Chapter Three

"Their work has always been busy…"

Passing by the cafeteria, Lucie didn't have time for a chat with Charlotte. She went straight to the kitchen, frantically packing water and food into the girl's backpack. Food was a necessity for survival.

Based on the information she had collected over the past two months, it appeared that water and food contaminated by the virus were inedible. Moreover, one must avoid getting bitten by them, and contact with zombie blood should be strictly avoided, as human skin could be corroded by their blood.

Immediately, Lucie swiftly grabbed the nearby tablecloth, wrapping herself and the little girl in it to cover their exposed areas, leaving only their eyes visible.

Faced with Lucie's bandit-like actions, the cafeteria staff shouted insults and warnings at her. Several male employees even picked up ladles and spatulas, ready to approach and subdue Lucie. However, when Lucie aimed her gun at each person, everyone dared not make a move. They could only watch silently as Lucie completed her actions, hoping she would leave quickly.

As Lucie pushed open the cafeteria door, preparing to leave, the zombies also swarmed into the cafeteria. Students and staff who were eating were all torn and bitten by the zombies, devouring them.

Soon, she found a study room with front and back doors, containing only a few desks.

She ripped off the curtain from a nearby classroom, causing students inside to gasp at the sudden disturbance. Lucie returned to the small study room, calmly locking both the front and back doors, and barricaded them with a desk.

This study room had a full-length window that provided a clear view of the outside, and there were also two small windows on either side for ventilation, serving as potential escape routes. Lucie made sure all the windows were securely closed and quickly installed the curtains. After positioning the security bars under the window to allow for an opening, she prepared for a quick escape through the small windows. The location of this study room was excellent, with the added advantage of being close to her car.

After making all the preparations, Lucie lifted a corner of the curtain to observe the situation outside. At this point, she wasn't sure whether the zombies were moving based on vision, hearing, or smell. To leave nothing to chance, she had to account for all possibilities. Once the curtain was closed, the study room became completely dark.

"It's very dark, Lucie. Can I turn on the lights?"

Lucie held her in her arms, looking at the faint light seeping through the curtain gap, barely revealing the conditions inside the study room. "Not now, Charlotte. There are many bad people outside. It's best not to attract attention. We need to stay as quiet as possible. From now on, we should speak softly. Can you do that?"

Charlotte nodded obediently, "Daddy has been playing these games with me a lot lately, and I always win!" Lucie handed her a piece of chocolate, thinking that the laboratory researchers must have anticipated the virus outbreak and loss of control, which is why Charlotte's dad taught her survival skills.

With a full stomach, children tend to get sleepy easily. In no time, Charlotte fell asleep in Lucie's arms.

In the now quiet study room, the sounds of people's screams and chaotic footsteps outside could be heard very clearly. Lucie connected her phone to play some soothing lullabies and put the earphones gently into Charlotte's ears, creating a calm atmosphere. As she watched Charlotte sleep peacefully, Lucie felt an unprecedented warmth and tenderness in her heart. However, the piercing screams from outside still tugged at her anxious nerves.

She took off her coat, placed Charlotte on it, and then began to inventory the supplies they currently had: two bottles of water, two apples, two sandwiches, and three cookies. Considering Charlotte was only 4 years old and not accustomed to enduring hunger, these water and food supplies should be enough for them to survive for three days.

At this moment, Lucie pours the last of the water into Charlotte's thirsty mouth. She doesn't expect a four-year-old child to have such a strong thirst for water, and the consumption of their water supply is beyond her anticipation. Fortunately, based on the darkness in the room, Lucie speculates that the sun is about to set today.

Tonight, they will leave this place.

In the previous life, she endured the apocalypse for a whole year, only to be betrayed by the people who had rescued her. They collaborated to push her off the rescue pod. At that time, the rescue pod was heading away from Earth, bound for the center of the galaxy. Humanity had abandoned Earth, preparing to establish a new home in the Milky Way.

The people who betrayed her didn't hesitate to throw her down from a great height, watching coldly as she plummeted.

When she woke up again, she found herself back on the third day of the zombie virus outbreak, which is today. Tonight, she will be heading north with Charlotte, towards her apartment, where there is an abundance of water and food. As long as she doesn't bring any refugees home, it will be enough to sustain her and Charlotte for a full twenty years.

Having survived an entire year in the apocalypse, Lucie has a complete grasp of the current situation. It's only the third day since the outbreak of the zombie virus, and the virus has not evolved, it is still in its early stages. The zombies are sensitive to sound and smell; they move slowly in lower temperatures, and extremely cold weather can even put them in a state of dormancy.

At this moment, Lucie's phone is fully charged. At three in the morning tonight, the temperature will reach the lowest point in these few days. In her previous life, her survival was mostly due to luck. Now, she can rely on wisdom and the advance information she possesses to stay alive.

Time is slipping away, and Lucie is still waiting for the optimal moment. Confirming that Charlotte is still in a deep sleep, she doesn't disturb her too much. In her previous life, Lucie indeed encountered good luck to escape from the school because if it had been one day later, the weather in the following days would have warmed up, and Charlotte would have gone into shock due to dehydration. Tonight is truly the best opportunity.

Using clothes, Lucie firmly ties Charlotte to herself. The weight of the 4-year-old is a bit much, but for Lucie, accustomed to strenuous labor, it's nothing. She can carry whole cows and pigs effortlessly; the weight of a 4-year-old child is light for her.

At this point, the temperature has dropped to its lowest. Lucie lifts the curtain, climbs onto the window, and observes the surroundings. In the cold weather, the zombies are indeed moving much slower, but caution is still necessary.

After the two zombies near the window stagger past, she seizes the opportune moment to jump out of the window and sprints towards the car. The zombies become somewhat agitated, but her speed is too fast for them to locate her. After a brief period of restlessness, the zombie horde quiets down again.

Lucie places Charlotte in the passenger seat and fastens her seatbelt. Then she starts the car and hits the gas pedal, rushing out! The roaring sound of the car engine wakes up the zombie horde. They chase after the car, running wildly, but they can't catch up with the speed of the vehicle.

The horde of zombies, which Lucie left far behind, and the ones that suddenly pounce on her from all directions, Lucie charges forward without blinking an eye. The creatures rushing towards her are crushed into pieces upon impact.

Now, whether she crashes into humans or zombies, Lucie doesn't care anymore. She is determined to survive.

Passing by the gas station, there is a zombie on the roadside feasting on human intestines. Lucie whistles to attract its attention, then aims a shot at its forehead, and the zombie is subsequently consumed by flames.