Four days until the apocalypse.
After a full day of hustle, Su Jin's fourth-floor apartment was already piled high with supplies of all shapes and sizes.
The morning had been spent scouting locations, and the afternoon at the wholesale market.
To start, he had bought ten water buckets, dozens of bags of powdered milk, twenty bags of salt, vitamin tablets, essential medicines, and a good amount of gauze, rubbing alcohol, and iodine tincture. Furthermore, he had ordered plenty of grain and cooking oil from a grain store six kilometers away, paid a deposit, and arranged for delivery in two evenings.
In addition, he had procured large quantities of plastic bags, toilet paper, and several portable plastic toilets.
Among the entire stash of supplies, those toilets were an absolute, non-negotiable necessity!
With the apocalypse looming, water would be precious beyond measure.
Even if the sewer system remained unaffected, flushing the toilet with water would be an unthinkable luxury.
His only viable option was to buy several portable toilets and line them with plastic bags.
What if the zombies tracked their prey by scent? A tied-off bag might even double as a handy biochemical distraction.
While a standard plastic bucket could have served the same purpose, he figured that in the off chance he didn't make it, it was better to go out with a little dignity if he could afford it...
Beyond that, following up on his questions to Fu Qingdai, he had bought a batch of sanitary pads.
Though meant for women's monthly cycles, they had plenty of other uses—at the very least, they made excellent shoe insoles.
Two more days of running around, and he would have just about everything he needed.
Su Jin ran the numbers in his head. Just as he crossed off the purchased items from his notebook, his stomach let out a low rumble, and he looked up toward the door.
He had arranged to eat dinner at Fu Qingdai's home tonight. While he had yet to meet her parents in person, he already had a fairly thorough grasp of their backgrounds.
This step was vital. Setting aside whether it would allow him to interact with Fu Qingdai openly without raising suspicion, earning the couple's trust would be an enormous asset for his future plans.
Fu Qingdai's father, Fu Hu, was an ex-soldier. Though discharged due to an injury, his physical foundation and discipline were surely far beyond those of an ordinary civilian.
Even if he had grown lax over the years and was no longer in peak condition, a brief period of retraining would easily put him ahead of the average person.
As for Fu Qingdai's mother, Zhang Wan, she was a textile mill worker. Her needlework skills were solid, which was another great asset.
Tomorrow, he planned to buy a batch of sturdy garments and heavy fabric, along with some aluminum sheet rolls from a hardware store.
By sewing pockets into the clothes and slipping in cut metal sheets, they could create simple sets of armor.
That sort of protection was straightforward, practical, and utterly essential.
Tonight had to be a success... Perhaps he could even get Fu Hu to help him acquire weapons like bows and arrows!
Around six in the evening, footsteps and muted chatter drifted through the corridor, followed by the sound of a key turning in a lock.
With a metallic rattle, the door across the hall swung shut.
Su Jin pushed himself up, walked over to the mirror, and straightened his clothes.
Judging by the voices, Fu Hu and his wife had just come home together. That was perfect timing.
Winning both of them over in a single stroke wouldn't be too difficult.
After a quick check of his appearance, Su Jin pocketed his phone, picked up three movie discs along with his notebook and pen, and stepped out of his apartment.
Standing before Fu Qingdai's door, he paused a moment to compose himself before knocking.
Before long, the door opened, revealing a dark-skinned, slightly fierce-looking middle-aged man.
Seeing a stranger standing on his doorstep, Fu Hu's eyes filled with suspicion.
"You are...?"
"Fu Hu?" Su Jin let out a faint show of surprise before his expression settled back into effortless composure.
"Huh? Who are you? Do you know me? Can I help you with something?" Fu Hu pulled the door wider, blocking the entrance as he eyed Su Jin with deep bewilderment.
Su Jin lowered his head with a slight smile, then looked up. "Pardon the intrusion. I'm your new neighbor across the hall. My name is Li Haocheng."
"Li Haocheng? How do you know my name? I don't think we've ever met. Did Lao Li across the hall tell you?" Fu Hu was clearly a blunt, straightforward man, and a trace of irritation had already crept into his expression.
For a strange young punk to walk up and address him by his full name was rather rude.
Su Jin replied calmly, "Of course I know you. Fu Hu, soldier of Squad 2, Platoon 3, Company 7, Battalion 3, 571st Regiment, 191st Division, 12th Group Army. Your company commander was Huang Chongwen, nicknamed 'Cannon Huang.' And from your squad, Yang Huai..."
As Su Jin rattled off the details with effortless precision, Fu Hu immediately pulled the door shut behind him and stepped out into the hallway.
His eyes were sharp with vigilance. "Who on earth are you?!"
The smile vanished from Su Jin's face, replaced by solemn gravity. Looking the man dead in the eye, he said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Director Li Haocheng of the National Critical Risk Intervention and Implementation Bureau."
"National... what?" Fu Hu failed to process it for a second.
He had never heard of such a bizarre department in his life.
"The Guogan Bureau for short. Given your previous rank, it's only natural you wouldn't know of it. Our department reports directly to the highest leadership." Su Jin pulled out his Xiaomi 6 and began tapping on the screen.
After a few swipes, Fu Hu's military identification popped up clearly on the display.
Holding the phone up for Fu Hu to see, Su Jin continued, "I have your credentials right here. As for why I know you, it's quite simple. Back when the bureau was screening soldiers for specialized training, you were on the candidate shortlist. While I hadn't joined yet at the time, I reviewed your file later on. The internal assessment of your abilities was quite high, so the name stuck with me."
"Ah... you... this... this..." Fu Hu stood there, utterly dazed.
He genuinely couldn't tell if the man before him was the real deal or a fraud!
His immediate instinct should have been to dismiss an agency he had never heard of.
Yet this person knew his military record inside and out and could produce his credentials on the spot. That was baffling.
Most shocking of all was the device in his hand—it was far too advanced, far too sharp!
An ordinary person could never possess something like that.
Fu Hu turned the matter over in his mind.
*Never mind, play it cool for now and find out what he wants... It's not like I've caused any trouble, right?*
"Uh... Director Haocheng," Fu Hu began tentatively, "why have you come to my..."
"Director Li."
"Ah, right. Director Li, what brings you here?"
At those words, the sternness on Su Jin's face dissolved, replaced once again by an easy smile. "Old Fu, it's just a coincidence. We really are neighbors now."
"A minor urgent matter came up on my end, and I came over hoping to borrow your television for a bit. I never expected to run into you here. Mind if I come in?"
"Ah... ah... please, come on in!" Fu Hu gestured invitingly, still in a daze.
Su Jin walked inside with absolute composure.
The living room connected directly to the dining area. Fu Qingdai, dressed in pajamas, was slumped over the table doing homework.
The moment she saw Su Jin, her eyes lit up, but she quickly turned back around and leaned over the table, pretending to study hard.
"Go on, Qingdai. We have a guest—go do your homework in your room!" After shooing her away, Fu Hu turned back to Su Jin with an apologetic smile. "That's my daughter."
"Oh!" Fu Qingdai grumbled in annoyance, gathering up her homework and scurrying into her bedroom.
Just then, Zhang Wan emerged from the kitchen, her hands still wet.
Seeing Su Jin's unfamiliar face, she instinctively looked over at Fu Hu.
"This is...?"
"A relative of an old squad mate of mine. Nothing for you to worry about! Go finish cooking, I need to talk to him in private." Fu Hu shot Zhang Wan a meaningful glance. She curled her lip slightly, turned around, and went back into the kitchen.
"Director Li, let's sit down and talk." Fu Hu looked at Su Jin and gestured toward the sofa.
Chapter 13