The burly man nodded. "Got it, Chief. I'll send some men to watch the survivors and make sure they don't start fighting over food."
After all, a small fight was one thing, but attracting a horde of zombies to surround them would be a catastrophe.
"I want to see your leader! I demand to see your leader!" Shi Ailing had barely gotten the words out before two stern-faced soldiers grabbed and restrained her.
"You're from the military, aren't you? Sent here to save us? So why are you treating unarmed civilians this way? Aren't you supposed to be protecting us—our lives and our property?"
"In the next three minutes, I don't want to hear another annoying sound," the man ordered coldly. The baby-faced soldier immediately nodded and strode toward the restrained Shi Ailing.
"Hey, lady, can you give it a rest?"
The baby-faced man pulled a badge from his collar and flashed it in front of her. "Special Operations Squad. Zhai Ruobai. Sorry, ma'am, but we weren't sent by the military to come get you."
"We have our own mission to deal with. Whether or not we take you with us is up to us."
"So, lady, if you can't control your emotions and you keep having these screaming fits to blow off steam, we're going to have a hard time taking you with us."
"What did you say?" Shi Ailing's eyes flew wide with disbelief.
Zhang Yang, however, hurried forward and nodded politely to the baby-faced Zhai Ruobai. "Thank you for your help, sirs. Um, I'd like to go with you. I promise I won't cause any trouble."
Zhai Ruobai sized up the tall, thin Zhang Yang. "Alright. But if you come with our team, you must follow orders, no matter what. Whatever we say, you do. No objections along the way. Can you do that?"
"Yes, yes, of course, sir!"
"And her...?" Zhai Ruobai gestured toward Shi Ailing.
Zhang Yang immediately shook his head vigorously. "I don't know her."
His words made Shi Ailing's blood boil. She whipped her head around to glare at him. "Zhang Yang, what did you just say? Are you really breaking things off with me?"
Zhang Yang shot her an impatient glance. "What do you want from me at a time like this? From now on, you go your way and I'll go mine. Your problems are your own."
"Zhang Yang!" Shi Ailing shrieked.
Zhai Ruobai quickly clapped his hands over his ears, a look of disgust on his face. "Hey, hey, hey! Lady, can you control your emotions, or not? Yes, or no?"
Shi Ailing turned and glanced fearfully at Zhai Ruobai.
'She had a sinking feeling that if she said the word "no," this group would throw her out like garbage without a second thought.'
So she gritted her teeth, forced herself to look calm, and nodded. "I... I can."
"Alright. This is your last warning." Zhai Ruobai made a zipping motion across his lips and gave the woman an expressionless look. "Control yourself. Get a grip."
Zhai Ruobai shot the woman one last glance, then turned and strode toward the convenience store. "Time's up in two minutes! Everyone out of the convenience store and get ready to board the truck now! We're not waiting!"
A young woman in the second row by the window hugged the seven-or-eight-year-old boy in her arms, her eyes glued to the world outside. 'Please,' she prayed silently, 'let my husband get the food and come back quickly.'
"Mommy, I thought you said we were going to Qixi Valley to have fun."
The young woman stroked her son's head. "We'll have to postpone that plan, sweetie."