Thuong Sinh and Luu Hao's group scouted the surrounding classrooms. They soon discovered the area was deserted—not a soul, not even a single zombie. Since the outbreak had hit during the holidays, the campus was largely empty, which made sense.
"Boss Hao, look what I found!"
Luu Hao heard Hua Thanh calling and turned to see the youth wearing a lewd, mischievous grin. To his surprise, Hua Thanh had scavenged a "forbidden book" from under a desk.
"Will you stop it, you damn pervert!" Luu Hao snapped.
Hua Thanh ignored him, flipping through the pages while rolling his eyes. "Hmph, why the act? Don't think I don't know you have a stack of these under your mattress back at the dorm!"
"Shut your mouth! Don't you dare slander me!"
The group burst into laughter. The heavy atmosphere, thick with the dread of zombies, lightened instantly. Luu Hao's face flushed bright red as his long-hidden secret was exposed. Furious, he tried to snatch the book, but Hua Thanh nimbly dodged him.
"Say one more word and I'll beat you to death!"
Chu Minh doubled over laughing, chiming in: "Brother Hao, why maintain the image now? It's the apocalypse, for heaven's sake."
Vuong Khai shook his head with a helpless smile. "Forget it. Consider it finding 'spiritual supplies' before we head out."
Leaning against the doorframe, Thuong Sinh couldn't help but let out a small laugh. In that fleeting moment, he realized how long it had been since he felt such ease. No roars, no stench of blood—just the crude jokes of the living.
But the joy was short-lived.
Luu Hao took a deep breath, his playfulness vanishing as his expression hardened. "Alright, enough joking around. Once the check is done, regroup. We don't have much time left."
The laughter died down. Everyone nodded, knowing that once they stepped out of this building, the campus would be a gauntlet of death where a single mistake would cost them everything.
They returned to the regrouping point. Tran Pham's group was already waiting in a large first-floor classroom, the windows darkened with cloth and desks piled high as temporary barricades.
Luu Hao dropped his pack. "Report. This building is clear. No zombies, no survivors."
Tran Pham nodded, his gaze skimming past Thuong Sinh. "This area is quiet during holidays... seems we picked a good spot to rest."
Hua Thanh spread a crumpled paper on a desk—a crude pen-and-ink map of the campus. "We are here," he said, pointing to a corner. "Academic Building A. The parking lot is to the southwest, next to the sports field."
Ngoc Han frowned. "To get there, we have to cross the Central Plaza and half the campus... there were dozens of them earlier."
"It's unavoidable," Hua Thanh muttered. "The detour is longer and passes through dense greenery. That's even more dangerous."
Luu Hao crossed his arms. "We won't go yet. Everyone just fought; our stamina hasn't recovered. We wait until noon. Eat, rest, and reorganize. We move at midday."
No one objected.
Time crawled. Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight cutting through the classroom. They ate dry rations and biscuits in silence, taking small sips of water. Tran Tuyet checked the minor injuries to ensure no infections had set in. Thanh Dao and Ngoc Han sat close, their hands never leaving their weapons.
Thuong Sinh leaned against the wall, eyes closed, regulating his breath. In his mind, he was already mapping the route, identifying ambush points and escape paths.
When the clock struck noon, Luu Hao stood up. "Alright. Pack up. Prepare to move."
The doors creaked open. Blinding sunlight flooded the hallway.
Screeeech—
The sound of the metal door opening felt deafening in the stillness. The air outside was stifling, carrying the faint, familiar scent of dried blood mixed with the stench of decay.
Thuong Sinh stepped out first. He stood on the threshold, scanning the courtyard. Before him lay the vast plaza, the concrete cracked and stained with dark blotches. In the distance, stone benches lay overturned, and the school flag hung limp, swaying weakly in the breeze.
Zombies were scattered across the plaza—some motionless as statues, others wandering aimlessly into flagpoles or flowerbeds.
Thuong Sinh raised his hand, signaling a halt. "Don't be reckless," he whispered. "Once we step out, there's no easy way back."
Luu Hao stood to his left, his eyes sharp. "Hold the formation as planned. Scouts in front, protect the non-combatants in the center. No panic in the rear."
Tran Tuyet clutched her backpack, the faint green light beneath her skin flickering as she struggled to keep it suppressed. Tran Pham stood at the edge of the group, his eyes darting across the square before settling on Thuong Sinh's back. He swallowed hard, his hand tightening around the "bus key" in his pocket—the key to a dead man's car. He looked down, hiding his face.
"Move," Thuong Sinh commanded.
The group stepped onto the campus grounds. As their feet touched the concrete, several distant zombies froze. Their heads slowly rotated toward the sound, their necks clicking with dry, brittle snaps.
One opened its maw, letting out a hollow, rasping roar.
Like a signal being passed, other heads turned. No one needed to be told—they had been spotted.
"Maintain your pace," Luu Hao hissed. "Don't run. If you run, you die."
The group moved steadily along the edge of the plaza, heading toward the treeline that led to the sports field. Behind them, the moans grew in volume and number.
The horde was beginning to converge. The march had officially begun.