Chapter 85

The municipal government was in session.

The zombie outbreak was, of course, a national calamity—a sorrow that many people could not bear to remember.

And yet, for those who had displayed courage, composure, decisiveness, and perseverance in the midst of the crisis, it had also been a turning point in their lives.

Secretary Sun had never expected to become vice mayor at his age. It was many years ahead of the career path he had planned for himself.

The meeting had already covered several agenda items. They were now discussing whether to commend the civilians who had performed outstandingly, as they had in the past.

Previously, once a disaster had passed, this had always been part of the process.

Commendations, appearances on the news, red flowers pinned to their chests, certificates, prize money, and so on.

Good role models could inspire good social conduct. It was all part of developing a spiritually civilized society.

But this time, the matter was particularly complicated and delicate.

In the past, the people who had distinguished themselves during earthquakes, floods, and fires had generally been involved in “rescuing” others.

This time was different. Government officials had privately spoken with some of the organizers and leaders among the civilians, and many of them had said, “No need. Really, no need.”

Everyone seemed somewhat evasive.

Because during this disaster, there had been more than just “rescue.”

There had also been killing.

Along with it had come looting and coercive violence.

Sometimes, violence had to be met with violence.

Those regarded by the public as heroes and leaders might very well also have the blood of living people on their hands.

If it was impossible to determine whether someone was “pure white,” then it would be a serious problem if something happened after the government had elevated that person as a model citizen.

It could even have a negative influence on society.

That was why the discussion had grown so heated.

The relatively young Vice Mayor Sun frowned at his phone.

It happened to be the tea break. The meeting was suspended while everyone got up to use the restroom, make phone calls, and so on.

Vice Mayor Zheng called out to him.

Vice Mayor Sun looked up.

Vice Mayor Zheng asked, “What’s wrong? You’ve been frowning at that phone for ages.”

Vice Mayor Sun leaned over and handed him the phone. “Do you remember Jiang Cheng from the Youth Apartments in the Science and Technology New District? She just sent a mass text message.”

Vice Mayor Zheng put on his reading glasses, took the phone, and held it at arm’s length.

After reading the message, he frowned too.

“Ridiculous,” he said. “We haven’t received any news. Where did she get this information?”

Hearing that, Vice Mayor Sun felt reassured.

They were the government. They represented the state.

If something like this had happened, the state would have discovered it and issued a warning first. It was impossible for the central government to know nothing while an ordinary citizen had found out ahead of it.

“So this still won’t do. We’ve always thought this girl was excellent, haven’t we? And now look at her—she’s suddenly become unreliable.” Vice Mayor Zheng sighed.

When the topic of “outstanding civilians” had first come up, both he and Vice Mayor Sun had immediately thought of the young woman from the Science and Technology New District.

Vice Mayor Sun, who had dealt with Jiang Cheng directly, tried to defend her. “You can’t really blame her. She’s still so young—a girl, really. So many middle-aged people have suffered mental breakdowns. How can we expect a young woman like her to be unaffected?”

In the month since the pandemic, the number of patients seeking psychological counseling at hospitals across the country had soared.

The number of new patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals had risen sharply as well.

Far too many people had developed psychological problems.

And these problems often manifested belatedly.

They might not have been visible at the time.

At the time, you might simply have thought that someone was calm and rational. In reality, they might already have been insane.

Vice Mayor Sun sighed, agreeing with Vice Mayor Zheng. “Let’s forget it this time. We’ll skip the commendation segment.”

The matter was settled.

To be on the safe side, they would not establish any individual as a model citizen this time. They would issue only general commendations, without naming any specific people.

Everyone had used the restroom and finished their tea, and they gradually returned to their seats.

The meeting continued.

The government building was tall and symmetrical.

The floors had high ceilings, and the corridors were broad. Every office was spacious and dignified, without any sense of crampedness.

Except for the private offices of certain leaders, nearly all the office doors stood open, allowing the spaces to flow into one another.

People came and went.

After sending the mass text from Lucky West Street, Jiang Cheng immediately grabbed her suitcase and strode toward the eastern entrance of the residential compound.

The security guard at the east gate saw her and greeted her. “Welcome back, Miss Jiang.”

Without warning, Jiang Cheng pointed at him with one finger, first at him and then at the security booth. “The zombie virus is coming. Get inside the security booth later and don’t come out. Lock the door from the inside!”

The guard froze.

Jiang Cheng demanded, “Do you understand?”

She stared directly into his eyes, putting him under tremendous psychological pressure. He hurriedly nodded. “I understand.”

Jiang Cheng turned and strode toward Building Two without looking back.

The guard stared blankly at her retreating figure for a while. Then he glanced around, hurried into the security booth, and locked the door from inside.

The booth was small, but its door could be locked, and the windows were fitted with metal bars.

Inside were a U-shaped fork, a steel pipe, and a full set of protective armor.

There was also a case of instant noodles and sausages. After the pandemic, everyone had developed a hoarding habit. Even the stingy property manager had stocked instant noodles and sausages in both the property office and the security booth.

“Although it’s impossible for there to be zombies again,” he had said, “what if there’s an earthquake or something? Better to be prepared.”

So although the security booth was tiny, it had everything one could need. It really was an ideal place to hide.

After locking the door, the guard sat down and looked around at the supplies in the booth, a sense of security rising within him.

It was still two hours before most people got off work, so there were very few residents in the compound.

Jiang Cheng hurried along with rapid footsteps. Up ahead, Master Luo came toward her.

“Miss Jiang!” Master Luo was walking quickly too, heading straight for her. “That text message you sent...”

Jiang Cheng did not slow down. “Get back inside. If there are two of you, have one person stay in the bathroom and lock the door.”

Master Luo kept pace with her. “Is it really true?”

Jiang Cheng did not slacken her pace. The wheels of her suitcase scraped noisily against the ground. “I’ve notified everyone I could. Whether you believe it is your choice.”

She was back. She had returned.

Master Luo felt that the “Miss Jiang” from the disaster period had returned.

Toward the end of the zombie outbreak, the Provisional Committee had essentially had nothing left to do. It existed in name only.

At that time, Miss Jiang had seemed to turn back into an ordinary young woman.

But now, the decisive, ruthless Jiang Cheng of the Provisional Committee had returned.

Master Luo stopped, turned around, and changed direction. “I’m going to tell the property management!”

The property office was in the basement of Building One, so he ran there.

But the property manager did not believe a word Jiang Cheng had said.

The manager glared at him. “Bullshit! Don’t listen to her nonsense! Who does she think she is—the prime minister? How could she know about this? Why isn’t it on television? If something like this were really happening, would the government not warn us in advance and tell us to hide? Do you believe her, or do you believe the state?”

Master Luo was not an assertive man by nature, but this time he was unusually firm.

“I believe both.”

The property manager was furious. “You!”

Master Luo knew that anyone who had not lived through life and death alongside Miss Jiang could never understand the kind of trust one comrade placed in Jiang Cheng.

There was no way to explain it to the manager.

He immediately called his coworkers over the radio. “I just received word from Miss Jiang that the zombie virus is coming back today. Everyone, hurry up and find somewhere to hide. Two people to a room—one person in the bedroom and one in the bathroom. Or find another empty room if you prefer.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” The manager protested. “Are you the manager, or am I?”

Master Luo said, “I’m heading back. You should find somewhere to hide too. Xinyan, hurry back!”

Yang Xinyan had been hunched over the whole time, listening to Master Luo and the manager argue. When she heard Master Luo call her, she perked up. “Coming!”

She scampered upstairs after Master Luo, pretending not to notice the manager’s ugly expression.

The finance clerk came over at a sluggish pace. “Manager, they’ve all left, so what about me...?”

The manager was furious. “Go, go, go! Leave, all of you!”

The finance clerk happily went back to grab her bag. “Bye, Manager.”

She didn’t believe the zombies were really coming back. The government had already announced that they’d been completely wiped out.

Still, getting off work early was all that mattered.

The property management office was having a hard time recruiting people and was still seriously understaffed. Fortunately, Guo Jun and the others from Maiduo worked part-time nights, which was enough to keep things running.

Once those people left, the property management center was empty.

The manager stood there with his hands on his hips, seething.

After thinking it over, he called his wife. “I’m not coming home tonight. Something came up. I’ll stay in the dormitory, so don’t worry about me.”

He wasn’t going home. He was determined to see how this “Miss Jiang” planned to explain herself if the zombie virus failed to appear.

The moment Jiang Cheng reached the ground floor, she sensed the telepathic connection.

She raised her right hand, and the entirely black cat leaped down from a tree branch onto her arm. It climbed along her arm and shoulder, making its way around to her left shoulder.

Then it began:

“Meow—”

“Meow—”

“Stop cursing, stop cursing.” Jiang Cheng already had a headache. “I came back, didn’t I?”

Even without telepathy to translate, anyone could tell that the cat was using some very foul language.

And it was understandable. She had been gone for an entire month—far too long. No wonder the cat was angry.

During that time, Li Jiangbing had occasionally sent her updates about the cat.

Saw your cat in the pavilion today.

Saw your cat by the fountain tomorrow.

Your cat got into a fight with He Tian’s dog.

Gao Yuxuan teased your cat and got scratched on the butt.

And so on.

“Let’s go home,” Jiang Cheng said to the cat. “The zombies are coming back.”

The instant the message reached the cat through their telepathic connection, its cursing abruptly stopped.

Its tiny mouth tightened, and its dark-green eyes turned solemn.

Li Jiangbing was the next person to arrive at the residential compound after Jiang Cheng. Riding a bicycle, he got there in ten minutes.

The security guard pushed open the window and greeted him through the metal bars. “Miss Jiang just came back. She said the zombies are coming again!”

“I know.” Li Jiangbing leaned forward and glanced inside. “You’re hiding in there, right? Do you have food and water?”

“Yes, we have everything. There’s a water dispenser here.”

“Good. Then stay in there and lock the door.”

As he spoke, he pedaled away.

The security guard gripped the bars with both hands, pressing his nose and mouth through them as he shouted, “Are the zombies really coming?”

From far away, Li Jiangbing called back, “I don’t know. I’m listening to Jiang Cheng—”