Chapter 37: Relief Aid Imminent

Meng Ran examined the documents neatly arranged in the box. This fellow, Fei Wenbin, had indeed stayed here for quite some time; he hadn’t lied about that. As for the rest, it remained to be verified.

As Meng Ran picked up the papers, she listened to Fei Wenbin’s explanation. "This extreme cold arrived so suddenly; there was no way to issue a warning. At the time, the weather reports only mentioned light rain. Who would have thought it would turn into a blizzard and last this long?"

"But do you know? Not everyone was kept in the dark about this natural disaster."

Fei Wenbin’s words immediately captured their attention.

"What do you mean by that?" Chang Xingwen asked, staring at him. He found this guy incredibly strange and felt that very little of what came out of his mouth was the truth.

"That’s all I can say."

Fei Wenbin shut his mouth at that point. Chang Yan was so annoyed he wanted to punch him, but he held himself back. There was no difference between what he said and saying nothing at all.

Meng Ran lowered her eyes and continued reading. Although she was still somewhat in the dark about the specifics of this cataclysm, she learned quite a bit about the zombies. The more she knew, the more she worried about Xiang Yajing. The outbreak had started much earlier in her area, and she had no idea what it had turned into by now. Recalling that disconnected phone call, Meng Ran rubbed her temples.

"Attention, citizens! Attention, citizens!"

Amidst the biting wind, it sounded like someone was shouting outside with a loudspeaker.

"The police department, mindful that our citizens are currently lacking supplies, will begin delivering provisions to every household starting tomorrow morning. Please do not panic."

The voice from the loudspeaker was loud; everyone in the vicinity could definitely hear it.

Meng Ran looked at Fei Wenbin. "The police?"

Fei Wenbin shook his head in denial. "Impossible. If they really wanted to help, wouldn't they have come here to discuss it first? In any case, there’s definitely something fishy going on." Although he wasn't with the police, he knew enough about how they operated.

"Something’s odd," Chang Yan said, putting down what he was holding.

At this point, everyone’s supplies were running low. Suddenly, a group of people appeared claiming to have supplies to help them. This could be a case of inviting the wolf into the fold. But it was all just speculation; it was hard to say for sure.

"I’m not with the police, I really don’t know anything about this," Fei Wenbin said quickly, trying to clear his name and stop them from looking at him with such suspicion.

"When I arrived at the police station, they had already all gone home."

Meng Ran touched her chin. "Didn't you just say you came here on business?"

His stories were inconsistent. What was this guy’s ulterior motive?

Fei Wenbin remained silent for a few seconds before defending himself again. "That group outside is definitely suspicious. I advise you not to trust them just for the sake of supplies."

He didn't need to tell them that; Meng Ran and her group wouldn't trust them either. However, they did need to see what those people were up to.

Glancing at the sky outside, they realized they had seen enough of the documents and decided to return to the restaurant to rest. Seeing them leave, Fei Wenbin let out a barely audible sigh of relief.

They didn't pay any more attention to him and headed back to the restaurant. Once inside, they set down their things, pulled the curtains to block their view from the outside, and barricaded the door with a table.

Chang Yan took a look outside. "The people who were shouting seem to be back."

They must have been walking around the neighborhood with the loudspeaker, which meant the nearby residential compound could hear them too.

Chang Xingwen observed them through the glass door. "There are eight of them in total. They look quite sturdy, but they are unfamiliar faces. I never saw these people at the police station before the apocalypse."

Their gait was sloppy and arrogant, quite different from the identity they claimed, but it was hard to say for sure.

"Sis, should we see what they're planning tomorrow?" There was no more information to be gained from the police station, and for now, they had to figure out a way to survive this extreme cold.

"We definitely should. If it’s a legitimate relief effort, we could join them. For a fifty-fifty chance, it’s worth checking out." There was also that comment Fei Wenbin made about not everyone being unaware of the coming cold—what did that mean?

"Fair point." Chang Xingwen rested his face in his hands. If they could find a team responsible for rescue efforts, it would certainly be much more stable under the current circumstances.

"Let’s get some rest. They won't be coming until tomorrow."

These people would likely head to the residential compound first. When they followed them, they could use Chang Xingwen's ability to observe them and determine if they were truly there to help.

Meng Ran brought back a few documents. "I looked through these, and it seems that since the trouble started at the hospital first, there are likely more zombies concentrated in that area."

In other words, that region was extremely dangerous. Among the documents she had taken was a simple map, and Meng Ran pointed to the locations near the hospital. They were far enough away that they wouldn't be affected for now.

"When people die, they turn into zombies," Chang Yan paused, remembering that even the shattered pieces could mutate. "Their numbers will definitely increase, and more people will come out looking for supplies. It’s only this quiet right now because not much time has passed."

Once others realized the situation, more groups like theirs would form. They had managed to acquire a decent amount of supplies precisely because of this time gap.

Meng Ran thought of the people at the shopping mall because of Chang Yan’s words. As time went on, that area would become very dangerous. She suddenly thought of something.

"Since those people were broadcasting their message all the way along, the people at the mall must have heard them, too, right?"

Chang Yan frowned. Bao Qidong and his group were too trusting of others. Sitting on the supplies of an entire mall was too eye-catching. If those people had malicious intentions and managed to seize the mall’s supplies, their strength would grow significantly.

"We’ll follow them tomorrow. If they don't head to the mall first, there might still be a chance to save them."

Meng Ran agreed. After resting at the restaurant for the night, they heard the familiar sound of the loudspeaker the next morning. Once the three of them were packed and ready, they immediately followed the group as they passed by on the street.

"Chang Xingwen, today depends on you."

Chang Xingwen, leading the way, held up a finger to show he understood.

"Sis, they really are carrying supplies." One could clearly see the packaging of instant noodles in those plastic bags. Those people hadn't lied about that.

"Quiet. Let's keep following."

Judging by the direction they were heading, they were going to the nearest residential compound. Entering through the main gate, they shook the supplies they were holding.

"Call out again."

They pressed the button on the loudspeaker, and everyone in the compound heard them. They had even changed their clothes, looking righteous and imposing.

The snow piled up at the first-floor entrance shifted, and some residents of the compound emerged.

"Are you really here to distribute supplies?"

The leader of the residents had cracked, dry lips, his eyes fixed on the food and bottled water in their hands.

"That's right. You all go back and wait; we will deliver them to every household one by one." The men smiled, soothing their restless anxiety.

"Are there only this many of you?"