After everyone had finished eating, Dong Junwei gathered everyone again.
"So, Tang Jing, Chen Mu, and I discussed it earlier. We feel that staying in the classroom is not a long-term solution. We should venture outside and find another safe spot. What do you all think?"
"Why? Wouldn't it be better to stay in the classroom and wait for someone else to rescue us? It could be even more dangerous out there. Any random bird could just swoop down and snatch us away."
Clearly, everyone was deeply troubled by Luo Hui being taken away by a swallow.
Dong Junwei sighed, "It's been over a day since we shrank. If someone was coming to rescue us, they would have done so by now. The lack of any response suggests that everyone else has shrunk like us. Who do you think would have the time to come and save us?"
Everyone fell silent, feeling a bit disheartened.
"And besides, the most crucial issue is that there's no food in the classroom," Dong Junwei continued.
"But we have cake! We can eat it for a long time," someone chimed in.
"Don't forget, it's summer now. Without refrigeration, the cake will go bad in just a couple of days."
"There's also a bigger problem – water," Tang Jing added.
She didn't mention it earlier, but as soon as she brought up water, everyone, including Chen Mu, felt their mouths parched.
"We have a water dispenser in the classroom," someone called out.
"The water dispenser is still too high. Do you expect Chen Mu to climb up again?" Dong Junwei said.
Tang Jing added, "Even if we manage to climb up, water won't last as long as cake. How do we bring it down? If we spill it on the ground, can we even drink it?"
As everyone contemplated, they realized the validity of these concerns.
"So, for now, it seems the only choice is to leave the classroom," Dong Junwei concluded.
"But where should we go?"
"That's where we need everyone's ideas and brainstorming."
Once again, silence fell upon the group.
Tang Jing spoke up, "I need to remind you all that we can't stay here any longer. With so much cake on the ground, it will soon become a paradise for ants and various insects. Dealing with one or two ants is already difficult for us, but if they come in large groups, we might end up becoming their food."
Everyone shivered in response.
"Don't scare us like that! No one said we're not leaving," someone retorted.
"Class monitor, do you have a plan? We'll just follow your lead."
Dong Junwei glanced at Tang Jing and Chen Mu.
Tang Jing seemed prepared and said, "First, we need to find an indoor location to protect us from sun and rain, and it's best to have a stable food source..."
"Then why not go to the cafeteria?" someone interrupted.
"Getting food doesn't necessarily mean going to the cafeteria. Besides, in this weather, the existing food won't last long, and it's probably impossible for us to access what's in the fridge. Furthermore, the cafeteria is also a gathering place for various insects and small animals—it's too dangerous."
"Then where else can we go?"
"I remember there's a small storage room to the north of the cafeteria, where they keep new cooking utensils. It should be a decent place. Once we're there, we can gather materials and build a shelter. Besides, it's not too far from the cafeteria, so if we're really stuck, we can go there to find emergency food."
Tang Jing explained her ideas.
Chen Mu pondered the plan for a while. While it didn't seem perfect, there was currently no better option for long-term survival.
Someone worried, "But the route from here to there will be filled with dangers."
"Dangers are inevitable, but it's still better than sitting here waiting for the worst," Dong Junwei said. "If anyone has a better idea, speak up now. If not, we'll go with Tang Jing's plan."
After a moment of silence, no one opposed.
"Alright, it's settled then," Dong Junwei decided firmly.
Without delay, everyone got up.
Dong Junwei instructed everyone to take as much cake as they could carry as their rations.
Despite more than a dozen people munching on cake, it only consumed a small portion of it.
With everything ready, Tang Jing calculated the time and determined the direction based on the light coming in from the window. Then, the group started making their way toward the classroom door.
Du Jiajia's seat was about five meters away from the classroom door, which meant they had to walk about five hundred meters.
The distance from the classroom to the cafeteria was an even longer journey.
Although Class 4 of the senior year was located in the building closest to the cafeteria, and their classroom was on the ground floor, Chen Mu estimated that the distance between the two places was about 70 meters.
Equivalent to the old seven kilometers!
Not terribly far, but who knows what they might encounter along the way.
Everyone felt a heavy burden in their hearts and remained quiet.
Wei Dalei and Chen Mu were at the front of the group. Especially Wei Dalei, he felt guilty for not taking on the responsibility he should have.
The path inside the classroom went relatively smoothly.
When they encountered two solitary ants, before Chen Mu could react, Wei Dalei quickly stepped forward and squashed both ants with his bare hands.
They reached the classroom door.
The door was closed, but as long as they slightly bent down, they could crawl out from under it.
Outside the classroom.
The sky was clear and vast.
For Chen Mu and the others, the sky now seemed higher and broader, making them feel even smaller.
Though they were on the ground floor, there were two steps between the classroom floor and the hallway outside.
Thankfully, there was a ramp nearby, which they could use to get down. Otherwise, the thirty-centimeter-high steps would have been like a wall for them.
"I'm wondering how the students in the upstairs classrooms will come down," Wei Dalei suddenly thought out loud.
"And those on the grassy field of the playground, there must be so many insects and things there..." someone added.
As soon as this was mentioned, everyone felt uneasy.
Chen Mu, Tang Jing, and Dong Junwei exchanged glances, then turned away at the same time.
Clearly, the three of them had already considered this issue.
But the answer was destined to be tragic.
Because they were utterly powerless, they tacitly avoided discussing it.
For now, they could only say, "We are all separated, and we can't help them. We can only pray that someone among them awakens powerful abilities and leads the others out of trouble."
This was just a comforting thought, and everyone understood that.
In this post-apocalyptic world, death had become all too commonplace.
Just think about Luo Hui.
For a moment, everyone felt sadness and sorrow weighing heavily on their hearts.
"Thankfully, we still have a good chance of survival," Dong Junwei knew they couldn't let the team continue being pessimistic, so she changed the subject, saying, "Let's push ourselves harder; it's only about six or seven kilometers to go. Let's try to reach our destination before it gets dark."
It was noon, and the ground was scorching hot. The path from the classroom to the cafeteria was all concrete, making it even hotter.
Nevertheless, Tang Jing insisted on continuing at this time because ants and insects would also find it hot, which made it safer for them.
With the thought of possibly becoming food for ants, no one complained about the heat anymore.
However, no matter how well they considered things, reality was still unpredictable.
As they came down the slope and turned the corner, they were confronted by a monstrous creature lying across their path, resembling a giant python.
"Holy... a big... snake!"
A few people turned and ran in fright.
Although Chen Mu was also scared, he tried to remain composed and shouted, "Don't be afraid, it's just a worm."