Chapter 9: Department Store, A Family of Three

Just then, the zombies chasing them from the road caught up.

Liang Yu and the others quickly turned onto another street, but their faces twisted in disbelief.

This street was also packed with zombies—an absurdity beyond absurdities.

Hong Shan and Lai Qingxue panicked, abandoning their bikes to flee.

With no choice, Liang Yu followed, constantly scanning the surrounding buildings.

The F-shaped street was lined with shops, with a department store on the right.

Spotting the department store, Liang Yu grabbed Lai Qingxue and Hong Shan, who were heading elsewhere.

“This way!”

With that, Liang Yu dashed ahead, and the others hurried after him.

They reached the department store, where Liang Yu used a crowbar to smash a display window, leading them inside.

The broken window belonged to a clothing store. Liang Yu grabbed plastic mannequins and threw them at the entrance, with Hong Shan and Lai Qingxue helping.

After barricading the entrance with mannequins, Hong Shan took the crowbar from Liang Yu and pried open the store’s main door, allowing them to escape.

Once outside, Hong Shan jumped up and pulled down the store’s shutter, effectively sealing the zombies out.

The trio cautiously surveyed their surroundings. The area was enclosed and dimly lit, making it hard to see anything.

They turned on their phone flashlights, searching the department store for breaches, hidden zombies, or any survivors who hadn’t reached the shelter.

The department store wasn’t large, with only three floors: a basement parking lot, a clothing and snack street, and a floor for a supermarket and electronics.

Liang Yu signaled Hong Shan to check the second floor, and he nodded.

“Be careful, Hong Shan,” Liang Yu said with concern.

Despite their banter, they still cared for each other!

Hong Shan ascended the broken elevator to the second floor to search.

Liang Yu and Lai Qingxue remained on the first floor, heading to the security room.

The room reeked of blood, with two headless bodies slumped over the monitors.

Judging by their security uniforms, they were likely the store’s security guards, infected and turned into zombies, or else someone wouldn’t have decapitated them.

Liang Yu turned to Lai Qingxue, “Guard the door. I’ll check for a backup power source.”

Lai Qingxue nodded, moving to the door.

Liang Yu searched for the backup power switch. Department stores typically had backup power; otherwise, during a blackout, the shop owners would be left in the lurch.

Soon, Liang Yu found it and flipped the switch.

The entire department store lit up from front to back.

Lai Qingxue and Liang Yu exchanged smiles.

Just then, a scream echoed from upstairs.

They rushed to the second floor, where Liang Yu immediately saw Hong Shan on the ground, clutching his head, and hurried over.

Helping him up, Liang Yu asked urgently, “What happened!?”

Hong Shan, wincing in pain, said, “I saw a figure and thought it was a zombie, so I chased it to take it down.”

“But when the lights came on, I looked up, and when I turned back, a stick hit my head!”

From Hong Shan’s account, it was clear he hadn’t seen a zombie—zombies don’t use weapons.

He must have encountered a survivor hiding in the department store.

Liang Yu helped Hong Shan up, handing him to Lai Qingxue, then proceeded alone.

As he passed a pillar, a man lunged out, swinging a stick at Liang Yu.

Fortunately, Liang Yu’s system skills made him quick to react, catching the stick mid-swing.

He kicked the man, sending him flying, and the stick fell aside.

The man landed heavily, clutching his stomach in pain.

Liang Yu twirled his cleaver, approaching the man slowly, crouching with a mischievous grin.

A young boy rushed from the corner, shouting, “Bad man, don’t hurt my dad!”

Behind him, a woman caught up, scooping the boy into her arms, standing fearfully nearby.

The man looked at Liang Yu, pleading, “Please spare them. If you want to kill or maim, do it to me!”

Liang Yu smirked, “Oh, a brave one!”

“Go ahead!” The man closed his eyes, awaiting his fate.

The woman covered the boy’s eyes.

Liang Yu didn’t harm him; after all, it was just a stick, nothing serious.

He helped the man up, who opened his eyes in shock.

Liang Yu gestured, “Relax, I have no grudge against you. Why would I kill you?”

“You accidentally hurt my friend. Just apologize, and it’s fine!”

The man exclaimed, “Huh!?”

Liang Yu continued, “Huh what!? Hurry up, or I might change my mind.”

Hearing this, the man quickly approached Hong Shan, bowing deeply, “Brother, I’m sorry. I didn’t look carefully and hurt you!”

He apologized, and it wasn’t a big deal, so there was no reason not to accept.

Hong Shan joked, “No worries, you didn’t hit too hard. Otherwise, Old Liang might have really killed you!”

Liang Yu joined them, “Yeah, right, if you died, I wouldn’t shed a tear!”

Hong Shan laughed, “Sure, I know you too well!”

“I wish he’d knocked you out, so I wouldn’t have to hear your annoying voice!” Liang Yu said, sitting on a massage chair.

Hong Shan joined him, playfully hitting Liang Yu.

“Alright, with your head injured, how can you be so cocky!”

Their banter lightened the mood.

Liang Yu asked the man, “What’s your name? Why are you here? Why didn’t you go to the shelter?”

The man replied, “I’m Li Cheng, my wife is Liu Ruyi, and my son is Dou Dou!”

“We were buying appliances when those monsters appeared. We hid in a big oven and just came out, then saw this brother!”

Li Cheng glanced at Hong Shan.

Hong Shan rubbed his head, embarrassed. In less than 24 hours, he’d been hit twice—a world where only Hong Shan gets hurt!

Li Cheng then asked, “Brother, what shelter were you talking about?”

Liang Yu explained the situation outside, leaving Li Cheng and his wife speechless.

They thought only a few people had turned into zombies, but now they learned the streets were full of them—hard to accept.