Chapter 78 The Empty Floors


    Theresa was indeed the chosen one.


    Wide open. No resistance.


    Not just no resistance–six floors, and not a single zombie in the entire building.


    Was she getting a freebie here?


    Another bonus from the system?


    Theresa and Kyle had taken the emergency stairs the whole way up, clearing every room on every floor from one to six.


    Confirmed–no people, no zombies.


    Every hallway door was open. Each room was coated in a fineyer of dust. Equipment sat idle, untouched.


    “Theresa, there are no signs of anyone or any zombies. Looks like this ce was evacuated ahead of time.


    Kyle, with his special forces background, ryed what he’d observed.


    Theresa nodded slowly.


    Could it really be this easy?


    She walked into an office on the top floor. Judging by theyout, it was clearly an executive suite.


    The lower levels were allbs–specialized equipment everywhere.


    Up here, though, something caught her eye: an electric kettle still plugged in and heating water. This kind had a built–in thermostat–it would reheat automatically as the temperature dropped. The water in the clear ss kettle had been boiled over and over, evaporating down to the lowest safety mark to prevent dry boiling.


    She touched the ss. It was still warm.


    Beside the kettle sat a cup of instant noodles–already opened and seasoned with spices, a braised egg, and


    a sausage.


    It looked like someone had been waiting for the water to boil.


    Only now, the noodles had gone bad. Even the heavily preserved egg and sausage were moldy. The whole bowl was rotting.


    Whoever had been about to eat it never got the chance<b>. </b>


    Theresa felt a chill–it was as if everyone here had just… vanished.


    She looked around the room. Aputer caught her attention. She tried to find any info on it, but unlike the unlocked doors, theseputers were secured with top–tier encryption.


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    No useful data there.


    Sull, she managed to find some supplies–instant noodles, sausages, and braised eggs.


    Theresa lived by one rule–never walk away empty–handed.


    In ssic frugal, eco–friendly fashion, she packed everything edible into her bag. Technically, it was going straight into her domain–but she made a show of it for Kyle’s sake.


    When Kyle tried to help, she told him to check the next room.


    Before long, they’d cleared the executive floor of anything worth eating.


    Kyle had bags in both hands, a bulging backpack, and even had two <b>cases </b>of Coke slung over his shoulder. The guy wasn’t messing around.


    Theresa looked at the big, obedient lug and said, “Let’s head down and stash the supplies first.”


    “Yes!”


    This time, Theresa skipped the stairs.


    The building had its own power system, and the elevator was still operational. She called it from the top floor.


    When it arrived, she and Kyle shared a nce. They split to either side of the door–just like they’d cleared the ground floors, they were going to clear this too.


    Ding.


    The elevator doors slid open.


    Empty.


    Now, Theresa was sure. There really wasn’t a single living person–or undead–for six whole floors of this pharmaceutical research facility.


    Once they confirmed it was safe, she, Kyle, and the dogs stepped inside.


    The elevator panel had seven buttons.


    Exactly what Theresa had expected: six floors above ground, and a basement–likely a parking garage.


    She’d seen it while scouting the area earlier.


    Her n was to head down to the first floor to unload supplies, then sweep the basement.


    Once they cleared that, the whole research center would be secure.


    Theresa reached to press the button for the first floor–then suddenly stopped.


    <i>Wait</i>.


    She just remembered something.


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    This United Pharma Research Center–its location was in the western part of Ansford.


    The name wasn’t remarkable.


    But its location was right at the junction of Ansford, Branford, and Crestmont.


    No way<b>… </b>


    Wasn’t this the site of that infamous zombie king in her past life?


    Right then, before they could press anything, the elevator suddenly started moving–fast–downward.


    On the disy in front of Theresa, the number lit up: Bl.


    A chill crawled over her skin.


    Because they hadn’t pressed the basement button.


    Someone or something–on the basement level had just called the elevator up.


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