"My plan is to rest here for a day or two first. Once the zombies outside thin out a little, we'll quietly leave the school and find somewhere with fewer people where we can hide safely. Then, when the army sends people out to search for survivors or establishes a survivor shelter, we'll go join them."
"What? You're leaving?"
The moment Zhao Tianlei said this, Wu Bin and Ye Sitong were both stunned. The library could gather a large number of students. Moreover, there were no windows around the first floor, and the main entrance was extremely sturdy. Their classmates had also blocked it from the inside. As long as no one opened it, the zombies outside couldn't get in. It could be said that the library was the safest place in the entire school for now. If the army came to rescue them, they could simply hide here and escape the threat of death.
Ye Sitong immediately asked, "Tianlei, the library is very safe. Why do you want to leave? Look, it's completely sealed off on all sides. Even where there are windows, they're very high up, so the zombies outside can't possibly climb in. The main entrance has already been blocked by our classmates, too. Those monsters probably can't push open such a heavy door."
As Ye Sitong spoke, Wu Bin opened his mouth, then swallowed his words. Although Wu Bin was puzzled, Zhao Tianlei's perception of the apocalypse yesterday had made him realize that Zhao Tianlei was no ordinary person. If Zhao Tianlei didn't want to stay here, he must have his reasons.
Zhao Tianlei had originally wanted to explain, but when he looked up at the electronic clock hanging above the library entrance, he gave up. He said to the two of them, "Rather than having me explain, why don't you wait a little longer? Then you'll know why I'm doing this."
Sometimes, that was simply how things were. If Zhao Tianlei hurried to explain, the two of them might believe him, but nothing compared to experiencing it themselves.
When Zhao Tianlei had checked the library's electronic clock just now, it had been 10:50 a.m., more than two hours after the apocalypse began. As for why Zhao Tianlei refused to explain, Ye Sitong and Wu Bin didn't ask further. They only knew that he must have his reasons.
"Tianlei, what should we do now?" Wu Bin thought about what Zhao Tianlei had said about waiting two days before leaving, but he had no idea what they should do in the meantime.
"Now? Of course we should take advantage of the free time and lie down here to rest." As he spoke, Zhao Tianlei actually leaned against a corner, rested his head against the wall, and prepared to sleep.
When Ye Sitong and Wu Bin saw that this guy still had the mood to sleep at a time like this, they were completely speechless.
Seeing the two of them standing there without moving, Zhao Tianlei reminded them, "If you two can't sleep, go find a few books and sit here to read for a while. But I suggest that you absolutely don't wander around. If something happens, don't blame me for not warning you."
The students around them had also gathered in small groups, some crying and others talking. Ye Sitong and Wu Bin had no choice but to follow Zhao Tianlei's suggestion and sit down to rest. After all, they had nothing else to do, though neither of them truly felt like reading just because Zhao Tianlei had told them to.
Before long, a commotion began to stir in the lobby on the library's first floor. At first, it was only a few people, but soon more and more began discussing something among themselves.
"Wu Bin, go see what those people are talking about. Just ask around. Don't say too much." Hearing the voices from the crowd, Zhao Tianlei and the other two were filled with curiosity, so he immediately spoke to Wu Bin.
By now, Wu Bin obeyed Zhao Tianlei's words without question. He immediately stood up and walked toward the crowd.
"What should I do? I'm suddenly starving. It's already time for the school cafeteria to start serving meals."
"Yeah, it's almost noon. At this time, we'd usually already be sitting in the cafeteria eating."
"Eating—that's all you know how to do. Don't you see the situation we're in? Who knows how many zombies have gathered outside the entrance? They've been standing there without leaving. You're still thinking about the cafeteria and food at a time like this? Do you believe that the moment you walk out, you'll become those zombies' lunch?"
"Damn it, what are you saying? I'm just hungry and want something to eat. What's it to you?"
"Who are you cursing at? If you're hungry, then be hungry. Stop whining and making everyone else hungry too."
After hearing them, Wu Bin rubbed his own stomach and sighed. Facing the few people who were about to start fighting, he couldn't be bothered to mediate. After all, when he had come to the library to take shelter earlier, these people hadn't even opened the door for him. Wu Bin had long since lost all hope in them.
After returning to the corner, Wu Bin immediately told Zhao Tianlei and Ye Sitong, "Nothing much. Some students were shouting that they were hungry because it was time to eat. They wanted something to eat, but the people around them got annoyed over this trivial matter, so they started cursing at each other."
After hearing Wu Bin, Ye Sitong immediately stood up and said, "These people are unbelievable. At a time like this, they still won't unite and are arguing among themselves. I'm going to try to persuade them."
But before Ye Sitong could take a step, Zhao Tianlei reached out from behind and grabbed her hand. "Don't go. It won't help. Have you forgotten how Qian Hao hit you just now? When you were being beaten, with so many people around, not one of them stepped forward to shield you. Remember, this is human nature in the apocalypse. At a time like this, everyone lives only for themselves. I'm certain that if you go over to mediate now, someone will take the opportunity to turn their anger on you. If someone asks you for food and tells you to solve the problem, what will you do?"
Although Zhao Tianlei's words were blunt, they made perfect sense. Ye Sitong had just tried to save someone out of kindness, only to be beaten by Qian Hao. Even then, not a single person around her had stepped forward to help. At that moment, Ye Sitong had felt utterly despairing. When she had cast a pleading look at the people around her, some had even pretended not to know her and turned their faces away. Some of them had been her own classmates.
"Hmph, I'm done caring. They can do whatever they want. Let them fight if they feel like it." The more Ye Sitong thought about it, the angrier she became. After all, no one had ever dared to hit her like that before. In the end, she dropped heavily onto the floor and truly stopped caring about them.
As it neared noon, more and more students began to feel thirsty and hungry. After all, no matter what people did to stay alive, they still needed food and water. Many students began rummaging around the first-floor lobby, hoping to find something to eat. Even the bottled water from the water dispenser, which was normally provided for students reading in the lobby, had already been drained completely.
"Why don't we go up to the second floor and take a look? Maybe there's something up there. Isn't the librarian's office upstairs?"
Before you continue