As your life was nearing its end,
Lara burst into the room, shouting, "Leave my Sam alone!" She immediately tackled the zombie girl, pinning her down and pointing a gun at her head. "Let him go," she demanded, "or watch your zombie girlfriend die for good."
Just a few minutes earlier—around five to eight minutes ago—
Sam (you) had yelled for help. Anh, who was listening to everything from the nurse's room adjacent to the main control room on the ground floor, quickly reacted.
He ended the call with Sam (you), grabbed the walkie-talkie from the table, and contacted Lara and the gang.
Lara lift the walkie and heard, "Lara, take the shotgun and run to the 7th floor, B block, first room," he instructed urgently. "Fast!"
Lara didn't hesitate. She grabbed the walkie-talkie, took the shotgun leaning against the wall, and checked if it was loaded. Turning to the other girls, she said, "Wait here. We'll both come back."
With that, she opened the door and ran out without another thought. Rena closed the door.
While she was on her way to the stairs, Lara pressed the red button on the walkie-talkie and asked Anh, "What's the situation?"
Anh responded, "Sam might be at death's door. Don't engage the guy messing with Sam. Just point the gun at the taped zombie girl. She's his weakness. You go first; I'll join you in a few minutes."
Lara shocked, "Zombie taped." She picked up speed, running faster than before. Reaching the stairs, she skipped almost ten steps at a time, jumping down with nothing stopping her. When she reached the 7th floor, Anh directed, "Go left. You'll see them in the first classroom on your left."
Lara burst into the classroom and immediately pointed the gun at the zombie girl's head.
While sitting on the zombie girl's back and pointing the shotgun at her head, Lara spoke, "No matter how despicable someone is, I have no intention of making enemies. So, let him go, and I'll let her go."
The attacker immediately released his grip on Sam's (your) neck. Sam collapsed to the ground, motionless.
The attacker ran toward the zombie girl, and Lara rushed to Sam. She fell to the ground, pulling Sam into her chest and gently slapping his cheeks. "What did you do to Sam? His body is getting cold," she exclaimed.
The attacker, holding the zombie girl to his chest, replied, "He's out of oxygen. Give him CPR; he might be fine."
The boyfriend slowly laid the zombie girl on the floor and said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but everyone who knows about her must die." He began walking towards Lara and Sam (you).
At the same time, a chubby guy reached the 7th floor, running towards the room while holding a pistol. "I'm already out of breath," he panted, standing outside the room where the zombie girl was. He overheard the boyfriend's ominous statement.
Anh, speaking with a commanding bass voice, pointed his gun at the zombie girl. "Leave them, or I will shoot your girl in the head. I may look like this, but I'm very good with guns."
The boyfriend looked back and exclaimed, "How many people will get in my way?" Just as he prepared to charge at Anh, Anh fired a shot at the ground, a few inches from the boyfriend's toes, forcing him to back off.
Anh then said, "Hey, boyfriend. You might be fast enough to pin me down, but with a gun, I'm faster than you. If I shoot your calf and feet, it will slow you down just enough for me to shoot her in the head." Then, talking to himself, he added, "Please buy the bluff. I am definitely faster with a gun, but in my current state, out of breath as I am, there's no way I can move it faster than him."
The boyfriend backed away slowly and sat on the ground, holding the zombie girl close. Anh took a deep breath, walked towards them, and stood right in front of them.
Pointing the gun at them, Anh said, "Don't move, boss, please." He glanced at Lara and instructed, "Do what you need to do, Lara."
Lara put Sam (you) on the ground, pinched his nose shut, and placed her mouth over his, delivering two quick breaths. "Nothing," she muttered under her breath and began chest compressions, counting aloud as she pressed down on his chest.
"Stay with us, Sam," she muttered between compressions. She again pinched his nose shut, placed her mouth over his, delivered one quick breath, and resumed chest compressions.
Suddenly, a gasp echoed through the room, followed by a weak cough.
You slowly opened your eyes, while coughing, said, "Don't drag me into the white light; I don't want to go to the other side. Leave me." you continued, "Where did you put that hand of yours? Don't grab there."
Lara looked at you and said, "Sam, wake up. Come to your senses." She gently slapped your cheeks.
As you slowly regained your senses, you mumbled, "Wait, what is this spongy thing hitting the back of my head?" You moved your head to the side, noting, "It's warm and has a nice aroma. Its texture is odd, but I want to sink my head into the sponginess."
As your eyes adjusted to the light, you continued, "Lara!" You paused for a second. "You look beautiful, Lara." You glanced to your left and saw Anh pointing a gun at the boyfriend. "You came, Anh. Thanks," you said. "Don't move the gun even an inch. He's dangerous, bro. His threat level is the same as those zombies." Despite the tense moment, the squishiness under your head distracted you. "What's that thing under my head? It's disturbing, but it feels great."
Lara replied softly, "It's my thigh."
You looked straight at her, quickly sat up, and started talking as if nothing had happened. Clearing your throat, you asked, "Well! Anh, how many people know about her?" Lara walked towards the zombie girl and pointed the gun at her face.
Anh, still looking straight at the boyfriend and the zombie girl, said, "So far, only the three of us know."
The boyfriend, with a shocked expression, asked, "Did you seriously not tell anyone else besides that girl?"
Anh replied, "There's nothing to be shocked about, boss. So far, I'm killing those zombies because I'm afraid of turning into one of them. Even now, the girl you're trying to protect with everything you've got fears me more than you."
Anh continued, "The reason I didn't tell anyone is simple: I don't want them to panic and ruin my plan."
The boyfriend replied, "So, you've become in charge of the school now?"
Anh responded, "I'm not in charge of anything. I just want to get away from this hell. I'm gathering all these people to increase our chances of survival."
The boyfriend said, "If you're gathering these people for survival, let me give you a good proposal. As you can see, and you can ask your friend, I can fight those zombies head-on. You need someone like me to protect you from them."
He continued, "So, decide: A or B. A—Kill me. I won't move now with that woman pointing a gun at my girlfriend's head. Simple, let's end it. I'll consider it karma for trying to kill that innocent guy.
"Or B—Let me be part of your plan. Even though I'm carrying her, I can still fight. The only thing I ask is that you don't let anyone know she's a zombie, and I promise to keep her from killing or eating anyone. You can trust me on that."
Anh started to speak but was interrupted. "You're not understanding…"
The boyfriend cut him off, "Well, situations are always complex. My friends are heading towards this class; they're about seven rooms away. If you tell them about her and panic rises, your plan will collapse. If panic sets in, you'll lose focus. That moment will be enough for me to take the shotgun from her and kill you. As I said, you have two options: trust me or kill me. Choose quickly, boss—you only have minutes."
Anh gave it serious thought while still pointing the gun at the boyfriend's head.
The boyfriend said, "They are five classes away... four classes away..."
Anh looked at you and said, "Don't take this the wrong way, Sam. I know he tried to kill you, but if the survivors inside our block find out that a zombie is being protected, everything I've worked for will collapse: the time, the trust, and the hope of escaping this hell. So, I'm going to say yes to him."
You replied, "You don't have to ask me, dude. You saved us. Do what you need to do. The only thing I hope is that everything works out in the end."
The boyfriend, looking at you, added, "If you're worried about my girlfriend, you can trust me. I'll do everything in my power to stop her from killing anyone."
Lara pulled the gun away from the zombie girl's head, looked at the three of them, and said, "Hey, boyfriend. You could have done the same thing, talked it out before trying to kill Sam. This whole drama started because of you."
The boyfriend, now identified as Berus, replied, "I was just out of my comfort zone. Whatever, I'm Berus, and she is my zombie girlfriend, Rias." At that moment, Rias's friends entered the classroom.
One of Rias's friends asked, "What are you all doing? And also, we heard a gunshot?"
Anh quickly responded, "We're just having a discussion, and Berus looks strong, so we're asking him for some help, nothing more."
Anh added, "And about the gunshot, I accidentally pulled the trigger. My bad."
Rias's friend nodded, "Ohh..." Then she noticed, "Wait, your voice sounds kind of similar to the guy who talked on the mic a few hours back."
Anh confirmed, "Yeah, that's me. And also, madam and guys, why don't you all go to the ground floor room? It's better to stay in one place than to stay divided."
A boy replied, "Yeah, it's better that way. Before we all go downstairs, do you need any help from us?"
Anh responded, "There's one thing I want you guys to do: search for food in the classes you're familiar with. Don't open any classroom doors or windows if they're closed. Take all the food you find to the ground floor. That's all I need."
The boys agreed and went off to hunt for food. Anh escorted the three girls who were Rias's friends to the ground floor. Before leaving the room, he said, "I'm going down with these girls. You two can manage, right?"
You and Berus nodded, and Lara said, "I'll go back to the storeroom. Both Rena and Ginny will panic if Sam and I don't get there fast."
Berus called out, "Sam," and you looked at him with a questioning expression. He asked, "Can I talk with you?"
Seeing his expression filled with guilt and sadness, you said to all of them, "Guys, why don't you move? We'll catch up later."
You both remained in the room while the others left. You asked, "What do you want to talk about?"
Berus said, "I'm sorry for strangling you," as he kneeled down and bowed in front of you. You were slightly shocked.
"You don't need to do that," you replied as he stood up. "Whatever happened, happened. The only thing I can say is, however many days you hold her, we don't know who can help her or if help is even available. You're taking a big risk."
He admitted, "I don't know, dude. Maybe you're right and I'm wrong, but I still want her."
"You're right, it's your personal issue," you replied. "Just don't forget, you're walking with a ticking time bomb, and all our lives are in your hands."
He said firmly, holding her close, "I will stop her."
They reminded you of you and Nita, but you pushed that thought aside and said, "You said you can still fight back even while holding her. Prove it."
He looked puzzled and asked, "How?"
With an evil smile, you replied, "Follow me." You picked up the baseball bat from the ground, and Berus placed his girlfriend on his shoulder, steadying her. Together, you both walked out of the room and headed to the 8th floor.
On the way to the storeroom, you noticed the girls struggling to carry a bag packed with all the necessary supplies you found. You and Berus walked closer to them and asked, "Ladies, need any help?"
The three of them looked at you and laughed, but Ginny, with tears in her eyes, came close to hug you. She said, "When Anh said you were in danger, it freaked me out. I heard from Lara that it was just that you fell down and lost consciousness. Anh took it as a bad sign and made all this fuss."
You said, looking away from her, "Yeah, that's what happened." After a pause, Ginny stopped hugging you, and you continued, "Why don't you girls take it easy? We'll both carry this heavy bag."
With the three of them walking behind you both, you and Berus held the big bag at both ends. He asked, "What do you put in this bag?"
As you both started walking, you replied, "Medical supplies, sports gear, nail boxes, duct tape, and more."
He remarked, "A lot of useful stuff. Hey, why don't you go help them? I can take care of this bag."
You asked, "Are you sure?"
He nodded with a smile. "Thanks," you said. "I'm slightly afraid that maybe some leftover zombies might attack them. I'm just paranoid, bro. I'll go to them; you go to the ground floor first."
As you continued walking with the baseball bat in hand, you added, "You can make people believe she's having panic attacks, but you can't fool Miss Yuri. She might be a nurse in our college, but she used to work in a well-known hospital and is a respected doctor. So get ready to face her."
Berus replied as he passed you, "I'll try to talk with her." He walked away, looking back and saying, "I'll talk with her peacefully."
You chuckled. He walked towards the stairs, carrying his girlfriend on his shoulders. You looked back at the girls and thought, "Are they okay? The food they brought from the safe room isn't much, just two mini chip packets and a mini water bottle. They haven't even had proper water for the past 5 hours."
You stopped the three of them and told them to sit in the classroom. They entered, and you ran to the vending machine at the end of the hallway. The whole vending machine outside was covered with blood. You went close and rubbed the glass with your forearm to see what items were inside. You found the jackpot—the vending machine was almost full. You ran back to the classroom where the girls were and asked them to empty six bags. You took six bags and brought Lara with you to the vending machine.
Lara's eyes sparkled at the sight of the food. "It has noodles and water. Let's break it," she exclaimed.
You handed her the bat, but she declined. "No need, my hands are enough."
"What are you saying?"
"Trust me, Sam."
She took a pose from karate movies, stretching her legs wide and pulling her right arm back. With just one punch, the glass was completely shattered, and miraculously, her hand was unharmed.
"We have lots of food now," she said after drinking a bottle of water.
"Is your hand really fine?" you asked, astonished.
"Yeah, see for yourself," she replied, showing her unscathed hand.
You thought, "She's dangerous. Is she really the same girl I found crying with her friend? Until now, I thought it was luck that saved them, but she might be the reason they survived for two whole hours in that room. There's no way those little chairs they used to guard themselves can stop zombies."
Aloud, you said, "I think I found myself a strong woman. With you around, it's easier to fight these zombies."
Lara lifted her eyebrows and replied, "Thanks, but you don't know me?"
"I don't know you, but you're from the celebrity class. You might be some celebrity's child. Is there anything more to it?"
"Yeah, what you said is correct. There is. Let's fill the bags with food and go. They'll be happy when they see the food."
"Yeah, they'll definitely be happy."
You both filled five bags with chips, biscuits, chocolates, noodles, water bottles, and soft drinks. Carrying the food, you reached the classroom and placed it on a desk. Lara offered, "Who wants to eat some noodles?"
The three looked at each other, and Rena replied, "Where did you find it? We thought of searching all these bags hoping for food."
"It doesn't matter, let's eat," you replied. You all emptied eight half-liter water bottles and started eating. whatever faniced your eyes.
After finishing one bag of food, you burped and said, "Shall we move now, girls?"
They nodded, and the four of you each grabbed a bag. You took the baseball bat, Lara had the shotgun, and Rena held your iron pipe. With your makeshift weapons and filled bags, you all left the room.
Bonus Story 2: Anh Plan- The nightmare floors-2
After they left the room, they made their way halfway down the stairs to the second floor. As they reached the landing, they halted. The corridor ahead was pitch black. After a few moments, their eyes adjusted to the darkness, revealing that the entire hallway was overrun with zombies.
Hina's expression turned serious. "We've got a major problem. The hallway is packed."
Ria took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.
Everyone's faces were etched with fear as Ria broke the silence, "What should we do now?" The first-floor stairs were barricaded by zombies, and the entire second floor was crawling with them.
Anh's mind raced. "The second floor is darker than the third, and we're stuck in the middle of the stairs. Why aren't any of these zombies coming for us?"
He continued, "The second floor is close to the ground floor. Why aren't these zombies reacting to the groans from below? They've always been drawn to noise before. Why are they ignoring it now?"
Ria, her voice low and strained, asked, "What should we do?"
Anh responded, "We follow the plan. Trident, start setting off the alarms. Throw the phone towards the second classroom door."
He handed another phone to Ria. "Do the same. Throw it far from us."
As Trident and Ria went through the phone, Anh sensed something shifting in the zombies' movements. "Why does it feel like some of them are moving towards the stairs?" He glanced over at Trident, who was busy setting the alarm. Just as Anh's doubt began to solidify, Trident and Ria threw their phones.
Some zombies shuffled towards the sound, but Anh questioned, "Most of them reacted to the noise, but why aren't they coming downstairs?"
Ria whispered to Hina, "I set it for 12 times." Hina held up two fingers, indicating twelve.
Trident leaned in and said, "I set mine for 10 times."
After a minute or two, the loud alarms blared from the phones: [KIK.., KIK..,] Most of the zombies on the second floor were now converging on the sound. But as Anh and the group watched, they noticed something dangerous.
Anh's voice dropped to a stunned whisper, "What the hell happened here?" The sight before them was nightmarish: the entire floor was a grotesque tapestry of blood and half-eaten body parts, with zombies ravenously feeding on the remains.
"This must be why they're not moving downstairs," Anh said grimly. "They've got all the food they need right here. Or maybe they just don't care about anything else as long as there's flesh to consume."
As Anh considered their grim situation, the rest of the group was paralyzed with horror.
Gwen clutched Lyra's hand, burying her face in her shoulder to hide her fear.
Lyra stood frozen, her eyes wide and unblinking, unable to process the horrifying scene.
Trident, unable to tear his eyes away from the carnage, clamped his hand over his mouth. In his shock, he didn't even realize he'd soiled himself until the dampness became apparent.
Ria's face contorted with terror as she watched a zombie stumble past, revealing a half-severed head among the carnage. She lost her balance, nearly collapsing, but Hina quickly caught her.
"Stay strong, girl," Hina whispered urgently into Ria's ear, trying to steady her.
"They can't see us, that's for sure," Anh murmured, his voice heavy with confusion. "Is it because of the darkness, or is there another reason? Why is the entire second floor powered off?"
Hina signaled for them to keep moving, and Anh, speaking in a hushed, urgent tone, directed the group behind him. "Move quietly, everyone."
They proceeded cautiously, inching their way down to the first floor. However, halfway down the stairs, they encountered a new problem.
Hina, her voice low and intense, raised her right hand to block their path. "Stop. All of you, gather in that corner." She called Anh, "Anh, you need to see this."
Anh moved cautiously toward the stair railing, his eyes scanning for any sign of danger. He peered down into the first floor, trying to make sense of what lay below.
Anh stared down into the darkness, his voice a mixture of disbelief and frustration. "What the flying fuck is this?"
Hina, equally stunned, added in a low, tense tone, "There are lights on this floor, and the stairs leading to the ground floor are swarming with zombies."
She then asked, "How the hell are we supposed to get to the ground floor?"
Anh's gaze remained fixed on the chaotic scene below. "We can figure that out later. For now, we need that speaker. Where's the room?"
Hina replied, "It's down the second right hallway. But do we really need it? Maybe we should just focus on how to get past the zombies."
Anh shook his head, his expression resolute. "There are other ways to get to the ground floor—hell, we could even jump down, though we'd probably end up injured. But that speaker is crucial for our plan. If we want to clear the ground floor, we need it. It's the key to making that happen."
"OK, but how do we reach that room? As you can see this floor has more zombies than the 2nd floor and we're standing in the middle of both floors, One mistake we become sandwich for these zombies."
"Think, Anh. There might be a clue you missed."
Anh pondered aloud, "The second floor—there's something about it. On every other floor, we were attacked, but on the second floor, we faced two possibilities: darkness and the presence of meat."
He peered down to the first floor again, recalculating his plan.
"There are two options now. One—fight them head-on, which is essentially instant death. There's no way we can win against that horde."
He continued, "Two—cut the tube light wires attached to the circuit boards."
He turned to Hina. "Hina, do you think you're fast enough to cut those tube light wires before they catch you?"
Hina replied, "I can manage one, but there are more than six lights in the first floor hallway."
Anh nodded. "Fighting them is a death sentence. You saw how many there were. Turning off those lights is our only option."
Trident spoke up in a low tone, "I'm not sure how the lights will help, but if you want to turn them off, the switches for the hallway lights are in the storeroom on the first floor, the first room of the first hallway. If the room is locked, use the key I gave you. It should work for every door on the first floor."
Anh looked at Hina. "So, Hina, do you want to give it a shot?"
"I'll try, but you'll need to distract them. We can't use the phones now; there's a chance the zombies from the second floor will come down."
Anh considered it. "How about we all lure them?"
Ria asked, "What do you mean?"
"We'll run to the second hallway, and Hina will take care of the lights."
Lyra spoke up, "So, you're saying we're the bait."
"Exactly."
A tense silence fell over the group as they exchanged looks.
Anh broke it. "This is the only way, trust me. Any other plan is suicide. It's better to try now than to regret it later."
Gwen nodded, determination in her eyes. "I'm ready. I want to get out of here and see my parents."
Anh gave her a reassuring smile.
Hina then said quietly, "Thank you."
The remaining three—Trident, Ria, and Lyra—stood up, ready to go.
Anh took a deep breath. "Now that we're all in, let's tweak the plan. Hina, you'll go your own way, so take care of yourself."
He glanced at the group. "When the alarm rings, we run straight through the horde. There's a chance we'll get stuck between zombies running towards the sound. We've got a small window, but in that time, Hina will switch off the lights. Ria, you're our muscle—swing that iron pipe like your life depends on it. Aim for the ribs, knock them away from us."
Trident nodded as Anh continued. "You'll protect Lyra and Gwen. Stay in the middle of Ria and me. Don't fight unless they're coming right at you, and use the bag to hit them—it'll work better than you think."
Anh's gaze hardened. "I'll take care of any zombies chasing us."
He turned to Hina. "Help us until we reach the first hallway, then get to the storeroom and switch off the lights." Anh gave a missed call to her phone using one of the phones they collected. "When the lights go off, start calling this number over and over. The sound in the dark might distract the zombies enough to give us a shot."
Anh's voice dropped as he explained the final part. "After I throw the phone towards the left hallway, we all run to the right, hugging the walls. It might give us a bit of cover. I don't know if it'll work, but it's better than nothing."
He looked each of them in the eye. "I'm asking you to enter a death match. Are you in?"
One by one, they all nodded, steeling themselves for what was coming.
They stood on the wide curve of the stairs, just a few steps from the first floor. In front of them, a steep, narrow gap through the horde of zombies stretched out like a gauntlet of death. Almost the entire floor was crawling with the undead.
Hina quickly went through the phones, setting the alarms to go off 20 times within 2 minutes. She tossed one phone towards the stairs leading to the ground floor and the other towards the first left hallway.
Two minutes later.
Without a word, Hina bolted forward, Ria right on her heels, followed by the rest of them, running in dead silence as their hearts hammered in their chests.
Just a few seconds later the alarms blared—pop songs cut through the silence like gunfire. The two songs blasted simultaneously from different directions, creating chaos among the zombies.
Hina broke off from the group, heading towards the left hallway. She weaved through the zombies, ducking and sidestepping their slow, clumsy movements, even delivering a quick, brutal kick to one's legs to send it toppling. Meanwhile, Anh and the others ran as if their lives depended on it—because they did.
They barely crossed the first hallway before Hina split from them, the chaos behind them only beginning to stir.
Some zombies ignored Anh and the gang, fixated on the blaring phone alarms. But others weren't so easily distracted. Zombies from all the hallways were closing in slowly, their hungry eyes locked on the group. If they didn't find a place to hide soon, they'd become a feast.
The zombies were just meters away, moving in closer. Ria swung her iron pipe with all her strength, trying to keep the undead at bay, but the horde was relentless. Anh aimed carefully, shooting down zombies with precision, each shot intended to take out as many as possible. When a zombie fell, it tripped up two or three others behind it, buying them precious seconds. But his nails were running out fast.
As he reloaded, Anh's thoughts raced. "What's taking so long, Hina? Don't tell me you've turned into one of them."
Just as despair began to creep in, the lights started flickering off. Anh's heart lifted. "You're still with us, Hina. Now call us, come on."
The seconds felt like hours. Then, finally, the phone rang.
Anh didn't need to say a word. The ringtone was the signal. Without hesitation, he hurled the phone into the classroom on his left, the sound echoing in the darkness. The group immediately took off, running towards the second right hallway,
Everything seemed to be going well. The zombies were drawn to the ringtone and the alarm sounds, clearing a path for the group. Anh's thoughts were focused on one thing: "The only issue now is her safety. Hina, be careful."
They were just a few feet away from the second hallway when Trident whispered to Ria, "We're almost there. The room is the second door on the left."
Ria sprinted toward the room, with everyone following closely behind. But just as they were about to reach safety, disaster struck. Gwen and Lyra's feet tangled, sending them both crashing to the ground. Trident, in a panic, bolted toward the room, leaving them behind. Ria, unaware of what had happened behind her, continued running.
Anh saw them fall and immediately realized the danger they were in. Zombies were closing in, slow but relentless. "That fucking Trident," he thought, his anger flaring. "I told him to look after them, and that asshole just left them."
He began firing at any zombie that got too close, but even as he shot them down, he was frantically trying to think of a way to save Gwen and Lyra.
Lyra, wincing in pain, spoke softly, "Leave me and save yourselves. My ankle's twisted. I can't walk properly for a few minutes. Take Gwen and go."
"Shut the fuck up," Anh snapped, his voice tense. "Don't try to act like a grown-up now. I can't escape from this horde. I'm just buying time by taking these zombies down, and I'm not leaving you behind. Hina or Ria will come to save us."
Lyra managed a weak smile. "You're too honest, Anh. It'll get you hurt one day. Think of this as my parting gift."
Before he could stop her, Lyra shoved Gwen into Anh's arms, then crawled forward, grabbing the legs of the nearest zombie.
Anh was shocked and yelled, "What the fuck are you doing?"
He watched in horror as a zombie that had fallen near Lyra began crawling toward her legs, with more zombies closing in from behind. She was completely surrounded.
"No, no…," Anh thought, his mind racing. Then he remembered the pistol Hina had given him. Without hesitation, he grabbed it from his back, quickly loaded it, and shot the crawling zombie in the head.
The gunshot echoed through the hallway with a loud BAM! The noise was deafening, and it drew the attention of every zombie nearby. They began turning toward the sound, their pace quickening as they zeroed in on Anh Gwen and Lyra. But Anh didn't care about the noise anymore. His focus was on keeping the zombies at bay. As he kept shooting at the zombies getting closer, he thought, "This clip has 10 more shots, and I have three extra magazines. I can take down 55 zombies in total."
"Someone get to the sound and save our asses. Hina, Ria, anyone, come fast and save us! At least carry Lyra—I'll guard you," he thought desperately, hoping someone would come to their rescue before it was too late.
It was like a miracle. As Anh fired the last bullet from his clip, the sound of music began blasting from both sides of the hallway. Most of the zombies around Anh and the girls were momentarily distracted.
Within seconds, Ria and Hina emerged from the gaps in the horde created by the zombies' sudden shift in focus. Anh and the girls looked at them with relief and gratitude, their smiles revealing a glimmer of hope.
At that moment, the announcement speakers on the first floor blared with a high-pitched screeching sound—KEEEEEEE—cutting through the chaos. The zombies all around groaned in seems with irritation, clearly disturbed by the noise. This unexpected distraction provided Anh and the girls with a crucial window to make their move.
While Ria carried Lyra, Anh carried Gwen, and Hina guarded them, using the iron pipe to push away any zombies that got too close. They were just a few feet from reaching the door when they saw a shocking sight—ten or more zombies were running and groaning, charging down the hallway toward them.
The sight of the sprinting zombies made their bodies shiver in fear. Without daring to look back, they all ran as fast as they could toward the door. Their window of survival had shrunk to mere seconds, with luck being their only hope.
As they neared the door, Hina noticed Trident standing against it. Without hesitation, she threw him the key and shouted, "RUN ALL OF YOU, FAST! WE CAN'T TRUST THAT TRIDENT!"
They sprinted towards the door, but instead of holding it open for them, Trident opened it just enough to slip inside, then began closing it with a sly smile, muttering, "Suck up."
In the nick of time, Hina launched herself forward, delivering a flying double kick to the door. The force knocked Trident back, and the door swung wide open.
Ria, carrying Lyra, rushed into the room, followed closely by Anh with Gwen. Hina, who had landed hard on the ground after the kick, struggled to move. Anh quickly grabbed her and dragged her inside just as Gwen slammed the door shut and locked it.
After Gwen locked the door, Anh quickly grabbed a nearby table and blocked the entrance with it. He then made sure Hina was seated properly, helping her rest against the corner of the room, and checked on her condition.
Meanwhile, Ria carefully placed Lyra on the ground before turning her attention to Trident, who stood trembling on the other side of the room. Fear and uncertainty were written all over his face as Ria approached him.
As he tried to punch her in a desperate attempt to defend himself, Ria caught his left hand, twisted his arm behind his back, and snarled, "Do you think this is a game? Playing with people's lives, you asshole."
Keeping his arm in a painful hold, she kicked him hard on the backside, causing him to kneel and scream, "MY BACK!"
"Your back? We almost died because of you, and look at Hina! She's in that state because of your cowardice." Ria let go of his arm and kicked him again, this time squarely on his back. "You had one simple job—just open the door and hide yourself inside."
"You asshole," she spat, delivering a harsh kick to his face, smearing the dirt from her shoes across his cheek.
Hina, watching with a cold stare, yelled, "Why waste your energy beating him? He probably thinks a few kicks and punches are the worst he'll get. You're really kind for a bully. If I could stand right now, I'd blast his balls off. Until I'm..."
Before Hina could finish, Ria delivered a swift, brutal kick to Trident's groin. He let out a loud yell, but Gwen quickly found a cloth on the floor and stuffed it into his open mouth, muffling his cries so the noise wouldn't attract the zombies outside.
Ria kicked him in the groin again, then looked at Hina, who was laughing, and said with a smirk, "Kind? The thought just didn't strike me."
Anh noticed Hina's leg bleeding more heavily than before. He quickly searched for something to help and found a napkin on one of the shelves. He tied it tightly around her wound.
"Are you okay, Hina?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
"I can manage," she replied. "I just need a little rest."
Anh sat down on the floor, leaning against the table they'd used to block the door. He watched as Gwen tended to Lyra's leg. Ria then spoke up, "Anh, get away from the door. Who knows what they could do?"
"Yeah, you're right." Anh moved away from the door and sat a little further from Ria.
Anh thought, "We can't just stay here. We need to do something and get to the maintenance room." He glanced at the speaker and wondered, "How can I get this speaker to the east/right entrance? The farther away from the entrance, the better. But how?"
"Even if I could throw the speaker from the first floor, I'd need to cross six rooms to reach the end of the hallway. Hina needs to rest, and Ria is too exhausted. Even if she fights, there's no way she can get past those zombies. What do I do now?"
Anh shrugged off his frustration and said aloud, "First, let's see what this speaker can do." He examined it and noted, "It's a Bluetooth model, an old one, but at least we don't have to worry about it shutting off unexpectedly."
Turning to Trident, Anh asked, "How loud can this speaker get?"
Trident, his voice muffled by the cloth in his mouth and filled with pain from Ria's beating, replied, "It's a 120-decibel custom speaker. Its full volume can be heard all over the university."
Anh nodded. "Good, but how do we get it down there? Any ideas?" He looked at the group.
Hina said, "We need to get out of this room."
"Is that a joke?" Anh replied.
Hina gave him a light chuckle.
Gwen suggested, "Why don't we throw it from the first floor?"
Anh shook his head. "But how do we get through the hallway? Hina can't move, Ria is too tired, and the rest of us would be overrun by zombies the moment we step outside."
The room fell silent, with only the screeching sound of the speaker outside filling the background.
Gwen raised her hand and cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Ahem..."
She continued, "The screeching sound we're hearing means someone is definitely in the maintenance room. I don't think we were saved just by luck. The reason I think this is because there's a security camera at the start of the second hallway, and the noise started just as we were surrounded. They probably tried to help us. Also, this isn't just a speaker issue; if you listen closely, all the speakers in the block are making the same exact noise."
Everyone listened closely to the sounds outside.
Hina gave Gwen a knowing nod. Trident, still clueless, looked around. Anh gave Gwen a surprised but approving look. Ria said, "Yeah, I hear the echo or It is an overlapping sound from the ground floor."
Gwen nodded. "Exactly. Someone is trying to help us from the maintenance room. But how do we contact them? They're crucial to this plan."
Anh said, "So you're suggesting we can control the zombies with the noise from the speaker?"
"Yeah!" Gwen nodded.
"Good plan, and it aligns with mine. But, as you said, the key issue is contacting them."
Trident removed the cloth from his mouth and said, looking at the floor, "There's a landline in the maintenance room. I'll give you the number, but you need to stop beating me."
Everyone except Trident glanced at Ria and Hina. Anh said, "You both are in charge of protecting us. We'll leave it up to you."
Both Ria and Hina nodded. Ria then said, "Fine, we won't beat you."
"Also, everyone should listen to what I say."
Hina adjusted her position and said, "You know, we could use you to lure the zombies and get to the end of the hallway. Don't make us do it." Ria glared at him angrily.
Trident adjusted himself and said to Hina, "Okay, you don't have to follow my orders, but don't expect me to look after anyone. I'm not your servant."
Ria replied to him with an angry glare, "Fine, then we won't protect you."
Trident stood up and said to Ria, "If you won't protect me, how am I supposed to survive?"
"You piece of narcissistic asshole. you don't help us but expect us to help you?"
"If you don't agree, I'm not giving you the number."
"You think this is a game? A few kicks and punches to your nuts, and you'll give up the number. Stop playing word games and just give us the number."
Trident looked at Ria's angry face and said, "Alright, I'll give you the number, but just stop with the beating. I've had enough."
Both Hina and Ria said in unison, "We already agreed to that. We won't beat you unnecessarily."
Anh added, "Nice timing."
Trident said, "Alright, I'll give you the number." He rattled it off without looking at his phone, and Anh dialed it.
As they waited for an answer, Ria asked, "Why did you memorize a random number from school?" Her expression was one of confusion.
Trident smirked. "I used to call the maintenance room for alcohol, cocaine, and sometimes, they bring female students who sell themselves for money."
Everyone stared at him in disgust.
Anh said, "They picked up the call. Hello?"
Hina added, "Put it on speaker."
Anh did as instructed.
"Hello, is this the Block ANGEL maintenance room?"
All they heard in response was the sound of heavy breathing. Anh, alarmed, said, "Is a zombie answering the call or what?"
[Who are you calling a zombie… heavy breathing… I'm not bitten.]
Ria said, "I recognize that voice."
Hina said, "It's Miss Yuri, stupid."
"Miss Yuri," Hina said, "Take a deep breath and tell us what happened. Don't worry, we're all fine—no one's bitten."
After Hina spoke, the room fell silent, with only Miss Yuri's heavy breathing coming through the phone.
[I'm relieved to hear you're all still alive. I'm terrified—I'm the only one left alive.] Miss Yuri began crying softly. [I'm so, so happy that there's someone else out there.] Her crying gradually subsided, and they heard her sniffling quietly.
She continued, [There's actually another group I saw on the first-floor CCTV footage. I hope they're alive. It was so dark I couldn't see their faces clearly.]
Anh, smiling, said, "We're alive, Miss Yuri. Thanks for the save."
[Oh… chuckle… Thank God, you're all alive. I've been worried sick. After you guys moved out of the CCTV camera's range, I kept wondering if you were still okay. I cried a lot, feeling like I was left alone.]
Hina said, "There's no need to worry. Even if we don't make it, there are still ten more people alive in this block. You're not alone, Miss."
[Don't say things like that. We'll make it through. Say you'll survive, and we'll meet again.]
"We will meet again, Miss Yuri."
Miss Yuri chuckled.
Anh interrupted them, "Sorry, Miss Yuri, but we need your help. But first, can you move away from the mic? The screeching sound is irritating. Gwen, can you explain the plan you mentioned?"
After Anh mentioned the mic, the screeching sound stopped.
Gwen explained the plan, but Miss Yuri responded, [I don't know how to use just one speaker at a time. I know it's software-based, but there are so many apps—over a hundred—and some of them have questionable icons. I tried opening many apps, but nothing worked. And about that mic incident—I tried shouting into the mic but forgot I needed to keep a certain distance for my voice to come through clearly.]
Anh asked, "Miss, you mentioned it's software-based. What do you mean?"
[These speakers work through the local Wi-Fi network. The guy in charge of the maintenance room said that compared to 10 years ago, there's much less work now because it's all software-based. With just one tap, I can change the speakers and make announcements easily, without the hassle of setting them up or dealing with repairs every month or two.]
"Miss, do you know the name of the speakers?"
There was silence on the other end. Anh then asked, "Does anyone here know the name of the speakers?"
Everyone in the room shook their heads.
Hina suggested, "Why don't we ask in our block and college WhatsApp groups?"
"That's a good idea!" Anh messaged the group, asking the same question. Only about 20 people replied, most of them spouting nonsense instead of answering the question. However, a few tried to help but weren't sure. Finally, the group admin replied with the name: "MCONY." Anh quickly replied, "ARE YOU SURE?" The admin responded with a thumbs-up emoji.
Anh then asked, "Miss Yuri, are you there?"
[Y-Yeah!]
"Try searching 'MCONY' in the search bar."
[Okay, something came up... Wait a second... Yes, this is the software. It shows all the names with labels like 'Ground Floor Speaker,' 'First Floor Speaker,' etc. I can control the zombies using this. You guys, get ready to leave the room when I tell you to move.]
"OK, Miss Yuri!"
Suddenly, they heard her voice coming from the speakers outside the room, "Do you guys hear me clearly now?" Anh quickly turned off the speaker on his phone.
All of them responded, "Yes, Miss Yuri." The call was still ongoing, but now they could hear her through the speakers outside.
Hina moved closer to the phone and asked, "What's the situation on the first floor, Miss Yuri? Are the zombies still running around?"
From the speaker, Miss Yuri's voice came through, "No, after the screeching sound stopped, they went on a rampage for a few seconds and then calmed down. Now they're just walking."
"I can't see clearly, but I can definitely say the first floor is more crowded with zombies than before, while the ground floor seems less packed."
Anh asked, "Miss Yuri, can you check the ground floor stairs footage? Are they still moving upstairs or have they stopped?"
"Just give me a second... They're still moving upstairs."
"Miss Yuri, you know the plan. Start it before they all reach the upper floors. They need to stay on the ground floor."
Anh turned on the speakerphone so everyone could hear the ongoing call.
The screeching sound started again, and Miss Yuri said, [They're going on a rampage again, pushing each other, and they're running wild.]
Everyone in the room looked terrified after hearing that.
Anh thought, "Those things are triggered by high-volume sounds, just like we get irritated by loud noises. But are they just irritated, or are they going berserk because it's completely alien to their ears?"
Hina said, "Are they going berserk because they heard something unfamiliar? If it really is the sound that's triggering them, then they've been hearing us this whole time but didn't react like this even when we were running."
Anh replied, "You said exactly what I was thinking. If that's the case, we're in a complete mess. Just imagine how many times they'll go berserk every time they hear a new sound. And what if they get used to running and start chasing us?"
Lyra, who had been asleep until now, suddenly woke up, looking around at everyone's serious faces, and asked, "What happened? Why is everyone so serious? Is me, sleeping a bad thing?"
Everyone turned to look at Lyra, their faces filled with fear and confusion.
She continued, "If it's not about me, then why are you all so serious? Let me tell you something my mom used to say before she died: 'Overthinking won't solve anything. You need to act to get results, or if you can't, just let time do its work.'"
The room fell into a deep silence after she spoke. Even Miss Yuri stopped the screeching sound. Then she added, [Your mom sounds like one hell of a woman.]
"Yeah, she was the best woman I've ever known."
Miss Yuri continued, [Take a few minutes to rest and clear your minds. I'll work on clearing out the second hallway as much as I can.]
As Miss Yuri focused on luring the zombies away from the second left hallway and gathering them on the ground floor, everyone in the room took the opportunity to conserve their energy.
After a few minutes, the mic screeching sound continued, occasionally interrupted by Miss Yuri's voice. Anh scanned the room, noticing the air conditioner, fridge, and various other items that made the space feel almost like a home. He got up and began searching the room, hoping to find something useful.
He opened every cupboard and looked through all the shelves until he found a rope and a bottle of lube.
Anh turned to Trident and asked, "Why the hell do you have lube?"
With a big, bright smile, Trident replied, "I have a bondage fetish. Whenever I bring girls here, I do spicy stuff with those ropes."
Everyone, including Miss Yuri, who could be heard through the outside speaker, exclaimed at once, "What the heck?"
Anh, disgusted, threw the lube at Trident's face and began untying the rope to check its length. "Yeah, this should be enough. Now I just need a long wire."
He then eyed the air conditioner. "We don't really need this AC, right?" Everyone nodded in agreement.
Anh walked over to the air conditioner switch. "Lucky me! The room wasn't built for an AC, so all the wires are run through a PVC electric tube. There's a big extension wire going from the regulator outlet to the MCB outlet. I can cut this wire without causing any short circuits. Hehe..."
Anh then looked at Trident again, his expression full of disgust. "With your fetish, you probably have some duct tape too, right? Where do you keep it?"
Trident smirked and asked, "How'd you know duct tape is used in bondage?"
Anh shrugged. "I'm a young man like you. Sometimes, while searching for MILFs on HUB, I come across it."
All the girls in the room, except Gwen, looked at Anh with disgust. "You three, cut it out with those looks," Anh said, rolling his eyes. "Don't act like you've never masturbated. Gwen's the only one in this room who's innocent, so stop with the judgmental faces." Gwen still had a confused expression, clearly not understanding what the conversation was about.
Ria crossed her arms and said, "You really don't know how to talk to ladies, do you?"
"If I did, I'd probably have a girlfriend by now," Anh replied with a shrug. "Or at the very least, I wouldn't have been bullied by some random blue-haired chick from another class, who wears revealing clothes and then blames people for looking at her cleavage."
The girls' expressions softened, shifting from disgust to concern and pity as they processed what Anh had just said.
"These girls are really irritating me," Anh muttered under his breath.
Anh asked Trident for the duct tape. Trident walked over to a stove, slid a wooden block to the side, and revealed a secret shelf.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock at what they saw. Lyra quickly covered Gwen's eyes, and the girls exchanged glances, silently agreeing not to say a word about the discovery, though their expressions clearly showed anger and disgust.
"You've got a whole bondage collection hidden in here? What the hell!" Anh exclaimed, putting the pieces together. "No wonder I found a rope earlier in one of the shelves."
Trident just smiled, which only irritated Anh further. "Wipe that grin off your face and close it up."
After everyone calmed down, Anh got to work. He broke open the PVC pipe and carefully cut the extended wire between two outlets with a knife. The wire turned out to be around 15 to 18 feet long. He taped the cut ends with duct tape, then walked over to the speaker, cut the plug wire about half a foot from the plug, and connected the speaker's wire to the 15-foot extension wire, securing it all with more duct tape.
Finally, Anh plugged it into the socket and flipped the switch. The tiny LED display on the speaker lit up with the word "WELCOME."
"It works. The main part of the first stage is completed. All we need to do now is put this speaker outside our block," Anh said, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Ria, still uncertain, asked, "How?"
"Well, we need to get to the room at the end of the hallway to do that."
Anh then turned his attention to his phone. "It's all on you now, Miss Yuri."
Miss Yuri's voice crackled through the outside speaker, [Just wait 20 more minutes. These zombies are slowly moving away from the 1st floor and gathering on the ground floor.]
"Okay, Miss," Anh acknowledged.
He then looked over at Hina. "Hina, are you okay? Can you move like before?"
Hina stood up, gripping the iron pipe in her hand. "Yeah!" she replied confidently.
"The formation is simple. You and Ria will lead us to the Mechanical Lab room at the end of the 2nd hallway. I'll handle everything once we're inside the lab."
Turning to Gwen and Lyra, Anh added, "You both stay here. We'll definitely come back, and then we can all get out of here together."
Both Gwen and Lyra smiled and nodded at Anh's words, their expressions showing trust in him.
Anh then looked at Trident. "Trident, you're coming with us."
Trident hesitated. "I already told you, I'm useless. Why do you want me to come with you?"
"I actually don't want to take you with us," Anh replied, his tone firm. "But after seeing the stuff in this room, it's dangerous to leave you with two innocent, fragile, and beautiful women. So, come with us or be food for those zombies. Also, I need someone to carry this speaker. You carry it, and the rest of us will protect you from the zombies."
Trident still seemed reluctant, but before he could protest further, Anh urged him, "Hurry up, lift it."
Trident, grumbling under his breath, lifted the speaker and positioned himself near the door. Hina, holding the iron pipe tightly, spoke into the phone, "Miss Yuri, we're ready. Just tell us when to move out."
Miss Yuri's voice crackled through the Outside speaker, "OK, just 10 more minutes."
As they waited, the tension in the room was palpable. Everyone was on edge, mentally preparing themselves for what lay ahead.
A few minutes later, Miss Yuri's voice came back through the outside speaker, "You can move now, but be careful at the end of the hallway. There are about 5 to 8 zombies that aren't moving. I can't see clearly from the security camera angle, but there's nothing in their way. It seems they intentionally stopped."
Anh, concerned, asked, "Are they standing?"
"No, they're not standing."
"It's probably the same as what we saw on the second floor," Anh speculated. "Some zombies don't care about anything if they're eating flesh."
Ria shuddered at the memory. "Yeah, the sight of that zombie eating a head... even thinking about it makes my legs shiver."
Anh, assessing the situation, asked, "Can you both manage 10 zombies together?"
Without hesitation, both Ria and Hina responded in unison, "Leave it to us."
Anh nodded, his goal was clear. "Then let's go!"
The group moved cautiously, with Ria and Hina leading, Trident lugging the speaker behind them, and Anh guarding the rear. Lyra quietly shut the door behind them as they stepped into the hallway.
They quickly spotted the zombies feasting on two corpses just a few feet away. Hina glanced at Anh and whispered, "It seems your guess was correct." She then looked at Ria, who gave a confident nod before charging forward.
Anh backed them up by firing his nail gun, striking several zombies as they began to react to the group's presence.
Ria and Hina moved with precision, working together seamlessly as they cleared the hallway. After Ria's initial kick sent a zombie stumbling, Hina swiftly followed up by smashing its head with her iron pipe, causing the skull to explode in a gruesome display of blood and brain matter.
Without wasting a moment, Hina continued her assault, pulverizing the head of another zombie. Meanwhile, Ria turned and delivered a crushing blow to the back of a zombie's head, which was still preoccupied with feasting on the remains of a body. The force of her strike was so powerful that it caused the zombie's eyes to pop out, blood oozing from its orifices as it crumpled to the ground.
"Take another one!" Ria shouted as she swung her pipe again, this time delivering a blow so forceful that it shattered the skull of the next zombie. Blood splattered across the floor, and the brain matter oozed out, leaking like thick fluid from the shattered remains.
Anh then shouted, "Ria, watch your back."
Before Anh could finish his sentence, Hina sprang into action. She sprinted towards the zombie that was lunging at Ria, leaping into the air with the iron pipe in hand. With a powerful swing, she struck the zombie squarely in the middle of its head. The blow caused the skull to crack open, with brain matter seeping out, but the zombie, driven by undead persistence, continued to walk toward her.
Reacting quickly, Hina sidestepped the zombie's advance and, with every ounce of strength she had, swung the pipe again, this time aiming for the back of its neck. The blow was devastating, snapping the zombie's neck and causing its head to loll backward unnaturally. The zombie finally collapsed, its body hitting the floor with a heavy thud.
Simultaneously, Ria was on the move, swinging her pipe to fend off three approaching zombies. With a quick, calculated motion, she managed to push them back, giving Hina the opening she needed.
Hina, carefully moved without missing a step, charged at the three zombies. As she ran, she dragged her pipe along the floor, creating a screeching sound accompanied by a shower of sparks. The noise grabbed the attention of the zombies, their heads turning toward her in unison.
Without hesitation, Hina launched herself into a flying kick, striking the nearest zombie with enough force to send it reeling. As the second zombie closed in, she swung her pipe with precision, smashing it in the head and sending it crashing to the ground alongside the first.
Meanwhile, Ria sprinted toward the third zombie, which was still a few paces away from Hina. Instead of swinging her pipe, she opted for a direct approach, thrusting the pipe with all her might into the zombie's eye. The metal rod pierced through the eye socket, driving deep into the zombie's brain and exiting through the back of its skull.
Ria didn't stop there; the pipe was still lodged in the zombie's head.
She shouted, "Hina, blast the head!"
Hina swiftly turned and sprinted towards Ria. With a powerful swing of the iron pipe, she smashed the zombie's head, calling out, "Close your eyes and mouth, Ria!"
When Ria opened her eyes, she was met with a nightmarish sight: the left side of the zombie's head was shattered, brain matter oozing out, and blood splattering across her and Hina's clothes. The right eye of the decimated zombie twitched grotesquely, making the scene even more horrific.
Overcome by the gruesome sight, Ria vomited, her defenses crumbling. In her moment of weakness, a zombie, still writhing on the ground, began crawling towards her at full speed. Ria remained paralyzed with fear and nausea.
Before the zombie could reach Ria, Hina executed a powerful kick, sending the creature sprawling away from her. Without missing a beat, she gripped the pipe with both hands and delivered a crushing blow to the back of the zombie's head. The impact split the zombie's head in two, sending blood and brain matter splattering across the ground and her feet.
Breathing heavily, Hina surveyed the remaining zombies with a sinister grin. "What, you three are planning to run too?" she taunted.
With a wild laugh, she charged at the three standing zombies. As she ducked in front of them, she swept their legs out from under them with a powerful kick, shouting, "Blast the heads!"
Anh quickly reloaded his gun and, with precision, shot each of the zombies right between the eyes, not missing a single shot.
The noise from the gunfire echoed through the hallway, mixing with the distant screeches from the ground floor.
As the chaos settled, Hina pointed to a washbasin near the lab door. "You two go ahead inside," she said to Anh. "We'll wash up and join you in a minute."
Anh and Trident hurried into the mechanical lab, immediately getting to work. A few minutes later, Hina and Ria entered, their clothes soaked in blood. While they had managed to clean their hands and faces, Hina's white hoodie and sky-blue jeans were stained a deep crimson from the zombie blood.
Anh glanced at her and quipped, "If anyone saw you two right now, they'd mistake you for zombies. Your clothes are drenched. Whatever, take a break. We've got the rest covered."
"Thanks," Ria said, sinking into a chair and resting her head on the desk.
Hina, still catching her breath, asked, "So, what's the plan now?"
Anh explained, "We just need to get this speaker outside the block. The distance between the window and the block door is long enough to buy us time to close the main door of the east hallway."
"But the window's barred with iron. How do you plan to get the speaker out?" Hina questioned.
"We're in a mechanical lab—there's no shortage of tools. We need a gas welder." Anh walked over to a large red cylinder, grabbing the rod connected to a pipe. He showed it to Hina. "This is called the gas welder."
Anh moved toward the window, holding the gas welder, welding rods and a small metal plate. As he reached the window and slowly opened it, he was met with the horrifying sight of the world outside—now even more terrifying than before.
The DEMI campus is vast, with every block being enormous due to its status as the main campus of this INDIE university. The ANGEL block, for instance, spans 5,000 square feet. Almost every side of the block is enclosed by walls, and each floor has a balcony facing east. For students inside the block, it's nearly impossible to know what's happening outside. The only ones who have any idea are those attending classes at the far ends of the hallways, like this one, or those who venture outside during lunch breaks, between classes, or in the evening.
Anh's eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the horrific scene outside. "To think that even outside is more horrifying than inside," he said, his voice shaking.
The view from the window was pure terror: the ground and roads around the campus were choked with zombies, their grotesque forms shambling over a landscape littered with half-eaten corpses. People were fleeing in desperate, panicked groups, only to be chased down by packs of zombies. The campus grounds, once familiar, were now a gruesome sight of blood-soaked small trees, scattered guts, and dead bodies spread across the road.
Anh's hands trembled as he tried to steady himself, trying to grasp the scale of the devastation. "I never imagined I'd see something like this in real life."
Hina, sensing his fear, reached out and took his hands in hers. "You brought us this far," she said firmly. "You have to stay strong for all of us. If the Head of the group shows even a hint of fear, it could spell the end for everyone."
Hina turned Anh to face her, her gaze firm and reassuring. "As the cornerstone of this plan, you need to lead us. But don't think you're in this alone. The more you lead, the more I can support you. Stand tall, brother. We need you."
Anh's expression shifted from fear to normal as he met her gaze. "I will do my best," he said, his voice steady.
Ria, who had been listening intently, lifted her head and smiled at Anh. "You can rely on me too."
Anh returned her smile, and Hina added, "Do what you need to do. If you need help, just call us. We'll rest for a few."
Anh asked Trident to turn on the valve of the compressed gas connected to the gas welder. Trident raised an eyebrow and commented, "Why are you using a gas welder to cut the bars? An arc welder would do the job. Those bars don't look thick enough to need gas welding."
Anh shot him a sarcastic smile and replied, "For a guy who bosses around and doesn't seem to care about studies, you sure know the difference between arc and gas welding. But here's the thing—these aren't just any bars; they're solid iron rods built into the walls. Cutting them with an arc welder would take forever. So, unless you want to be here all day, just turn on the valve and hand me those goggles."
Trident shrugged, then tossed the goggles to Anh, who caught them mid-air. After turning on the valve, Anh carefully began cutting through the iron rods, making sure to keep the process steady and controlled. Meanwhile, Hina sat down beside Ria, and the two of them started chatting.
Ria broke the silence, "Everything's going well, but I didn't expect to hear words straight out of a movie being used in real life."
Hina tilted her head, curious. "What do you mean?"
Ria chuckled softly. "It felt a bit dramatic when you said, 'stand tall, brother.'"
Hina scratched her cheek, a little embarrassed. "Oh, well, I grew up in my father's dojo for almost half my life. I guess I got used to the way they talk. Sometimes, when I'm excited or desperate, I slip into that dramatic mode."
Ria laughed hesitantly, then asked, "Are you some kind of martial arts specialist, like Lara from the Celebrity class?"
Hina smiled modestly. "Well, maybe a little more than her. Lara's a specialist in Western Kung Fu, and her style is great for the ring. But I've watched her fight, and she's not fighting to win, for enjoyment, or even to meet expectations. Who knows why? Whenever I see her, there's a sadness in her that every martial artist can sense."
"Do you know why they call her 'The Kanashii'? It was a title given to her by the best martial artist of our generation."
Ria replied, "Because she's that good?"
"No," Hina shook her head. "Kanashii is a Japanese word. It means sad or miserable. Her fights are always fierce, and her opponents—whether men or women—fear her, but they also pity her. She doesn't enjoy the fight, and she doesn't savor victory. She looks like a doll, moving for someone else's dreams and standards, not her own."
"It is sad," Ria said softly.
"Yeah," Hina agreed, her voice tinged with melancholy.
"But I always saw her laugh in college, and she's always with IDOL Rena and that glasses girl."
"Maybe that's the one part of her life that brings her some happiness," Hina mused, then shifted her focus. "But let's leave her aside for now." She glanced over at Anh, who was busy working. "What I'm more worried about right now is him."
"What worries you about Anh?" Ria asked, her curiosity piqued.
"He still hesitates. I don't think he's fully ready for what the future might throw at him," Hina explained.
"What do you mean by hesitating? Do you think he'll abandon us, prioritize saving himself? I can't see him doing that. After what he did to save Lyra and Gwen, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't."
"Exactly," Hina nodded. "And that's what worries me. We've all come to rely on him, probably more than we realize. The reason we've made it this far is largely because of him."
"Yeah," Ria agreed, reflecting on their journey. "Now that you mention it, he's been our backbone. His mind works differently than the rest of ours, and we've been leaning on him all this time."
Hina said, "We rely on him, but who does he rely on when things go south? He saw everything with his own eyes—everything that happened inside the block. Yet, when he saw the same outside, he was scared. There's no real difference between what he saw inside and outside, but it still shook him. This is not what I'm worried about. He can adapt, but I'm more concerned about what Lyra told me."
Ria asked, "What did she tell him?"
"Before we saved them, Lyra told him to leave her and run away with Gwen. They had a chance to escape, but he insisted on the 'we all should live' nonsense. He's willing to risk everything to save us but isn't ready to lose anyone. That's what concerns me. If he had to watch any of us, except Trident, die—how would he handle it?"
"He'd lose his mind, that's for sure. But what if he lost himself completely? You or I would have to step up and lead the group. He's great with strategy, but that doesn't mean we're incapable."
"It's not as easy as you think. Do you really believe you can both save yourself and lead us all?"
"Why not?"
"You're speaking highly for someone who was saved by me. Think practically. We've faced almost everything that could have killed us, and we've survived two hordes of zombies thanks to him."
Hina continued, looking directly at Ria, "Do you really think you can lead us and take care of yourself at the same time?"
Ria's face twisted into a thoughtful expression. "What the hell am I talking about? Anh really is the reason we're alive. He fights as hard as I do and still manages to think ahead and look after all of us."
Placing her hand on her cheek, Ria admitted, "I guess I got a bit full of myself after taking down a few zombies. I forgot that the reason I'm still here is because of you and Anh."
"At least you're seeing it now," Hina said with a slight smile.
"Yeah, but I still don't see the point in dealing with a grown man's mental issues," Ria replied, though she continued, "But I do want to see how he can save us. That's why I'll help him get through any difficulties. Help me stay alive so we can all make it."
They both extended their hands and shook on it. "Deal," they said in unison.
Anh, standing by the window, removed the cut window frame and set it gently on the ground. After taking a moment to rest his eyes, he glanced over at Ria and Hina. "Why are they both looking at each other so seriously? Are they arguing again?"
Trident looked over and said, "Are you blind fatty? They're laughing!"
Anh squinted, "I just saw them. Anyway, did you find a plug box?"
"Yeah, here," Trident replied, handing it over.
Anh looked at the distance between the plug socket and the window, realizing the wire wasn't long enough. "I thought this wire would be enough, but I'm wrong. There's a minimum 7-foot distance between the plug socket and the window. Thanks for finding this plug box."
Trident shot him a look. "Don't get all buddy-buddy with me, fatty. I'm only helping because I don't want to face those zombies alone. Just do what you need to do and let me know if you need anything else."
Anh gave a nod and continued working. With the final touches to the first stage of the plan in progress, Anh turned to Trident. "Did you bring the rope I asked for?"
"Yeah," Trident said, holding up the rope.
"Great, show me your bondage skills."
Trident skillfully wrapped the rope around the speaker and tied it securely. He handed the remaining rope to Anh. "Now you can lower it without risking damage. Connect the speaker to your phone before you drop it. It might have some Bluetooth connection issues, but once it's connected, it should hold steady as virgin pussy sucks the DICK."
"Got it. And give me your phone!" Anh said, turning to Trident.
Trident handed over his phone, and Anh took it. After several attempts, Anh finally managed to connect Trident's phone via Bluetooth and slipped it into his own pocket.
He carefully lowered the speaker out of the window. After a few minutes, he placed it gently on the ground and said, "The first stage of our plan is complete. All that's left is to get to the ground floor."
Hina asked, "Shall we move now?"
Anh was busy with the compressed gas pipe. "Just a second." He ran over to it, filling his nail gun with compressed gas. A few moments later, he finished and said, "It's done. Now I don't have to worry about the nail gun stopping unexpectedly. I just need some more nails. I found only a few that are compatible with this gun in this room."
Both Hina and Ria said simultaneously, "Then let's go."
Anh laughed and said, "You two are really in sync." His laughter faded, and he continued, "Yeah, let's go. We need to contact Miss Yuri and make sure she stops those sounds."
The sounds from the ground floor speakers were still audible. With their tasks complete, the group made their way toward Trident's room to meet up with Gwen and Lyra.