The female dormitory building at Gongda comprises six floors, with two staircases for vertical movement and a single entrance for access. Although the structure is several decades old, its robustness remains commendable.
Bai Yi promptly ascended to the fifth floor without pausing. A brief glance revealed numerous corpses in the corridor—predominantly zombies. Who could have neutralized these creatures?
With little time for contemplation, Bai Yi heard a roar emanating from the fourth floor, compelling him to continue his ascent. As he reached the sixth floor, he felt an overwhelming urge to collapse onto the ground, exhausted.
However, the necessity for vigilance in a post-apocalyptic world prevented him from yielding to fatigue. Gripping his black knife, he cautiously surveyed the top floor. The female dormitory featured a standard layout, presenting a wide corridor lined with closed dormitory doors on either side.
If not for the nearby corpses and bloodstains on the walls, one might almost believe they had imagined the apocalypse of just ten days ago. Moving silently into the corridor, Bai Yi took care to minimize any noise.
Zombies trapped within the rooms remained eerily quiet unless they were attracted by sound or the scent of food. As long as Bai Yi kept his movements subtle, he was unlikely to draw the attention of any advanced zombies, even if they were within proximity.
Approaching a corpse, Bai Yi inspected it closely. This zombie bore a severe head injury, indicative of a significant impact, suggesting it was recently dispatched. The blood was still fresh, reinforcing the notion that the female dormitory was overrun with zombies and nearly devoid of survivors. The implication was clear: either Xiao Dan or Ming Tao had been responsible for this kill.
Bai Yi's expression darkened, and he was filled with confusion and anger. How could Xiao Dan and Ming Tao—both capable individuals whom he had previously collaborated with on supply searches—choose to turn against him? Although they were not particularly remarkable amongst other ability users, they were still empowered and had formerly favored Bo Feng, an individual with considerable influence in the cafeteria.
Before the cataclysm, the two had ingratiated themselves with Bo Feng. On the same day, as they sought shelter from the rain, they each experienced mutations in strength and defense, while Bo Feng acquired the ability to transform inanimate objects into weapons.
Bai Yi recalled witnessing Bo Feng convert a metal table into a formidable weapon effortlessly. This remarkable ability catapulted him to a position of dominance, frequently securing the best supplies for himself, with Xiao Dan and Ming Tao benefiting alongside him. It was perplexing for Bai Yi to ponder why they had targeted him, particularly as he believed there had been no conflict or competition among them.
Clenching his weapon with determined resolve, Bai Yi vowed to retaliate. Regardless of their motivations, they could not escape consequences. He intended to return to the cafeteria and would not let their actions go unchecked. With his darkened skull-cutting knife, he had no intentions of bowing to Bo Feng's inflated reputation.
He wondered if the two remained within the dormitory and how they would react upon seeing him alive. Yet, fueled by his anger, he reminded himself to remain strategic. With his current skill set, facing them would only put him at a disadvantage. Moreover, Xiao Dan and Ming Tao were inseparable, making any confrontation ill-advised at this juncture. Therefore, his immediate priority was to bolster his strength.
Maintaining composure, Bai Yi stifled his rage and proceeded to the dormitory's utility room, opening it with a key.
The dust in the room nearly made him cough, but he suppressed it. The utility space was cluttered with abandoned bed frames, leftover items from alumni, and confiscated electrical appliances.
After a cursory assessment revealed nothing of value, he chose to descend onto a mound of discarded mattresses, allowing himself a moment of rest. Exhaustion overcame him, and he fell asleep.
When he awoke at sunset, confusion washed over him until he regained his bearings. The dark skull-cutting knife confirmed his reality—he had survived and acquired a powerful battle upgrade system.
Pressing his left hand to the ground, a light screen flickered to life. After reviewing his information for any changes, he retrieved pork and bottled water from his bag for dinner.
After a day of exploration, Bai Yi felt more attuned to his abilities. Notably, he learned that summoning a light screen wasn't instantaneous and required contact with a flat surface such as a wall or the ground. Additionally, while holding an object, he could summon a light screen to display its information—akin to identification—but only for objects related to abilities.
Furthermore, although he possessed a space similar to a backpack, it was quite limited. This space could only contain items generated by his abilities, excluding ordinary objects, and could not be activated without a medium, like a backpack, to hold items.
Understanding the nuances of his abilities, Bai Yi gathered the spare keys for the dormitory and devised a plan.
Given the concentration of zombies outside, exiting with his current capabilities was impractical. Instead, he opted to wait for the situation to improve while gaining experience.
He chuckled at his fortune—the perfect place to hone his skills was the girls' dormitory, with zombies trapped in various rooms. There was no better environment for "monster spawning."
Moreover, he considered Li Mei, who awaited him in the cafeteria. If he didn't return, she might worry unnecessarily. Bai Yi understood her abilities well; her power, while seemingly magical, lacked offensive capability. She could only trickle water from her hands, which meant her physical strength was only marginally superior to her pre-apocalyptic self.
Their successful coexistence in the cafeteria for the past week had owed much to Bai Yi's courage to confront zombies initially, deterring others from bullying them. The thought of Li Mei being bullied in his absence spurred him into action. He packed a half-finished water bottle into his backpack and exited the utility room with determination.
Though anxious, Bai Yi refrained from recklessly seeking out zombies to fight. He recalled that each dormitory housed multiple residents; thus, it was likely that four zombies occupied each room. He acknowledged that while he could defend against a single zombie, taking on two would be nearly impossible.
Therefore, he resolved to preserve his life rather than act foolishly at this time.
After cautiously approaching the closest dormitory door, he pressed against it for several moments without detecting any movement, before tentatively turning the handle. The aged wooden door creaked ominously as it opened, betraying his entry.
After a moment of hesitation, Bai Yi managed to partially open the door and stepped inside, gripping the black knife tightly while examining the room for potential threats. The limited space offered no hiding spots, and after a quick survey, he felt relieved to find no zombies present.
Bai Yi commenced his search for usable items. The room displayed signs of disarray, and there was little edible food available. However, he was not overly concerned about food scarcity in the future.
In short order, he collected a diesel lighter, a roll of tape, two power banks, a small rechargeable desk lamp, and an unopened set of sheets.
Having filled his backpack with these items, Bai Yi stepped out of the room, retrieved a marker he had found, and endorsed the door with a prominent check mark before proceeding to Room 619. He soon noticed sounds of scratching and bumping filtering from within. Unfortunately, the door's glass was obscured by interior posters, obscuring his view of the potential threat inside.
After considering his options, he marked the door with a cross and departed cautiously.
Bai Yi continued this systematic approach throughout the floor, checking each room for signs of zombies. To his surprise, the outcome was better than anticipated, with only three of the ten rooms emitting sounds of undead presence. He proceeded to explore the unoccupied rooms, gathering any additional resources that could prove beneficial.