About a mile from Hongfu Restaurant, there was a modest roadside inn called Yuelai.
In the cramped standard room, the curtains were drawn shut, letting in only a little dim light.
Zhang Hao and his girlfriend, Xiao Xi, huddled beside the bed against the wall, their eyes vacant as they mumbled to themselves.
Zhang Hao was a college student from neighboring Xuetong City. After surviving his final exams, he'd brought the few hundred yuan he'd saved by living frugally and excitedly rushed to Helu City to see his girlfriend.
Xiao Xi was a student at a local university. They were in the throes of young love and could hardly bear to be apart for even a day. Hoping to spend a few extra days together, they'd chosen this affordable little inn.
Yesterday at noon, after a tender, intimate moment, they were discussing where to find a good restaurant to treat themselves when disaster struck without warning.
The thunderous noise outside, the terrifying howls, and the screams of people shattered their romantic mood in an instant.
They had locked the door in terror. Soon, bloodcurdling screams and running footsteps echoed through the hallway outside, along with the sound of something sharp frantically scratching at their door.
Not long afterward, an official text alert came through. Following its instructions, they hurriedly braced the door with the room's chair, bedside table, suitcase, and anything else they could find.
All the while, Zhang Hao frantically called his parents and messaged them. Thankfully, he managed to get through. His mother's anxious voice reassured him somewhat, but soon the signal became extremely unstable and then cut out completely.
His father's last message read, "Stay hidden! Don't come out under any circumstances! We're hiding at home. We're fine!"
After that, there was no word from them.
Xiao