Without wasting a second, everyone began moving boxes of food outside. Pre-packaged cartons were the priority—no one bothered with loose items on shelves. Once the boxes under the shelves were cleared, we broke into the warehouse. Only one zombie was trapped inside—likely the former warehouse keeper?
Needless to say, it was quickly dispatched. The team continued moving silently and swiftly. During previous supply runs at Carrefour, we'd learned to operate hydraulic transport carts—we never passed up usable tools. Boxes were loaded onto Walmart's transport vehicles and driven to the freight truck waiting outside, where a few people were already stacking goods.
We nearly emptied Walmart's warehouse! During the final load, zombies from the second floor somehow heard the commotion. A few stumbled downstairs and spotted us!
Their roars echoed through the building. A few zombies weren't scary—what was terrifying was the entire second floor horde stirring to life, crowding down the stairs, trampling and shoving each other in a chaotic tumble. But they moved fast!
We were trapped behind the checkout counters before we could reach the exit!
With numbers against us, direct combat was futile. I shouted, "Back to the warehouse!"
No need for elaboration—everyone understood. Survival came first. We turned and rushed into the warehouse we'd just left. It had two heavy iron doors with internal locks—Walmart's anti-theft measures were robust!
We outpaced the clumsy zombies, locked the doors from inside, and were safe—but now trapped like turtles in a jar!
Deafening roars and pounding echoed outside the warehouse, but we weren't worried. The doors were sturdy enough to hold.
What to do? My mind raced. I have it!
I grabbed my walkie-talkie and urgently called, "Goodluck! Da-Peng! Zombies are alerted! Secure the truck and return to the driver's cabin! Now! Everyone else, get in vehicles! Prepare to evacuate!"
Qin Goodluck and Da-Peng, who were loading the truck outside, swiftly secured the freight truck's rear door—they'd just finished moving the delivered goods.
With zombies concentrated at our warehouse door, Goodluck's team faced no pressure. They had ample time.
"Sis Duo! We're in position! How do we rescue you?" Goodluck's voice crackled over the walkie-talkie.
"Perfect! Drive the truck back to the compound first!" I already had a plan.
"Sis Duo, Da-Peng already drove the truck back. How do we extract you?" Goodluck's voice returned two minutes later—efficient!
"Listen! Honk your horns relentlessly! Lure all zombies outside, then lead them away! Be careful—don't get surrounded! There are many!" That was my strategy.
"Great idea! Sis Duo, wait for my signal at the warehouse door before opening it! Don't rush out!" Qin Goodluck was clever—he worried some zombies might linger, ambushing us upon exit.
Soon, sharp horn blares echoed, audible even through the thick warehouse doors.
As expected, zombie roars faded from the door, and pounding ceased. But we held our position, awaiting Goodluck's signal.
The honks distanced, and zombie cries grew faint—they'd exited Walmart.
One minute, two, three… I counted, anxious yet confident.
Bang, bang, bang!The warehouse door rattled, followed by Qin Goodluck's voice: "Sis Duo! Come out now!"
He'd arrived! Energized, we opened the door. Goodluck and two others stood outside, tense.
"Anyone injured?" we asked simultaneously, then answered, "No!"
Excellent!
We burst out of Walmart. The freight truck was gone. Everyone returned to their vehicles and swiftly evacuated.
Riding in Goodluck's car, relieved we'd escaped, I asked, "Who lured the zombies away?"
"Brother Bai Zhu. He insisted on driving alone to divert them, refusing backup. Told us to focus firepower on rescuing you," Goodluck replied.
Bai Zhu—the smiling, low-profile optimist? I grabbed the walkie-talkie: "Bai Zhu! We're safe! Your position?"
"Duo Duo, you're clear? Fantastic! I'm on Honghai Road now! Where are you? I'll rendezvous ASAP!" Bai Zhu's voice replied. I exhaled—he was safe!
I had the convoy slow down. Soon, Bai Zhu's modified Land Rover roared up, and we sped back to the compound.
Headcount back home: zero casualties. Huzzah!
Everyone was thrilled seeing the massive food haul. All hands unloaded the truck. My husband remarked this would sustain us a while.
But I wasn't satisfied. Though substantial, this load had to feed many. Walmart's shelves still had loose items—wasting them was unacceptable!
With the empty truck, we decided to return to Walmart!
This time, we brought twenty from the security team—more hands, faster loading.
Bai Zhu had lured the zombies far away. Walmart was pristine!
Strike while the iron's hot! Since we targeted loose items, we first found empty boxes, then rapidly packed, sealed, and stacked them for transport.
With ample labor, I took my husband to scout the second floor while others worked.
The second floor housed daily necessities—clothing, shoes, hats. I never bought wearables from supermarkets—too generic. With my already average looks, without effort, how could I stand out?
But now I saw supermarket clothing's practicality. In these times, function trumped everything! Anyone still craving high heels shouldn't complain about moving clumsier than zombies—zombies would feast on them!
The second floor was vast but zombie-free. Starved zombies, hearing "food delivery," likely rushed out like commuters during Spring Festival hearing "free sleeper tickets—limited supply!" The crowd would've torn the announcer apart…
Now, the entire floor was eerily silent.
"Honey, everyone has winter coats, but should we stock spare thermal underwear?" Women will be women—seeing free new clothes, the hoarding urge was irresistible.
My husband looked puzzled. "Don't people have spare clothes at home?"
I had my reasons: "Our compound still has water, so everyone washes and changes as usual, consuming much water. But if water's cut off? How will we wash clothes? Wearing dirty clothes indefinitely? Unthinkable! Regardless, I'm stocking enough undergarments for emergencies."
Men never mind these details—clean clothes always magically appear post-shower. Such trivialities are women's concerns.
So, we called companions via walkie-talkie, gathered all underwear (long/short, sleeve lengths), socks, boxed them, and sent them downstairs for loading.
I also targeted all toilet paper—it's consumable. Our family of five easily used two packs monthly. Toilet paper bulky yet vanishes fast.
Supermarket toilet paper stocks were huge. With all wipes, they filled an entire truck—requiring a dedicated trip.
Now, Walmart's edibles were nearly gone except condiments. Even frozen foods were taken! Yes—we took all junk food too. Never underestimate candy or chips—when times get tough, any calorie source matters, nutrition be damned.
The most useless now were accessory counters. Those glittering trinkets that once dazzled women? I didn't even bother looking.
Useless too were kitchenware—pots, dishes, cutting boards, cups… Oh! We did take all knives—cleavers, boning knives, TV-advertised ceramic knives, even fruit knives—all confiscated.
Freezers and fridges were essential. Frozen goods couldn't sit outdoors—unhygienic and thawing in sunlight. We designated an empty building solely for supplies.
I didn't overlook all奶粉 (formula) and baby food. Many children needed care—I never forgot them.
After several days and dozens of trips, we nearly emptied Walmart.
Even when seemingly nothing remained, we locked Walmart's doors before leaving. This clean space couldn't be zombie-infested again. We posted a sign: "Food and daily supplies cleared. Don't waste time searching!"
While we transported goods, Sixth Brother and others organized unloading. Supplies were sorted into Building 8, the compound's central tower.
Unit 1: Frozen storage – Freezers are concentrated here with frozen meat, seafood, and ready meals.
Unit 2: Grain storage – bagged rice, flour, cooking oil, and canned goods.
Unit 3: Snacks and children's food, mostly formula.
Units 4-5: From floor 1 to 18, stacked with toilet paper and daily supplies.