Chapter 80 - 75: Shoddy Products Kill

"Brother Su, thanks a lot!"

Qiu Shuo’s forehead was sweating, words escaping one by one.

"Let’s skip the gratitude for now. What happened here?" Zhang Su sat on the ground, looking at the bitter Lu Yubo nearby.

"Brother Su, talking about this, you’re partly responsible!"

After Zhang Su’s question, Lu Yubo, like a wronged big boy, immediately got teary-eyed.

"Damn, you’re really good at passing the buck!"

Zhang Su felt thoroughly perplexed.

Clang.

Lu Yubo threw the machete in his hand onto the ground and said, "If it weren’t for you selling us these crappy machetes, Brother Shuo and I would’ve been able to fight our way out smoothly!"

Hearing his companion’s words, Qiu Shuo laughed free-spiritedly, looked at Zhang Su and said, "Brother Su, this knife is really useless; it can’t even chop off a zombie’s arm."

Zheng Xinyu and the others exchanged puzzled glances, even Tan Huajun who came over with the medical box was dumbfounded, not understanding the situation.

"I..."

Zhang Su frowned, picked up the filthy iron machete from the ground and swung it a few times; the blade actually wobbled, revealing the poor quality materials and severe cutting corners.

"I was afraid you guys might get killed, so I specifically got my master to forge these toy weapons. They’re okay for squabbles, but you guys... you guys used it to chop zombies? Damn, I’m impressed!"

Zhang Su’s head was buzzing, raising four fingers: "Forty-one pieces, a hundred bucks for three, you guys really went for it... sigh!"

He felt annoyed but also a little guilty, hoping fewer people would use the toy weapons he sold against zombies.

Everyone looked at each other, surprised by the bizarre tale; they hadn’t expected Zhang Su used to sell weapons to punks.

"Brother Su, let me clean his wound first."

Zhong Xiaoshan, seeing the awkward atmosphere, quickly took over the medical box from Tan Huajun and squatted beside the two, speaking.

"Professional nurse, senior caregiver, VIP hospital ward treatment, boy, just enjoy it."

Zhang Su joked half-heartedly, then looked at the iron machete in his hand, annoyed, throwing it aside.

"Thank you, sister," Qiu Shuo politely smiled at Zhong Xiaoshan, then looked up at Zhang Su: "Brother Su, we weren’t blaming you, don’t feel upset; honestly it’s more that Xiaobo and I were useless—if it were you, you would’ve fought your way out with a folding chair."

"Sigh."

Recalling their previous ordeal, Lu Yubo crouched beside them, dejected.

"You guys only use the gym to pick up girls and sneak photos, and your fighting is all talk and no action, and now you regret it? Speaking of which... don’t tell me only you two escaped?"

Zhang Su knew Brother Dong, the owner of the pool hall and KTV, had rented apartments for employees as dorms, housing many young guys.

Saying that, Qiu Shuo and Lu Yubo fell silent.

"Alright, no need to talk about it..."

Zhang Su waved his hand, no need to ask to understand the situation.

"Five infected, three dead, leaving only us two; we couldn’t reach our parents, couldn’t contact Brother Dong, nobody at all—after a few days, we finished our supplies and finally ran out..."

Lu Yubo scratched his messy hair, very downcast.

"Hissing... Hey, Brother Su, got any smokes?"

Next to him, Qiu Shuo was gasping in pain, trembling as he asked Zhang Su for a cigarette.

Zhang Su pulled out cigarettes and handed one to each of them, silently lighting them, not knowing what to say, as any comforting words felt too insubstantial.

In a moment, Zhong Xiaoshan snipped the gauze with a click, saying, "Disinfection and stitches done, rest for a bit."

"Awesome skills, Brother Su, you didn’t lie to me; this sister is truly a senior caregiver, right?"

Qiu Shuo’s lips had turned white, and he forced a smile asking.

"Of course, those close to Brother Su are no joke; Xiaoshuo, don’t say anything, rest now, um, we..."

Zhang Su waved his hand, chuckling dryly: "We need to restrain you a bit."

Qiu Shuo cheerfully stretched out his hands: "No problem, go ahead, got any silver bracelets, haha, haven’t worn those in ages!"

"No silver bracelets, but plenty of plastic ties."

Zhang Su smiled faintly in response to Qiu Shuo’s joke, took out special packing plastic ties, and bound his wrists and ankles, letting him find a comfortable position to lie and rest for a while.

"Hey, damn, I’m burning up, Brother Su, Xiaobo, I’m heating up all over—is this a symptom of virus infection?"

On the ground, Qiu Shuo shifted slightly.

"A little warmth is good, Brother Shuo; I’m freezing—warmth is good..." Lu Yubo didn’t know what to say, reply dried-up.

Zhang Su noticed the familiar crimson spots appearing around Qiu Shuo’s eyes, shook his head silently, and patted the anxious Lu Yubo.

"Hot, so hot, feels like I’m on fire, my brain is burning, ah..."

Suddenly, Qiu Shuo began to struggle, and due to being bound, he twisted into several frightening positions.

Unable to watch, Zheng Xinyu and the other women turned their heads away, faces marked by a trace of sorrow.

As long as this virus persists, everyone might face this outcome; perhaps it’s everyone’s final fate, unbearable to accept.

"Xiaobo, kill me, ah, it’s unbearable, Brother Su, do it, quickly!"

Qiu Shuo’s body straightened, eyes almost entirely blood-red, and his facial skin showed a faint grayish tint.

Clap.

"Technician Tan, where’s the steel rod you used to kill zombies?"

Zhang Su asked with clenched teeth.

"Steel rod? Oh, oh, here..."

Tan Huajun pulled out a nearly meter-long steel rod from under the counter.

"No, don’t, Brother Su, don’t kill Brother Shuo; he can endure it, believe him."

Lu Yubo, seeing Zhang Su attempting to thrust with the steel rod, hurriedly held his arm down.

"Rubbish!" Like being electrocuted, Qiu Shuo stiffened on the ground, blood-red eyes glaring at Lu Yubo: "Do it, quick!"

"Bozai, I know you and Xiaoshuo have a good relationship, send him off on his last journey."

After speaking, Zhang Su pulled Lu Yubo’s hand away, handing the steel rod to him.

"I, this... I can’t, Brother Su, I can’t!"

Looking at his brother Qiu Shuo, who seemed electrocuted into a lifeless dog, then at the steel rod in his hand, Lu Yubo was torn with agony.

"Quick!"

Qiu Shuo’s voice had changed, hoarse and labored, almost losing the ability to voice, blood-red eyes fixed on Lu Yubo, limbs rigid and straight, spider vein-like blood vessels faintly visible beneath the skin, clearly about to turn into a zombie.

"I can’t..."

"You damn coward!"

Zhang Su snatched the steel rod back, stepped forward briskly, and stared into the thin thread of reason in Qiu Shuo’s eyes, lifting his arm high: "Xiaoshuo, may you have a peaceful journey!"

"Thank you..."

Whoosh!

With a fierce downward thrust!

No splattered blood; with a muffled sound, the convenience store became silent.

A few low grunts sounded, evidently from Zheng Xinyu and the others, even Old Wang couldn’t bear to watch, turning away.

Qiu Shuo’s rigid body relaxed, slowly lying down, the grim expression on his face fading, replaced by a hint of relief and peace.