Quiet street.
A family of three followed behind Lam Pham, their eyes bewildered as they looked at the surrounding desolate, barren architecture. Knowing the apocalyptic situation, they still received an unimaginable shock.
They knew this sword-wielding man before them was very unusual.
He had surpassed their understanding.
Lam Pham stopped and looked at them, "Don't be nervous. From the moment Officer Hoang handed you over to me, your personal safety has been guaranteed."
This family of three before him: the man Lo Tru, the woman Trau My Le, and the daughter Lo Oanh.
"That Officer Hoang just now was clearly a zombie. Why did he protect us, unlike other zombies?" Lo Tru asked curiously.
Lam Pham smiled, "As I said before, Officer Hoang is a person of conviction. Even if he turns into a zombie, he will still protect law-abiding ordinary citizens. You might not have seen it before, but I've seen it many times. It's nothing too strange."
They were silent. The apocalypse, in their minds, was the transformation of the once-known world into the unknown. The existence of zombies was already very unscientific, and now there appeared someone like Officer Hoang, as well as the superhuman Lam Pham. How much of this could be explained by known perception?
"What professions did your family of three have before?"
Lam Pham chatted casually with them, intentionally trying to ease their nervousness. It was evident that their state in the apocalypse was not good. Even now, having been brought before him by Officer Hoang, this family of three still worried about the future.
He didn't explain too much.
Some things needed to be experienced by themselves; personal experience was more effective than a hundred sentences.
Lo Tru said, "I was an engineer at the power plant. My wife stayed at home, and my daughter is an art teacher."
Hearing these words.
Lam Pham was extremely surprised. He hadn't expected to meet a power plant engineer, and also that Lo Oanh was an art teacher. In an instant, he thought the children in the residential complex were truly fortunate; they could have a new course.
He placed great importance on children's education; all-around development was the correct way.
"Is the electricity supply still stable?" Lam Pham asked.
Lo Tru said, "Very stable. Hoang City's electricity supply is hydroelectric. When it was built, the path taken was high automation. It can be maintained for a very long time, but it needs the vegetation and aquatic organisms at the water inlet to be cleaned at regular intervals..."
Lam Pham nodded, half-understanding. Fortunately, he had encountered a hydroelectric station engineer. After some time, he could go take a look.
Arriving near Duong Quang Complex.
Quan Hao was leaning against the window, looking at the empty street. Beneath his feet was a wad of sticky tissues – nothing untoward, he had just made an effort. The pressure in the apocalypse was quite significant; occasional release could alleviate inner anxiety.
Seeing a familiar figure approaching from the distance, he straightened his clothes and revealed a brilliant smile.
Until the other party walked up to him.
"Big Brother, hello."
A warm greeting, capable of expressing his true inner thoughts, but even more so, a kind of fawning, hoping to gain favor and thereby leave this side to enter Big Brother's inner territory, to strive and work hard for Big Brother's cause.
"Hello," Lam Pham replied.
Receiving Big Brother's reply, Quan Hao was extremely excited. He also looked enviously at the three survivors. It seemed they were going to stay in Duong Quang Complex. Thinking about his own current situation, there was still a distance from this paradise; he needed to continue working hard.
Lo Tru looked at the survivor in the second-floor shop, "Why is he staying there?"
Lam Pham smiled, "Because it's safe."
Lo Tru looked, then looked again at the shelter surrounded by iron bars. If safety was the concern, it should be safer inside there.
Returning to Duong Quang Complex.
When everyone learned Lo Tru's identity, they were all overjoyed. A hydroelectric power plant engineer – didn't that mean they now had an expert in electricity? The shelter's infrastructure, water, electricity, supplies, doctors, etc., were all now complete.
The superstar Ha Nha had established the Ha Nha Rental Housing Fund in Duong Quang Complex. She had given her bank card to Lam Pham, hoping it could be used to provide housing for people who came to stay in Duong Quang Complex.
Ha Nha often saw Lam Pham discussing rental situations with survivors. She understood the process involved, but that process meant money. Since she thought money was useless to her anyway, she might as well selflessly contribute it.
When Lo Tru's family of three saw the living conditions in Duong Quang Complex.
They were so shocked they were speechless. In their view, this was simply a paradise in the apocalypse, an earthly fairyland. It could no longer be described with simple words.
There were friendly survivors, sufficient supplies, and talents from all walks of life.
Lo Oanh even shrieked with excitement. She saw Ha Nha! This was her favorite female celebrity, a female representative, an object of aspiration for all women, and her values were especially upright.
Once, she had seen Ha Nha single-handedly battle three thousand "keyboard warriors" on her own forum.
The power of keyboard warriors was not something ordinary people could withstand. When they struck, who with twenty years of skill could endure?
Just when many thought Ha Nha would be defeated, they didn't expect her to actually battle the various keyboard warriors for several hundred rounds. In the end, one reply from her caused many keyboard warriors to vomit blood. She still remembered it to this day.
[Meaningless, keyboard warriors are merely so-so. @ForumBOSS, please ban the accounts of the keyboard warriors in my comments section.]
After this battle, the lifelong skills of three thousand keyboard warriors were broken, and they vanished into the vast river of the internet.
She had established correct values for women and was a goddess in the hearts of many females.
Lo Oanh's parents saw hope in Duong Quang Complex, their hearts joyful, as if foreseeing the future.
They thanked Officer Hoang who had desperately protected them, and even more so, thanked Lam Pham for bringing them here.
...
Hop City, in a desolate high-rise building.
Top floor.
In the gloomy environment, a young-looking zombie sat there. He was like an emperor from ancient times. Around him swayed many zombies; a quick count showed about ten zombies circling around him.
His bloated face was dull, covered with blue veins. His eyes were not pale white but showed a faint red color. His overall appearance gave people a feeling of extreme ferocity and violence.
He, with his pill-shaped hairstyle, struggled with his head, growling viciously at the surrounding zombies.
It was just that the roar he emitted was different from other zombies. Other zombies all made an "Ao ao" sound, while the sound he made, if it had to be described in words, might be...
"Ge Ge Wu!"
His name was Vuong Tu Hien. Before he turned into a zombie, he was an operations manager at a web novel site. His ID was "Chief Genius Gege Wu." Perhaps he lost himself amidst the praises of "Handsome Gege Wu" from others, leading to this idea becoming deeply ingrained in his mind, so much so that after turning into a zombie, the sound he made was "Ge Ge Wu."
He was different from other zombies; he had his own rationality, but his temperament had become irascible, gradually developing in a dark direction.
This was a really bad situation, but he didn't feel it, instead thinking it was just how things were.
He, who had turned into a zombie.
Was heading down a road of no return.
When the apocalypse had just broken out, he was driving to escape and encountered an evolving zombie in the midst of its evolution. He ran it over and saw a crystal.
Perhaps due to reading too many novels, he felt this crystal should be a good thing. He risked getting out of the car to retrieve it, but unexpectedly, another zombie attacked, biting his arm.
He saw those who were bitten turn into zombies in an extremely short time and was truly terrified. Perhaps thinking of treating a dead horse as if it were alive, he directly swallowed the crystal.
Finally, his consciousness dissipated, and he fell into a comatose state.
Until he woke up, zombies were wandering all around. His former personality had also gradually become irascible and evil, but his rationality remained; he could still think for himself.
At the same time, he discovered he could actually control zombies. He thought it was a mental ability gained after turning into a zombie.
At the very beginning, he could control ten normal zombies. Seeing evolved zombies appear, he manipulated normal zombies to hunt them, but the effect was very poor; ten normal zombies were no match for an evolved zombie.
Later, he slowly developed. By now, he could already control ninety normal zombies, relying on crystals.
The ten zombies he roared at were under his control, standing stiffly in two rows.
"Ao ao!"
A zombie with a broken arm slowly appeared, holding a white crystal in its hand. It was the lowest grade crystal of an evolved zombie. The zombie walked up to him and presented the crystal.
"Ge Ge Wu..."
The zombie Vuong Tu Hien growled, as if saying, "Useless trash! Eighty zombies were reduced to only one returning! How can you be so useless? What's the point of living? Why don't you just smash your head and die?"
But he still took the crystal and swallowed it in one gulp.
As the crystal transformed into pure energy, wreaking havoc within his body.
Vuong Tu Hien trembled all over and growled, as if saying, "I'm going to explode! I'm going to explode!"
"Ge Ge Wu!"
"Ge Ge Wu!"
His strange roars were always so out of place with other zombies. He was a mutant among zombies. After finishing the absorption, he could feel his own mental energy becoming increasingly formidable.
He should be able to control a hundred zombies now.
A white crystal condensed in his mind.
He walked to the window, clenched his pale fist. I am very strong, so strong that I can gain a foothold within the zombie hordes of Hop City.
He looked towards a place not far away. There existed a huge zombie, its arms like scythes, looking very powerful. He thought that with his current mental control, manipulating a hundred zombies could definitely kill it.
Thinking of this.
The zombie Vuong Tu Hien growled again. He wanted to become the king in the zombie nation. All sorts of evolved kin would prostrate themselves at his feet, becoming his slaves.
His confidence was overflowing; it felt as if this patch of sky could no longer contain him.
...
A Tyrant stood amidst a horde of corpses, like a King, exuding a domineering aura. Its unique temperament was always the most attractive; the Tyrant was the most霸气 (domineering/badass) type among many zombies.
Its scythe arms seemed capable of severing everything.
In the street.
Vuong Tu Hien led a hundred zombies, marching imposingly. Walking at the head of the zombie horde, Vuong Tu Hien held his head high and puffed out his chest, truly like a zombie king inspecting his territory.
Upon seeing the Tyrant not far away, his mind stirred. A hundred zombies sprinted towards the Tyrant, roaring, creating an immensely vast and imposing scene.
The zombies circling the Tyrant sniffed the scent of their own kind and, not smelling any danger, continued to sway about.
But the Tyrant standing there, as if sensing enmity, roared angrily and was instantly overwhelmed by the charging zombies. Seeing this scene, Vuong Tu Hien roared excitedly.
"Ge Ge Wu!"
As if saying, "My underlings, chop it to death for me!"
But very quickly, the situation on the field exceeded his imagination, different from what he had anticipated.
Boom!
Pfft!
The Tyrant's powerful strength thoroughly terrified him. The zombies he controlled were slashed in half by the Tyrant's scythe arms, flesh and blood splattering everywhere, without even the ability to resist.
Just like chopping vegetables.
Easy, simple.
The Tyrant noticed Vuong Tu Hien, standing alone on the street, watching his king. Its body leaned forward, roaring ferociously.
Vuong Tu Hien rolled his red eyeballs, and without thinking, turned tail and ran.
He ran very fast, his buttocks almost splitting.
Flee! Flee!
Finally, he hid trembling in the corner of some building. The zombie horde was annihilated, and his mental energy was greatly depleted, needing to recover slowly.
The cowering zombie Vuong Tu Hien emitted low growls like a cat.
"Ge Ge Wu!"
As if saying, "You just fucking wait for me!"
Suddenly.
He heard the Tyrant's roar from outside.
It scared him so much he didn't dare to growl anymore, like a helpless little fatty, hiding from a group of perverts wanting to have their way with his bottom.
The future zombie king, leading many underlings to single-handedly fight a Tyrant.
Yet was mercilessly counter-killed by the Tyrant.
If Lam Pham knew that such a type of zombie had appeared in Hop City, he would absolutely be instantly vigilant. This zombie's intelligence was probably higher than the boxer shorts zombie he had seen before, and its abilities even more perverse.
If allowed to develop, it would probably become a disaster in the apocalypse.
It was just a pity.
If he encountered it, he would definitely ask it what one plus one equals.
Then chop off its dog head.
...
Early morning.
The beautiful weather made people's moods much more cheerful.
A steel beast ruthlessly crushed the zombies blocking its path, heading towards the hydroelectric power station. Enhanced by crystals, this steel beast wouldn't dare claim to kill gods if gods blocked, or kill Buddhas if Buddhas blocked.
At least when it encountered zombies and collided with them, the zombies always ended up in a惨败 (crushing defeat).
"Brother Lam, recently we've discovered that the zombies around our Duong Quang Complex are really getting fewer and fewer," Tu Trach Duong said with a smile. He naturally knew the reason for this situation but was just saying it casually.
Lam Pham said, "The cleanup range is already very large. Although there are many zombies, with effort, there are still no problems. It's just that we still need to continue working hard."
Lao Mao, who was driving, sighed, "According to this situation, I think in the future, Hoang City can definitely become the final refuge for human survivors. Starting from here to fight against the zombies, there will definitely be a day when all zombies are eliminated."
Lam Pham smiled, said nothing, opened the car door, and looked at the surrounding buildings.
"Is anyone there?"
He shouted loudly.
To see if there were any survivors, or to see if there were any hiding zombies.
"Ao ao!"
Zombie roars came from ahead.
Very quickly, zombies wearing water plant work clothes rushed out from dark corners. Facing this group of zombies, Han Suong and the others appeared very calm. If it were just them, they would definitely be scared.
But now Lam Pham was right beside them, what was there to be afraid of?
Lam Pham, holding Frostmourne, easily dealt with the charging zombies, then turned his head and said, "Engineer Lo, let's go take a look. You all just wait in the car for us."
Han Suong and the others nodded, returned to the car, and waited for them to come back.
Currently, there were more and more talents in the residential complex, all essential talents for daily life. This was extremely necessary in the apocalypse. In Han Suong's mind, the apocalypse had only broken out for a little over a month; many things seemed not yet scarce, but as the apocalypse dragged on longer and longer, that sense of preciousness would become apparent.
"Engineer Lo, where do we start the inspection?" Lam Pham asked.
Lo Tru said, "Currently, I'm the only one who understands these matters. There's a severe shortage of manpower, and there are quite a few places that need inspection. It will take some time. We'll take it slow, no rush for now. If everything is inspected clearly and confirmed to have no problems, we can then come back to check after a longer period."
Lam Pham was like Lo Tru's bodyguard, following behind him, constantly paying attention to the surrounding situation. If any zombies appeared, he would absolutely kill them in the shortest possible time to ensure Engineer Lo's safety.
After all, this was a talent; how could he let anything happen to him?
After a while, the inspection ended. Everything was fine. Lo Tru also adjusted some data. Everything else was good. Even if truly left unattended, as long as the water inlet wasn't blocked, it could really be maintained for many years. Of course, this was all the most ideal state. Unfortunately, the real world doesn't speak of so-called ideal states; any situation is possible.
"Engineer Lo, from your professional perspective, how long can this place last?"
Lo Tru pondered, then slowly said, "If there's a professional team to maintain it, it can last indefinitely. But now there isn't, and I'm just an engineer. I don't have that much capability in this aspect. So, as for how long it can last, one can only pray it can last a bit longer."
He thought about what the future of the apocalypse would be like, whether order could be restored, whether there would be management. If it relied solely on him, he really had no way.
Professionals do professional work; it's not like any random person can do it well.
Different professions are like different mountains; what can ordinary people know?
"Oh."
Lam Pham nodded, seemingly understanding Lo Tru's unspoken thoughts.
Outside.
Han Suong and the others waited in the car.
"Chu Duong has occupied a bank and built it into a refuge, sheltering some survivors. That fellow's ability is really strong," Tu Trach Duong sighed.
Han Suong said, "There's nothing about strong or not strong. They are also just trying to survive in the apocalypse, bartering goods for goods. We revealed the situation of Duong Quang Complex to him, but he wasn't interested. This person is ambitious; I'm afraid he wants to become an overlord in the apocalypse."
"Tch." Van Kiet sneered.
Tu Trach Duong said, "You look down on him?"
Van Kiet said, "No, I acknowledge he's formidable. But he made one mistake. If someone like Brother Lam didn't exist, what he's doing would indeed be impressive. However, our Brother Lam lives in Hoang City. Do you think Brother Lam goes out every day to clean up Hoang City's zombies just for fun?
When one day all the zombies in Hoang City are cleaned up by Brother Lam, Hoang City will definitely become the place for humanity's counterattack against the zombies.
The Three Major Bases may exist, but they will eventually gather around Brother Lam, seeking his protection, and from there launch a crusade against the zombies. And anyone who wants to establish hegemony in Hoang City will be suppressed by Brother Lam.
Brother Lam is thinking about humanity's future, not a struggle for power. Anyone who dares to do such things in Hoang City will not end well.
I'm putting my words here right now; if you don't believe it, you can slowly wait and see."
As Van Kiet said these words.
Tu Trach Duong and the others looked at him in astonishment, as if they hadn't expected that he, who usually had no particular thoughts, could actually say such things.
For a moment, they thought, could it be that Van Kiet normally was always silently paying attention to Lam Pham?
Just like a low-key, die-hard fan, not letting his idol know, not usually showing it off in front of others, but at the most crucial moment, letting everyone know, "I am his most brainless fan."
Han Suong thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps the future situation will really be as Van Kiet said."
Van Kiet lifted his head, looking slightly smug.
"Ah, Brother Lam and the others are back," Van Kiet finished speaking.
Lam Pham got into the car and said, "It's fine, let's go back."
Returning to the residential complex.
Lam Pham spread out a map and looked at the cleaned-up area.
Compared to before, the area had expanded significantly. If any survivors could enter these areas, it would be relatively safe. He wouldn't dare say much else, but ensuring their lives was absolutely no problem.
"In the early stages, I was too lax, and the cleanup was a bit slow. Now I've increased the speed, but according to this situation, to clean up the entire Hoang City once, it might take quite a bit of time. It seems I need to be even faster."
He looked gravely at the map.
When the apocalypse had just begun, Lam Pham thought, "I just need to do my own thing." But gradually, his thoughts slowly changed. Meeting Sister Ly, meeting Old Man Vuong and the others, each person had a particularly great influence on him, thereby changing his thoughts and goals.
Afternoon, on the street.
Pfft!