yi learned from Tie Zhu that zombies were not limited to devouring humans. High-level zombies could even consume ordinary zombies to fuel their own evolution. However, this was not the preferred choice; not only did their own kind taste unpleasant, but the energy within the bodies of regular zombies had mostly been depleted and transformed. Even ten zombies could not compare to the nourishment a single human offered.

The higher the rank of the zombie, the more reluctant it was to eat its kin. Those who had gained intelligence found the idea revolting.

“Wow!” Liu Xue, standing inside the van, called out joyfully as the gate to the villa district drew near. Even Liu Wen’s parents, sitting in the back seat, couldn’t hide a trace of excitement on their faces.

“Hold on tight; don’t fall out,” Liu Wen’s mother called after Liu Xue, though her hands tenderly supported her daughter’s back. Everyone she cared for was now at her side in this changed world; there was little left to worry about.

The van wound its way through the roads between the villas, with Ma Yi leading them all the way to the largest house at the summit. He drove straight through the gate. Ma Yi had cleared out the zombies in this villa the day before, so as long as the courtyard was empty, the rooms would be safe and they could freely explore.

As soon as the vehicle stopped in front of the house, Liu Xue leapt out, running excitedly inside.

“Be careful, watch where you’re going!” Liu Wen called nervously, climbing out after her.

“It’s fine, I already cleared the inside yesterday,” Ma Yi reassured her with a smile. He instructed Tie Zhu to pull the heavy iron gate shut, turning the villa and its courtyard into a secure zone. Besides, what zombie would be foolish enough to challenge two strong J-class zombies here?

“It’s all safe now—the house, the yard. Tomorrow I’ll clear out the zombies outside as well. Once the whole district is secure, you can go wherever you like,” Ma Yi said, leading Liu Wen’s parents inside. The elderly couple’s eyes shone with curiosity as they took in their new surroundings.

The house was three and a half stories, capped by a four-meter-tall sunroom made of steel, spacious and filled with stone tables and benches. The sunroom connected to a two-story annex, likely the servant’s quarters. The whole space was enclosed by fifteen-millimeter-thick tempered double glass, keeping the winter winds at bay while bathing the area in sunlight.

In summer, two standing air conditioners lined the wall, and a shading net could be pulled across the top to block the sun—currently it was rolled up, but it would be invaluable once the heat arrived, or else the sunroom would become a sauna.

Below, a diesel generator module supplied all the villa’s power needs, and a dozen solar panels lined the fence. The house’s previous owner was clearly a tech enthusiast—these solar panels alone could meet all their energy requirements. Other villas had diesel generators, but only this one had solar, making it both eco-friendly and quiet.

After Liu Xue had run up and down inside for a while, she joined her sister and parents to help clean. Ma Yi used the chance to head down to the supermarket for supplies. He made ten trips, carrying thirty bags of rice each time, until the van finally ran out of fuel. Fortunately, with so many luxury cars around, he simply siphoned some gas and the van was back in action.

He took as much meat and vegetables as possible, pushing out over three million yuan worth of luxury cars from the underground garage to make room for the supplies. The perishables were placed near the entrance; items with a longer shelf life were stacked at the back.

Seeing Chen Yuanshan anxiously waiting at his door but not daring to come out, Ma Yi tossed them a few boxes of imported ham and some rice. As for the other villa residents, Ma Yi distributed supplies according to his mood—some got more, some less. Eventually, the survivors would have to fend for themselves once he’d cleared the district of zombies.

“Wow, brother-in-law, are you planning to fill the garage to the brim?” Liu Xue sat inside a fire-red Ferrari, watching Ma Yi hustle back and forth. It was a shame to see all those gorgeous cars pushed out—supercars loved by boys and girls alike, and he didn’t care at all. Only after much pleading did he save this one for her. Now, the garage was packed with supplies, perishables in front, long-lasting goods in the back.

“This is the last run. We have enough food, and the kitchen and household supplies will last a year. If we run out, I’ll get more,” Ma Yi said, unloading the daily necessities and wiping the sweat from his brow. After a whole day’s work, he’d just begun to sweat, while Tie Zhu, as always, remained untouched by fatigue.

“You’re back? Wash up, it’s time to eat,” Liu Wen called as she came downstairs, her eyes filled with warmth. She was delighted with their new home, but more importantly, she was satisfied with the person who’d made it possible.

“Oh, dinner! Afterward, I want to watch a movie,” Liu Xue said, bouncing out of the car and skipping over to link arms with Liu Wen, pressing so close her petite chest was distorted. Ma Yi stared, swallowing hard.

“What a pity,” Ma Yi sighed—not for Liu Xue, but because the internet was completely down. It was one of the many aftereffects of the recent solar flares. There might still be some functioning communication or network base stations somewhere, but not in P City. Only yesterday he’d told Chen Yuanshan that the outside network still worked, but upon returning, Liu Wen informed him that even the last few connections had failed.

Dinner was sumptuous. They used the servants’ massive rice cooker—Ma Yi’s appetite was formidable, and the cooker could make enough rice for nearly twenty people, just enough for the group. The two sisters ate little, just a small bowl with some vegetables; Liu Wen’s parents also had modest portions, so the rest was left for Ma Yi, who was now a bottomless pit. Tie Zhu showed little interest in human food, so Ma Yi told him to find his own.

As for Tie Zhu’s diet, animals were just as suitable as humans, but Ma Yi instructed him not to hunt any of the people in the district unless given permission.

Tie Zhu agreed without concern—one meal could sustain him for a long time. With nothing else to do, Ma Yi told him to chase all the zombies out of the district, sparing Ma Yi the effort. It seemed taking Tie Zhu as a subordinate was the right call.

“Brother-in-law, you eat so much, but your belly never gets any bigger?” Liu Xue asked, sitting with Ma Yi in the theater room, even reaching out to poke his stomach.

“I honestly don’t know. I eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full—it’s that simple,” Ma Yi replied helplessly. This little troublemaker insisted on sitting between him and Liu Wen, making it impossible for him to get closer. Liu Wen’s parents took care of cleaning up after dinner—Liu Wen would have helped too, but her mother stopped her.

“How wonderful it is to have electricity again. I’ve never missed it so much,” Ma Yi thought as he sat in the air-conditioned room. He’d checked—the storage room’s batteries were fully charged, and the solar panels outside were working perfectly. Even if the sun failed, the basement held a diesel generator with a ten-thousand-liter tank, enough for three or four months of power.

That night, Ma Yi was unable to sleep with Liu Wen. As Liu Xue put it, she couldn’t sleep well alone in a strange place unless her sister held her. Liu Wen’s parents pretended not to notice and retired early, so, under the resentful gaze of Ma Yi, Liu Wen—blushing and apologetic—followed Liu Xue upstairs, leaving Ma Yi alone in the theater, lost in thought.

Over the next few days, Ma Yi checked each villa to ensure no zombies remained. The entire community was surrounded by a three-meter-high wrought iron fence; once the main gate was sealed, ordinary zombies wouldn’t be a threat. As for mutated zombies, they’d have to consider whether they could handle two formidable adversaries before making trouble.

As long as they guarded against regular zombies, the mutated ones—being intelligent—could sense the presence of Ma Yi and Tie Zhu and would generally avoid provoking them.

The happiest about the eradication of zombies in the district were Chen Yuanshan and the other survivors. With food and renewed strength, they could move about freely. After checking with Ma Yi, they began moving supplies into their villas, though none dared take too much at once. As Ma Yi said, after he sealed the main gate, it would be safe for now—take what you need, and when it runs out, get more. But when the supermarket was finally empty, they’d have to venture out and find new resources themselves.

Ma Yi and Tie Zhu hauled massive stones from a nearby construction site, each weighing three or four hundred pounds, and stacked them at the main gate. Some women who came for supplies cast flirtatious glances at the two men—after all, in this new world, having powerful protectors like Ma Yi and Tie Zhu was a rare advantage.

Taking a break, Ma Yi let a few of the women take liberties, and several pretty young wives and girls eagerly admired his muscles. No one bothered with Tie Zhu—he looked far more intimidating than Ma Yi, and those blood-red eyes were warning enough. After a few failed attempts, the women learned to steer clear, focusing all their attention on Ma Yi.

A gap just under four meters wide was left at the main gate. Ma Yi rolled two Toyota Land Cruisers into place to block it—this would serve as an exit for future trips.

Among the many vehicles, Ma Yi found a Ford pickup. Though a bit cramped, with the roof removed, he could drive it. After securing the gate, he began modifying the truck using tools and wiring scavenged from the nearby construction site—cutting machines, angle grinders, everything he needed. Liu Xue watched him cut into the pickup with excitement, circling him with a look of anticipation. Ma Yi shuddered inwardly—this little girl had quite the destructive streak.