Adaptation

"Thud-thud-thud..."

Just as Lin Yao and the other three were inching down the stairs, several helicopters painted jet-black suddenly thundered over the academy.

The deafening roar of their rotors tore through the corridor, making all four stop and look up.

"Black Hawk Military Helicopters? What are they doing in a place like this?!"

Komuro Takashi suddenly clenched his baseball bat, letting out a startled cry as his Adam's apple bobbed.

"No, look at the markings on the fuselage. They belong to the Self-Defense Forces."

Igo Hironaga narrowed his eyes to inspect them, his brows knotting tightly.

"But there aren't any military bases nearby, and I've never heard of any flight route passing over the academy..."

When would he be strong enough to blast them out of the sky on his own...?

Such a thought suddenly surfaced in Lin Yao's mind. He was genuinely looking forward to it.

"Senior Lin Yao, Takashi, Rei."

On the other side, Igo Hironaga watched the helicopters recede beyond the window, his voice somewhat heavy.

"It looks like this rabies-like riot isn't limited to the academy. Something must have happened elsewhere too. Those helicopters... are probably going to protect certain people."

"The population outside is denser, so it would spread even faster. Things are probably worse than we imagined."

Miyamoto Rei had instinctively opened her mouth, intending to call for help toward the helicopters.

But after hearing Igo Hironaga's words, she forcibly swallowed the cry that had reached her lips.

She knew this country's rules all too well.

That so-called equality was nothing more than pretty rhetoric from politicians. When life and death were truly on the line, helicopter doors would only open for the powerful and influential.

Calling out from downstairs now would be nothing but wasted effort.

She glanced at the helicopters, now little black dots in the sky, while her fingertips unconsciously dug into the wooden shaft of her spear.

Hearing that, Lin Yao cast aside his other thoughts and nodded calmly.

"Since the situation outside is bad, we need to make the most of our time and improve our chances of surviving."

"The academy may look safe for now, but supplies are limited, defenses are weak, and people are packed together."

He paused, glancing toward the faint roars coming from the end of the corridor.

"Something that spreads this quickly would be even more deadly here. We have to leave as soon as possible."

Miyamoto Rei and the other two nodded instinctively.

At that moment, their trust in Lin Yao no longer came solely from his status as an upperclassman. More than that, it came from their recognition of his ability to calmly analyze the situation.

"Roaaar—"

Just then, zombie snarls came from the other end of the corridor.

Several zombies in school uniforms or faculty attire had spotted them and were shambling toward them with startling speed.

The stench of rot drifted through the air, making their stomachs churn.

"All right, the real test begins now."

Lin Yao tightened his grip on the Changhong Sword, its blade gleaming with a cold sheen beneath the sunlight.

"There's no point talking. We need action. I'll clear the way in front. You three stay together and follow me. Watch your coordination."

Noticing Igo Hironaga's hesitant expression, he added,

"Don't worry. I earned my position as Vice President of the Kendo Club one swordstroke at a time. I didn't get it by talking my way into it. I do have some real skill."

"Then we'll be counting on you, Senior Lin Yao!"

Igo Hironaga visibly relaxed and nodded solemnly.

"We won't hold you back."

He had always held the most sway among the three. Since he had spoken, Komuro Takashi and Miyamoto Rei immediately nodded in agreement as well.

With the arrangements made, Lin Yao stepped toward the charging zombies, his expression unnaturally calm.

He had thought he would panic when facing monsters like these. That his hands would shake, that he might even be overcome by fear. Yet when the moment truly arrived, his heart was unexpectedly tranquil.

There was no fear—only one thought.

How could he deal with these things, which could no longer be called human, with the least effort and the cleanest efficiency?

"Whoosh—"

The Changhong Sword sliced through the air with a soft whistle.

Lin Yao flicked his wrist, and the sword tip swept precisely across the neck of the foremost zombie.

In almost an instant, the zombie's head separated from its body and hit the ground with a thud.

Blackish-red blood, reeking and slightly clotted, gushed from its severed neck and spread into a small stain across the floor.

Strange...

Lin Yao shook the blood droplets from his sword, a trace of surprise passing through his mind.

Why don't I feel any of the disgust, fear, or even the urge to vomit that those novels always describe?

Without slowing his steps, he swung the Changhong Sword again and cleanly dispatched the zombie right behind it.

"Senior Lin Yao is so strong..."

As Komuro Takashi swung his baseball bat and smashed down a zombie whose movements Miyamoto Rei had restricted with her spear, he could not help looking at Lin Yao's back in astonishment.

As expected of someone from the Kendo Club. With this kind of skill, he's only the Vice President? Then wouldn't the President be comparable to a Professional Swordsman?

He had been worried about the risks of heading downstairs, but seeing Lin Yao handle the zombies so effortlessly—more efficiently than the three of them working together—eased much of the unease in his heart.

"Swish—"

Lin Yao paid no attention to the gazes behind him. Every swing of his sword was accompanied by another zombie falling.

He was not relying solely on brute force or the advantage of his weapon. He was also using this chance to sharpen his powers of observation.

As he swung, he watched the zombies' reactions, figuring out the most effortless way to kill them in the shortest possible time.

Through this tempering in real combat, his swordsmanship became increasingly refined.

The already sharp Changhong Sword grew ever more efficient at killing. Before long, he no longer even needed to finish them off.

Sometimes, when Lin Yao thrust his sword, Komuro Takashi and the others could not even see the blade's trajectory. They only saw that he had already passed the zombie.

A few seconds later, the zombie would slowly collapse, its head lolling to one side, long since silent. The entire process flowed as smoothly as water, carrying a cruel sort of artistry.

"Senior Lin Yao, he..."

Miyamoto Rei widened her eyes as she stared at Lin Yao's back, a strange feeling rising in her heart.

She had thought that kind of visibly rapid growth was merely an exaggeration found in books. She had never expected to witness it with her own eyes.

"If this were ancient times, Senior Lin Yao could certainly make a name for himself with that talent."

Igo Hironaga praised him sincerely, then lowered his voice.

"But in this era... there are ultimately too many limitations."

No matter how great one's martial skill, it could not stand against guns and cannons.

Lin Yao remained unmoved by the praise behind him. His mind raced, striving to make every strike as close as possible to that "perfect blow."

The strength he had previously stacked through the golden-finger star cluster gradually settled through real combat, becoming more and more natural for him to wield.

Gradually, he led the three of them to a relatively narrow passageway. It was easy to defend and hard to attack, making it a temporarily safe corner.

The way Komuro Takashi and the others looked at Lin Yao now held a touch of awe, as well as a faint, nearly imperceptible fear.

It was the instinctive fear of power capable of taking lives with ease.

"Take a break. You're tired too."

Lin Yao surveyed the surroundings, confirmed that it was safe for the moment, then spotted a vending machine nearby. His eyes brightened.

He pulled out the few coins he had left and walked over to the machine, buying a bottle of ice-cold sports drink. He twisted off the cap and drained it in one go.

"Whew—"

The cold, sweet-and-sour liquid slid down his throat and dispelled some of his fatigue, drawing a satisfied sigh from him.

"Th-This is still the same upperclassman from just now?"

Miyamoto Rei looked at Lin Yao, sitting on the steps with a relaxed expression, and the strange feeling in her heart deepened.

Yet the resistance born of fear had unknowingly faded a little.

Noticing the three watching him, Lin Yao shook the nearly empty drink in his hand and smiled.

"Don't look at me like that. Everyone has their hobbies, right? I just like these sweet-and-sour iced drinks. I know they're not good for me, but I can't quit them. I'm young—I can take it."

Then he pointed at the vending machine. "Go get some fluids too. The School Infirmary isn't far from here. We'll set off after a short rest."

"Okay."

Igo Hironaga and Komuro Takashi answered, pulling the still-dazed Miyamoto Rei to sit around the corner. They each took out some water to replenish their strength.

Lin Yao lowered his head and looked at the Changhong Sword in his hand. Its blade was no longer as clean as before, with faint streaks of blood clinging to it, but it remained sharp.

"The quality is pretty good. After cutting through so many, the edge hasn't worn down at all. That's rare."

At the same time, the physical strength converted from Soul Power within him, along with the blood energy it condensed, seemed capable of faintly protecting the blade.

But...

In a place like the academy, panic would spread quickly. Before long, it would probably be flooded with enough zombies to chip this sword's edge.

When that happened, he would have to find a way to avoid their sharpest attacks.

"Eternal! Don't—!"

Suddenly, Miyamoto Rei's heart-wrenching cry came from the corner ahead, carrying boundless despair.

Lin Yao's heart sank. He let out a soft sigh. "So he still couldn't pull through..."

Gripping the Changhong Sword, he rose to his feet and hurried toward the corner, where he saw Igo Hironaga.

The boy who had always been calm and steady leapt decisively over the passageway railing in the final moment before his consciousness was completely devoured by the virus.

Before falling, Igo Hironaga's gaze happened to meet Lin Yao's. A trace of regret surfaced on his pale face. His lips moved slightly, making no sound, yet clearly conveying the words he could not finish.

Rei and Takashi... I'm leaving them to you, Senior.

I... don't want to hold everyone back.

I didn't expect him to face death more calmly than he did in the original story.

A trace of surprise and regret passed through Lin Yao's heart.

At least in front of his Childhood Sweetheart and friend, he kept the last of his dignity. He didn't become a zombie like in the original story and get his head smashed in by Komuro Takashi, dying in such a pathetic state.

He had originally thought that, if he got the chance, he might try strengthening their resistance to see whether they could withstand the viral infection. Now, it seemed that had been nothing but wishful thinking.

The human immune system could be astonishingly strong at times, yet as fragile as a sheet of paper at others—easily pierced with a single poke.

"Senior..."

Miyamoto Rei leaned over the railing, staring down at the empty ground below. When Igo Hironaga was nowhere to be seen, her body went limp and she slowly collapsed to the floor. Her shoulders shook violently as suppressed sobs came in broken bursts.

"Igo... Igo, he..."

Komuro Takashi stood to one side, his lips trembling and his expression incomparably complicated—grief, fear, and even a trace of indescribable relief.

The tangled emotions made him forget, for the moment, to comfort the crying Miyamoto Rei.

Lin Yao stepped forward and gently patted Miyamoto Rei on the shoulder without offering any words of comfort.

They had only met by chance, after all. Too many words would only seem insincere.

Still, setting aside Komuro Takashi's somewhat complicated perspective, Lin Yao did have a measure of appreciation for a boy as emotionally intelligent as Igo Hironaga.

What a pity. People were simply too fragile.

"Calm yourself. It's time for us to go."

Lin Yao's voice was quiet.

"Igo chose to end his life before becoming a zombie because he didn't want to burden you. I think he would definitely want you to carry his share with you and live well in this chaotic world."

Miyamoto Rei abruptly raised her head, a flicker of light flashing through her eyes.

Lin Yao's words were like a thorn, jolting her awake from her grief. She took a deep breath, forcefully wiped away the tears on her face, and her eyes gradually became resolute.

Komuro Takashi was also pulled back to his senses by those words. Looking at Miyamoto Rei forcing herself to stand, then recalling Igo Hironaga's final look, his feelings grew even more complicated.

"The dead are gone. No amount of grief can bring them back." Lin Yao looked at the two of them. "What matters now is surviving while carrying his hope with you."

Miyamoto Rei and Komuro Takashi nodded at the same time. The sorrow in their eyes remained thick, but it was joined by the resolve to support one another.

"I want... I want to call my dad."

Miyamoto Rei's voice was still hoarse. She turned to Komuro Takashi, carrying a trace of reliance she could not quite conceal.

"Takashi, can I borrow your phone?"

The sting of being slapped in front of everyone by Komuro Takashi in the classroom had long since been overwhelmed by her survival instincts and worry for her family.

As for why she did not ask Lin Yao, it was not because she did not trust him. Rather, she suddenly realized that she could not remember her father's phone number, so she could only borrow Komuro Takashi's phone.

It was a number she had once known by heart.

"Okay, here."

Komuro Takashi froze for a moment, then immediately took out his phone and handed it to her.

With trembling fingers, Miyamoto Rei dialed the number. A busy tone sounded from the receiver, every beep seeming to strike her heart.

"It connected!"

A flash of joy crossed her eyes.

"Hello? This number... is that Takashi? Is Rei with you?"

Miyamoto Rei's father's anxious, panicked voice came from the other end. The signal was intermittent, mixed with chaotic snarls and crashing sounds.

"Dad! It's me! Rei!" Miyamoto Rei clutched the phone tightly, her voice trembling with emotion. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

"Listen..."

The voice on the other end suddenly rose, as though he had not heard her at all.

"The whole of Chuangzhu City is in chaos now... Take Rei and get out of there... You absolutely must..."

"Bzzzt—"

Before he could finish, the signal suddenly cut out, leaving only a monotonous busy tone.

Miyamoto Rei stood there blankly, holding the phone. All color instantly drained from her face, leaving it deathly pale.