“Everyone, don’t panic just yet. The authorities will definitely take action. Aren’t they just a bunch of Zombies? Haven’t you seen movies before?”
“Right now, we should unite, pool our supplies, manage them together, and share everything equally. We can’t just think of ourselves.”
Lu Dongnuan scrolled through the residents’ group chat, realizing that everyone’s food stores were probably running low; already, people had started echoing those calls for “collective distribution.”
Then, that person suggested forming a temporary management organization.
“We’re planning to set up a Temporary Management Team. Please cooperate, follow instructions, and let’s work together to keep Living On.”
Lu Dongnuan continued scrolling down.
The person began listing the current members: President Li from Building 12—Lu Dongnuan remembered he was a chubby, middle-aged man—Aunt Lin from the residents’ committee, and several other residents.
As she scrolled further, she was surprised to see her own name.
She turned to tell Lin Mo, but saw he was completely absorbed in his own tasks, paying no attention to her at all.
She pursed her lips and kept reading by herself.
Some people in the group agreed, while others objected.
“Bro, if you’ve seen those movies, you should know this world is done for.”
“Huh? Why should I hand over my stuff?”
“666, ran out of your own food so now you’re eyeing someone else’s? Get lost, Liangzi.”
“Keep dreaming.”
The speaker immediately intensified his tone: “What are you all trying to do?”
“I’m telling you, we’ve got a warehouse manager here. You don’t have to worry about where our food comes from.”
“And Dr. Lu is one of us too.”
After saying that, he @’d Lu Dongnuan.
“Who doesn’t get sick from time to time? Don’t come begging when you do.”
Lu Dongnuan’s lips twitched, “Do they think I’m dead?”
She looked at Lin Mo again, only to find him still lost in his own world.
So she simply held her phone right up in front of his eyes.
Lin Mo stopped what he was doing, glanced at the screen, then looked up at Lu Dongnuan and asked, “When did you join them?”
“I didn’t!”
“Oh, then they’re treating you as if you’re already dead, using your name as bait.”
“I know!”
“So why show it to me?”
“Can’t I just share it?”
“Ha, ha, ha, ha.” Lin Mo let out a couple of extremely perfunctory laughs and pushed her phone away.
Even someone as emotionally steady as a capybara—Lu Dongnuan—was actually starting to feel a bit angry now.
Lin Mo’s forced laughter still lingered in the air when the phone screen suddenly lit up again.
This time, it was a private message.
The profile pic belonged to President Li from Building 12, who had sent her a voice message.
Lu Dongnuan tapped it, and that greasy, insincerely cheerful voice exploded in the quiet room: “Little Dr. Lu, you saw the group chat, right? We’re all neighbors, and times like these call for even more mutual help.”
“See, you’re a professional, and our management team especially needs someone like you.”
“You know, it’s not safe out there right now, and being just one person—oh wait, you’re two, right? The two of you guarding a bit of stuff isn’t all that safe either.”
In the background, she could vaguely hear other people chattering, and a shrill female voice said, “Refuse a toast and you’ll drink a forfeit instead…”
Lin Mo heard the voice message and sneered, “Here come the threats from this bunch.”
Her phone buzzed again.
That organizer began @’ing Lu Dongnuan several times in a row, shifting from “inviting” her to questioning her: “@Dr. Lu, everyone is doing their part for the group. As a medical worker, shouldn’t you be stepping up? Please reply if you see this.”
“Dr. Lu, you must have quite a stockpile at home, right? President Li saw you carry several boxes upstairs last time.”
“Right now, personal belongings are everyone’s belongings. I hope you understand what’s at stake.”
Lu Dongnuan was starting to get seriously annoyed.
Outside, the sky was gloomy, and now and then, indistinct, inhuman shrieks echoed through the air.
“Don’t get upset,” Lin Mo suddenly said, “The ones agreeing might not actually believe it, they’re just desperate from hunger. The ones objecting aren’t all that brave either; they’re just not willing to give up what they’ve got.”
Lu Dongnuan slapped her phone down on the table and asked, “So what should we do? They’re @’ing me—should I just pretend I didn’t see?”
“If you pretend you didn’t see, they’ll just treat you as being represented by them by default. But if you jump out and argue, it’ll be easy for them to target you.” Lin Mo stood up, walked over to the window, and lifted a corner of the curtain to look outside.
The courtyard was deserted; several dark red stains stuck to the stone path.
“Their so-called warehouse manager—he means Property Management’s little Storage Room, right? At most it’s got some tools and old banners in there, they’re just selling people pipe dreams.”
He turned around with a mischievous smile, “Since they like playing movie scenes so much…let’s help them push the plot along a bit.”
Lu Dongnuan’s lips curled up, realizing he was up to no good.
“What are you going to do?”
Lin Mo didn’t answer directly.
He picked up his phone, fingers moving quickly.
“This President Li runs a building materials business—he’s used to stockpiling supplies, so he’s probably got a lot at home. Aunt Lin’s with the residents’ committee, so she has most residents’ basic info. That guy who echoed in the chat, Zhao Ge from 1702, is a Fitness Instructor—strong but not that bright.” He listed them off as if counting treasures, then smirked.
“If they want to manage things, then management means solving problems.” Lin Mo sat down and started typing on his phone.
Lu Dongnuan leaned over to watch, seeing him posting in the group chat with a stranger’s account.
“When did you join the group?”
Lin Mo ignored her.
[Apartment 12]: “I support the management team! But I have a question—the door to Building 2’s unit seems broken, there were noises last night, and everyone’s too scared to check. Can the management team send someone over? Otherwise, everyone’s on edge.”
After sending the message, the group went quiet for several minutes.
The organizer, whose nickname in the group was “Living On”, replied, “We’ve noted the situation and will arrange for someone to take a look. Please don’t panic, everyone.”
[ Apartment 12]: “That’s great! By the way, I have an elderly family member with a chronic illness. People always said Dr. Lu was kind, and now that Dr. Lu is part of the management team, could you please give us some advice on what meds to keep on hand? @Lu Dongnuan Thank you, Dr. Lu!”
The pressure suddenly shifted to Lu Dongnuan.
She glared at Lin Mo, but he just shook his head gently, signaling her to wait.
Sure enough, “Living On” immediately responded: “Dr. Lu is busy with work. For common issues like this, we’ll put together a collective answer. The top priority right now is to focus on centralizing and distributing basic survival supplies. Everyone, please put the greater good first and privately send me a list of surplus items from your homes. Those who refuse to cooperate will have lower priority in receiving supplies in the future.”
The threat was now completely out in the open.
Lin Mo sneered, switching to another account, this time sounding flustered.
[Apartment 5-307]: “No, no, no! Don’t come! I just peeked at Building 2, and there’s something banging on the inside of the unit door! Seems like there’s more than one. Management team, when are you sending someone? Should I find you some tools?”
Chaos began to brew.
[Apartment ]: “For real? @Apartment 5-307 Did you get a good look?”
[Apartment2-902]: “I think I heard something too…”
[Living On]: “Everyone, please stay calm! Don’t spread unverified information! We’ll handle it!”
Lu Dongnuan watched the chat scrolling faster and faster, all kinds of guesses, fears, and doubts piling up.
The fragile pretense of unity just a moment ago crumbled almost instantly.
“Spreading rumors, huh…”
“This is called diverting attention.”