Late at night, the dormitory was eerily quiet, as though the world outside had fallen into complete silence.
Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Jiang Ye closed his eyes, channeling his inner energy. His qi flowed smoothly through his body, like a gentle stream.
Gradually, he noticed something unusual.
“Strange… My qi circulation is faster than yesterday,” Jiang Ye thought, continuing to observe the phenomenon.
Normally, it took him 15 minutes to complete one full cycle through his body, but tonight, it took only 14 minutes and 20 seconds.
This slight improvement was enough to shock him. He knew it meant his cultivation efficiency had increased significantly—something that would typically require two months of rigorous training.
“Why did it increase so suddenly?”
With his eyes still closed, Jiang Ye searched his memory for an answer. Scenes from the day flashed in his mind, particularly the terrifying images of the zombies.
“Could it… be related to the zombies?”
The thought made Jiang Ye both alert and uneasy. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his mind. For now, the question was unanswerable, so he decided to suppress it and focus on the present.
In the same room, Wang Han quietly spoke to Jiang Ye.
“I don’t know how long we can stay like this, Jiang Ge. What if the zombies break through tomorrow?”
Jiang Ye remained silent, his expression calm but his thoughts heavy.
Meanwhile, in the other room, Michael, Anna, and Mark were whispering.
“Are we really going back tomorrow?” Anna asked, lying on her bed with a worried expression.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“We have to,” Mark said, adjusting his glasses. His voice was steady but firm. “I can’t leave my parents behind. They’re probably still waiting for me.”
Michael sighed and interjected, “My wife and daughter are still at home waiting for me. I’ve been thinking about the risks all day, but I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”
Anna frowned, her voice tinged with fear. “But it’s so dangerous out there. We don’t even know if the subway is running or what the roads are like…”
“The longer we wait, the worse things will get,” Mark said, gripping Anna’s hand. “We have to try.”
On the opposite bed, Derek lay curled up under the covers. His forehead was burning hot, his breathing shallow, and his body felt deathly cold.
Beneath the blanket, his injured leg had turned black. The surrounding skin was rotting, and a foul stench filled the air. His wound worsened with each passing moment, and his consciousness faded into a haze.
At midnight, Derek’s body suddenly began to convulse violently. His eyes snapped open, now murky and lifeless. His facial muscles twisted grotesquely, his teeth grew sharp, and his fingernails lengthened into deadly claws.
A guttural growl escaped his throat. Derek was no longer human—he had become a bloodthirsty zombie.
Mark, fast asleep, was caught off guard as Derek lunged at him, sinking his sharp teeth into Mark’s shoulder.
“Ahhh—!” Mark let out a blood-curdling scream. The sound reverberated through the dormitory, awakening the zombies outside, who began howling and rushing toward the source of the noise.
Anna bolted awake, jumping off the bed in horror.
“Mark! Derek! What are you doing?!” Her voice was filled with terror and despair.
Derek didn’t respond. He savagely tore into Mark, blood spraying everywhere and soaking the bed.
Michael grabbed a metal rod from beside his bed and swung it at Derek with all his might, striking him on the back of the head. But the blow didn’t stop Derek. He turned, growling ferociously, and lunged at Michael.
In the next room, Wang Han froze at the sound of the screams. Grabbing a chair in panic, he looked to Jiang Ye. “Ge, something’s wrong!”
Jiang Ye opened his eyes sharply, grabbing the Lingfeng Sword by his side. His expression turned grim.
“Let’s go check it out.”
The commotion woke the others. Elaine and Ethan opened their door, their faces filled with confusion and fear.
“What’s going on?” Elaine asked.
“It’s coming from the next room,” Ethan said, his voice trembling.
Jiang Ye motioned for them to stay back. “You two stay here and lock the door. No matter what you hear, don’t come out.”
Elaine frowned, gripping her metal rod. “No way, I’m coming with you.”
“More people means more strength. I’m coming too!” Wang Han added firmly.
Ethan hesitated, then seemed to steel himself. “If we’re going to die, we’ll die together.”
Jiang Ye glanced at them and nodded. “Fine, but stick close to me.”
The four of them rushed toward the neighboring room, where screams and zombie growls blended into a nightmarish cacophony. A life-or-death battle awaited them.