C44 Dagang Killed the Zombies, Built a Train, and Searched for Supplies.

"Roar!" A stray zombie lunged at him, teeth bared and ready to bite.

Zhao Dagang effortlessly lifted his left arm to block the attack, letting the zombie sink its teeth into his forearm. Then, with a swift motion, he raised his fire axe with his right hand and brought it down hard.

The zombie's head split open, and it collapsed to the ground, motionless.

"Heh, piece of cake!" Zhao Dagang chuckled, shaking his left hand. Only a slight indentation marked the scrap iron glove.

"Don't get cocky," Tang Bing cautioned, concerned about his reckless approach to blocking and then striking the zombie. "The scrap iron glove offers some protection, but it's not foolproof! If a zombie has a particularly powerful bite, it could go right through and bite your hand!"

"No worries! Brother Bing, you've got that infection-curing medicine, right?" Zhao Dagang dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. "I'm not scared!"

"That medicine isn't unlimited!" Tang Bing replied, exasperated. "Try to avoid getting hurt if you can. This isn't something to take lightly!"

"Got it, I'll keep that in mind!" Zhao Dagang nodded in agreement.

Just then, a zombie in a business suit emerged from the intersection. Spotting Tang Bing and Zhao Dagang, it charged at them with a guttural roar.

"I've got this one!" Tang Bing was ready to engage, but Zhao Dagang beat him to the punch, charging ahead.

This experience hog! Tang Bing felt a twinge of annoyance. Every solitary zombie was a chance for him to level up! Was it a mistake to bring Zhao Dagang along on this supply run? He dashed towards every zombie in sight, leaving no monsters for Tang Bing to battle.

Though he knew Zhao Dagang was trying to protect him, he couldn't help feeling irked.

Lost in thought, Tang Bing watched as Zhao Dagang confronted the zombie with his axe at the ready. Predictably, the big guy baited the zombie with his left arm before delivering a fatal blow to its head with the axe.

After Zhao Dagang dispatched the zombie and caught Tang Bing's disapproving frown, he sheepishly scratched his head, "Oops, slipped my mind again. Next time, I promise I won't use my hands to block!"

What could Tang Bing say to that? He simply searched the downed zombie, then murmured, "Keep it down! Most of the zombies might be gone, blown to bits by my traps, but in a city this size, more could show up at any moment. Plus, some zombies might be lying dormant, ready to pounce at the slightest sound. Stay on guard for surprise attacks!"

"I got it!" Zhao Dagang nodded immediately, "I'll be extra cautious!"

Despite the lack of zombies wandering the road, Tang Bing remained vigilant.

Together with Zhao Dagang, they bent low and crept along the roadside, silent as shadows.

Fortunately, they arrived at the supermarket entrance without any zombie encounters.

The supermarket was a two-story cube, with the first floor dedicated to food and the second stocked with daily necessities and assorted goods.

The front doors stood ajar, windows shattered, the entryway cluttered with debris.

Clearly, the supermarket hadn't escaped the apocalypse's chaos. The marauding zombies must have caused the pandemonium, scattering merchandise as people fled.

"It's all snacks!" Zhao Dagang exclaimed upon seeing the packaged treats on the ground, eagerly bending down to collect them.

"Roar!" But as he leaned in, a female employee in a supermarket uniform burst from a side door, snarling and lunging for his neck.

"Watch out!" On high alert, Tang Bing swiftly kicked Zhao Dagang's rear.

"Ow!" Zhao Dagang stumbled forward, narrowly dodging the employee-turned-zombie's grasp.

"Roar~" The zombie, missing its target, turned a threatening growl on Tang Bing and lunged.

Without hesitation, Tang Bing hoisted his fire axe and brought it down with force before the zombie could reach him.

"Thud!" The zombie hit the ground, convulsed briefly, and then lay still.

"Ow~ My butt~" Zhao Dagang stood, rubbing the spot where Tang Bing's kick had landed.

"Are you seriously worried about your butt?" Tang Bing scowled. "You were nearly zombie food, you realize?"

"I know!" Zhao Dagang grinned sheepishly, "But it really hurts. Bing, you didn't have to kick so hard!"

"Pfft! What's a little pain to you?" Tang Bing shot him a look. "Quit your whining. We need to sweep the supermarket before we haul any supplies. Let's make sure it's clear of zombies first!"

"Alright!" Zhao Dagang snapped to attention, clutching his fire axe as he followed closely behind Tang Bing.

The supermarket was a mess, with many shelves toppled over and merchandise scattered haphazardly. Amidst the chaos, they were particularly concerned about zombies that might be lying dormant in some hidden corner. These zombies were stealthy, ready to burst forth upon being disturbed.

Despite being nearly fully equipped, Tang Bing and Zhao Dagang knew that an ambush could easily catch them off guard. Even with medicine to treat injuries, a bite to a vital area could be fatal.

For safety's sake, securing the area was their first priority!

Sure enough, they discovered zombies hibernating in various nooks of the supermarket, their locations tricky to pinpoint and easy to miss.

Working in tandem, Tang Bing and Zhao Dagang methodically dispatched each zombie before conducting a thorough search of the second floor.

Once they were confident the supermarket was clear, Tang Bing grabbed the largest chain lock from a shelf, closed the supermarket doors, and locked them securely.

"Bing, what's the plan?" Zhao Dagang asked, puzzled. "Are we bunking here tonight? What about Ms. Meng and Miss Qin?"

"Who said anything about staying?" Tang Bing replied with a hint of exasperation. "We're locking up to prevent a zombie horde from stumbling in while we're gathering supplies. If zombies were to rush in and trap us, we'd be sitting ducks with no way out!"

"Oh, right! How did I miss that?" Zhao Dagang had an epiphany, chuckling. "Heh, Brother Bing, you've got the brains. Following your lead is always the right move!"

"Cut the chatter," Tang Bing said, pulling a shopping cart over. "Find some rope, wire, or anything that can serve as a substitute. We need to rig up a couple of makeshift shopping trolleys."

"Heh, that was my idea!" Zhao Dagang said with a grin.

"Sure, it's your idea. No one's taking the credit from you," Tang Bing responded, a touch of resignation in his voice. "Let's split up the tasks and get to work."

"Got it!"

Zhao Dagang was brimming with enthusiasm as he set off to find ropes, wires, and whatever else they might need.

Tang Bing was just as busy, scouring the area with Zhao Dagang. They soon found plenty of sturdy nylon rope, unsealed a pair of brand-new scissors to cut it to size, and began meticulously linking the shopping carts together.

After successfully constructing two makeshift shopping carts, Tang Bing and Zhao Dagang exchanged a glance, both sporting satisfied grins. They had secured the carts with nylon ropes on both sides to prevent them from tipping over during transit.

Testing the carts inside the supermarket, they found that while moving in a straight line was easy, turning corners posed a slight challenge. Concerned that the merchandise might topple over, Tang Bing instructed Zhao Dagang to keep the carts moving straight as much as possible.

"Bing," Zhao Dagang beamed, unable to contain his excitement after confirming the carts worked—it was his idea, after all. "Let's grab our stuff quick! I'm drooling over all these tasty treats!"

"Alright!" Tang Bing chuckled at his eagerness. "You head that way, and I'll stay here. We'll focus on grabbing food and drinks first. And remember, keep the noise down to avoid drawing the zombies outside and blocking our route home."

"Got it!" Zhao Dagang nodded enthusiastically. "Hey, should we pick up some toiletries for Ms. Meng and Miss Qin? I saw shampoo, soap, and the like. There's even a variety of thermal underwear upstairs. I'm thinking of snagging a few sets for myself!"

Tang Bing paused to consider. The factory's female dormitory had plenty of toiletries and women's underwear, and Sun Meng and Qin Mengli had bathed the first night. Yet, the thought of using items previously touched by zombies might unsettle them. It wouldn't hurt to bring back some fresh toiletries and underwear.

What surprised Tang Bing was Zhao Dagang's thoughtfulness, hidden beneath his simple exterior.

"Just grab a few items, but don't let them take up too much space," Tang Bing advised. "Our priority is still securing food and water!"

"Understood!" Zhao Dagang replied with a grin. "We'll just take two of the priciest items from each category!"

"Whatever works," Tang Bing said with a shrug. "Let's not waste any time and get moving. We need to get these supplies back without alerting any zombies!"

"Got it!" Zhao Dagang immediately dashed to the left with his shopping cart, his arms sweeping a vast amount of food into it with a rustling sound.

Tang Bing could only shake his head at Zhao's reckless behavior. Despite being told to keep the noise down, the guy just couldn't help himself. Tang Bing just hoped no zombies would wander their way anytime soon.

Gliding his cart along the aisles, he nonchalantly added a few boxes of the priciest, most elegantly packaged chocolates before carefully transferring food from the shelves.

Tang Bing's approach differed from Zhao's; after loading a certain amount of food into his cart, he stashed even more into his virtual backpack. His method might not have looked as dramatic as Zhao's, but he left the shelves just as bare, not a single item left in his wake.

The supermarket was well-stocked, and soon their mini convoy of five carts each was brimming with goods.

They had gathered everything—food, water, toiletries, an assortment of kitchenware, and various other household items. They even picked up special toiletries for Sun Meng and Qin Mengli, along with ladies' underwear. And naturally, they hadn't forgotten their own men's underwear.

In a world devoid of hope, they were determined not to let the standard of living slip away.