The group moved carefully across the campus.
What had once been a familiar place now felt foreign. Every step carried risk. Every sound could draw attention. The open pathways that used to feel safe now exposed them from all sides.
Lin Ye walked at the front.
Not because anyone told him to, but because he naturally took that position. His pace was steady, not too fast, not too slow. Enough to keep momentum without making unnecessary noise.
Behind him, Su Qing followed closely.
The three newcomers stayed a short distance behind, maintaining a cautious gap. They had agreed to move together, but no one was foolish enough to fully trust strangers in a world that had collapsed overnight.
The man with the metal rod spoke again after a few minutes.
"My name's Chen Ming," he said. "We were in the engineering building when this started."
Lin Ye did not turn around.
"Lin Ye."
Chen Ming glanced at his back, then continued.
"This is Liu Fang," he gestured to the woman beside him, "and Zhao Kai."
Zhao Kai gave a brief nod but said nothing.
Liu Fang's eyes moved constantly, scanning the surroundings. Unlike Chen Ming, who tried to appear composed, she was clearly alert to danger.
"You've been outside longer than us," she said. "What exactly are those things?"
"Zombies," Lin Ye replied.
The word hung in the air.
Chen Ming gave a dry laugh.
"Yeah… that's what it looks like, but this isn't a movie."
"No," Lin Ye said. "It's worse."
Silence followed.
No one argued.
Because deep down, they already knew.
Ahead, the path curved toward the central plaza that connected to the main gate. The area opened up wider, with fewer obstacles but far more exposure.
Lin Ye slowed slightly.
"There's movement ahead," he said.
Everyone stopped instinctively.
Su Qing leaned slightly to the side, trying to see past him.
In the distance, near the plaza, a cluster of figures moved.
Not one or two.
Dozens.
Zombies.
But mixed among them were living people.
Running.
Fighting.
Trying to push through.
The situation was chaotic.
Chen Ming's expression tightened.
"That must be the gate area."
Liu Fang frowned.
"That doesn't look safe at all."
"No," Lin Ye said. "It isn't."
He crouched slightly, lowering his profile.
"Watch first."
The group stayed back, partially hidden behind a row of low bushes and broken benches.
From this distance, the full situation became clearer.
Around thirty or more survivors had gathered near the main gate.
Some were armed with sticks, others with tools, a few with proper weapons taken from maintenance areas.
They were trying to hold a defensive line.
But it was unstable.
Zombies kept pushing in from different directions.
Worse, some of the creatures were faster.
Stronger.
Enhanced types had already appeared among them.
Every time someone made a mistake, the line broke slightly.
And when it broke, people died.
Su Qing covered her mouth slightly.
"…they're not going to last like that…"
Lin Ye watched quietly.
"They're disorganized."
No formation.
No leadership.
Everyone acting on instinct.
That was the biggest problem.
Chen Ming clenched his weapon.
"We should help them."
Lin Ye turned his head slightly.
"Why?"
The question caught him off guard.
"What do you mean why? If we don't, they'll get overwhelmed."
"They already are," Lin Ye said calmly.
Chen Ming frowned.
"Then all the more reason to help."
Lin Ye looked back at the scene.
A man near the front line was pulled down by two zombies.
No one could reach him in time.
His scream ended quickly.
"Going in blindly will only add to that," Lin Ye said.
Liu Fang spoke up.
"He's right."
Chen Ming looked at her.
"We can't just stand here."
"We're not," Lin Ye said.
He stood up slowly.
"We choose where to enter."
That was the difference.
Not whether to act.
But how.
Lin Ye studied the battlefield.
The left side of the group was weaker.
More pressure.
Fewer capable fighters.
"That side," he said.
"If we break through there, we can stabilize part of the line."
Chen Ming followed his gaze.
"…and if it collapses?"
"Then we leave."
The answer was immediate.
Cold.
Practical.
Chen Ming hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Fine."
Lin Ye adjusted his grip on the axe.
"Stay behind me. Don't overextend."
This time, no one questioned him.
They moved.
Fast.
Directly toward the left flank.
The moment they entered the open, a few zombies turned toward them.
Lin Ye accelerated.
The first zombie reached him.
One strike.
Clean.
[You have killed a Level 1 Zombie][EXP +2]
He did not slow down.
The second followed.
Another strike.
[EXP +2]
The group behind him reacted quickly, engaging the stragglers.
Su Qing stayed close, watching for openings rather than rushing in.
They reached the outer edge of the defensive line.
A student swung wildly at a zombie, nearly losing balance.
Lin Ye stepped in.
His axe cut through the creature cleanly.
[EXP +5]
The student froze, staring at him.
Lin Ye did not acknowledge it.
"Hold your ground," he said.
His voice was calm, but carried weight.
Something about it made people listen.
More zombies approached.
Lin Ye moved again.
Efficient.
Controlled.
Each strike placed exactly where it needed to be.
The left side began to stabilize.
Not completely.
But enough.
Chen Ming fought beside him now, his movements rough but determined.
Liu Fang stayed slightly behind, supporting when openings appeared.
Zhao Kai remained quiet, but effective.
The pressure shifted.
For the first time, the line stopped collapsing.
Someone shouted from the center.
"Hold it! Don't let them break through!"
Momentum changed.
Slightly.
But enough to matter.
Lin Ye continued fighting.
Each kill added to his progress.
[EXP +2][EXP +5][EXP +2]
The numbers rose steadily.
But his focus never shifted to them.
Only the battlefield.
Only positioning.
Then—
Something changed.
Lin Ye's movements slowed slightly.
His eyes narrowed.
"Back," he said.
The word came suddenly.
Sharp.
Su Qing reacted immediately, stepping back without hesitation.
Chen Ming hesitated for half a second.
"Why—"
Then he saw it.
From the far side of the plaza, something pushed through the crowd of zombies.
Larger.
Faster.
More controlled.
A new presence.
The surrounding zombies shifted as it moved.
Not mindlessly.
As if reacting to it.
Lin Ye's grip tightened.
"That's not normal."
The creature stepped into the open.
And the pressure in the entire area changed.