Zhao Ze's speech continued. "I think this disaster is temporary… Think about how our nation controlled previous outbreaks. During SARS, our government exhibited great organizational abilities during the process of controlling the disease. Thus, if we stay here and wait for rescue, we will definitely survive. After that, we'll try our hardest to save other people. And then we can do even more. For example… Of course, the prerequisite for all this is…"
"We must select a captain!" Zhao Ze was extremely eloquent. Watching a bunch of young men who were not even twenty cluster around him, their faces showing expressions of conviction and admiration, he couldn't help smiling.
Zhao Ze's goal for saying this was very simple: he wanted to become the captain of the survivor squad. He was an intelligent man. He could imagine how, after he became captain, he would rescue a few more members. Once society became stable again, he would become a hero. He would go on TV, become famous, do interviews, become an ambassador for peace… If everything went the way he hoped, and this was just a temporary disaster, you could say that his plans were very perfect.
But he was just imagining things! That was why Shen Chen felt that he needed to tell him what reality was like. "F**k!"
Shen Chen's indifference made Zhao Ze's words catch in his throat. He was infuriated. He turned toward Shen Chen. "Little Shen… What do you mean?"
"Shen Chen! Captain Zhao Ze is speaking here. You shouldn't be cursing like that," said Li Jing. Lin Qianqian also pouted her lips unhappily.
Pan Di and Guo Yuan were a little surprised. They stared at Shen Chen without knowing what to do.
Zhao Ze looked toward the other two people. Li Qi looked like he didn't care who was in charge. Zhang Xiaoya looked obedient, not saying anything.
Perhaps because he hadn't received unanimous support, Zhao Ze relaxed the tight expression on the lower half of his face and said earnestly, with a hint of a threat, "Little Shen, do you think I'm unfit to be captain? Or perhaps you want to be the captain. It's true. I admit that you occupied this room first, but after all, you're just a student. Do you have any experience with management? Do you know how to run a team? Do you know how to encourage your employees…"
Perhaps it was Shen Chen's expression, which grew colder and colder, that made him afraid. Zhao Ze gulped, and his expression relaxed a bit. "You don't understand what I'm talking about. You just think that because you occupied a room first, you can be the leader of a team. But this position must be held by someone who is able. It's not enough for a leader to be aggressive. They can't just act recklessly. Look at how you acted yesterday. You didn't even let everyone eat. Can you be a good leader if you're so stingy?"
"Exactly! You wouldn't even let us eat!" Lin Qianqian was the first to stand up. Pan Di yanked her, but she escaped his grasp. "Selfish people are not welcome in our squad!"
"Lin Qianqian is right! A squad must be collaborative!" Zhao Ze's tone became forceful again, a malicious glimmer in his eyes. He reprimanded Shen Chen righteously. "Little Shen, I must say, if you continue to be so uncooperative, I think I might make you leave this squad and leave this refuge!"
The room suddenly became silent. Guo Yuan and Pan Di were confused, especially Guo Yuan. He stared at Zhao Ze. Had he heard correctly? Zhao Ze wanted to kick Shen Chen out?
Even Pan Di felt like something was off. 'This is wrong!' He recalled that they had all come here to follow Shen Chen.
Shen Chen suddenly smiled. He smiled very happily, so happily that Zhao Ze also went blank for a moment, then smiled as well. Then everyone in the room started smiling without knowing what was going on.
"It looks like Shen Chen understands what I said. That's great! From now on, hand over all your resources. I will manage them! All decisions will be made based on democratic votes…" Zhao Ze babbled on, thinking his threats had taken effect.
Only Pan Di sensed something was off. He had killed zombies with Shen Chen yesterday. He knew the bloodthirst in Shen Chen's eyes.
Shen Chen's gaze suddenly grew cold. He stood up from the chair and grabbed Zhao Ze's neck, then dragged him all the way to the window. He opened the window and pointed Zhao Ze's face at the restaurant on the seventeenth floor.
Zhao Ze made a sound like a pig to the slaughter. He flailed in Shen Chen's hands. He suddenly realized that his body was depleted by wine and sex, because he couldn't escape Shen Chen's control at all. "What… what are you trying to do?"
Shen Chen's voice was very calm. "Look at the seventeenth floor."
"What?"
"I said, look at the seventeenth floor!"
He forcibly turned Zhao Ze's face straight so he could look at what was going on in the seventeenth floor.
Thanks to the restaurant's large floor-to-ceiling windows, Zhao Ze could clearly see the zombies casually strolling on the seventeenth floor. Not far away, a few zombies were quietly savoring a dead person's intestines.
A few zombies only had bones beneath their stomachs, but with full upper torsos, they were still trying their best to chew on human meat. He could see the eaten human flesh fall out from their bodies, then the zombies picking it up… and eating it again…
"Barf…" The revolting sight made everyone who had eaten breakfast vomit uncontrollably.
"Did you get a good look?" asked Shen Chen.
"I… I got a good look!" Zhao Ze's face was pale. Cold sweat had drenched his clothes, and his legs were shaking uncontrollably.
Shen Chen said coldly, "I don't give a damn about your previous experience. From now on, you must be clear on one thing: the place you're living in is my territory. If you want to form a squad, I won't oppose it. Go! Leave! Get out of here!"
Zhao Ze's body shook uncontrollably. He suddenly realized that he might have done something stupid. He shouted loudly, "No… I won't leave… There are zombies outside…"
Shen Chen slapped his face. "So you know that there are zombies outside! I thought you didn't know!" He stood up and started scanning the other people, his gaze sweeping over each person. Then he said slowly, "Look outside. You should know by now that this is not the past anymore. You can't depend on the government to come rescue you and restore civil society. Let me tell you, that's absolutely impossible! From now on, everyone must struggle on the frontline to get a single chance of survival! This is not a refuge, and this is not a shelter! If you want to stay, then you must fight for survival! If you're not willing to do that, then you're free to leave!"
"I… I understand."
Everyone nodded dumbfoundedly. The bloody scene of the seventeenth floor made them realize their current predicament.
Shen Chen calmly lowered his head and said to Zhao Ze, "You're right about one thing. It's not enough for a leader to be aggressive, or to act recklessly. He must have the ability to match his position! And you… you're far from it." He slowly let go of Zhao Ze's neck. Shen Chen wiped his hands with tissues, then tossed them on the floor and returned to his room.
Everyone was astonished by Shen Chen's actions. A long while later, Li Jing ran over to Zhao Ze and helped him up. Lin Qianqian said to Pan Di, "Boyfriend, this Shen Chen is taking it too far!"
She was about to continue when Pan Di suddenly stood up and said very seriously, "Qianqian, you need to wake up. Look at those zombies. Second is right. It's no longer like the past!"
"But we still have police, and the military!" Lin Qianqian said unyieldingly.
Guo Yuan interrupted her. "They can't even protect themselves, yet you depend on them to save us? That's fine. Get through this first."
Guo Yuan's words made everyone fall into contemplation. An indescribable light twinkled in Li Jing's eyes. At the same time, everyone selectively forgot Zhao Ze, who was leaning against the windowsill. 'It's true! If the world continues to be like this, a leader who can kill thirty-some zombies is much better than a leader who just babbles.'
A while later, Shen Chen walked out with a full plastic bag. He stood at the door to the kitchen as if he were somewhat troubled. Finally, he turned around and asked, "Who here knows how to cook?"
These words made everyone's eyes light up. Li Jing and Zhang Xiaoya immediately raised their hands. "I do!"
Shen Chen approved. "I have some ingredients here. Come make a meal for everyone!"
Li Jing and Zhang Xiaoya ran over gleefully, taking the plastic bag from Shen Chen's hands. Li Jing opened it and exclaimed, "There are eggs, bread. God, there's even steak!" Then she said happily, "I'm the best at grilling steak, just wait!"
When the aroma of food came from the kitchen, Shen Chen smiled faintly. Half an hour later, the table was full of food. The aroma permeated the room.
Boss and Ye Xiaoyu had just come out from the bathrooms. Seeing all the food on the table, their eyes lit up. "Such a scrumptious breakfast?"
Li Jing laughed and greeted them in her apron. "Boss, and Xiaoyu, is it? Come have a taste!" Then she pushed Zhang Xiaoya. "I didn't expect Zhang Xiaoya to be so good at cooking, too. She's the one who made this silverfish stew!"
Shen Chen and Guo Yuan walked over calmly. Seeing Li Jing and Zhang Xiaoya's expectant gazes, Shen Chen smiled. "What are you two doing? Sit down and eat!"
Li Jing's eyes glimmered. She dragged Zhang Xiaoya over to their seats. In a mere half hour, the two girls had become friends.
Li Qi walked over, at ease. He even called with respect, "Captain."
Hearing this, the two girls also called, "Captain."
Ye Xiaoyu also called as a matter of course, "Captain."
Guo Yuan and Zhao Zhen exchanged a glance, and said with a smile, "Captain."
"Captain, my a**. I'm still Second," Shen Chen said helplessly.
Zhao Zhen said with a smile, "You're the Captain, and you're also Second!"
"Boss is right!" Guo Yuan said gleefully.
Ye Xiaoyu pouted. "Captain is too unfamiliar. If it were up to me, we would just call him Boss!"
Shen Chen shook his head with a chuckle, then slowly looked toward Pan Di. "Third, Boss and Fourth are already sitting. Do you need me to carry you here?"