My Perfect Apocalyptic Life

The gray, oppressive sky bore down on the city, making it hard to breathe. Dusty streets lay empty, punctuated only by the eerie and sorrowful howls of roaming zombies.

Elegant buildings stood forlorn against the backdrop of wandering zombies, with bloodied handprints smeared on walls, silently narrating the despair that once filled this place. The scene was heart-wrenching.

The city’s former vibrancy was now absent, replaced by the stench of decaying corpses. Despair lingered in the air, haunting the empty streets.

Inside a small rental room, a man sat in silence, the sound of the howling wind outside echoing inside.

“Honey, the child has a fever of 39 °C, and we’re out of medicine. What should we do?”

The man’s wife asked anxiously, her voice tinged with unease. Zhang Lunping licked his lips, and a wave of pressure immediately surged into his heart; for a moment, he didn’t know how to respond.

He glanced outside at the few zombies wandering in the neighborhood and the occasional screams coming from nearby, unsure how to even process the situation.

Although Zhang Lunping was very scared, the responsibility of being the head of the family made him hide his inner fear.

He desperately wanted to retreat, but his child’s fever couldn’t be delayed.

Seeing the desperate and anxious look in his wife’s eyes, Zhang Lunping remained silent for a moment before finally saying, “Juan, stay home and look after the child. I’ll go out and find some medicine.”

His wife’s face turned pale with fear at his words. Instinctively, she said, “Go out? No way! It’s too dangerous outside. Let’s ask the neighbors. Old Liu across the hall should have some medicine! And it’s just a fever; maybe we can tough it out.”

Old Liu’s place?

A bitter smile appeared on Zhang Lunping’s face.

Three days ago, they had been awakened by Old Liu’s screams.

“It’s not just about medicine. What about food? We don’t have much left. At this point, we have no other choice.”

Zhang Lunping regretted his decision to buy this place at a bargain price. He thought that being close to the city center—just a ten-minute drive—meant that the lack of amenities wouldn’t matter. But he hadn’t anticipated that after the zombie outbreak, there wouldn’t even be a pharmacy nearby, and the grocery store had just recently opened!

“After I leave, don’t open the door for anyone, no matter who it is. Pretend no one is home… People have become untrustworthy in these times.”

Zhang Lunping quietly advised his wife, droning on with various instructions. Afterward, he turned to look at the girl lying on the bed. His eyes showed a hint of sadness, quickly replaced by a determined resolve. He walked over, seemingly wanting to touch the girl’s forehead.

Sensing her father’s hand, the girl opened her eyes groggily and instinctively called out.

“Daddy.”

“Qiqi.”

Zhang Lunping smiled with relief and said to the girl, “Daddy has to go on a long trip. I might be back tomorrow, or maybe a long time later. If it’s the latter, it’s because Daddy has to go get some plastic surgery.”

“Huh?”

The girl didn’t quite understand his words: “Daddy… plastic surgery? No, if you do that, I won’t be able to recognize you anymore.”

“Whoever Mommy tells you to call Daddy when I come back, that’s me after the plastic surgery.”

Zhang Lunping spoke softly, though he didn’t know if he’d return this time. Regardless, it was best to reassure her beforehand.

“Okay, but Daddy, you’re already very handsome! I’m too tired to talk now, Daddy. I feel awful and want to sleep…”

“…”

Zhang Lunping carefully closed the room door, hearing the coughing from inside. His heart ached, but his resolve grew stronger. Taking a deep breath, he looked at his wife, whose face was now streaked with tears. After waving to her, he drew a kitchen knife, slung a backpack over his shoulders, and resolutely headed out, making his way toward the city.

In times of crisis, as a husband and a father, one must stand up!

Zhang Lunping’s gaze was determined, taking in the perilous world around him.

He was ready!

……

“Huff~ Puff~”

Zhang Lunping panted heavily, feeling as though his lungs were about to burst.

Age had caught up with him.

Just a few steps, and he felt like his heart was going to tear apart; his stamina was depleted completely.

The kitchen knife had been lost in his run, and Zhang Lunping now realized he couldn’t compare to younger people. Even though he had been cautiously avoiding zombies, one misstep had him chased down by the undead.

The zombies were fast, and his stumbling, desperate run left him nearly in tears of frustration.

Once certain the area was safe, Zhang Lunping cautiously moved forward, his nerves on edge. He looked at the seven or eight roaming, eerie zombies and the blood-stained ground with broken, mutilated bodies strewn about, feeling nauseous and involuntary shivering.

How did the world become like this?!

Feeling utterly hopeless, Zhang Lunping hid behind a wall, his tension palpable. He took a deep breath and cautiously crawled forward.

But just when he thought the crisis was over, an urgent breathing sound and chaotic footsteps came from ahead.

“Don’t chase me, don’t chase me!”

A boy in a blue down jacket, covered in blood, suddenly dashed out onto the street in front of him, followed by three ferocious zombies!

This scene completely disrupted Zhang Lunping’s plan.

Seeing Zhang Lunping, the boy in the blue down jacket paused for a moment, then his face lit up with joy. Taking advantage of Zhang Lunping’s shock, he swiftly ran past him and even gave him a push.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I don’t want to die; help me!”

Though filled with guilt in his words, his actions were merciless.

The young man’s strength was considerable. Suddenly, Zhang Lunping staggered but managed to stay on his feet.

However, this left him a step behind the boy in the blue down jacket.

“Roar!”

The three zombies, seeing Zhang Lunping, let out excited growls.

Their crimson eyes locked onto Zhang Lunping like hungry wolves.

Zhang Lunping’s heart sank, and he wanted to tear the boy apart, but soon, he heard the boy’s anguished screams from afar.

“Ah!”

Zhang Lunping turned and ran without hesitation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the seven zombies feasting on the boy in the blue down jacket. The boy’s screams were incessant, but to Zhang Lunping, they sounded like the death knells of hell.

His lungs felt like they were going to explode.

There was no place to hide or detour—just an endless asphalt road and a food processing plant that appeared to employ many workers.

Damn it, damn it, damn it!

His whole body felt like it was on fire, with every cell screaming.

But at thirty-five or thirty-six years old, after years of desk work, his body couldn’t keep up.

On the other hand, the zombies seemed like tireless machines, relentlessly pursuing Zhang Lunping.

His pace slowed, and the zombies quickly closed the gap.

“Roar!”

The chasing zombies shook their bodies and let out a low growl. Their eyes turned white, radiating death, with blue and red veins standing out on their faces, giving them a gruesome appearance.

Seeing the zombies closing in, Zhang Lunping, unable to run any further, showed a look of horror and prepared to make a last stand!

“I can’t die here. I still need to get medicine for Qiqi!”

In that moment, Zhang Lunping seemed to summon a powerful survival instinct, ready for a desperate fight to the death. But suddenly, he heard the roar of an engine from afar.

“Rumble!”

The next moment, a black Mercedes E300 came barreling down the road, like a death-dealing truck, without any hesitation. It plowed directly into the three zombies behind Zhang Lunping, sending them flying. Then, with style, it skidded to a stop and ran over the zombies, spraying blood everywhere!

“Roar!”

The zombies roared, but the driver of the Mercedes seemed like a cold-hearted assassin, as if he’d been slicing fish at RT-Mart for ten years. The car slid elegantly to a stop in front of Zhang Lunping, and the window rolled down.

Looking at the young, handsome face in the driver’s seat, Zhang Lunping was momentarily stunned.

Soon, he heard the young man in the driver’s seat flash a brilliant smile and say, “Hello, Driver Xiao Meng, at your service. Need a ride?”

“If it’s nearby, I can give you a starting fare.”

Zhang Lunping: ?

Huh, is there still such a thing as a taxi in the apocalypse?

Wait.

Who runs a Mercedes E300 as a taxi?!

—
RT Mart – a store that features a hypermarket format, combining supermarket and department store elements under one roof.