Reunion

"Once again, we remind all residents that the temporary shelter is here to protect everyone's safety. Please remain calm and orderly..."

The sounds of people talking outside mingled with the various shelter regulations being broadcast over the loudspeakers.

The sheer volume of noise was irritating, yet somehow gave people a sense of security, as though order was being restored.

Given how little was known about the Zombie Virus, the military base had decided to play it safe. All survivors it took in would be placed under observation for a period of time.

Lu Bai leaned against the cold concrete wall, idly watching the light filtering through the small window above him.

Though it was a single-occupancy room, these rooms had probably been converted from solitary-confinement cells or prison cells. Either way, they all had one thing in common: they were completely bare, with nothing to pass the time.

He had been brought in yesterday evening, and now the sun was already up.

Given the circumstances, they could forget about anything like considerate treatment.

Fortunately, staff delivered food and water on schedule, and most of the survivors under observation didn't have much to complain about.

Well, there were naturally exceptions.

"Ah, iron gate~ ah, iron bars~ ah, iron~ chains~"

Hearing the mournful song coming from the next room, Lu Bai's eyelid twitched.

He was about ninety percent certain the person next door was a Deathmatch contestant.

After all, he had already dealt with so many Deathmatch contestants. Even without any location data to confirm it, he could tell from the other person's mental state.

After the Zombie outbreak, no ordinary survivor could be so carefree and optimistic.

Still, even if a Deathmatch contestant was right next door, Lu Bai couldn't make a move in a place like this.

He'd deal with it after getting out.

As it happened, the person next door had barely sung a few lines when Lu Bai heard military boots pounding against the ground.

Creak~

Two armed soldiers came over. One opened the barred door and beckoned to Lu Bai. "Come on out."

With the two soldiers leading him, Lu Bai arrived at a place that looked like an administrative hall.

Quite a few other survivors had been brought there by soldiers, just like him. Staff members sat behind glass partitions, and despite the bustle, everything felt orderly.

Once Lu Bai had taken his seat, the staff member behind the glass smiled at him. "Don't be nervous. I just need you to answer a few simple questions."

Lu Bai glanced at the soldiers stationed around the hall, then nodded obediently.

"Name?"

"Ke Jianghao."

"Age?"

"Eighteen."

"Where were you when this public safety crisis broke out? Did you have close contact with any patients?"

"School..."

"...Don't be nervous. It's safe here. All right, thank you for cooperating. You can go rest in the tent assigned to you."

The staff member stopped typing. Noticing the information on the computer screen out of the corner of his eye, he asked casually, "Xiao Ke, do you have a younger sister?"

Lu Bai had been about to leave. Halfway to his feet, he heard the question, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. Then he put on an utterly excited expression. "Yes, that's right! Have you seen my sister?"

"Haha, you siblings are both pretty lucky. Let me see... Your sister's in Tent 13, District 21."

As soon as he left the administrative hall, Lu Bai naturally let the excitement fade from his face.

Before him stretched rows upon rows of military tents. People passed through the gaps between them, and some had even gotten together to play cards.

Clearly, with so few personnel, the current security measures could only be strict on the outside and lax within.

In an area housing more than a thousand people, only two or three soldiers had been assigned.

As long as no one got into a fight, nobody bothered to intervene.

Lu Bai looked toward District 20. After a moment's hesitation, he decided to check District 21.

Since Ke Jiangni was in this shelter, the others should be with her, too.

But it was strange that no one had caught him impersonating Ke Jianghao.

Could Ke Jianghao have died on the way to the shelter?

As he pondered this, Lu Bai headed toward District 21, wearing a harmless smile.

For the record, the temporary shelter was currently under semi-military management, and residents weren't allowed to travel between districts.

But rules like that were... well, about as binding as a rule that wasn't supposed to be broken.

If you weren't caught in the act, it didn't count as breaking the rules.

Avoiding the soldiers' notice along the way, Lu Bai easily slipped into District 21.

"Ah, when will this miserable life ever end?"

"Come out and get some sun."

"Don't cry, baby. Mommy's here."

"That was fucking wild, I'm telling you. That monster was only half a meter away from me..."

Humans were undeniably adaptable. No matter what happened, if they didn't die, life went on.

Lu Bai looked around but didn't see any of his familiar classmates from school.

So he went from tent to tent, checking the numbers.

Lu Bai stopped and peered inside one of the tents, but apart from a few beds, there was no one there.

He turned back to check the number. "21-13. This is the right one."

Just then, a voice filled with delight and uncertainty came from behind him.

"L-Lu... Lu?"

Lu Bai turned around on reflex.

He saw the familiar, if not particularly pretty, face behind him. His eyebrows lifted slightly. "Wu Ya."

Wu Ya nodded emphatically, her voice unmistakably pleased. "It really is you. I thought I'd mistaken you for someone else."

Lu Bai asked, "Are you here by yourself?"

"Jiangni and Tian Wang are over there getting food." Wu Ya pointed toward a sunshade surrounded by a crowd.

"What about the others?"

The smile vanished from Wu Ya's face at the question, and she visibly grew somber.

Lu Bai didn't press her. Instead, he asked why they had left the supermarket.

After all, it had been less than a week. Given the supplies the supermarket had stocked, they shouldn't have needed to risk their lives looking for food.

"I don't know how to explain it."

Wu Ya was silent for a long time, as if she were afraid of dredging up the memories. "The second night after you left, it seemed like there was an extra person in the supermarket."

"Seemed like?" Lu Bai picked up on her wording.

"Yeah... All of us felt that way, but Ke Jianghao searched the entire supermarket and couldn't find anyone extra."

As she described what had happened, Wu Ya's back still prickled with cold, even under the sun.

"Something supernatural like that." A Deathmatch contestant?

Lu Bai thought it over, then gently patted Wu Ya's head to comfort her.

With his far sharper-than-human hearing, he wasn't worried about a Deathmatch contestant having the ability to turn invisible.

But from Wu Ya's description, it seemed like more than mere invisibility.