Chapter Forty Six - Raiding a Supermarket

There were three large supermarkets in town, two located more on the outskirts and one closer to the centre. All three had been the targets of raids during those chaotic first few weeks. Of course, these weren't the only places to purchase food, however just like these places, a particular store which sold food products, housewares and happened to have an internal bakery and sandwich counters, was also replenished by its staff in the twilight hours before the end. And it also had an mini outbreak within its four walls when the outbreak occurred in town as those unwell men and women felt they couldn't afford to justify time off for a 'bit of a bug'. However, those other stores were open 24 hours most of the week and most of the night workers who did not collapse and turn could escape the zombies hungry teeth. No one managed to escape the smaller store.

The store seemed quiet and although it's location made it difficult, it would not escape the eyes of desperate survivors seeking to empty its contents. However, the first gang to attempt to break in through the staff entrance had an unhappy ending. Two managed to flee the jaws of the nest within to spread word that there were zombies within its walls, but one was seriously injured, died that night in gangs makeshift camp, turning grey and black of lip, before rolling over to bring his friend with him.

The zombies, with their new additions, did not escape into the outside world; the single door was the type that swung shut after it was opened, forced or otherwise.

There was one other issue with this store that made it a less desirable target for those seeking to stock up on food and other supplies, while hoping to survive long enough that the zombie issue could solve itself and that was its location. This store happened to be in the centre of town, thus in its nearby surroundings would have been a higher population. And with a higher population there was a greater concentration of people who became zombies. So although an army of men did succeed in wiping out the zombies located within and taking a good percentage of the viable merchandise away, it was not long after that the once trapped zombies began to escape their habitats and gather to hunt for food. The rotting meat remaining in that store's shelves was an attractive scent to the hungry corpses.

The squads that had been formed in the few small bases dotted close to town avoided it during the summer, struggling to survive as best they could and not wanting to increase the risk of failing. However, most of those bases now ceased to exist, realising or learning the hard way, that they just didn't have what it took to survive, especially now that more and more zombies have mutated and become stronger, more deadly and dangerous. And the store was abandoned completely; only the craziest of squads would attempt to go there now.

Jonah, it seemed, was leading that squad.

He hadn't actually wanted to head into town, thinking that the risks far outweighed the gains. But the supermarket close to the stores that they had been raiding was stripped bare. Even the cans of pet food had been whisked away, despite none of them being able to imagine just who was so desperate to eat that stuff! They'd talked about it for a bit, considering on hitting one of the other large supermarkets, to see if there was anything left, when Jimmy had suggested this. The rest of them had looked at him as if he was a complete and utter nut job (with the exception of a Ren Zexian, who didn't understand what the issue was).

"Nah, nah, nah, listen," he tried to dismiss their concerns. "Yeah, we know it's going to be dangerous, but think about it. The other places are in locations that are with in easy reach of the roads on the outskirts of town, not too near housing estates, so there were less zombies to deal with for the squads. Most squads had the same idea, so it's unlikely we'll find anything left in those places. Weren't we luckier when we lived in town raiding all of those corner shops? Because they were in areas with high populations so survivors were less likely to go there and grab food."

"That was before the zombies evolved," Jonah pointed out. "And we only hit the ones on the edges of estates and where we could make a quick getaway. You know that store is tucked in amongst a bunch of others and only has a winding road accessing it, one that happens to take you through the town centre and around it. It won't be easy to get out of there once we've driven into its car park."

"I vote for!" Patrick said, in a cheerful voice.

"That's because, you are an idiot," Tyler said, scornfully. In truth, he believed that they were unlikely to find better sources of remnant food anywhere else. Most of that which remained would be in areas hard to currently reach or rotten and inedible.

Ren Zexian was of no strong opinion either way. In terms of increasing cultivation, it was often beneficial to test oneself, potentially increasing such which would be oft too slow to make a breakthrough and was especially important during bottlenecks. He had reached the apex of tertiary stage cultivation, reaching a common bottleneck. However, he found himself a bit reluctant to risk his life in order to overcome it.

In the end, they opted for the risk. The benefits were too great to ignore and they were seasoned hunters, were less likely to be taken unawares than the unsuspecting fools who tried before them.

Bringing out all sorts of weapons on their persons, they drove into parking lot and turned off the engine so to not draw any wandering zombies to their location. Jimmy climbed onto the roof to the vehicle, keeping look out, ready to shoot approaching corpses with his silenced gun. The others approached the side entrance door, meant once for staff. The lock had been broken badly and the door was not latched. The door swung open to the lightest of touches.

The cheap plastic door had a broken glass window that looked into a small room. That room also had a door, but that door was of wood and was no longer whole, small fragmented pieces sat upon the hinges in the frame. There was no signs of movement within the first room, so after testing the outside door, which remained silent upon its hinges, they placed a brick to keep it wide open for an easier escape. Jonah entered first; he'd always been the type to lead, but this time he had Ren Zexian beside him. The oriental man was the strongest of the ability users, so this was not unexpected and even welcomed.

Ren Zexian had Jonah pause before the broken door and murmured softly that he was going to attempt an old trick, but he needed a moment and would be vulnerable. Jonah looked at him with slight disbelief in his eyes, but as Patrick nodded profusely with trusting eyes, he indicated that Ren Zexian should go ahead.

The Cultivator closed his eyes and released a breath. With it, he stretched the swirling mass of spiritual energy within him and felt the current of the air. Zombies were unbreathing things, he would not be able to detect the movement of their lungs, however, he could easily note the movement of their bodies. Before, he had not used this ability; raiding properties that were small did not require him to exercise it, the core inside him had been enough. Also this ability used spiritual energy, most of which would return to him, but a bit of which would be wasted and could only be let go in resignation, even with his practiced control. It wouldn't take much effort, even with the weak spiritual energies within this world, to gain it back, however.

There was much that blocked the stagnant air within, thick walls that stretched the length of the building... and yet then the air would spill through gaping holes or thin air gaps in between not sealed areas. There was a few small rooms, still objects in each; he almost missed a Zombie in one, but for the putrid gases that suddenly leaked from it. They would have to be wary with the rooms, but he doubted that there were too many monsters hiding within. And then there were two larger spaces, one bigger than the other. Just strangely, that the largest space had thick lines of blockages, a kin to walls, yet not reaching to touch the four walls surrounding them nor to the ceiling above them.

In both large spaces, he could feel the presence of moving forms. "There is at least one zombie nearby, trapped in a small room," Ren Zexian advised them. "I do not know if any others have escaped my notice. Otherwise, I can say that there are of around seventeen undead within the larger of two greatest of areas and nine in the smaller of them."

"Large areas?" Cole questioned.

"Oh probably the store and the warehouse!" Patrick suggested brightly, before tugging on Ren Zexian's robe. "How did you do that? Can you teach me?"

"Alas, ''tis a trick of the air," he opened his palms in helpless gesture, weak against the smaller man's enthusiasm. Although Patrick was a grown man, he ever reminded Ren Zexian of a child newly accepted to a sect sometimes.

"I get it," Jonah said, rubbing the stubble upon his cheek, also hoping that they could grab some cigarettes while they were in here. "Then the small rooms must be offices and one with a Zombie inside."

"What I want to know," huffed Monika, "is how there came to be so many zombies inside! I mean didn't an army supposedly come and clear them out, according to the rumours?"

"Hmm, but I heard that they were not entirely without losses," Arthur mentioned, lightly. If they did not come back for the bodies nor destroyed them once they left, there was a chance they would simply rise again.

"Considering that one in the offices," Jonah sighed, "I reckon that so called army didn't do a complete job either. The rest probably wandered in and couldn't get their sorry asses out again. Right, we deal with any in the offices first. I don't want any threats lingering at my back. Then we deal with the mass inside the store. Huddle together, Ren and I will watch for movement at the front, Cole and Arthur, the rear. Monika, Patrick and Tyler, ceiling, floor, walls... I don't want any fucking surprises, ya hear?!"