Su Ling hummed, watching the raging flames. "No rush, let's wait a bit longer."
She and Gu Shangse had been here for a while, yet there was no movement from upstairs. This was odd.
Soon, the stench of decay and burnt corpses filled the yard, thick smoke billowing as the fire raged.
Su Ling and Gu Shangse found the air growing thin, the fresh oxygen unable to compete with the foul odors.
"Let's go upstairs," Su Ling decided, abandoning the wait and opting for a proactive approach.
As soon as she spoke, she descended the steps and headed for the small staircase opposite her, leading upwards.
Gu Shangse followed, his backpack slung over his shoulder, Yangyang trailing close behind on all fours.
Su Ling ascended the stairs and reached the door to the second floor. Gripping her Tang dao, she reached out to open it.
"I'll do it," Gu Shangse's voice cut through the air. He was already in front of Su Ling, his hand extending to open the door first.
As he opened it, he subtly and naturally positioned Su Ling in a safe zone.
He peered inside.
It was daytime, the light ample, revealing the scene within.
The first thing that caught their eye was the shoe rack at the entryway, followed by a corridor leading into the house.
The interior was remarkably clean, suggesting the owner was someone who valued tidiness and perhaps had a slight obsession with cleanliness.
Yet, amidst this clean room, a faint scent of blood and decay permeated the air.
The owner had clearly attempted to mask these odors by spraying perfume.
However, the two pungent smells were too potent; the perfume was no match for them.
Instead, the mixture of the three created a nauseating, throat-tickling, and urge-to-cough scent.
It was evident that something was amiss inside.
And it meant danger.
They had made so much noise, attracted so much attention, yet the owner remained silent. It was strange.
Even knowing that entering the room meant facing danger, Su Ling and Gu Shangse did not falter. They resolutely stepped inside.
With a soft click, Su Ling, entering last, gently closed the door, sealing them off from the outside.
Upon entering, they paused, confirming there was no immediate sound before moving forward.
They crossed the entryway, navigated the corridor, and, after ascertaining the living room was clear, proceeded towards a room.
As they drew closer to the room, the scent of blood and decay intensified, becoming more potent.
It was clear the two smells emanated from that specific room.
Closer still, they could hear faint sounds coming from the innermost room.
Stopping before that door, Gu Shangse glanced back at Su Ling, then turned to the doorknob.
He had expected it to be locked from the inside, but it opened with ease.
As the tightly shut door creaked open, Su Ling and Gu Shangse got their first clear look inside. The stench, now overwhelming, stung their throats and eyes.
On the large bed within the room, a woman, mutated into a zombie, was bound.
Her struggle had loosened one of her hands.
In her desperate attempts to break free, she had ripped the anchor point from the wall.
The wall where the anchor had been ripped out now bore a large crack and a gaping hole.
The zombie's mouth and body were covered in blood, and the bed was splattered with it, along with torn flesh and dismembered remains.
Upon seeing Su Ling and Gu Shangse, the zombie grew agitated.
The room was littered with scattered bones, clinging to remnants of flesh.
It was evident someone had been feeding this zombie.
And the food for this zombie was other survivors.