Chen Ang, sporting a shock of yellow hair, was strolling around Sunshine Shelter with nothing particular to do. Being new to the place, he felt a bit restrained, so he decided to familiarize himself with the surroundings. He immediately spotted Guan Hao staying on the roof of the shop, feeling that the latter’s temperament was somewhat outstanding. Knowing at a glance that this was a veteran here, he thought to greet the elder and establish some rapport.
Lost in his vision of the future, Guan Hao heard the voice and noticed the blond-haired newcomer standing at the shop entrance, looking quite unfamiliar—he must have been brought back by Big Brother yesterday.
How polite the other was; the single word "Bro" made him feel thoroughly at ease.
"Mm, you’re unfamiliar with this place, aren’t you? Come up the ladder, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
With Old Zhong and the others out patrolling the streets, he was bored and alone, watching the gate. Having a newcomer take the initiative to talk to him was more than welcome.
Chen Ang had a habit of calling others "bro," possibly due to his work. For men, it was "bro," and for women, "sis." It had become an automatic response.
He climbed the ladder to the shop’s rooftop, showing off his pearly whites and approaching Guan Hao with a beaming face.
"Don’t be nervous, take a seat."
Facing Chen Ang, Guan Hao was quite serene, exuding an air of a superior and a person of distinction. He spoke neither hurriedly nor slowly, relaxed yet deliberate, intending to give off the impression that he was one of the elders here, and one with some standing at that.
Chen Ang sat down beside Guan Hao on a small stool, his legs drawn together and his restless hands not knowing where to settle. He was uncertain of what to talk about.
"Bro, my name is Chen Ang."
"You came just yesterday, right?"
"Yes, I’ve just arrived yesterday. I’m still not familiar with the rules here, and I hope you could teach me. I also don’t know your name yet, bro."
He felt the newcomer was quite interesting. This attitude was spot on; anyone who saw or heard him would say, "This kid is polite," and not just slightly so.
"Good to meet you, Brother Hao."
"Haha, nice, you’re a good guy. But don’t be too reserved. Consider this place like your own home. Sunshine Shelter was founded by Lin Fan, also known as my Big Brother. He alone protects all of us. He is the faith and hope in our hearts. So remember, you can ignore what others say, but you must listen to what my Big Brother says."
Guan Hao thought it best to explain these things to Chen Ang properly.
To prevent any survivors from thinking, "I’m a person; proud, arrogant, domineering; I must be unique, ignore everyone else."
Of course, until now, no one with such an attitude had emerged.
Chen Ang, sitting by his side, nodded and took Guan Hao’s words to heart.
"Brother Hao, I am aware of that. Last night I read through the ’Zombie Album.’ Everything written in it was by Big Brother Lin himself. From that moment on, I knew Lin Fan was no ordinary man."
Chen Ang could discern Lin Fan’s status here, or rather, the impact he had on others’ hearts.
Guan Hao spoke gravely, "He’s more than just an ordinary man. In my heart, he is my most respected Big Brother. In the hearts of some, he is hope and reliance. In the minds of those at Xiangshan Base, my Big Brother is nothing short of a god. With my Big Brother around, the sky in their hearts will never collapse."
Chen Ang nodded, "Hmm, I understand."
However, there was something he was most eager to find out about, so he asked cautiously, "Brother Hao, have the zombies in Huang City really been thoroughly cleared?"
Since they had arrived here, they had not gone outside to take a look.
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to, but they didn’t dare to—fearful that a zombie might suddenly appear while they were out walking.
"Of course. There were at least several million zombies in Huang City, perhaps even ten million, all exterminated by my Brother Lin."
When Guan Hao talked about this, his face was full of admiration.
Chen Ang’s eyes almost bulged out in shock, "So many? All cleared?"
He truly couldn’t imagine it.
The number was terrifying; even if one were to hack away with a sword, it seemed impossible to have cleared them all out so thoroughly in just a few months.
"Could there be any doubt? Now, if you have nothing to do, go out and stroll around; I guarantee you won’t run into a single zombie," Guan Hao promised confidently.
Chen Ang believed him; there was no need to exaggerate such a thing. True or false, one could simply take a look and know.
"Have you ever witnessed such a scene?" Guan Hao began to speak, then paused to ask, not specifying what sort of scene.
Chen Ang, "What kind of scene?"
Guan Hao gazed into the sky, "One man, one sword, single-handedly battling hundreds of thousands or even millions of zombies?"
"I have seen it, with my own eyes, right here. It was Brother Lin facing it alone, an incredible and terrifying spectacle. The sky turned red, the ground turned red, the air was filled with the stench of blood, countless dismembered corpses piled up in the city. It took thousands of people days to clean it up."
Guan Hao stared into Chen Ang’s eyes as if conveying an emotion, hoping that Chen Ang could envision that scene with his blonde-haired head.
Chen Ang hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, but as Guan Hao vividly described it, the images began to form in his mind.
Guan Hao patted Chen Ang’s shoulder, "From now on, you’ll join me in watching the gate. I’ll take you under my wing."
"By the way, I’m curious, what did you do before?"
Guan Hao always felt that his little brother called others "bro" too smoothly, as if he had been well-practiced, able to do so with his eyes closed, giving off the air of being in a KTV business club.
"I worked at a KTV, handing out hot towels for guests."
"Oh, no wonder. You have that kind of accent."