Thursday, January 31, 2013. It had been a month since the virus outbreak. Zhang Xiaoqiang had spent the past eleven days on the rooftop. He continued his daily exercise routine, increasing the number of frog jumps from 2000 to 3000, incorporating push-ups, sit-ups, high kicks, and other exercises. His main melee weapon was an iron spear, and his long-range weapon was an MP9 sniper crossbow. Whether in close combat or at a distance, his accuracy was lacking. Only through relentless practice could he hope to survive in the increasingly challenging days ahead.

With a powerful forward thrust from his waist and the strength of his arms driven by his legs, Zhang Xiaoqiang repeatedly thrust the iron spear forward—once, twice, again and again. The tens of thousands of practice repetitions over the past eleven days had made him increasingly skilled with the spear. The daily intensive workouts caused his belly to disappear, leaving traces of muscles on his chest. Extensive leg exercises made his body more agile, and he was no longer breathless after running a few steps.

He remembered the first few days when the intensive exercise left him sore and restless, taking nearly a week to overcome. Although it was the apocalypse, his current physical condition was better than ever before. He didn't know how many years had passed since he last exercised!

The daily intense sweating gradually depleted Zhang Xiaoqiang's water reserves. Not being able to take a bath also resulted in a foul, unpleasant odor emanating from his body. It was uncomfortable, but he didn't pay much attention to it. He had grown accustomed to the stench of the undead. What could be worse than the smell of rotting corpses?

"Phew..." Zhang Xiaoqiang put down the iron spear, picked up a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip, holding it in his mouth for a moment before slowly swallowing. Although he still felt thirsty, he closed the bottle and placed it on the table. Glancing at his watch, it was already five o'clock in the afternoon. Out of habit, he picked up the telescope and approached the window.

Heavy rain had been pouring since eleven days ago. The sky was dark, with a faint glimmer, casting a hazy light outside the window. The zombies below stood silently in the rain, resembling rows of utility poles. The entire street had an eerie atmosphere.

Through the telescope, Zhang Xiaoqiang saw the zombies tilting their heads back, opening their mouths wide to catch the rainwater. Although he couldn't discern any expressions on their faces, he could sense their enjoyment of the rain. It seemed that even their craving for flesh and blood had become less important.

This was an eerie feeling for Zhang Xiaoqiang. He had never experienced any sixth sense before, and he used to consider it nonsense. But now, this inexplicable sensation arose in his mind. Subconsciously, he couldn't help but believe that this feeling was right. He set aside the telescope and slapped his face, trying to shake off these unsettling thoughts. Picking up a soft pack of "Huanghe Tower" cigarettes, he lit one and sat on the bed, gazing at the swirling smoke rings in the air, lost in thought. Instead of fading away, that peculiar feeling grew even stronger. Suddenly, a strong urge surged within Zhang Xiaoqiang. In that moment, his hidden violent genes overwhelmed his rationality. He stood up, grabbed a raincoat, and started searching for it.

After putting on the raincoat, Zhang Xiaoqiang carried the iron spear and stepped out of the door. As he walked down the stairs from the platform outside the door to the ground floor, he noticed that the 11 days of heavy rain had caused some puddles to form below. The downpour had washed away the putrid stench in the air, and he took a deep breath as if he hadn't smelled this odorless air in many years. Although the smell of decay was gone, there was a new scent in the air, reminiscent of rusty iron.

In the garden, the zombies stood in the rain just like their counterparts on the streets, their mouths wide open to catch the rainwater. Zhang Xiaoqiang bent his waist and tiptoed toward the garden. The heavy raindrops created countless ripples in the puddles beneath his feet, and as he lifted his foot, each step sent forth a spray of water, forming expanding circles.

"Thirty meters, twenty meters, he was getting closer to the zombies. His heartbeat accelerated, his hands gripping the iron spear tightened, and he took two deep breaths, continuing to approach the zombies. Ten meters, five meters, two meters..."

Zhang Xiaoqiang now stood just two meters away from the zombie. He raised the iron spear, ready to thrust it into the zombie's head at any moment, carefully observing. The zombie seemed completely indifferent to Zhang Xiaoqiang standing beside it, simply lifting its head to catch the rainwater. He noticed that after days of rain, the zombie's gaunt cheeks began to regain their roundness, some flesh appeared on its claws, and its bones were less prominent.

Taking two steps back, Zhang Xiaoqiang examined his surroundings in the dim light. The number of zombies in the garden had increased from over thirty to more than forty. Many zombies from the hallways and rooms had also emerged, all standing outside in the rain.

Zhang Xiaoqiang glanced back, preparing to run at any moment. He raised the iron spear and thrust it into the zombie's head. After tens of thousands of assassination practice sessions, today showed its results. The iron spear pierced into the zombie's eye socket and then swiftly withdrew. The zombie collapsed onto the rain-soaked grass, splashing water in all directions.

Afraid of alerting other zombies, Zhang Xiaoqiang turned and ran, covering a distance of over ten meters before looking back. All the zombies remained motionless in their original positions. He immediately felt exhilarated—killing zombies that couldn't move was even more satisfying, huh!

As the sky grew darker, Zhang Xiaoqiang charged forward.

The 21st zombie fell under the thrust of Zhang Xiaoqiang's iron spear, finally clearing the path to the convenience store. The visibility was decreasing rapidly, so he had to make good use of time.

Rushing to the front of the convenience store, he dealt with the zombified owner and rushed inside. Unable to find the light switch, he found a large cardboard box and started filling it with whatever he could find. After stuffing in a few packs of cigarettes, it was almost full. He also brought over two bottles of mineral water and secured them with a bungee cord. Using the iron spear, he balanced the load on his shoulder and headed home.

The iron spear, burdened with water and supplies, weighed heavily on Zhang Xiaoqiang, making it hard for him to catch his breath. The galvanized water pipe grated against his shoulder, sending a searing pain that constantly assaulted his nerves. Gritting his teeth, he took one step after another, walking towards home, the path now becoming increasingly blurry. The heavy rain continued to pour, and the January rain, accompanied by a cold and chilling sensation, seeped into his raincoat's collar, steadily draining the warmth from his body.

Only by persisting could he continue, but his legs had started to weaken, and his arm, holding the iron spear, began to tremble. With an indomitable spirit, he sprinted towards home, his last ounce of strength propelling him forward. Finally, he stepped onto the platform, and seeing his front door gave him a surge of energy. With that final bit of strength, he charged into the entrance of the building.

As one foot entered the doorway and the other had yet to be retracted, he could no longer hold on. Falling forward with the supplies on the iron spear, Zhang Xiaoqiang collapsed onto the ground. He desperately gasped for air, prostrated on the concrete, his body turning over with great effort until he lay flat on his back, gazing at the slanting staircase and ceiling, panting heavily.

After seven or eight minutes, Zhang Xiaoqiang caught his breath. He sat up and leaned against the wall, mineral water, rice, canned fish with fermented black beans, various biscuits, and cigarettes scattered around him.

"Heh! Hehe! Hahaha..."

Zhang Xiaoqiang laughed out loud, his laughter incessant. Laughter erupted from his mouth, tears streamed from his eyes, tracing down his cheeks, dripping from his chin onto the raincoat, blending with the rainwater.