How to Raise a Baby in an Apocalypse - Chapter 216

The light from the screen illuminates Yun Tao’s pale face as he throws the phone toward the lilies in the lobby on the first floor. He yells to Anran, “Get rid of the zombies at the escalator and the supermarket entrance!”

The phone lands with a thud, and the zombies in the lobby shift their focus, moving toward the phone with a chorus of hoarse cries. Even the bronze-skinned, iron-boned zombie that has been chasing Anran is drawn to the sound of the phone’s song.

Yun Tao, despite his injuries, hobbles over to Doll at the entrance of the escalator. He cradles the child gently in his arms, rocking it to calm Doll down. The crying subsides, and the zombies on the escalator temporarily lose their target.

Anran sprints toward the escalator. As she runs, lilies bloom in her wake, clearing the path. By the time she reaches the escalator, the zombies have all been dealt with, and the flower wall blocking the supermarket entrance has been reinforced.

Standing on the escalator, she thickens the flower wall between the supermarket and Gate No. 1 before quickly ascending. As soon as she reaches the second floor, Doll’s cries start again. But Anran isn’t panicked this time. She looks around and sees Liu Yuan taking Doll from Yun Tao’s arms, trying to calm the child. However, Doll, hungry and unsatisfied, stops crying momentarily, only to start again when it realizes there is no milk.

Seeing Anran climb the escalator, Liu Yuan nearly beams with relief. She hands Doll to Anran, who sits down by the escalator entrance. She lifts her shirt to nurse Doll, all the while keeping control over the lilies below to continue their work on the zombies. Anran’s control over her surroundings has expanded slightly, but she doesn’t focus on the specifics. Sitting where she is, she can control the supermarket entrance and Gate No. 1.

Meanwhile, Yun Tao stands by the glass guardrail on the second floor, his eyes fixed on the bronze-skinned, iron-boned zombie on the first floor. He watches quietly, noting that the zombie has no intelligence. It can’t distinguish between the real and fake sound sources. For now, the mobile phone’s song is louder than Doll’s cries, and the bronze-skinned zombie chooses to go after the phone.

Liu Yuan, having handed Doll to Anran, walks over to Yun Tao with a worried expression. She whispers, “What do we do about this zombie? It seems like no one can deal with it. It’s almost invincible.”

The bronze-skinned, iron-boned zombie is indeed formidable—stupid and stubborn, but nearly impervious in the sea of lilies. Other zombies can be devoured by the lilies, but this one remains untouched.

“Nothing is invincible,” Yun Tao replies, still watching the zombie. He covers his injured belly with a hand, glances at Anran sitting nearby feeding Doll, and then turns to walk toward the children’s playground across the way.

Anran, still nursing Doll, watches Yun Tao with a puzzled look. She sees him stop in front of the plastic shutter door of the children’s playground, deep in thought.

Liu Yuan returns to the maternity store to attend to Heng Heng, while Little Mint stands nearby, watching Anran with concern. Anran smiles at Little Mint, gesturing for her to rest. But Little Mint shakes her head, running to Anran’s side and silently sitting down beside her.

After a while, Doll finishes its milk and begins to hum restlessly. Anran stands, taking Doll back to the maternity store. Little Mint immediately follows behind her.

Once inside, Anran retrieves a fresh bag of diapers and changes Doll’s diaper, finally calming it down enough for the child to sleep peacefully.