C21 The Brothers Finally Met

The door to room 4014 in Dormitory 47 was securely closed, with over a dozen people sprawled unceremoniously across beds and floors inside.

Led by Kong Yifan, they had fought their way in and out several times, finally ridding the fourth-floor corridor of zombies. The corridor should have been empty when the disaster struck, but as zombies emerged in some rooms, panicked residents fled, inadvertently increasing the corridor's zombie population.

Safety only came from eliminating the zombies within each dorm or from entire dorms remaining uninfected. In his past life, Kong Yifan knew it was a rarity for all six residents of room 4014 to avoid zombification.

Doomsday literature had prepped the survivors for the apocalypse, prompting some to hunker down for rescue while others sought to eliminate the zombies and escape the deadly confines.

In Dormitory 47, Yu Yang was the sole individual to manifest an Innate Evolution, exhibiting only enhanced speed. Others developed various physical mutations, with many gaining strength in the heat of battle.

Among the 2,400 residents, four lucky individuals awakened to water, gold, fire, and earth-type Extrasensory Perception during the fight, though most remained unaware of their abilities.

Regrettably, the fledgling Zero Level, Elementary Extrasensory Perception mainly served to prevent infection from zombie bites.

After strategizing, the group dismantled a steel bunk bed, affixing three small knives to a steel pipe to create makeshift spears. Yu Yang, with his unmatched speed, wielded a watermelon knife, ready to intervene during dire moments.

Xu Peng, now possessing a strength mutation, opted for the blunt force of a steel pipe.

Employing tactics like diversion, ambush, and direct assault, it took them over two hours to clear the fourth floor of zombies. Throughout the ordeal, seven brave young men joined their ranks.

Exhausted from combat, they retreated to the dorm to rest and recuperate, a cycle repeated five times.

Among those who joined our ranks, three had awakened abilities that enhanced their physical strength, significantly boosting our team's combat prowess.

Our dormitory is now brimming with loot scavenged from the vacant rooms, predominantly the nerds' stash of instant foods.

Our armory, thanks to resource gathering, consists of 14 makeshift spears, seven watermelon knives, and a single ordinary machete. The student who had hoarded the machete lacked the courage to wield it and ultimately succumbed to zombification.

We pay no mind to the sealed doors; whether they hide zombies or survivors, they're of no concern to us. Our group of savvy individuals is focused solely on a timely escape to a secure location stocked with supplies, where we can await rescue. In the same vein, we indulge in fantasies of awakening supernatural abilities amidst combat, as depicted in apocalyptic novels. We've even dissected zombies' brains and hearts in search of crystal nuclei or any signs of evolutionary flesh.

Alas, such yearnings have proven fruitless. Nonetheless, the fact that three among us have gained enhanced strength in battle is a source of deep satisfaction.

Each member of our squad feels invincible, convinced of our team's exceptional capabilities and the promise of a bright future. We've set our sights on launching an offensive on the third floor corridor at eleven o'clock, rallying more warriors to our cause.

The resolve and achievements of our provisional team are a testament to Kong Yifan's exceptional leadership skills.

Kong Yifan, however, is no longer content with merely reaching safety. A budding ambition has taken root in his heart, vague but undeniably present.

Yet, he's haunted by an unresolved question: What became of our leader? Will he return? Kong Yifan pushes these thoughts aside.

Du Hai, whose ability to enhance his vision has awakened, is tasked with assessing the battlefield, alerting us to enemy movements, and providing combat support. Since he's not often on the front lines, he's less fatigued and can afford to peer curiously out the window.

Suddenly, Du Hai cries out, "The boss! It's the boss! He's come back!"

"Where? Where?" Xu Peng springs into action, rushing to the window, while Yu Yang has already staked out the best vantage point.

Tian Dagang lagged a step behind but soon joined the others at the window.

Kong Yifan approached the window, his face etched with complexity.

The seven who arrived later also gathered around to peer outside.

Following Du Hai's pointing finger, they saw a group of six cutting a path through the zombies toward the dormitory.

Despite the distance, Du Hai's eyes didn't miss a thing. He murmured in awe, "The Boss is truly the Boss—what a formidable team he's leading! Look at those two beautiful girls, they're wiping out zombies left and right. And the guy next to the Boss, isn't that a steel whip he's wielding? It's insanely powerful, crushing zombie skulls with every strike. The Boss is just incredible, casually standing at the rear with his sword, commanding the scene. Oh, there he goes, slicing off a zombie's legs and tossing them to the girls behind for target practice. Look, the girls are getting sick, they're throwing up. It looks like the Boss is toughening them up."

Tian Dagang couldn't resist teasing, "Just as I said, the Boss would swoop in on a rainbow cloud, with stunning beauties in tow to rescue us brothers."

Kong Yifan gave Tian Dagang a look of mixed feelings, a tinge of bitterness in his heart. Boss, you're still excelling. Even in the apocalypse, you shine brighter.

He quietly shelved any ambitions he had harbored.

Yu Yang and Xu Peng were genuinely thrilled, while the later group of seven realized that Dormitory 4014 was indeed a place of wonders, confident they had made the right choice.

Every surviving student with a view from the dormitory witnessed the scene, recognizing Lin Chen as one of their own and understanding he was there for their rescue, their excitement palpable.

Numerous students leaned out, waving fervently yet silently towards Lin Chen's team.

They were wise, none daring to raise a voice and risk drawing more zombies to deter the rescue. Yet, their silence didn't diminish the fervor of their waves, a silent cheer for salvation and joy.

Fifty meters from the dormitory's right side, near the sports field gate, Lin Chen halted his team's advance after they had dispatched the zombies before them.

Hundreds of zombies milled around the two front gates, many clad in pajamas or shorts, an eerie sight in the chaos.

Clearly, these zombies were once students who had panicked and fled the dormitory, only to fail to escape.

They could have easily wiped them out, given that the zombies were too weak compared to their own strength.

Such an opportunity wouldn't be possible in three days.

But Lin Chen didn't want to show all his cards; he preferred to keep some of his strength under wraps.

Lin Chen returned the waves of the greeting students, then gestured towards them, the zombies crowding the right gate, and finally, the left gate.

The quick-witted students immediately caught on to Lin Chen's plan.

He was suggesting that there were too many zombies at the right gate, and they needed to find a way to draw some over to the left gate.

Subsequently, a variety of objects were hurled from the dormitory towards the left gate, causing a loud racket.

The horde of zombies at the right gate began to shift slowly to the left.

When only about seventy to eighty remained, they couldn't be lured any further.

Lin Chen gave a thumbs up to the dormitory, signaling they were good to go.

He then made a pause gesture, opened his backpack, and shared out bread, juice, ham, and sausages among his team members, indicating it was time to refuel and not to rush.

During the break, Lin Chen messaged Lin Ya to activate her wood-type Extrasensory Perception.

Sensing that there were already four energy signatures inside the dormitory, he needed to reveal the presence of an Extrasensory Perception user in his team to maintain control.

Ten minutes later, Lin Chen's team put on a spectacular show of zombie-slaying prowess in front of the other surviving students.

Lin Chen started by throwing stones at the zombies, drawing a dozen or so towards them. As the zombies closed in and caught their scent, they charged with fervor.

This time, Lin Ya took the lead, with the Lee siblings flanking her for protection, while Lin Chen covered the rear with his sword, and Ye and Jiang provided support.

Lin Ya moved with grace and agility, constantly shifting her position and drawing the zombies into her dance of death.

With each flash of her sword, Lin Ya struck true, ensuring each blow was lethal.

Zombie heads thudded to the ground in rapid succession, followed by the clatter of rolling skulls.

In a mere thirty seconds, Lin Ya had decapitated fifteen or sixteen zombies!

The male survivors in the dormitory were left in utter shock.

Lin Chen then drew in three more waves of creatures, resulting in about forty zombies falling to Lin Ya's blade.

Upstairs, someone initially cried out, "Warrior Goddess!" Soon, the cry was taken up by others, growing louder until the whole floor was chanting in unison, "Warrior Goddess! Warrior Goddess!"

Their voices carried for hundreds of meters, drawing the attention of distant zombies that began to converge on their location.

Realizing the potential danger, the upstairs crowd ceased their chanting, narrowly averting disaster.

Survivors in buildings forty-eight and forty-nine, hearing the commotion from the nearby dorm, were baffled. Could it be that reinforcements had arrived from the lower floors?

As the chanting subsided, Lin Ya resumed her grim task, dispatching the remaining zombies.

Perhaps due to the exhaustion from her earlier exertions, her dodge was incomplete, and her sword veered off, lodging in a zombie's shoulder without delivering a fatal blow. The creature didn't die instantly.

As the zombie's arm nearly grasped Lin Ya, the onlookers' hearts skipped a beat. Some internally criticized Lin Chen for not pulling Lin Ya out sooner.

In a frantic move, Lin Ya bent backward, narrowly evading the zombie's lunge. Instinctively, her left hand shot up, pointing at the assailant.

A beam of green light burst from Lin Ya's fingertip, transforming into a short arrow that embedded itself in the zombie's forehead.

The zombie collapsed forward.

With the zombie down, it was clear to all that a wooden arrow was dissolving from its forehead.

Lin Ya stood frozen, seemingly overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events.

Another zombie lunged at her.

In the nick of time, Lin Ya's instincts kicked in. She lifted her left hand, launching yet another wooden arrow that took down the advancing zombie.

Lin Chen swiftly pulled Lin Ya to safety, allowing Lee Jun and his sister to take care of the remaining zombies. Afterwards, they gathered to discuss the startling development of Lin Ya's newfound ability.

"It's definitely wood type ESP! I never imagined I'd witness someone awaken their Extrasensory Perception in combat."

The doomsday literature aficionados upstairs had come to this conclusion.

The survivors all envied the 'Valkyrie' for her good fortune, and many had become devoted fans of Lin Ya.

Lin Chen's team had a lengthy discussion about ESP but couldn't quite grasp it. Eventually, they headed to the first floor to begin the task of clearing zombies from the corridor.

Once the corridor was zombie-free and the door on the left side secured, Lin Chen made an announcement in a clear voice throughout the area, "To all the students who are still with us, my name is Lin Chen, a senior from the International Trade Department. We've cleared the zombies from the corridor, and those trapped in the rooms won't be getting out anytime soon. For now, the corridor is safe. We're planning an evacuation to the Fourteenth Cafeteria. If you wish to join us, please get ready and pack your essentials and items to keep warm. Keep your voices low, and stay tuned for further instructions."

Lin Chen, paying no mind to those cautiously peeking out of their rooms, led his team onward to clear the upper floors. He repeated his message after each floor was secured.

He was determined to make a name for himself, to ensure that every rescued soul would remember him.

Upon reaching the third floor, the five individuals from room 4014 stood at the stairwell with a mix of expressions, watching Lin Chen and his group.

Behind them were seven spirited young men, gazing admiringly at Lin Ya, their 'Valkyrie.'

Lin Chen greeted them with a broad grin, "Brothers, I've returned."