C15 The First Time Encountering Bandits(2)

Lee Yuanhong was at a loss for words. Despite his impressive skills, he couldn't fathom his own fear of zombies. Ultimately, he opted for the elevator—scaling twenty flights of stairs was just too exhausting!

Upon reaching the 20th floor, the elevator doors slid open smoothly. The anticipated zombie encounter never materialized, rendering their preparations moot. Protected by Lee Yuanhong and five armed guards, Lee Luoxia approached the apartment nearest the stairwell. She cautiously opened the door, peeked inside, and, reassured, swung the door wide open and strode in confidently.

The apartment featured three bedrooms and a spacious living room, with decor that was both simple and immaculate. No sooner had they entered than a door in one of the bedrooms cracked open, revealing three curious little heads. At the sight of Lee Luoxia, the door burst open and two young boys charged out, exuberantly chanting, "Sister Xia is back! Sister Xia is back!"

A third small head, still behind the door, stole glances at Lee Yuanhong and the guards, debating whether to emerge and seek attention.

Lee Yuanhong, who had entered last and shut the door behind him, watched the boys with interest. They were about five or six years old—one robust and sturdy, his clothes stretched tight as if ready to burst at the slightest movement. The other, slightly shorter, had a sly, playful grin and wore ill-fitting clothes; his pants were too long and his shirt too baggy, nearly tripping him as he bounced around. Observing this odd pair, two nicknames popped into Lee Yuanhong's mind: Scamp and Chub.

The child still peeking from behind the door was a little girl with adorable chubby cheeks and pigtails sticking straight up, irresistibly cuddly.

As the two rambunctious boys approached, Lee Luoxia quickly gestured for silence, pressing a finger to her lips, and softly cautioned, "Be careful—your jumping might attract the zombies."

Upon hearing the promise of food, the two youngsters immediately settled down, their eyes filled with eager anticipation as they gazed at the backpack behind Lee Luoxia. Setting her backpack down, Luoxia turned to Lee Yuanhong and said, "Make yourselves comfortable, I'll whip up something for the kids."

"Sure thing!" Yuanhong agreed with a nod, and he, along with a few gunmen, took a seat on the living room sofa to wait.

Luoxia pulled out several loaves of bread and ham sausages from her bag, handing them to the two rambunctious boys. She then beckoned to the little girl peeking from behind the door, "Xiao Yun, come here, sweetheart. No need to hide. Those uncles are good folks, nothing to fear."

Inadvertently, Yuanhong found himself donning an unsolicited "good guy" label, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words. He mused that perhaps there was a reason he was still single at thirty; the "good guy" tag seemed to stick to him all too easily, a stroke of luck not everyone could claim.

Xiao Yun emerged shyly, eyeing Yuanhong and the others with curiosity. After accepting the bread and ham sausage, she leaned in and whispered to Luoxia, "Are those uncles guards sent by the Transformers and Snow White?"

Her voice was faint, but Yuanhong caught every word. Clearly, he was the "Transformer" in question. Glancing down at his makeshift armor, he knew it was time for an upgrade.

Luoxia, trying to contain her laughter at Yuanhong's flustered expression, reassured the girl, "No, dear, those uncles aren't Transformers or Snow White's guards. They're actors from a theater troupe, here to help your big sister find food."

Yuanhong felt as if a murder of crows had just flown over his head. In mere minutes, his identity had morphed several times. With a resigned sigh, he turned his attention back to the boys.

The boys devoured their food with haste, clearly famished. Their eagerness led to a quick bout of choking, prompting Yuanhong to retrieve two bottles of mineral water from his bag and hand them over. The boys snatched the bottles and guzzled the water down. After a moment to catch their breath, they cheekily stuck out their tongues at Yuanhong before turning back to their meal with renewed fervor.

Just then, the sound of a child waking from a dream and crying pierced the quiet from the inner room. Lee Luoxia, in a flurry, grabbed some baby formula and hurried inside. After a while, she emerged cradling a little one clutching a milk bottle. Noticing Lee Yuanhong's astonished expression, she sheepishly introduced, "This is my baby sister, Lee Chunxue. Over there is Lee Hongyun, and the chubby one is Lee Yanhu. The one who's a bit leaner is Lee Dongchen."

No sooner had she finished than Lee Dongchen protested, "I'm not skinny; it's just that my clothes are too big." He even hoisted his shirt and flexed his arms, trying to showcase muscles that weren't there.

Lee Yuanhong couldn't help but chuckle, patting Dongchen's head affectionately, "You're not skinny. We'll find you some better-fitting clothes later."

The little guy, unconvinced, shook his head and grumbled, "I really am not skinny."

As Lee Yuanhong watched the group of children, a sense of relief washed over him for reasons he couldn't quite grasp. Once Lee Luoxia had the kids settled and back inside, she took a seat across from him and met his gaze. "You must have a lot of questions, right?"

"Yes," Lee Yuanhong admitted. "These children don't seem to be your siblings, and it seems you're acquainted with those bandits we ran into."

"That's right," Lee Luoxia confirmed. "My father took them in. They're either orphans or were abandoned. He's a descendant of Lee San, and our family has a tradition of being righteous bandits, robbing the rich to aid the poor. A couple of days ago, my father burgled the Yanjing residence of a corrupt official. Besides a substantial sum of money, he found a sealed safe. Inside, there was nothing but a flash drive. Unsure of its contents but sensing their importance, he cautiously checked the drive at a nearby internet cafe and discovered it held extensive data on military facilities in the Northeast. Terrified by the implications, he left the cafe immediately. Today, the men we encountered were at that same cafe searching for someone. My father, who was close by buying cigarettes, spotted them and realized they were on a mission. Those men are definitely connected to someone high up in the military."

"I went out to find some food today and ended up running into them in that building we came across. As soon as they saw me, they started chasing me, and I inadvertently took refuge in a house full of zombies. That's how you found me in the state I was in."

Lee Yuanhong felt overwhelmed with information—it was like a mix between a spy thriller and a martial arts epic, hardly resembling anything from a post-apocalyptic genre. Did I accidentally wander onto the wrong movie set? Shaking his head to dispel these thoughts, he asked, "Where did that uncle go, and where's the flash drive now?"

"My dad's already taken the flash drive and left Yanjing. He mentioned that the flash drive is equipped with a tracking system, making it unsafe to keep with me. However, he did leave a backup with me. In case one of us is in danger, it serves as leverage to prevent the other party from taking any drastic actions too hastily."

Lee Yuanhong nodded, pausing to reflect before responding, "Given that those individuals recognized you and your daughter and didn't hesitate to pursue you, it's clear your current living situation is compromised. We should relocate as soon as possible. Moreover, with the zombies beginning to evolve and their numbers swelling in Yanjing, this place is no longer tenable for us. We need to find a new sanctuary sooner rather than later, especially since having the kids with us could spell disaster if we're cornered by zombies."

After pondering for a brief moment, Lee Luoxia agreed, "Okay, so what's the plan, Mr. Lee?"

“Here's to the first day of February—wishing everyone an early Happy New Year!”