The piercing scream shattered the silence of the night, sending chills down everyone’s spine. Jiang Ye was the first to react. He drew the Lingfeng Sword and motioned for Wang Han, Elaine, and Ethan to follow.
“Stay alert and stick close to me,” Jiang Ye ordered firmly. “We’re going to check it out—be ready for anything.”
Elaine nodded, gripping her metal rod tightly. Wang Han’s hands trembled as he held the fire axe, trying to steady himself. He followed closely. Ethan, clearly nervous, carried a makeshift spear fashioned from a broken broomstick.
They cautiously opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit hallway. The screams had stopped, replaced by an eerie silence punctuated by low growls and shuffling footsteps. The air was thick with the stench of blood and decay.
“Whatever happened, it’s not over yet,” Jiang Ye murmured, gripping his sword tighter.
At the door of the neighboring dorm, Jiang Ye pressed his ear against it. Inside, he could hear growls and frantic footsteps. Without hesitation, he pushed the door open.
The sight inside was horrifying. Derek had fully transformed into a zombie and stood over Mark’s lifeless body, blood dripping from his mouth. Anna cowered in the corner, clutching a chair, while Michael stood in front of her, wielding a metal rod to fend off Derek.
“Jiang Ye!” Michael shouted, relief and desperation mingled on his face.
“Get down!” Jiang Ye barked, charging forward. His sword gleamed coldly in the dim light as he slashed at Derek, severing the zombie’s arm and forcing it to stagger back.
Elaine and Wang Han quickly joined the fight. Elaine struck down another zombie emerging from the shadows with precision, while Wang Han guarded the doorway, using his axe to prevent more infected from entering.
The noise of the battle soon attracted more zombies. In the hallway, a dozen infected began clawing and pounding at the dorm walls. Their growls grew louder with each passing second.
“They’re coming!” Ethan shouted, his voice trembling.
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“Block them!” Jiang Ye commanded. “Elaine, Wang Han—hold the doorway! Ethan, use the furniture to barricade the entrance!”
Ethan hurriedly dragged beds, cabinets, and chairs to build a temporary barricade. Elaine and Wang Han worked together, swinging their weapons to cut down any zombies trying to push through.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ye focused on Derek. Despite losing an arm, the zombie remained ferociously aggressive. Jiang Ye moved fluidly, dodging its claws and counterattacking with precision. Finally, with a decisive strike, he severed Derek’s head, and the mutated zombie collapsed to the floor.
“We can’t hold them much longer!” Elaine shouted as the barricade began to crumble under relentless assault.
Jiang Ye quickly assessed the situation. “We’ll escape through the balcony—it’s the first floor, we can jump down safely.”
Michael helped a trembling Anna to her feet, while Ethan quickly packed their gathered supplies into a bag. Wang Han swung his axe one last time, holding back the zombies to buy the group enough time.
One by one, they climbed onto the balcony and jumped down. The height wasn’t far, and they landed safely, helping each other up before sprinting away from the dormitory.
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The group fled to a run-down apartment building nearby, its door ajar. Jiang Ye motioned for everyone to enter cautiously.
Inside, the apartment was a mess. Furniture was overturned, bloodstains streaked the floor, and the air reeked of decay and mildew. Scratch marks and blood splatters on the walls hinted at a violent struggle.
“Looks like the previous occupants didn’t make it,” Elaine said quietly, scanning the room warily.
“Don’t touch the blood,” Jiang Ye warned. He directed Michael and Wang Han to block the door with a sofa and cabinets.
The group split up to search the rooms. Ethan opened a bedroom door to find torn sheets on the bed and an empty closet. In the corner of the room, dried blood pooled on the floor, evidence of a failed attempt to hide.
Meanwhile, Elaine searched the kitchen and found some canned food and bottled water. She opened a drawer to discover a bloodstained kitchen knife, sighed, and added the usable items to her bag.
“This place seems clear,” Jiang Ye confirmed after a thorough check.
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Everyone gathered in the chaotic living room. Despite the mess, the apartment offered a brief respite.
“Check yourselves for any scratches or bites,” Jiang Ye instructed.
The group began inspecting themselves. Michael and Wang Han confirmed they were uninjured, while Ethan nervously rolled up his sleeves and pant legs, letting out a sigh of relief when he found no wounds.
Only Anna remained silent, her head bowed, hands gripping the armrests of her chair so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“Mark... he...” Anna’s voice trembled as tears streamed down her face.
The room fell silent. Michael sighed and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We have to keep moving. Mark wouldn’t want us to stop here.”
Wang Han sat quietly in a corner, gripping his fire axe tightly. Elaine leaned against a wall, silently wiping the blood off her metal rod.
Jiang Ye took a deep breath. “Let’s rest for now. We’ll plan our next move in the morning.”
Though exhausted, everyone nodded in agreement.