Chapter Forty: The Girl on the Top Floor of Wangfujing

“Turn around slowly.” As Zhao Qiang obediently stood up, a crisp voice commanded him.

He followed the instruction and turned, but in the pitch-black night, he couldn’t make out the other person’s appearance, only a vague silhouette.

“Are you human or a zombie?” The crisp voice asked, still filled with tension.

The question amused Zhao Qiang—human or zombie? If he were one of those zombies, would he be so obedient? He didn’t reply, but from the sound of her voice, he guessed she was a young girl, inexperienced in the world. Alone in the darkness, she dared to carry a gun, which showed some courage. Zhao Qiang made up his mind to tease her a little.

“Don’t move, or… or I’ll shoot!” The girl, seeing that Zhao Qiang not only stayed silent but also took a few steps toward her, gripped her gun tighter. Her legs began to tremble as she retreated step by step under his pressure.

Before she could see clearly, Zhao Qiang moved like lightning. By the time she realized what happened, her gun was already in his grasp.

The girl gasped, spun around, and ran, forgetting that she’d been forced to the edge of the building. Behind her lay a sheer cliff, dozens of meters high.

She barely took two steps before her foot slipped, and she plunged toward the ground below. The sudden drop made her squeeze her eyes shut and scream, but after a moment, she realized she was still alive.

She stopped screaming and cautiously opened her eyes. What she saw terrified her—a dark abyss below, and she was dangling upside down from the ledge, one foot caught by something, keeping her suspended.

With a strong pull, Zhao Qiang dragged her back from the brink. If he hadn’t reacted quickly, with a bit of luck, the girl would have been smashed to pieces.

She huddled in a corner, shaken from her brush with death and unwilling to go near the edge again. Looking up, she saw that the person who saved her was the same one who had taken her gun, and she began to cry out again, “No! Don’t eat me!”

Now it was Zhao Qiang’s turn to be exasperated. The girl’s shriek reached nearly 120 decibels, stabbing at his eardrums. Seeing no sign she would stop, he had to cover her mouth with his hand.

“What are you screaming for? I’m human, not a monster! I don’t eat people.” Zhao Qiang shook his head with a wry smile, thinking his joke had gone too far. “If you keep shouting, the monsters outside will really come in.”

Upon hearing Zhao Qiang’s words, the girl finally stopped struggling. In the darkness, her big eyes blinked, and her hands loosened their grip on his.

“I’ll let go, but you mustn’t scream again, alright?” Zhao Qiang asked, his hand still firmly over her mouth.

Her face was nearly red from suffocation—his strong hand covering not just her mouth but her nose as well, leaving her unable to breathe or speak. She could only nod frantically and make muffled sounds.

Zhao Qiang finally released her, and she gulped air desperately, regaining a bit of strength. Still panting, she patted her chest and asked, “Are you really human? You won’t eat me?”

He grinned, taking out his flashlight and shining it on his face. “See for yourself, am I human or not?”

In the beam of the flashlight, the girl finally saw Zhao Qiang’s face. Round and plump, with a hint of mischievous smile, his eyes clear and determined—not like those hideous monsters outside. His chubby face seemed friendly, not at all like a villain.

“Is there somewhere warmer?” Zhao Qiang asked. This place was obviously unsuitable for conversation, and with the girl silent, the atmosphere was awkward.

She nodded, struggled to stand, but her legs gave out and she sat down again. The ordeal had clearly frightened her, and though she tried to recover, her legs wouldn’t cooperate.

Zhao Qiang smiled gently and helped her up. She didn’t refuse his assistance, and with shaky steps, led him to her little shelter.

By the flickering candlelight, Zhao Qiang finally saw her face clearly. She was in her early twenties, hair tangled and drooping, her thin cheeks tinged yellow—clearly malnourished. Her lips, purple with cold, were cracked and dry. She wore a down jacket that didn’t fit, thrown on haphazardly. All in all, she looked utterly worn out.

Taking out the gun he’d taken from her, Zhao Qiang examined it—a Type 64 pistol, its paint chipped, but decently maintained. There were four bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber. He deftly removed the round from the chamber, engaged the safety, and handed the pistol back to her.

She stared silently at him, accepting the gun. From the way he handled it, she could tell he was an expert. When he drew the pistol, she had feared he meant harm and instinctively clutched her collar, but he simply removed the bullet and returned it. Her tension eased considerably.

“Are you alone here?” Zhao Qiang asked casually as he scanned the room. It was messy, with piles of food wrappers and empty water bottles in one corner. Thick cardboard covered the floor, topped by a heap of battered quilts. Clearly, the girl had been hiding here for some time.

His question made her tense again, and she replied warily, “There are five or six of us here. They’ll be back soon. Why are you asking?”

“Just making conversation,” Zhao Qiang answered. The room was too small to accommodate so many people, but he understood her caution and didn’t expose her lie.

She gripped the gun tightly, even knowing it was empty—it still brought some comfort. She watched Zhao Qiang rummaging through his backpack, keeping a close eye on him.

He paid her no mind, digging out two pieces of bread and a bottle of water, plopping down on the floor and devouring one piece in a few bites.

The girl hadn’t eaten for nearly three days. Watching Zhao Qiang eat so heartily, she swallowed hard. Though reserved, she said nothing, only quietly observed him.

Her every move did not escape Zhao Qiang’s notice. He didn’t rush to eat the remaining bread; instead, he opened the water bottle, took a long drink, and swallowed the crumbs.

“Would you like some?” Zhao Qiang asked softly, shaking the bread in his hand. He wasn’t actually hungry, but wanted to ease the tension and help her relax.

She nodded lightly, then quickly shook her head, but the anticipation in her eyes and her swallowing betrayed her true desire. At that moment, her stomach let out a loud grumble.