Chapter 12: The Cat That Really Looks Like A Leopard
Zhang Xiao Qiang was stupidly standing next to the window sill, blankly staring downstairs. The gathered zombies started to scatter in all directions, once again spreading along the street. The ones with missing legs were left writhing on the ground and those frozen by the big dogs began to get up from the ground, continuing to wander.
“What happened to this world???” Zhang Xiao Qiang asked.
With no one there to answer him, if TV stations still existed, those experts that were still alive would be interested. From all areas of knowledge, experts would try and explain the new discovery. All big TV stations and all big news stations will cause a big commotion.
“all right...”.
Zhang Xiao Qiang rubbed his face, “Its an apocalyptic world, the virus has come, the zombies have evolved so dogs having abilities isn’t that strange.” he explained to himself.
The days go by one at a time. Although he never missed a training session, sometimes he couldn’t really find the motivation to stick to it. Him wanting to be lazy, would unconsciously walk to the window, looking at the zombies below and ask himself: “Do you want to become a zombie? If you don’t want to train then go! Go downstairs and find them. Go and become one of them. No need to be afraid of the days to come and you don’t need to be afraid of not having food and will never need to be afraid of being alone!!”
Every time he got to this point, Zhang Xiao Qiang would turn around and train even harder. The fat in his body had began to turn into strong muscles. Looking at his six pack, he started to tear up: “How many years has it been? How many years has it been since I’ve seen abs on my body?”
After completing today’s weight training and resting a bit, he finished smoking a cigarette and started cooking. Looking at what he supplies he had left, it wouldn’t be able to last longer than a week.
“Need to go out and look for food.”
Zhang Xiao Qiang was thinking while making food. The other day, killing the D zombie made him have psychological doubts.
After finishing his meal, Zhang Xiao Qiang would always turn on his computer and play some singleplayer games. The boot sound rang out and then his computer went black. The lights in the house also turned off.
“The fuse is blown?”
Zhang Xiao Qiang had a reaction. However after looking around for his mobile phone he started to look for the fuse. Only after half a day did he realise that the city power grid after working for three more months, is down. The whole city plunged into darkness.
Zhang Xiao Qiang sat on his bed looking out the dark empty night outside the window. He was surrounded by silence, he could hear his own heartbeat.
Occasionally the noise of empty cans being kicked by a zombie could be heard from down stairs. That sound would come from far away in the silent night, very far away.
Zhang Xiao Qiang sat there silently. It felt like he had never been this quiet before. Thinking back as far as he could, he became sleepy and fell asleep.
Zhang Xiao Qiang opened his eyes. Yet another new day had begun.
Without electricity, the induction cooker won’t work so he thought about plans for the future while eating the cold rice leftover from yesterday.
“I can’t live on like this. Without electricity, without cooking ability and without food one can only slowly starve to death”
“If I’m fast I should be able to rush over. FUCK, I don’t know where those two dogs ran off to!”
Trying to run out of the city from the streets is undoubtedly too hard. Even just downstairs, there are nearly 200 zombies. The two big dogs that appeared a few days ago have been here twice more then disappeared again after eating a few zombies. The car park for the flower garden downstairs had quite a few sedans but Zhang Xiao Qiang didn’t know how to drive. Even if he got the car keys he still wouldn’t be able to drive them. So far he can only ride bicycles. He’s only ridden those scooters with small wheels and a small motor twice.
He couldn’t think of anything. He didn’t want to think anymore. Just prepare the supplies first before thinking!
Zhang Xiao Qiang emptied his backpack and put it on. Checking his waist for the army knife, he carried the MP9 military sniper bow on his back, picked up his spear and went out.
Reaching the platform, he looked around. He felt like each zombie had its own territory. Its been 3 months and still no zombies came up to the platform. He went to the platform’s stairway entrance and looked at the garden.
“Whats happening here???” The zombies in the flower garden were all gone. There were many bones just scattered across the ground, “Where are the zombies?” Zhang Xiao Qiang quietly said.
He slowly walked down the stairs to the garden. Spring was still not here yet. The vines on the pavilion had a few growing buds. The few remaining dead leaves set a depressing scene. There was dry grass on the lawn messily scattered everywhere. The garden had piles of bones, creating a stunningly strange scenery!
Zhang Xiao Qiang walked into the garden. There was a strange smell and a sense of curiosity filled his heart.
“Feels like something is watching me.” Zhang Xiao Qiang said to himself.
All of a sudden, he felt some fear. Last time, it was this feeling that made him rush into the rain. The consequence of that was unbearable pain and it also made him feel inhuman. He regretted what he did after the event.
Zhang Xiao Qiang stood in the garden and observed his surroundings, trying to find out what he was smelling. Ultimately, he didn’t find anything. He just carefully moved towards the canteen, taking the tiger tooth army knife from the scabbard to ensure he can use it at anytime. Taking out the MP9 military sniper crossbow, he loaded a steel arrow to prepare for use at anytime. He held the knife in one hand and the crossbow in the other, keeping on alert. Only until reaching the canteen did Zhang Xiao Qiang let out a sigh of air. Without anyone tidying the place for months, the canteen let out a musty smell. Zhang Xiao Qiang took as much instant food with high calories as possible; chocolate, ham, and tins of canned beef, also taking a few bottles of water, a few cigarettes, and after putting in a few lighters, nothing else would fit anymore!
Lifting it, it was only about 20 pounds. He easily put it on his back and started to head home. The feeling of being watched felt stronger when returning. After walking onto the platform he could feel an intimidating chill from his tailbone all the way to the top of his head. His strange sixth sense kept warning him. The garden area felt dangerous. Zhang Xiao Qiang slowly started to walk to the house and the feeling of danger grew strong and stronger. When he reached the middle of the platform the feeling was at its peak.
Zhang Xiao Qiang slowly removed the backpack, carefully placing it on the ground. The spear on the bag allowed him to pick it up easily. Using both hands to hold the sniper crossbow he pointed it in the direction of the stairs. A black and beautiful leopard appeared on the crosshairs of the sight. On its head, it had two red eyes flashing like hazard lights. It bared its whitish yellowish fangs to show its savageness. Its 2m long and 1.2m tall body seemed to hide dangerous strength, ready to burst out at any moment. There were sharp claws coming out of its padded feet tightly pressing against the cement floor.
“FUCK, how did the leopard from the zoo get here?! Why does it look familiar?” he thought.
Zhang Xiao Qiang took aim at the leopard’s head, ready to pull the trigger.
When its whole body laid onto the platform, he felt dumbfounded. This leopard was beginning to look more and more like the fat cat from his neighbour’s home.