"Get ready! In an hour, we will exit the dormitory building and head towards our destination."
He looked at Hazel and Sarah one last time before heading back to his room to prepare himself and check his gear for the raid. After he entered his room, the others soon followed, having finished their meals.
An hour later, everyone stood at the entrance of their dormitory, their hearts gripped by anxiety as they anticipated the dangerous journey ahead. Hazel and Sarah were very scared of going outside, while others understood the dangers they might face on their way.
Everything happened during lunch, which meant there would be many zombies around and inside it. Furthermore, the cafeteria was located in a dangerous area with many zombies nearby, increasing the need for caution.
The university was encircled by numerous bustling cafeterias, usually brimming with students. However, as the ominous voice reverberated in their minds, these once lively spaces morphed into some of the most perilous locations on campus.
Leo quickly took them out of the building and handed over the route to Willie, who used his Life Pulse to sense any nearby monsters.
As Hazel and Sarah moved, they looked around and noticed zombies wandering about. Their faces turned even paler than when Leo had told them they would be joining him.
It had been over a week, and they had not left their dormitory building since everything happened. They had never seen a zombie, but they had heard about them from Adam and Willie. When they finally saw one for themselves, fear took over their minds, and they tried to stay as close as possible to the main group.
Hazel held onto Adam's shirt, gripping him without realizing it because she was focused on the zombies that their group was trying to avoid. Rather than appearing as a charismatic woman, she seemed more like a frightened little child.
"A small group is ahead. It looks like we need to eliminate them to progress."
Willie suddenly stopped and shared their situation, which made the two girls even more panicked. Leo just nodded and used his eyes to signal to keep going.
After a few days of hunting together, Willie understood him without needing to say anything and continued to guide them toward the small group of zombies. When they finally got to the small group of zombies, Leo and three others quickly moved in and dealt with them quietly.
They had weapons from the system and appeared very skilled in using them, as it clearly wasn't their first day. For Leo, it had been over five years, so it would have been ridiculous for him to make a silly mistake while hunting regular zombies.
However, Hazel and Sarah looked stunned by their quick performance, but what shocked them even more was how Charlotte had killed her zombie. Just a few days ago, she was an ordinary girl like them, but now she was fighting zombies, which filled them with fear.
She had moved on from them and was doing what they were too afraid to attempt. As Charlotte handled her zombie, Sarah watched her with envy, realizing that Charlotte had strength in what she said and did.
A group of six carefully made their way to the cafeteria, navigating around zombies that blocked their path and steering clear of large groups. The cafeteria was actually quite far from where they usually hunted, so they were extra careful since they had never explored that area before.
Usually, people used bicycles or cars to get around the university, but Leo had to walk instead. Riding a bike felt too dangerous for him because it restricted his movements. They would go back to their base in vans, so he chose to put up with it.
About thirty minutes later, they arrived at a cafeteria, and they could see it. Before getting closer, they chose to look around and count how many zombies were in the area. Willie was using Life Pulse only a little, but he had already used more than half of his mana reserves as they moved toward it.
Willie looked stunned as he sent Life Pulse, fear showing in his eyes. However, he managed to calm himself as he assessed their situation. Soon after, he shared a report with everyone.
"There are too many zombies nearby to confront directly, so it's best not to disturb them all. Additionally, the cafeteria is filled with zombies, and there are two Hunters inside it. I found two things inside the building."
"What is that?"
Adam asked out of simple curiosity.
"In addition to Hunters, there is a mysterious type of zombie, and its aura is a bit stronger than the other zombies we've encountered so far."
By listening to him, Leo figured out what kind of zombie was in the cafeteria. It should be a ghoul, which is a blend of a hunter and a giant. It was like a double boost to strength and agility stats for Awakeners.
While the Ghoul was distinct from other zombies, its strength level was akin to that of a mutated dog. Despite not being markedly stronger, it still presented a formidable challenge to deal with. Dismissing the Ghoul as a minor concern, Leo redirected the conversation to inquire about another discovery Willie had uncovered.
"What is the second point?"
"I found signs of survivors in the cafeteria. Specifically, there are two of them hiding there."
When Willie spoke, everyone stared at him in shock because, aside from them, they hadn't found any survivors this week. Although everyone was happy to discover other survivors, Leo was already considering them.
'There are just two people, which means they probably won't be a big threat. One of them is likely a staff member who can assist us in locating and opening a storage room.'
Assured that the survivors posed no immediate danger, a satisfied smile crept onto Leo's face as he led the group towards the cafeteria. The building was large, featuring white marble walls and columns that held it up.
Before going into the building to take out all the zombies inside, he decided to use his Mana Sensing to check for any vans nearby. He opened his senses to the area and noticed two black vans parked across from a cafeteria.
''So far, everything is going according to our plan.''
He gestured for everyone to follow him and proceeded cautiously towards the cafeteria doors. Upon entering, a horde of zombies greeted him, their empty eyes fixating on the intruders with a hunger-driven malice.