The next morning, I called Wang Qiang and told him that I was at the old house, asking him and his family to come over and gather.

Wang Qiang readily agreed and came over with Uncle Wang and Aunt Zhang before noon.

Although we hadn't seen each other for a while, our bond was still strong. He gave me a big hug as soon as he saw me:

"You actually came back?"

"Isn't this coming back? I'm not leaving." I chuckled.

"Are you willing to leave behind your pampered wife and luxurious mansion in the city? Besides, construction will begin here soon. Why don't you have Uncle Li buy a house in my neighborhood?" Wang Qiang suggested.

"Let's talk about that later. I need your help these days. Also, let Uncle Wang stay here for a few days and let the two old friends catch up," I said.

Wang Qiang assured me with a pat on his chest and was stunned by the scene in front of him when he entered the courtyard. He exclaimed in amazement.

I pulled Wang Qiang down into the cellar.

Once again, he was amazed by the full cellar.

After dinner, I went to the area outside the courtyard where construction materials were stored and started examining the thick iron plates piled up there.

Wang Qiang squatted on the wall and watched me:

"Brother Yi, Li Shu told me that these were brought back by you. What are you planning to do?"

"Do you believe in the apocalypse and zombies coming?" I half-jokingly said.

He laughed out loud:

"Why didn't you mention rabies? Today, I saw videos of rabies-infected people biting others on Douyin."

Rabies!

I was suddenly startled, and waves surged in my mind.

A few days before the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse, there were indeed videos of rabies that I had come across, but I thought the anchors were just putting on a show, so I didn't pay much attention. Now, hearing Wang Qiang's words, I immediately woke up.

The zombie virus wasn't going to break out in a few days; it had already been lurking among the people. It would only fully erupt on the last day, which was why the entire city collapsed overnight.

I quickly took out my phone and searched for videos related to rabies.

The more I searched, the more alarmed I became.

There were already more than a dozen incidents just today, and the most terrifying part was that they were not concentrated in a single city but scattered across various regions.

This wasn't rabies at all; it was the initial infected population.

The time left for us was far less than we had imagined.

I immediately made a phone call and rented a crane to be delivered to the outskirts of the village tomorrow.

The next morning, I picked up the car and just drove into my alley when the phone rang.

I took it out and saw it was from my ex-wife.

I hung up!

It rang again.

I hung up again.

...

After a few annoying repeats, I finally pressed the answer button.

"Li Yi, you bastard! Why didn't you tell me before selling the house? Where am I and my mom supposed to live? Now the real estate agent has come. Get your ass back here!"

"What business is it of yours if I sell my house? Don't call me if there's nothing important. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Oh... wait, we do have a little something, ex-wife." I retorted, feeling incredibly relieved.

"Li Yi, I was blind to have ever been with you!"

"You got it backwards. That line suits me better."

I propped up my legs and leaned back in the driver's seat, but it would have been even more satisfying if I knew how to smoke and could light up a cigarette.

"You sold the house, what should my mom and I do? How shameless can you be?"

"When it comes to shamelessness, who can surpass you and your mother? I work hard to support the family, but you two spend recklessly. You blame me for not working hard enough to save money. After five years of being a scapegoat, I won't serve you anymore! You two parasites with useless hands and legs, think about how you'regoing to survive now!" I fired back, feeling a surge of anger boiling within me.

"Li Yi, don't push me! If you don't come back and resolve this, I'll take legal action against you!" she threatened.

I burst into laughter, amused by her audacity.

"Legal action? You want a divorce? Go ahead! I've been waiting for this day for a long time. It's a win-win situation for both of us. You can finally be free from the burden of being married to me, and I can be free from the burden of being married to a leech."

My ex-wife's voice trembled with anger:

"Fine! I'll file for divorce! But don't think you can get away with selling the house without my consent. I'll make sure you pay for it!"

"Divorce is what I want. As for the house, I sold it fair and square. If you have any complaints, take it up with the real estate agent. Goodbye!" I replied, ending the call.

I let out a long sigh and took a moment to calm myself down. Dealing with my ex-wife was always a headache, but now was not the time to dwell on it. I had more pressing matters to attend to.

I arrived at the outskirts of the village where the crane was being delivered. It was a massive machine, towering over the surrounding trees. I instructed the workers to set it up in the designated area near the old house.

While they worked, I called Wang Qiang to update him on the situation.

"Wang Qiang, we don't have much time. The zombie outbreak is imminent, and rabies is just the beginning. We need to prepare for the worst. Gather your family and meet me at the old house. I have a plan," I said urgently.

Wang Qiang's voice was filled with concern:

"Brother Yi, are you serious? Zombies? This sounds like something out of a movie. Are you sure about all this?"

"I wish it were a movie, but unfortunately, it's real. I don't have time to explain everything now, but I promise I'll fill you in when we meet. Trust me, Wang Qiang. This is a matter of life and death," I replied.

After a brief pause, Wang Qiang finally spoke:

"Alright, I trust you, Brother Yi. We'll be there as soon as possible. Just be careful and stay safe."

"You too, Wang Qiang. See you soon," I said, ending the call.

As I hung up, I couldn't help but feel a mix of anxiety and determination. Time was running out, and I needed to act quickly to protect myself and those I cared about. The old house would serve as our stronghold, but we needed more than just a fortified building. I had a plan in mind, and it was time to set it into motion.