Chapter 25: The Search

They downloaded a plethora of single-player games and maps, ensuring every phone had a backup. This way, even without a way to charge them, the electronic devices could be rotated and used for a very long time.

After finishing these tasks, much time had passed, and the sky had grown dark. Sheng Anyu took a black phone for his exclusive use and returned the spare to Lin Wanmei. With nothing to do, Lin Wanmei opened the lively neighborhood group chat to see what was happening. It turned out that the geek from 302 had started a topic.

"It smells so good! Whose place is cooking something delicious? Can you sell me some? I’m willing to pay!"

Lin Wanmei and her family hadn't opened their windows, so they didn't know whose cooking scents had drifted out, though Grandma Lin and Mother Lin were busy picketing meat and eggs, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

702: "Heh—your nose is sharper than a dog's. I just made some spicy stir-fried shrimp."

Wow, eating quite well, aren't they?

302 was instantly envious: "Ahhh, please, have pity on me, just give me a little taste! I’ve been eating instant noodles for three days, I’m about to puke..."

301: "Three days of instant noodles? Don't you have anything else?"

302: "No, I live alone and don't know how to cook. I order takeout every day. Who knew something like this would happen!"

601: "Actually, me too... My supplies are almost gone, and I didn't have time to restock. The zombie outbreak happened at such a terrible time!"

801: "I don't have any food stored either, just half a bag of rice. It’s summer, so I didn't buy much produce. I’ve been gnawing on plain rice for two days... 702, I’ll offer five hundred, will you sell me some shrimp?"

702: "Are you dreaming? Who doesn't know that money is just waste paper now? You’ve got a vivid imagination!"

801: "Hey, if you don't want to, you don't want to, but can't you speak nicely? My son is trapped outside, and you’re sitting at home stuffing your face—how can you even eat?"

702: "Go to hell... Just because I don't want to share my shrimp? You heartless jerk, hitting below the belt the moment you start talking? You want to eat? I'll save the shrimp shells I spat out for you, get down here and eat them!"

...

Somehow, it devolved into a shouting match. Others in the group were either watching the show, playing peacemaker, or complaining about having nothing to eat. Someone even suggested forming a team to go out and scavenge for supplies tomorrow. Those with this idea were undoubtedly brave, but unfortunately, there weren't many responses, and the suggestion fizzled out.

Lin Wanmei watched for a while and then logged off, bored. However, it made her think of An Xiaofu. Would "Turtle" be short on food too? She hurriedly opened their chat window to ask.

"I'm fine, I still have two bags of rice at home! I also hid a few self-heating hot pots, rice noodles, and snail noodles. What about you? Do you still have food?"

Lin Wanmei breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good. Don't worry about me. You eat first; if you're craving something or run out, just tell me, and I'll send some over!"

An Xiaofu sent a laughing-crying emoji. "Stop it, how would you send it? Riding a colorful auspicious cloud to my place?"

Lin Wanmei raised an eyebrow. Although she didn't have a colorful cloud, she could "ride" a chicken. She didn't rush to tell An Xiaofu about it. The matter of her "awakened golden finger" was better left until they reunited and she couldn't hide it any longer.

Mother Lin called her name at this moment: "Meibao, if you're not busy, please label the supplies. It'll be easier to find things later!"

"Oh!" Lin Wanmei replied, grabbing sticky notes and a pen to inspect the neatly stacked supplies throughout the house.

All day, Father Lin, Mother Lin, and Grandma Lin hadn't stopped, finally organizing the house and sorting items into different rooms. Food was arranged in the study, categorized into staples, side dishes, seasonings, snacks, instant foods, and drinks. Daily necessities were in the master bedroom, sub-categorized into bedding, toiletries, and cleaning supplies. Tools went to the storage room, electronics to Lin Wanmei's room, and baby supplies to Grandma Lin's room. Every room was packed full, with the overflow placed in Sheng Anyu’s room and the living room. As for perishables, they were in the fridge and freezer, while the most commonly used items were placed on two shelving units in the kitchen.

Only then did they realize they had enough stuff to open a supermarket. It was only thanks to the abundance of cardboard boxes that they could stack things high enough to have any room to move. Lin Wanmei labeled every box, down to the tiniest details. Being a Virgo with obsessive-compulsive tendencies, Lin Wanmei was meticulous...

They worked until late at night before the family finally retired to rest.

The following days were highly disciplined. They were urged up early by Father Lin to practice Baduanjin on an empty stomach, followed by a healthy, nutritious breakfast. After two hours of individual tasks, they began their training. They napped after lunch, continued exercising after waking up, and trained for another two hours at night before finally heading to bed.

Lin Wanmei hadn't stepped outside again, and she wasn't even allowed to eat junk food! The training schedule was devised by Sheng Anyu and Father Lin, aiming to build up everyone’s stamina, endurance, and arm strength in the shortest possible time. She had never lived such an ambitious life!

Lin Wanmei felt deeply uncomfortable, which made her a prime target for supervision; she was trained until she questioned her own existence. Even her slender, soft calves were starting to show muscle! However... well, this was exactly what she wanted. She wanted to be able to fight with full force even without the Ox Talisman!

Every night, Lin Wanmei didn't just sleep. She discovered that even when she used the Sheep Talisman to project her soul out for the entire night, her body still rested and recovered energy and state just as if she were sleeping. Wasn't this a cheat code? She had an entire extra night compared to everyone else! If she had possessed the Sheep Talisman during the college entrance exams, she definitely would have gotten into a top university...

Pah! The zombies had already broken out, and she was still thinking about that—how deeply poisoned was she? In any case, she began to use the time every night when others were asleep to project her soul and search for her Fourth Brother.

The city was vast; she had no idea where he could be. She could only search aimlessly, focusing on digging through various hotels and inns. For two nights, her soul traveled through every inn in the city, seeing countless citizens trapped in their rooms. She also had to avert her eyes more times than she could count... Ahem, although it was quite intrusive and violated people's privacy, it at least quickly confirmed that the Fourth Brother was not in any of the inns.

Then, Lin Wanmei’s stubborn brain finally shifted gears. Wait... the zombie outbreak started between ten and eleven in the morning; who would be at a hotel in the middle of the morning? Damn it, that’s what she got for being an inexperienced lifelong singleton!

Next, she turned her attention to entertainment venues. After all, for her playboy Fourth Brother, Sheng Yiyue, a date would surely take place in a lively, exciting spot. This also meant the risk factor was high, and she had to find him as soon as possible.