Night fell like a crushing weight. Outside the west gate, the zombie tide surged like waves before a storm, relentlessly battering the iron barricade. The air reeked of blood and burnt flesh, and the howls of the undead drowned out the campus broadcast warnings.
Lu Ye scanned the southern wall with his Eye of the World—the cracks were widening, and the horde had already seeped through multiple breaches. Qin Hao panted, "If we stay any longer, we'll be buried alive." Chen Mo slung his iron rod over his shoulder. "There's a forest trail by the north gate. We make a break now." Zhao Yang licked his lips, blood mist swirling faintly with each breath. "It's more dangerous out there—but we've got no choice."
With only a few rations and water on their backs, the group slipped out through the north gate while the main horde was distracted by the west.
The forest fog was like a silent wall, shielding them from the undead's sight. Just as they thought they could catch their breath, a raspy voice echoed from the ruins:
"Leave the food."
A tall, gaunt figure emerged from the mist, his tattered school uniform flapping in the wind. His eyes glowed with an eerie green light—Lu Ye recognized him. Hu Hao, a senior from Grade 12.
Eye of the World Analysis Tier: High Tier 2 (Human Esper) Ability: Mental Command Limitations: Effective only on humans (3-minute cooldown); ineffective against vampires and non-humans
Hu Hao raised his hand, fingers curling as if flipping an invisible page. "—Drop your weapons." Chen Mo hesitated, and his grip loosened involuntarily. Qin Hao gritted his teeth to resist, but his knees still trembled.
Zhao Yang lunged forward, blood mist surging toward Hu Hao—yet the latter's gaze passed over him without effect. "As expected, doesn't work on you," Hu Hao sneered, stomping the ground. Shards of stone burst forth, targeting Lu Ye and Qin Hao.
Hu Hao moved like a phantom, weaving mental commands into close-quarters combat. Each time his cooldown ended, he locked onto the weakest member, forcing retreats or disarmament, throwing the team into disarray. Lu Ye tried to trap him with spatial freeze, but Hu Hao sidestepped as if he'd predicted it, slipping free.
Chen Mo gripped his rod again, and with Zhao Yang flanking, they launched a coordinated assault—Zhao Yang controlling movement, Chen Mo aiming for vital strikes.
Though Hu Hao was pushed back, he never lost composure. His eyes flicked to their supply packs, his expression growing colder. "I'm not just after food—I need leverage to survive."
As the third cooldown neared, Lu Ye suddenly shouted, "Zhao Yang, force him into a frontal fight!" The blood mist condensed into a dense barrier, cornering Hu Hao against a crumbling wall. Qin Hao, enduring psychic backlash, sealed his escape route with threads of light. Chen Mo's rod smashed down, interrupting Hu Hao's dash, and Lu Ye locked his limbs with a spatial bind.
Breathing heavily, Hu Hao looked up with a bitter smile. "You win… Can I have some food? The dorms have been cut off for three days. If I didn't come out, I'd starve."
As he spoke, Lu Ye activated a hidden scan with the Eye of the World. Red light bathed Hu Hao's body, revealing his organs. He checked the heartbeat—steady and calm. Lu Ye gave a subtle nod to his teammates: he's not lying. He wasn't a killer by nature—just cornered.
Zhao Yang stylishly dispersed the blood mist and tossed him a pack of compressed biscuits. "Fill your stomach first. Then you're coming with us."
Hu Hao froze, then took the food, a rare flicker of gratitude crossing his face. "Alright. I'll follow your lead."
Four became five. Amid the wind sweeping through the ruins and the distant howls of the undead, they pressed forward. No one knew what enemies or allies awaited around the next corner.