How to Raise a Baby in an Apocalypse - Chapter 409
Since the future is uncertain, the first thing they have to do is get rid of the group of copper-skinned zombies chasing them.
An Ran drives straight into a shopping mall. There are no zombies inside, but it’s a mess. Counters that used to be considered high-end before the apocalypse are overturned. Paper cups of popcorn litter the floor, and bloodstains smear the tiles, with clear drag marks.
In the lobby on the first floor, An Ran stops the car and gets out to pick up Doll.
Luo Feifan and the others follow in their vehicles. Zhan Lian immediately goes to discuss a plan with Luo Feifan for how to eliminate the zombies trailing behind them.
The road beneath the mall connects directly to the main highway leading into Xiangcheng. The terrain is wide and open. Beside the mall are two levels of overpasses, and just a bit further ahead is the bus terminal. Where there’s a bus terminal, there’s definitely gasoline.
The men gather to discuss their strategy. Yun Tao, Liang Ziyu, and Wang Wei lead all the ability users to scavenge gasoline and supplies from abandoned vehicles along the road and bring everything back to the mall. Then they pile the cars up at the national highway entrance, douse them in fuel, and prepare to set them ablaze to burn the copper-skinned zombies first.
Once their hardened skin is scorched, Yun Tao and the others will be able to finish them off.
Everyone changes into long clothes and pants from the mall’s clothing section. Some even layer up, despite the heat, in case the zombies lash out with their long tongues—no one wants to get infected by whatever virus they carry.
Once Yun Tao and the others are occupied with their tasks, Zhan Lian and Luo Feifan go to get more gasoline.
An Ran stays behind with Doll, along with Little Mint, Zhao Ru, Xu Li’er, and the others stationed inside the mall.
Zhao Ru and Xu Li’er go to gather supplies, while An Ran holds Doll and searches for a spot to plant a fat thornball. Little Mint remains in the car, sound asleep.
On the third floor in the Xiangcheng handicrafts section, Zhao Ru packs a few embroidered folk-style cloth bags, useful for carrying supplies. The large framed embroidery pieces, however, she leaves untouched—so did the previous survivors who passed through here. In a world like this, no one has any use for such bulky decorations, and there’s no place to store them.
Xu Li’er walks over from the cosmetics section and sees Zhao Ru packing cloth bags. She leans against the third-floor railing, looking down at An Ran, who is wandering around on the first floor with Doll in her arms.
Xu Li’er smirks and says, “Some women just need to find a man to rely on. Doesn’t matter how dangerous it gets—they’ve got their connections, and they can eat and drink for free while doing nothing.”
Zhao Ru glances back at her and smiles faintly. “Miss Xu is quite something herself. Everyone else looks worn out and ragged, but you still have the energy to dress up so carefully. I’d say the man you found isn’t bad either. So, is there really any need to envy others?”
Zhao Ru, though a water-type ability user, always keeps herself clean and neat. She speaks calmly and looks composed.
Xu Li’er, however, clearly has a thorn in her side.
Her comments are aimed at An Ran. Xu Li’er can’t stand how An Ran just carries a baby around without lifting a finger. Everyone else is busy—packing supplies or setting traps for the copper-skinned zombies—but An Ran doesn’t seem to be doing anything at all.
And then there’s that kid, Little Mint, still lying in the car asleep. She’s already thirteen! How can she sleep at a time like this?
Even little Hengheng is helping carry things.
