Chapter 34: People in the Mall

The door curtain was frozen stiff, and they struggled to squeeze through. The mall entrance was unlocked, and the interior was as eerily quiet as the supermarket they had encountered earlier. Chang Xingwen searched vigilantly, determined to prevent a repeat of their previous ordeal.

"Three people are coming down from the second floor, and there are more on the third."

A considerable number of people had taken refuge in the mall. Meng Ran and her group moved further inside, gripping their makeshift defensive weapons tightly. The air on the first floor was heavy with the stench of rotting fruits and vegetables. The group from the second floor descended, bundled in thick, heavy cotton-padded coats.

"Who are you?" The three of them eyed Meng Ran and the others with suspicion.

"We live nearby and came looking for supplies," Chang Yan replied bluntly.

When the trio had descended, they were only carrying simple tools for self-defense; while they were cautious, they didn't seem overtly hostile. Seeing that it was just two women and a teenager who looked like he had barely finished high school, the mall residents set down their brooms.

"You lot are brave. The wind and snow outside are enough to crack a person's skin open, yet you still risked coming here."

Meng Ran and Chang Yan exchanged glances; these people were surprisingly easy to talk to.

"Come on in."

Whether or not this was a trap remained a lingering doubt in Meng Ran's mind. Chang Xingwen gave them a slight nod, signaling that there were indeed no issues upstairs. It was truly strange; it was rare to encounter people with such a welcoming attitude.

They headed upstairs, and the number of people on the second floor matched exactly what Chang Xingwen had observed.

"What’s the story with these three?" asked an older man. The group that had brought them up explained the situation.

The middle-aged man nodded. "True enough. Times are hard for everyone right now."

This was the first natural disaster of its kind they had ever faced, and it hadn't just left them helpless; it had completely severed their connection to the outside world. They had been hiding in the mall for so long, and these were the first people they had seen approaching from the outside.

Meng Ran stood there, unsure of what to say. Having lived through the apocalypse for half a month, she found herself at a loss when faced with such genuine kindness. Noticing the snow and mud caked on their boots and legs, the residents invited the three of them to settle in.

As they reached the third floor and saw a small electric heater running, Meng Ran realized they must have a generator.

"It’s a good thing we chose to stay in the mall back then. We don't have to worry about food or drink; others haven't been so lucky," one of the dozen or so people remarked, looking at the bedraggled state of Meng Ran’s group.

Chang Yan carefully looked around; hiding in a large-scale shopping mall was indeed an excellent choice. Compared to the malicious Xu Zhuoqun, these people were clearly much better in temperament and character.

"I'm Bao Qidong, the mall's warehouse manager. I was stuck here on the first day of the snow while restocking," he explained. Back then, many people had come to the mall to shop, only to turn back when they saw how heavy the snow was. Bao Qidong had been busy counting inventory with a few staff members and couldn't get away in time; by the time it grew dark, leaving had become impossible. Looking back now, it was a blessing in disguise.

Several employees brought food to share with Meng Ran’s group. "Here, take this and eat. There’s plenty left; we should be able to hold out until rescue arrives."

Meng Ran looked up. "Is there news of a rescue?"

With things in such chaos, any news of rescue would be the best possible outcome. Bao Qidong shook his head. "No. Ever since the internet went down, we haven't seen any news. We’re just waiting here." Living one day at a time was better than the alternative.

So, they were merely hoping for rescue without any concrete information.

"There's hot water here. Why don't you make some instant noodles?" suggested an elderly woman with graying hair, noting their arrival from the cold. Running a generator to boil water was no problem for them.

"Thank you very much." Meng Ran handed over the instant noodles she had brought.

Grandma Zhang smiled. "You’ve had a hard journey from outside. In weather this cold, a hot meal is the best thing you could have."

Chang Yan sat down on the floor, which was covered with a layer of foam boards, making it surprisingly comfortable.

"Has your generator been running this whole time?" Chang Xingwen asked curiously.

"The mall had several in reserve. It can last for a while longer, but if this weather doesn't improve for a few months, we'll be in trouble." Food aside, the freezing temperatures alone would be enough to kill them.

Meng Ran took off her gloves and held her hands out in front of the heater. Hearing their words, she added, "It's hard to say. This disaster is severe; it's not impossible for it to last for months."

Most of what she had seen in Niannian's dreams had already been confirmed, though there were some discrepancies. In those dreams, she and Niannian had stayed in their residential complex until November. Now, they had left the complex and were seeking other solutions.

The aroma of noodles wafted across the third floor, and a bowl of steaming instant noodles was placed in Meng Ran's hands. Once she finished eating, she found an opportunity to slip away, claiming she needed to use the restroom, though in reality, she was entering her spatial dimension to check on Niannian.

Seeing Meng Ran return, Niannian was clearly worried. "Mom, how is it outside?" She looked at Meng Ran; since she wasn't injured, things must have gone smoothly.

"I could have seen you yesterday, but there was a minor accident. Everything is fine now." Meng Ran stroked Niannian's hair. She couldn't bring Niannian out yet; the sudden appearance of another person could expose the secret of her space and invite conflict.

She used the time to place food in front of Niannian, gave her a few instructions, and then went to the garden to harvest the ripened vegetables. As for the livestock farm, she had left plenty of feed before she left, so there was no need to worry about the animals going hungry.

"Take good care of yourself here. I'm heading back out." Meng Ran hugged Niannian, who nodded obediently.

Leaving the space, Meng Ran returned from the restroom. No one questioned her absence. Seeing her return, Grandma Zhang handed her a quilt. "Make do with this for now; it’s one we just unpacked from the store."

Meng Ran accepted it. Bao Qidong looked at them and said, "Just stay here for now; don't worry about anything else."

Meng Ran asked, "What do you plan to do next?" She felt they couldn't just sit here until their supplies ran dry. The power the generator could provide was limited; they definitely needed to think of other options. Chang Yan also looked over. Her original goal had been to find supplies and then check other locations for news of rescue.

"Actually, we sent out quite a few distress signals before the internet went down, but we don't know if anyone saw them," Bao Qidong said voluntarily. "As for what to do next, we haven't really figured it out."

The others chimed in. "With the freezing weather outside and no signs of improvement, there doesn't seem to be any other choice but to stay here."

"Exactly, and then there are those man-eating monsters."

At the mention of monsters, their expressions shifted. Meng Ran pondered: if they knew about the zombies, did they know about the supernatural abilities?