After being targeted by the crazy NPC,I Ended Up Calling the Shots - Chapter 16
Chapter 16: Capital Apocalypse (15 )
Jiang Song glanced at the map and handed it back, letting Lin Shengsheng check the precise location.
As for West River Park, they heard a broadcast message while on their way to the northern suburbs.
[Attention all citizens in the Capital! If you hear this message, please do NOT go to West River Park. The shelter there is fake! It’s a fake! It’s a false message broadcasted by intelligent zombies posing as humans. Once you go there, you won’t make it back. Whatever you do, do NOT fall for it!]
The speaker sounded frantic. Though urgent and distressed, his logical structure was completely clear—he had evidently uncovered the secret of West River Park.
He repeated this piece of information twice over the airwaves.
[Anyone who hears this message, do not go there! Please do everything in your power to pass this warning on to others.]
With those final words, the signal went silent. Jiang Song and Lin Shengsheng exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding with lingering terror.
Meanwhile, inside the pharmacy, Shen Tingsi lifted his eyelids. An aggressive zombie outside bumped into the clutter barricading the front entrance, causing a medicine cabinet to tip over with a deafening crash.
Alerted by the commotion, the surrounding zombies swarmed over. Shen Tingsi dragged his injured leg as he stood up, rolling his neck. An indescribable wave of irritation welled up from the depths of his heart. Gazing toward the direction of the northern suburbs, he twitched the corner of his lips, then casually snapped the neck of a zombie charging straight at him.
The road leading to the suburbs was just as Jiang Song had envisioned—fewer zombies, but packed with vehicles, grinding to a complete standstill, especially as they drew closer to the location indicated on the map.
“Why are there so many people?”
Jiang Song couldn’t help but knit her brows before stepping out of the car.
The road ahead was jammed solid. Many people had abandoned their vehicles to proceed on foot. Jiang Song called out to Lin Shengsheng, and the two set off with their backpacks, following the crowd moving forward.
Vehicles littered the surrounding area, and Jiang Song noticed that most of them were high-end luxury cars, including no shortage of Rolls-Royces and Maybachs.
Jiang Song grew even more certain in her heart that this was indeed the real shelter.
After walking for about a kilometer, their path was blocked by yellow caution tape. Jiang Song leaned closer to take a look, realizing it was the first round of identity screening.
The sound of heated shouting echoed over.
“Fuck, I drove all the way out here and almost lost half my life! Where the hell am I supposed to get supplies from? Let me in right now—do you even know who my dad is?!”
“Why? Didn’t your mom tell you?”
“Fuck you—”
Amidst the chaos, two men broke past the yellow line and sprinted inward at extreme speed. Yet no matter how fast they ran, they couldn’t outrun bullets. As blood welled from their chests, both figures collapsed to the ground simultaneously.
Killed in a single shot without a moment’s hesitation. This instantly shut up the man who had been arguing with the guards a moment ago, while others without supplies took several steps back in fear, leaving only Jiang Song standing at the front.
“Where are your supplies?”
The armed guard’s face was masked, revealing only a pair of cold eyes staring down at Jiang Song.
“How much is required?” Jiang Song asked.
“Fifty grams of gold per person.”
“Can I trade with other items? Like medicine?”
The guard, who had been impatient earlier, suddenly looked at her: “You can. How much do you have?”
Jiang Song opened her backpack to reveal a bag packed with pharmaceuticals she had taken from the pharmacy.
The guard’s cold expression softened noticeably: “That works. You may go in.”
“There’s one more person,” Jiang Song pointed at Lin Shengsheng.
“This medicine isn’t enough for two,” the man frowned slightly.
Jiang Song didn’t panic, nor did she let Lin Shengsheng open her second bag.
Instead, she flashed a sweet, toothy smile: “Brother, could you make an exception if I add this?”
Grabbing Lin Shengsheng’s hand, Jiang Song slipped the gold bangle right off her wrist.
“Does this work for you?”
The guard weighed it in his palm, while Lin Shengsheng leaned into Jiang Song’s ear and whispered softly, “Babe, that bracelet is only twenty grams.”
Jiang Song patted her hand, signaling that she had it under control.
“Brother, seeing how hard you’ve been working out here all day, we really feel terrible for causing you extra trouble. But these are truly all the belongings we have left—we really have no other way.”
Jiang Song put on a pitiful, tragic expression, her voice turning gentle and soft. The guard waved his hand in resignation. “Alright, alright, get on inside.”
Lin Shengsheng hadn’t expected it to be so easy to get in. Those people earlier had caused a huge scene and still weren’t let through—she had even heard about someone who was missing a mere 0.1 grams off the fifty-gram gold requirement and got turned away.
Without looking back, Jiang Song explained calmly, “Our medicines are far more precious than gold. Besides, those guards were clearly irritable. As long as you maintain a good attitude and refrain from acting overly aggressive—paired with the supplies we offered—getting in is only natural.”
Lin Shengsheng recalled the situation earlier. Indeed, everyone had been bossing the guards around; they all looked wealthy and spoke with sharp, rude tones. Polite and adorable girls like her babe Jiang Song were indeed rare. Thinking about it that way, it actually made total sense.
Past the first line of defense, numerous armored vehicles filled the area alongside armed guards patrolling the grounds. Walking a bit further brought them to the second line of defense—an enclosure made of massive shipping containers. Armed guards once again stood watch at the entrance, but this time, facial recognition was required. Many people were halted at this step, frantically pulling strings and citing family lineages to gain entry. The guards, however, remained strictly uncompromising; as long as one failed the facial scan, they did not belong to the personnel permitted to enter.
“Staying outside the second line of defense is fine as well. It’s no different from the inside, and patrol teams will still protect you,” the guard stated expressionlessly, though his words offered the crowd no comfort whatsoever.
If there were truly no difference, why bother setting up a second line of defense at all?!
Jiang Song and Lin Shengsheng were barred outside as well. Hearing no notification regarding the game’s objective meant she hadn’t completed the task yet—she had to push further inside.
This was likely why Shen Tingsi had said she wouldn’t be able to get in, but Jiang Song had come prepared.
She cast a glance at Lin Shengsheng: “Shengsheng, I’m going to use the restroom. Remember to guard our belongings closely.”
Lin Shengsheng nodded: “Alright, babe. Do you want me to come with you?”
“No need.”
Jiang Song found a deserted spot and put on the mask she had picked up earlier. In her mind, she pictured the face of the Mayor of the Capital—she had caught a glimpse of his poster on their escape route earlier and memorized his features with a single glance.
From behind a shipping container stepped out a rather stout man dressed in a suit and leather shoes. He strutted arrogantly toward the facial recognition scanner at the entrance.
The guards exchanged glances, recognizing the Mayor, and called out to him in hushed tones. Jiang Song nodded, maintaining a aloof, quiet demeanor.
Right at that moment, the scanner chimed with a successful verification tone.
As she stepped inside, she spotted Lin Shengsheng a short distance away, sitting there cradling her backpack, naively searching for Jiang Song’s whereabouts.
The instant she entered, the game prompt echoed in her mind:
[Ding! Congratulations to Player Jiang Song for successfully reaching the shelter within 30 days. Ranking: 1508. Reward: 300 Points.]
[Extracting from game…]
[10]
[9]
……
Accompanied by the mechanical countdown voice, Jiang Song pointed at Lin Shengsheng nearby and instructed the guards, “Bring that girl in for me. The items in her bag will serve as her admission ticket.”
“Mayor, this…”
As they hesitated, Jiang Song barked sternly, “My words are law! Execute the order immediately!”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards immediately headed toward Lin Shengsheng.
The countdown reached its end at that exact moment. Following a flash of white light, Jiang Song opened her eyes to find herself back on the bus.
The game was over. Jiang Song still hadn’t fully snapped out of it as the bus continued hurtling forward—everything from before feeling just like a dream.
