Ch 102: Opening a Survival School Before the Zombie Outbreak

Having already come this far, Fu Qing understood that in order to convince them, she had to explain everything clearly.

No matter how absurd the truth sounded, it was still the truth.

If she chose to lie or fabricate a story, then once any logical flaw was exposed, it could affect all subsequent plans and the pace of their actions.

“Teacher Zhao Yunxiao, who is seated beside me, and I both returned through rebirth. In our previous life, we personally witnessed how the virus destroyed human society, until the entire Blue Star was ultimately occupied by the zombie species.”

“After returning, I received a mission: to establish a university called Fangzhou and lead more than two thousand students to prepare together for the coming apocalypse over the next year.”

“But the premise was that we had to strictly guard the secret of the impending outbreak. Any active or passive disclosure of information would be obstructed…”

She laid out everything related to the system and Fangzhou without reservation.

Zhao Yunxiao supplemented her explanation at appropriate moments, taking out the materials from his backpack and presenting part of his research findings on the zombie species.

Xue Ran also briefly described, from a student’s perspective, what life and study at Fangzhou had been like over the past year.

The conference room fell into absolute silence.

Every participant present was widely experienced, yet something like this was beyond anything they had ever heard in their lives.

Was this not the plot of some novel or television drama?

It was too… too absurd.

They felt as though, with disaster looming, they had spent precious time listening to a science fiction story.

And yet, upon careful thought, Fu Qing’s actions aligned perfectly with everything she had previously said and done. There was not a single logical inconsistency.

Director Liu interrupted midway, cautiously asking whether she would agree to undergo a lie-detection test. Fu Qing shrugged. “Go ahead.”

With the verification of the equipment during the latter half of her explanation, there was even less room for doubt.

Everything she said was true.

Facts that had previously been concealed within the system’s blind spot were now laid bare in the light.

For example, a university like Fangzhou, which had never been officially registered, had somehow appeared out of nowhere. It could even directly select suitable students from the national application system for admission, all without attracting anyone’s attention. That alone was already unbelievable.

More terrifying still was that everyone, including Director Liu, deputy chief of the local S City Public Security Bureau, had never found it strange that a school had suddenly appeared on the wasteland outside the city.

It was as though it had always belonged there, entirely reasonable.

Only after Fu Qing revealed the truth did the fog surrounding everyone finally disperse.

Only through firsthand experience could one understand how terrifying the capabilities of a higher-dimensional creation like the system truly were.

Even as she spoke, Fu Qing’s hands never stopped moving. One moment a simulated zombie appeared beside her, the next a box of instant noodles, then a massive capsule chamber whose landing even made the projector and cameras tremble.

Everyone witnessed the screen shaking on the other end. “…”

In the next instant, all the items she had taken from the system backpack, which had filled the entire conference room, vanished completely with a light wave of her hand.

The internal meeting software employed strict monitoring and verification of data streams. The video they were seeing could not have been altered. Faced with layers of evidence, no matter how much it defied common sense, they had no choice but to believe Fu Qing’s words.

In the previous life, or rather in a parallel world more than ninety-five percent identical to this one, humanity had already gone extinct.

And the starting point of that catastrophe was today.

Fu Qing’s mention of world consciousness and the existence of the Zombie King further explained how the virus could erupt worldwide simultaneously.

Everything sounded outrageous, yet the logic was strangely airtight.

And deeply chilling.

For a long time, humanity had regarded itself as the ruler of this planet. They had surpassed every other species, achieved the most advanced evolution, and controlled the world. When looking at other lifeforms, humans often did so from a position of superiority, of overlooking, of pity.

But at this moment, they suddenly realized that they themselves were merely ants in the eyes of other beings.

The billions of humans living on Blue Star were nothing more than expendable pieces in a game played by higher-dimensional entities, sacrifices that could be discarded at any time.

Their struggles and suffering meant nothing to the system or the Zombie King.

“Why?”

Someone could no longer endure it and forced out a grief-stricken question through clenched teeth.

Why?!

“I can’t accept this…”

These were people of immense authority who had fought their way through decades to reach their current positions. Translated on Hololo novels. Yet now, those standing at the pinnacle of their respective fields could barely form coherent words, expressing themselves only in the simplest, almost childlike sentences.

I can’t accept it.

I refuse this outcome.

The deaths of more than a hundred thousand people were already horrifying and painful. Now they had suddenly learned that all humanity might perish within a few short years.

Everything that had ever existed on this land, everything they had cherished, despised, or struggled for, would lose its meaning.

Personal death was not frightening. In fact, no one present feared death.

They were always prepared for sacrifice.

But the disappearance of an entire nation, an entire race, an entire species could truly shatter one’s spiritual foundation.

The man seated at the head of the meeting shifted his gaze, about to speak and break the heavy, oppressive atmosphere, when Fu Qing, who had just finished speaking, suddenly spoke again.

“I can’t accept it either.”

The same words, yet spoken without despair.

“I can’t accept it, which is why I’m standing here now.”

“My students couldn’t accept it either. That’s why they endured and persevered through this past year.”

“And all the teachers at my school couldn’t accept it either. Even in death, they could not close their eyes.”

Xue Ran suddenly felt her vision blur. She fought back the lump in her throat, doing her best not to think too much.

The principal’s words carried her usual calmness, unshaken even if mountains collapsed before her eyes. Yet at this moment, that calmness only made Xue Ran’s heart ache.

Zhao Yunxiao lowered his head, then raised it again a moment later.

Because they could not accept it, they had to seize every possible chance to resist.

“The system told me that as long as there are still people unwilling to accept fate, it will continue to appear in this world, and in every world,” Fu Qing said, blinking lightly, her tone firm. “Even if we fail again this time, it doesn’t matter. Even if I don’t exist in the next life, it doesn’t matter. Someone else will still appear.”

“That person will continue to grasp an even slimmer hope, move forward, and search for a way to break the deadlock.”

“The farther we go, the more hope humanity in another world we will never know will have.”

“So what is there to fear?” she asked.

The system said that in the next life humanity would no longer be able to resist the Zombie King. Did that make it absolute truth? The world consciousness wanted them dead, yet had they not struggled their way into this life anyway?

There would always be a world in which humanity defeated the zombies, where civilization endured and the species survived.

Even if they themselves could not witness it, what did that matter?

The man in the Zhongshan jacket tapped lightly on the table, drawing everyone’s attention, and said in a deep voice, “It is still too early to dwell on these thoughts. If humanity’s chance of survival is one in ten thousand, then we must fight for that one chance.”

“Everyone, the crisis of life and death is right before us. This is the moment when our country and our people… no, when humanity itself needs us most. From this moment on, I ask each of you to use everything you have learned and give your utmost effort to protect this nation and this planet.”

After speaking, he paused, already seeing the answer he wanted in the expressions around him.

The meeting was temporarily adjourned. The man left the room, likely to report to higher authorities and convene a joint conference. At this stage, not only Director Liu but even his superior, the provincial public security chief who had attended earlier, was no longer qualified to participate. Yet less than half an hour later, news arrived that China had activated a Level One National Biosecurity Emergency Response.

Fu Qing was politely invited into another round of meetings. Aside from Director Liu, the bureau chief who had just rushed back to the station at high speed, and Zhao Yunxiao, everyone else was temporarily asked to leave the conference room.

Higher authorities established an emergency command headquarters to coordinate all departments, dividing responsibilities into several specialized groups handling virus prevention and control, vaccine research, maintenance of social stability, and supply logistics.

As the meeting progressed, directives were discussed by numerous senior officials and rapidly issued to departments nationwide.

Because of the urgency, all cumbersome procedures were reduced to the bare minimum. Tasks were pushed forward with maximum efficiency and speed.

The simulated zombie donated by Fu Qing, along with Zhao Yunxiao, who possessed experience in serum and vaccine research, would be escorted immediately by the military to the capital’s research institute. The white-haired elderly woman who had spoken earlier would personally lead a team composed of the nation’s top experts and professors to devote themselves fully to vaccine development.

Across the country, shelters and quarantine centers would begin construction. The former would receive displaced civilians with nowhere else to go. The latter, under the name of medical isolation, would gather infected individuals still in the incubation period as well as those already mutated, isolating them in batches. Unless absolutely necessary, lives would not be taken, but once someone entered a quarantine center, the chances of leaving again would be slim.

The military, armed police, and other security forces were mobilized. Some units would guard major hospitals to protect medical personnel. Others would patrol the streets, locating infected individuals and sending them to shelters while protecting fleeing civilians. Translated on Hololo novels. Additional units would secure facilities such as nuclear power plants, ensuring the continued supply of water, electricity, and gas. National strategic reserves would be deployed, and supplies would be delivered regularly through airdrops and community distribution to residents remaining at home.

All land border crossings would be closed under strict border control. Maritime ports would adopt different management strategies for foreign and domestic cargo ships. All foreign vessels would be required to anchor at designated points outside territorial waters under coast guard supervision, while domestic ships would undergo at least three weeks of maritime quarantine. During this period, the government would provide essential survival supplies to both sides.

In addition, aside from being sent to higher leadership, recordings of this meeting would also be delivered to governments around the world after removing certain key information, such as the existence of Fu Qing and Fangzhou.

They had to protect Fu Qing and the students of Fangzhou. But regarding the virus and zombies themselves, Huaguo would conceal nothing.

All conflicts should cease in the face of humanity’s survival crisis.

What remained was to see how other nations would respond.

Their own governments would be responsible for protecting their people. And the Chinese government had its own citizens it must protect with everything it had.

…

Fu Qing attended almost the entire meeting as an observer.

She had already said everything that needed to be said. Her presence now seemed largely an act of respect. As she listened to directives being issued one after another, a quiet emotion began to grow within her chest.

After a long time, she felt something again.

A feeling called reassurance.

Something stronger and more powerful than herself had appeared.

It felt as though she finally had something she could rely on.

At a meeting of the highest level, one that ordinary people could never participate in during their lifetimes, Fu Qing found herself unexpectedly distracted.

She realized, with surprise, that over this year since her rebirth, more and more people had appeared at her side. The path she had begun alone had, without her noticing, gained countless companions.

Some were silent, some noisy. Some had been weak and insignificant when they first joined the journey, while others had arrived already strong.

But without exception, all of them now walked firmly beside her.

…

What surprised Fu Qing even more was that, despite resources being extremely strained, the leadership still formed a special operations team specifically to travel to S City and coordinate with her.

The team leader was a capable, short-haired woman from the military district, over fifty years old, named Tian Xuejun. Fu Qing glanced at the medals on her uniform through the video feed and felt immediate respect.

Unbeknownst to her, after hearing the full story, Tian Xuejun held the same respect toward Fu Qing, as well as toward Xue Ran and Zhao Yunxiao.

She was already on her way to S City and briefly reported the team’s responsibilities via video call. “Simply put, our job is to fully support your actions and protect you and the teachers and students of Fangzhou.”

“The threat of national and species extinction is too serious. We cannot expect all humanity to truly unite. If the system and your identity were exposed, not only the believers you mentioned, but other countries would certainly try everything to find you. Our primary duty is to protect you from foreign agents. Additionally, any information you need conveyed can be passed to me directly. I have clearance to report straight to the highest level.”

Fu Qing was skilled at killing zombies, but when she thought about the surveillance methods of foreign intelligence agents she had heard about or seen in films, she felt a headache coming on.

She truly was not good at dealing with such matters, nor did she have Tian Xuejun’s experience.

Professional matters should be handled by professionals.

Fu Qing did not pretend otherwise. “Thank you for the trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all. How could it be?” Tian Xuejun sighed softly on the other end of the call. “You don’t know. When I first heard all this, I could hardly believe my ears. Many people competed for this assignment. The organization entrusted it to me, and I feel deeply honored and very happy.”

“I want so badly to do something,” she said, her tone carrying a trace of shame. “If a group of eighteen- or nineteen-year-old students were truly left to bear the burden of saving the world alone, how could we adults face ourselves?”

“These responsibilities have rested on your shoulders for far too long. From here on, please allow us to carry them together with you.”

Seated in the car, Tian Xuejun continued speaking with Fu Qing for a while longer, discussing future arrangements.

Whether it was her personal attitude or instructions from above, she showed Fu Qing complete respect.

“If you have any requests, you can raise them as well. We will certainly give your opinions full consideration,” she said sincerely.

Since she had said so, Fu Qing did not stand on ceremony.

She truly did have two urgent requests.

“First, I hope the authorities will not intervene in Fangzhou’s internal management, including the premises, personnel, and future operational arrangements,” Fu Qing explained. “Fangzhou was built by the system and is bound to me. Only I can alter all buildings and facilities, and all teachers and students have already finished adapting and coordinating with me. Outside involvement would instead reduce our operational efficiency.”

“On the other hand, building the school was a mission the system gave me. Even after the apocalypse arrives and the main mission is completed, I can still earn a certain amount of Teaching Points through small tasks afterward, such as maintaining the campus. You can think of it as a kind of points system used to exchange for supplies in the system shop. The simulated zombie, for example, was purchased with Teaching Points.”

“Through the system shop, we have a chance to obtain tools far beyond humanity’s current technological level. Some of them may even play a key role in the process of fighting the believers and the Zombie King. I cannot lose the channel for earning Teaching Points. If Zhao Yunxiao needs to go to the capital to assist with research, every day he spends outside consumes 24 Teaching Points. I need a continuous income.”

Tian Xuejun nodded as she listened, then, after a moment of thought, said, “That request is very reasonable. The Teaching Points you mentioned are an important strategic resource, and the means of obtaining them is singular, so we will definitely ensure you can continue to acquire them normally. But I also want to raise one request, and I hope you’ll consider it.”

Fu Qing said, “Go ahead.”

Tian Xuejun said, “May I assign a team to follow you into Fangzhou? I can guarantee the team will not exceed twelve people, and we will bring our own supplies.”

Fu Qing was not surprised by this request. Translated on Hololo novels. A school as large as Fangzhou having existed for a full year while deceiving everyone’s eyes meant that the methods involved were something humans could not possibly see through.

Who knew whether, once Fu Qing returned to Fangzhou, Tian Xuejun and her people would still be able to find her?

Asking to have people accompany her was perfectly normal.

“No problem,” Fu Qing said.

“Good. I will lead the rest of the squad to set up camp nearby and establish a temporary command center. We won’t disturb your daily life,” Tian Xuejun said. “Once we arrive, I will give you satellite communications and positioning equipment. I hope you will cooperate and stay in contact at all times. In addition, our team will patrol around Fangzhou twenty-four hours a day. When you need to go out, we will need to provide close protection while minimizing disruption. It may be inconvenient in some ways, but I ask for your understanding. I must ensure your safety.”

Knowing that inside Fangzhou, Fu Qing could almost be considered absolutely safe, Tian Xuejun did not propose assigning a female officer inside the school to provide twenty-four-hour close protection.

In truth, given how the upper leadership now viewed Fu Qing, they would have loved nothing more than to assign an entire military unit to guard her, terrified that any zombie or anyone else might so much as harm a single hair on her head.

“Close protection…”

Fu Qing repeated the phrase, never imagining there would come a day when she was the one being protected. Finding it a little amusing, she let out a soft laugh. “All right. Thank you for the trouble.”

“?” Tian Xuejun sounded momentarily puzzled, but she did not overthink it and continued, “Our people are armed. Zombies absolutely won’t be able to get close.”

These specially selected, highly trained armed soldiers were in a completely different league from ordinary police in terms of shooting accuracy. Even against fast-moving zombies, they were confident they could land headshots.

That stirred something in Fu Qing’s mind.

Guns really were useful. The question was whether she could borrow a few.

In her previous life, when she scavenged supplies everywhere, she had found quite a few.

Although guns were banned domestically, in rural areas you could still find various homemade firearms and hunting rifles. Some lavish villas even kept military-grade weapons locked in basement safes.

Who knew what channels they came from, or what they were meant for.

Fu Qing had tried a few times and her aim was not bad. But in the early stage, guns were handy for fighting large waves of zombies. Later, when zombie numbers kept rising and human numbers kept falling, she no longer dared to use them.

Evolved zombies had such sharp hearing that they could pick up gunfire from far away. At that stage, cold weapons were more practical.

So although there were one or two simulation-chamber scenarios that involved firearms, she had not had the students focus on shooting training, because it simply was not practical.

Not to mention the huge problem of acquiring firearms and ammunition domestically, even if you had them, it would be impossible to find and use them in large quantities. And while firearms could erase gaps in strength and combat skill, they also came with problems: harder to carry, easy to lose, and so on.

If you lost your gun in real combat and could only wait to be slaughtered, then that “useful tool” would instead become a limitation.

Fu Qing and the students did not have much time. They had to make choices.

Marksmanship training took a great deal of time, especially if you wanted to reach the level of reliably hitting a fast-moving target with a single shot at close range.

With that time, it was better to hone cold-weapon techniques. That was the choice they had made.

Her thoughts turned several times, and then she considered that in Tian Xuejun and her team’s eyes, forget the eighteen- and nineteen-year-old students, even she, in her twenties, would still count as a junior.

In the apocalypse, no matter how long she had survived, when facing soldiers she was still an ordinary civilian who needed protection.

There was no way they would let her handle firearms.

Fu Qing could only abandon the idea with regret.

Tian Xuejun had no idea that in those few moments Fu Qing had already set her sights on their weapons. “You said you had two requests. What’s the other one?”

“The other…” Fu Qing came back to herself and finally returned to the main point. “Fangzhou’s students come from all over the country. At this point, many of them still haven’t returned to campus.”

“I promised that their family members could also move into shelters. They have been repeatedly planning and mentally rehearsing this return route since the first half of the year. I believe that with my students’ capabilities, they can bring their families back safely. So I hope you won’t stop them from returning to campus.”

More than two thousand people plus their relatives was not a small number, but on a national scale it was absolutely not much.

After all, there were still at least hundreds of thousands of infected wandering the streets.

Whether to give them a green light would depend entirely on Tian Xuejun and those behind her.

Fu Qing said patiently, “These students have trained. Every one of them is an experienced apocalypse survivor, with physical fitness far beyond the vast majority of ordinary people, not to mention combat techniques honed specifically for zombies and an understanding of zombies. Hunting believers cannot be done without their help.”

“But if we want them to go out and fight with peace of mind, we must ensure their families’ safety. Rather than leaving that to local communities or assigning local police specifically to protect them, it’s better to gather them together. At this point, Fangzhou is absolutely safer than the vast majority of shelters.”

Fu Qing had decided to open shelter slots largely so the students could go out and fight without worries behind them.

That reasoning persuaded Tian Xuejun. “Understood. Later, please organize a list of Fangzhou students and send it to me. I’ll register their identities, then assign personnel to coordinate directly with the local communities and public security.”

Fu Qing understood what that meant: in the future, every movement of Fangzhou’s students would be monitored and protected in the shadows.

Every single one of them was an important force in fighting the zombies.

With Tian Xuejun granting the green light, it would be much easier for them to act going forward.

As Fu Qing let out a breath of relief, she also felt deep gratitude for Tian Xuejun’s full cooperation.

The other party had shown strong goodwill. Though she did not say it outright, every word and every action conveyed: I am on your side.

That allowed Fu Qing to hand over trust without hesitation and cooperate with her.

Fu Qing sat in her own car. Zhao Yunxiao remained at the police station for the time being. Xue Ran sat in the front passenger seat, having listened quietly to the principal’s conversation the entire time without speaking.

Fangzhou’s gate came into view. As the iron gate slowly slid open, Fu Qing saw in the rearview mirror two police cars that had been following at a distance come to a stop, as if seeing her off.