Ch 93: Opening a Survival School Before the Zombie Outbreak

Song Rushuang and the other two brought their parents back to the dormitory.

The four-person dorm was spotless. All personal belongings the students had once brought, along with decorations from the walls and furniture, had been cleared away. Even the bathroom tiles had been polished until they reflected light like mirrors. The single beds were left with nothing but bare bedboards.

The parents walked around the dorm twice, then turned back in disbelief. “This is your dorm?”

“You really lived here for a whole year?”

It didn’t look like it at all.

Song Rushuang felt a little embarrassed and glanced around as well. It seemed the four who had lived here before leaving must have scrubbed even the grout between the tiles, otherwise it couldn’t possibly be this clean. Even investigators wouldn’t be able to find a single trace of evidence.

You really couldn’t underestimate the standards of people their age.

“This isn’t our old dorm. It’s where we’ll be living from now on,” Song Rushuang said, picking up luggage from beside the door. “I brought mattresses and blankets. Let’s tidy up a bit.”

Only then did everyone notice that only Song Rushuang’s luggage was placed behind the door.

They were confused. Where had that little robot put Zhang Han’s luggage?

Zhang Han and Sun Wei spoke up at the right moment. “Mom, Dad, we’re living next door.”

“We’re not sleeping here. Come with us.”

They shook the keys in their hands. Each keychain had a tag, one labeled 403, the other 405.

Song Rushuang’s family was staying in 402.

After summer break, the dorms had been reassigned.

Since students were no longer returning alone, rooms were now allocated by individual student units. Each person had a private room, with room size determined by exchange quotas. Because teaching buildings had also been converted into residential areas, former classrooms were remodeled into rooms of varying sizes. Those with two to three quotas could stay in standard dorms, while those with four quotas could apply to live in larger rooms converted from classrooms.

Rooms divided from the same classroom had slightly poorer soundproofing, and washing required using the shared restrooms and showers on each floor, making them less convenient than dorms. However, since families living together sometimes needed private space, the larger rooms allowed residents to install partitions and create smaller independent living areas. For that reason, many students still chose to move into the teaching buildings.

As for the underground emergency shelters, the lack of sunlight and oppressive atmosphere made them unsuitable for now. Since there were still enough rooms above ground, Fu Qing temporarily used them as additional storage.

Only when absolutely necessary would people move underground.

The advantage of living in the underground shelters was that there were only a few escape routes. Once sealed, zombies would find it extremely difficult to break in. Even special zombies could not force open the heavy civil defense doors through brute strength.

As long as intelligent infected did not appear, those inside would be completely safe. With stored food and supplies, surviving for several months would not be a problem.

The downside was that just as outsiders couldn’t enter, those inside couldn’t leave either. It was destined to be a last-resort escape option.

Song Rushuang and Sun Wei, one with excellent grades and the other with bonus points from the publicity group, technically qualified for the larger classroom rooms.

But the group of four didn’t want to separate, so they chose to stay together.

Living next door to friends made days without being able to go outside much more bearable.

Situations like this were common across campus. Fu Qing didn’t restrict students from applying to switch dorms either. Translated on Hololo novels. Staying long-term in a high-pressure, enclosed environment easily led to psychological problems. In the future, she even planned to convert the currently unused gymnasium into an activity space.

As for the athletic field, when the construction shop had first unlocked a year ago, Fu Qing had originally intended to turn it into farmland. But after fully developing the western plains, she realized the cultivated area was already large enough. Combined with plans to convert the artificial lake into a breeding farm later, the field was left as it was.

The realistic training zombies and various equipment moved out of the gym wouldn’t go unused either. Once the students had mastered their training, they could use them to train the parents.

Even the instructors were ready-made, one per family, responsibility assigned household by household. If any parent fell behind, it would reflect poorly on their child. With that alone, students wouldn’t dare slack off while teaching.

Otherwise, when everyone else’s parents had learned how to kill zombies while their own hadn’t, they wouldn’t even have the face to meet their classmates.

Of course, the parents still had no idea what awaited them.

After Zhang Han and Sun Wei left with their parents, only Song Rushuang’s family remained in the dorm.

Three people in a four-person dorm felt quite spacious, and there was even a private bathroom. The loft beds had desks underneath. The desks could be used for meals and storage, and anything that didn’t fit could be placed on the extra bed.

Song Rushuang, who had lived in dorms for a year, was very satisfied with these conditions. But Xu Mingyu and Song Jianguo found everything slightly uncomfortable.

It had been so long since they were students, yet now they were back to sleeping on ninety-centimeter-wide hard beds and bunk frames. Especially Song Jianguo, whose slight beer belly made it hard even to turn over on the bed.

Of course, given the circumstances, they wouldn’t complain openly. Still, speaking among family, they didn’t bother hiding their thoughts.

Song Jianguo tapped the upper bunk’s railing, looking worried. “In the middle of the night… I won’t fall off this thing, right?”

Song Rushuang, still tidying without looking up, replied, “The conditions here are already very good. Don’t ask for too much.”

Song Jianguo choked, half laughing, half speechless.

That line… sounded awfully familiar.

If he said one more thing, she’d probably follow up with, “If everyone else can live here, why can’t you?”

Thinking of that, he immediately shut his mouth. “It’s great, really great. Much better than when we were young.”

Just hopefully not for too long…

He silently added that last part in his heart.

The family of three quickly finished arranging the pillows and bedding Song Rushuang had brought. Only then did Xu Mingyu realize that Song Rushuang had brought exactly three sets of blankets.

Calling it coincidence would be far too forced.

Blankets weren’t like clothes. Buying extra just in case made little sense. For a local student to struggle carrying three sets of bedding to campus was clearly unreasonable.

She had obviously prepared them for Xu Mingyu and Song Jianguo.

And since Song Rushuang had asked them to help tidy up, she clearly had no intention of hiding it any longer, simply waiting for them to notice and ask themselves.

There was also the matter of the dorm itself. When they returned earlier, Song Rushuang and the others had retrieved their room keys directly from the key cabinet downstairs. No staff member had assigned rooms, nor had anyone explained the arrangements. If this were temporary housing, why hadn’t Xu Mingyu, who had barely left Song Rushhuang’s side since returning to campus, heard any instructions?

And it wasn’t just Song Rushhuang. Zhang Han, Sun Wei, and even passing students all wore expressions far too calm compared to the anxious parents beside them.

Everyone lined up to collect their keys, quiet and orderly the entire time, as if guided by an unspoken understanding.

Yet the parents had no idea when or how that shared understanding had formed.

Since the outbreak of the madness, since the school lockdown and the moment everyone fell into panic, it had consistently been the students comforting the parents more often than the reverse. It felt as though family and social roles had quietly reversed, and in the face of disaster, the adults had unconsciously begun relying on their more dependable children.

But when had they become so dependable?

When had they secretly prepared spare clothes and bedding? When had they cleaned the dorms, changed living arrangements? When had they accepted the arrival of the apocalypse and forged such strong bodies and minds?

Xu Mingyu stared at the bloodstains on Song Rushuang’s clothes, lost in thought.

Song Rushuang had already opened her suitcase, taking out three separately packed toothbrushes and pairs of slippers and setting them aside. Translated on Hololo novels. She pulled out a change of clothes for herself, preparing to change out of the dirty ones first.

Then she handed a bag to Xu Mingyu. “Mom, there aren’t partitions where we’re staying. If you want privacy, you can hang bed curtains. There are three inside. Ask Dad to help set them up… Mom?”

Xu Mingyu stared blankly down at the plastic bag.

Three bed curtains. There was no pretending anymore.

She grabbed Song Rushuang’s hand and stared straight into her eyes. “Xiaoshuang, tell me honestly. Do you know something?”

“Did you already know this madness would break out outside?”

Thinking of all the people who had died, Xu Mingyu’s hand trembled slightly.

If Song Rushuang really knew, then why did she know?

Did all of this have something to do with her, with Fangzhou School?

She didn’t want to think that way, yet she was afraid of the answer, looking at her daughter with anxious pleading.

Seeing the pain and fear in Xu Mingyu’s eyes, Song Rushuang froze for a moment, then quickly understood what her mother was thinking. She couldn’t help a helpless smile, mixed with a trace of tenderness.

Xu Mingyu and the others now were so similar to themselves a year ago. After the entrance simulation exam, she too had once suspected the principal. The forums had filled with conspiracy theories before everyone gradually let go of their doubts. So she couldn’t blame Xu Mingyu for overthinking.

Things like “rebirth” were difficult even for young people to accept, let alone elders.

Without knowing more information, seeing their group predict the apocalypse in advance and prepare for survival would sound suspicious even to Song Rushuang herself.

She squeezed her mother’s hand reassuringly. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Song Jianguo had slowed his packing as well, and couldn’t help smiling faintly.

After going outside and witnessing her ruthlessness in killing zombies firsthand, he must have had even more questions bottled up than Xu Mingyu. It was impressive he had endured this long and even helped cover for her in the cafeteria.

After a brief pause, Song Rushuang spoke slowly. “Mom, Dad, it’s not madness. It’s an extremely contagious virus.”

“Dad saw it too. The infected lose their reason like zombies in movies and attack people violently, so we all call it the zombie virus. Even after becoming decayed corpses, the infected can still move. Some of them even undergo special mutations, becoming faster and stronger. Without weapons, ordinary people can hardly kill them.”

“The virus is highly lethal. Once someone is bitten, they mutate as well. At that point they may still look human, but they’re no longer alive. Animals also have a certain chance of infection.”

“Because the incubation period varies, even the smallest wound that comes into contact with zombie saliva carries a risk of infection. Infected individuals have already appeared worldwide. Next comes a phase where transmission will spiral out of control, and infection numbers will multiply rapidly.”

“Mom, Dad, this is no longer a peaceful society. From the moment the first zombie video was uploaded this afternoon, whether we accept it or not, life won’t return to what it was for a very long time.”

The hand she held trembled, damp with sweat. Song Rushuang didn’t let go. Looking directly into Xu Mingyu’s eyes, she continued, “So we have to prepare to stay at school long-term. If we want to survive, our family has to work together.”

“The people currently in the school, and those who will come seeking refuge later, are mostly my classmates and their families. Everyone knows one another. Compared to ordinary shelters, this place will be far more stable and safe. If we stick together, we can survive for a long time.”

She gently shook her mother’s arm. “Mom, do you trust me?”

Xu Mingyu and Song Jianguo’s faces were pale. After a long silence, Xu Mingyu finally forced out a sentence. “Xiaoshuang… but how do you know all this?”

“Even the news hasn’t reported this information.”

How did you know?

Xu Mingyu felt uneasy, yet Song Rushuang spoke with such clarity and certainty that she already believed most of it.

If anyone else stood before them proclaiming the apocalypse, they would probably call that person insane, or at least verify everything first. They would never simply believe whatever was said.

But this was Song Rushhuang.

She was their daughter. How could they not believe her?

If they didn’t believe her, who else could they believe?

Song Rushhuang hesitated. “I can’t say.”

The principal’s experiences were too extraordinary. The more people who knew, the more dangerous it would be for her. Besides, without experiencing it firsthand, few would believe it anyway.

They hadn’t even seen holographic technology yet.

“All I can say is that the teachers and students here are absolutely trustworthy. We really did know about the apocalypse ahead of time. Everything we’ve done over the past year was preparation for this day, preparation to save more people.”

“But before today actually arrived, we had to keep it secret. Because besides us, there’s another group watching closely. They want to ensure the virus outbreak happens. We weren’t strong enough before. If we provoked them, it would’ve been too dangerous.”

She vaguely referred to the Believers, covering for the unseen force, likely connected to the principal, that prevented them from revealing the truth.

After finishing, she asked again, “Are you willing to trust me and stand by my side?”

Xu Mingyu and Song Jianguo exchanged a glance.

Song Rushhuang’s words solved the mysteries that had lingered in their minds for days. Her recent changes, why she had dragged them into exercise all summer, why she encouraged Grandma Zhang and other elderly neighbors to stockpile supplies and install security bars.

Their daughter had always been kind. They had always known that. And now there was proof.

“How could we not trust you?” Xu Mingyu said, forcing a smile.

Her emotions were too heavy for it to last, but Song Rushhuang still felt the comfort and tenderness within it, and her whole body suddenly relaxed.

Song Jianguo stepped forward and patted her shoulder.

He didn’t know what to say. His lips moved before settling into a sigh. “You’ve worked hard.”

Even without those “enemies,” if Song Rushhuang had started shouting months or a year ago that the apocalypse was coming, no one would have believed her.

Before seeing everything unfold with their own eyes, she and her classmates would only have been dismissed as delusional kids obsessed with novels.

So her parents couldn’t possibly blame her for keeping secrets. Instead, they could only imagine how difficult this past year must have been, carrying everything silently alone.

The more they thought about it, the more their hearts ached.

Fortunately, she had her classmates, companions who shared her purpose, close roommates who stood with her.

In fact, thinking carefully, if she hadn’t entered this school, they would never have known any of this. Today might have passed like any ordinary day, until they were suddenly attacked like countless ordinary people on the streets, caught completely unprepared by the apocalypse.

In that sense, Fangzhou had saved them.

Blinking, they looked around the dorm again, thinking of Principal Fu Qing. Their mindset had completely changed, now filled with gratitude.

Their expressions shifted rapidly, shock, lingering fear, absent-minded staring. Their emotions were painfully easy to read.

Watching them, Song Rushhuang couldn’t help recalling simulation scenarios where the apocalypse began on day one. Back then, when she played the protagonist trying to convince strangers the end had come, it had never been this easy.

Her parents’ faces held worry, shock, and tenderness, but none of the suspicion or disgust she had grown used to seeing.

This was Fangzhou’s natural advantage. Everyone who entered had been personally chosen by the students. Whether family or friends, there was already a foundation of trust. Especially the parents who arrived first, they were among the least likely people in the apocalypse to ever betray you.

In such a shelter, there would be far less suspicion and internal conflict.

Some people might not believe their children immediately, but most were not acting out of malice.

Given time, everyone in the shelter would eventually unite as one.

The Fangzhou of the future would be far more united and powerful than any official or unofficial shelter, whether yet to be built, already standing, or destined to fall.

Song Rushhuang was certain of it.

₊˚.🎧📓✩

Previous