At first, everyone thought it was just like in the movies or TV shows – some virus or parasite, causing zombie-like creatures to genuinely appear in our world. But the truth was far grimmer. This was a brutal massacre, one race against another. (1) It was the fall of 2075, and I was a junior in college. I sat alone in my dorm room, idly scrolling through random webpages. Reports popped up about several similar malicious assault incidents across the continent. No clear pictures of the attackers or victims, just a few blurry, chaotic shots of the aftermath. The comments were filled with eyewitness accounts describing terrifying scenes, but still, these stories failed to genuinely alarm the general public. A heavy feeling settled in my chest, and I couldn’t help but remember the letter my parents left behind. A cool draft swept in, making me shiver. I shoved my hands into my pockets. My fingers brushed against a sharp little corner, and an image flashed in my mind: a red and black striped five-pointed star brooch, resting beside my parents’ letter. My parents were top-tier scientists, working on classified projects. I rarely saw them. They never spoke to me about their research. But sometimes, sneaking outside their door, I’d faintly catch snippets of their conversations. They seemed to be chasing after “God’s” very presence. Overall, though, the door was soundproofed too well; I barely caught anything. “Creak.” The dorm room door was old; it always made a grating sound when it opened and closed. My roommates, Britney and Tiffany, were back. Their conversation quickly turned to my ex. “Britney, Chad is so good to you,” Tiffany said to Britney, but her eyes flicked to me. And I, hearing Chad’s name, reflexively looked at Tiffany. As our gazes met, Tiffany’s eyes filled with disgust, her expression a sneer. Britney, however, paid no mind to the silent battle between Tiffany and me. She was focused on the new luxury brand bracelet on her wrist – a birthday gift worth at least three months of a typical college student’s living expenses. “He really is flawless. Kira, did he ever show you even a fraction of the care he showed me?” Britney seemed not to find the question offensive at all, her eyes fixed on me, determined to get an answer. “No,” I said, deciding to give Britney what she wanted to avoid further arguments. Chad? I never really cared about Chad, or Mark, or Tom, or anyone, for that matter. I just had this pathological need to get validation from others, to fill the void left by my parents, who were always too busy with their research to give me any. Back then, Chad pursued me, forcing his way into my world. After that, I would agree to almost anything he asked, reasonable or not. (2) Have you ever seen a proud hunting dog, once so formidable, reduced to a cowering puppy? It tries so desperately to please everyone, but all people seem to want to do is kick it, just to feel superior. (3) The dorm was quiet for only about ten minutes. “Kira, hand me your tablet. Mine’s dead,” Tiffany demanded, as if it were her right. But I still passed her my tablet. I knew she was going to secretly send herself all my summarized study notes, then delete the sent records. Too bad she never cleaned them up perfectly. Of course, she could just ask me for the notes, and I’d give them to her. But she didn’t want to admit she wasn’t as good as me and needed my summarized key points. Tiffany had long since grown tired of me being first and her second, of the days I won awards and she was always just the runner-up. “Kira, I just told Chad what you said.” Britney gave me a contemptuous smirk, slinging an arm over Tiffany’s shoulder. Both of them started shamelessly scanning through the contents of my tablet. As they scrolled, Britney continued, “He said you’re just a thankless opportunist, that no matter how good he was to you, it was useless. He even said it’s no wonder your parents don’t bother with you; they saw through you a long time ago.” I hate it when people talk about my parents… A voice suddenly roared in my ears, repeating, “Kill them, kill them!” The voice grew louder… I suppressed the urge, only managing to rush over, snatch the tablet back, and smash it onto the floor. Their expressions were stunned – confusion, blame, but no… regret. It wasn’t enough, not enough… The voice grew even louder, “Kill them, kill them!” I keenly realized that all of this seemed to be because of that striped five-pointed star. The striped five-pointed star felt like it was heating up, growing agitated. I clutched it tightly in my hand, both restraining it and soothing it. Suddenly, a massive explosion echoed in my ears, a sound that pierced the heavens, making it impossible to distinguish reality from illusion. Then came screams, roars, cries, the pounding of running feet, and gunshots… (4) “Bang!” The dorm door burst open, slamming against the wall. I caught a glimpse of the girls’ dorm hallway now. The zombies, so often seen in TV shows, had truly arrived. They were tearing at the beautiful girls. Even worse, several zombies were tearing apart one girl, and the weaker ones, unable to compete with the bigger ones, ripped off an arm and moved aside to enjoy their dinner alone. “Bang!” The door slammed shut again, this time locked. All of us in the dorm were finally together. The last one to rush in was Chloe, who loved being involved in all sorts of campus organizations, and was a pretty big deal there. “You idiot, why are you just standing there? Get your little first-aid kit!” Chloe had a clear gash on her leg, probably from the broken railing in the hallway. I quickly scanned her for any bite marks. Luckily, there were none. Chloe grew impatient and yelled again, “Kira, the first-aid kit!” I obediently handed my small kit to Chloe, as if I wasn’t the one who had just furiously smashed the tablet. Tiffany and Britney stared at the kit I gave Chloe, their eyes suddenly filled with greed. My first-aid kit was stocked with almost all standard medications: painkillers, antibiotics, fever reducers, and external treatments for bruises, bleeding, and pain relief. They regretted not demanding it from me earlier, as Chloe had gotten to it first. They knew getting that little kit back from Chloe wouldn’t be easy. But after their regret, Britney and Tiffany quickly realized that we were now living in the literal apocalypse, trapped in our dorm. Not only were medicines crucial, but solving the problem of food and water was also a critical emergency. “Kira, bring out all your food and drinks,” Britney ordered, her tone almost a command. “Yeah, Kira, bring out all your food and drinks, and we’ll bring out ours too. Then we’ll divide it equally among the three of us. We’re not trying to bully you; we’re roommates, and at a time like this, aren’t we supposed to support and help each other?” Tiffany, remembering my initial “tablet-smashing” outburst, spoke in a much softer, more pleasant tone. I couldn’t help but smile at that. Honestly, Tiffany’s suggestion was exactly what I wanted. I brought out a box of instant noodles, a case of bottled water, and several loaves of bread. It piled up on the table like a small mountain. And what did Britney bring? Some dried fruit snacks and a few jellies. Tiffany was even more ridiculous; she only brought a single pack of probiotic drinks. Under Tiffany’s idea of “equal sharing,” my “little mountain” was reduced to one packet of instant noodles, three small pieces of bread, and one probiotic drink. “Tiffany, are you sure this is *equal* sharing?” I looked at the farce, suddenly using the old nickname I used for Tiffany a long time ago. “S-s-sure,” Tiffany stammered, clearly uncomfortable with the nickname now. “Okay, fine.” Meanwhile, Chloe, who had witnessed the whole charade, let out a scoff and continued to clean her wound. I turned my head and watched Chloe meticulously applying antiseptic to her cut. (5) By the time this zombie crisis fully erupted into public view, I had already known it was coming. It all stemmed from the letter left by my “parents.” They vaguely mentioned that their research team, having accidentally discovered the existence of “Gods” in this world, had tirelessly pursued their presence for years, striving to unveil their mystery. When the “Gods” became aware of this, they were enraged, and thus, the apocalypse began… The striped five-pointed star they left behind was something they’d acquired during their years of chasing “Gods” – likely a small accessory that had fallen from one of them. They said that when the apocalypse arrived, the “Gods” would open the boundary between humans and “Gods,” allowing “God’s punishment” to descend upon humanity. But at the same time, humans could also obtain “God’s power” from this “divine punishment”… When the physical striped five-pointed star brooch vanished and a striped five-pointed star tattoo appeared on my wrist, I knew I had gained the so-called “God’s power,” and also recovered my original memories… (6) Five days after the zombies infiltrated the campus, all the food and water in our dorm were gone. My own stash had been eaten a day earlier. Tiffany started loudly suggesting we all discuss a plan. “We’re out of food and water in the dorm, shouldn’t we all put our heads together and figure this out?” “What’s there to think about? Someone just needs to go out and find some. The four of us can take turns going out to scavenge for food, and then we share it,” Britney said, talking about four people taking turns, but her eyes were glued to me. “Whatever you three do has nothing to do with me. You figure it out yourselves,” Chloe scoffed, rummaging through her locker. “Chloe, what do you mean? Aren’t we roommates? Shouldn’t we be helping each other out right now?” Britney cried. “What I mean is, for the past three years, you two have been going around saying that a slacker and socialite like me doesn’t deserve to be in your dorm, always messing up your chances at winning ‘Outstanding Dorm’ and all that stuff. I know all about it,” Chloe said, pulling out a baseball bat. Seeing the baseball bat, Tiffany and Britney involuntarily huddled closer, clutching each other’s arms. Their posture showed that, subconsciously, they both wanted to push the other in front of them to shield themselves from harm. “Don’t act so wronged. The way you two usually behave, in a world like this, it’s completely normal for you to get hurt by anyone,” Chloe swung the bat a couple of times. Suddenly, a knock came from the door. Britney and Tiffany completely clung to each other. Chloe, unfazed, slowly unlocked both bolts. She opened the door to find her usual crew, the “sketchy friends” Tiffany often complained about. “Later!” Chloe slung on her already packed small bag, grabbed her baseball bat, and sauntered out. Tiffany, realizing what had happened, rushed to close the door and lock it. “What do we do now?” Britney asked. “How about this, Britney, you and Kira go out to find food first this time. Next time, Kira and I will go. We’ll take turns,” Tiffany suggested. “What if Kira goes out alone and just runs off with the food?” “No way! You and Kira go first. Tiffany, you said it yourself! You promised you’d listen to me after I helped you steal Kira’s boyfriend!” Britney, upon hearing she had to go out first, completely lost all reason, spilling their dirty dealings. “Slap!” Tiffany slapped Britney across the face. “Are you crazy? What are you saying?!” Britney looked like she was about to slap her back, but I stopped her. “Enough, stop fighting. The first time, and every time after, you two go out,” I said. “Are you crazy, Kira, you… Ah!” Britney shrieked, but a sudden sharp pain in her stomach made her shut up, clutching her abdomen and groaning. Tiffany was the same. I sat in my chair, watching them both. One was crouched on the floor, gasping in pain, the other sprawled on the ground, brows furrowed, tears even welling in her eyes. “What did you do to us?” Tiffany squeezed out with all her might. “I told you, you have no choice now. Go get supplies. Scavenge this floor. You must bring everything back to me within an hour.” I raised my wrist, focusing on the striped five-pointed star tattoo there. “Don’t get any stupid ideas about leaving and not coming back. You wouldn’t want to experience this kind of excruciating pain again out in a world full of dangers, would you?” No sooner had I spoken than the intense pain in Tiffany and Britney vanished. Their eyes were full of confusion, unable to understand why they were suddenly in a situation where I completely controlled them. Of course, I had no obligation to enlighten them. “Now. Immediately. Get out. Do it.” But seeing their overly frightened faces, I offered one last cold, sarcastic smile: “Don’t worry. Chloe and her crew probably cleared out a lot of the obstacles for you.” Sure enough, the two opened the door and peered into the hallway. There wasn’t a single zombie, just bloodstains everywhere and some scattered body parts. Trembling, the two of them eventually swallowed their fear and left the dorm. (7) Let’s call the power stolen from “God’s punishment” an ‘ability’ for now. As I felt my ability, a saying came to mind: Every gift fate bestows comes with a hidden price tag. From now on, whoever receives my favor will be bound by me, repaying my kindness a thousand times over. (8) Britney and Tiffany returned with supplies thirty minutes after leaving the dorm: some crackers, small bread, bagged instant noodles, and self-heating rice. It was a big bag. They grudgingly handed all the supplies to me, their eyes filled with resentment. I wasn’t in the mood to fight them over such trivial matters. At a time like this, the immediate priority was to fulfill the last wishes in my “parents’” letter and pave a way for human survival. The sudden disaster, highly aggressive monsters, and crumbling government institutions – everything felt like the end of the world, shattering humanity’s spirit. When humanity completely collapses mentally, that’s when the true apocalypse will arrive. While waiting for Tiffany and Britney to return, I had been waiting for news from someone. And just as Tiffany handed the bag to me, my phone screen showed: *You received a message from Chloe.* I clicked it open: *—At the East Gymnasium.* There was still a full-length mirror in the dorm. Before leaving, I meticulously tidied myself up. Seeing that I was about to head out, Tiffany and Britney also wanted to follow me. They seemed to realize, a little late, that I had acquired some extraordinary power during this special time. But of course, I wouldn’t give them what they wanted. “Tiffany and Britney, you won’t be able to move freely for another three hours. Until then, stay in the dorm.” My words instantly took effect. Britney broke down, screaming, “Kira, we’re classmates! Don’t be so cruel! Why can’t you take us with you? If we stay here with no food or water, aren’t we just waiting to die?!” “Britney, don’t you think Chloe was right? Given how you usually behave, whatever happens to you now is to be expected. Why would you think I’d have an ounce of sympathy for you?” “You’re just mad I stole your boyfriend! Tiffany made me do it! She was the class monitor; if I didn’t listen to her, I wouldn’t have any hope for academic excellence or scholarships!” “Maybe. Stealing someone’s boyfriend wasn’t your original intention, but were you forced to spread rumors about me with Chad? Were you forced to tear me down in front of the whole school, making me seem worthless just to boost your own ego?” I didn’t want to hear any more of Britney’s victim-blaming and ‘she’s the most innocent in the world’ nonsense. I walked straight out of the dorm, leaving Britney and Tiffany still tearing at each other inside. “Britney, aren’t you pathetic? You got scholarships, you got poverty certifications, you got plenty of honors – all because of me! And now you think I’m the culprit behind your failed life? You’re sick! If all this blows over, I’m telling you, you’re done. You’ll have nothing, absolutely nothing!” “Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!” (9) Out of the dorm and turning a corner, I immediately ran into three zombies right at the stairwell of our building. Perhaps Chloe’s group had been gone for a while, and Britney and Tiffany’s racket in the dorm was too loud, drawing these scattered zombies. This also meant that the number of zombies on campus had significantly increased over the past five days. I looked at the three zombies. One’s face was half-torn off, revealing only sharp teeth still capable of tearing flesh. Another was missing an arm but still swung its stump to grab at bits of flesh on the wall. The third still retained human characteristics, wearing decent clothes, waiting for its prey. My exit had already attracted the attention of the three zombies. They all looked at me, then lunged forward simultaneously. They were getting closer. This wasn’t right. They were supposed to be “God’s” messengers; they shouldn’t attack ability users. After all, ability users were half-“Gods.” Before I could think too much, I had to dodge with all my might. The most active one was the most “decently dressed” one. I kicked it hard in the chest several times, but it just flopped back up and lunged again. “Growl!” Without thinking, the half-faced one almost got close again. It lunged to my left. My subconscious told me to quickly grab a broken wooden board from the ground and block it. The board blocked its body, but not its guttural “growls” and the putrid stench it emitted… The three zombies attacked in turns. I had been too confident they wouldn’t attack me, so I hadn’t brought any sharp tools. In an instant, I was cornered, on the verge of becoming zombie food. A sharp pain shot up my leg. Something had scraped my calf—a nail. Because I hadn’t noticed the nail at all, the scrape was quite severe, blood oozing out in a small puddle. The zombies, which had been attacking, suddenly stopped about half a meter from me. They paused. After only four or five seconds, they all carefully moved away, hugging the wall, clearing the path for me. The scene before me confirmed my suspicion: ability users who inherited the “Gods’” power would make zombies avoid them, but only after shedding some “hot blood” first. Ignoring the self-quarantined zombies, I headed straight for the East Gymnasium. When I arrived, the East Gymnasium was no longer as it had been. Three of its four main doors were tightly shut, piled with all sorts of debris, and the doorknobs were tightly bound with chains as thick as wrists. The only door with an opening was its west gate, but the area in front of it was also stacked with many sandbags, and beyond that, circles of dense barbed wire. Looking closely at the barbed wire, it was also laced with electrical wires. While it might not stop a zombie, no ordinary person could easily force their way through. All the external defenses of the East Gymnasium seemed designed to prevent ordinary people from entering. And what was preventing zombie intrusion… I keenly noticed the striped five-pointed star flag hanging from the flagpole in the center of the East Gymnasium. I silently thought, *This must be what keeps the zombies away.* A striped five-pointed star flag and a striped five-pointed star brooch. I stood in front of the camera hanging at the west gate of the East Gymnasium and raised the bag in my hand. “I’m here to join you. This food is my offering.” (10) Inside the gymnasium, many tents had already been set up. I was led in through the west gate by a person who was dressed exactly as they would have been before the apocalypse, looking perfectly clean and at ease. They must have awakened an ability to live so comfortably.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298818”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #校园School #重生Reborn
Leave a Reply