Chapter 13: The Fire
“Grandpa?” Xing Shuyu called out when she saw her grandfather lost in thought.
Xing Hongwen responded with a soft “Hmm,” then silently finished the bun, egg, and porridge, not leaving a single bite. Wiping his mouth, he said:
“There’s a powerful organization behind Taoyang. It’s not just one person.”
Grains and poultry had become rare, and the taste of this food was indistinguishable from what existed before the apocalypse. For a moment, he felt as if the apocalypse had never happened.
Xing Hongwen speculated that there must be a dedicated place for cultivating crops and raising poultry, exclusively supplying Taoyang—providing even better goods than Dongyang’s own production.
Xing Shuyu nodded:
“But the boss, our landlord, looks like just a little girl of about ten, named Su Tao. She seemed to struggle even with cleaning. She probably isn’t an ability user.”
She then showed her grandfather the photos on her communicator: the breakfast machine, the living room, the corridor, the room’s interior, and other details like the clean floors, white walls, and brand-new furniture.
It was hard to believe such a well-maintained place could exist without a strong organization backing its production—anyone would be skeptical.
Xing Hongwen took off his reading glasses and solemnly instructed his granddaughter:
“She was likely put forward by someone else. Shuyu, remember to maintain a good relationship with her. If you can find out who is truly in charge behind the scenes, let me know as soon as possible. I’d like to meet them. Such a powerful organization would be worth befriending.”
“Perhaps, before the second wave of zombie evolution, Dongyang might gain a reliable ally.” A hint of worry appeared in Xing Hongwen’s weathered eyes.
For once, Xing Shuyu didn’t act stubborn and obediently agreed.
*
When Xing Shuyu returned to Taoyang, it was already 3 a.m. While passing by a room, she caught a faint whiff of something burning.
Since the smell was so subtle, she thought it might have been her imagination. Without overthinking, she entered her room, took a quick hot shower, and went to sleep.
The next day, before 8 a.m., she yawned and got up. Despite her grandfather’s orders, she still had to go to work. She was just about to get breakfast from the vending machine in the living room when she opened the door and saw several neighbors heading to the back door with their clothes.
Curious, Xing Shuyu followed them and saw six brand-new front-loading washing machines neatly lined up on both sides of the back door.
This landlord Su really did what she promised—everything was arranged so quickly.
Xing Shuyu thought of the old, somewhat worn washing machine at her own home. Its exterior had turned yellow, and every wash was accompanied by a lot of noise.
She always disliked it, but her mother insisted it was a high-quality washing machine she brought from her own home before the apocalypse. Even after thirty years, it still worked.
Compared to Taoyang’s six new, silent washing machines… Well, Taoyang was quite a nice place to live.
She raised her communicator to snap a photo of the washing machines. Just as she put it down, she noticed her landlord standing nearby.
“Good morning,” Xing Shuyu awkwardly hid her communicator. “The washing machines are great, so I just took a picture.”
Su Tao tilted her head:
“Morning. No problem, feel free to take pictures.”
Xing Shuyu felt even more like a thief, blushing as she exchanged a few awkward pleasantries before excusing herself to go to work.
Su Tao watched her leave, feeling even more puzzled.
Just then, the smart assistant issued a warning:
“Owner, there is an open flame detected in Room 005. There may be a danger.”
Su Tao hurried over and immediately smelled thick smoke at the door.
Her heart pounded. She pressed the doorbell urgently, knocking and shouting:
“Is anyone there?!”
We absolutely can’t afford a fire! These rooms are all connected, and if the fire spreads, it will be impossible to control.
Seeing no response, Su Tao quickly shouted to the other tenants who were home.
Just as everyone was ready with water buckets to rush in, the door opened.
Smoke billowed out, engulfing everyone and forcing them to take a couple of steps back, coughing and choking.
This double room housed two men. The one who opened the door was a young, short boy named Jiang Ze. His hair was singed black, and his face was covered in ash.
Covering her nose and mouth, Su Tao went inside for a look. The brand-new single beds were completely burned beyond recognition. Half of the wardrobe door was gone, with the other half barely hanging on.
Further inside, the toilet and sink were entirely charred, and even the metal pipes were glowing red-hot.
Su Tao’s anger flared up instantly. She held back her rage, her face dark as she asked:
“What were you doing in there? Did I or did I not tell you to prioritize safety when I gave you the keycard? If you can avoid bringing flammable or explosive items, you shouldn’t bring them at all! There are so many tenants here, and all the rooms are close to each other. If this fire had gotten out of control, everyone would have ended up buried with you.”
Su Tao rarely got angry, but the severity of the situation left her shaken. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
The other tenants who had come to help were also frightened, and their expressions toward Jiang Ze now carried a sense of blame.
Jiang Ze wiped his face, seeming a bit dissatisfied with Su Tao’s words. He mumbled:
“Isn’t everything fine? Besides, I can control the fire.”
As he spoke, he demonstrated his fire-based ability to everyone. Two small flames danced on his fingertips before quickly extinguishing.
Su Tao grew even angrier:
“You read the agreement, right? You signed it too. You know that using abilities within Taoyang is strictly prohibited, correct?”
Jiang Ze nodded:
“Yeah, I know. But I wasn’t using it to hurt anyone or to fight. I was just practicing in my own room. Don’t get so worked up. I’ll compensate you for the damages.”
His dismissive attitude made Su Tao want to kick him out immediately:
“We’ll talk about compensation later. Why didn’t you practice outside? The Dongyang base even has free training grounds. Why insist on doing it in your room?”
Lü Tao, who had come to help put out the fire, was also annoyed:
“Judging by your ability, it hasn’t been long since your awakening. During this period, abilities are the most unstable. It was pure luck the fire didn’t get out of control today. Su, I suggest we make this guy move out. With his attitude, he’s no different from a ticking time bomb.”
Lü Tao’s wife, Kong Yuying, still looked pale, staring at Jiang Ze as if he were a dangerous beast.
The other new tenants also voiced their support for having Jiang Ze move out.
Jiang Ze became unwilling. He had worked hard to find such a good place and wasn’t about to leave.
“I paid my rent. Why should I have to move out? I said I’d compensate for the damages—how does it affect you? I’m not moving.”
With that, he slammed the door shut, leaving everyone outside in a cloud of smoke and frustration.
“What kind of person is this? He did something wrong and still thinks he’s in the right?”
“Living with someone like this is nerve-wracking. Does he have some kind of rage disorder?”
“Su, if he did it once, he’ll do it again. How do we know we won’t wake up surrounded by flames one night?”
*
Su Tao never expected such a huge problem on the second day of the new tenants moving in, and his attitude was terrible on top of it.
She held back the urge to curse, banged on the door, and said:
“I’m giving you ten minutes to come out. If not, I guarantee you’ll be thrown out of Taoyang.”
