Innocence

"Will that phone work?"

"Yeah, and its sound range probably won't be that wide, right?"

"It won't attract many Dead Bodies, will it? If that's the case, we might as well charge out..."

Kurumi rubbed her forehead, speechless. "You're drawing conclusions without even trying? This is to keep you out of danger, and it doesn't harm you in any way. Why are you all making such a big deal out of it? Even if there's a loss, it'll only be my phone."

Hearing that, everyone felt a little embarrassed. It was only natural. When their lives were at stake, they would obviously choose the most reliable method. Since neither method required them to act personally, they were naturally happy to see it. And if it worked, wouldn't that be even better?

In times of crisis, preserving oneself wisely was human instinct.

Seeing that no one had any further objections, Kurumi nodded at them and ran to a third-floor window. She turned her phone's volume to maximum, played... "Little Apple," then hurled it with all her strength to a spot exactly twenty meters away from the school building.

Smack—

The Nokia did not disappoint Kurumi. It successfully withstood the impact of the fall, and a Chinese hit song began drifting over Fujimi Academy. As for anyone claiming that "Little Apple" did not exist in this era—

Well, sorry about that. Kurumi had it on her phone anyway.

"You are my little, little apple~"

"Like the most beautiful cloud on the horizon~"...

The campus, once quiet beneath the setting sun, instantly erupted under the influence of that song! The Dead Bodies' roars rang out without end as they crowded atop one another, continuously moving toward the Nokia phone.

Even the Dead Bodies in the second-floor hall followed their instincts toward the outside upon hearing the song. The first one used its immense strength to force open the glass doors, but before the second one could get out, the doors swung back.

Bang~

The poor thing was knocked flat by the tremendous force, toppling quite a few Dead Bodies behind it. It then struggled back to its feet, let out a confused roar, and continued toward the exit.

That was right. The double glass doors had now been "removed" by their friendly Dead Bodies. Seeing this, everyone on the stairs breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like Kurumi's plan had worked, and it also confirmed one point...

These Dead Bodies really attacked based solely on sound, and just as Takagi Saya had said, they had no vision!

That made dealing with the Dead Bodies much easier! Such a weakness was enough to become their hope of escape!

Kurumi came down from the third floor. "Hey! So, was the song good?"

"Mm, it was quite a rhythmic song. It made one feel like dancing along with it." Busujima Saeko offered her assessment with all seriousness.

"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and go! If the phone gets bitten to pieces, we'll be finished!"

"Oh, and you!" The boy Kurumi looked at immediately tensed up, desperately trying to recall exactly where he had offended this young lady.

"Make sure the pitchfork in your hand doesn't touch anything! I don't want to be surrounded by Dead Bodies. You'd better put that weapon down." After Kurumi finished saying this word by word, the boy swallowed nervously and nodded rapidly.

He carefully placed the "weapon" in his hand on the ground. Only after looking up and seeing that Kurumi was no longer watching him did he breathe a sigh of relief. He had never felt such imposing pressure, not even from his father, who was a corporate executive!

He touched his back and found his clothes soaked in cold sweat. Not daring to look again at Kurumi's soft, alluring body wrapped in her school uniform, which invited all kinds of thoughts, he obediently followed behind Takuo. After all, escaping was what mattered most right now!

Kurumi held the Steel Katana and walked at the front, heading toward the School Bus. Although the sound continuously attracted the Dead Bodies, a small number still wandered around the campus, like those on the skybridge right now!

With her 1.5 body coordination, Kurumi controlled her body with remarkable ease, darting back and forth among the Dead Bodies without making a sound. If not for her speed being so great that the wind it stirred lifted a corner of her skirt, Busujima Saeko behind her would have thought she was a ghost.

Kurumi seemed completely unaffected by the Dead Bodies' disgusting, vomit-inducing faces. She had seen far more revolting things in the Main God Space. Even in such a crisis, she still had the interest to carefully observe the Dead Bodies' appearances.

But the people in Takuo's little group behind her were nowhere near as relaxed as Kurumi. They were doing well enough if their bodies did not tremble at the sight of so many Dead Bodies. Asking them to stay calm was simply too much...

The main group followed closely behind Kurumi, completely failing to notice Takuo's group. And so... tragedy struck!

Takuo stared at the Dead Bodies in front of him, beads of sweat continuously sliding down the bridge of his nose. He had barely taken a step forward when two more Dead Bodies accidentally blocked his path. His grip on the baseball bat tightened.

He really was unlucky. The World Consciousness's correction had doomed him to die. Dead Bodies stood in front, behind, to his left, and to his right. Advancing was difficult, and retreating was difficult. Though these Dead Bodies were not attacking him, the situation was still extremely urgent!

His gaze sharpened, and he viciously swung his baseball bat at the Dead Body blocking his way!

Bang—

With one blow, that Dead Body's head was smashed apart alive, blood splattering everywhere! But the sound also drew in the Dead Bodies nearby! Just as Takuo tried to run forward, the Dead Body to his right lunged at him. In his panic, he raised his right hand to shove it away, only for the lunging Dead Body to bite down on him!

Psh—

Blood splashed over the Dead Body's mouth. As though it had smelled the fragrance of blood, it refused to let go no matter what! Takuo was already in despair. He attacked the Dead Bodies around him viciously, but... it was useless. One Dead Body after another tore into the flesh on his body! At this rate... he would not even have the chance to become a Dead Body...

The short-haired girl running ahead heard the bone-chilling sounds of chewing behind her... along with her boyfriend's terrified cries. She immediately stopped, turned around, and was about to run toward him. "Takuo!"

The boy being torn apart used every bit of strength in his body to roar at the short-haired girl, "Naomi, run!" Takagi Saya grabbed the girl beside her. "Give up! He's been bitten! There's no saving him!"

The girl named Naomi had tears in her eyes as she looked at Takagi Saya and shook her head slightly. When Saya froze, Naomi broke free and ran toward him. "Honestly! I already explained it to you. Why are you still going?" Watching Naomi rapidly disappear farther away, Takagi Saya took two steps back in disbelief.

Less than two meters ahead, Shizuka Marikawa placed one hand over her chest, her expression subdued. "I understand that feeling too... If the whole world became like this, it would be better to die with the person you love..."

Takagi Saya clearly did not agree with Shizuka Marikawa's way of thinking. "With an attitude like yours, what kind of doctor are you supposed to be!"

The sound from their conversation had already attracted quite a few Dead Bodies. One of them lunged at Takagi Saya to bite her.

Bang— A nail fired from afar blew apart the Dead Body's head in front of Takagi Saya. She froze in fright, and before she could react, she saw that Hirono Toda, who had run ahead, had somehow returned.

"Takagi, please calm down." Hirono Toda held the Nail Gun, guarding against the Dead Bodies ahead.

"You disgusting fat otaku, what right do you have to stop me from speaking!" The disgusted expression on Takagi Saya's face made her completely forget who had just saved her.

Hearing that, Hirono Toda gave Takagi behind him a harmless smile. "I... I don't know either."

Seeing him like that, Takagi Saya became a little embarrassed instead...

"Oh dear, oh dear, no matter how close you two are, shouldn't you look at the situation first? It seems the phone has been completely destroyed, and the Dead Bodies have scattered again. Hurry up and get on the bus~"

Kurumi's teasing voice reached her ears. Takagi Saya's face instantly reddened, and seeing the Dead Bodies all around them, she did not argue further...