On the fifth day of the apocalypse, humanity began to frantically hunt down animals, but it was too late. By now, most animals had already mutated and, after biting their owners, had fled outside. Some people who had been bitten by these animals had completely turned into zombies.
Gunfire and the roars of mutated beasts echoed everywhere on the streets, and a sense of panic had completely permeated the atmosphere.
At this time, Avaloria announced a major decision—to implement wartime measures!
Armed soldiers were deployed on the streets, ready to kill any mutated animals on sight. Additionally, a large number of medical personnel took to the streets to immediately vaccinate anyone bitten by an animal with rabies shots and transport them to hospitals via ambulance.
Ordinary citizens were prohibited from going out except for essential production and daily living activities. Supermarkets and other shopping venues imposed rationing, limiting each person's daily purchases to fifty units.
This wartime mechanism shocked society, and the major radio stations and websites began extensive coverage.
One cannot help but marvel at Avaloria's incredible mobilization and execution capabilities. With a single order from the top, tens of millions of people were mobilized instantly. In just three hours, the vast country had entered a nationwide war readiness mode.
Noah watched the news with a mixture of fear and awe. "Now the supermarkets are restricting the number of people and the amount they can buy. I just heard from Mr. Lee downstairs that the supermarkets are packed. He went a bit late and couldn't even buy any pork," said Ms. Carol worriedly.
"We're not doing much at home anyway. Let's head to the supermarket and buy some things," said Noah.
James nodded in agreement. Although he had prepared a large amount of supplies and still had over ten thousand units on hand, it would be a waste not to use it.
Moreover, he wasn't comfortable letting his parents shop alone in case they encountered any danger. So, after breakfast, the family headed out.
The fog outside was still thick, with visibility only about fifty meters. James knew that the aftermath of this fog had not yet manifested.
In another month or so, the fog would not disperse, and plants that needed sunlight would wither, bringing about a real food crisis. Six months later, the fog would block out sunlight, causing surface temperatures to drop, making human survival even more difficult.
The streets were filled with armed security personnel, and the sound of urgent gunfire and ambulance sirens was continuous, making everyone nervous.
James and his family walked through the thick fog to the only supermarket still open nearby. When they were about two hundred meters away, James saw a long line of people waiting to shop.
"Wow, so many people?" James and his family were shocked. James was ready to turn around and go home, but Ms. Carol stopped him.
"Why go back? We have nothing better to do at home. Let's just wait in line," said Ms. Carol, her authority in the family immediately evident. With her decision made, James and Noah had no choice but to queue up obediently.
"Have you heard? Experts say this virus is very cunning. It infects animals first without affecting humans. Once the animals go crazy and bite humans, that's when the people get infected," someone said, trying to pass the time while waiting in line.
"Yeah, I heard that once a person is infected, they're done for. A relative of mine works in a hospital and said that currently, there are no cases of cured infected individuals. They either die or go crazy like the animals, biting anyone they see. Someone downstairs in my building got sick, bit their family to death, and then ran into the fog. They haven't been found since," another person said, clearly scared.
"Technically, the virus only spreads through bites, so it shouldn't be that contagious. Why implement wartime measures?" someone asked, puzzled.
"The problem isn't the transmission. It's that too many animals are infected now. We usually don't notice, but there are as many animals in this city as there are people. Here in Lakeshore City, there are probably several million animals. Imagine several million highly aggressive virus carriers. If you were in charge, you'd be sleepless, too," someone explained worriedly.
"Hey, each person can only buy fifty units' worth of goods. My family of four gets two hundred units a day, but with prices skyrocketing, a bag of rice and a bottle of oil pretty much wipes that out. How's that supposed to be enough?" someone grumbled while carrying big bags out of the supermarket.
"Be grateful you have meat to eat. With pigs mutating, where do you think meat is coming from? Once we've eaten through the stored and frozen meat, there won't be any more," someone else replied with a bitter smile.
Ms. Carol and Noah exchanged worried glances, their concern evident. James noted their expressions and thought, "In a few days, I'll move my parents to the warehouse. I wonder what they'll think when they see the stockpile of meat."
As the family patiently queued, an angry shout suddenly rang out. James turned to see a middle-aged woman being kicked to the ground by two young men, her newly bought groceries snatched away.
"Damn, it's the scum from the Doomsday Gang again," someone muttered, lowering their head further, afraid of attracting the youths' attention.
James's eyes narrowed at the mention of the Doomsday Gang. "I didn't expect the Doomsday Gang to show up so soon."
In his past life, the Doomsday Gang had gained quite a reputation. Initially composed of thugs and hooligans, they capitalized on the societal collapse, engaging in looting and arson. They eventually colluded with foreign forces, growing more powerful and elusive, until they were finally eradicated by the base's defense forces in the sixth year of the apocalypse.
"Help! Someone's robbing me!" the woman cried out from the ground.
"Damn scum," James muttered. He dashed forward, catching up to the two youths in a matter of seconds. Without wasting time on words, he landed two solid punches.
One punch to the face sent the shorter youth sprawling on the ground, his face swelling like a pig's head. The other punch to the taller youth's stomach left him doubled over, clutching his belly and retching.
James dusted off his hands, grabbed the bag of rice with one hand and the oil canister with the other, and walked back to the middle-aged woman.
"Leave quickly. Next time, bring family with you," James said, returning the groceries to the woman.
The woman nodded repeatedly in gratitude, took her groceries, and quickly disappeared into the fog.
"Who called for help?" A shrill whistle sounded, and two uniformed security officers hurried over.
"Well, better late than never," James shrugged. As the saying goes, the cavalry always arrives at the last moment in the movies.
In reality, James was being unfair to the security team. From the woman's cry for help to the security officers' arrival, barely a minute had passed. Their response time was impressively quick.
It was just that James's quick resolution of the situation had made it seem longer.