Bravery

Chen Tong clenched both fists, his bones cracking with the force, utterly unwilling to accept this.

At that moment, the two parasitized students blocking their path suddenly pounced.

Su Ming's nerves were taut as he rapidly calculated how to respond, but unfortunately, every result led to a dead end.

Just as they were beginning to despair, a massive figure suddenly came crashing down.

Bang~

The two parasitized students were instantly flattened, black blood splattering everywhere.

A training mech—Ironhead—landed powerfully in front of Su Ming and the other two.

"Training mech!"

Su Ming spoke in surprise.

"It's dangerous here. Hurry and run toward the field."

Lin Chuyu's voice came from the training mech Ironhead. She immediately maneuvered the mech nimbly past Su Ming and the other two, then smashed her fist into the humanoid parasitic creature that had caught up with them.

These juvenile Chilami parasites were like ants before the mech.

After dealing with the parasites surrounding Su Ming and the others, Lin Chuyu charged toward the parasites rampaging in the distance.

At that moment, Minke, having narrowly escaped death, let out a long sigh of relief and said joyfully,

"We're saved! Let's hurry to the field."

"Okay!"

Chen Tong immediately agreed.

Just as the two of them were about to run toward the field, Su Ming grabbed them both and said breathlessly,

"Don't run to the field. It's not safe there."

"How could it be unsafe? Isn't it spacious? The guards and security officers will also gather there."

Minke asked in utter confusion.

Su Ming panted as he explained,

"Please! Use your brains! The field is spacious, sure, but how many people from the school are running there? It'll definitely be packed with people. Rats are incredibly nimble, and those few guards and security officers absolutely won't be able to hold them back. Once the rats get into the crowd, it'll be a complete massacre."

"Then where do we go? What other place is safe?"

Chen Tong looked at Su Ming, forcing down his anger.

"The mech training grounds. There should still be training mechs there."

Su Ming replied between gasps.

"Right! So far, we've only seen one training mech. There should be plenty more there!"

Minke immediately realized it.

"I didn't think that brain of yours could come up with a good suggestion. Let's go get the mechs and blow those damn monsters apart."

Chen Tong was also unbearably frustrated, and his pent-up rage had nowhere to go.

"Then let's go!"

Su Ming said as he regulated his breathing.

The three of them immediately ran toward the training grounds. Along the way, students were fleeing in panic in every direction.

Teachers wielding flamethrowers guarded against the parasites while repeatedly shouting at the fleeing students,

"Run toward the field! Watch your step! Stay away immediately if you see a rat or any strange creature!"

Su Ming and the other two had a very clear target as they ran against the fleeing crowd.

At that moment, a female teacher spotted Su Ming and the others and immediately shouted,

"Where are you three going? You're running in the wrong direction! Don't go that way!"

"Sorry, Teacher! We have something to do!"

Minke turned his head and shouted back.

Seeing this, the female teacher could only sigh and let Su Ming and the others go. There was nothing she could do to stop them.

Su Ming and the other two continued running toward the northern area of the school. Since the dormitory buildings were just below the northern section, and Lin Chuyu had only just fought her way through from the front, the route was relatively safe, with no parasites in sight.

A few minutes later, Su Ming and the other two arrived in the northern area.

"This place seems safe. We haven't seen anyone who's been parasitized. We're really lucky!"

Minke said, feeling extremely fortunate.

"Don't let your guard down. Let's hurry through. The training grounds are just ahead."

Su Ming said, gasping for breath.

"Tsk, you're the one who can't run anymore, not us."

Chen Tong replied irritably.

"I know."

Su Ming forced himself to keep going. He felt as though his heart was about to give out.

Before long, Su Ming and the other two saw the enormous training grounds, whose gates were still wide open.

"It's right in front of us."

Su Ming's face lit up with wild joy.

Chen Tong and Minke were equally excited. Once they got into the mechs, those Chilami would be nothing but cannon fodder.

However, just as victory seemed within reach, a faint, hoarse squeaking sound suddenly rang out.

Su Ming keenly sensed it. His entire back went cold, and he instinctively shouted when he felt danger,

"Look out!"

Chen Tong and Minke were startled by Su Ming's sudden cry and immediately stopped.

Then they saw a rat emerge from the gate of the training grounds, its dark-red eyes fixed on them.

The next second, seven or eight more rats emerged behind it. They bared their teeth, with mutated cellular fluid dripping from their mouths.

Clearly, they had found no prey inside the training grounds and had rushed out after hearing the commotion.

"What do we do now?"

Minke asked, his scalp numb.

"What else can we do? Charge in and get the mechs, or we'll all be bitten to death."

Chen Tong was nearly furious. Victory had been right before their eyes.

"Don't act rashly. The odds of us making it through are less than one percent. These rats are incredibly nimble."

Su Ming hurriedly tried to dissuade Chen Tong.

At that moment, Minke took several steps backward and said tensely,

"They're coming for us!"

Su Ming had just gritted his teeth and was about to tell Minke and Chen Tong to split up and run back when a jet of flame shot over, instantly setting several rats ablaze.

The remaining deformed rats scattered immediately like hornets whose nest had been poked.

Su Ming and the other two froze as well. Then they turned around, and when they saw who had come, they exclaimed in surprise,

"Teacher Tang!"

Tang Yan was wearing pajamas and running over with a portable flamethrower. He asked anxiously,

"Are you three all right? Did any of you get bitten?"

"We're fine. Teacher Tang, what are you doing here?"

"I heard the alarm and immediately grabbed a flamethrower and hurried back to school. I came here to get a mech. Wait, that's not right! What are you doing here?"

Tang Yan had only finished half his explanation when he suddenly realized something and asked.

Why weren't these three boys fleeing for their lives? What had they come here for?

"We also came to get mechs!"

Su Ming and the other two replied awkwardly.

Tang Yan froze when he heard their answer. However, he did not dwell on it and simply waved his hand.

"Follow me!"

Su Ming and the other two followed Tang Yan toward the training grounds. On the way, Minke asked worriedly,

"Teacher, are you all right now?"

"At a time like this, how could I possibly worry about that? If something happened to all of you, I'd never be able to forgive myself."

Tang Yan replied in a deep voice. He knew very well that many people were bound to die in this incident, and quite a few of his students had probably already fallen victim to it.

Su Ming and the other two felt warm inside when they heard this. Tang Yan, walking ahead of them, suddenly seemed incredibly tall and imposing.

A few minutes later, Tang Yan led Su Ming and the other two safely into the training grounds. Four training mechs stood quietly inside.

"Perfect. Four mechs, one each. Get in!"

Tang Yan charged straight toward Training Mech No. 2.