I Am a Landlady in the Apocalypse – CH38

Chapter 38: Without Dongyang, Taoyang Is Just a Lone Boat 

The news that Taoyang had recruited a planner stirred up another wave of commotion.

When Xing Shuyu returned home, even her parents, Father Xing and Mother Xing, eagerly questioned her.

“I heard they found someone? Who is it? Is it someone we know?”

Mother Xing was extremely curious. There were three spots available, meaning an entire family could go and enjoy a good life.

Xing Shuyu said, “Nope, don’t know him. He’s an old guy, quite thin, looks really aged. You two can stop being envious. I talked to Boss Su today, and she agreed. You guys just need to prepare and go to Taoyang to register within three days.”

Mother Xing immediately beamed with joy. “Oh my, I didn’t expect things to go so smoothly. You must have a good relationship with Boss Su. She just gave you the spots when you asked. All your uncles and aunts are still eagerly waiting for the next batch of spots to be released!”

Stern Father Xing glanced at his daughter and snorted through his nose:

“Raising you all these years finally paid off a little.”

Xing Shuyu snorted back, “Boss Su said it’s because she trusts me. Seeing how great I am, my parents must be decent people too.”

Mother Xing was overjoyed. “Of course! Your father and I have dedicated half our lives to Dongyang, managing the registration and organization of over half the base’s supplies, and we’ve never taken a single extra thing. Right, Old Xing?”

Father Xing responded coolly, “I don’t care.”

Xing Shuyu poked him. “You sure care about Taoyang’s rental spot. I wonder who it was a few days ago, sneaking around at night drawing designs after hearing about the planner recruitment.”

Father Xing’s face instantly fell.

Unfilial daughter.

*

Mei Xingxian sat on the edge of the bed, slumped and smoking one cigarette after another.

Tan Fangchun entered the room, saw the smoky haze, and nagged as she opened the window:

“I told you not to smoke inside. And cigarettes are so expensive now. Can’t you save a bit…”

Mei Xingxian threw the cigarette away and crushed it.

Tan Fangchun immediately cried out, “You didn’t even finish it! What a waste!”

Mei Xingxian slapped her across the face. “Shut up, you damn woman! If it weren’t for you, my old man wouldn’t have been tricked away! I’d be the one living in Taoyang now!”

He grabbed her hair and shoved her face against the photo on the communicator screen:

“Look closely! See what kind of good life they’re living in Taoyang!”

Then he yanked her over to their own window, forcing her to look at the muddy, filthy ditch outside:

“Now, look at where I’m living! You wretched woman—”

He started beating her mercilessly.

The neighbors were used to this. Hearing the noise, they didn’t bother knocking to intervene; instead, they gossiped among themselves.

“I heard the Mei family’s daughter-in-law lost the old man. Mei boy said his dad was a famous designer before the apocalypse. I don’t really get it, but he talked like he was really amazing, like he’d definitely get one of Taoyang’s three spots.”

Someone nearby sneered, “Old Mei is shrewd. Even if he did get Taoyang’s attention and secured a spot, he wouldn’t give it to his unfilial son.”

Another agreed, “Of course not. That Mei Xingxian, he’s useless outside and takes his anger out on his wife and father at home. It’s normal for him not to give his dad food or drink. When he’s in a bad mood, he yells at his dad for being useless. He might even hit him. If I had a son like that, I’d rather strangle him.”

“Yeah… if that’s the case, the old man going missing might be a blessing.”

Far away in Taoyang, Old Man Mei, basking in the sun, had no idea about the chaos his son was causing.

After a good meal, he let Xiao Pan push him around the open space in front of the cafeteria.

Su Tao happened to come out with her kittens, Black Sesame and White Sesame, to enjoy the sun. She greeted the old gentleman when she saw him.

As people age, they become defenseless against small animals. When Old Man Mei saw the tiny kittens, he couldn’t take his eyes off them.

“It’s been years since I’ve seen a cat.” He trembled as he reached out a wrinkled finger to gently stroke White Sesame’s fluffy head.

White Sesame mewed softly, timid and fragile.

Xiao Pan looked at the scene, her heart melting. She wanted to pet the kittens too but felt it might upset Su Tao, and she didn’t feel worthy. She stood there, nervously.

Mei Hongyi chuckled, “They must be just a few days old. When I was young, we lived in the countryside. I saw a mother cat give birth once, hiding her kittens in the firewood pile in our yard. Kittens aren’t easy to raise, are they?”

Su Tao replied, “Yeah, I have to feed them every few hours. It’s like being a mom.”

Though she complained a bit, her smile showed genuine fulfillment and happiness.

Mei Hongyi sighed, “Peach girl, you’ve brought new life to them—not just them but to everyone living here.”

Su Tao felt shy, thinking he was exaggerating. She scratched her head and changed the subject:

“Have you decided who to give your spot to?”

Mei Hongyi glanced kindly at Xiao Pan.

Su Tao immediately understood. She turned to the still-clueless and nervous Xiao Pan and said:

“Sister Pan, go find Zhuang Wan and ask her to arrange a room for you. There are still some single rooms left; you can pick one you like.”

Liu Panpan finally realized, her eyes widened. She looked at Mr. Mei, then at Su Tao, and tears fell immediately.

She knelt by Mr. Mei’s wheelchair, choking up:

“Sir, I know you’re pitying me. I have nothing to repay you with. I really can’t accept your kindness. I usually sleep in the living room just fine. It’s a thousand times better than where I used to live, and it’s convenient for taking care of you. Really… there’s no need to waste a spot on me.”

Su Tao quietly left, knowing this was a decision for Old Man Mei and Liu Panpan to make.

But it was clear Liu Panpan was overly humble and deeply insecure.

Zhuang Wan had told her that Liu Panpan was a single mother who had lost her four-year-old son. After burying him, she was ready to join him. It was Zhuang Wan who brought her back, and they later became friends. Because of this, Zhuang Wan thought of her when looking for a caretaker for Old Man Mei.

*

Back in her room, the little black sesame balls were already fast asleep. Su Tao quickly took a nap as well—she would need to be a night owl again to continue construction. Besides the small park, there was still an office building that needed to be built.

Zhuang Wan’s room was overflowing with documents, and she had even emptied out her children’s wardrobe just to store files.

The office needed to be built as soon as possible to make work more convenient.

When Su Tao opened her eyes again, it was already 1 a.m. After feeding the two little furballs, she was about to head out to continue construction when she suddenly received an alert from the smart housekeeper:

“Master, zombies detected 500 meters from Taoyang. Please be cautious.”

Su Tao jolted upright.

Something wasn’t right.

For the past twenty years, as bases had been fortified and military forces had continuously cleared out threats, most zombies had been pushed to the outskirts and rarely approached human settlements.

If something unusual was happening, it meant trouble.

She quickly got dressed and followed the smart housekeeper’s guidance to check the outer perimeter.

Sure enough, in the darkness, she could hear the low growls and shuffling footsteps of zombies carried by the wind.

Her heart pounded as she listened for a while, sensing the noises getting closer. She immediately retreated, pressing herself against the wall for cover.

Under the dim moonlight, she suddenly saw two zombies with grayish-blue skin, tattered clothing, and intestines half-hanging from their bodies. But what truly sent a chill down her spine was their speed—and the fact that both had scythe-like arm blades!

They waved their bloodstained, half-dried scythe arms in the air, stopping just half a meter from the electric fence. It was as if they understood the fence’s danger and deliberately kept a safe distance.

Their bulging eyes darted around, scanning their surroundings as if assessing the environment.

Su Tao had never seen such strange zombies before, but it wasn’t hard to guess—these were the Blood Scythe Zombies that Shi Zijin and Pei Dong had warned her about.

They were faster than ordinary zombies, had evolved weapon-like limbs, and even possessed a higher level of intelligence. They knew how to avoid danger and survey their surroundings.

Su Tao quickly used her communicator to snap a photo before retreating to her room.

Once inside, she let out a long sigh of relief and immediately sent the photos to Shi Zijin and Pei Dong, along with her analysis:

“There are only two of them, but they seem to have some intelligence. They probably see that Taoyang is protected by an electric fence and don’t dare to act rashly—for now. But they might head to Dongyang to cause trouble instead.”

Then she separately edited another message and sent it to Shi Zijin:

“You guys need to be extra careful out there. I feel like their numbers are increasing. Last time, you lost an arm just dealing with one. If you run into a whole group, I might only see your arm making it back.”

Less than two minutes later, Pei Dong was the first to reply, saying she would bring a team over immediately.

Ten minutes later, Pei Dong drove over in a military jeep with ten men, heading straight for the location where the Blood Scythe zombies had been spotted.

But the two zombies had already disappeared, leaving behind only a trail of footprints.

Pei Dong’s expression was grim.

“You were right. Their numbers are increasing, and they’re getting bolder. Before, they only dared to roam a kilometer away. Now, they’re getting close to human settlements. At this rate, within a year, they’ll be storming cities just to fill their stomachs.”

Su Tao felt a chill run down her spine.

She was certain that Dongyang, without an electric fence, would be breached by the Blood Scythe zombies climbing over the walls. When that happened, it would be a living hell—rivers of blood, complete devastation.

If the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold. If Dongyang fell, Taoyang would be nothing more than a lonely boat adrift in the storm.

Besides, most of her tenants had jobs, family, and friends in Dongyang. Taoyang and Dongyang were connected by blood, sharing the same lifeline.

“Did the supplies Shi Zijin transported back the other day include building materials? When can Dongyang’s walls be built?”

Pei Dong shook his head. “There were some materials, but nowhere near enough. Dongyang spans 400,000 square meters. Building city walls isn’t something that can be done overnight.”

Su Tao felt a sinking dread. She made up her mind—once Shi Zijin returned, she would shamelessly tag along on one of their missions, reach the abandoned garage as soon as possible, and complete the hidden mission to unlock the hidden shop.

Seeing her pale face, Pei Dong assumed she was scared and said in a stiff, gruff tone:

“What are you worrying about? If something happens, we’re the ones in uniform who will handle it. Go back and get some sleep.”

Su Tao sighed. “Fine. Has Major Shi entered a no-signal zone? I sent him a message, but he hasn’t replied.”

“When they’re out on missions, they usually lose contact. That’s normal. If there’s something urgent, tell me instead.”

Su Tao returned to her room, but she was too unsettled to continue construction. She tossed and turned for half the night and only managed to fall asleep at dawn.

When she woke up to bright sunlight, Zhuang Wan stormed in, fuming.

Su Tao saw her face streaked with tears, so choked up that she could barely speak. Her expression immediately darkened.

“Who bullied you?”

Zhuang Wan wiped her tears and said, “I stayed up too late organizing documents last night, so I didn’t wake up this morning. I let Chen Xi and Chen Yang go to the cafeteria by themselves. When they got there, they found that the vending machines were completely empty. As they were leaving, they saw Wen Peizhen behind the cafeteria packing up a huge amount of food—to sell to people outside Taoyang.”

“Chen Xi is a straightforward kid. When she saw Wen Peizhen doubling the prices and demanding contribution points, she tried to stop her. During the argument, Wen Peizhen, in a fit of rage, pushed Chen Xi onto the electric fence. Luckily, the outer grid wasn’t activated, but it still cut her face—from the corner of her eye down to her mouth. A huge gash, with the skin torn open…”

After saying this, Zhuang Wan broke down completely, crying uncontrollably.

Su Tao’s blood boiled. “Where is Chen Xi now?”

“Xiaobo and his wife are watching over her at the hospital. I… I just came back to grab my communicator and some clothes for her. The doctor said the wound isn’t fatal, but it will leave a scar… unless we can find a healing-type ability user.”

Su Tao said, “Stop crying. Chen Xi needs you right now. Grab your things and go straight to the hospital—I’ll take care of Wen Peizhen.”

Hearing that, Zhuang Wan felt much calmer and hurried off to get her things.

Su Tao took a deep breath and stormed toward Wen Peizhen’s room.

Sure enough, it was empty. Just as she was about to head to the scene of the incident, Qian Rongrong’s mother saw her, grabbed her arm, and said:

“We already know what happened. Tang Qingshu’s husband tied her up in the cafeteria. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Su Tao strode quickly to the cafeteria, where she saw a crowd of familiar tenants gathered. Wen Peizhen was tied to a chair, spewing curses at the top of her lungs:

“You’re all Su Tao’s lapdogs! What bullshit Taoyang! What so-called apocalypse utopia! You’re just a bunch of land-grabbing bandits! So what if I bought some food with my own money? What’s it to you? At least I let outsiders taste and see what they’re missing! They should be grateful to me! But here, you act like I’ve committed some unforgivable crime? The real criminals are YOU! Hoarding all the good stuff while people outside can’t even get a whiff of it!”

Tang Qingshu was stunned by Wen Peizhen’s ability to twist the truth and couldn’t help but confront her:

“You actually think you were doing a good deed? Taoyang sells food for 50 federal coins, and you resold it for 2,000 federal coins, extorting an extra 100 contribution points on top! You might as well just rob people!”

Even Kong Yuying, who usually avoided conflicts, couldn’t hold back:

“Exactly! And we didn’t capture you because of the food. Skipping a few meals won’t kill us. But what about pushing Chen Xi? You shoved a child onto the electric fence on purpose! Were you trying to kill her? What kind of deep hatred could you possibly have against a little girl?”

Fan Chuanhui was furious. “Chen Xi’s mother works tirelessly for this community. The least you could do is be grateful! But instead, you go after her kid’s life? You’re a mother yourself—how could you be so heartless?”

Wen Peizhen was about to start screaming and thrashing when the door swung open.

Su Tao walked in, expressionless, and said to Fan Chuanhui, “Untie her.”

Wen Peizhen’s face lit up, thinking Su Tao wanted to settle things peacefully.

But the moment the ropes came off, Su Tao grabbed her by the hair, ignoring her screams, and dragged her all the way to the outer wall—right under the electric fence.