First zombie kills!

After listening to Sun Ya, Su Jin was shaken and fell silent for a moment.

According to Fu Hu, the old man had previously worked in medical device manufacturing and development, and had years of experience.

But now he had covered every window in his home and had a hunting gun in hand.

Combined with his analysis, all of this suggested that the old man was more than he seemed.

"Sir, my name is Li Haocheng. May I sit down so we can talk?"

Sun Ya watched Su Jin, slowly lowered the muzzle, and nodded.

Su Jin approached cautiously, pulled up a chair, and sat across from him.

"How did you know that rain could infect animals? And the way you've arranged this place, your analysis of the military..."

"I used to work in the defense industry." Sun Ya sighed, stroking the gun. "When I noticed people mutating, I collected some rainwater and experimented on my dog... It went mad, so I shot it. I was worried birds and other animals might be infected too, so I covered all the windows."

"It wasn't until yesterday, when the government announced it had ceased functioning... that I realized we were completely finished. We can't count on the military anymore."

"You know how things work on the inside, so how can you be absolutely certain we can't count on them? Even if the military was infected, they shouldn't have simply announced they could no longer function. They still had the capacity to organize armed resistance in the cities. Once they've lost all credibility, organizing anything becomes much harder," Su Jin asked with a frown.

Sun Ya pondered this. "You're right. If widespread infection in the military were the only factor, the government would have no reason to give up on itself. But I suspect there are two possibilities."

"The first is that insects might be susceptible too. If insects are infected, humanity's extinction is only a matter of time. The higher-ups can't protect anyone else, so they can only try to save themselves."

"The second... is that the effects of this rain are far more complicated than they appear. There must be other properties to it."

"No virus in nature can cross species and cause infection and mutation this quickly... This isn't a virus at all. It's a supernatural disaster."

After saying this, Sun Ya covered his face and let out a deep sigh.

Su Jin said nothing, sinking into profound shock and worry.

Taking another deep breath, Sun Ya rubbed his face, then looked up at Su Jin. "I've answered your questions. Now it's your turn to answer mine."

"Go ahead."

"You sealed residents in their homes beforehand. Mine wasn't the only one, was it?"

"I sealed off this entire section of the building."

"Why?" Sun Ya stared intently at Su Jin.

"A little girl on the fifth floor said the apocalypse was coming. I believed her."

"Heh... So you really are crazy!" Sun Ya's voice dripped with sarcasm, but then his expression turned serious, and he began muttering to himself. "That girl Qing Dai... I know about her situation. I thought she had mental problems too, but now it seems there's more to it. Why did she know beforehand?"

"Do you believe in nature?" Su Jin asked quietly.

"Nature?"

"I believe in science, but I also believe nature balances everything. Even with a disaster like this, even though organized institutions have collapsed, there has to be a solution." Su Jin looked at Sun Ya. "I believe there will be some force to counterbalance this disaster. Qing Dai is already proof of that. Sir, seeing you sitting here with a gun, I take it you don't want to die either?"

"Come with me. Now's the time to build a team, and I need people. I have a cage of rats. You're a research expert, so you can help me conduct more reliable experiments."

At these words, a spark returned to Sun Ya's eyes. Then he looked Su Jin up and down.

"Build a team? Are you capable enough? Why should anyone trust you?"

"Because I have a prophet on my side, and I'm also the director of the National Key Risk Intervention Executive Bureau."

Sun Ya narrowed his eyes. "Bullshit! The government has no such department."

"Now it does!"

Sun Ya scrutinized Su Jin skeptically, then nodded in realization.

"All right. All right... You're right. It can exist now. I can help you."

Then Sun Ya changed tack. "But you should know I'm almost seventy. I'm not far from the grave. With the world this rotten, living or dying makes no difference to me anymore."

"If you want to be a leader and have me risk my life for you, you'd better deserve it. If you're just some brainless good-for-nothing, I'd be better off putting a bullet in myself right now!"

"Then what do you want?"

Sun Ya thought for a moment, then tossed the gun straight to Su Jin.

"This is a shotgun. I have thirty more shells. Go downstairs and clear out those zombies."

"Their hearts seem to be their weak point. They react to sound, light, and smells. There are plenty of stray cats and dogs in the complex, so watch out for them. If you can do it, then even if you're a madman, this old life of mine is yours!"

"That's exactly what I had in mind. Stay upstairs and watch!" A cold gleam flashed through Su Jin's eyes as he caught the shotgun.

He picked up the shells and headed out, talking as he walked. "Sir, your neighbor across the hall is an expert too, right? I injected glue into his door. I'll leave the Adhesive Remover with you. If you can make sure it's safe, let him out. If you can't handle it, wait until I'm back. It's cold in here. Go wait for me at Fu Hu's place."

"Understood."

Su Jin nodded, then suddenly stopped at the doorway.

He looked back at Sun Ya with an embarrassed smile. "How do I use this gun?"

Sun Ya was so exasperated he laughed. "Oh, for... And here I thought you were so capable! Come back. I'll teach you!"

Forty minutes later.

Su Jin stood in the first-floor hallway. Beneath his down jacket, he had added another layer to his clothing: a crudely sewn anti-zombie outfit fitted with protective inserts.

He wore gloves on his hands and a motorcycle helmet on his head.

Both the Silver Spear and the shotgun were tied to his waist with cords, and a machete was tucked at his side.

He was a novice, after all. If he got nervous and dropped the gun, retrieving it would be a problem. He had to prepare thoroughly.

In the dim hallway, Su Jin lowered his head and steadied his breathing.

Once his heartbeat had settled somewhat, he raised his foot and kicked the building's entrance door!

Bang, bang, bang! The thunderous pounding rang out beyond the door.

The zombies, whose bodies had developed a thin coating of ice in the freezing cold, stirred at the sound!

The fragile ice shells around their bodies cracked, and they staggered toward Su Jin's position.

Before long, more than a dozen zombies had closed in on the entrance.

Just then, a firecracker exploded in the distance.

The zombies that had gathered outside the entrance turned and headed toward the sound of the firecracker.

At the same time, a rapid series of metallic clangs rang out from the handrail inside the stairwell.

Without any further hesitation, Su Jin yanked the entrance door open!

Beyond it stood more than a dozen zombies with their backs to him.

Bang, bang, bang, bang... Nine shots in succession, emptying all nine shells.

Su Jin slammed the entrance door shut and retreated into the hallway.

"Whew..." He exhaled a cloud of white breath, then turned and ran back up to the fifth floor.

Waiting for him at the stairs was Fu Qingdai, a firecracker in one hand and a wrench in the other, joy written all over her face.

"Big brother, did it work?"

"Yeah... It worked. I think I killed three? I didn't get a clear look. We'll do a few more rounds in a bit." Su Jin ruffled Fu Qingdai's hair with satisfaction. "Good job!"