Chapter 24: Bitten by a Zombie-No apocalipse, estoques bilionários de suprimentos e domínio total da construção em terras devastadas!(A lua segue o barco que navega.)

The people in the base, already in a state of chaos due to Li Dalin’s shouting, erupted into a frenzy. They scrambled backward, as if the man who had been bitten were some terrifying beast. In the center of the crowd, a man clutched his arm, explaining with a face full of terror, "It wasn't a zombie bite! It was... it was just a scratch from the wire! Really! I won't turn into a zombie!"

He fought desperately to push through the crowd, seeking help, but the fearful gazes of those around him acted like walls, trapping him firmly in place. To make matters worse, behind him, the zombie he had shot was still twitching despite its missing head, wedged into the fence with black blood gushing from its severed neck, emitting a sickening, putrid stench.

The man continued to plead, but his complexion grew increasingly ghastly. His eyes began to turn bloodshot, and his speech became slurred: "I... I didn't... I’m not a zombie..."

A woman in rags among the crowd suddenly let out a piercing scream, a sound so shrill it was like glass dragging across a blackboard, making one’s skin crawl. "He... he’s mutating!"

She pointed at the man, her finger trembling, her face etched with horror, her eyes bulging as if they might pop out of their sockets at any moment. The surrounding crowd instantly became like ants in a boiling pot, scattering in all directions, turning an already chaotic scene into something beyond control.

Some shouted in a panic, "Run! He’s going to turn!" Others were tripped, scrambling to their feet in terror to continue their flight, tumbling over one another in a pathetic display of desperation. Fear spread through the crowd like a plague, and every person thought only of escaping this dangerous place as quickly as possible.

Panic, like a breached dam, instantly swept through the entire base. The crowd boiled over, scattering like ants on a hot griddle. Cries, screams, and curses wove together into a deafening, chaotic roar.

Jiang Qiyu watched this with cold eyes; she had long anticipated such a situation. In these early days of the apocalypse, people’s understanding of the zombie virus remained limited, and fear and ignorance only amplified every danger. She raised her gun, and without a moment’s hesitation, a single bang rang out. The bullet pierced the man’s skull with surgical precision.

The man collapsed straight down, his body hitting the ground with a heavy thud and kicking up a cloud of dust. His limbs twitched a few times, his hands fell limp, and he stopped struggling entirely. The echo of the gunshot lingered in the air, as if the world had been pressed onto pause. The boisterous crowd went deathly silent. Everyone stood as if frozen, their dull, vacant eyes fixed on Jiang Qiyu. Their gazes were complex—filled with shock, terror, awe, and the relief of having survived a brush with death.

Jiang Qiyu slowly lowered the gun, a wisp of smoke still curling from its barrel. She scanned her surroundings, her gaze sharp as a torch, as if she could pierce through the hearts of everyone present. Under her cold, piercing stare, the crowd gradually settled, and the previously noisy environment fell into a silence so profound that only the sound of shallow breathing remained.

"What are you panicking about?" Jiang Qiyu’s voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority that rang out with crystal clarity across the quiet grounds.

The crowd was stunned by her words, and they lowered their heads one by one, afraid to meet her gaze. Jiang Qiyu let out a cold snort and continued, "Those with medical experience, come forward immediately to treat wounds! Everyone else, maintain order and disperse!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than someone in the crowd responded, "Yes!"

Under Jiang Qiyu’s command, the chaotic scene gradually began to regain order.

Watching the situation stabilize, Jiang Qiyu breathed a silent sigh of relief. Although this riot had been sudden, it had laid bare the fragility and panic of human nature.

Jiang Qiyu holstered her gun, her expression blank, and said to Li Dalin, "Continue the registration."

Li Dalin was momentarily stunned before he snapped back to reality, nodding quickly to resume recording the survivors' information.

As order slowly returned, the survivors looked at Jiang Qiyu with a hint of reverence. A newcomer whispered to the person next to him, "Who... who is she?"

"She is the lord here," the man replied in a low voice. "The boss of the Coastline Base."

"The Coastline Base? That’s the largest survivor base in the area," said a middle-aged man who was dressed cleanly, appearing noticeably more respectable than the others. "Our leader founded it."

The newcomer looked blank. "A lord?"

"Leader Jiang Qiyu, of course! Didn't you see just now? She was the one who dealt with the mutant so cleanly," Wang Yu said with a touch of pride. "Our leader is incredible. Not only is her marksmanship excellent, but her combat skills are also top-notch. Most importantly, she built this base and saved us all. We even have plenty of supplies here—we’ve been cooking real meals. It’s been so long since I’ve had a hot meal. Our boss is truly badass."

"Let me tell you, the last time I went to the supermarket with the boss to stock up on supplies, man, it was spectacular!" Wang Yu described vividly. "The shelves were packed with all kinds of snacks and drinks—it was dazzling. I didn't care about manners anymore; I grabbed a shopping cart and charged in. Cookies, chips, chocolate—I shoved everything I could get my hands on into the cart. I even snatched a case of soda! Haha, that’s a treasure in the apocalypse!"

The newcomer’s eyes widened, as if they might split open. He had never imagined that in this zombie-ridden apocalypse, such a peaceful sanctuary could exist. What he found even more unbelievable was that the ruler of this sanctuary was such a young, decisive woman. If he could join, would he be able to eat hot meals every day? They had guns and all kinds of weapons—could he learn to use them, so he would never have to fear the zombies again?

He couldn't help but steal another glance at Jiang Qiyu. His heart was filled with awe. At this moment, Jiang Qiyu was scanning the surroundings, observing the situation in the base with a sharp gaze, as if she could perceive everything.

In a corner of the crowd, a young mother hugged her daughter tightly, her face pale. She quietly pulled down her sleeve to cover a deep bite mark on her arm, her eyes filled with despair.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" the little girl asked curiously. "Are you hurt?"

The woman quickly covered it up. "No, sweetie, behave. Mommy is just... just scared."

Jiang Qiyu followed the sound and looked toward the corner of the crowd. A thin, small figure was huddled there like a frightened kitten, her shoulders trembling with silent sobs. She wore her hair in a messy disarray that almost completely covered her face, revealing only a glimpse of a pale, gaunt chin.

Jiang Qiyu walked over and realized it was the young mother from earlier. The woman looked up, and seeing it was Jiang Qiyu, she quickly wiped away her tears and tried to stand, but due to exhaustion, she slumped back to the ground.