"It's Minh Phong's group..."
The whispers of recognition broke the stunned silence. Several students gazed at the fallen zombies, their faces pale with horror. Just yesterday, they were laughing and joking together; now, those same friends had been reduced to man-eating beasts, driven by primal hunger.
A heavy sorrow filled the air. Some turned away, unable to bear the sight, while others stifled their sobs.
Hua Thanh suppressed his grief, his voice low and steady. "Don't leave them here. The scent of blood will draw more of them."
In grim silence, the group worked together to clear the hallway. They moved the bodies and washed away the gore, exchanging glances filled with fear and pity. No one spoke a word.
The next morning, dawn sunlight spilled across the tiles, illuminating the faint stains from the night's battle. Luu Hao led the way, with Thuong Sinh walking alongside him. To Thuong Sinh, the previous night was already a closed chapter. He felt no remorse; to him, they were merely obstacles that had turned into monsters, and he had simply cleared the path.
As they descended the stairs, a palpable tension lingered. The group maintained a careful distance from Thuong Sinh. The memory of his cold-blooded efficiency was seared into their minds. Even though he was their protector, a chilling thought haunted them: Could I be the next one he kills?
Thuong Sinh sensed their apprehension but remained indifferent. He felt a flicker of regret for joining them; while a group offered safety in numbers, it also introduced unpredictable variables—like someone turning into a zombie in the middle of the night.
In the lobby, they were met by another group led by Tran Pham. A smug smile played on Tran Pham's lips as he scanned the newcomers, though his eyes quickly darted away in fear when they met Thuong Sinh's.
Seeing the opposing group was large and armed with makeshift weapons, Luu Hao stepped forward, his posture guarded. "Who are you?"
Tran Pham swallowed hard, fighting to keep his composure. "We're students from the opposite block. I'm Tran Pham. We're planning to break through the main gate to find supplies. Are you leaving too?"
Luu Hao didn't answer immediately. He eyed their gear—wooden sticks, table legs, plastic buckets. It was a large but disorganized rabble. He frowned. "There are too many zombies ahead. A group this size will only draw attention."
Standing within Tran Pham's group, Thanh Dao's eyes drifted over the strangers until they settled on Thuong Sinh. He stood there like a silent shadow, his face devoid of emotion—a stark contrast to the shy boy she remembered from the library. A strange sensation stirred in her heart.
Realizing Luu Hao wasn't easily convinced, Tran Pham played his final card. He held up two bus keys branded with the university logo.
"We secured two sets of keys for the campus buses. Help us cross the courtyard to the parking lot, and we'll give you one. After that, we go our separate ways. What do you say?"
Luu Hao froze, his eyes locked onto the keys. A vehicle was a prize more valuable than any promise. "What does everyone think? Is it worth the risk?"
Silence fell over the lobby. They looked at the keys, then quickly looked away, as if afraid of being lured into a trap.
Hua Thanh broke the silence. "The parking lot... we'd have to cross the main courtyard. That's where the zombie density is highest. If we get swarmed, we might not make it out."
Luu Hao turned to Thuong Sinh. "Thuong Sinh, what's your take? Is it worth the gamble to get a bus before heading south?"
All eyes turned to him. Thuong Sinh remained silent for a long moment, his gaze shifting from Tran Pham's group back to his own. "Going or staying... isn't just a gamble against the zombies. It's a gamble against them too. Those keys could be exactly what he says, or they could be bait."
The silence was so heavy you could hear heartbeats. Thuong Sinh looked back at Luu Hao. "The decision is yours. If we go, I'll scout the path. If things go south, we retreat according to the original plan."
Luu Hao nodded grimly. "Fine. We go. But on one condition." He locked eyes with Tran Pham. "The keys. Hand over one now, as promised. Once the key is in my hand, we move. No key, no deal."
Tran Pham bit his lip and nodded. "Fine... we'll hand it over."
One of Tran Pham's cronies stepped forward and handed Luu Hao a gleaming key. Luu Hao took it, his eyes delivering a silent warning: One mistake, and you'll regret it.
Tran Pham kept his smile, but his mind was racing. His father had promised a rescue team within a week, but their supplies were nearly gone. They wouldn't last another day, let alone a week. When he heard a group was descending from the upper floors, he knew he had found his escort.
With the deal struck, the two groups merged—nearly thirty people in total. It was a large, conspicuous caravan, but the numbers provided a thin veil of comfort.
Thuong Sinh took the lead, his eyes scanning every corner. At the iron gate, the tension reached its peak. Luu Hao took a deep breath and threw open the gate. The screech of metal on metal was deafening.
The sound acted like a dinner bell for the undead. Zombies nearby spun around, moaning in eternal hunger.
Thuong Sinh was the first to strike.
He moved like a blur among the corpses, his feet barely seeming to touch the ground. This was the power of his newly mastered technique: "Phantom Steps."
He appeared like a legion of ghosts, flickering in and out of existence. A kick, a slash—every strike was absolute. Zombies dropped before they could even register his presence. To the onlookers, it was a terrifyingly beautiful dance of death.
Luu Hao snapped out of his trance. "Move together! Protect your flanks!"
Luu Hao's group surged forward in sync. They lacked Thuong Sinh's supernatural speed, but they fought with disciplined coordination. Luu Hao swung his sledgehammer with crushing force, caving in skulls with every blow.
Thuong Sinh carved out a path, and Luu Hao's team filled the gaps, protecting the weaker members while clearing the way. It was a rhythmic, ordered chaos. Having fought their way down from the upper floors, they adapted quickly.
Meanwhile, Tran Pham's group stood paralyzed. They had only ever run; they had never fought. The carnage before them was overwhelming.
"Shouldn't we... help them?" one of Tran Pham's followers whispered tremulously.
Tran Pham shot him a look as sharp as a blade. "If you want to die, go ahead."
His cold remark silenced his group. No one dared to risk their lives. They watched as Thuong Sinh and Luu Hao's team sliced through the sea of zombies, moving forward step by step, as if the apocalypse itself was under their absolute control.