Chapter 206: The Phoenix Man Who Soared Before the Apocalypse (11)

After taking a shower, the two of them had a simple dinner, then sat on the couch to rest, savoring this rare moment of peace.

Just then, an emergency news broadcast came on.

【A mysterious virus has emerged recently, with frequent flu outbreaks and a sharp rise in people suffering from persistent high fevers, often accompanied by severe hysteria. The new virus may be attacking the human brain. To ensure public safety, please wear masks when going out and take proper precautions.】

On the screen was a man flailing his arms, wildly grabbing at the air in the middle of the street.

Passersby fled in fear. When the police arrived, a group of officers rushed in to subdue him.

But every movement he made seemed hollow, like he was struggling blindly.

His strength was terrifying. During the scuffle, he managed to break free, then lunged at someone nearby and sank his teeth viciously into the person’s shoulder.

The chaotic scene terrified everyone. Several people scrambled to restrain him again and finally tied him up.

The bitten man clutched his neck, frozen in fear.

Someone nearby asked with concern, “Are you okay? Hang in there, the ambulance is on its way.”

The man shook his head. “I’m fine, just feeling a little hot.”

In a corner where no one was looking, black lines seemed to pulse and writhe at the spot where he’d been bitten.

Thump, thump.

Su Mingyue’s expression turned grim. “This must be the first sign of the Apocalypse.”

Shen Xiuyan nodded heavily. “The virus spreads fast. It could sweep across the country in less than a day.”

“Where did this virus come from?”

Shen Xiuyan thought back to the descriptions in the book and shook his head regretfully. “No one knows…”

Su Mingyue said, “Forget it, no point dwelling on it. Looks like we’ll have to be extra careful when we go out. If someone gets bitten, do they definitely turn into a zombie?”

“Fifty-fifty. Some lucky ones might awaken a supernatural ability instead.”

“Really?” Su Mingyue’s eyes lit up with a different kind of excitement.

Shen Xiuyan flicked her forehead. “Don’t even think about it.”

Su Mingyue rubbed the sore spot and muttered, “I know… I was just imagining it. So stingy.”

Shen Xiuyan couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m stingy, huh?”

Seeing the unreadable look in his eyes, Su Mingyue wisely chose not to push her luck.

She tugged on his arm and stood up, changing the subject. “Come on, let’s head to the pharmacy before it closes and grab some medicine.”

“You…” Shen Xiuyan shook his head, helpless, but still stood up obediently.

Just as they were about to leave, Father Su called.

“Mingyue, I saw the news. Did you see it too?”

“Yes, we saw it.” Su Mingyue replied seriously, “Dad, did you have someone buy supplies today?”

“Yes, yes. You two said it might not be necessary and we could donate them if nothing happened, so I had someone buy quite a lot. Everything was delivered today.”

Su Mingyue breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. You and Mom should stay home for the next few days.”

“I know. Let’s wait and see how things develop. This virus came too fast.”

“Exactly.”

“You two stay safe at home too.”

“Got it.”

They chatted for a bit longer before hanging up.

Su Mingyue finally relaxed. “Dad listened to us and stocked up on supplies.”

“That’s great. As long as they can last a month, we’ll be able to reach them no matter what.”

“Mm, let’s head out now.”

*

At the pharmacy, the place was already packed with people.

The two of them stared in shock at the sea of customers.

Shen Xiuyan twitched his lips and sighed. “No surprise. This is our country after all. The speed is unmatched.”

“You mean the speed of jumping on the bandwagon~” someone suddenly chimed in beside them.

They turned in surprise.

A boy around seventeen or eighteen stood at the entrance of the store, looking exasperated.

Seeing them staring at him, he shrugged. “Don’t look at me like that. Am I wrong?”

“Take my mom, for example. She just came out to buy some fruit, saw people rushing in to grab medicine, and jumped right in like she was afraid she’d miss out.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged woman came out. “Tiantian, look how much I managed to grab—”

When she saw her son chatting with strangers, she paused. “Who are these two?”

The boy glanced at the two bulging bags of medicine in her hands and twitched his lips in disbelief.

With that much medicine, how long would it take to finish it all?

Also, do you even know what virus it is?

Buying medicine blindly like this…

In his opinion, all that medicine would probably expire and end up in the trash.

Shen Xiuyan smiled at her. “Just passing by. We saw the crowd and thought we’d come grab some too.”

“Oh my, what a handsome young man.” The woman beamed. “You’ve got good instincts. Better to be safe than sorry and prepare in advance. Not like my kid here, who refused to come in with me. Good thing his old mom still has some fight left in her and managed to snag all this.”

Su Mingyue clapped along. “You’re amazing.”

“Really?”

Shen Xiuyan nodded sincerely. “Absolutely. We were just worrying about how to squeeze in.”

“Oh, that’s nothing.” The woman was clearly delighted by their flattery. She excitedly shoved the two large bags of medicine into the boy’s arms.

“Tiantian, hold these for me. I’ll help these two youngsters grab some medicine. Times are tough for everyone. We should help each other out.”

“Help them? Do you even know what kind of medicine they need?”

The boy tried to stop her, but his arms were full and he couldn’t catch her.

She waved him off. “Anti-inflammatory, cold medicine, fever reducers, painkillers—same stuff they mentioned on the news. Sounds like a fever, right?”

The boy opened his mouth to argue, but Shen Xiuyan cut in, “You’re amazing, Auntie. You’re absolutely right. We’d really appreciate your help.”

“Let’s go!” The woman, thrilled by the praise, rolled up her sleeves and led the two of them inside with great enthusiasm.

The boy was left standing there, staring after them in disbelief.

Do you even know each other???

How do you manage to act so familiar with complete strangers? One dares to ask, the other dares to believe.

Even for extroverts, this is a bit much…