Apocalyptic Rebirth

24.Aunt Lin's Threat

Zhang Yi continued playing his game while enjoying imported snacks, living his life with gusto.

The entire Tianhai City, or more accurately, over 99% of the world, had fallen into a state of water and power outage.

The issue of water shortage was somewhat manageable.

For those who couldn't endure, they could go outside to dig for snow as a water source.

But the power outage was what truly tested people's limits!

Modern humans had become quite delicate, and subjecting them to sub-zero temperatures could be lethal.

In the homeowners' group chat, Zhang Yi's neighbors wailed in fear, seeking solace in unity, hoping someone could offer a glimmer of hope.

Chen Zhenghao, who had his leg broken by Zhang Yi in a previous encounter, was now nearly freezing to death at home while dragging his injured leg. His pre-existing injury coupled with the extreme cold had exacerbated his condition.

And his companions, including his Little Kalamis, were even worse off.

Though Zhang Yi had merely soaked them with a water hose during their encounter, there were no means of heating available in such frigid temperatures.

Indoor temperatures gradually approached those outdoors, reaching minus fifty or sixty degrees.

Several people began running high fevers, with the lowest temperature hitting 39°C, and several others even rising above 40°C.

Since they hadn't prepared any medication, none of them had ibuprofen at home. Given the weather conditions, going out to buy medicine was impossible.

So, they had no choice but to endure.

This was precisely why Zhang Yi hadn't killed them when he had the chance. Letting them freeze to death in despair day by day was much more satisfying than a swift death.

Zhang Yi sat on the carpet, engrossed in his game.

Outside, the biting cold and the howling north wind carried heavy snowflakes.

Inside, it was a comfortable 27°C, well-lit, with no worries about food, drinks, or entertainment.

If he had to pinpoint one thing he lacked, it would probably be the absence of a woman to accompany him.

However, Zhang Yi wasn't the type of foolish man to let his desires cloud his judgment.

Having learned his lesson from his past encounters with women in the previous world, he prioritized his safety and quality of life.

Unless he was in an absolutely secure situation, he wouldn't allow anyone into his safe house.

In this post-apocalyptic world, human nature was immeasurable.

He had witnessed a woman bludgeon her own husband to death for a pack of instant noodles.

At this moment, Zhang Yi's phone lit up again.

Curiously, he picked it up and found that Aunt Lin had tagged everyone in the homeowners' group.

"Due to the current snowstorm, it has had a huge impact on everyone's life."

"According to official notices, this snowstorm will last for a relatively short period."

"In order for everyone to weather this crisis with dignity when conditions are difficult, each and every one of you can contribute your available resources."

"Therefore, starting now, the neighborhood committee will collect items from every household for redistribution."

"This is an official directive, and we urge everyone to cooperate! Otherwise, if any household acts selfishly and refuses to follow the organization's arrangements, there will be consequences!"

"Don't think that you're highly capable and can oppose our organization. Remember, each of your households has its own vulnerabilities!"

Zhang Yi smirked.

It was the same old routine as in his previous life.

As a member of the neighborhood committee, Aunt Lin had slightly more sources of information than the average person, and she must have known that doomsday had come, and the authorities in Tianhai City had ground to a halt.

Hence, she resorted to deceit and intimidation to coax everyone into giving her their belongings.

However, Aunt Lin's methods were far from clever.

After all, she was just an old woman with a high school education.

In truth, her words were riddled with problems, easily noticeable by anyone with a sharp mind.

Even if the authorities were coordinating resources, it was unlikely that they would issue such an order.

Nonetheless, in their building alone, with over fifty households, some were bound to be timid and would comply out of fear.

Zhang Yi didn't intend to get involved in this matter; he just wanted to watch the spectacle.

Sure enough, this time, due to Aunt Lin's strong tone, some people had had enough.

Wang Min, who lived on the 15th floor and was also Zhang Yi's colleague, was known for her frugality and often brought things back home from the warehouse.

This fact was well-known among the neighbors.

Since Aunt Lin wanted to collect items from each household, they couldn't escape.

Wang Min said, "With the heavy snowfall and the doors sealed shut, it's impossible to go out. All of us are running low on supplies. Is it reasonable to collect and redistribute what little we have left?"

Another homeowner named Sun Zhichao chimed in, "We're all facing difficulties, and holding onto a bit of food is already challenging. This goes too far!"

Aunt Lin clenched her teeth and pressed the voice message button with her finger.

"I've said it before, this is an extraordinary situation, so we need to use extraordinary means!"

"The snowstorm will pass soon; you don't need to worry. It's just a matter of redistributing resources among us."

"At times like these, many households are running short on food. Are you all so selfish?"

"Don't you think about helping your neighbors!"

Some households had stockpiled resources, while others were in need, leading those with shortages to support Aunt Lin.

"That's right, we're all neighbors. What's wrong with helping each other out during these times?"

"It's just some food and drinks, isn't it? Normally, we can all afford it; it's just these few days that are exceptional!"

"This is a decision from the organization. If you don't comply, the consequences are not something everyone can bear."

In the WeChat group, two factions began to argue.

Zhang Yi remained silent, and the hypocrites Bai Lianhua, Fang Yuqing, and Lin Caining didn't speak either.

In fact, they still had plenty of resources in their homes. However, considering their personalities, they would never part with them.

Zhang Yi's desire to watch the drama was soon interrupted.

Although he kept quiet, Aunt Lin took the initiative to send him a private message.

"Little Zhang, you work at the warehouse, and your home must be filled with food and supplies, right?"

"I still remember last time you bought three truckloads of stuff!"

"Now that we're in trouble, it's time for you to step up."

"Don't worry, once the snowstorm is over, we'll definitely return everything to you. Everyone will remember your kindness."

Aunt Lin had initially created a sense of panic within the WeChat group to sway the timid into cooperating. Now, she was starting to break through individually.

As long as she could deceive one family, she would gain some resources to help her and her grandson survive a little longer!

And Zhang Yi, the warehouse manager at Walmart, had also caught her attention.