Facing this group, we were truly stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yan Quan, oh Yan Quan, why did your appearance have to be so troublesome?
Yan Quan was cunning. He sensed our dilemma and whispered to me, "How about letting us go? We'll go our separate ways, no conflict—deal?"
"Wishful thinking! Raiding us in the middle of the night—how vicious! How could we just let you go?" I bluffed, though inwardly, I actually wanted to.
Sixth Brother, A-Ze, and my husband debated back and forth but couldn't reach a decision. If we released them now, what if they ambushed us again later?
In the end, we locked all 28 of them in separate first-floor offices.
To prevent Yan Quan from stirring trouble, we isolated him in a room alone.
Outside the town government compound, in an ordinary residential building, a pair of eyes gleamed in the darkness.
"Interesting! Where did these fools come from? Ruined my plans for tonight! No matter—the show's not over. We'll take it slow."
The night passed without incident.
At daybreak, everyone rose early. With Yan Quan's crew captured, our team had slept soundly, finally regaining their energy.
During breakfast preparations, I arranged for meals to be delivered to Yan Quan's group as well.
In daylight, they looked like ordinary people—men and women, old and young, though no children.
Aside from Momo, there were seven or eight other women, all quite young.
When I went to distribute food, they watched me timidly, silently accepting their portions.
One slender girl whispered, "Thank you," making me look at her more closely.
Her face was dirty, but her features were delicate—a pretty girl, around 160 cm tall, with excellent proportions and long, straight legs. With her pear-cut hairstyle, she'd have turned heads on the street in normal times.
How did someone like her end up following a guy like Yan Quan?
I felt genuinely sorry for her.
Having failed last night and realizing we weren't evil, Yan Quan had slept well. When I brought his breakfast, he was stretching in his confined room.
In broad daylight, though unshaven, he looked quite impressive—a man in his mid-thirties (I'm usually accurate about ages).
"Quite comfortable, aren't you? Even roping in innocent girls for robbery! Got no conscience?" Thinking of the young women, I suddenly felt angry.
"Sis Duo, you've got me all wrong! I risked my life to save those people from the dead! How is that 'roping them in'? As for the robbery—believe it or not, last night was our first time. With so many mouths to feed, I had to keep them alive! We were out of options." Yan Quan picked up a biscuit. "Do I get one alone?"
"They all got more than you. You're the ringleader—no full meals as punishment!" I teased.
"As long as they're fed," Yan Quan said, tearing open the biscuit and devouring it. I handed him a bottle of water. Despite his faults, I didn't want to watch a living person suffer—I'd seen enough zombie blank stares.
After a few interactions, Yan Quan's group seemed less like the villains who'd ambushed us. We considered releasing them.
I signaled the guards to let Yan Quan's people out for fresh air and bathroom breaks.
I had Yan Quan escorted out under our "empty gun" pretense. He followed obediently.
Near the gate, some companions were chatting excitedly. Outside, several vehicles were parked, but a massive off-road model drew everyone's admiration.
I don't know cars, but this one looked domineering—larger than a Land Rover, with a sleek black body. So cool!
"That's a Knight XV—tougher than a Hummer. Made in Canada," Yan Quan said behind me.
"My ride. Pretty cool, huh?" He looked proud as everyone admired it.
I glanced at the car, then at him. "What a waste of a good car."
Yan Quan rolled his eyes. "You're just jealous! It's a limited edition—money can't always get you one!"
"Wow, impressive! So rich, yet stealing our biscuits?" My remark deflated his ego. He quickly changed the subject, mumbling, "Nice weather today…"
On our way back, I noticed Shuai Shuai and Second Brother crouching before a girl, mesmerized as she sang a nursery rhyme. She danced as she sang, utterly charming.
It was the slender girl from Yan Quan's group!
I stood aside, not interrupting. When she finished, Shuai Shuai reached out to her. She immediately hugged him, kissing his cheek with tender affection.
I saw Second Brother lean in to kiss Shuai Shuai too—but his face accidentally brushed against the girl's!
She promptly swatted his cheek away and turned back to play with Shuai Shuai. Second Brother trailed them sheepishly, a happy smile on his face.
So heartwarming! For a moment, it felt like the old days—no zombies, no conflicts, just sunshine.
"Xi Yan had a little brother around this boy's age. The dead got him," Yan Quan's voice interrupted my thoughts.
"We're just ordinary people—we've never done evil. Sis Duo, why not join forces? We'll go wherever you go. They'll eat better with you than with me."
I hesitated, watching his group—clearly just ordinary folks, already chatting and laughing with our companions.
This wasn't enmity—it felt like a family reunion.
"I can't decide alone. I need to discuss it with the others," I told Yan Quan, though my impression of him had softened.
To my surprise, everyone agreed: turning enemies into allies was the wisest choice for survival now.
Last night was a false alarm, but the real enemy was still lurking.
What awaited us wasn't just man-eating zombies.
After breakfast, we officially integrated Yan Quan's group, and the convoy set off again.
The four snowplows' gears were severely worn, and their slow speed hindered progress. After discussion, we reluctantly abandoned them in the town government compound.
With fewer elders and children, one bus sufficed; the other was left behind. We needed to conserve fuel—some gas stations along the way were already empty.
Jianan and I weren't on the bus. With two groups merged, seats were full. With Second Brother guarding Shuai Shuai, we felt reassured. We rode in the convoy's second Land Rover, driven by Qin Goodluck.
Yan Quan, newly joined, insisted on leading the way. We agreed, letting his Knight XV take the front.
Now we just prayed not to encounter large zombie hordes!
A few zombies loitered at the town entrance. Sensing us, their hollow eyes turned toward the convoy, mustering energy to charge.
Zombies' enthusiasm was always admirable! Undeterred by the odds, they swarmed Yan Quan's vehicle first.
Jianan and I watched calmly from behind, waiting for Yan Quan to call for help.
But no request came—only A-Ze and Sixth Brother radioed, "Sis Duo, does the front vehicle need backup?"
"Not yet. Let's see what Yan Quan's made of," Jianan reassured the others.
Yan Quan wanted to prove his worth—to show he wasn't just deadweight.
The door swung open. Yan Quan jumped out alone, wielding a Tibetan dagger. His passengers stayed calmly inside.
The Knight's high clearance let him behead a zombie mid-leap. After shutting the door, he turned and ran.
The remaining zombies fixated on this fresh prey, abandoning the tough vehicle for Yan Quan.
He reached a low wall, vaulted over it one-handed, and turned as the zombies closed in.
Showboating, Yan Quan taunted them with his blade tip, dodging their claws with agile footwork.
I grew worried—what if his theatrics backfired? A single scratch from a zombie could be fatal!
Finally, Yan Quan got serious. He stabbed one zombie through the skull, kicked it down, yanked his blade free, and halved another's head.
For the last, he booted it in the face, sending it sprawling, then leaped from the wall, landing astride it and plunging his blade into its brain.
Swift and precise—impressive! Everyone in the vehicles watched, thrilled, almost applauding.
Yan Quan sheathed his blade smugly, returned to his Knight, and led the convoy out of town.
"Impressive skills," Jianan murmured. Men always respected capable peers.
I thought, "Thank goodness he's not the one trying to harm us!"
Yan Quan's proud voice came over the radio: "So, Sis Duo, how'd I do? Not too old yet, eh?"
I smiled. "You're uncle-aged—why so showy? What did you do before? Seems you've got skills!"
"Good eye! I was a fitness coach! Pretty fit, huh? Hehe…"
"I thought fitness coaches were all bulky, just showing off muscles," I teased.
"Those obsessed with weightlifting without cardio just build dead muscle. Not me—I trained with a martial arts colleague for years. My reflexes and speed are decent!" Yan Quan radiated confidence—a capable man indeed.
"Brother Yan Quan, you're really something! You said you saved your people—you must've killed many zombies?"
"Many, but I lost count. At first, I tallied, but later realized it's meaningless. What matters is how many people I've saved."
Yan Quan had stories. I grew curious about his past—I'd have to hear them someday