Chapter 15: The Strengthened Zombies
Max walked alongside Beth, his girlfriend, toward the mess hall. The atmosphere inside was a mixture of chatter, tension, and unease. Female students sat together, eating and talking, some using their phones to contact friends and family.
However, an unsettling reality loomed over the room. Some students received no replies to their messages. Others anxiously inquired about missing loved ones. Some were devastated by news of friends or relatives turning into zombies, while a few received desperate pleas for help. Many were restless, eager to leave and rescue their families, but they knew the dangers outside were far too great.
In a corner of the mess hall, a group of students sat in a serious discussion.
"We should stick to the previous plan and clear out the remaining hostel buildings first," Shangguan Binger stated firmly.
"I agree. There are fewer mutants inside the buildings compared to the outside," another girl from Shangguan's group added.
"But the rain isn't stopping. I think we should wait for it to settle down before we move," a concerned student voiced.
Shangguan shook her head. "We have time, but the girls in the other hostels don't. The longer we wait, the more zombies we'll have to fight. And if we're too late, we might lose more survivors."
After careful consideration, they decided to split into smaller groups, each targeting different buildings to maximize efficiency. Large teams would struggle to fight in the compact hallways, so smaller squads were more effective.
Clearing the Hostels
Sam's team consisted of three shield bearers, four swordswomen, two archers, and himself. They decided to enter another hostel from the rooftop, avoiding unnecessary encounters with zombies outside.
Emmy joined Sam's team, eager to fight and grow stronger.
As soon as they entered, Sam used his bow, firing mana-infused arrows at the zombies ahead. His archery skills had improved significantly over the past few days—he could now land headshots within a 15-meter range with ease.
Emmy, taking cover behind Pia's shield, swiftly dispatched another zombie. Their teamwork improved with each fight, and as they moved floor by floor, they rescued more girls, strengthening their numbers.
Sam guided the newer fighters from behind, ensuring they gained experience while he provided cover, eliminating any unexpected threats.
On the first floor, they encountered a mutated lizard. As soon as Sam fired an arrow, the creature dodged with incredible speed and lunged at one of the shield bearers, Gwen.
"Emmy, Gwen, stay back! Everyone else, focus on the remaining zombies!" Sam ordered.
Following his command, the rest of the team backed off, leaving space for the three to handle the lizard. After a tense struggle, they managed to kill it, then regrouped with the others who had successfully cleared the remaining undead.
Reaching the ground floor, they first secured the entrance, blocking it to prevent any more zombies from entering.
Something's off... Sam thought as he fought. The zombies seem stronger.
RING! RING! RING!
Sam's phone vibrated in his pocket. Ignoring it, he focused on clearing the remaining zombies in the mess hall. Once the fight was over, he retrieved his phone and saw multiple missed calls—from both Max and Garry.
Realizing something was wrong, he immediately called Max back.
"Hello?" Sam answered.
"Sam, did Garry call you?" Max asked, his voice tense.
"Yeah, but I was busy fighting. What's going on?"
"Bad news. Garry reported that the zombies outside have gotten stronger. Some of the guys were injured, and they turned into zombies almost immediately. There are casualties on their side."
Sam's expression darkened. "So, it's not just us. The rain has changed them. We need to regroup."
"Agreed. I'll lead the girls back to the F3 building."
Sam quickly turned to the others. "We're moving out. Pack up and grab as much food as possible. We have more people now, and stronger ones can carry extra supplies."
Understanding the urgency, everyone prepared to leave. The weaker girls were tasked with carrying supplies so that the stronger fighters wouldn't be burdened in case of an emergency.
Sam slung a backpack full of food over his shoulders, his quiver of arrows ready for use
As they reached the terrace, they noticed that the storm had begun to clear, with strong winds pushing away the heavy clouds. However, their relief was short-lived—mutant birds circled in the sky, watching them. Despite their presence, the birds didn't attack, as they rarely went after groups.
Sam remained on high alert, his bow drawn with a mana arrow nocked, just in case.
One by one, they crossed the makeshift cloth bridge to the next building. Sam was the last to cross, ensuring everyone's safety before closing the rooftop door behind them.
"Let's move. We need to get to the ground floor and secure the new arrivals."
As they descended, an unsettling feeling crept over Sam. He knew that their battles were only going to get harder from here.