Chapter 32: Immune to Both Carrots and Sticks

Their voices had been quite loud, and several neighbors in the hallway had been eavesdropping. When they heard Gu Pan and the others returning upstairs, they scurried back into their rooms, terrified—these were not people they could afford to offend.

Once home, Gu Pan locked the door and took out their supplies. There was no need to store them in the spatial dimension, but because the apartment was sweltering, the frozen food would thaw, so she placed it on the outer balcony.

After Feng Zhekai returned home, Lu Xuerong locked the door and began to complain about the day’s events. "Kai, that child from 501 came by today. At first, I didn't think much of it—it was just a kid knocking—so I opened the door. The little brat walked right in and started calling me 'Mom,' demanding food. He claimed that since we’re older and childless, he would look after us in our old age. Naturally, I refused and tried to shoo him out, but he was incredibly agile. He ducked under my arm, burst into the room, and started rummaging for food. Thank goodness Gu had warned us earlier to keep our supplies in the ceiling crawlspace. The kid only managed to snatch a loaf of bread from the coffee table; otherwise, our home would have been picked clean."

Initially, Feng Zhekai had felt a sliver of sympathy for the child. He knew that in this apocalypse, everyone had to prioritize self-preservation—he didn't blame Gu Pan for her actions—but a child was still a child, and it was a pathetic situation. However, hearing his wife’s account, his "wife-obsessed" nature instantly extinguished any pity he had.

He hurriedly looked Lu Xuerong over. "Rong, he didn't hurt you, did he?"

Lu Xuerong shook her head. "I knew there wasn't much food in the house, so I didn't try too hard to stop him."

Feng Zhekai sighed. "That same brat almost targeted Gu just now, clinging to her and calling her 'Mom.' I suspect his grandmother coached him to specifically target married couples without children, hoping to exploit a woman’s maternal instincts. People like that are truly terrifying."

Lu Xuerong was helpless. "Gu has only been married for two or three months. Calling her 'Mom'—that must have been shocking, right? Did they manage to steal any of her supplies?"

Feng Zhekai laughed. "Gu is far tougher than us. She pulled out a knife and scared the boy off. I doubt he'll dare to provoke her again."

Lu Xuerong said, "I don't have the nerve to be as decisive as Gu. From now on, if you aren't home, I won't open the door for anyone, not even if the gods themselves came knocking."

Feng Zhekai nodded. "Good. Please, be careful when you're alone."

Lu Xuerong suddenly thought of something. "By the way, Kai, do you think we could ask Lu to teach us some self-defense? In these times, we need some skills to protect ourselves."

Feng Zhekai agreed. "I'll ask him when he and Cheng Yang get back. They can stop by our place to share news."

Meanwhile, Chen Shaonan and Chen Lang had returned home and recounted the day's events to Duan Shumei. Once finished, the couple sat down with their child to summarize everything they had learned.

In this apocalypse, it was vital for children to learn how to survive. Every outing served as a lesson to be analyzed, ensuring that future trips would be safer.

First, they agreed that when making friends, they must choose people like Gu Pan and Lu Ruisheng—those who were both capable and upright. Second, supplies must never be kept in one place; they had to be clever and learn from their elders. Finally, they must never fall for moral blackmail or deception. They must never give opportunities to people like those in 501, who were too lazy to work and only sought to leech off others. They needed to emulate Gu Pan’s judgment and conduct.

Before dark, Lu Ruisheng and Cheng Yang returned. They stopped at the sixth floor first to tell Feng Zhekai’s family that the morgue was excellent and suitable for a base; they would take them there tomorrow to get familiar with it.

After that, Feng Zhekai brought up his earlier conversation with his wife. "Lu, you’ve served in the military and know combat. Could you teach us some self-defense?"

Lu Ruisheng agreed; as they all grew stronger, their small team would become more resilient. "Of course. We can train in the hallway."

Feng Zhekai suggested, "No need. We can use the apartment across from us. The owners moved abroad right after buying it, and I have the spare key. Given the current state of the world, they aren't coming back. If things ever return to normal, I’ll just pay them. I can't worry about that now."

Cheng Yang thought for a moment. "How about I move into that apartment across from you? We can seal off the stairwell entrance for an extra layer of protection. We can use my place for training—it'll be more convenient. If the apocalypse ends, I'll pay the compensation, or I'll just buy the place and stay your neighbor."

Money was of little concern to anyone now. Cheng Yang was a wealthy second-generation heir, and the Feng family wasn't lacking either. Everyone supported Cheng Yang’s move to the sixth floor, as it would keep the four families close and ready to act together.

They decided that Cheng Yang would move the next afternoon, as it was already too dark to be moving things. With that settled, Lu Ruisheng headed home.

Once back, he told Gu Pan about Cheng Yang moving to the sixth floor, which they both agreed was a good idea.

Lately, people weren't just worried about food; the biggest problem was staying warm. They had burned everything flammable in their homes. Those who went out weren't just searching for food, but for wood.

Everyone carried axes or saws, hacking away at anything wooden to bring home for fuel. Those without proper tools used kitchen knives, though it took much more effort.

Gu Pan and her husband were the same, but because they had traveled to many places previously, they knew where to find firewood and weren't in immediate need. They had even brought some back today.

Of course, with order gone, robberies and murders were becoming more frequent. Despite the fear, people had to go out, or they would starve or freeze to death. Humans are naturally highly adaptable, so they were gradually accepting the realities of the apocalypse.

The next morning, as Gu Pan’s group gathered to head out for supplies, they were blocked at the unit entrance by the 401 building manager and several other residents.

The manager looked at them earnestly. "People shouldn't be so selfish. I know..."

Gu Pan didn't wait for her to finish. She cut her off sharply. "I am exactly that selfish. You want us to use our abilities to help those who have none—isn't that selfish of you?" In this freezing weather, she had no time for moral blackmail.

The manager coughed in embarrassment. Fortunately, she was wearing a scarf, hiding her face; otherwise, she would have had nowhere to hide her shame.

Just then, a weak voice spoke up from beside the manager. "Ms. Gu, I know you are capable, but you shouldn't be so cold-hearted. The manager is different from you; she has a great love for others..."

Gu Pan didn't need to guess to know it was the owner of 902.

Gu Pan frowned. "In that case, keep looking for people with 'great love.' I don't have any."

The old woman from 501 stepped forward. "We don't need you to share your food. Just take us with you when you go out. There’s safety in numbers, right?"

Ever since Gu Pan had pulled a knife on her grandson, the old woman had been terrified and no longer dared to speak to Gu Pan as she once had.

Gu Pan replied, "You can't keep up with our pace. We find supplies mostly through physical exertion—climbing dozens of floors in office buildings that most people can't manage. We go to scavenge what others miss. If you have the strength to climb, go yourself. When there are too many people, we just waste time catering to each other. We have enough people as it is." She turned to Lu Ruisheng and said, "Let's go."

Lu Ruisheng understood his wife perfectly and pushed past the people blocking their path.