Chapter 27: A Young Boy, No, A Young Girl!

Shining his flashlight into the attic, Zhang Cheng saw a short-haired, oil-covered youngster, looking dirty and thin, holding a wrench as if ready to strike Zhang Cheng if he dared to climb up. Zhang Cheng asked if the youngster was the son of the shop owner, to which the boy hesitated but nodded. Further inquiries about his father and whether he was mute were met with silent shakes of the head. When Zhang Cheng asked if the boy was afraid to speak, a nearby zombie, possibly attracted by the noise, approached them. Zhang Cheng swiftly eliminated the zombie with his baseball bat.

Asking if the boy could repair cars, which he affirmed with a nod, Zhang Cheng showed his handgun, indicating its lethality and convincing the boy to lower his wrench. Zhang Cheng left the boy some snacks and water, originally intended for Chen Shiru, promising to check on him occasionally.

After Zhang Cheng left, the boy lay down, clutching a Snickers bar and wondering aloud about Zhang Cheng's identity. If Zhang Cheng had stayed and heard the youngster's voice, he would have realized it was a girl, not a boy.

Leaving the repair shop, Zhang Cheng stopped at a convenience store, picking up non-boxed biscuits, pork trotters, luncheon meat, canned beef, pickled vegetables, braised eggs, and other essentials like lighters, candles, and batteries. He also took a bag of rice from a nearby grain store, securing everything to his motorcycle.

Checking his watch and noting it was 10 PM, Zhang Cheng decided it was time to head back. As he was about to leave, he heard the loud horn of the modified off-road vehicle again in the distance.