Breaking Out of the School, a Savior Complex

"Hello, everyone. I'm your host, Miwako, reporting live from the scene of the riot..."

Inside the staff room, everyone was resting against the walls when the television hanging on the wall began broadcasting the news.

On the screen, the impeccably made-up anchor, Miwako, had the tips of her hair slightly tousled by the fierce wind at the scene. Behind her, waves of screams and explosions could vaguely be heard.

The zombie virus was spreading far faster than any emergency plan had anticipated, and the constantly changing footage on the screen was terrifying.

The glass doors of convenience stores were smashed apart by howling crowds. Ambulances were blocked at intersections by overturned trucks. The streets were no longer prosperous.

Even more horrifying was the report that similar disasters had appeared not only in Japan, but all over the world.

Especially across the ocean in the Americas, where the varieties of zombies were so numerous they defied imagination.

Lickers, Nemeses, Tyrants...

Lin Yao silently recited the names of those bio-weapons from his memories.

In the Resident Evil setting, even with such formidable modern technology, the supposedly strongest military forces in the world had been stretched thin under the dual assault of mutant creatures and internal chaos.

No matter how advanced a weapon was, it ultimately needed people to operate it.

People always had weaknesses. Fear could make a finger pull the trigger half a second too late, and what followed was death.

Still, compared to the mutants in other regions, the zombies here were more like weakened versions of the "Dead."

They had neither Lickers' claws nor Tyrants' steel-like bodies. They acted solely on the primitive instinct to bite.

That discovery eased his taut nerves slightly, only for the flood of chaotic information to irritate him again.

"This world is a complete mess..."

Lin Yao rubbed the bridge of his nose as all sorts of crossover zombie types flashed through his mind.

For example, the ones from World War Z. Ordinary zombies could sprint like cheetahs and climb walls as easily as walking on flat ground.

They ignored cancer patients, yet could lock onto healthy targets with hearing so sharp it was terrifying.

Even hiding in a sealed room would not spare someone from death, unless they injected themselves with a cancer virus and barely clung to life for a while longer.

With Lin Yao's current strength, comparable to a First Ring Soul Master without a Soul Ring, he could still deal with three or four ordinary zombies with ease.

But if he encountered one of those hearing-mutated zombies, or was surrounded by a horde of more than ten, he would probably end up as their food.

"Unless something unexpected happens, this should be a large-scale, rapidly spreading infectious disease, similar to Europe's Black Death in the fourteenth century."

Takagi Saya pushed up her slipping glasses, her gaze behind the lenses carrying a composure far beyond her age.

She clearly had never encountered zombie-themed fiction, so she could only search her historical knowledge for a comparison.

"There were also widespread deaths back then..."

"How was it resolved?"

Miyamoto Rei asked instinctively, then bit her lip before she had even finished speaking.

She suddenly remembered the medical conditions of ancient times and the cruel truth behind "quarantine" in the history books. Her face instantly turned pale.

"It couldn't have been... like that, right? That's too cruel..."

"More or less what you're thinking."

Takagi Saya's voice lowered.

"Only the powerful and wealthy could hide in castles and survive through strict isolation.

"As for slaves and tenant farmers, no one cared about them.

"After thirty million people died, Europe became so empty that even communication between people became difficult. Only when the virus lost its hosts did it slowly disappear."

Her words instantly froze the already oppressive atmosphere.

Back in history class, those numbers had only seemed like distant symbols.

But now, with zombie howls echoing just outside the school building, the thought of becoming one of those numbers was agonizing.

No one wanted to become a modern-day sacrifice. Worse still, they might not even qualify to be counted in the death statistics.

"Actually, I think it's not so bad."

Marikawa Shizuka suddenly spoke, trying to lighten the mood. She smoothed her loose curls and revealed her signature gentle smile.

"These crazy people can only infect you through direct contact. That's much better than the Black Death. Once summer comes and the bodies rot into bones, everyone will be safe, right?"

But rather than comforting anyone, her words made even more people lower their heads.

Forget waiting until summer. Whether they could survive the night was still unknown. The air in the staff room seemed to have been sucked away, heavy enough to make breathing difficult.

Sensing that the mood was off, Lin Yao set down the enamel cup he had just filled with water. Its bottom struck the tabletop with a crisp sound.

"Ms. Shizuka, everyone's rested enough. We should head out and find the school bus. The longer we wait, the more likely something will go wrong."

If they kept wasting time, the courage they had barely gathered would only wear down into despair. Then this group would truly become dead weight holding everyone back.

"Uh, all right."

Marikawa Shizuka froze for a moment, then awkwardly put away her smile.

She had originally wanted to show off her "comforting skills" to Lin Yao, but now she could only close her mouth sheepishly and silently sling the medical kit over her back.

"I'll make the arrangements."

Lin Yao stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"A sensible division of labor will improve our chances of survival."

He raised a hand and pointed at them one by one.

"If we run into zombies, Saeko and I will break through from the front.

"Komuro and Miyamoto will watch the flanks, deal with anything that slips through, and protect Ms. Shizuka and the others.

"Hirano will provide ranged support and use firepower to open a path.

"Saya will stay in the middle and adjust our tactics according to the situation.

"Ms. Shizuka, be ready to treat any injured people, and you'll drive afterward."

"No problem!"

Everyone responded in unison.

The arrangement perfectly matched the abilities each of them had displayed. Busujima Saeko's swordsmanship, Hirano's marksmanship, and Takagi Saya's observational skills were all put to proper use.

Lin Yao walked to the window and observed the situation outside through the one-way glass.

Zombie shadows swayed in the corridor. Their steps were sluggish, and their numbers were not too great. The situation was still manageable.

"All right, let's go."

He pulled open the staff room door, and cold wind carrying a faint scent of blood poured in.

"Let's try to leave this school alive together."

"Saeko, let's move."

Lin Yao drew the Changhong Sword from his back, its blade flashing with a cold glint beneath the light.

"Let's find somewhere we can take a bath and get a good night's sleep before dark. Everything else can wait until tomorrow."

Busujima Saeko gave a soft laugh and tightened her grip on the wooden sword at her waist. "You really are optimistic."

She looked up at the zombies gathering toward them at the sound. There was not the slightest fear in her grayish eyes; instead, a trace of excitement flashed through them.

Suddenly, as if she had remembered something, she turned sideways. Her long hair slid over her shoulder with the movement as she leaned close to Lin Yao's ear and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"Lin Yao, if we really find somewhere to take a bath, I'll give you a little surprise."

The lingering note of her "surprise" was still in his ear when she straightened up and calmly assumed a guarded stance.

But Lin Yao's senses were far sharper than an ordinary person's. He had clearly caught sight of a faint blush spreading across her earlobe beneath her hair.

"Looks like even a tough older woman gets stressed."

Lin Yao laughed inwardly.

Busujima Saeko's usual poised Yamato nadeshiko demeanor had cracked over that mildly teasing remark. The apocalyptic scene must have been weighing on her heavily too.

"Lin Yao, what did Busujima say to you?"

Takagi Saya's voice suddenly cut in. She pretended to adjust her backpack straps, but her eyes were filled with curiosity.

The sight of the two of them leaning close together had lodged in her heart like a tiny thorn, making her inexplicably irritated.

She clearly had no standing to question him, yet she still could not stop herself from speaking.

"Want to know? Ask her yourself, Saya."

Lin Yao chuckled, with no intention of revealing anything. Then he pushed off with his feet, and the Changhong Sword traced an arc through the air, accurately piercing the eye socket of the foremost zombie.

Takagi Saya's cheeks heated at his teasing tone. This was not embarrassment, but the anger of a tsundere whose feelings had been exposed.

She stomped her foot, yet could only watch Lin Yao and Busujima Saeko charge ahead and cut down the zombies pouring toward them.

"Let's follow them too."

Busujima Saeko glanced back, her gaze lingering briefly on Takagi Saya's face.

There was a knowing look in her smile, and the inexplicable emotion in the latter's heart instantly faded away.

"Busujima really is amazing."

Takagi Saya watched her clean, efficient movements and sighed inwardly.

She excelled academically, was stunningly beautiful, possessed outstanding swordsmanship, and carried the gentle grace of a Yamato nadeshiko. No wonder she was the idol of so many girls at the school.

Everyone had their own thoughts, yet they advanced in perfect coordination.

Every swing of Lin Yao's Changhong Sword was precise and ruthless. Busujima Saeko's wooden sword carried a flowing elegance. Komuro Takashi and Miyamoto Rei covered the flanks, while Hirano Kota's nail gun occasionally gave a dull report, clearing zombies ahead.

Takagi Saya kept calling out conditions from the middle.

"Three on the stairs to the left! Watch out for the broken glass underfoot!"

Marikawa Shizuka followed closely behind, ready at any moment to treat anyone who might be injured.

Along the way, they encountered several trapped students cowering and shivering behind lockers.

Lin Yao hesitated for a moment—if this had happened when he lacked strength, he would have only looked after himself and fled. But now, lending a hand would not hurt.

When they rescued them, the choked-out words of thanks unexpectedly eased the mood in the group a little. It was as though that insignificant act of kindness gave everyone one more reason to keep going.

Of course, Lin Yao knew perfectly well that if saving someone endangered himself, he would never hesitate.

The group advanced in fits and starts, avoiding dense hordes and choosing narrow passages to pass through.

The emergency lights in the corridor flickered on and off, stretching their shadows long and short. Zombie howls seemed to come from all directions, only to be cut off one after another by blades and gunfire.

At last, after passing through the final corridor, the outline of the parking lot appeared before them.

But the situation was far from encouraging. Someone had apparently alerted the horde, and dozens of zombies were converging from all directions, howling as they closed in.

Lin Yao tightened his grip on the sword hilt, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

Against a horde of this size, even a First Ring Soul Master from Douluo Continent with a hundred-year Soul Ring would not last long.

A Soul Skill might clear out a small area, but once Soul Power ran out, they would still be swallowed by the horde.

A Soul Elder with a thousand-year Soul Skill might be able to carve out a bloody path, but once surrounded, when their stamina and Soul Power were exhausted, death would still be the outcome.

"Ms. Shizuka, start the school bus!"

While slashing at the charging zombies, Lin Yao shouted toward the school bus in the middle of the parking lot.

"We can hold them off for a while, but once our strength runs out, we're finished. We're counting on you!"

"Okay!"

Marikawa Shizuka was unexpectedly decisive this time. She dashed onto the bus, inserted the key into the ignition, and after several hoarse sputters, the engine finally started.

Lin Yao, Busujima Saeko, Komuro Takashi, Miyamoto Rei, and Hirano Kota quickly formed a circle around the bus, shielding it in the middle.

The dull sounds of blades cutting into flesh and bone, the roar of weapons, and the howls of zombies blended together as everyone fought with everything they had.

"It's ready! Get on!"

Marikawa Shizuka leaned out of the bus window and called excitedly.

"Get on!"

Lin Yao shouted, jumping onto the step first. He turned back and pulled Hirano up just as he was nearly grabbed by a zombie.

Just as the bus door was about to close, urgent shouts came from the distance.

"Wait! Wait for us!"

Everyone looked toward the sound and saw a group of students stumbling toward them. Leading them was a man in a suit and tie wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

Even at a time like this, he looked impeccably put together, though the calculating look behind his lenses made him unpleasant for no clear reason.

"That's a teacher?" Komuro Takashi sounded surprised. "He actually managed to gather so many students."

"That's Shido from Class 3-A."

Miyamoto Rei recognized him. Her brows furrowed instinctively, and her tone was filled with obvious disgust.

"Wait, don't drive yet!"

Komuro Takashi did not catch the resistance in her voice. He only felt that they could not leave people to die, so he immediately shouted.

"Takashi, what are you doing?!"

Miyamoto Rei's voice rose sharply. Looking at Shido Koichi's hypocritical face, her eyes were full of disgust. Even the students behind him left a bad impression on her.

Lin Yao said nothing. He merely leaned against the bus door, catching his breath.

Shido Koichi's image in the original story was indeed terrible, but Lin Yao could not be bothered to argue with such small fry.

More realistically, having more people on the bus meant more cannon fodder if danger arose, giving his own people a better chance at survival.

"Can't we just run them over?"

Komuro Takashi did not understand Miyamoto Rei's anger. He only thought she believed the delay would put everyone in danger. Then he looked at Lin Yao and Busujima Saeko, and seeing that neither objected, he said to Marikawa Shizuka.

"No!"

Takagi Saya immediately objected. As the team's strategist, she would never permit such a risk.

"With this many zombies, if we knock them down, the bodies will pile up into an obstacle. The school bus is light and could easily tip over!"

"Just wait a little longer!"

Komuro Takashi stubbornly waved his hand and shouted at Shido Koichi's group.

"Over here! Hurry!"

"..."

Lin Yao watched his anxious expression, then looked at Miyamoto Rei beside him, whose face was growing darker and darker. He silently shook his head.

That kind of savior complex might be a virtue in ordinary times and make someone seem dependable, but in the apocalypse, it could easily get everyone killed.

Fortunately, Shido Koichi and the others were not slow. They finally rushed over before the zombie horde could encircle them.

The group scrambled onto the bus. Marikawa Shizuka immediately slammed down on the accelerator, and the school bus roared as it broke through the encircling zombies, burst out through the school gates, and drove onto the main road.

For now, they were safe. But everyone knew it was only temporary.