Learning Lockpicking

Learning Lockpicking

Seeing Wang Tao shake his head, the Bal​ding Uncle's expression immediately turned anxious.

"Big bro, I know fighting zombies means risking your life, but we're not zombies—we need to eat! We can only take the risk... How about this? I'll only take a quarter, and you can have the rest!"

Gritting his teeth, the Balding Uncle lowered his demands again.

A quarter of 50 Jin of Rice was 12.5 jin. If he rationed it carefully, it would last him half a month, maybe even a full month. Besides, there had to be other food in Apartment 201. Rounding it up, he could probably last at least two months! If rescue still hadn't come after two months, he figured he might go insane... But the future could wait. Right now, he needed to secure enough food for the short term.

Seeing that Wang Tao remained silent, the Balding Uncle grew more and more anxious. If he had been capable of killing zombies himself, he would have gone over alone long ago...

Just when he thought Wang Tao truly wasn't willing to take the risk, Wang Tao suddenly spoke.

"A quarter is fine. But I have one condition."

"Say it, big bro! I promise I'll agree!"

The Balding Uncle instantly grew excited and hurriedly gave his assurance. Whether he could actually do it or not, he would agree first.

Wang Tao looked at him seriously.

"Teach me to pick locks."

"Huh?" The Balding Uncle froze, then looked troubled. "Lockpicking isn't something I can just teach people. We're all registered. If—"

"No ifs. Just tell me whether you'll teach me or not. A quarter of the food in Apartment 201 is enough to keep you alive for a long time." Wang Tao cut him off before he could finish. "Think it over carefully. I'm in Room 501. Come find me once you've decided."

Wang Tao turned and left after saying that, as though he felt no attachment whatsoever.

But after he had only taken two steps, the Balding Uncle hurriedly called out behind him.

"Don't go, big bro! I'll teach you! I'll teach you!"

The Balding Uncle still held onto the hope that society could return to normal, and he didn't want to do anything that would ruin his own future. But hope was hope, and reality was reality... He had no choice.

"Good. Then open the door. I'm coming in."

Wang Tao turned around, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"Come in!"

The Balding Uncle quickly opened the door.

His home had the same three-bedroom layout as Ding Yuqin's, much larger than Wang Tao's apartment.

But he seemed to have dismantled the furniture in his home. The place was a mess, with all sorts of tools, wooden boards, and other things scattered everywhere.

"I was looking for things to seal all the windows, so the place is a bit messy. Hope you don't mind, big bro. Have a seat!"

Wang Tao did not mind. After sitting down casually, he slid the Steel Pipe into the loop on his back, then took off his gloves, face covering, and glasses, revealing a young face.

"..."

Seeing how young Wang Tao was, the Balding Uncle immediately felt awkward. After all that, he had been calling a youngster "big bro."

"B... young man, wait a moment. I'll go get the tools!"

Wang Tao did not care about such details of address. Before long, the Balding Uncle brought over a bag containing all sorts of tools, including Torque Wrenches, Lock Picks, and more.

"Young man, shall we start with the simplest things?"

"Sure."

There were many kinds of locks. Simple locks were actually easy to crack. Most people simply never came into contact with this sort of thing, so they thought it was impressive.

The Balding Uncle first explained the basic principles to Wang Tao, then took out locks to demonstrate on, and finally let Wang Tao try for himself.

It did not take long before a click sounded, and Wang Tao successfully opened a lock with the lockpicking tools.

"Young man, you're good!"

The Balding Uncle praised him a couple of times, then taught Wang Tao other methods of opening locks.

After seeing the Balding Uncle open a lock with nothing but a piece of wire, Wang Tao immediately said, "Coach, I want to learn that!"

Wang Tao had left home in the morning and kept learning until noon.

He felt that if he had shown this kind of dedication back when he was in school, he would not have ended up such a loser.

Gurgle~ The Balding Uncle covered his stomach awkwardly. He had not eaten anything all day.

Seeing this, Wang Tao directly took several squashed pieces of bread from his pocket and handed them to him.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

The Balding Uncle eagerly accepted them. He did not actually like bread; he preferred steamed buns. But at that moment, the bread tasted better than any steamed bun he had ever eaten.

+10

35/100

The Balding Uncle's Health Bar also recovered a little.

Wang Tao ate two pieces of bread as well to tide himself over. He had eaten breakfast, and without strenuous activity, his appetite was about the same as an ordinary person's, so he was not hungry yet.

After eating a little, Wang Tao studied with the Balding Uncle for a while longer, then stood up. "That's enough for today. I'm going to deal with the problem in Apartment 201."

"Ah? All right, all right! Good luck, young man. Be sure to stay safe!"

Hearing that Wang Tao was finally going to act, the Balding Uncle hurriedly rose to his feet in excitement.

"Are you sure there's only one person in Apartment 201?"

Wang Tao asked as he put on his gloves.

"I'm sure! He lives there alone. I hardly ever saw anyone go to his place..."

Wang Tao's movements paused.

"Hardly ever? So someone did go there?"

"I saw him bring young women back a few times before."

The Balding Uncle scratched his head.

"Women? His girlfriend or wife?"

"Ahem, the woman he brought back was different every time."

"I understand. So you're not one hundred percent sure there's only one person inside?"

"...Right. But most likely he's alone, because he didn't bring women home often—about once a month..."

Wang Tao said nothing more.

Even if there were two zombies inside, it was not impossible to handle. After all, he had changed weapons now. If things really went bad, he could just run.

He believed zombies definitely could not climb stairs faster than he could.

After gearing up again, Wang Tao went with the Balding Uncle to the door of Apartment 201.

"You pick the lock, then go back home and wait."

Wang Tao did not let him take part in dealing with the zombies.

Given the Balding Uncle's short, skinny build, he probably could not withstand even one hit from a zombie. Letting him go inside would only hold Wang Tao back. Wang Tao would be better off on his own.

Wang Tao did not want him to die. After all, he had not yet learned all the lockpicking techniques.

"Got it!"

The Balding Uncle fiddled lightly with the lock, and with a click, the door opened.

Without another word, he turned and ran back home, shutting his door behind him.

Wang Tao gripped the Steel Pipe tightly, gently pushed open the door, and swiftly swept his gaze around.

There was no one in the living room, but there were many darkened bloodstains.

"There was more than one person in this apartment!"

Wang Tao immediately became a little nervous—and a little excited.

If only one person had turned into a zombie, there could not possibly be so much blood! Clearly, someone had been attacked by a zombie! All the doors in the apartment were open. After taking two steps, Wang Tao spotted a long-haired woman kneeling on the floor of the Master Bedroom with her back to him.

The woman had her head slightly lowered, as though she were eating something.

Seemingly hearing the noise, she slowly turned around, revealing a pale little face with clouded white eyes and bluish-black veins spread across it—and in her hands... half a human head!