Chapter 465: Eternity 26.

A woman who had been quiet until then raised her hand. "What about the

zombies outside? The street is still full of them. If they come toward

the building, what do we do?"

Bai looked at the map. "We don’t open the doors to fight them in the

street. The building entrance is not a place for people to gather and

watch. If the street gets loud, stay inside and keep away from the

windows. If a group tries to enter, we use the reinforced doors and keep

the path behind them clear. If the entrance becomes unsafe, there are

two internal places where people can shelter until the noise passes. We

went over those locations yesterday."

The woman nodded slowly. She did not look reassured by the idea of more

zombies outside, but she seemed relieved to have an instruction that did

not require her to fight them. Bai knew that fear would remain.

Instructions could not erase the danger, but they could help people

respond without making it worse.

A younger resident asked if Bai could leave a weapon with the people

responsible for the lower entrance. Bai considered it, then said that

she would not hand out anything that a person was not trained to use.

She could leave additional protective equipment and show them how to

handle a simple weapon safely, but a weapon was not a substitute for

planning. The resident seemed disappointed, then admitted that he had

never fired the revolver he carried. Bai told him it was better to know

that now than during a crisis. Yan offered to help him practice basic

safety before they left, though she would not teach him to use

ammunition recklessly or encourage him to seek fights.

The meeting lasted longer than they had expected because people kept

asking practical questions. Mother Yan answered the ones involving

supplies and shared responsibilities. Yan explained the warning signals

and route procedures. Bai demonstrated how to check the reinforced door

without putting a hand in the wrong place, and how to inspect a latch

for damage before trying to force it open. Her tone was direct, but she

made sure every person understood the instructions before moving on.

When the meeting ended, several residents approached them individually.

One asked whether Bai could look at a cracked handle before they left.

Another wanted to know if the water tank on their floor would be

checked. A third brought a small packet of dried fruit as a thank-you.

Bai initially refused the gift, pointing out that the resident would

need it, but Mother Yan gently reminded her that refusing every

expression of gratitude could be just as awkward as accepting too much.

Bai finally took the packet and said she would put it into the shared

emergency supplies.

Yan leaned toward her as they walked back to the stairwell. "You could

have just said thank you."

"I did."

"You also tried to return the gift three times."

"They need food."

"They wanted to give you something. That matters too."

Bai was quiet for a moment. "I know. I just don’t want anyone to think

they owe us."

Yan’s teasing expression softened. "They don’t think that. They think

you helped them when they were frightened, and they want to show that

they appreciate it. Accepting a small thing doesn’t make you responsible

for everything they do afterward."

Bai looked down at the packet, then put it into the emergency box Mother

Yan had prepared. "I’ll remember that."

Yan seemed pleased by the answer. She walked beside Bai without saying

anything else, and after several steps Bai reached out to take the

heavier bag from her shoulder. Yan let her, though she knew she could

have carried it herself. She liked the way Bai offered help without

making a speech about it, and she liked even more that Bai did not seem

to notice how much those small gestures mattered to her.

The residents’ reactions were mixed once it became clear that the group

would be leaving the building. Some wished them luck. Others looked

worried, especially the people who had come to depend on Bai’s frequent

inspections. Bai told them that the maintenance schedule was written

down and that the repairs would not disappear simply because she was not

there. She also reminded them that they had made progress together, and

that it was their job to keep it going rather than wait for her to

return and fix everything.

A middle-aged woman near the entrance looked at Bai for a long moment

before saying, "You always act like you’re only fixing doors, but the

building feels safer when you’re here."

Bai did not seem to know what to say to that. She glanced toward Yan,

who was carefully hiding a smile, then back at the woman.

"Keep the doors closed, and it will stay safer," Bai answered.

The woman laughed softly. "That’s exactly what I mean."

Bai left the conversation before it could become any more personal. Yan

followed her toward the stairs, still smiling.

"What?" Bai asked.

"Nothing."

"You’re doing that again."

"Doing what?"

"Thinking something and refusing to tell me."

Yan pretended to consider it. "Maybe I’ve learned from you."

Bai could not argue with that, and Yan enjoyed the rare sight of her

being left without a reply.

The Last Evening at Riverside Apartment

They used the final evening to check the apartment one last time and

make sure everything could continue operating while they were away. The

water filters were cleaned, the food was sealed properly, and the backup

power system was tested under load. Bai inspected the balcony locks and

the reinforced doors. Yan checked the medicines and emergency bag.

Mother Yan went through Lili’s travel things and confirmed that the

child had comfortable clothing, a warm layer, and the small items that

helped her feel secure.

The apartment looked almost exactly as it had every other evening, but

the knowledge that they would be leaving in the morning changed how

everyone saw it.

TO BE CONTINUED.