Although Song Fei was nominally standing guard at the door, with He Zhiwen and Qiao Siqi on the roof, his role under the eaves was actually only supplementary. He spent most of his time monitoring the depths of the night, occasionally glancing back inside.
Little did they know that upon looking, they would spot Qi Yan.
Song Fei swore he hadn't deliberately gone looking for that guy; it was just that amidst the bustling harvest scene, this man was the only one standing motionless, staring blankly at a card in his hand with something written on it, making it hard not to notice him.
Just as he was filled with doubt and curiosity, Zhao He snatched the card from Qi Yan's hand: "What are you looking at? Your smile is disgusting."
Qi Yan was caught off guard, and the card changed hands in an instant.
Zhao He snatched the card and quickly read the words on it. A sigh replaced his original curiosity: "I hope it's like what the girl said, that they can still celebrate their birthdays together next year."
Qi Yan snapped out of her reverie and came back to her senses, feeling a pang of unease: "Yes, I hope so."
May all the survivors on this vast land be well, may the disaster pass quickly, and may our homes return to peace.
Song Fei didn't say anything, but quietly turned her head away.
Looking up at the sky, it is still a deep starry sky, as if it has been frozen there since the beginning of time, no matter how the world changes, it remains unchanged.
The courier point is like Alibaba's treasure trove; it's impossible to take everything away. In the end, everyone's backpacks are stuffed full, so they stop there to avoid unpacking valuable items they can't take and becoming nostalgic.
This time, the group still took a small amount of food in case of an emergency on the way back and they couldn't get back to the cafeteria in time. But most of it was warm clothing and blankets. However, one or two of these items were already the limit of their backpacks. So, to sum up what they got this time, it was small in quantity but high in quality.
"Where do we go next?" Yu Zisheng didn't have a backpack, but was carrying a large woven bag for shipping, which contained several cotton-padded coats and down jackets.
The comrades in the martial arts platoon hadn't revealed the location of their base camp. Whether it was out of caution or reconnaissance, their intuition told them to keep quiet. However, if they didn't speak up now, they couldn't proceed. They couldn't let Yu Zisheng follow them blindly. Aside from the fact that they eventually had to return to the canteen, keeping it a secret for now was pointless. What if something unexpected happened along the way, and in a panic, Yu Zisheng went on a rampage and smashed the canteen window? That would be a huge injustice if the entire team were wiped out.
"The cafeteria." It was Qi Yan who answered him again. Firstly, the other friends couldn't guarantee that they could communicate so calmly and patiently. Secondly, Qi Yan spoke with a good sense of depth and clarity, balancing efficiency and safety.
"Just as I expected." Yu Zisheng revealed a sly smile, a hint of smugness flashing in his mischievous eyes. "I knew you would go there."
"I have to thank you for this," Qi Yan said, half-jokingly. "If you hadn't forced us into this situation, we wouldn't have been able to make the tough decision to break into the cafeteria."
"Here we go again," Yu Zisheng sighed, as if he felt utterly helpless and pitiful. "You don't need to keep reminding me. I won't forget what I've done, nor would I dare to forget it."
Zhou Yilu snorted and said sarcastically, "Do you still often wake up in the middle of the night, filled with regret and heartache?"
"Hmm," Yu Zisheng said with a bitter face, looking like a spineless coward with no way to defend himself, "Are you satisfied now?"
Zhou Lu was speechless. He clearly wanted to argue with the other person, and he did manage to argue, but in the end, he was the one who was frustrated. This guy surnamed Yu is becoming a genius.
Despite his frustration with Zhou Lu, Yu Zisheng showed no sense of accomplishment, and even seemed oblivious to it, still looking aggrieved and as if he would feel guilty for the mistakes he had made for the rest of his life.
"If only we knew what was going on outside," Yu Zisheng casually remarked as the team finally began their return journey. "Maybe it's safer outside. We wouldn't have to worry about food or drink, it would be wonderful."
The small team remained silent.
In the quiet night breeze, only the deliberately slowed and light footsteps could be heard.
In this subtle atmosphere, Yu Zisheng sensed a kind of revelation. His eyes, which were fixed on the road ahead, narrowed slightly in the darkness. His voice was low and firm: "You already have a plan."
Actually, he wasn't entirely sure.
He's bluffing.
The group continued moving forward in silence, as if no one had heard him.
Yu Zisheng smiled; he had guessed correctly.
It was a pity it was nighttime and he couldn't see everyone's expressions clearly, otherwise he could have gotten even more information.
"Stop overthinking it," Qi Yan said. "We also want to know what's going on outside, but communication is down and there's no TV signal, so thinking about it is pointless."
"Radios are often used in movies to get information from the outside world when a sudden disaster occurs."
"..."
"You're not being fair," Yu Zisheng's voice lowered, and upon closer inspection, there seemed to be a hint of deep sadness in it. "You all knew about the radio a long time ago, didn't you? You just didn't want to tell me."
Whether it's innate initial skills or acquired environmental cultivation, Yu Zisheng truly possesses astonishing insight and judgment. Realizing this, Qi Yan composed himself before scoffing lightly, "You're asking us to be kind; don't you think that making that request itself is rather unkind?"
Yu Zisheng was stunned for a moment, and after a long while, he accused her awkwardly, "You're messing with me..."
Qi Yan gave a cold smirk. In the darkness, no one could see anyone else's expression, so there was no need for a forced smile. But his voice was completely different from his icy expression, every syllable conveying sincerity and friendliness: "Alright, the person who can confuse you hasn't been born yet. We did think of the radio, but we tried it with the cell phone, and it didn't work; we couldn't get any sound."
"Actually, I also tried it with my phone," Yu Zisheng admitted, "but I think the phone signal is too weak, so I still need special equipment."
"You have a direction now?"
"The radio station," Yu Zisheng said without hesitation, as if he had been preparing this answer for a long time. "Actually, the teaching building is fine too. It must be full of CET-4 and CET-6 radios now, but the radio station is closer than the teaching building, and the equipment should be better."
"I'm afraid none of those will work." While being cautious, not revealing our hand doesn't mean we're going to watch the other party go to their death. "We've discussed all of these things you're thinking about. I won't go into the specific theories, but in short, if a cell phone or radio can't receive it, neither can the radio we use for the CET-4 and CET-6 exams. And the equipment in the broadcasting station is for external broadcasting, like mixing consoles, campus FM transmitters, microphones, and so on. It's not what you're assuming, and there's no radio there either."
"Where else can we look?"
"We want to know too."
The moon had been obscured by clouds sometime during the night, and even the last faint shadow on the ground had vanished. The nine people walking along the secluded path were physically close to each other, but their hearts were not necessarily so intimate.
Yu Zisheng pondered the truth behind Qi Yan's words. He felt he had gotten enough information out of her. Several times in the middle, he sensed that the other party didn't really want to continue the conversation in depth, but because he had kept him on the hook and the other party wasn't used to lying, she eventually continued talking, half-heartedly. Now that the other party had nothing more to say, he figured that was the end of it.
While Yu Zisheng was pondering this, his classmates in the martial arts class were also far from calm. Never before had they felt such a sense of inadequacy, almost wanting to kowtow to themselves for making the wise choice—letting Qi Yan intervene was absolutely the right thing to do! Seemingly on the verge of defeat, they were actually as steady as a mountain. Yu Zisheng had an information asymmetry, but the others had a clear omniscient perspective. If they had felt any apprehension at times, they now fully understood that Qi Yan's only concern from the beginning was the secret of the radio in the computer building. The seemingly concealed, exposed, concealed again, and exposed again process was precisely a series of psychological barriers, making the "helpless confession" scenario all the more believable.
Is it selfish?
Maybe a little bit.
But everyone knew in their hearts that they were doing this more for their own protection. If Yu Zisheng really followed the same path as everyone else, then just like Qi Yan had to tell him that the martial arts troupe's location was in the cafeteria, there would eventually be a time when they would have to tell him that the radio was in the computer building. But until that opportunity came, they still wanted to be cautious in their words and actions.
Once bitten by a snake, twice shy.
Yu Zisheng shook his head, deciding not to waste any more brain cells. Anyway, there was plenty of time in the future, and since they were all eating and sleeping together, he really didn't believe that a secret could be kept under these circumstances.
Having made up his mind, his steps became increasingly steady.
Before he could take two steps, a tremendous force suddenly knocked him down from behind. He instinctively elbowed the person away, flipping them over, and quickly turned around to see that the person he had just thrown was Feng Qibai, while beside him, Qi Yan was already fighting with a zombie!
Feng Qibai rushed over to save him!
If he hadn't fallen, he would be the one struggling with the zombies right now!
Yu Zisheng broke out in a cold sweat from the lingering fear. The zombie on the other side wasn't particularly strong in combat; it was quickly defeated by Song Fei, who came to help.
However, it let out a howl the moment it was stabbed.
This was the most piercing howl anyone, including Yu Zisheng, had heard since the accident, it was absolutely terrifying, like a wild animal alarm suddenly sounding in a wild wasteland.
"Oh no! Run!"
Even without Qi Yan saying it, his friends already knew that something terrible was about to happen.
Nine people with eighteen legs, instantly accelerating, disregarding even the smallest blade of grass, and taking off like madmen!
Even so, when passing through the bushes where the zombies had previously held their class meeting, Song Fei still called out a warning: "Watch out for the bushes!"
Fortunately, they didn't encounter the diligent class again this time. The nine of them ran back to the area behind the cafeteria without any major incidents. Looking up from afar, they could vaguely see the windows at the base of the first-floor wall!
"Hold--"
Suddenly, Yu Zisheng's curses came from behind.
The fastest running team, Qiao Siqi, Zhao He, and Wu Zhou, turned around and saw that Yu Zisheng had been pounced on by another zombie that appeared out of nowhere. The zombie was about to bite his face, but Yu Zisheng was pushing its forehead away. For a moment, the two were locked in a stalemate!
I don't know why the zombies seem to have a particular fondness for my classmate.
But now is not the time for making sarcastic remarks.
Qi Yan, who was closest to Yu Zisheng, was the first to react. He rushed forward, intending to stab the zombie in the head with his gun, but Yu Zisheng's hand was entangled with the zombie's head. So, Qi Yan, who had run up to the front, made a decisive move and punched the zombie in the temple with his bare hand!
The zombie, which was already in a stalemate with Yu Zisheng's thrust, was suddenly struck hard, and its head was thrown to the side.
Yu Zisheng seized the opportunity, pulled out his arm, and stabbed the other person in the ear with a knife!
The zombie was still struggling. Just as Qi Yan was about to go over and finish it off, his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a pine tree not far away. It was a very old cedar tree. Because it was difficult to transplant, the school had no choice but to let it grow freely in this remote place. Due to the lack of maintenance and pruning, the tree had a lush canopy, forming a huge shade. At this moment, it seemed that many shadows were moving in the pitch-black shade.
Qi Yan squinted, trying hard to make out the details, then his eyes widened and he gasped – zombies, there were at least a dozen zombies crammed under the shade of the tree!
"Get back to the cafeteria quickly!!!"
Qi Yan's roar was almost hoarse.
The comrades were startled, but their instinct for survival made their feet move before their heads!
At the same time, the zombies under the tree seemed to realize that the "rabbit" waiting for them would not walk into their trap, so they swarmed out and pounced on them!
With a single shot, Qi Yan took down the zombie on Yu Zisheng, pulled him up, and ran, not even bothering to let him pull the knife out of the zombie's ear.
The moon finally peeked out from behind the clouds, revealing half of its face.
Against the backdrop of the cool color scheme, the escape team was arranged in a tiered formation. Wu Zhou, Zhao He, and Qiao Siqi were running at the very front, with the rest following closely behind, all belonging to the second group. Except for Qi Yan and Yu Zisheng, who started later and fell to the back.
"Open the window—"
When they were still more than ten meters away from the westernmost window on the first floor, Qiao Siqi shouted.
As if prepared beforehand, the window opened almost seamlessly, with the narrow window sash, barely wide enough for one person to pass through, opening instantly!
Qiao Siqi was overjoyed, but unexpectedly, his joy turned to sorrow. He suddenly stepped on a patch of snow that had not yet melted, and underneath the snow was ice. Qiao pounced and landed perfectly on the ground, his mouth, which had been wide open in joy, took a bite of mud.
Despite the excruciating pain in his chest muscles, he still repeatedly urged, "What are you looking at? Hurry up and go inside—"
These words were directed at Zhao He and Wu Zhou, because the two of them had already run to the window!
Seeing that the Second Legion had arrived at the scene of Jonhs's demise, Zhao He and Wu Zhou did not hesitate any longer and nimbly jumped through the window.
Song Fei told his friends to just run, while he quickly pulled Qiao Siqi up.
Although it was just a bend and a pull, in the midst of a rapid sprint, they had already fallen quite a distance behind their comrades in the second group. The evidence was that when they started running again, they were already running alongside Qi Yan and Yu Zisheng, who were originally at the back!
The dozen or so zombies behind me weren't running slow either. What looked like a safe distance was actually just a matter of a moment!
So much so that when the four of them arrived at the window, Song Fei, who was in the best position, was the first to step onto the windowsill, the horde of zombies was already upon them!
"Hurry up!" Yu Zisheng was extremely anxious. Due to certain considerations, he did not rush to be the first to enter the house with Song Fei, and was determined to be second. But now, it seemed that even being second was too late!
"Split up and run!" Qi Yan decided immediately, "Get rid of them and come back!"
After speaking, he ran straight to the tree-lined avenue to the west!
Qiao Siqi gritted his teeth and listened to Qi Yan, splitting up and running in opposite directions!
The window was within reach, and Yu Zisheng was extremely unwilling to let his efforts go to waste, but the situation did not allow him to wait any longer, so he could only run towards Qiao Siqi!
Song Fei had already jumped through the window. Turning around, he saw that the three people had already run away, so he immediately closed and locked the window! But just as the window closed, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Qiao Siqi, who hadn't run far, falling down again!
Is there some kind of banana peel growing on your feet?!
Song Fei was utterly exhausted, but looking out the window, she saw that the zombie horde was more interested in their fast-moving "prey" and had all split up. Some went after Qi Yan, while others rushed towards Qiao Siqi and Yu Zisheng, and none of them were guarding outside their window.
Qiao Siqi was clearly badly hurt and remained lying on the ground.
But Yu Zisheng didn't try to help him up; instead, he ran in a circle back towards the window!
Song Fei's eyes widened, and she almost crushed the window railing. With a determined look, she opened the window and jumped out again!
"Watch the windows!"
The moment he landed, he quickly instructed Li Jingyu, who was still standing at the window.
After speaking, without waiting for Li Jingyu to hear clearly, he rushed straight towards Qiao Siqi!
One runs forward, the other runs back, so naturally they'll pass each other.
As if knowing Song Fei was about to make a accusation, Yu Zisheng interrupted first when they met face to face: "He fell down on his own, that's fate!"
Song Fei didn't have time to argue with him about whether one should prioritize self-preservation or risk their life to save others in a crisis. Perhaps there was no standard answer to this question; the choice was entirely up to the individual.
The same rapid pace meant that passing each other in opposite directions was only a fleeting moment.
After that, they drifted further and further apart.
Song Fei was ultimately a step slower than the zombie horde, but just as the zombies were about to pounce on Qiao Siqi, he suddenly shouted, "Fuck you @#@%#%￥#%￥%@#%@￥##%Come bite me—"
The omitted part is something that would be censored in any situation or context; please fill in the blanks yourself.
But the zombies didn't need to fill in the gaps in their understanding; they heard everything clearly. Whether they could comprehend it was another matter, but judging from the effect alone, it certainly had a wide audience. Only two zombies remained fixated on Qiao, while the rest all turned their attention to Song Fei.
Song Fei ran away after he finished cursing.
The zombies gave chase.
Qiao Siqi's soul also revived in this series of wonderful Chinese language and literature. He kicked the lunging zombie in the chest and swung his arm to swat away the second one. Although his arm was unfortunately bitten when he swung it, a mere tooth was no match for Qiao, who had been wearing three sets of thermal underwear, two thin and thick sweatshirts, and a down jacket after being bitten. He could bite all he wanted, but he just laughed to the sky.
Just as Qiao Siqi was battling the two zombies, Yu Zisheng had already run to the window. Li Jingyu, who was guarding the window, didn't recognize Yu Zisheng and was a little confused. However, he had been behind Song Fei when she jumped into the window earlier, so he figured Yu Zisheng must be a new partner he had rescued on the way to the courier point. Therefore, he reflexively opened the window.
Lin Dilei and Luo Geng, who were standing by, had their doubts, but they didn't stop them. Since Qi Yan and Song Fei were able to bring the person back, they must have had their reasons. Besides, under these circumstances, they couldn't just stand by and watch someone die.
Seeing the window open, Yu Zisheng couldn't hide his elation and stepped onto it. Just as he was about to pull his other leg back, his ankle was suddenly grabbed!
Yu Zisheng was horrified. He turned around abruptly, but before he could see who it was, he was forcibly pulled down and thrown to the ground!
A normal person would have been completely disoriented by this point, but Yu Zisheng saw the zombie grabbing him the instant he landed.
Only one!
The zombies immediately released their grip when they saw him fall to the ground and pounced down on him from their height!
Yu Zisheng lay on the ground and waited calmly until the zombie bent down. He then forcefully raised his leg and kicked the zombie hard in the chest!
The zombie was kicked and staggered back two steps. Yu Zisheng seized the opportunity to jump up, grabbed the window frame with both hands, and flew directly into the window!
Just as he landed and tried to let go, his arm was suddenly grabbed again! Enraged, Yu Zisheng reached back to stab, but then remembered that his knife was still stuck in a zombie's ear. So he kept his fingers clenched, but instead of stabbing, he punched the zombie in the face, sending it flying!
Then he closed the window and locked it, all in one smooth motion.
"What exactly happened?" Zhou Yilu asked anxiously.
Apart from Song Fei, no one saw Qiao Siqi fall. Therefore, whether it was Zhou Yilu, Zhao He and the others who came in first, or Luo Geng, Lin Dilei, Wang Qingyuan and Li Jingyu who were responsible for receiving him, they all only knew that Song Fei, who had already safely entered, had run away again.
"Qiao Siqi fell down." Yu Zisheng was panting, still radiating the shock of surviving a close call. "Song Fei, go save him."
Zhou Yilu was skeptical and pressed on, asking, "What did you say when Song Fei ran out and bumped into you again?"
The distance was too far, and Yu Zisheng's voice wasn't loud, so it was very muffled by the time it reached the window.
"I said he fell down on his own, so it was fate," Yu Zisheng said truthfully. Although Song Fei and Qiao Siqi might not come back, what if they did? A confrontation would reveal the truth, so there was no need to lie like that.
This credible answer convinced Zhou Yilu: "You really are as inhuman as ever."
I was definitely angry, but when I thought that it was Yu Zisheng who said those words, I didn't seem so angry anymore. Since it was not unexpected, I didn't feel angry or hurt.
But Zhao He couldn't control his temper and grabbed Yu Zisheng by the collar: "Believe it or not, I'll throw you out right now!"
Yu Zisheng remained silent and calm, as if he was certain that the other party would not do anything to him.
Outraged, Luo Geng, Lin Dilei, and Wu Zhou also gathered around, creating a tense atmosphere as if they were about to settle old and new scores.
Li Jingyu and Wang Qingyuan were unaware of the truth; one was confused and at a loss, while the other quickly observed and analyzed the situation.
Slap! Slap!
Suddenly, a banging sound came from outside the window!
Everyone turned their heads at the same time, and saw three huge faces pressed against the glass!
Ignoring his argument with Yu Zisheng, Zhou Yilu immediately opened the window and let in Song Fei, Qi Yan, and Qiao Siqi.
The three of them finally landed. Zhou Yilu quickly closed the window and lowered the blinds. His heart, which had been hanging in suspense for so long, finally settled down: "How did you all end up together?"
"It's a long story..." Song Fei was out of breath, feeling like her lungs were about to explode from running.
Qi Yan was also a little pale from running, but much better than Song Fei. Just as she was about to explain to her friends, Qiao Siqi suddenly punched Yu Zisheng in the right cheek!
Caught off guard, Yu Zisheng was actually beaten up. He wasn't too swayed, but his lip was cut.
Spitting out a mouthful of bloody saliva, Yu Zisheng licked his teeth with his tongue to make sure he hadn't loosened his grip before speaking in a conciliatory tone: "Yes, I didn't save you. I would have panicked if you had suddenly fallen. One slow step could have meant death. I admit, I'm not as great as Song Fei, who would go to great lengths for his friends."
Seeing that Qiao Siqi was about to make a move, Song Fei pulled him back: "Forget it, there's no need to get angry. I didn't expect him to save anyone anyway."
Qiao Siqi abruptly pushed Song Fei away, so angry that he could barely speak: "No, I didn't fall down by myself, he tripped me!"
Everyone was stunned and looked at Yu Zisheng in disbelief.
The latter also looked shocked and bewildered; if her expression were acting, it would be Oscar-worthy. Her lips opened and closed repeatedly, trembling for a long time before finally uttering a pitiful, "I really didn't..."
Qiao Siqi was about to explode: "You fucking pretend!!!"
Yu Zisheng's chest heaved violently, and he looked even more aggrieved than Qin Xianglian.
But when only the two parties involved know the truth, and each has their own version of events, it becomes an unsolved mystery. The comrades, especially Song Fei, emotionally believe Qiao Siqi, because he saw it most clearly: after Qiao Siqi fell, Yu Zisheng abandoned him, which seemed like he deliberately left Qiao Siqi behind to attract zombies, buying himself time to escape. But firstly, this was just his guess; secondly, in the darkness, it was unclear whether he tripped or Qiao Siqi stepped on something that made him think he tripped; and thirdly, and most importantly, Qiao Siqi had a history of slipping and falling, having fallen not long ago.
"Why don't you guys believe me?!" Seeing his friends' silence, Qiao Siqi almost wanted to die to prove his point.
Zhou Lu slammed his gun on the ground, to hell with fairness and justice! He was just blindly believing everything he heard: "I believe you! This idiot wouldn't do something like this!"
Yu Zisheng looked helpless, almost forcing a bitter smile: "What's wrong? Are you siding with your own family instead of reason?"
Zhou Yilu decided to be frank with the other party: "That's right, I've wanted to roast you for a long time."
Yu Zisheng narrowed his eyes dangerously.
Zhou Lu didn't budge an inch. Damn, who's afraid of who?
The air in the kitchen was stagnant, filled with a kind of solidified oppression.
Zhou Yilu waited for ages but no enemy pounced on him, so he simply threw down his sushi gun and assumed a hand-to-hand combat stance: "Fist to fist, don't say I'm bullying you."
Yu Zisheng remained motionless and silent.
Time passed by, second by second.
Zhou Yilu's confrontational stance was getting a bit sour: "Hey, are you going to play or not?"
The friends who initially wanted to stop him now realized something was wrong; Yu Zisheng didn't seem to intend to fight. But if he wasn't going to hit him, he should at least say something, as he had tried to appease them before. What was he trying to achieve by maintaining this stalemate?
Suddenly, Yu Zisheng moved.
Zhou Yilu was startled, and all his muscles immediately tensed up.
But the man did not attack; he simply raised his head slowly and stared straight at Zhou Yilu.
When someone stares at you with a blank expression, the person being stared at will actually feel a physiological resistance. In Zhou Yilu's case, it was being stared at inexplicably and felt creeped out. He could only use words to ease his discomfort: "What, not really fighting, just using your willpower to fight?"
Yu Zisheng remained silent, but everyone could clearly see that his pupils were slowly darkening until they were completely black, as if there were no more emotional fluctuations, only a stagnant pool.
"Zhou Yilu…" Qiao Siqi suddenly called out tremblingly.
Zhou Yilu was startled and said irritably, "What!"
Qiao Siqi swallowed hard: "Is he... infected?"
"Even a fool could see that…" The once dashing Zhou was now crouching down, secretly reaching back for his sushi gun.
Damn it, why did I have to show off and throw it so far?!