Chapter 34: Dependent on One Another

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Dependent on One Another

"People who know too much don’t live long!" The voice on the other end was still synthesized.

Hao Wenli broke out in a cold sweat. She didn’t dare ask any more questions. "I need a weapon for self-defense!" she blurted out, desperate to change the subject.

’But I really do need a weapon to protect myself from Chen Xing,’ she thought. ’That lunatic could snap at any moment. With a good weapon in hand, I won’t have to be afraid of her pulling any stunts.’

’Let’s see her act so presumptuous with a gun to her head.’

"Someone will contact you at eleven tonight!" Then, the line went dead.

That set Hao Wenli’s mind at ease.

Meanwhile, the moment the elevator carrying Hu Dawei and his mother reached the basement, they were met by hundreds of zombies.

They frantically slammed the close-door button, but it was too late.

Zombies swarmed into the elevator like a tidal wave, trapping the two of them inside.

It was too late for screaming.

They never could have imagined that their selfish decision to keep the doors shut had been the same as planting their own bomb.

The pair’s tragic screams echoed throughout the building.

The others didn’t understand what was happening. They could only stare in terror at the east-side elevator, unsure of what to do.

’Could monsters have actually gotten in?’

The thought was enough to convince them they couldn’t stay a moment longer. Seeing that the zombies were no longer blocking the entrance, the braver ones made a run for it.

This first wave drew the attention of most of the zombies.

Seizing the rare opportunity, the rest of the group fled as well.

In the blink of an eye, the lobby was empty. The main door was left ajar.

Chen Xing quickly came downstairs and locked the door.

Hao Wenli, who had heard nothing, finally came running down in a panic. With tears glistening in her eyes, she looked pitifully at Chen Xing. "Where did everyone go? Is it just you and me left in this building?" ’She refused to believe that Chen Xing wouldn’t soften toward her now that they had to rely on each other.’

’Bullshit!’

Chen Xing shot her a cold glance. "You’re alone, that’s true. But I have friends upstairs."

’It wasn’t that she actually considered the four people upstairs friends, but it was worth pretending if it made Hao Wenli squirm.’

Hao Wenli was speechless.

"I’m so scared all by myself..." Hao Wenli continued her pitiful act, hoping to gain enough sympathy to be allowed to move upstairs.

But Chen Xing merely glanced at her, said, "Oh," and then turned away, stepping into the private elevator and closing the door with an air of complete indifference.

Hao Wenli was speechless again. ’What a pain in the ass!’

’Why won’t she fall for the soft approach?’

She could only return to Room 1902, dejected. Of course, she used the west-side elevator. She wouldn’t dare take the one on the east.

Truth be told, she was terrified to be living alone. Everything around her felt gloomy and sinister.

’It would be better if even Du Yina were here. At least then I’d have someone to talk to.’

After standing alone in the living room for a while, she suddenly remembered something and bolted toward the kitchen.

She had to fight the urge to scream a curse.

It turned out that in her haste to escape, Mrs. Hu had taken every last edible thing with her. She hadn’t left so much as a single crumb behind.

Up on the top floor, however, everything was peaceful. That afternoon, everyone else choked down another unpalatable meal (while Chen Xing, with her usual foresight, enjoyed a proper one by herself in her room).

Night fell. Chen Xing spent nearly the entire time in the living room, her eyes glued to the monitor.

’Hao Wenli wouldn’t just sit tight. She was bound to do something.’

’If I’m not mistaken, Hu Dawei and his mother took almost everything with them. Hao Wenli definitely won’t have any food.’

’She can’t leave, so someone will have to bring her food. And whoever delivers it is most likely connected to the people pulling her strings.’

A few hours later, Hao Wenli appeared on the monitor.

Her footsteps were light. She deliberately hid in the elevator for a good while before peeking out. Once she confirmed no one was around, she crept to the main door, avoiding the security cameras.

She didn’t dare open the door right away. Only after hearing a soft knock did she carefully open it a crack. "Did you bring everything?"

After returning to her room, she had called her boss again and asked him to prepare some food.

The person outside was hidden from view by the door, and she didn’t dare peek her head out to look, so she couldn’t see them.

The person on the other side said nothing. They shoved a large backpack through the gap, followed by a black handgun that they pressed into her hand. Then, the door slammed shut.

Hao Wenli desperately wanted to see who it was, but she didn’t have the courage.

She understood the meaning behind the words, "People who know too much don’t live long."

’Since they’ll send me food and weapons at my word, who cares who my employer is? Who cares what their goal is?’

’It’s a hell of a lot better than being cooped up in the lab all day!’

She carefully scanned her surroundings again. Once she felt it was safe, she shouldered the backpack and scurried back upstairs, her heart pounding with fear.

By now, Chen Xing had already slipped out a second-floor window and was tailing the shadowy figure.

She had been watching the monitor, true, but she’d had a change of plans an hour ago and had hidden herself in the ground-floor security room instead.

The security room faced the street, but for safety reasons, it had no windows—only a single, palm-sized ventilation slit up high.

But from there, she could view the feeds from every camera in the building.

The moment Hao Wenli left Room 1902, Chen Xing knew the wait was over.

That’s why she had already positioned herself on the second floor, eyes fixed on the dark street below.

Just like the night Hao Wenli had arrived, there weren’t many zombies around. A dark figure slipped easily to the building’s entrance.

Dressed head to toe in black, the figure was like a shadow itself. If not for the moonlight, it would have been nearly impossible to spot.

He was fast. After making the delivery, he departed from the main entrance without a sound, heading straight for the Research Institute.

Chen Xing already knew the man was from the Research Institute.

’But... my gut tells me this isn’t the person who hired Hao Wenli directly. At most, he’s just an errand boy.’

’If the errand boy is this agile, then the person I’ll eventually have to face must be far more formidable, right?’

When the figure reached the gate of the Research Institute, he glanced around before slipping inside.

Chen Xing stopped. She couldn’t go into the Research Institute.

’For all I know, the figure was deliberately trying to lure me inside.’

’And even if it wasn’t a trap, there was no need to take the risk.’

’With my current abilities, now isn’t the time for a direct confrontation with the Research Institute.’

’Besides, I know they have mutated zombie dogs in there.’

’I believe that as long as Hao Wenli is alive, I’ll eventually be able to uncover the truth.’

’Of course, keeping her alive doesn’t mean I have to let her have an easy time of it.’

Back in her room, Hao Wenli looked over the bag of ready-to-eat meals. She wasn’t exactly satisfied, but it was better than starving.

She glanced at the view count on Chen Xing’s last video—it had already surpassed five million. A familiar surge of jealousy began to fester.

’I can’t believe it. After all the people I carefully lured here saw Chen Xing’s cold-blooded killing, they didn’t even condemn her. Instead, she just got more famous.’

’Are they all fucking idiots?’

’Was my whole carefully orchestrated drama for nothing?’

’Or... are they just too afraid to speak out?’

’In that case, I can take the lead!’

Hao Wenli immediately opened the comments section, planning to write a post with an eye-catching title. Something like: *The ’Meat’ of a Food Vlogger...*

But before she could start typing, a top-rated comment caught her eye.