Chapter 38: “Golden” Shower
Zhou Peng, getting no response, knocked harder on the door. "Zhang Yi, Zhang Yi! It's Zhou Peng! Open the door, I have something important to tell you."
Zhang Yi sneered, grabbed his gun, and unlocked the safety with a click. He walked to the door. "Who's there?"
Hearing Zhang Yi's reply, Zhou Peng signaled Fang Yuqing and Lin Caining to prepare.
The two women, nervous about their first attempt at murder, became resolute at the thought of living in Zhang Yi's warm, food-stocked house once he was dead.
Zhou Peng pleaded, "Zhang Yi, it's Zhou Peng. We're out of food. For old times' sake, could you spare some?"
Feigning a pitiful look, he secretly prepared to draw his knife. Zhang Yi leaned against the door and replied nonchalantly, "We don't have any food left. I can't help you."
Fang Yuqing and Lin Caining cursed silently. How could he have no food? The kitchen was stocked with boxes of delicacies. They had planned for this.
Zhou Peng, gritting his teeth, took out a box of ibuprofen from his pocket. "Zhang Yi, I won't take it for free. I'll trade you this box of ibuprofen."
Behind the door, Zhang Yi pondered how to deal with them.
Killing them with his gun or crossbow would be easy but tedious.
In this apocalyptic world, death was a relief; living was the actual hell. He wouldn't let them off that easily. An idea struck him.
He grabbed an empty bottle and, feeling the urge from his earlier beer, began to fill it. "Ibuprofen? That's valuable. Let me think about it," he said lazily, urinating into the bottle.
The people outside heard the faint sound of water but couldn't tell what Zhang Yi was doing. Thinking they were close to success, their faces lit up with excitement.
Zhou Peng urged, "Open the door so we can trade. I only need two packs of instant noodles."
Given the current prices, ibuprofen could be traded for at least five packs. He offered a low price to trick Zhang Yi into opening the door.
"Two packs? I wouldn't want you to suffer a loss," Zhang Yi finished filling the bottle with a frothy, warm liquid.
Thinking Zhang Yi was about to agree, Zhou Peng leaned against the door. "It's fine. I'm starving, and we're colleagues. Better you than someone else. Open up!"
Zhang Yi climbed onto a stool to reach the shooting hole in the door and poured the warm, fresh liquid onto the three people outside.
They were startled by the sudden dousing. Fang Yuqing and Lin Caining screamed. "Ah! What is this? It's hot water!"
Feeling the warmth, they were briefly pleased until they caught the pungent smell. "It's... urine!!!"
The women screamed like slaughtered pigs and began vomiting. Zhou Peng, enraged, pounded on the door. "Zhang Yi, you bastard! Get out here, I'll kill you!"
The heavy alloy door didn't budge, only hurting Zhou Peng's hand. Inside, Zhang Yi laughed heartily. "How's the taste? Good? You idiots thought you could trick me? Pathetic!"
Realizing they had been exposed, the trio cursed Zhang Yi furiously. Zhou Peng yelled, "Damn it, shouldn't have wasted time talking! I'll kill you when I get in!"
He drew his knife and furiously hacked at the door, but it was made of reinforced alloy, capable of withstanding RPG blasts. The knife rebounded, narrowly missing his head and leaving an extended cut on his cheek. His hand bled from the impact.
In winter, human skin is more fragile, and pain is more intense. Zhou Peng was terrified; the near-miss could have killed him. His fear was interrupted by the sharp pain. "Aahhh!!!!" he screamed.
Seeing this, the women fled in terror, leaving Zhou Peng behind. Zhang Yi, watching through the camera, considered shooting them but decided against it.
Why risk his life? In this apocalyptic world, better to play it safe and outlast them.
"I'll outlast them. Let's see how long they survive in this frozen hell," Zhang Yi thought, returning to his game.
Zhou Peng, shaken, sat trembling on his sofa at home. Fang Yuqing, seeing him covered in urine, screamed, "Get off my couch!"