The next day, I was awakened by screams downstairs.

I pulled back the curtains, opened the floor-to-ceiling window connecting to the balcony, and Milk Tea followed me to the balcony.

What came into view was a small square downstairs filled with contorted zombies.

I confirmed they were zombies because they looked exactly like the ones in TV dramas.

I couldn't believe this was real. It made no sense to have zombies.

The screams just now came from a middle-aged person downstairs. I was on the third floor and could clearly see everything happening downstairs.

That middle-aged man was already being devoured by a group of zombies. After the zombies dispersed, all that was left of the middle-aged man was a skeleton.

I felt nauseous and started to retch.

Milk Tea seemed to sense my discomfort, so she licked the back of my hand and meowed.

I swear her meow was not loud, even quieter than my retching sound.

But suddenly, all the aimless wandering zombies turned towards my building and surrounded it, howling and growling.

Pairs of crimson eyes without black pupils all stared at me.

The fear in my heart overcame the nausea in my stomach. I grabbed Milk Tea from the ground and stumbled into the bedroom.

I closed the floor-to-ceiling window, drew the curtains, and sealed everything tightly.

However, the howling downstairs didn't stop. Trembling, I opened my phone.

The residents' group chat was exploding with over 999 messages.

Yesterday, my family and friends' messages filled up my entire WeChat, and I didn't even have time to check the residents' group chat.

【Is the community safe now? I'm trapped at the office and want to go home.】

【Don't come back. There are at least fifty zombies outside Building 13.】

【Damn it, I live in Building 13.】

【Are there only zombies in Building 13?】

【There are zombies outside Building 26 too. Help! Those things are terrifying.】

【My daughter was bitten on her way back to pick up my granddaughter. Can anyone kindly provide some medicine? I dare not go out now either.】

...

There were too many messages. I glanced through them quickly, and after the old lady asked for medicine, there were no more messages from her.

And I lived in Building 13.

There are a total of 33 buildings in my residential complex, each with 31 floors and 4 households per floor. I calculated it with my roommate out of boredom once. If each household has a family of four, there are at least over 40,000 people in the entire residential complex.

The real estate developer must have made a fortune, but now I don't feel that way anymore. More people means less hope of escape.

At night, many people play badminton, table tennis, and dance in the small square outside Building 13.

So now my building is completely surrounded by zombies. I can't get out, and no one else can come in.

Before long, the group chat became lively again.

【Is the property management still providing food for us? Are they just going to ignore us?】

【With things in such chaos outside, who has the time to take care of you?】

【What about the country? Is the country abandoning us too?】

【Everyone, calm down and stay at home for self-isolation these few days. Don't go out. The property management will find a way to deliver food to everyone.】

【Yes, everyone should trust the property management and the country.】

【I don't have any food at home. I bought groceries yesterday, but it's only enough for today. Can someone give me some vegetables? I have money.】

Then, a red envelope appeared, but I didn't know how much money was inside.

At that moment, no one spoke, and no one accepted the red envelope.

Outside, inside the building, even inside the homes, there were only zombies. No one dared to go out and everyone obediently waited for rescue.

At this time, apart from trusting the country, there was no other way.

Most families in this residential complex live in three-generation households, sothey have some supplies stocked up. However, there are also families like mine who live alone or with roommates and don't have much food at home.

I opened my refrigerator, hoping to find something to eat. But all I had were a few packs of instant noodles, a bottle of soy sauce, and some expired yogurt.

I sighed and closed the refrigerator, realizing that I would have to rely on the property management to provide food.

Hours passed, and the hunger in my stomach intensified. I could hear the constant growling and howling of the zombies outside, but the sound of rescue or assistance seemed distant.

I looked at Milk Tea, who was curled up beside me, and stroked her fur. She purred softly, providing some comfort in this dire situation.

Just when I thought I couldn't bear the hunger any longer, a knock came from the door.

I froze, not knowing what to expect. Was it the property management delivering food, or was it something else?

I cautiously approached the door, keeping an eye on the peephole. Outside stood a young man, probably in his early twenties, holding a backpack.

Relieved, I quickly opened the door. "Are you from the property management?" I asked eagerly.

The young man shook his head. "No, I'm not. I live in Building 12, and I managed to sneak past the zombies to get here. I heard about the situation in your building and thought maybe I could help."

I was both surprised and grateful. "Thank you so much! We're running out of food here, and we've been waiting for assistance."

The young man smiled. "I brought some supplies from my apartment. It's not much, but it should help. I also heard that there's a group of survivors gathering in Building 8. They're organizing a plan to escape. We should join them."

His words filled me with hope. "Yes, let's go. We can't stay trapped here forever."

I quickly gathered my belongings and made sure Milk Tea was secure in her carrier. The young man and I navigated through the dark hallways, avoiding any encounters with the zombies.

Finally, we reached Building 8, where a group of survivors had gathered. They were discussing various escape plans and sharing information about the situation outside.

It was a relief to see that there were still people actively trying to find a way out and help others.

We joined the group, and together, we started making preparations for our escape. It wouldn't be easy, but we were determined to survive.

The world outside had changed, and we had to adapt and fight for our lives. We didn't know what awaited us, but we were ready to face it head-on.

With a renewed sense of hope and the support of fellow survivors, we embarked on our journey to escape the confines of the residential complex and find safety in this new, uncertain world.