C28 In the End, They Arrived at the Cafeteria.

On the day the apocalypse erupted, at precisely 4:40 p.m., the majority of the surviving male and female students from Y University's Engineering Department congregated in the Cultural and Sports Activity Center.

The count stood at 1,261 males and 445 females.

Additionally, 220 boys remained in the male dormitory, holding out for rescue. Not a single female student stayed behind in the dorms.

In essence, of the 11,000 residential students at the Engineering Department, fewer than 2,000 endured the harsh trial of the apocalypse, with a survival rate of under 20%.

This was largely due to Lin Chen, a formidable organizer within the department.

The survival rates for students from other departments were likely no better than this grim statistic.

This highlights the peril of the apocalypse striking in the dead of night and the inherent risks of high-density living.

Areas with less dense populations naturally experienced lower death rates.

Yet, the situation beyond the university remained unknown, and the Engineering Department's students had to focus on their own survival.

With winter's early darkness setting in, Lin Chen quickened his pace toward the cafeteria.

Having safely escorted his fellow students to the Fourteenth Cafeteria and ensuring they were settled, Lin Chen felt he had fulfilled his final duty to the friendships formed over the years. Now, he was ready to embark on his true journey through this post-apocalyptic world.

Lin Chen commanded every member of the team to share their food and water, ensuring the fighters were well-fed. Those not engaged in combat but carrying supplies were allowed only half rations.

At 4:55 PM, the final march commenced.

Within the ranks were six stretchers, each bearing a boy who had sustained minor scratches in the recent turmoil.

There had been suggestions to dispose of these six, but Su Wan and Qiao Yilan stepped forward, claiming they had gained their Extrasensory Perception following similar wounds. After a heated discussion and no clear consensus on the likelihood of developing such abilities, the decision was made to bind the six securely and carry them along, leaving their fate to chance.

Lin Chen's team remained the vanguard.

Now 240 strong, Lin Chen selected 120 elite fighters to form 12 robust squads, pushing forward swiftly. The remaining 120, comprising over 60 veteran members and more than 50 newly joined females, were tasked with combat training—eliminating any stray zombies that slipped past the forward teams.

The other group leaders took charge of their combat teams, handling the stray zombies lured by the noise of battle on both flanks.

Logistics personnel, laden with several blankets and bags of food, made their way through the center of the formation.

Non-combatant girls were instructed to keep one hand firmly over their mouths.

The journey to the Fourteenth Cafeteria, less than a kilometer from the gymnasium, took the entire group nearly 30 minutes.

The delay was largely due to the new female recruits in Lin Chen's team, whose screams in the early stages drew an overwhelming number of zombies.

Thankfully, the seasoned pros in Lin Chen's team managed to keep the situation under control without incident.

By 5:20 PM, the survivors from the engineering department reached the Fourteenth Cafeteria, designated for their exclusive use.

The trek was fraught with challenges, especially since Lin Chen's team focused on training and safeguarding the new recruits, increasing the burden on the other teams.

The payoff, however, was significant.

Not only were there zero casualties, but Lin Chen's female recruits had begun to transform into warriors, with three-woman squads easily dispatching regular zombies, and a few even capable of taking one down solo.

Among the other teams, Kong Yifan awakened his fire-type Extrasensory Perception, just as he had in his previous life. Du Hai, previously without any such abilities, now manifested earth-type Extrasensory Perception, while Tian Dagang gained enhanced strength, replicating his past life's abilities.

Xu Peng, who had no Extrasensory Perception in his former life, surprisingly developed gold-type abilities during the fray.

Lin Chen, of course, was nothing but pleased for Xu Peng.

The emergence of his fire-type Extrasensory Perception renewed Kong Yifan's confidence, making him feel less awkward around his leader.

At Y University, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Cafeterias served the over ten thousand students and staff of the engineering department.

The Thirteenth Cafeteria, catering to faculty, boasted a slightly nicer setting. The Fourteenth Cafeteria, aimed at students, was a bit less refined.

Given its proximity, the students opted for the Fourteenth Cafeteria. The Thirteenth Cafeteria could wait for another day.

A horde of people swept through like a tempest, devouring the dozens of zombies that loomed before the Fourteenth Cafeteria.

Nearly two thousand students gathered in front of the cafeteria's four-story building, their low cheers rippling through the air.

Stocked with enough provisions for six to seven thousand people for about three days, the cafeteria was more than sufficient to sustain their group of under two thousand until help arrived.

Indeed, the students held an unwavering faith in their homeland. They were confident that as the world's second-largest nation, Hiekith would not succumb to this catastrophe.

They were certain that rescue would come within three to ten days.

Their judgment had solid grounding.

They were not only the intellectual elite of Hiekith, the bearers of the nation's future, but the presence of numerous national treasure-level scientists and world-class research projects at Y University made it unthinkable for the government to abandon them.

If help did not arrive soon, it would signify that Hiekith had fallen. And by extension, it would mean the end of the world.

In such a scenario, life and death would lose all significance.

A minor incident occurred during their entry into the cafeteria.

Normally, the cafeteria doors would be locked from the outside, with night shift staff using a separate entrance. However, Lin Chen and his group discovered that the doors were locked from the inside.

This suggested that many people might have already taken refuge inside!

After several unsuccessful attempts at knocking, the impatient students, with dusk approaching, began to clamor for a forceful entry.

Just then, the rolling shutter door creaked open, revealing a dozen tattooed toughs in unmistakable gang attire.

The ringleader, Chang Jiu, cigarette dangling from his lips, snarled, "What the hell do you brats think you're doing? Trying to turn the world upside down?"

Chang Jiu, a figure from the underworld, was known as 'Brother Jiu' in this locale.

At the onset of the disaster, he and his lackeys were extorting a student in the woods.

Upon waking, he led his men to dispatch a few of their zombified associates and broke into the nearest cafeteria for shelter.

From his vantage point on the fourth floor, he had long been aware of the students' arrival but had paid them no mind.

In his mind, the students were nothing more than well-behaved children too timid to harm a fly, let alone pose any threat to him.

Little did he know that many of these students had already shattered the mental chains forged by peacetime laws, transforming into wolves ready to pounce.

Confronted directly, there were plenty who would not hesitate to take him down.

Descending with his group, he nonchalantly opened the rolling shutter just as the students were about to force their way through, berating them without a second thought.

The students exchanged puzzled glances, wondering if the man had lost his mind.

Chang Jiu's gaze landed on Su Wan, Tang Yuanyuan, Lin Ya, Lee Ying, and a host of stunning beauties he'd never encountered before, and his heart turned to mush.

The apocalypse had granted Chang Jiu enhanced strength, and he fancied himself a superhero, his ambitions growing wild.

After a day of seeing no one at the Fourteenth Cafeteria, he concluded that the world had undergone a cataclysmic shift. He believed his time had come.

With his confidence blinding him, Chang Jiu saw only celestial beauty before him, ignoring everything else as he whispered, "Such a bevy of beauties."

He leered and reached out to caress Su Wan's face.

As the students were about to erupt in protest, Lin Chen swiftly seized Chang Jiu's hand. Turning to Su Wan and Tang Yuanyuan, he spoke calmly, "Will you tolerate this degenerate's lewd fantasies and insults?"

Lin Chen had the power to squash this pest with ease, but he restrained himself, deeming it unwise to display such violence towards the living just yet.

Simply killing Chang Jiu didn't feel right, yet letting him off with a beating was unsatisfying. Lin Chen decided to let the two ladies of stature handle the situation.

Having joined his team, it was only right they contribute. He was aware that their bodyguards held a 'license to kill.'

Su Wan and Tang Yuanyuan caught on to Lin Chen's implication immediately. Though not arrogant or oppressive, these noblewomen truly didn't regard commoners as their equals.

The two ladies exchanged knowing glances.

Yuen Meng hesitated, the unfolding scene not quite matching the urgency the situation called for.

Without uttering a second word, Zheng Han swiftly drew her weapon with a flick of her right hand at her waist. A muted gunshot followed, and a small, bloody hole appeared on Chang Jiu's forehead as he collapsed backward.

Chang Jiu, accustomed to ruling the lower echelons of society, could never have imagined how little his life was valued in the eyes of the truly powerful and privileged.

Lin Chen released Chang Jiu's arm, allowing him to fall freely, and then flashed Tang Yuanyuan a thumbs-up.

Tang Yuanyuan, brimming with pride, snorted arrogantly and shot Su Wan a triumphant look, convinced she had bested her in their silent competition.

Su Wan felt a twinge of annoyance but maintained a serene facade. She cast a glance at Yuen Meng, her eyes carrying a subtle reproach. Clearly, she was disappointed with Yuen Meng's actions, which had caused her to lose face before Tang Yuanyuan.

Yuen Meng hung her head, too ashamed to meet her mistress's gaze, silently chastising herself for her leniency and resolving to be firmer in the future.

The students, now desensitized to death after a day's exposure, were initially startled by Chang Jiu's sudden demise but quickly regained their composure.

Bai Zhengfeng, Song Yang, and the other scions were well aware of the so-called 'license to kill' and remained unfazed by the incident.

Chang Jiu's henchmen, terrified by the swift and silent execution, wet themselves in fear and hastily cleared the way, no longer daring to obstruct the entrance.

After executing Chang Jiu, Zheng Han stood at the doorway, brandishing a black credential for all to see. "My name is Zheng Han, and this is my 'Special Affairs Identity'," she announced. "This man blocked the emergency exit, jeopardizing the safety of two thousand students. To ensure their timely access to a secure environment and their safety, I eliminated the threat on the spot."

Inwardly, Lin Chen commended the woman once more. She had not only eliminated a threat but also skillfully framed the act as a necessary measure, securing her position on the moral high ground. Clearly, she was far from being just a pretty face.

No wonder Zheng Han, the beauty from his past life, achieved such remarkable success!

Led by their senior peers, the students filed into the Fourteenth Cafeteria with precision.

As Tang Yuanyuan walked past Lin Chen, she whispered, "How did you know?"

She was inquiring about Lin Chen's knowledge of the 'license to kill.'

Lin Chen's lips quirked into a smile. "Haven't you heard Master Bai and his crew gossiping about you and Su Wan nonstop? They're practically one step away from broadcasting it to the world with megaphones."

Naturally, that wasn't the whole story. Lin Chen couldn't reveal his knowledge from a past life, so he conveniently pinned it on the group of young nobles.

Still, Bai Zhengfeng and his friends had indeed tossed around the term 'license to kill,' so Lin Chen wasn't entirely framing them.

Su Wan, catching Lin Chen's explanation, shot a fierce look at Bai Zhengfeng's group alongside Tang Yuanyuan. Their stares left the young masters on the receiving end puzzled, prompting a flurry of awkward smiles and incessant nodding in response.