Merciless mockery
989 Words
Before the outbreak, the electronics lab was the most popular place on campus. It wasn't just because most students majored in electronics; there was an undeniable satisfaction in carefully assembling a green PCB board and watching it come to life.
In Lin Hao's dorm room, there was a frog-shaped lamp he had assembled himself. Although it broke after a few days due to poor quality, seeing it daily still made him feel his hobby life was fulfilling.
Lin Hao had also built a radio, but radios were in high demand. To avoid wasting materials, the teacher had collected all the radio components.
"The storage room should be here," Lin Hao muttered, eyeing a small door in the lab.
Zombies roamed aimlessly around him, including one right in front of Lin Hao.
"Get lost!" Lin Hao snarled at the zombie. As a level-two zombie himself, his presence alone was enough to send the lesser zombie scurrying away like a frightened mouse.
Luckily, the storage room had a wooden door. Although it was locked, Lin Hao, now brimming with energy, wasn't deterred. He punched the door hard...
"Where’s the strength boost? Zombies aren’t supposed to feel pain!" Lin Hao mentally shouted at Goudan, his inner voice.
"Your strength did increase, but fifteen points is just above average for a human. Trust me, a running start with a kick will break this door," Goudan helpfully suggested.
Lin Hao felt something was off. Why was Goudan speaking to him in such a tone?
Lin Hao remembered his pitiful speed. Even with a five-point boost, he was no faster than a normal person and probably couldn't outrun a regular zombie.
"Yeah, right!" Lin Hao scoffed.
What did the electronics lab have? Everything.
Pliers, screwdrivers, even a small hydraulic press. Electronics wasn't just about tiny gadgets; it included air conditioning circuits and electrical systems.
Lin Hao grabbed two screwdrivers and used them to break the lock effortlessly. (Feel free to try this at home, readers!)
"Quite the lockpick, aren’t you?" Goudan remarked.
"If you knew a classmate of mine could open any dorm lock with a small key, you wouldn't think this is impressive," Lin Hao retorted.
He opened the storage room door, finding various electronic components lying quietly inside. The radio stood out prominently on the table.
"Got you!" Lin Hao grabbed the radio and prepared to assemble it. Then he realized something crucial.
"How am I supposed to use a soldering iron without power?" Lin Hao was on the verge of tears.
"Give up, kid. No power means no solution. You can't just build a generator," Goudan teased.
"A generator?" Lin Hao had an idea.
"You seriously want to build a generator?" Goudan was incredulous.
"Why build one when there's a diesel generator in the abandoned building behind the dorms? It just needs fuel," Lin Hao smiled.
He packed the soldering iron and radio components, heading towards the abandoned dormitory.
"Did you know there's a legend that the old dorms are haunted? That's why the school built a new dorm and abandoned the old one," Lin Hao said, making small talk.
"You're basically a ghost now," Goudan replied dismissively.
"Talk to me, I'm scared," Lin Hao admitted, looking at the dark forest and the open door of the abandoned dorm.
The diesel generator was in the courtyard of the abandoned dormitory, visible as soon as one entered. But Lin Hao was too scared to go in.
Goudan remained silent, feeling that talking to Lin Hao was lowering his IQ.
Lin Hao swallowed hard and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He wondered why zombies had metabolism. Goudan had explained, "Zombies are still living beings."
So, movies were lying.
Summoning his courage, Lin Hao stepped into the abandoned dormitory.
If he wasn't a zombie, if this wasn't post-apocalypse, he wouldn’t have dared come here. His changed environment and identity had transformed him; he wasn't as scared anymore.
Lin Hao carried the diesel. Where did he get it? From a tractor, of course! And the tractor? It was from the vocational school next door, which had a course on tractor maintenance.
Lin Hao brought a table and a chair into the dorm, setting the soldering iron and radio components on the table. He poured the diesel into the generator.
"Now what?" Lin Hao stared at the generator.
"You need a battery to start the generator," Goudan said disdainfully.
"Like I didn't know that," Lin Hao replied, saving face.
He went outside where a few electric scooters were parked, hoping their batteries still had some charge after six months.
"Please let there be power, or this is all for nothing," Lin Hao murmured.
Outside the abandoned dormitory, a zombie furiously smashed an electric scooter with a metal rod, even lifting it and slamming it on the ground.
The commotion attracted other zombies, who arrived to watch Lin Hao's antics. Despite their limited intelligence, they stared at him, making him feel embarrassed.
Finally, after much effort, Lin Hao extracted a battery from one of the scooters.
Connecting the battery to the generator took more time. Eventually, a buzzing sound filled the air.
"A-Team, we have an unidentified sound source," a man with a steel helmet spoke into his mic.
"Eagle, investigate. It might be a mutated zombie," a voice responded through his earpiece.
The helmeted man silently descended from the tallest building in City A.
"Finally, it's working!" Lin Hao beamed at his accomplishment, like a proud parent.
Goudan laughed as Lin Hao prepared to connect the soldering iron to the generator.
"What's so funny?" Lin Hao asked, puzzled.
"Have you ever driven a car? There's a radio in every car. In this environment, finding a working car is easier than starting a generator, you i***t," Goudan laughed uncontrollably.
Lin Hao felt defeated. "Why didn't you say that earlier?"
"Where’s the fun in that?" Goudan continued mocking him.
Lin Hao felt the whole world was against him.
- Writer
