Surviving the Game as a Zombie - Chapter 132

All the residents of Songming City were summoned to the front of the city gate.

The city’s large speakers announced for the residents to gather, the voice in the broadcast gentle and soft, a stark contrast to the usual hurried and threatening announcements.

The originally wide quarantine zone was now bustling with people, the crowd even spilling into the market area. No one had slept all night, and their faces bore an irrepressible sense of terror and unease. Some citizens who had lived in Songming City for a long time even skillfully forced smiles, afraid that some unforeseen disaster would befall them.

Currently, the city had over five hundred residents. A portion had taken advantage of last night’s chaos to escape the city, but the remaining number was still considerable.

The high sun had completely dispersed the previous night’s fog, revealing a clear view of the azure sky. It wasn’t until the tenth broadcast that a figure finally appeared atop the tall city wall.

The citizens looked up to see a woman with her hair tied up standing on the command platform of the city wall. She spoke a few words softly, and her voice, transmitted through the speakers at the gate, was surprisingly the same gentle one from the broadcast.

Li Luo was as composed as ever. Holding a small sound receiver, she first asked for silence. Only when the entire crowd was looking at her did she slowly begin to speak.

“The old leadership of Songming City died late last night.” Li Luo calmly stated the astonishing news. The crowd below the wall immediately erupted into a commotion, yet no one dared to ask questions aloud. The fear instilled by the old city had not yet faded from these residents; they worried that their careless words would bring about their own demise. Besides, this woman stood alone on the command platform. Aside from the zombie horde blocking the rear, she didn’t have a single subordinate by her side, which made it even harder for people to gauge her strength and motives.

“There’s no need for excessive speculation. This was the result of a struggle for power. The victor is crowned king, the loser is vanquished, that’s all. The reason for gathering everyone is simple: to inform you that from today onwards, I will be taking over this city. My name is Li Luo, the ‘Li’ from ‘dawn’.” Li Luo gazed at the upturned faces of the crowd. She didn’t give a loud speech or boast of her achievements to legitimize her position; she simply stated the matter in a tone of notification.

Without giving the citizens time to react, Li Luo continued, “The old system of Songming City will not be carried over to the new city. Before the new regulations are established, you can all continue to live at your own pace, but there are three points that will change immediately, starting now.”

“First, the current distribution of positions and residential areas will be reshuffled. Regardless of gender, please be prepared. Within today, go to the bottom left corner of the city gate to register your information and professional skills.”

Struck by this flood of information, the citizens reflexively turned to look at the bottom right corner of the gate. A dozen or so people were already standing there, led by two individuals in black who looked like bodyguards, with tables, paper, and pens set up.

Among these dozen people were some familiar faces—residents whom Song Lengzhu and Li Luo had connected with at the food distribution point and found to be decent.

“Second, all old Credit Coins are now void. The new currency will be issued in one week. The rules for acquiring it will still be based on the principle of ‘to each according to his work.’ Specific details will be announced along with the new currency.”

This news was even more shocking than the last. They had to quickly digest the previous matter to process this new blow. Players with many Credit Coins in their pockets couldn’t help but wail in despair; the wealth they had worked so hard to obtain was now useless. On the other hand, another group of residents who had been poor finally had a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

Li Luo’s drastic changes were based on the fact that Songming City’s population was manageable. If the numbers exceeded ten thousand, it would be impossible to simply reset everything so crudely. As it stood, most of the old city’s wealth was accumulated in the hands of high-level players. If this foundational wealth wasn’t redistributed and everyone wasn’t forcibly brought to the same starting line, the class gap would only widen in the future.

Not only that, but a separate set of compensation rules would have to be made for NPCs with weaker skills. Achieving relative fairness was no simple proposition.

Voices of opposition arose from those in the crowd whose interests were harmed, but they didn’t dare to be loud. They weren’t familiar with Li Luo, and anyone who could wipe out all the guards had to be incredibly powerful. They didn’t dare to provoke her directly.

Li Luo’s tone didn’t change in the slightest. She continued, “Third, food distribution will change from once a day to once a week. For the first week, I will distribute an equal amount of food to everyone, and you will be allowed to trade food freely. I suggest you barter until the new currency is released.”

This point, at least, brought joy to everyone. The process was simplified, and no one’s interests were harmed. They suddenly felt that the new regulations weren’t so hard to accept.

After stating these three points, Li Luo finally gave the crowd some time to react. She watched with a smile as the people huddled together, chattering and discussing, letting them judge the pros and cons for themselves.

Only when the discussions began to die down and most people turned back to wait for her to continue did she leisurely proceed with the rest of her speech. She knew some would be dissatisfied and others would be overjoyed. The vested interests of the old system were likely already harboring thoughts of rebellion.

“If you cannot accept the new rules, you are free to leave the city at any time. I will not stop you,” Li Luo said concisely. “Also, those who have committed heinous acts in the past will be expelled from the city. This applies especially to the outsiders. From now on, your privileges in the city will be revoked. Staying here will no longer allow you to seize others’ resources, so I encourage you to leave. You might even earn more points that way.” Li Luo used the term “outsiders,” and many below were taken aback.

“Of course, if you choose to stay, I am more than happy to provide you with shelter. I will announce the specific new regulations in a week. During this transition period, I know some may want to take advantage of the chaos to loot and plunder. I advise those with such intentions to think twice.” A mere verbal warning was not enough; people needed to see something concrete to better understand the consequences.

So, as Li Luo’s voice paused, she raised a hand. The tons of heavy iron frames in the quarantine zone suddenly floated into the air like feathers, then swiftly crashed back to the ground. Such heavy ironwork should have smashed a large crater in the ground, but it didn’t. The ground was perfectly flat. The woman on the wall had perfect control, handling the iron frames with ease.

The crowd gasped in amazement. The NPCs’ shock went without saying; ever since the outsiders had invaded their lives, their worldview was being refreshed daily. The “divine powers” of these people were each more terrifying than the last.

The players’ astonishment stemmed from the fact that “Object Control,” when used properly, was an incredibly powerful ability. Their own weapons could be snatched away by Li Luo in an instant. Coupled with the zombies standing motionless but with an intensely strong presence behind the crowd, the deterrent effect was even greater. “This woman is not to be trifled with,” the thought appeared in the players’ minds.

Once everyone had calmed down, Li Luo briefly explained the direction of the new regulations, giving the citizens a simple account of the kind of camp she wanted to build and the corresponding measures. It was, in essence, a concise version of an inaugural address.

Tang Yu leaned against the wall of the command room, arms crossed, listening to Li Luo’s meeting. A protruding buttress completely concealed her figure from view. People couldn’t see her and most likely assumed Li Luo was alone.

In reality, she wasn’t. Not only her, but Song Lengzhu was also here.

Xiao Qi listened for a while and praised, “This Li Luo is a good leader. Her speech is simple, not long-winded. That’s rare. She’s someone you can work with.”

“She’s very experienced. She knows what people want to hear and what they don’t, what they fear and what they hope for,” Song Lengzhu commented from the side.

Li Luo was gentle, from her expression to her tone of voice, everything indicated she was a kind and benevolent person. But the content of her words and the small display of her power carried an unquestionable authority.

Li Luo chose not to push Tang Yu and Song Lengzhu into the public eye. This was a good thing for both of them, as it reduced the risk of exposure. The ordinary players in the city probably knew there was a Zombie King among the horde, but not who it was.

It was also beneficial for Li Luo to secure her position as leader. Her position needed to be backed by strength. By taking all the credit for conquering the city, she could establish a prestige that would convince the players to follow her.

Both sides were happy with this arrangement.

After Li Luo quickly finished her speech and came down from the platform, the crowd below began to register their information. A portion of the players, feeling there was nothing left for them here, packed their things and left.

Li Luo turned off the sound receiver and asked Tang Yu and Song Lengzhu, “What are your plans now?”

Song Lengzhu didn’t answer immediately. She looked at Tang Yu, waiting for her to decide first.

Tang Yu turned to discuss with Xiao Li and Jin Ye, “Let’s wait here for Professor Zhou first. After we deal with the zombie army, we’ll move some supplies and recruit some people before heading back to the camp. We’ll probably stay for seven or eight days. Oh, right, one more thing. In the future, if our camp has surplus fresh ingredients, we can sell them to the people of Songming City in exchange for useful items. What do you think?”

Jin Ye expressed her support, “That’s great. We can supply Songming City with fresh ingredients. Besides the long distance, there are no other problems.”

“We can fly a plane for the long distance,” Xiao Li suddenly blurted out. “I’m telling you, wouldn’t it be cool to use those fighter jets from the armory to transport vegetables?!”

Cool, very cool. Tang Yu laughed out loud. She hadn’t expected Xiao Li to come up with this idea. Most of these “vehicles” came with instruction manuals, so there was no need to worry about the difficulty of piloting them.

After getting her teammates’ approval, Xiao Li excitedly relayed this information to Li Luo, looking eager to try.

Li Luo smiled and asked Song Lengzhu, “What about you?”

“I haven’t decided where to go yet. I’ll stay in the city for now,” Song Lengzhu said. “I’ll let you know if I decide to leave.” Now that they were more familiar with each other, they no longer addressed each other as Miss Song and Miss Li. In that sense, they could be considered friends.

“Great. Then find a place to stay on your own, I won’t look after you. I’ve got my hands full with this huge mess.”

Xiao Li asked Li Luo, “Are there other people on your team?”

“Yes, there are four others elsewhere. I’ve already notified them to head this way. But seven people definitely won’t be enough, so I’ll be looking for more players in the city.”

Xiao Li raised her hand. “If you’re recruiting, I’ll go with you. I can help recruit for our camp at the same time.”

“You’re here to steal my business, aren’t you,” Li Luo chuckled, but still agreed to Xiao Li’s request.

With Li Luo staying behind to manage the situation, the rest of the group blended into the crowd and left the city gate. Tang Yu pulled the hood of her jacket over her head, teleported into the zombie horde in a flash, and only rejoined the team after they were far from the crowd.

Song Lengzhu stopped and waited for Tang Yu to approach, asking, “Where do you plan to stay?”

Tang Yu thought for a moment. There were so many houses in the villa district. She planned to casually pick one close to Lin Zhongqi’s house. It was far from the bustling city center, had fewer people, and was more convenient for them to move around. When Jian Che arrived, she also wanted to take the little girl to see the room.

Tang Yu took out a pen and paper. Just as she was about to write, she noticed Xiao Li and Jin Ye staring at her notebook. She realized there were others here; it wasn’t a time for her and Song Lengzhu to be alone, so there was no need for the pen.

Xiao Li heard Tang Yu mutter something and turned to complain to Song Lengzhu, “Song Lengzhu, you could have just asked me directly. Asking Tang Yu means I have to translate it all over again.” She would call Li Luo “Li Jie,” but when facing Song Lengzhu, she used her full name.

Song Lengzhu automatically ignored Xiao Li’s complaint. Hearing her relay Tang Yu’s intended location, she turned to Xiao Qi and said, “We’ll stay next to them.”

The intention was so straightforward it was blatant, leaving Xiao Li and Jin Ye stunned. Even Tang Yu was taken aback, her heart pounding fiercely.

Xiao Qi, however, quickly accepted this arrangement. “Great, it’ll be convenient for me to chat with Xiao Li.”

The two groups, each with their own thoughts, first returned to the apartment to retrieve their luggage, then found a car and drove to the villa district.

The area around Lin Zhongqi’s residence was a complete mess, with the exploded car and corpses still there. Tang Yu chose a house about twenty meters away to avoid the stench of rotting bodies once the weather warmed up.

By the time they settled down, it was noon. The place they chose was another three-story villa. The supplies inside had been looted, leaving it pitifully bare, but the beds in the rooms were intact and clean. With four or five rooms, the three of them each took one. Tang Yu, whether intentionally or not, chose a room on the second floor with a layout corresponding to the special room.

Song Lengzhu’s place was right next door. From the small balcony of Tang Yu’s room, she could see the small garden of the neighboring house. Song Lengzhu was standing in the weed-infested yard, surveying the surrounding layout.

Tang Yu put down her luggage, walked out onto the small balcony, and leaned on the railing, propping her head on her hand. She watched Song Lengzhu’s figure in the distance, faintly hoping she would look up in her direction.

Song Lengzhu did indeed look up, but her gaze shifted away in an instant. She scanned the layout of the surrounding buildings before her eyes returned to where Tang Yu was. In response to Tang Yu’s wave, Song Lengzhu gave a slight nod. She said nothing, just looked up at Tang Yu.

Tang Yu’s heart was in a turmoil. Song Lengzhu’s deliberate proximity made her unable to suppress her joy, yet she didn’t dare to jump to conclusions. Even something as simple as “Why does Song Lengzhu want to live next to me?” could spawn seventeen or eighteen different speculations in her mind. An indescribable emotion created a tangled mess of threads in her heart that she couldn’t sort out.

Song Lengzhu’s direct gaze made Tang Yu’s chest feel warm and her mind go blank. With a sudden movement, she instantly teleported into Song Lengzhu’s small yard, standing face-to-face with her. It was a completely subconscious act. She had no idea what she was doing in someone else’s yard, and by the time her brain caught up, trying to leave would be awkward.

“Ah… hi,” Tang Yu raised a hand in an awkward greeting. Song Lengzhu tilted her head to look at her, not speaking, just watching her as if enjoying her predicament.

Tang Yu could only hold her breath, standing there stubbornly. Just as her face was about to be scorched red by the midday sun, Song Lengzhu finally spoke in a low voice, “Is there something you need?”

Something I need! Tang Yu’s mind exploded. Wasn’t it Song Lengzhu who looked at her first? Wasn’t she in the yard… wait, it seemed she was the one who had stopped on the balcony first.

Tang Yu could only force a toothy grin, her eyes squinting into slits, in an attempt to bluff her way through.

“Tang Yu! Why did you run into someone else’s yard? When did you go over there?” Xiao Li shouted from the window of the second-floor study. Tang Yu had clearly said she was going to put away her luggage, but in the blink of an eye, she had appeared in someone else’s yard.

Awkward. So awkward. Tang Yu felt the shame of being caught by a teammate. She quickly waved at Song Lengzhu and teleported back to her own room, burying her head under the covers to end the bizarre episode.

Her heart was pounding powerfully. Song Lengzhu stood in the yard for a long while, until the early summer sun had baked her body hot. Only then did she let out a soft sigh and murmur, “Cute.”