The next day, sunlight struggled through thick clouds and grimy curtains, casting a grayish glow over the lifeless dormitory. Gu Xun's complexion looked slightly better than the night before, though the weariness between his brows remained stubbornly present. Leaning against the wall, he slowly chewed a piece of compressed biscuit, his movements refined and polite—a stark contrast to Jiang Jin, who was wolfing down his food beside him.
"We must depart as soon as possible," Gu Xun said, swallowing the last dry bite and taking a small sip of water. "Our food and strength won't last much longer."
"We should've left ages ago!" Jiang Jin wiped his mouth, his fist clenching slightly with excitement as a flicker of flame escaped between his fingers. "I can't stand another day in this hellhole!"
Lu Zhao said nothing, silently inspecting his backpack as he carefully tucked the last few chocolate bars into an inner pocket. He agreed they should leave, but unease gripped him about the road ahead. The West City Gymnasium sounded like another world, impossibly distant.
"Before we go, we need as many supplies as possible—especially water." Gu Xun's gaze drifted to the window. "The dormitory water tanks probably still have some reserves, but they won't last long, and they might not be safe. We need to head to the teaching building or the lab building. They might have bottled water stored there, or... we might find something useful."
"The lab building?" Jiang Jin raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that a detour? Wouldn't it be faster to head straight to the mini-market and loot it again?"
"We've already seen the dangers there, and supplies are limited." Gu Xun shook his head. "The lab building isn't far, and its structure is relatively self-contained. If we clear it properly, it could serve as a temporary staging area. More importantly, there might be maps there, or... radio equipment."
That last point swayed Lu Zhao. Information was just as precious in the apocalypse.
"Which way?" Lu Zhao asked, proactively expanding the range of his wind-elemental perception to scout the building's corridors.
"Avoid the main thoroughfare. Take the path behind the library." Gu Xun had clearly mapped out the route beforehand. "That route sees fewer people and has more greenery, making it easier to conceal ourselves."
Though the plan was set, the atmosphere remained tense. Jiang Jin was clearly displeased with the detour and the choice of a "troublesome" route, but he didn't directly object. Instead, he crossed his arms and scrutinized Gu Xun with a critical gaze. "Are you up for this? Don't collapse halfway through."
"I can do it." Gu Xun stood up, his tone calm, but the slight tension in his jawline betrayed the effort he was putting into maintaining his composure.
As they left the dormitory again, all three moved with heightened caution. The zombies in the hallway seemed drawn to noises farther away, making it less crowded than the previous night. Under Lu Zhao's warnings and Gu Xun's direction, they moved swiftly and silently downward, like stealthy cheetahs.
But just as they neared the first-floor exit, disaster struck!
A piercing wail and chaotic footsteps echoed from the side corridor. Moments later, three or four student-like survivors burst into the lobby in a panic, followed by a dark, snarling horde of at least a dozen zombies!
"Run! Head for the dormitory rooftop!" one boy screamed, his eyes locking onto Gu Xun's trio descending the stairs. Jiang Jin's flickering torchlight, still not fully extinguished, appeared to him like a lifeline. "Help us! Please, help us!"
The appearance of these survivors instantly shattered the fragile equilibrium in the lobby! The zombie horde, stimulated by the scent of fresh human life, surged forward with frenzied intensity!
"Shit! We're spotted!" Jiang Jin cursed, his eyes flashing with a mix of excitement and irritation as he watched the surging horde. Flames instantly engulfed his fist, but instead of charging forward, he turned to Gu Xun—as if awaiting orders, yet also as if issuing a challenge.
"Don't fight them head-on! Take the other way!" Gu Xun barked sharply, grabbing Lu Zhao's arm and pointing toward the corridor leading to the rear of the dormitory building—their original planned route.
"What about them?!" Lu Zhao watched the terrified students about to be overtaken by the zombies, his steps faltering. He couldn't stand by and watch his fellow humans be devoured.
In that split second of hesitation, the front of the horde had already knocked down the girl running last. Her screams abruptly ended.
Jiang Jin's eye twitched violently as he spat out, "Damn it!" He ultimately didn't charge into the horde, obeying Gu Xun's command instead. But as he turned, his swinging arm unleashed a searing wave of fire—not aimed at the zombies, but smashing viciously into the decorative bonsai and discarded furniture in the center of the hall!
"BOOM!"
The flames erupted violently. Thick smoke and flying embers instantly disrupted the zombies' pursuit, buying the remaining survivors a precious moment to scramble toward the staircase.
"Go!" Jiang Jin growled, casting one last glance at the chaos before following Gu Xun and Lu Zhao into the rear corridor.
The trio slammed the fire door shut and wedged it with steel pipes. Frenzied pounding erupted immediately from the other side.
"You just..." Lu Zhao gasped, looking at Jiang Jin. He'd expected Jiang Jin to charge recklessly into the fray.
"What?" Jiang Jin panted, wiping soot from his face as he glared back fiercely. "I just didn't want us trapped here! That fire won't hold them back long!"
His words remained harsh, yet his actions teetered dangerously—he'd obeyed orders and avoided a direct confrontation, but that final burst of flame, unleashed like a venting of rage, exposed the suppressed savagery within him.
Gu Xun gave Jiang Jin a long, searching look but said nothing. He only urged, "Hurry up. The plan to go to the lab building is canceled. Find a way out of the school immediately."
They scrambled out the window and swiftly exited the dormitory area. The plan had been disrupted once more.
Jiang Jin trailed behind, his expression dark. He was irritated by the change in plans, but even more so by that fleeting moment of "obedience" he'd just shown. He felt his power had nowhere to vent, while Gu Xun's calmness and Lu Zhao's irritating silence pricked him like needles.
Cracks in trust spread silently. The beast within Jiang Jin was merely restrained, far from tamed. When the next crisis struck, whether it would break free entirely remained unknown.
Each of them retreated to their corners, lost in thought.
Outside, the world was falling apart. Inside, three young men prepared to step into the unknown—bound by powers they barely understood, and a bond that might not survive the journey.