As the bell signaling the end of class rang, the classroom's hum of activity paused for the break.
"Hey, make sure you grab some food on your way back, or we'll starve in the dorm!" Guo Wei reminded Liu Bin over the phone.
"Got it—" Liu Bin ended the call, chuckling at his friend's singular focus on food.
Wait, who were Wei Wei and Ming Ming again? How had he ended up asking about them?
The conversation had flowed too easily, almost without thought, making Liu Bin wonder why he felt so disoriented after picking up the phone.
Ah, that's right, Wei Wei was Li Wei, his girlfriend, and Tang Ming was his younger sister.
Enough confusion, it was time to act. Should he now rescue his sister, his girlfriend, and Guo Wei?
Resolved, Liu Bin decided his first stop would be the security office.
The school environment felt both familiar and strange to Liu Bin. He knew where the security office was—it was right at the school's entrance. Yet, every tree and blade of grass seemed unacquainted, as if he had never really noticed them before.
He moved cautiously along the wall, fearful of disturbing any "people" nearby.
In the corner of his eye, Liu Bin saw zombies nibbling noisily on their gruesome feast. Bloodied beyond recognition, some stumbled to their feet, while others were reduced to mere limbs, never to rise again.
Turning a corner, he approached the main sports field.
The field connected the high school and middle school sections, alongside the cafeteria and the gym. To reach his dorm in the high school area, he had to cross the field.
Glancing across the field, Liu Bin noticed scattered groups of zombies, small in scale and loosely organized. Clad in school uniforms, with a few in official attire likely administrators or teachers, they roamed under the sunset that set the sky aflame, fitting eerily into this apocalyptic scene.
With each careful step towards the security office, Liu Bin grew more vigilant, knowing well the importance of caution in critical moments.
Just as he neared the office, a piercing scream cut through the air, causing him to instinctively crouch against the wall.
His gaze dropped as the full field of zombies seemed to pivot towards the source of the noise, and a flashlight beam swept unexpectedly towards him, momentarily blinding him.
Caught in the light, Liu Bin knew he had to escape. He pressed himself as low as possible, avoiding the chaotic frenzy of screams and howls not far away.
He crawled forward, dreading discovery with each painstaking movement. What should have been a straightforward path felt impossibly treacherous.
Imagining critics questioning his lack of heroism, he muttered to himself, "Intervening would only add one more to the death toll—me."
The security office was just ahead, but the short distance seemed fraught with peril.
As he reached for the door handle, he paused to consider his next move. Was it safer to burst through unknown dangers within or find another way around if it was locked?
Deciding against breaking through the sturdy metal door, he acknowledged that any loud noise might attract a horde of zombies.
With the coast momentarily clear, Liu Bin readied himself for what lay beyond the door, preparing to face whatever horrors might await in the security office.