Ch 85: Opening a Survival School Before the Zombie Outbreak

Shi Guangyao, the boy who, during the entrance assessment, had fled for his own safety and locked Song Rushuang and the others outside, was later expelled by the principal.

What Shi Guangyao did had indeed been excessive, and his character despicable. But being expelled by Fu Qing was already an enormous punishment for students who had studied diligently for twelve years. After venting their anger, the three girls had simply put him out of their minds.

Too many things had happened over the past year. Song Rushuang and Zhang Han had almost forgotten he even existed.

Seeing him again so suddenly, they only felt the face looked vaguely familiar. It took nearly half a minute of thinking before they remembered his name.

Clearly, however, Shi Guangyao had not forgotten them.

The moment he saw them, his expression turned venomous as he strode toward them.

After being expelled, Shi Guangyao had not dared hide the news and immediately told his parents.

The entire Shi family had been stunned.

When his college entrance exam results were released, they had even hosted a celebratory banquet for relatives to honor his excellent performance.

Yet in the blink of an eye, he was expelled on the very first day of school. For the entire family, it was a humiliation.

Restricted by the system, Shi Guangyao tried several times but could not fully explain what had happened to his parents. In the end, he could only vaguely summarize it as the principal believing he had behaved inappropriately toward classmates.

And more than twenty others had been expelled alongside him.

The parents joined together and caused a huge commotion at Fangzhou, but they were unable even to step through the school gates.

They tried calling the police and hiring lawyers, but for unknown reasons, whenever calls connected, their minds went blank and they could not clearly describe their complaints. Attempts to post online disappeared without a trace, their views forever stuck at zero.

As days passed and their efforts failed, they had no choice but to send Shi Guangyao back to repeat his final school year.

Afraid of running into acquaintances and losing face, Shi Guangyao, despite being local to S City, enrolled instead in an out of town program, fleeing there in embarrassment.

That year of repeating studies was hellish for someone who had always excelled academically, been carefully protected by his parents, and never lived away from home.

The institution enforced strict boarding rules. Parents were not allowed weekday visits. No one washed his clothes or cooked for him. Shi Guangyao nearly lost his mind.

At first, he had nightmares every night, dreaming of zombies lunging at him, classmates’ mutilated faces, and Fu Qing’s cold voice announcing the expulsion list.

The last image lingering in his memory was the moment he left the lecture hall in disgrace, passing by Song Rushuang and the others.

It was clearly their fault… yet in that moment, it felt as though their lives had split onto completely different paths.

Why?

The parents of Shi Guangyao and the others cried, protested, and even organized demonstrations with banners outside the school gates, yet none of it ever reached the ears of people like Song Rushhuang.

Seeing their confused expressions now, as if they had nearly forgotten him, stirred deep hatred in his heart.

But beneath the hatred lay a fear he could never voice.

He remembered the principal’s speech that day, claiming the apocalypse would arrive one year later.

Even Fangzhou students had taken a long time to accept that truth, let alone Shi Guangyao, who had never gained access to the forum. During the speech, he had been consumed by fear of expulsion, barely paying attention. Later, many details became blurred in his memory.

Even the fragments he remembered could not be verified or discussed with anyone.

Those fears sank deep inside him, turning into midnight nightmares. Under the pressure of repeating school, he sometimes wondered whether he had hallucinated the entire thing.

Stores operated normally, office workers commuted with bags slung over their shoulders, students studied tirelessly for their futures. Outside Fangzhou, the world functioned as usual. How could that woman possibly make such a mad prophecy about the end of the world?

Shi Guangyao could neither believe nor fully dismiss it.

Still, over the year he quietly purchased survival gear, hiding it beneath his dorm bed and inside his wardrobe.

After returning home following the exams, he secretly stockpiled supplies there as well.

As the predicted date approached, his anxiety worsened. He even dragged his parents to supermarkets multiple times, bringing home increasing amounts of food and bottled water.

His parents, thinking he was simply stressed from repeating the year, indulged his every request. Their visit to the mall today was meant to buy him new clothes to relieve stress.

And yet here he was, running into the very people he believed responsible for everything: Song Rushuang and Zhang Han.

The store was crowded. Watching Shi Guangyao walk straight toward them, Zhang Han whispered softly, “What’s he trying to do? There are so many people around. He wouldn’t actually start something, would he?”

Song Rushhuang gave a tight smile. “Wouldn’t that be perfect?”

Zhang Han grinned. “True.”

She casually picked up a decorative item nearby and showed it to Song Rushhuang. “This one’s pretty cute. Should we buy it for the dorm?”

Her deliberately indifferent tone twisted Shi Guangyao’s expression.

“You two seem to be enjoying yourselves,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Why wouldn’t we?” Zhang Han deliberately provoked him. “You’ve been gone a whole year. Even mourning doesn’t last that long.”

Shi Guangyao’s parents stood nearby, confused, assuming their son had encountered acquaintances, watching curiously from a distance.

Song Rushhuang tilted her head and glanced at the shopping basket hanging from his parents’ arms. Inside were items like toothbrushes and pillowcases. Understanding dawned immediately.

“Buying things for school registration? That’s odd,” she said.

She leaned closer to Shi Guangyao, whose face had turned pale with anger, lowering her voice with a teasing smile. “…Didn’t you still have a batch left unused from last year?”

The remark struck directly at his sore spot. Rage surged to his head, and he suddenly shoved Song Rushhuang hard.

“Damn you!”

Song Rushhuang stepped back lightly, dispersing the force without concern. Zhang Han, however, grew angry and grabbed Shi Guangyao’s forearm.

“What are you doing? Trying to hit someone in broad daylight?”

Shi Guangyao’s face flushed red as he shouted, “She’s asking for it…”

He tried to wrench his arm free to continue attacking Song Rushhuang, but to his surprise, he could not break loose.

Startled, he glanced sideways. The girl gripping his arm looked furious, yet her round eyes curved ever so slightly, a flicker of mischief passing through them.

The next second, Zhang Han cried out dramatically, “Someone help! This guy is attacking people!”

At the same time, she twisted her grip. A sharp pain shot through Shi Guangyao’s shoulder and arm as it was forced behind his back.

The pressure on his arm only increased. His joints cracked loudly, and the pain made Shi Guangyao scream.

“Let go! Ah… let go!”

His parents finally realized something was wrong and hurried forward, trying to pull Zhang Han away.

One person struggled desperately while two others pulled outward with all their strength, yet Zhang Han, standing in the middle, remained as steady as a mountain. Even with all three working together, they could not budge her.

After all, when it came to raw strength, even Xiaoshuang and Qingqing could not match her.

Despite how effortless it actually was, Zhang Han deliberately put on a strained expression and shouted loudly, “I won’t let go! What if you hit my friend again after I release you?”

Her voice even trembled as if she were about to cry.

Song Rushuang: “……”

Zhang Han truly was the acting genius of their dorm.

Not only had she fooled the entire family with her performance, she had now learned how to stage a full on public victim act.

Song Rushuang almost wanted to record the scene and send it to the group chat for Weiwei and Qingqing to see.

The commotion drew attention throughout the store. People turned to look and saw what appeared to be a family of three ganging up on a young girl. Several bystanders immediately grew indignant.

“What are you doing? Bullying a young girl in public? Have you no shame?”

“Why are two adults grabbing at a kid like that?”

A young woman pulled out her phone and said angrily, “I saw everything. That guy pushed her friend first. This girl stepped in to protect her friend, and then his parents came over to help him.”

Shi Guangyao was tall and heavily built, clearly well fed by his parents. After tanning over the summer, he looked darker and bulkier, nothing like someone the same age as Zhang Han and Song Rushuang.

Meanwhile, even though the two girls had grown stronger from training over the past year, their youthful features still made them look like newly grown adults.

To the onlookers, it appeared that a grown man had failed to bully a girl and then called his parents to help.

Outrageous.

Absolutely shameless.

Someone shouted, “This family has no decency. Has anyone called the police?”

The moment the word police was mentioned, Shi Guangyao’s father immediately hesitated.

Shi Guangyao had already been expelled once. They could not risk anything that might further damage his record.

Besides, there were surveillance cameras everywhere, and even they had seen their son shove someone first.

Seeing righteous bystanders stepping forward, Zhang Han finally released Shi Guangyao, though reluctantly, as if still unsatisfied. By now he was screaming without any dignity left.

The searing pain in his arm joint left half his body numb. For a moment he had genuinely believed his arm would be torn off.

The instant she let go, he scrambled behind his parents, staring at Zhang Han in shock.

How could she be this strong? What kind of monster was she?

If she was this capable, why had she been locked outside during last year’s assessment?

Was it luck… or had Zhang Han simply not been this strong back then?

Shi Guangyao’s thoughts spiraled into chaos. He remembered running into the three of them on the way to the auditorium after the assessment ended.

Back then, their expressions toward him had been angry yet powerless. They were furious but had no means to retaliate. Realizing that had filled him with smug confidence, certain he would face no consequences.

But only one year later, both Zhang Han and Song Rushhuang now looked at him differently.

Their gaze was calm and effortless, the kind reserved for something too insignificant to matter.

What had they experienced over this past year?

The prophecy of the apocalypse resurfaced in his mind, clearer than ever before.

“The virus… possesses extremely high lethality and transmissibility…”

“…one month after outbreak, the global population decreases by ninety percent…”

“…five years later… the last human dies…”

Reflected in his trembling pupils were the figures of Song Rushhuang and Zhang Han.

Their backs were straight, their skin sun bronzed, their bodies carrying the posture of disciplined training even at rest.

From spirit to flesh, they looked prepared to face something.

Prepared for what?

His calves began trembling uncontrollably. Fear of death overwhelmed everything else. His parents’ concern and the surrounding whispers faded into insignificance.

Suddenly, clutching his face, he gasped in terror. Then, unable to control himself any longer, he turned and bolted out of the store.

His parents, who had been ready to argue on his behalf, were startled. With no time to say anything, they shot Zhang Han a glare before chasing after their fleeing son.

The crowd was left murmuring.

“He must’ve gotten scared when someone mentioned calling the police.”

“What kind of people are they? Their son started it, and they still glare at others.”

“Whole family’s unhinged.”

Others comforted Zhang Han and Song Rushhuang. “Don’t worry, it’s over now.”

The two thanked the bystanders who had spoken up for them, but their mood for shopping was gone. They quickly picked a few items, checked out, and left the mall.

Before parting ways, they confirmed the meeting time for the next day.

The apocalypse would arrive at 2:30 p.m., the exact time given by the system.

The students did not know the system existed, but since the principal had stated the time with certainty, they trusted it and prepared accordingly.

It took about an hour and fifteen minutes to drive from Song Rushuang’s home to the school. Considering possible weekend traffic, the two decided to leave two and a half hours early. Zhang Han’s family would arrive at Song Rushhuang’s home at noon.

After confirming everything, they prepared to return separately, one home and the other to the hotel.

They said goodbye, yet neither moved first.

Song Rushhuang spoke solemnly first. “Go to bed early tonight. Rest well and save your energy.”

Zhang Han nodded, unusually quiet.

She looked up at the countless lights glowing around them. When she spoke again, her voice caught in her throat.

“I still hope all of this is fake.” This time, Zhang Han truly sounded like she might cry. “I’d rather we just wasted a whole year for nothing, and tomorrow turns out to be an ordinary summer afternoon. After two thirty passes, the apocalypse doesn’t come, nobody turns into zombies, and no one dies…”

“I hope so too,” Song Rushhuang said softly.

They stood together for a moment longer. Finally, Song Rushhuang reached out first and pulled Zhang Han into a hug.

“Go back,” she said, suppressing the surge of emotion inside her. “See you tomorrow.”

Zhang Han buried her face in her shoulder and muttered, “Mm. See you tomorrow.”

Tomorrow was destined to be a long day.

And they had spent an entire year preparing for it.

*

Elsewhere, Shi Guangyao ran home like a madman.

His parents struggled to keep up, finally arriving breathless behind him. The moment they entered, they saw him rummaging frantically through cabinets and under the bed, dragging out boxes upon boxes of instant noodles, canned food, and bottled water.

Some of it even they had no idea he had ever bought.

The couple stared in shock, calling his name, but Shi Guangyao ignored them. He yanked open a drawer and, right in front of them, pulled out a gleaming dagger he had hidden away.

His mother let out a frightened cry. His father panicked. “Son, what are you doing? Don’t act rashly!”

“What happened with those girls? How did they provoke you? Tell Dad, I’ll go talk to them.”

“Yes!” his mother sobbed, dropping to her knees and grabbing his arm. “Don’t ruin your life over them! You’ve already lost a whole year! Think about how hard this year has been. It breaks my heart just watching you.”

They assumed he intended to seek revenge with the knife.

But those words seemed to snap something inside him. He turned around, eyes bloodshot, frightening his mother into instant silence.

“It was them!” he shouted. “They’re the reason I got expelled!”

“What?” The words hit like thunder. His father’s face flushed red with anger as he moved toward the door. “I’ll go find them and demand an explanation!”

“You didn’t even do anything wrong! Even if you did, expulsion was too much!”

Back then, Fu Qing’s decision had left the parents no room for negotiation. They had never even met the supposed victims, let alone discussed reconciliation.

This was their first time seeing Song Rushhuang and Zhang Han.

“It’s useless,” Shi Guangyao said, wiping his face. “It’s useless. And that’s not the important part now.”

He turned back and began nervously counting supplies again. Suddenly remembering something, he staggered toward the kitchen.

“How much food do we still have? And flashlights. What if the power goes out…”

He wanted to prepare, but less than a day remained before the apocalypse. Many things were already too late.

Worse, he had never systematically learned what preparations were actually necessary. His earlier stockpiling had simply been impulsive purchases made whenever anxiety overwhelmed him.

He did not know zombies’ weaknesses. He did not know when electricity or water would fail. He did not know what essential yet easily overlooked items were needed for long term survival indoors.

Now he searched blindly through the house, then rushed off to check whether doors and windows were secure, darting about like a headless fly. His frantic behavior frightened his parents so much they dared not approach.

At last, he collapsed onto the floor with a thud, completely crushed by fear and confusion.

His parents rushed forward, hugging him as they cried.

“Guangyao, what’s wrong with you?”

“Don’t scare us like this!”

“I…” He tried to speak about the apocalypse, but the familiar sticky resistance rose in his throat, preventing the words from coming out.

Helplessness overwhelmed him, and he began sobbing uncontrollably.

After a long while, he finally steadied himself and struggled to his feet.

“Dad… start the car. Let’s go to the nearest supermarket again.”

His parents did not dare ask questions and simply followed him out.

It was just past nine. Many neighbors were still strolling downstairs. Quite a few had seen the Shi family rushing home earlier, and now noticed them leaving again.

Someone they knew called out, “You just got back. Heading out again?”

They glanced curiously at Shi Guangyao, whose mood was clearly abnormal.

The family had tried to hide the fact that he was repeating a year, but secrets never stayed hidden long. Someone had seen protest banners they made during their earlier dispute, and news of his expulsion had spread. Combined with the grand celebration banquet they had once held, many neighbors were quietly amused at the reversal.

Knowing this, Shi Guangyao’s parents shot the person a vicious glare and hurried to the car.

The neighbor, baffled, muttered complaints to others nearby before continuing their walk.

More than an hour later, the family returned again, this time with a car packed full of goods.

As Shi Guangyao got out, he deliberately blocked others’ view, nervously carrying items inside. When his parents failed to conceal the supplies, he angrily scolded them, unintentionally drawing even more attention.

Sharp eyed onlookers noticed box after box of instant noodles.

Why would a perfectly normal family stockpile so many instant noodles?

They could not understand. Shaking their heads, they dismissed it as just another strange thing about the Shi family and added it mentally to the growing list of their odd behavior.

₊˚.🎧📓✩