Chapter Twenty-Six: The Second-Generation Official

Just as in his previous life, the third descent of the Source Pearls covered a much smaller area, and their numbers had dropped sharply. Yet, the number of people vying for them had increased dramatically, leaving no moment of peace throughout C City. Even with Gu Sha’s prescient advantage and his meticulous preparations, he managed to obtain only two Source Pearls by the end of it.

He had rushed to many places, only to find the pearls already taken or, in the chaos of too many contenders, the pearls damaged and dissipating into the mist. Gu Sha felt helpless. Helicopters passed overhead from time to time, and the sound of gunfire and explosions was everywhere. He had even witnessed two groups clash, firing over a dozen rocket launchers. Even as a sixth-tier warrior, he couldn’t withstand such attacks.

By dusk, Gu Sha sat in a deserted mall, eating biscuits while the relentless roar of artillery and staccato gunfire echoed outside. “Opportunities like these, for ordinary people, are nothing but luck at first. Later on, trying to seize fortune in these circumstances is nothing but a fool’s dream,” he chuckled, carelessly nibbling his biscuits.

His gaze suddenly fell on a tall building across the street, its sign reading “Golden Joy Hotel.” At once, a memory surfaced. In his previous life, when he worked as a mercenary, a comrade had boasted to him that, at the onset of the apocalypse, he had missed a great opportunity. That comrade, once a security guard at a hotel in C City—specifically, the Golden Joy Hotel—claimed that during the second Scarlet Descent, two Source Pearls had landed on a large tree in the hotel’s park. No one noticed them until nightfall, when the pearls were about to shatter. At that moment, a scion from a noble family, out searching for food with a few bodyguards, discovered them. That young man later became a figure of great influence.

When their comrade recounted the story, Gu Sha and his roommates merely laughed it off. In later years, everyone liked to reminisce about missed opportunities, claiming they could have been someone important had fate been kinder. No one took such tales seriously, nor bothered to debate their truth. After all, there was no way to verify them; they were just stories to hear and laugh over.

Gu Sha remembered the story because that comrade was an honest, reticent sort, yet he could never let go of this particular boast, repeating it countless times. So, Gu Sha had always believed it might be true.

But after reincarnating, he had been too busy to recall such things. Even if he remembered, it would have been meaningless; C City was a sprawling metropolis, a first-tier city, and without navigation it was nearly impossible to pinpoint a single hotel.

Yet now, by chance, he had stumbled upon the very hotel. Without hesitation, Gu Sha packed away his biscuits and dashed toward the Golden Joy Hotel across the street.

The Golden Joy was a sizable four-star hotel, but its former grandeur was gone. Everywhere was littered with debris, resembling a cemetery piled high with garbage. Within the hotel, two or three hundred zombies roamed, though most were scattered throughout the premises. As he passed each area, these shambling corpses would pause to sniff around or stretch out tongues and teeth to touch the filthy, insect-ridden remains.

Thanks to the hotel’s robust facilities, quite a few survivors had taken refuge inside. At this moment, in a suite on the fifth floor, a group of survivors huddled together amid utter chaos. Five or six men, disheveled and half-clothed, smoked cigarettes while two naked women lay on the floor, their pupils dull and expressions numb.

The men puffed on their cigarettes, cursing under their breath. A young man spat and said, “Damn it, it’s been ten days. Playing with these two women is boring as hell now!”

A middle-aged man replied, “Hold on, Young Master Zhang. Once we reach the shelter, you can do whatever you want.”

“Fuck,” the young man suddenly kicked one of the numb women lying on the floor and cursed, “Both of you, get in the bathroom and wash yourselves. Damn it, you don’t even moan or scream, like you’re damned inflatable dolls. If it weren’t for these circumstances, with your looks, I wouldn’t even bother sleeping with you if you begged me!”

The two women, still utterly numb, climbed to their feet, making no attempt to cover themselves, obediently heading into the bathroom.

“Fuck!” the young man cursed again.

His name was Zhang Chuping, a scion of a wealthy family. When the apocalypse arrived, he’d been enjoying himself at a club in C City. After hearing from the broadcasts that the authorities had established shelters, he and his group stumbled their way in search of refuge.

But Zhang Chuping, raised in luxury, was unused to hardship and caused endless trouble along the way. Yet, the group followed his lead, because the broadcasts had made it clear that entry into the shelters was conditional—not everyone would be admitted. To ensure Zhang Chuping would help them get in, everyone worked to appease him, meeting his demands as best they could.

Ten days ago, official news said military rescue would soon arrive. The group took shelter in the Golden Joy Hotel, which fortunately had ample food to last a while.

As for the two women, they were hotel staff who had been hiding inside since the apocalypse began. When Zhang Chuping’s group arrived, they encountered the women—originally three in number, until one resisted Zhang Chuping’s brutality and was beaten to death. The remaining two had become mere tools for the group’s gratification.

“Master Zhang,” one man said, “I’ve been hearing gunfire lately. Do you think the authorities have sent troops to rescue us yet?”

“They must have,” Zhang Chuping replied. “Damn it, if only the phones worked, I could have had my dad send someone to get me. But never mind, just wait a bit longer—official rescue teams should find us soon! Rest assured, once the rescue team arrives, I’ll definitely bring you all into the shelter. Food, power, women—whatever you want, you’ll have it!”

The group’s faces lit up with excitement.

“Master Zhang, don’t worry—even if I die, I’ll make sure you reach the shelter!”

“Yes, yes, Master Zhang, you mustn’t forget us when the time comes!”

One after another, they flattered Zhang Chuping, each envisioning the life they’d lead after entering the shelter.

Zhang Chuping smiled, but inwardly, his thoughts were full of scorn. Once the rescue team arrived, these people would be useless to him. Did they really think they could follow him into the shelter? Ridiculous—they should consider their own status!

Just then, a cacophony of zombie howls erupted outside the hotel. The undead seemed drawn by something, surging madly toward their location.

The group rushed to the window and peered through the cracks, spotting a man wielding a Tang blade, pursued by a horde of zombies—no fewer than two hundred—running straight toward the hotel. Yet, despite the overwhelming numbers, the man moved with ease, occasionally slicing down a few zombies. What caught their attention was the firearm strapped to his waist.

Zhang Chuping’s breath quickened, his eyes shining with excitement.