"Speaking of which, why haven't that guy and Yukinoshita returned after so long?" Kakeru asked with a frown.
"More than two hours have passed. If everything went smoothly, they should be back by now," Hayato said, looking at the high-end watch on his wrist.
Of course, Hayato hoped they would both return safely. This would also give some confidence to those who were indecisive.
Hayato always believed that in this dangerous zombie apocalypse, unity and cooperation were the only way to survive.
At this moment, suddenly...
"Yū-Yūko…what's wrong with you?! You… don't scare me!"
A somewhat panicked female voice suddenly rang out from behind, attracting their attention.
"What's going on?" Hayato frowned and looked over, discovering that Yūko, the young woman whose arm had been bitten off by a zombie earlier, was about to lose control of herself.
"Ugh… Mmm!!" Her face was pale, white foam constantly spilled from her mouth, her eyelids rolled back, revealing a lot of white, and her limbs twitched wildly; she looked terrifying.
"Oh no, is she turning into a zombie?!" His heart sinking, Hayato quickly walked over.
With the strength of Midori and the other young women, they were already struggling to hold down Yūko, who was gradually turning into a zombie.
"You guys, hurry and help, hold her down!"
"Ye-yes, we know…" Taisuke and the others were also startled by Yūko's sudden transformation. Together with other men, he rushed over, reaching out to hold down the struggling young woman.
"Waaah…what do we do? Yūko… Yūko, is she really going to turn into a zombie?" Midori looked at her friend's terrifying appearance, her eyes reddening, her heart filled with sorrow.
"Kakeru, quick, hand me my dagger!" Hayato made a decisive call, shouting at Kakeru.
"Here." Kakeru lowered his head with a solemn expression, handing the sharp Phoenix Dagger to Hayato. This tactical dagger had a blade made of high-carbon tool steel, shaped like a pointed knife, with two blood grooves on the side of the spine. Its sharpness could even cut through steel nails or barbed wire.
Seeing Hayato's actions, everyone immediately understood his intention.
Some showed expressions of unbearable pity. Some silently lowered their heads without a word. A few young women cried softly, burying their faces in their friends' arms, not daring to look up.
Everyone understood the inevitable outcome that was about to occur.
"I'm sorry … It's the first day of school, and something like this happened."
Looking at the struggling Yūko, Hayato showed a crestfallen expression, gripping the Phoenix Dagger, and was about to stab it towards the young woman's head.
"Wait, isn't there… isn't there another way?" In tears, Midori desperately held Hayato's wrist, stopping him and pleading in a low voice: "Please… please, think of something!"
"I'm sorry, there's no other way," Hayato said as he shook his head, his brows furrowed. "Only by killing Yūko can we help her find release."
"But…" Midori still wanted to persuade him, but she knew that Hayato was right.
"Then let me do it…" Her voice trembled as she snatched the Phoenix Dagger from Hayato's hand, "She's my best friend. It should be me who sends her off."
"…" Everyone held their breath, watching Midori grip the dagger with both hands. Her hands were trembling as she aimed the dagger at Yūko's temple.
But just as the blade was about to fall… a sudden change occurred!
"Rawrrr!" Yūko, who was tied to the chair, suddenly burst out with immense strength far exceeding her previous state, forcefully breaking free from her restraints. Her neck twisted sharply, and her sharp teeth directly struck Midori's defenseless throat!
CHOMP—!! RIP—!! SPURT—!!
Blood instantly splattered. Midori didn't even have time to scream. A chunk of flesh was bitten clean off her throat, and her body slumped softly to the ground. Her eyes were still fixed on her former friend, filled with disbelief and despair.
The two were too close. The emotional Midori completely failed to notice that the actual distance between them was already extremely dangerous. This led her to overlook Yūko, who had completely transformed into a zombie, resulting in her death.
"AHH—!!"
"Midori, Midori, she's dead!!?"
"Mad, madness! She really turned into a zombie!"
The classroom instantly erupted into chaos. Women' screams and men' roars mingled together, the chaotic sounds like a signal, instantly piercing through the silence of the teaching building.
"Quick, quick, shoot!"
Everyone was in a panic, simultaneously raising their firearms, trying to aim at the zombified Yūko.
But at this moment, an unexpected situation occurred again.
BOOM—!!
The ceiling above suddenly tore open without warning. Wood splinters, concrete fragments, and cement dust rained down continuously.
A thin, dark figure, wrapped in a black-and-blue blood-stained hoodie, plummeted down with a strong gust of wind. A circle of dust kicked up upon its landing.
This uninvited guest was a hideous monster, small and hunched, wearing a black-and-blue blood-stained hoodie.
If Tsubasa were here, he would surely recognize the grotesque creature before them!
It was the Special Infected from Left 4 Dead—the Hunter!
Unlike common Infected, Hunters, due to their mutation, typically possess keen hearing and smell like felines, and a laryngeal vocalization mechanism. Its limbs are equipped with abnormally sharp claws, and it is extremely skilled at high-altitude assaults. During an attack, it also emits a low, threatening sound similar to a cat hunting.
The Hunter's predatory eyes constantly scanned the uneasy crowd, like a merciless beast patrolling its territory for desired prey.
Suddenly, it lunged without warning, pouncing on the nearest man. Its sharp claws pierced through the man's chest as if it were nothing, as smooth as a hot knife through butter, without any resistance.
"AH!!!" The man's lungs were punctured, and he struggled in pain, trying to escape the Hunter's predation, but could only watch helplessly as his two hands rapidly fumbled in front of him.
Accompanied by agonizing screams, various crimson substances continuously flew into the air…
Soon, the cries for help gradually faded, until silence.
Purr, purr… The Hunter raised its grotesque face, stained with blood. It made a satisfied purring sound, like a cat. It hooked its sharp fingertips, pulled out a large intestine from the abdomen, and began to feast with gusto.
Meanwhile, the zombified Yūko also broke free from her restraints and bit at a nearby young woman, and the scene completely spiraled out of control!
"Quick, run! Run!"
"Help! Someone help me!"
The slaughter continued.
In just a dozen seconds, three more students fell in a pool of blood.
In an instant, the team of 20 was reduced to 14.
Despair, like a tide, engulfed everyone.
BANG! BANG! BANG!!!
Hayato's eyes were bloodshot. He raised his M780 shotgun and fired continuously, but he had no shooting experience; he fired several times, but the cunning opponent repeatedly dodged his shots.
Sharp claws, eerie movements, combined with extraordinary jumping ability, made the Hunter a true killer. This monster, like a cat playing with a mouse, maintained a leisurely pace, cruelly toying with Hayato and his group.
Purrr… A low purring sound echoed again. It released the hollowed-out corpse of the young woman.
The Hunter was on all fours. Its gaping, blood-stained mouth revealed a row of sharp teeth still smeared with blood and minced meat. Its throat moved, emitting a muffled growl similar to a feline.
Like a tiger lurking in the grass, it was calm but not impulsive. But it always gave people the feeling that in the next second, it would suddenly pounce, accurately and swiftly seizing the prey's throat!
"Rawrrr!" The Hunter, with its blood-red eyes and highly arched back, suddenly burst forth with astonishing leaping power the next instant. It actually traversed the air, lunging toward the frantically fleeing Utaha.
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Translator's Corner:
This chapter has 1305 Words. Other than the word count report, I have nothing else to share! Thanks for reading!