## Back to the Rental House
As Chen Wei returned to the rental house, he was met with an unsettling silence. Mei Ling's belongings were gone, leaving behind only traces of their shared life. He had never considered himself mentally ill; his thoughts were clear, yet the dreams felt so vivid that he questioned reality itself.
It was 9:30 PM when he finally collapsed onto the couch, exhaustion washing over him. He drifted into a restless sleep filled with memories and regrets.
When he opened his eyes again, it was 9:30 AM. The cold air hit him like a shock, and he exhaled a cloud of mist. His stomach twisted painfully, reminding him of his hunger. With only half a bottle of mineral water and a moldy piece of bread left in the basement, despair began to creep in.
"Just take a sip," he told himself. "A beautiful dream will eventually wake you up." He thought back to the dream where Mei Ling had broken up with him and realized it might be for the best. "She's not worth my lingering thoughts."
With resolve, Chen ate the last of the moldy bread and gulped down the remaining water. He needed energy to search for supplies; starving in this basement was not an option.
"I have to go out today," he decided firmly. "Without food and water, I'll die sooner or later." The colder weather might slow down any lurking zombies, making it a good opportunity to venture outside.
Dressing warmly, he wrapped himself tightly and armed himself with a kitchen knife and some wires before leaving the basement quietly. Large supermarkets would likely be empty by now; survivors had probably swept them clean long ago. Instead, he would search individual apartments for anything left behind.
"I've learned lock-picking skills," he recalled with a hint of pride. "Who knew they'd become essential for survival?"
As Chen approached Building 7, anxiety mixed with determination surged within him. The distance between Building 7 and his own was short—less than thirty meters—but every step felt heavy with uncertainty. He moved cautiously, holding his breath as he slipped into the building.
The elevators were out of service, so he took the stairs, starting from the fifth floor to avoid drawing attention from any potential zombies on lower levels. Before unlocking each door, he listened intently for any sounds inside.
In this post-apocalyptic world, danger lurked around every corner. Reports of cannibalism among survivors had surfaced; desperation had stripped away humanity's veneer. As he climbed higher, Chen reflected on how quickly society had crumbled—his once vibrant community now lay in ruins.
After checking several apartments with no luck, Chen finally found something under a bed in room 1805—a piece of wedding candy! He stuffed it into his mouth greedily; in this bleak existence, even candy felt like a feast.
"Delicious!" he exclaimed through tears of relief as he savored the sweetness that momentarily lifted his spirits.
Feeling rejuvenated by the sugar rush, Chen continued his search on the 19th floor. He approached room 1901 cautiously and pressed his ear against the door for a full minute before determining it was safe to proceed.
With nimble fingers, he picked the lock and heard a satisfying click. "Ten seconds! I'm getting better at this," he thought with a smirk as he prepared to enter.
But just as he opened the door, chaos erupted. An ugly zombie lunged at him from within, its bloody mouth gaping wide as it charged forward. Reacting instinctively, Chen slammed the door shut just in time but felt its head push against it desperately.
"Not today!" Chen shouted as he brandished his kitchen knife and swung at the creature's forehead. After twenty exhausting strikes, the zombie finally fell still.
Breathing heavily on the ground afterward, Chen realized this was his first kill since everything had changed—his heart raced not from fear but from adrenaline. Half a month ago, he had fought another survivor over food; killing that man had been an act of survival too.
As he lay there catching his breath, something caught his eye—a small white crystal glimmering amidst the remains of the zombie's head. It was about the size of a marble but emitted an enticing aroma reminiscent of rice.
Curious and hungry again, Chen picked up the crystal and tossed out what remained of the zombie before closing the door behind him to resume searching for supplies.
Inside room 1901, luxury surrounded him—a stark contrast to his dire circumstances. The decor was opulent; gold bars gleamed on one shelf while an impressive collection of imperial green jadeite sat nearby.
"Great," Chen muttered sarcastically to himself as frustration bubbled up inside him. "In such a rich place, I can't even find food! What good are these gold bars and jade if I'm starving?"
With renewed determination, Chen pushed deeper into this lavish apartment—he needed to find something substantial before leaving empty-handed again.