Time in the apocalypse was precious, and Lin Yuan ate with focus, quickly yet without compromising digestion.
After finishing his meal, he noticed something was off. His appetite seemed to have increased slightly. The improvement wasn't significant, but normally, two bowls of rice with dishes would fill him up. Now, it only just sufficed.
Could humanity be evolving?
It was likely due to increased labor, making him hungrier.
Lin Yuan didn't dare to eat more, lest he suffer a stomachache from his own overestimation.
The afternoon couldn't be wasted; he needed to prepare for going out. Simply taking a knife was clearly not reliable. Someone who hadn't wielded a knife before would find it difficult to precisely stab a neck or head. Moreover, zombies weren't puppets; they wouldn't stand still.
Therefore, Lin Yuan wanted to make something similar to the riot control batons used by school security guards, but a larger version of a coat hanger. If he could restrict people to a small area, the kill rate would greatly increase.
Of course, he had only seen them on television; the specifics would require practical testing. If the combat effectiveness wasn't good, he would have to switch to a pot lid for defense.
No sooner said than done. As for materials, the steel water pipes left over from the renovation came in handy. These pipes were replaced because they were too thin and of poor quality. However, throwing them away felt like a waste, so they had been kept in the storage room.
Joining the pipes was as simple as playing with building blocks, and soon a knock-off riot control baton was completed.
However, a genuine riot control baton had a large semi-circular head, while Lin Yuan's creation had a square one.
To improve stability, Lin Yuan used an entire large roll of tape, along with a few comic books and short wooden strips, to reinforce it. The hollow sections of the pipes were stuffed with waste paper and compacted. It had some weight when held, but it didn't significantly hinder movement.
He swung it a few times and felt it was acceptable, just waiting to test it out on a zombie.
Placing the finished "riot control baton" on the sofa, Lin Yuan returned to the bedroom to check for new messages. There were none on his phone, and the radio was also quiet, only broadcasting updates on the defensive construction work in various safe zones. Notably, the naval fleets had been reorganized, and the ports of Shanghai and Zhejiang, along with directly connected safe zones, were mentioned.
Unfortunately, all of this had little relevance to them, who were situated in Sichuan.
Tonight, there should be new research findings on zombies being released; he would wait and see.
Penguin chat was still holding on. Although it was laggy, the lag was stable, which, when rounded up, was equivalent to being extremely smooth.
In his contact list, only Wang Xiaoxin had sent him a message.
12:37
Wang Xiaoxin: "Just checked my phone. This morning I was drying meat. I marinated and slow-cooked all the meat in the fridge, cut it into thin strips, and hung it on the security window to dry. The homemade braised meat packet came in handy. Yuzhou has had very strong sunshine these past few days, and with a fan nearby, it should dry well."
12:39
Wang Xiaoxin: "I'm cooking now. What did you have for lunch?"
Drying meat on security windows?
Lin Yuan looked at his own security window; it seemed feasible!
Before, he worried about the lack of wind, but now he could use a fan. He felt foolish for not thinking of such a simple solution.
12:56
Lin Yuan: "Holy crap, Old Wang, you just reminded me! I was worried about where to dry the meat. I only thought about the wind on the rooftop and forgot I have a fan at home!"
12:57
Wang Xiaoxin: "Normal. I only thought of it this morning. I used the fan to replace natural wind while there was still electricity. But how did you wash your dishes? The water supply here is already very low, and it should stop soon. I didn't use it, fearing water waste."
12:58
Lin Yuan: "I used paper. We have enough paper at home, which should last for a month. You just need to wipe the bowls clean. If you want them cleaner, use paper dipped in a little water to wipe them again. If you're still worried, wipe them and then leave them in the sun for a few hours. In this situation, hygiene must be prioritized as much as possible."
12:59
Wang Xiaoxin: "It's similar to what I thought, but I'll use waste paper. As long as it absorbs water, it's fine. After all, as a girl, I have more uses for paper."
Lin Yuan agreed with this point.
13:00
Lin Yuan: "What about the zombies at your doorstep? Are they still lingering there?"
13:01
Wang Xiaoxin: "They are. I don't know what to do now. I need to find a way to kill them, otherwise, I can't even leave my door."
Just as he was about to offer comfort, he noticed that the Siamese cat had finished eating and had hopped onto the stairs of the bunk bed to bask in the sun.
So, he took a photo and sent it over.
13:03
Lin Yuan: "Image.jpg"
Lin Yuan: "This cat ran over last night. It belongs to the neighbor. I've adopted it, but it's like a pig, eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating."
Wang Xiaoxin on the other side was extremely envious. Having a cat for company!
13:05
Wang Xiaoxin: "So jealous! Having a cat in this environment is indeed quite happy. But I'm fine alone too, I'm not jealous!"
13:06
Lin Yuan: "There are downsides too, like an extra mouth to feed. But currently, this cat isn't picky and has a good temper, which saves trouble. It's fine; farming won't be boring later, and there are definitely other survivors in your community. Things like carrier pigeons will be interesting."
13:07
Wang Xiaoxin: "I wish the survivors in our community were that good. If they're like those in the TV shows, then the hope of survival dims a bit."
13:08
Lin Yuan: "Alas, so be cautious in everything. For us in the biologically infected zones, rescue won't come for at least a year or two. There aren't enough pilots, let alone planes. There are definitely many car accidents on the highways, and road conditions are poor. In essence, there aren't enough people. Alas, we must all strive to survive tenaciously. However, there are airdrops in 15 days, so it's not entirely hopeless."
13:09
Wang Xiaoxin: "Anyway, I have no complaints. This epidemic was too sudden, and the mortality rate is so high. Not to mention that dead people turn into zombies that run faster than dogs. And their lethality... a scratch is enough. I think airdrops are already a result of them tightening their belts."
13:10
Lin Yuan: "Exactly, exactly. So, we need to maintain a good mindset. And not looking too far ahead, consider the zombies wandering in the hallways. If we take them down, won't we get keys? With keys, won't there be more supplies? We should look on the bright side."
13:13
Wang Xiaoxin: "I almost burned the vegetables while chatting with you. Luckily, I reacted quickly. According to you, the zombie at my doorstep is a walking warehouse of supplies? Hahaha, the zombie elimination plan must begin."
13:14
Lin Yuan: "Indeed. Because there's a possibility that the virus in the zombies' bodies will mutate again, so clearing out a safe zone as soon as possible is necessary. Alright, time is getting late. Hurry up and make weapons and traps; outsmarting them is key. I'm going to dry some meat. Talk tonight."
Lin Yuan: "Oh, right, when you get the key and open the door, be sure to check if there's anything inside the room. Don't get caught off guard; that would be too unfair."
13:15
Wang Xiaoxin: "Understood, understood. I'm going to eat now. Talk tonight."
After closing the chat, Lin Yuan realized his father hadn't replied yet. He was probably still searching for supplies. Although he was worried, he chose to trust Lin Shouyi and his uncle, who were elites from the military.
Throughout the afternoon, besides researching homemade weapon and trap blueprints, Lin Yuan was exercising according to the training methods provided by the authorities, correlating it with his food reserves.
Of course, it was moderate practice; it shouldn't significantly affect tomorrow's activities.
As for the frozen meat in the refrigerator, it wasn't suitable for taking out yet, as defrosting, marinating, and slow-cooking would take at least several hours. By the time everything was done, it would be dark, which was not conducive to moisture evaporation.
The sun gradually set. Summer evenings got dark very late. Before 8 PM, Lin Yuan made fried rice using the remaining pea can from the morning, leftover rice and spinach from lunch, and an egg, adding some seasoning. He didn't leave any leftovers.
Having electricity still allowed him to cook many dishes.
And Lin Shouyi finally replied to his message.
7:52
Lin Dad: "Finally back. Today we dealt with two wandering zombies downstairs and rescued two children. They were hiding on the rooftop and didn't make a sound, and were starving. I have to say, those guys are really strong, especially a fat zombie. My uncle and I struggled with it for a long time before we managed to knock it out."
7:53
Lin Yuan: "Glad you're back. Hurry up and eat. Listen to the radio while you eat."
7:53
Lin Dad: "Okay, I'll tidy up right away. My clothes are all dirty."
Putting on his headphones and sitting by the radio, the fried rice in front of him emitted an enticing aroma. He gave a small bowl to the cat and then paid it no further mind. Today's broadcast was about to begin.