Zhang Yi nodded with satisfaction. The neighbors who had fought—and killed—were the ones he could use as cannon fodder. He praised them loud enough for everyone to hear. "Well done. Unity makes us unstoppable."
He called over Li Chengbin and Jiang Lei, the two fiercest fighters, and shoved handfuls of moldy buns, swollen cookies, and slabs of zombie-meat into their arms. "Keep this up and I won't let you down," he said. The young men trembled, grateful beyond words; they hadn't eaten properly in weeks. "We'll follow you forever!" they shouted, eyes blazing with loyalty.
For the rest, Zhang Yi followed a simple rule—treat them like dogs to be trained: keep them hungry, not starved. Most received only a small piece of bread or a few biscuits. If a dog is too full it gets lazy, he thought. People are no different.
When it came to Xu Hao—the rich kid who'd cowered during the fight—Zhang Yi tossed him a single hard candy. "That's your ration."
Xu Hao exploded. "This is unfair!" he demanded.
Zhang Yi sneered. "Fair? Do you think I'm here to negotiate? I give orders. Obey, or be labeled waste."
He nodded at Li Chengbin and Jiang Lei. They beat Xu Hao until he slumped to the floor. Zhang Yi crushed the candy under his boot. "Next time, be useful. I don't keep waste."
The stairwell fell silent. Food was life; no one dared protest. Zhang Yi smiled. "Good. We have an understanding."