Next door to Duong Quang Apartments.
Sports Equipment Shop.
Two figures were diligently busy. This shopfront's area wasn't large; it sold some ordinary fitness machines.
Basketballs, dumbbells, etc.
When just tidying up, only felt the shop was messy. Definitely when the apocalypse first descended, the shop owner was dazed by zombies, thereafter grabbed dumbbells and threw them at the zombies' heads. Dumbbells scattered on the ground were stained with sticky blood. The ground was even more coagulated with a puddle, enough to prove the shop owner died tragically, thoroughly caught by zombies.
He knew the owner. After all, having lived in Duong Quang Apartments for so many years, had spoken a few words with surrounding shop owners more or less. This shop owner was forty or fifty, loved exercising, single.
But whenever he passed by, could always see in the shop, different lavishly dressed aunties chatting with the owner. Sometimes after chatting a bit, the owner would pull down the rolling shutter, closed for business, not opening. This must be the owner not wanting people to disturb his chat with friends. Friendship is most important; how could it be disturbed by business?
At this time, Gou Zi squatted at the entrance, head raised, looking around.
Vuong Khai said, "Bro Lam, I finally feel the joy of earning money! Thank you for leading me onto a path of getting rich! The salary at the water plant, although high, is far from being as joyful as now."
"Being happy is enough. There are also many ways to earn money. What we do, can't all be for earning money. Hoang city is our home; cleaning up our home is a very necessary thing," Lam Pham said with a smile.
He was willing to lead everyone to get rich.
Of course, he was also exploring step by step. What could be well popularized was cleaning the environment.
Negotiate a good price with the shop owners.
Then can start acting.
Vuong Khai greatly admired Bro Lam's awareness. So high! Ordinary people definitely wouldn't have such awareness. Of course, also because there were people like Bro Lam, he felt secure, had loyalty towards staying in Duong Quang Apartments. No such oppression, struggle, or harm.
Only warmth, and also a little bit of excitement.
At night, occasionally could hear zombie roars. If not for these sounds, he would feel he wasn't living in the apocalypse, still like before.
At this time.
Gou Zi, squatting as a door-guarding dog, suddenly stood up, fur all bristled, bared its teeth emitting low sounds, then ran to the shop, biting Lam Pham's trouser leg.
Vuong Khai saw Gou Zi's situation wasn't right, stood up, walked to the door, observed both sides, instantly pulled back his foot, retreated into the shop, "Bro Lam, there are zombies!"
He understood why Gou Zi didn't bite his trouser leg.
Clearly knew biting was useless; the weak aren't trustworthy. So realistic.
"You guys just stay in the shop. I'll handle it."
Lam Pham was very calm about encountering zombies, not flustered in the slightest.
Walked to the door.
Looked towards the distance. Indeed, a lone zombie was limping on the street. Stray zombies were very common, threat level also not high.
He quietly watched the distant zombie.
His appearance naturally also attracted this zombie's attention. Normally speaking, irrational zombies seeing a living person appear, their sluggish appearance would instantly vanish, replaced by charging over like a mad dog.
"Huh?"
Lam Pham was very puzzled. Had already prepared for the zombie to charge at him, yet found the zombie tilted its head, as if observing him. Meanwhile, he thought of Officer Hoang. Could this zombie also be like Officer Hoang?
If not, then this zombie was truly a bit bizarre.
"Not nearsighted, right?" Lam Pham thought inwardly, felt probably not. But that zombie seemed to be trying very hard to observe this side. Given this situation, couldn't help but make people suspect, really is nearsighted.
"Ugh ugh... Roar!"
That zombie spread its arms, tilted its body, roaring towards Lam Pham.
Before he could react.
That zombie bolted and ran.
Lam Pham was left somewhat dazed, not quite understanding the opponent's technique. Shook his head, returned to the shop, continued cleaning the shopfront with Vuong Khai.
"Bro Lam, what happened to that zombie?" Vuong Khai asked.
Lam Pham said, "Don't understand. It ran away. I remember it should be a not-bad zombie, different from other zombies."
Vuong Khai muttered inwardly, Can there still be not-bad zombies?
Alright.
Things not understood, can not think about them. Not good for the head.
Finished cleaning.
Lam Pham took four hundred yuan from the cashier, gave Vuong Khai two hundred. This amount of work wasn't considered large, so the price aspect was naturally very cheap. Looking at the clean and tidy shop, he and Vuong Khai both felt a sense of satisfaction.
Vuong Khai held the two hundred yuan, smile brilliant, heart extremely steadfast. Earning hard money with his own sweat, truly very satisfying.
"Let's go back," Lam Pham said.
"Mm." Vuong Khai nodded.
Survivors of Duong Quang Apartments, daily life almost the same as before, not much change. All doing their own things they wanted to do.
Sis Li and Grandpa Tu took care of the vegetable garden, now adding feeding and raising in the fish pond.
Grandma Liang taught the children to read.
Tran Hac studied knowledge from internet textbooks.
Co Hang was repairing and renovating the residential area, wanting to make it the safest.
Everyone was doing their own thing.
Afternoon.
Street.
Lam Pham, as usual, proactively went out to find tenants, hoping to pitch Duong Quang Apartments' housing. Even more so, he just wanted to do something.
Encountering good survivors, would ask if they were willing to come to Duong Quang Apartments.
If encountering evil-doing survivors, he would transform into a meddling, justice-protecting ordinary person. Can't say acting bravely for a just cause, just an ordinary person stopping them.
Desolate street, gave the feeling of seeing no hope whatsoever. This is how it seemed to others. But in Lam Pham's eyes, absolutely not like this.
He was always full of hope.
Places he passed by before, he didn't go. Those places also had no survivors. He expanded his work scope to places he hadn't been before.
Looking at the street situation.
"Truly chaotic, so dirty, very messy."
Many cars worth millions, hundreds of thousands, wrecked by the roadside. People who could drive such sedans must have lived very happily before. Just that since the apocalypse arrived, such good life completely gone.
Apocalypse shrouded, vibrant city already turned into gloomy, death-filled ruins. Quiet environment, any slight movement so jarring, shocking the soul.
The air was filled with a faint rotten smell. Perhaps nearby rotten corpses, carried by the wind. Most of the smell had already spread to every nook and cranny of the city.
Stopped. In a trance, seemed the scene before him was still like before: young girls laughing merrily, children sharing spicy strips with companions, men smoking, thinking where to have skewers at night.
"An illusion."
Lam Pham stood in the center of the street, turned his head to look. Uninhabited street, only his solitary figure, lonely and strange. But also not lonely. Duong Quang Apartments had survivors, had the hope he brought back.
Continued walking, looking at surrounding buildings.
He seemed to be pitching Duong Quang Apartments' housing, or rather, more like searching for scarce hope.
"Ugh ugh..."
Zombie roars.
Entering a new street, encountered many more zombies than those he had swept through before.
"It's all because of you group of zombies."
Lam Pham's perception of zombies quietly changed. From you live your life, just don't bother me, to now, he found friendly zombies were truly too few. Until now, counting that one from before, also just two.
Such a number is truly too few.
Facing the charging zombies, Frostmourne streaked silvery-white sword energy. Corpse after corpse of zombies collapsed paralyzed on the ground.
Killing zombies isn't a difficult task.
Relatively very simple.
Walked to a barbershop.
Touched his hair; hadn't had a haircut for some time. Felt his hair seemed to have grown a lot.
"Anyone here?"
Entered the shop, asked softly.
No one answered.
He already knew the boss definitely ran away, or turned into a zombie. But he hoped more that the boss fled, became a living survivor.
Stood before the mirror, looked at himself in the mirror. Hair indeed long. With past thoughts, definitely wanted the barbershop's signature cut. Hairstyle is very important for enhancing one's spirit.
He liked short hair, not too short, not too long. Best if the hair on both sides of the head was slightly shorter.
Looked at the price list.
Short cut: fifteen yuan.
No barber, no boss.
Lam Pham picked up scissors, gestured a few times towards the mirror, snip snip trimming. Then took electric clippers, pushed the hair on both sides of his ears. Messy hair slowly fluttered to the ground.
After a moment.
He looked at the hairstyle in the mirror, nodded in satisfaction.
Overall not bad.
Took out cash, got change himself from the boss's drawer. Paid fifteen, got eighty-five back. Mood wonderful. Although this was self-haircut, but using others' tools, paying is very normal.
"Boss, goodbye."
Lam Pham spoke towards the empty shop.
He knew the boss wasn't here.
But he hoped such sound could transmit within this shop, just like after a short cut before, when leaving, smiling and greeting the boss before departing.
Friendly people are often like this.
"Based on this situation, I might very well not meet any survivors today."
He walked a very long way, encountered many zombies, only just didn't meet any survivors. This made him somewhat helpless.
He had an idea: to walk through the entire Hoang city, eliminate all zombies in Hoang city, create a zombie-free peaceful environment for Hoang city, let those lucky survivors safely move around on the streets, enjoying peaceful times.
Pfft!
Just as a zombie appeared and was killed, unexpectedly heard a sound.
"Brother! You are awesome enough! This zombie couldn't even get close to you before being killed by you!" A voice came from upstairs.
He looked up, unexpectedly found someone on the second floor of the shop. A young man stood behind anti-theft bars, mental state extremely good, different from survivors he encountered before.
Lam Pham's face revealed a smile; this was the smile of seeing a survivor.
But to say the only problem was, he still didn't know what kind of person the opponent was. If a bad person or didn't meet Duong Quang Apartments' move-in conditions, then really could only say sorry.
"Hello," Lam Pham proactively greeted.
The young man looked at Lam Pham, felt the opponent was strange, "Don't say hello. Listen to brother's advice: hurry and run. Don't just look like you're very formidable. But if you encounter a few more zombies, then you basically won't make it."
Lam Pham said, "Thank you for your concern. I am still very formidable."
The young man laughed, "Aiya! Holy crap! You are truly awesome! Saying your heart is big doesn't even describe you well! I've seen too many survivors during this period, never seen anyone more awesome than you! Respect!"
Lam Pham felt the opponent, although always saying "Holy crap" and "Awesome," seemed to have no suspicion. Looking closely at the opponent's eyes – that is the main gate to glimpse the soul.
Felt the opponent seemed to be a not-bad survivor, one who maintained rationality and bottom line from beginning to end. This kind of ability to judge people, very magical. Perhaps due to adding points.
"Self-introduction, my name is Lam Pham, Duong Quang Apartments' homeowner, also Duong Quang Apartments' security guard, part-time Tan Phong Brokerage. Always out looking for survivors. I feel you are very suitable. Need to change place to live?" Lam Pham asked amicably.
The young man was bewildered by these words from Lam Pham.
Clearly didn't expect, the opponent would actually say these inexplicable things to him. This head, sure it doesn't have some minor problems?
Young man: "Brother, don't mess with me. We are both young people in society, experienced society's beatings. Not to mention now is the apocalypse. You watch more zombie movies; you also couldn't possibly say these things to me."
Lam Pham knew the opponent regarded him as a bad person.
Some survivors he encountered, most were like this.
"You might have some misunderstanding about me. I'm not a bad person," Lam Pham said.
Young man: "Say no more. I have food here, have drink, don't even mention how happy. Daily entertainment, stored supplies enough for me for a year. You better leave quickly."
Lam Pham looked at the opponent.
Face smiling.
He wouldn't force anyone.
"Alright then. Since you're unwilling, forget it," he said.
The young man seemed to think of something, "I advise you best pay attention. Don't think the nearby zombie count is very low. Actually, an armored vehicle appeared the day before yesterday. They aren't soldiers, seem like private corporate armed forces. That fool across from me was taken away by them. But I feel he's done for. Based on my many years of movie plot understanding, could be looking for test subjects. Don't let them catch you."
That guy across the street from him was a fool.
Since the apocalypse happened until now, he had been observing. Later when the armored vehicle appeared, that guy was shouting for help. He found the people inside the armored vehicle very strange; anyway, however he looked, didn't seem like good people.
Thinking about those movie plots, a little conjecture, could also figure something out.
Lam Pham nodded, "Thanks, I know."
As Lam Pham finished these words.
The young man directly pulled the curtain, obediently huddled in the house, continued playing on the Little Tyrant learning machine plugged into the TV. He was just a shut-in. This was his secret base, his own paid-for residence, hoarded many supplies. If unhappy at his original home before.
Would secretly run here, play easily locked in the room.
Safety not much of a big problem.
Downstairs had a rolling shutter, behind which was also a very good quality security door. Even if zombies broke through the first layer, absolutely wouldn't break through the second. Besides, he also wouldn't shout loudly; who could notice him?
Lam Pham looked at the pulled curtain, continued searching for survivors.
As for the mentioned armored vehicle, mysterious private corporate survivors, he also didn't know where this group was. Could only continue walking. Perhaps one day could meet them. A little chat then would also be a good choice.
Small market.
He walked all the way, besides encountering zombies, didn't meet any other survivors. Same as he thought, survivors in the apocalypse all hide in the dark. Wanting them to come out openly, definitely very difficult.
Passing by the small market, wanting to go in to buy things. Just that he suddenly thought, in the residential area, still no barber.
This is an industry vacancy.
If can catch this kind of trend, even a pig can fly with the wind.
Now the residential area lacked many professions. Doctors, teachers, cake makers, security guards, water plant staff, etc. But some professions closely related to life were still relatively lacking.
He thought about doing a part-time barber job.
Perhaps wouldn't earn much money.
But at least could subsidize the household a bit.
Entering a shop selling hairdressing tools, just entered the door, saw a zombie with its back to him, standing at the counter, swaying before the mirror.
One look and knew it was the boss. Could tell from his dazzling hair color. Even though already greasy, but that hair color was still dazzling.
"Boss, hello."
Bang!
Ugh ugh...
Roars, collision sounds, chopping sounds.
Lam Pham seriously selected at the counter. The chopped-dead boss lay there very obediently.
A set of Ai De Hua professional hairdressing scissors, price not expensive, fifty yuan.
Also, Real Man electric hair clippers, selling price fifty-five.
Price not too expensive, pretty good. Preliminary calculation, one haircut charge ten yuan, eleven haircuts can recoup costs.
"Life's pleasures are often sought by oneself."
Lam Pham smiled, thought of the fifteen yuan spent at the barbershop just now. If only he had bought tools himself earlier.
"Boss, money on the table. Goodbye."
Waved his hand.
Left the shop.
At this time.
A sedan slowly drove past Hoang city toll station, thoroughly entering Hoang city's boundary.
Te Thinh's car speed wasn't fast. Looked around. Not many zombies on the road, very hard to encounter. Perhaps this was because a long time had passed; even if zombies appeared on the road, would also, as time went by, wander to other places.
He thought of Bro Chu's advice.
Duong Quang Apartments is the place of hope. Don't go elsewhere. Only by going to Duong Quang Apartments can one live.
He had been to many cities. Hecheng city and Hoang city were always cities he traveled between. Although familiar with many road sections, but to say where a certain residential area was, he really didn't know. Such a large city, so many residential areas, how could all be remembered in heart?
Checked navigation. Although no internet now, but these maps were all downloaded before. Searched for Duong Quang Apartments. Soon a route appeared. Still nearly seventy or eighty kilometers away, journey somewhat remote.
Now he had nowhere to go. Only Duong Quang Apartments mentioned by Bro Chu was trustworthy. Hoped what Bro Chu said was all true, that place was another not-bad shelter.
During this period, he saw too much danger and terror in Hecheng city. Zombies very terrifying, survivors also very terrifying.
He parked the car near the toll station, locked the car doors, pulled the curtains well. Wanted to rest well for a bit. These few days, basically hadn't slept, spirit in a tense state.
He had already thought it through. Driving into the city, absolutely would encounter many zombies. Under tense, fatigued conditions, rushing in recklessly would surely lead to trouble.
Te Thinh prepared to rest in the car for a while, regain enough spirit to drive into the city.