Chapter 23: The Sheep Talisman

They had taken ten large water storage tanks, so even if the water supply were cut off, they would not need to worry about water for quite a while. Beyond these, the items she collected the most were locks—hundreds of them in all shapes and sizes. She also grabbed ten water purification units from a nearby water treatment station, along with two hundred boxes of water purification tablets. From the building materials and electromechanical equipment markets, she brought back solar panels, storage batteries, diesel generators, pedal-powered generators, wind turbines, and other necessary gear. Finally, she emptied two outdoor supply stores.

Having settled the basic necessities, Lin Wanmei turned her attention to food. She simply couldn't resist. Along the way, she scoured grain and oil shops, fruit stands, seed stores, vegetable markets, and supermarkets, picking and choosing as she went. Checking her list, she realized she had stockpiled almost everything they needed. Throughout the journey, they were selective, giving a wide berth to shops with rolled-down shutters or blocked entrances to avoid encountering the living, and steering clear of areas with high concentrations of zombies to maximize efficiency.

However, moving such a massive amount of goods home took a significant amount of time. The clothing, shoes, socks, and medicine alone required two large truckloads each. For lunch, the siblings ducked into a snail noodle shop; with no chefs around, they were on their own. They didn't rest for the remainder of the day, working until dusk began to fall.

Finally, Lin Wanmei entered a baby supply store, intending to finish her sweep there. Sheng Anyu was puzzled. "Little sister, we don't have any children at home. Why are you gathering these?"

"What if we do? It's better to be prepared than sorry."

Lin Wanmei had read too many survival novels and wanted to stock up on everything; she felt uneasy if she lacked anything. Besides, she felt the apocalypse was far from over. Even if the government succeeded in solving the crisis, it might take years. What if they eventually found a safe place to settle down, and her brothers ended up with wives and children of their own? Well, the supplies might be expired by then, but the thought remained.

Seeing that she was determined, Sheng Anyu didn't argue. The store was quite large and well-stocked, so they took all the diapers, formula, wet wipes, tissues, baby clothes, shoes, and maternity supplies, leaving behind only non-essentials like high chairs, toys, and strollers. The truck wasn't quite full, and not wanting to waste the space, Lin Wanmei completely emptied the spice shop next door.

The siblings returned home fully loaded. Halfway back, they suddenly heard a distinct, buzzing sound growing louder, like the roar of a lawnmower. Lin Wanmei paused. "What is that sound?"

Sheng Anyu listened. "It sounds like a helicopter."

They exchanged glances and scanned their surroundings for the source of the noise. Sure enough, a helicopter soon appeared in the east, its lights flashing. Below, the roars of zombies grew louder. Lin Wanmei gasped, her voice trembling as she pointed toward the eastern street. "Second Brother..."

Sheng Anyu looked over, his composure shattered. In the glow of the sunset, a dense, black mass of zombies was surging forward from all directions, forming a line at least several hundred meters wide. From an aerial perspective, it looked like a dark cloud descending, a sight that filled one with despair. With so many zombies, they would likely trample their entire residential complex.

"The helicopter drew them here!" Lin Wanmei said anxiously. In truth, the helicopter wasn't flying particularly low, but the zombies' hearing was incredibly sensitive.

"The military must be preparing to clear out the zombies," Sheng Anyu analyzed, trying to remain calm. "They are likely surveying the city or trying to herd the zombies together. Either way, we need to get back. Tonight will be difficult to endure."

Hearing this, Lin Wanmei felt a sense of urgency. "Hold on tight, I'm accelerating!" With that, she activated the Rabbit Talisman, and in a few breaths, the two of them and the truck were back at the complex. Sheng Anyu was stunned; it was so fast, covering such a distance in the time it took to catch one's breath! It seemed his little sister had been holding back yesterday.

They stopped by the window, which the family had left open to facilitate the transport of supplies. Lin Wanmei opened the truck's cargo door and used her power to send the supplies flying through the window one by one, not waiting for her family to help. Watching the supplies pour into the house like dumplings, Grandma Lin grew worried and asked Mother Lin, "Did something happen? Why are they in such a rush?"

The two women hurried to the window to push the accumulating goods aside to make room. In less than five minutes, Lin Wanmei had finished unloading. She then controlled the truck to fly outside the complex, left it in a secluded corner, and headed home with Sheng Anyu. By then, the drone of the helicopter was close by.

"Everyone, stay alert. Do not make any noise. There's a helicopter outside, and it's bound to attract many zombies. Make sure all phones and power banks are fully charged," she instructed her family, then sent the news to her best friend in the city.

"A helicopter?" Mother Lin was delighted. "Is it the military?"

"Yes, but we don't know what they're planning yet."

"Good, good. As long as the country is taking action." Mother Lin, like most citizens, hoped for the day the zombies would be eliminated so life could return to normal. But was it really that simple? Lin Wanmei felt uneasy but kept it to herself.

To prevent the coming horde from disrupting their water, power, and signal, she had her father and Sheng Anyu install the water purification equipment and scrub the storage tanks clean before beginning to fill them. They kept the water pressure low to avoid noise. She urged the family to charge all devices and download maps of every city and the country, but even after working for hours, her heart remained unsettled.

A few hours later, the sounds of the zombies seemed to grow louder. The family ate a simple dinner and retreated to their rooms, waiting quietly for the horde to arrive. After bathing, Lin Wanmei lay in bed and took out the Sheep Talisman she had kept at home. She intended to go out and take a look.

A flash of white light, and the Sheep Talisman activated. Lin Wanmei felt a jolt, followed by a sudden sense of weightlessness. She drifted in the air for a moment, then looked down to see her own body from a third-person perspective. Her soul had left her body!

Her heart raced—such a mystical experience was truly thrilling. She approached the door and reached out; her fingers passed straight through it. In her soul form, she could pass through any object. She wandered through the house, seeing that her family had not yet slept and that her second brother was using her spare phone to pass the time. She tried calling out a few times, but no one could hear her, so she calmed down and flew upward.

The resident in 202, a shut-in, was sitting at his computer playing a game, his keyboard clacking loudly, but fortunately, the sound wouldn't carry outside. In 302, a young couple was sharing an intimate moment; Lin Wanmei didn't dare look, covering her face as she flew quickly upward.