May’s warmth crept into the sanatorium, spring’s chill fading. A light mist cloaked the morning, hiding the world’s edges. At 6:15 a.m., Chen Liu woke on the third floor, unease prickling his chest. Something’s wrong, he thought, his face tightening with instinct. Last night’s boar feast had left him sober, an observer amid the revelry. Alcohol dulls me. He scolded himself. His battle instinct and psychic power—now at eight-star Awakened level—demanded discipline. Strength is survival, he reminded himself. 

The radio crackled. “Captain!” Zhang Chong’s voice trembled from the sentry post. He’s scared? Chen Liu demanded, “Speak”.

“Corpse horde outside—we’re surrounded,” Zhang Chong reported in a shaky voice. Chen Liu’s heart jolted, his face paling with dread. “Damn,” he muttered, grabbing his gear and rousing the others. “Up! Horde’s coming! Prepare to fight!” Panic erupted in the hallway, faces blanching at the words corpse horde. Chen Liu strode to the third-floor sentry post. Its view spanned hundreds of meters.

Zhang Chong handed him binoculars. “Look!” Chen Liu peered out. Shadows staggered in droves— nasty zombies. A seven-star is leading them. He understood that only a high-tier could muster this scale.

Li Dong and Fang arrived, faces tense. “Bound to happen,” Li Dong said. He’s right, Chen Liu thought, his jaw tightening. Seven-stars in cities meant one was inevitable here. They hadn’t been idle—first-floor windows were boarded, keeping the lobby dark save for slivers of light. “Prepare for battle,” Chen Liu ordered. “Zhang Chong, take the elderly to the third floor. Women, form defensive lines at the second and third stairwells.”

“Yes!” Zhang Chong bolted, his face weary from the night shift. “The rest—downstairs. We hold the cafeteria or die,” Chen Liu declared, boosting morale. Running’s death, he thought, his chest tight with the stakes and excitement.

On the first floor, zombies neared the entrance—cannon fodder, flailing and snarling. “Trigger the trap!” Chen Liu barked. A rope pulled, splitting a wooden plank to reveal a two-meter pit. Zombies tumbled in like lemmings, piling up mindlessly. Idiots, Chen Liu thought, somewhat amused. “Seal the door!” They braced it with beams, a four-centimetre slit at head height for stabbing. Rebar pierced skulls through the slit—one hit, one kill. The gate groaned under the horde’s weight, corpses stacking outside. Easy for now, Chen Liu thought, his eyes sharp but uneasy.

“Evolved zombies sighted!” the radio crackled from the lookout. “One seven-star, ten six-star, seventeen five-star.” Silence fell, faces darkening with dread. Three-to-one odds, Chen Liu thought, his scalp prickling. He, Li Dong, and Fang could handle six-stars; the six others struggled with five-stars. A seven-star was a nightmare.

Liu Wei’s face twisted with panic. “What if we break out?” he whispered, eyes darting. Fang snapped, “Leave everyone else to die?” his face was red with anger. “Better than all of us dying!” Liu Wei shot back, his voice shrill. Chen Liu sighed, his eyes weary. “I could run and live. Can you outrun them?” he asked sarcastically. Liu Wei froze, imagining claws tearing him apart. He knows he’s dead without us. Chen Liu could see through him.

Fang sneered, “Abandon comrades and expect a shield? Pathetic.” Liu Wei shrank, his face burning with shame. Chen Liu raised a hand, stopping Fang. He turned to Li Dong, eyes steady. He’s the key, he thought. “If we abandon the cafeteria, we lose food and won’t reach Liao City,” Chen Liu said, his voice firm. “Use the building’s layers—defend smart. We’ve got a shot.”

Li Dong hesitated, his face taut, then nodded. “Give the order. I’m in,” he said candidly. The others dropped their escape fantasies, faces grim but resolute. Chen Liu’s mouth curved slightly. “We hold with layered defences. I believe in you all,” he said, his face alight with quiet confidence in his men. The tension eased, Fang’s eyes flashing with admiration. “Give the order, Captain!” he said.

“Count me in!” Zhang Chong called, returning with women who dragged tables to form an evacuation corridor to the stairs. Without this, we’re trapped, Chen Liu thought, his eyes sweeping the room. His heart steadied, voice booming: “Then let’s fight.”

thINKer: I am motivated too. Let’s go guys!!! I’ll be cheering from this side of the page. 🙂

Yuyu: LET'S GOOO!!!