At the entrance of the stairs, Yuto Saito encountered Li Shiqian, Cai Cheng, and Liang Fu.
Cai Cheng noticed the woman in Yuto Saito's arms—a graceful beauty dressed in jeans and a white shirt. He couldn't help but ask, "Brother Saito, is that your girlfriend?"
Liang Fu chimed in, "When did you start dating such a beautiful girl and not tell us?"
Li Shiqian recognized the woman and was about to make a joke when he suddenly cried out in pain, his body writhing as he exclaimed, "Ah!!!"
Cai Cheng panicked. "What's happening? Is he turning into a zombie?"
Liang Fu stepped back, his voice trembling. "What should we do?"
Yuto Saito reassured them, "Don't worry, he's awakening."
"Awakening?" Cai Cheng echoed, confused. "What do you mean?"
Just then, a zombie came charging toward the stairs. Yuto Saito calmly flicked his wrist, sending a ballpoint pen flying through the air, striking the zombie and killing it instantly.
[10 experience points gained for killing a common zombie!]
Cai Cheng stared in shock. "Brother Saito, that was incredible!"
Yuto Saito nodded. "Protect Shiqian. Once he completes his awakening, he'll have abilities like mine and can help keep you safe."
Liang Fu, determined, responded, "We'll keep him safe!"
Cai Cheng, recalling the events earlier that morning, asked, "Brother Saito, when you were in pain in the dorm, were you awakening then?"
Yuto Saito nodded slightly.
Liang Fu, still curious, asked, "How can you tell the difference between a zombie and an awakened person?"
Yuto Saito explained, "When someone becomes a zombie, their skin turns gray, their limbs twist, their eyes go white, they lose consciousness, and they become violent. When someone awakens, they sweat a lot, their veins bulge, they feel intense pain, but they remain conscious."
Everyone nodded in understanding.
Yuto Saito then instructed, "Take Shiqian to a safe place and lock the door. I'm going to leave now."
"Where are you going? We want to come with you," Liang Fu said, eager to stay close to Yuto Saito, given his newfound abilities.
"The world is ending, and I need to gather supplies. Just protect Shiqian. Once he awakens, you'll all be safer," Yuto Saito replied.
Liang Fu and Cai Cheng, understanding the importance of the situation, helped Li Shiqian to the security room of the school and hid inside. Before leaving, Yuto Saito reminded them, "Don't open the door for anyone. Only come out when Shiqian has awakened."
Cai Cheng and Liang Fu nodded and locked the door. Although Yuto Saito wished for his roommates to survive, he knew that, in the early stages of the apocalypse, strengthening himself and gathering resources was the priority.
Yuto Saito then carried Ni Shuang toward the parking lot. The campus was still relatively calm, with only a few students having turned into zombies. After all, it was just the beginning.
Ignoring the school broadcast urging students to return to the dorms, Yuto Saito arrived at a white BMW. Ni Shuang, feeling somewhat better, opened her eyes.
"Hand me the car keys," Yuto Saito requested.
"They're in my pocket," Ni Shuang whispered.
Yuto Saito nodded at Natto. "Natto, get the keys."
"Oh, okay," Natto replied, taking the keys from Ni Shuang's pocket.
"How did you know this car was mine?" Ni Shuang asked, surprised.
Yuto Saito just smiled, placing Ni Shuang in the back seat without explaining that, in his previous life, he had been her driver and was familiar with her car.
Natto, grinning, teased, "Xiaoshuang, he's your boyfriend. Of course, he knows everything about you."
Ni Shuang blushed but found the explanation reasonable.
Yuto Saito started the car and drove them to Woma Mall. At the mall entrance, he turned to Natto and said, "You stay here and take care of her."
"Okay," Natto replied, still a little intimidated by his stern demeanor but secretly liking it.
"Where are you going?" Ni Shuang asked, concerned.
Yuto Saito smiled. "The apocalypse is here. I'm going to stock up on supplies."
Ni Shuang, feeling a bit more herself, said, "I haven't had lunch. Can you grab some extra?"
Natto hesitated. "Maybe I should come with you?"
Yuto Saito shook his head. "You two stay here. Be good."
Natto, slightly frightened by his sternness, nodded. "Okay, I understand."
Inside the Walmart, Yuto Saito headed straight for the warehouse. The staff had already evacuated, leaving the door closed but unguarded. Yuto Saito kicked it open, revealing a large stockpile of goods—everything from drinks, snacks, and bedding to a whole box of throwing knives.
Yuto Saito, with his telekinetic abilities, quickly stashed the items in his ring space, which had a massive capacity of one million cubic meters. He also grabbed some household appliances, figuring they might be useful later.
After clearing out the warehouse, he moved to the clothing section, gathering men's and women's clothes, including some elegant and even playful outfits from a nearby cosplay store. He didn't forget the jewelry store on the first floor, sweeping the contents into his ring as well.
Meanwhile, in the mall's security room, a middle-aged guard was watching the surveillance cameras, terrified by what he saw. "How is he making everything disappear like that?" he muttered, panicking as he tried to call the police. But with the chaos spreading, no one answered.
Deciding it was time to leave, the guard grabbed two boxes he had stashed earlier—one of Wahaha drinks and the other of Oreo cookies—intended for his daughter. He hid in the lounge, locking the door, while Yuto Saito entered the security room and destroyed the surveillance equipment to avoid exposing his abilities too soon. The guard, trembling in fear, was relieved when Yuto Saito left without checking the lounge.
Back at the mall entrance, Ni Shuang and Natto waited in the BMW. Natto grew anxious. "Xiaoshuang, why is he taking so long?"
Ni Shuang shook her head. "I'm not sure, maybe there's just a lot to gather."
Natto, curious, asked, "How did you two meet?"
Ni Shuang responded honestly, "Just today, when he saved me."
Natto's eyes widened in surprise. "You don't know each other? Then why did he save you?"
Ni Shuang speculated, "Maybe... he has a crush on me?"
Natto giggled. "I think so too. You're so pretty—who wouldn't like you? If I were a guy, I'd marry you right away!" she joked, laughing.
Ni Shuang smiled softly, considering the possibility that Yuto Saito had been watching over her all along.