Stel arrived at the large supermarket.
Just like the previous one, the entrance was surrounded by zombies,
Each standing like patrolling soldiers.
Stel boldly walked up to the supermarket door.
The entire place was in a state of abandonment.
Bloodstains covered the surrounding walls,
Weeds grew along the edges, and the ground was littered with patches of peeling paint.
Piles of moldy, rotten debris were stacked in the corners of the supermarket.
Stel quickly averted his gaze after a glance.
He didn't want to look at such things twice.
"Strange, this supermarket is just like the last one, with its doors tightly closed, but..."
Stel went to one of the glass windows,
Peeking inside.
It was empty, but the air didn't seem as stale.
Stel thought it was probably because this supermarket was larger,
Allowing for better air circulation, making it feel less stuffy.
"Never mind, better get inside first..."
He approached the main door and saw it was secured with a chain and a large padlock.
Stel found a sturdy-looking stone nearby,
Weighing it in his hand.
"Alright, this should do..."
Aiming at the lock, he swung the stone down hard.
"Thud!"
The padlock broke instantly,
The shackle and lock body split apart.
The noise attracted some curious zombies,
But perhaps because Stel was there,
They didn't react.
They remained standing still.
Stel removed the chains and entered the supermarket,
Making sure to securely close the door behind him.
"Whoo—whoo—!"
The only sound inside was Stel's breathing; the place was eerily silent.
Undoubtedly, he was the only one there.
Although it was evening, the light coming through from outside allowed him to see inside the supermarket.
So Stel didn't bother searching for a light switch.
The shelves were fully stocked with all kinds of goods.
Some areas, however, were exceptionally messy.
Stel didn't bother to tidy up.
He figured that after the zombie outbreak, the supermarket's customers must have been infected,
Causing the mess.
Stel walked to the women's products aisle and started rummaging through it.
The variety of lingerie made his head spin.
Looking at the pink and black fabrics hanging in the air,
Stel suddenly had an idea.
"I'm tired of seeing Elsie in the same clothes, and they smell pretty bad too."
"Let's find some new clothes for her so she can't complain..."
Stel thought.
Maybe new clothes would spark some excitement.
After all, he knew each of Elsie's current outfits by their smell.
He picked out a few nice pieces and piled them together, planning to take them along later.
"Almost forgot the main task..."
After selecting seven or eight outfits, Stel remembered he was there to get sanitary pads for Elsie!
He put down the fabrics in his hands,
And continued searching.
"Hair removal cream, feminine hygiene wash... what the hell is all this!"
Stel walked along an entire aisle,
Until he finally spotted rows of neatly arranged sanitary pads on a large shelf.
There were all kinds of brands.
"Why do these sanitary pads have to be so fancy!"
Stel didn't recognize any of the brands.
"If I had known, I would've asked her before leaving..."
Unsure of what to choose,
He decided to take the most expensive ones and grabbed them all.
The amount he collected would last Elsie for quite a while.
Having found the sanitary pads, Stel didn't hurry to leave.
He heard a certain sound.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz—!"
He held his breath and listened carefully.
After a few seconds, Stel realized what the sound was.
It was the hum of a large refrigeration unit!
"Of course! Large supermarkets have cold storage units!"
Stel slapped his thigh,
His eyes gleaming.
How could I be so stupid!
I almost overlooked the cold storage!
If there were refrigeration units, that meant there were refrigerated foods.
This meant fresh vegetables and meat were available.
The thought made Stel so excited he almost started dancing.
He quickly located the source of the sound.
Walking briskly towards it,
He swallowed in anticipation.
The supermarket's refrigeration units were located in a more secluded corner.
Fortunately, after the zombie outbreak,
This supermarket still had power!
A true stroke of luck in this unfortunate situation!
Stel peered into the refrigeration unit.
Not only were there various kinds of meat, but also some fruits and vegetables!
"God, this must be heaven!"
Stel eagerly opened the refrigeration unit.
A wave of cold air greeted him.
He reached in and grabbed some of the stored food.
There was beef, pork, and fish...
And there wasn't just one unit.
The row of refrigeration units stretched over ten meters long, filled with enough food to last Stel nearly half a year!
"Damn, this trip was totally worth it!"
Stel was about to start taking everything out.
But as he picked up a piece of pork,
He suddenly paused.
Wait, if I take everything, my fridge at home won't hold it all.
And there's no way we can eat it all before it spoils.
Stel decided to only take a portion back.
After all, no one else would come into the supermarket.
The place was surrounded by a horde of zombies,
Which acted as a natural barrier for Stel.
As long as he kept the supermarket door tightly closed, he could come back for more food as needed.
This meant he wouldn't have to worry about food for a long time.
So he decided to take a month's worth of food.
He took enough meat and vegetables for two meals a day for himself and Elsie.
After sorting out the portions, Stel closed the refrigeration unit.
He wanted to check if there was anything else useful in the supermarket.
"Tap! Tap! Tap!"
Stel's footsteps echoed throughout the store.
He first went to the grain and oil section of the supermarket, finding some rice and flour.
Some of the ready-made foods had rotted, but the flour and rice were still sealed in their bags,
And had not spoiled.
Next, Stel headed to the instant food section.
He saw many flavors and brands of instant noodles, along with other quick meals.
He was practically drooling with hunger.
This was torture!
His mouth watered profusely.
Stel scanned the area, wanting to take everything.
He wished he could empty the entire shelf.
In the end, he chose a few items that looked promising.
However, taking everything back in one trip was impossible.
Stel couldn't keep making multiple trips...
So he decided to look for a vehicle outside to transport all the goods back.
Stel had once gotten a driver's license.
When he lived with Elsie, he occasionally worked as a driver for hire.
He left the supermarket and started searching for a vehicle.
But all the cars on the street were in terrible shape,
Lying haphazardly across the road.