Edge of the Apocalypse
Chapter 31 - 29: Liangzi’s Choice

Chapter 31: Chapter 29: Liangzi’s Choice

Lin Xiaojun, Liang Mian, and Jiang Xupeng stood in a pile of corpses outside the gate, armed with baseball bats and retractable batons.

Yu Dong, Liu Ye’ye, and Zhou Jian Country stood on the floor inside the gate, armed with long spears and a drone.

In that moment, the two teams of survivors—one outside and one inside the gate—formed a delicate, balanced tableau.

Yu Dong’s heart skipped a beat when he saw them.

’There are still three of them alive... No wonder they managed to survive in the property management office.’

He recognized Liang Mian and Jiang Xupeng, but the other one... his face was unfamiliar. Yu Dong had no impression of him at all, or he definitely would have given him a nickname.

Lin Xiaojun kept his head down, not daring to meet Yu Dong’s gaze. He seemed to have a bit of social anxiety.

Seeing that Yu Dong hadn’t said anything, Liang Mian glanced nervously toward Buildings 2 and 3, then called out to him.

"Brother Dong, it’s me! Open the gate, quick! There are zombies in Buildings 2 and 3... If they spot us, the three of us are dead!"

When Liu Ye’ye saw Jiang Xupeng outside, she discreetly grabbed Yu Dong’s hand and shook it insistently. Her little hand was ice-cold.

Yu Dong turned and saw that Liu Ye’ye’s eyes were filled with pleading.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze in acknowledgment.

Zhou watched Yu Dong, waiting for his command.

Yu Dong swept his gaze over the three men outside and asked in a low voice,

"Liangzi, have the three of you been in the property management office since the apocalypse started?"

"Yeah... We were almost killed by Sister Zhang. Luckily, you drew most of the zombies over here, so we were able to escape... So much has happened these past few days. Let us in first, and we can talk. It’s too dangerous out here."

Jiang Xupeng, standing beside him, also plastered on a smile.

"Hey brother, open up. I’m a homeowner in Building 1, we’ve met before... I’ve still got a bunch of beer in my place. Once I’m back, we can have a good time together. My treat!"

Lin Xiaojun, off to the side, remained silent and still didn’t dare to look Yu Dong in the eye.

"Anyone else alive in the property management office?" Yu Dong asked.

"Nope, just the three of us."

Jiang Xupeng was quick to answer.

Yu Dong looked at Liangzi, who gave an unnatural smile.

"We’re lucky the three of us even made it out alive, and we only survived by working together... Brother Dong, just let us in. From now on, you’ll be my real brother."

He glanced back again at the pitch-black entrances of Buildings 2 and 3, which looked as if a horde of crazed zombies could rush out at any moment.

"Who are you? How come I’ve never seen you before?" Yu Dong asked, pointing at Lin Xiaojun.

"Oh, he lives in our complex too, you..." Jiang Xupeng quickly interjected.

"Was I talking to you?"

Yu Dong shot Jiang Xupeng a cold glance. Jiang Xupeng froze for a moment, then forced a laugh.

"Right, right. Anyone can answer, it’s all good."

Yu Dong stared at Lin Xiaojun, trying to read something in his eyes, but he kept his head down and just mumbled,

"I work the night shift for property management... I’m usually in the office at night. I don’t come out unless I have to."

Yu Dong looked at Liangzi, who also nodded.

"Mhm! Lin Xiaojun, he’s also with property management. Li, the old security guard who works the night shift, knows him well."

Yu Dong thought back and did recall seeing a faint light in the property management office every night...

This Lin Xiaojun seemed afraid to look people in the eye, giving off a very timid impression.

Yu Dong didn’t waste any more time on him.

The conversation had given him enough to weigh his options.

"You guys should go back. We’re not planning on letting anyone else into Building 1 right now... Go on, hurry, before the zombies from Buildings 2 and 3 notice you."

Liangzi stared at Yu Dong in disbelief.

"Brother Dong, you don’t trust me? I thought... I thought we were buddies after we ate together."

Previously, to keep Liangzi from noticing he was having goods delivered, Yu Dong had treated him to a bowl of beef noodles at the gate while the delivery driver was unloading.

Yu Dong nodded.

"Liangzi, we are buddies, and I do trust you, but... Building 1 doesn’t belong to me alone. I can only let you in if everyone agrees."

"However... if you’re short on food, I can get you some for now."

"Ye Ye, go upstairs and grab some food for Liangzi."

Liangzi looked at Yu Dong with a complicated expression. Meanwhile, Jiang Xupeng, seeing that Yu Dong had taken over Building 1 and refused to open the gate, couldn’t hold back his anger any longer. The word "fuck" was on the tip of his tongue when Lin Xiaojun stepped on his foot, silencing him instantly.

Yu Dong took a small bag of food and tossed it on the ground, looking at Liangzi through the crack in the gate.

"Take it if you want it. This is all the help I can offer you. It’s a gesture of my goodwill."

Liangzi hesitated for a moment, then, feeling somewhat humiliated, he leaned against the gate, reached out his hand, and snatched the food.

"Let’s go."

Blocked by Yu Dong, Liangzi’s group didn’t dare to linger, fearing a sneak attack from zombies, and left resentfully.

Lin Xiaojun didn’t say a single word from beginning to end, simply following Liangzi and Jiang Xupeng back.

...

「Property Management Office」

"FUCK!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

In his fury, Lin Xiaojun smashed the front desk computer.

Jiang Xupeng, meanwhile, looked at Liang Mian with a mocking expression.

"Liangzi, is this the ’good buddy’ you were talking about? Didn’t you say you had this in the bag? How did you get fobbed off with a bit of bread?"

The expression on Liang Mian’s face was complicated as he looked at Lin Xiaojun and Jiang Xupeng.

"It’s normal for him to be a little wary. Besides, he gave us food, didn’t he? Maybe he’ll give us more later. Just give me some more time, I can definitely convince him."

"Bread?"

Lin Xiaojun snatched the bread from Liang Mian’s hand, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it viciously with his boot.

STOMP!

"SHIT!"

"I want the good stuff he’s hiding! Is he trying to fucking feed us like dogs?"

"He thinks he has the upper hand... so he can just put on airs and lord it over us, is that it?"

"He’s just like the people who stepped all over us before the apocalypse... exactly the same!"

"Just you wait... We will take our rightful share. I guarantee it!"

Lin Xiaojun’s eyes were sinister, and a chill emanated from him, making the other two unconsciously inch away.

「Middle of the night.」

Liangzi suddenly sat up.

He looked at the others, then at the main door of the property management office, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

That afternoon, when he had bent down to pick up the food, Yu Dong had actually whispered something to him...

"Come find me tonight, alone... Don’t let them know."

Brother Dong hadn’t treated him like an outsider. Brother Dong just didn’t trust Jiang Xupeng and Lin Xiaojun.

Now, Liangzi faced a choice.

’Do I stay with Lin Xiaojun, or... do I go straight to Brother Dong?’

On one side was Lin Xiaojun, who had saved his life and pleased his woman. On the other was the kindhearted Yu Dong and the sturdy fortress of Building 1.

...

"So, Dongzi, you’re planning to let the security guard, Liang Mian, join us, but not the other two?"

Zhou Jian Country was actually quite curious about Yu Dong’s methods today.

His actions had shattered Zhou’s expectations several times.

He had originally thought Yu Dong would try his best to save everyone and would surely let them in, observing them in quarantine at worst.

But in the end, Yu Dong refused them all.

He could understand that decision. After all, the three men looked formidable, and his own group was clearly not as powerful.

But he never expected Yu Dong to pass a hidden message to Liangzi.

Liu Ye’ye, hugging a large teddy bear, said, "In any case, that Jiang Xupeng can absolutely not come in! He’s a total pervert."

"A dog that barks doesn’t bite. Jiang Xupeng wears his wickedness on his sleeve, so I’m not too worried about him. But that Lin Xiaojun... I can’t see through him."

"Hopefully, Liangzi can tell us whether Lin Xiaojun is someone worth saving."