"Xiaoyu, we can't go on like this," Shiliu said angrily, clutching Wen Xinyu's arm. Her once-vibrant demeanor had withered like a dying flower. She gestured toward the group huddled around the fire, clutching chopsticks.
"Our food supply is running dangerously low. If we keep feeding these freeloaders, we'll either starve to death before reaching the base or get overrun by zombies."
"Shiliu's right," Anyang chimed in, his expression grim. His formerly pristine white shirt was now stained and unrecognizable, and his hair clung to his scalp in unkempt strands, a far cry from his polished former self. "We can't keep supporting them."
Wen Xinyu's eyes filled with hesitation and sorrow. "But what can we do? Drive them away? The streets are crawling with zombies. That would be tantamount to killing them. I can't bring myself to do that."
"If they stay, we'll all starve," Anyang countered with a weary shake of his head.
"Are you blaming me?" Wen Xinyu asked, her voice tinged with grievance as she looked at Anyang.
"No, I'm not blaming you," Anyang quickly clarified. "If you don't want to make the call, I'll handle it. I'll take the responsibility so you won't feel burdened."
Wen Xinyu gave a faint, forlorn smile. "I understand now. Don't worry, I won't act on my own again. From now on, I'll leave the decisions to you all. But we've already saved these people; we can't just abandon them now." She glanced at him with tear-filled eyes. "Anyang, you've changed. You're not the same person you used to be."
With that, she turned and ran off, her tears shimmering in the firelight.
Shiliu hesitated for a moment, her heart heavy. Xiaoyu's not wrong, she thought. But neither is Anyang. Damn this virus! She stomped her foot in frustration before rushing to follow Wen Xinyu.
Anyang let out a bitter laugh and collapsed onto the ground, staring at the dirt. A deep-seated frustration gnawed at him.
"Brother An, what's wrong? You seem upset."
The voice belonged to Li Ziyu, whose slight frame now seemed even more delicate after days of hardship. She approached quietly, sitting beside him with a gentle presence that only accentuated her fragility.
Anyang forced a smile. "Why aren't you eating? If you wait too long, there won't be anything left."
"You're not eating either," Li Ziyu said with a faint smile. "Besides, I can never manage to get any food before it's all gone. I'd rather sit here and keep you company than get upset over it."
"Yeah, it's really not sustainable," Anyang admitted. "The people who came with us can't even get a bite to eat anymore."
"I saw you talking to Xiaoyu earlier. Did you bring this up with her?"
The mention of the conversation reignited Anyang's frustration. "I did, but she wasn't happy about it. She said I've changed. But I'm only doing this so we can survive."
Li Ziyu gently placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't blame Xiaoyu. She has such a kind heart. She'd rather go hungry herself than turn away those in need. I really admire her for that."
"But her kindness is costing us," Anyang said, his voice growing heavier. "We left the city with sixteen people, barely able to fend off the zombies. And now, because we saved these extra people, Tan Hui and Jia Peng are dead. They were valuable fighters. Losing them wasn't worth it."
Li Ziyu lowered her head, her voice trembling. "It's such a tragedy. If only I had any abilities or the courage to fight the zombies, I'd trade my life for theirs in a heartbeat. I'm just a burden."
Anyang turned to her, visibly moved. "Ziyu, don't say that. You're not a burden. You've kept everything running—cooking, cleaning, even keeping watch at night. If anyone's a burden, it's those others. I have to talk to Xiaoyu again. We need to keep only the people who contribute."
"But Xiaoyu's too kind. She'll never agree," Li Ziyu said, grabbing his arm as he started to rise. "Just let it go. We're almost at the base. If you talk to her now, it'll only lead to another fight."
Anyang gently pulled away. "Don't worry about it. Go eat something before it's too late." He walked off, determination etched on his face.
Behind him, Li Ziyu smiled faintly as she watched him leave.
That night, the inevitable argument over the group's growing numbers and dwindling supplies erupted again. Once more, Anyang and Wen Xinyu clashed, and once more, the conflict ended unresolved.
Frustrated, Anyang turned to Lian Zichen for support.
"Zichen, things can't go on like this. Food is scarce, and it's time we split up. We're close enough to the base now."
Lian Zichen frowned, his tone disapproving. "Anyang, after all these years as brothers, you're ready to draw a line between us over this?"
Anyang's expression was pained, but his resolve didn't waver. "Zichen, look at those people. They're dead weight. When the zombies come, they're the slowest to move. But when it's time to eat, they're the first to grab food. Tan Hui and Jia Peng didn't die for this. Meanwhile, Ziyu and Yajing can't even get enough to eat. Xiaoyu refuses to let them go, so I think it's time we did."
Lian Zichen sighed. "Let me talk to Xiaoyu again. Don't make any decisions until I get back."
Wen Xinyu's face darkened as she listened to Lian Zichen relay Anyang's suggestion. For as long as she could remember, Anyang had always supported her unconditionally. Now, not only had he argued with her, but he was also considering leaving.
In their group, only she, Anyang, and Shiliu had awakened abilities. Shiliu's water-based power was of limited use, and without Anyang, their survival would be much harder.
"Xiaoyu," Lian Zichen began hesitantly, "even I don't quite understand why you insist on keeping these people. I know you're kind and can't bear to abandon them, but we're barely holding on ourselves. Can't you—"
The sharp look Wen Xinyu shot him silenced him immediately.
You just don't understand, she thought with frustration.
She wasn't keeping these people out of pure kindness. If Yun'an Base turned out to be hostile or disorganized, their group would need strength in numbers. The more people they had under their wing, the stronger their bargaining position would be.
As for food, her spatial ability allowed her to store plenty. She had already planned to reveal some supplies during their next stop, under the guise of scavenging.
Her eyes narrowed as her thoughts turned to Li Ziyu.
The next morning, Wen Xinyu announced her decision. She convinced Anyang to join her on a supply run before making any final choices.
Looking at her delicate, beautiful face, Anyang hesitated but eventually nodded.
Wen Xinyu then declared that the supply run would require everyone under forty to assist, regardless of gender. Anyone who refused would forfeit their share of the spoils.
Grumbling ensued, but Wen Xinyu's strong abilities and status as their savior left them no room to argue. Reluctantly, the group agreed.
From the corner, Li Ziyu cast a wary glance at Wen Xinyu, her smile as sweet and harmless as ever. But internally, she resolved to stay close to Anyang, no matter what unfolded.