Chapter 15: The Medicine Depot

Lin Wanmei was momentarily stunned, then took her phone from her pocket and handed it to him. "There is one, but I have to warn you, zombies are very sensitive to sound. We don’t know the situation at your place right now; the phone ringing could attract them."

Hearing her words, Gu Chenyi fell into deep thought, but in the end, he chose not to make the call.

"Forget it. No matter what’s happening at home, I have to go back and check. I’ll just head straight back!"

Sheng Anyu was silent for a moment before asking, "Do you want us to go with you?"

Gu Chenyi scoffed, "How could I let you two siblings come with me on such a dangerous journey from so far away? Go home quickly! Your family is still waiting for you."

"Brother Ayi."

Lin Wanmei quietly handed over a firefighter’s axe. "Take this for self-defense. Be very careful not to get scratched or bitten by zombies."

Although she wanted to help her second brother’s friend, she simply didn’t have the strength; she had her own matters to attend to.

She only hoped that he could reunite safely and smoothly with his family.

Gu Chenyi was momentarily taken aback and reluctant to accept it. "That won’t do. You guys—"

"My brother and I look out for each other. You’re alone, so take it," Lin Wanmei interrupted him.

"Ayi."

Sheng Anyu softly called out, "Don’t refuse."

Meeting the earnest gaze of the siblings, Gu Chenyi lowered his eyelashes, hiding the redness in his eyes caused by emotion.

"Alright… I’ll take it. You both must take care."

Sheng Anyu said in a low voice, "You too."

This parting—no one knew what awaited them, nor what the future held.

May the goddess of victory watch over them.

Lin Wanmei reminded again, "Weapons can easily get stuck in the skull. As doctors, you should know better than I do. Be extra careful when you’re alone."

"Don’t worry!"

Gu Chenyi forced a light smile. "Then let’s take care of ourselves. Hopefully, we’ll meet again someday."

"Once you’re safely home, remember to contact me," Sheng Anyu said with a furrowed brow.

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanmei recited her own phone number. "Too bad I don’t have a pen. Just memorize it; my number’s pretty easy to remember…"

Gu Chenyi carefully noted it down, and with that, they said their goodbyes.

Watching Gu Chenyi scale the iron fence and quickly disappear into the streets, Sheng Anyu couldn’t tear his gaze away for a long while.

After a long moment, his throat moved slightly as he hoarsely said, "Sister, let’s go too."

"Wait a moment."

Lin Wanmei, deep in thought, raised her hand to stop him.

"What’s wrong?"

***

"I still need to get something."

Under Sheng Anyu’s puzzled gaze, Lin Wanmei leaned close and whispered mysteriously, "Where is your hospital’s medicine storage?"

Sheng Anyu was slightly surprised. "What do you want to do?"

"Of course, I want to take some with me! Leaving those medicines here to gather dust is a waste. Second brother, don’t say stealing is wrong. Times are different now!"

Lin Wanmei’s cautious expression made her quickly speak first.

Sheng Anyu was left speechless but had to admit she had a point.

"Only there are too many zombies inside the building; going back in is very dangerous..."

She was well aware of the zombie-infested building, so she didn’t plan to risk entering the main hall’s pharmacy. Compared to that, the medicine storage was usually hidden away, so that was her target.

With no hospital for treatment anymore and medicine supplies dwindling, it was necessary to keep some common medicines at home for emergencies.

Having come all this way, she couldn’t just leave empty-handed.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Wanmei decided to use the excuse she had prepared long ago.

"Second brother, I have to confess something to you."

Sheng Anyu quickly became serious. "So serious? Go ahead."

"Your sister has awakened, a golden finger!"

Lin Wanmei said solemnly, tilting her head slightly and looking at Sheng Anyu with wide, round eyes.

After ten seconds of silent eye contact, Sheng Anyu burst into laughter, quickly covering his mouth. "Sorry, I couldn’t help it..."

"…" Lin Wanmei’s face darkened.

"Don’t not believe me! I’m not joking or reading too many novels!"

"I’ll prove it to you right now!"

With that, the snake talisman activated, and she vanished into thin air.

Sheng Anyu’s smile froze, his expression suddenly changed, and he frantically looked around. "Little sister? Little sister! Where did you go?"

Hidden from view, Lin Wanmei poked his handsome face with a finger.

"I’m right in front of you, you silly brother!"

Sheng Anyu’s lips parted slightly, his expression blank for a moment.

There was nothing visible, yet his sister’s voice was so close, her touch real.

He reached out incredulously, grasping her wrist in the empty air. The next moment, Lin Wanmei reappeared from invisibility.

"So, second brother, do you believe me now?"

Her proud little expression was vivid and lively. Such an absurd, unscientific thing was happening right before Sheng Anyu’s eyes—it made him question his own reality.

But then again, zombies were fictional too, weren’t they? Zombies could break out, so awakening a golden finger didn’t seem so hard to accept after all.

***

"So, where exactly is the medicine storage?"

"…I’ll take you there."

Sheng Anyu didn’t ask about the specifics of her golden finger ability, and she didn’t explain.

She had thought it through: if she was going to survive the apocalypse with her brother and uncle, hiding her extraordinary abilities would be impossible.

But if the existence of the "talismans" became known, few could resist temptation—even relatives.

There was no need to test human nature.

Calling it an awakened golden finger and letting them understand it as a supernatural power was the best approach.

No one could steal it, and no one would covet it; instead, they would be wary of the special ability.

Although she didn’t want to suspect her family maliciously, she maintained the necessary caution.

The hospital’s medicine storage was on the second floor, west wing of Building Three. According to Sheng Anyu, there were six staff members: four Western medicine chief pharmacists and two Chinese medicine pharmacists. Their current status was unknown.

If they had turned into zombies, that would be easier to deal with. But if they were still alive, Lin Wanmei would have to give up on the medicines and find any pharmacy instead.

After all, keeping her secret was the top priority.

She held Sheng Anyu’s hand tightly; the snake talisman rendered them perfectly invisible, and with the chicken talisman, they smoothly avoided the zombies and reached the second floor of Building Three.

It was her first time using the chicken talisman to carry someone.

How to describe it? She felt a little bit suppressed all over.

The chicken talisman could levitate objects, but if the weight was too heavy, it would drain a lot of mental and physical energy.

Fortunately, Sheng Anyu was tall but well-proportioned, so the burden on Lin Wanmei wasn’t too great.

They landed again, and Lin Wanmei still hadn’t withdrawn the snake talisman’s power. She didn’t want to expose herself or her brother to sight.

The astonishment in Sheng Anyu’s eyes was almost overflowing.

Only by experiencing it firsthand did he truly realize the miraculous opportunity that had befallen his little sister.

She could become invisible and fly! No wonder she had suddenly become so formidable and was able to come to the hospital to save him.

He was truly fortunate!

It was the first time Lin Wanmei had seen her warm and steady brother show such a childlike side.

But seeing the pure excitement in his gaze, she felt deeply comforted.

The two cautiously approached the medicine storage and immediately saw several medical staff who had turned into zombies, standing quietly scattered around.