Rolling her eyes, Zhao Yuan found herself glaring at the long essay, wondering why on earth she had to do so much work.
Feeling tired and frustrated, the thought of leaving this place and going back to bed crossed her mind, but it was quickly squashed by the next message that appeared:
'Custodian must complete tasks according to the set time to avoid punishment.'
"Punishment?"
Her voice echoed through the processing plant, prompting her to look around guiltily. Seeing no one nearby, Zhao Yuan turned back to the panel, which seemed to be responding directly to her outburst.
'Various punishments will be meted out to any custodian who fails to fulfill their responsibilities.'
At the new message, her face scrunched into a frown before she folded her arms across her chest in anger.
"You want to punish me for getting tired after hours of labor?" she demanded aggressively, staring at the panel that remained unchanged. After a few minutes of receiving no further response, she felt her blood boil. "Why aren't you answering me? Weren't you so quick to threaten me with punishments?"
Stepping away from the machine, she kicked it angrily.
"Damn machine! You think just because I've been cooperative, you can threaten me? I was willing to work simply because I'm not argumentative, but if you want to punish me, go ahead! It's not like I wanted to be here in the first place!"
If anyone had walked in at that moment, they would have been thoroughly bewildered by the sight of a uniformed woman screaming furiously at an automated system.
Staring at the machine's ugly, silvery exterior, Zhao Yuan felt her rage surge again. She gave it one last hard kick before stomping out of the processing plant.
Her resolve was absolute as she marched back toward her starting point. Along the way, she couldn't help but notice a newly constructed chicken coop and cow pen. Beside them stood several open-air plots with unidentifiable crops taking root.
Seeing all of this only fueled her anger at the thought of all the labor awaiting her. Turning her back on it all, she reached the origin point and exited the space.
Gazing at the fog-shrouded display in front of her, she scoffed before exiting the warehouse altogether. The restaurant was as empty as ever when she tapped the home icon and returned to her private quarters.
Taking in the pristine space, she sighed, then headed to the bathroom for a long shower. As the grime and heat washed off her body, she felt a weight lift. Slipping into her pajamas, she climbed into bed, laying there relaxed as she stared thoughtfully up at the ceiling.
As her eyes gradually began to flutter closed, Gu Shinyue suddenly sat up elsewhere.
Looking around the vacant compound, the stillness helped calm Gu Shinyue's racing heart before she attempted to stand. The compound was massive, spanning the front of several tall apartment buildings arranged in a wide circle. Only the area flanking the main gate lacked a structure.
In the middle of the grounds stood a medium-sized restaurant with a dark sign, indicating it was currently closed. The entire place felt eerily deserted, making her wonder if she could seek shelter inside one of the residential towers.
She didn't have to wonder for long before an informational board in front of one of the buildings lit up, drawing her over:
'Gu Shinyue: Resident in Block A, Room 1.
All customers are required to occupy their assigned residences.
Tasks and mealtimes will be announced via the restaurant notice board and must be checked daily.
No violence or misconduct is permitted within the compound grounds.'
Reading this, Gu Shinyue felt a chill run down her spine, wondering how the owner of this place could possibly know her name. But reflecting on the strange manner in which she had arrived, she decided not to press the issue and continued reading the smaller red text written at the bottom:
'All customers will find a copy of the rulebook in their assigned rooms. If any rules are broken, the custodian is authorized to evict the customer.'
Seeing the word customer again, she couldn't help but wonder what it implied. What were they customers of? Who was the custodian of this sanctuary, and how did they intend to provide meals?
Realizing that standing around wouldn't yield answers, Gu Shinyue made her way toward the first building. Spotting the large 'Block A' lettering embossed on the wall, she walked inside, only to find an unattended reception desk. Clear directional signs posted behind the counter allowed her to quickly locate her room.
Gu Shinyue honestly didn't know what to expect as she pushed open the heavy wooden door. The first thing that met her eyes was a bed—a massive, incredibly comfortable-looking bed. Feeling a wave of excitement, she stepped deeper into the floral-scented room.
The clean white walls complemented the neutral-toned furniture and curtains, allowing her to relax as she walked around inspecting the amenities.
While Gu Shinyue explored her spotless room, Gao Haiming was busy scanning the eerily empty road ahead before signaling to the party behind him. Since leaving the abandoned building that morning, they had been fortunate enough to avoid any encounters with infectees, accelerating their trek toward the shelter.
Feeling emboldened, several team members shed their caution and picked up the pace—unaware that with every step closer to the shelter, they were drawing nearer to the vast swarms attracted to it when it first materialized.
For a few hours, everything went smoothly, prompting them to exchange light banter—until they saw it.
From a distance, the scene was chilling: a massive horde of infectees roamed the perimeter of the shelter, bringing the entire group to a sudden, horrified halt. Looking at the swarm, they finally understood why their path had been so unnaturally clear.
The sight also raised a terrifying question: had some of those creatures managed to breach the shelter itself?
Unable to bring themselves to take another step forward, the group quickly ducked into a nearby rundown building. After a swift sweep of the interior, they gathered in a familiar circle, quietly processing the grim reality before them.
Their earlier optimism vanished, replaced by an overwhelming wave of fear and doubt.
They were not the only ones weighed down by such dread; miles away, a solitary school bus moved slowly down the desolate road.