The morning sunlight spilled across the earth, but it didn’t bring a hint of warmth to Shanghai, where the air was suffused with the smell of decay.

On the outskirts of Shanghai, a black bus was parked, and next to the blue and white bus, there was a green garbage truck.

The green garbage truck had been washed clean, leaving a patch of black water stains on the ground.

A wonderful day begins with a hearty breakfast.

Today’s breakfast wasn’t millet porridge or sour beans, but dumplings filled with pork and scallions.

Uncle Wang and Uncle Liu had been talking about them all day yesterday, but having eaten too much barbecue, they couldn’t stomach the dumplings and had to wait until this morning.

Bai Zhengxuan and Uncle Wang and Uncle Liu gathered early in the morning, loudly discussing what had happened since they last parted.

Bai Zhengxuan talked excitedly about the various things his family had experienced after leaving the safety base, while Uncle Wang recounted their own adventures.

"After we left, we went to a town filled with black blood, full of misbehaved kids, and then we did the righteous thing. Later we went to Azure Dragon Mountain and encountered Zhu Yan, that monkey was extraordinarily fierce! Then we went to the Yellow River to see zombies fighting humans, inadvertently saw many White Snakes, their whole bodies were the color of white jade, and the entire Yellow River was under the shadow of the great snake, terrifying indeed. Those snakes are not only savage but also hold grudges fiercely, if you see them, you must avoid them!" Bai Zhengxuan described with flying spittle and bright eyes.

Finally meeting old friends, of course, he had to boast about the things he’d experienced.

After talking for twenty minutes, Bai Zhengxuan finally stopped, still wanting more.

Next, Uncle Wang and Uncle Liu took turns sharing their experiences.

"Our journey has been nothing but ramming zombies or colliding with cars, only to end up being chased by zombie hordes!"

Uncle Liu summed it up succinctly.

"Exactly, just like that." Uncle Wang nodded in agreement, "The apocalypse is thrilling, the only downside is that there are way too many zombies, we get chased by hordes everywhere we go."

Bai Zhengxuan: ...

There are indeed a lot of zombies in the world, but it’s not that easy to form hordes.

Having zombie hordes constantly visiting Uncle Wang might be a unique occurrence.

"Old Wang, can’t you take a moment to seriously reflect on why the zombies are always after you?" Bai Zhengxuan earnestly reminded him.

"Reflect? Reflect on what?" Uncle Wang scratched his head vigorously, "Chased or not chased, they can’t bite through my garbage truck, and they sure can’t beat me!"

He loved the way they couldn’t stand him yet couldn’t lay a finger on him.

Bai Zhengxuan: ...

"Uncle, you are amazing, can you share your secrets?"

Wang Lu suddenly emerged from the grass with a grin, looking at Bai Zhengxuan.

After mooching off them yesterday, he was chased away by these people.

Though he was chased off, he didn’t go far, just found a spot to sleep for a bit.

Never having to worry about being bitten by a sudden zombie.

Awakening in the morning, he quietly came over, ready to eavesdrop on Uncle Wang’s secret to surviving zombie hordes.

Ahem, if he could overhear, that would be ideal.

If not, mooching a meal was good too.

He could smell it, those pork and scallions dumplings, scenting so delicious!

If he could eat such scrumptious dumplings, delaying being bitten by zombies for a few days, Wang Lu would gladly accept.

In the aftermath, he lived a miserable life, always gnawing on buns, always chewing on bread; he really didn’t have the knack for cooking.

He even thought that if he could turn into a howling zombie, it wouldn’t be so bad, no loneliness, no need to eat.

Yet surprisingly, zombies didn’t bite him.

God closed the window for him to become a zombie but opened a door — gourmet food.

If he could eat gourmet every day, Wang Lu felt he could avoid being zombie-bitten.

So greedy, extraordinarily greedy.

Early in the morning, Wang Lu came over thick-skinned, thinking mooching off breakfast would be good.

"Why have you come again?" Bai Zhengxuan’s mouth twitched.

Are you here again to ask about zombies biting?

"I, I’m here to learn some tips." Wang Lu shyly scratched his head.

And mooch a meal while at it.

"Uncles, Uncle Wang, Uncle Liu, time for breakfast!"

Bai Yifan shouted from the car window to the three uncles.

"Coming, coming!"

Uncle Wang quickly stood up, patted the dirt off himself, and swiftly headed towards the bus.

Uncle Liu wasn’t slow either, running shoulder to shoulder with Uncle Wang.

They thought they would be the fastest, but in the blink of an eye, there was a shadow already ahead of them.

That shadow was — Wang Lu.

"Hello, thank you."

Wang Lu stretched out his hands, wearing a timid smile, expectantly looking at Bai Yifan.

His eyes were full of hope.

A mid-apocalypse invite to dine was indeed audacious, but Wang Lu was so greedy he had to sacrifice his dignity.

Bai Yifan didn’t say much, indeed having made enough dumplings for even more people.

So, Bai Yifan filled a bowl of dumplings for Wang Lu.

Wang Lu froze for a moment, his hands trembling holding the bowl.

"Is, is all this for me?"

Hit by an immense burst of happiness.

Wang Lu decided then and there, he wouldn’t die anymore, nor would he learn to get bitten by zombies.

Such fragrant dumplings in his hands, definitely delicious if eaten!

Because of the dumplings, he decided he wouldn’t die anymore.

Turning into a zombie surely leads to no taste buds, if you can’t enjoy good food, what’s the point?

"If that’s not enough, come on over and I’ll fill you up more." Bai Yifan said.

The uncle in front seemed slightly unstable, Bai Yifan expressed his respect for elders and cared deeply for all, speaking warmly.

"Mhmm!"

Wang Lu nodded enthusiastically, eagerly looking at the dumplings in the bowl, hesitated to eat them.

A full bowl of pork dumplings, in the apocalypse, was truly a luxury.

"Quickly, Xiao Fan, fill me a bowl this big!"

Uncle Wang grinned at Bai Yifan, reaching out to pat his belly.

Having not tasted this for so long, he’d slimmed down!

"Sure thing!"

Bai Yifan began filling up freshly cooked dumplings again.

One by one, they queued up at the window for dumplings.

Bai Yifan was like a cafeteria lady, but he never skimped, each bowl filled completely.

Wang Lu, holding his bowl, walked a distance away and found a large tree to lean against.

Calmly gazing at the plump white dumplings in his bowl.

Turns out dumplings could also be so adorable.

Opening his mouth, he ate one, the taste of pork and fragrant scallions exploded in his mouth, juicy with one bite.

Suddenly, a round tear dropped into the bowl.

Wang Lu began crying without restraint.

In middle-age without a wife or children, wandering aimlessly in the apocalypse, he truly felt devoid of any life’s meaning.

Others saw him as unbitten by zombies, mostly using him to attract zombies while they gathered supplies.

It was indeed the first time he met such a good family.

Wang Lu suddenly rubbed his eyes, gulping the dumplings voraciously.

Utterly conquered by a bowl of dumplings.

"Old Bai, where are you planning to go next?"

Uncle Wang devoured his dumplings, eyeing Bai Zhengxuan hard.

Might as well mooch as much as possible!