Wen Qing turned her head and smiled at the person behind the glass who was talking. "That's right, I am maintaining traffic order."
Everyone: "..."
While continuing to clean up, Wen Qing said, "Isn't Ningcheng applying to become a national civilized city? As a member of Ningcheng, we must strive to be the beauticians of the city, and work hard to build our beautiful home. The city is our home, and civilization depends on everyone."
Everyone: "..." Please don't tell me you have a screw loose?
Seeing their expressions, Wen Qing knew what they were thinking. She stopped her hand movements and looked up at the sky at 45 degrees, sighing, "No matter what the world becomes, we must have hope in our hearts. Disasters will pass, pain will pass, and a beautiful tomorrow will surely come. I believe that Ningcheng will restore its original appearance, and people will return to a peaceful life."
A bowl of steaming chicken soup poured down*, causing the surviving humans who heard these words to feel warm in their eyes. Zombies, the end of the world, and the sudden disaster disrupted all peace. Not everyone could easily accept this catastrophe, nor could everyone adapt to the chaos of the end of the world instantly. Fear, anxiety, confusion, and worry accompanied each person. At this time, what they needed most was not food, but a voice that could calm their hearts, telling them not to be afraid, and that everything would pass.
Everything will pass...
*A bowl of steaming chicken soup poured down is a metaphorical expression used to convey the impact of Wen Qing's words on the survivors. It signifies that her words provided warmth and comfort to the survivors, just like a bowl of hot soup would.
It turned out that she was not crazy, but was using this method to uphold the hope in her heart and her anticipation for the future.
"So everyone, don't be discouraged, and don't give up on yourselves. In the 5,000 years of the history of our Chinese nation, we have experienced numerous invasions by foreign enemies, and countless times faced the destruction of our country and family. Even if the enemy's sword is placed at our necks, or their cannons destroy our bodies, we cannot bow down, nor can we lower our heads! This time is no different. No one can defeat us except ourselves."
The words were so passionate that even Wen Qing herself blushed. But for others, it was invigorating. After all, the Chinese nation had stood strong for 5,000 years, overcoming every crisis. The eight-year War of Resistance against Japan had ended in victory. Could these mindless zombies really be scarier than the Japanese? The Japanese had used chemical weapons, guns, and artillery, and knew how to plan strategically and coordinate tactics, but these zombies couldn't do any of that!
*War of Resistance: The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. It began with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in July 1937 and ended with Japan's surrender in August 1945, after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war was a crucial part of World War II in the Pacific and resulted in millions of deaths and widespread destruction in China.
"You're right. There's no obstacle we can't overcome as long as we stay united. These zombies will surely be eliminated!"
"I believe the government and the military won't abandon us. If we work together, we'll get through this, and help will come!"
"Zombies may be scary, but it's even scarier if we lose our fighting spirit!"
...
The people's morale was lifted, and they all spoke passionately. Wen Qing couldn't help but admire how resilient humans are. With even a glimmer of hope, they can survive. She believed in the inherent goodness of humanity, that the ugliness of the apocalypse was a result of being forced into difficult choices. In times of peace, there were always good people, ready to help and do what's right. But in the apocalypse, even survival became a challenge, so how could they uphold morality?
She had received warmth from strangers, and was willing to pass it on. She never hesitated to speak uplifting words, hoping to inspire someone.
The effect was evident; at least, in this moment, they all had hope. Of course, not everyone was moved by her words. Many scoffed at her, finding her ideas naive and ridiculous.
"You're too naive! The apocalypse is here, and only by actively adapting to this world and seizing opportunities can we survive. Immersing ourselves in the past only accelerates our death." A young man with glasses spoke up. "Even the government can't protect themselves. It's been three days since the apocalypse began, and we haven't seen any sign of them or the military. Isn't that enough to prove something?"
With his words, the crowd fell silent. This was the apocalypse, not just an ordinary disaster. Who could guarantee that they would get through this challenge?
If it weren't for Wen Qing as an unexpected factor, his idea would have been correct. People who were stirred up by Wen Qing's words were like flowers in a greenhouse, lacking independent opinions. They could be uplifted by a word from Wen Qing, and dejected by a word from someone else. Wen Qing never expected to be able to persuade them to follow her and create a beautiful city, but she didn't expect to be exposed so quickly.
She glanced at the man with glasses who spoke and was surprised to find that he was one of the two great advisers of Lin Wenqing in the original world. No wonder he could see through the beautiful future she had depicted. She knew she hadn't shown enough convincing power yet, and it was normal for He Bizhi to be skeptical. She didn't force him to agree with her, but for another group of people, sometimes giving them a little hope might bring unexpected energy.
With this in mind, Wen Qing smiled slightly and said to He Bizhi, "How do we know if we don't try? Why don't we make a bet? I bet I can restore Ningcheng to its original state."
He Bizhi frowned and looked disapproving, "Don't bet on something like this. If we fail, neither of us can afford the consequences." Even in the midst of fleeing, He Bizhi still maintained his dignified appearance, with clean clothes and neat hair, looking like a business elite. Apart from his tired face, he showed no signs of distress, completely different from the chaotic appearance of those around him.
"Ningcheng has a dense population, and there won't be a shortage of zombies. According to my observation, a quarter to a third of the people have already turned into zombies, and this number is still growing. Ningcheng is very likely to fall, so leaving is the best choice." He Bizhi pushed his glasses and analyzed calmly.
"Perhaps you are strong, and your abilities are unique, but a hero who saves the world alone only exists in movies. I don't agree with your point of view, but I appreciate you for clearing the way. I was going to drive out of the city to the military area, but the road out of the city was blocked, so I had to hide here. Now that you've cleared the way, I will continue to head south. I can't be as selfless as you, but I am grateful for your actions. Thank you. And finally, I advise you to leave as soon as possible."
Then he turned to the other people in the supermarket and said, "I'm only taking one box of instant noodles and one box of water. Do you have any objections?"
These things were nothing to the huge supermarket, so no one objected. He Bizhi quickly took two boxes and left before the zombies outside could react, driving away.
Wen Qing watched him leave without saying a word, appreciating his rationality, but sometimes being too rational was not necessarily a good thing. She then turned to the others in the supermarket, "What about you? Are you going to the military area with him, or staying here to help me build Ningcheng? Or do you have other options?"
The crowd looked at each other and began to discuss in low voices.
Wen Qing stood outside the supermarket, looking at the people inside with a calm expression. A few zombies walked around her, but couldn't get close to her.
Soon, the result of the discussion inside came out, and the people inside were divided into two distinct groups, with one side having more people and the other having only a few. The majority chose to leave and follow He Bizhi to the military area, after all, people still had a strong belief in the military. But they hoped that Wen Qing could clean up the zombies at the door to make it easier for them to leave.
Wen Qing neither agreed nor disagreed, turning to the remaining few, "What about you?"
A chubby boy in his twenties with a few pimples on his face was a little nervous, "We want to stay and follow you..."
Wen Qing smiled in satisfaction. Boy, you have good eyes!
"You can follow me, but first let's go clean up the zombies at the door, so it's easier for others to leave."
The chubby boy and his friends were incredulous, while the other group showed joy. They didn't expect her to really be willing to help them clean up the zombies!
Wen Qing didn't give a definite response. Sometimes it wasn't necessarily a bad thing to suffer a loss. Now was the time when the zombies were weakest. If the guys couldn't face the zombies now, what would their future be like when the zombies evolved? Besides, with her watching over them, even if they faced the zombies directly, she wouldn't let them get hurt. Accumulating experience in killing zombies now would certainly benefit them in the future. Such a good opportunity, where could they find another one? Wen Qing was not going to argue with them, but she wouldn't try to persuade them either. The choice was theirs to make, and they would have to bear the consequences.
She only stared at the four guys, waiting to see what decision they would make. In the end, they didn't disappoint her. After a brief hesitation, they agreed to her request and each grabbed a wooden stick before leaving the supermarket, just like she did.
Unlike Wen Qing, they didn't have any spiritual protection, so they were immediately noticed by the zombies as soon as they stepped out. The zombies around them rushed towards the four men in excitement. Nervously backing against each other, they listened to Wen Qing's instructions, "Their weakness is their head. Use the wooden stick to hit them hard. Don't be afraid, their speed is slow and their reaction time is slow..."
While paying attention to their safety, Wen Qing also instructed them on fighting techniques. The people inside the supermarket watched the battle outside with both nervousness and unease. After all, they still had some shame and couldn't remain indifferent watching others risk their lives for them.
The audience watching Wen Qing's live broadcast were also stirred up:
"Such delusions, still wanting to restore the world before the apocalypse? This is an irreversible disaster, okay?"
"Amazing, I had a dream of saving the galaxy when I was in middle school too!"
"She's got ideas! Haven't seen such a refreshing and natural show-off in a long time!"
"I can't help but look forward to how she will rebuild her home."
"If she can rebuild Ningcheng, I'll live stream myself eating worm feces!"