The air inside the warehouse was heavy. Shadows stretched between rows of towering metal shelves, and the hum of dormant machinery buzzed faintly. Somewhere deeper inside, the girl's sobs had faded, swallowed by the eerie silence.
Shao quickly divided them into pairs.
"Hana, you go with Zhizhi."
"What? Why me?" Hana whined, crossing her arms.
"Because," Shao sighed, rubbing his temples, "you're useless in a fight, and I don't want you getting in the way."
"Excuse me?! I'm not useless! I can—"
"—scream really loud," Qiu Yue finished for her, adjusting his glasses. "Great skill. Maybe the zombies will die of secondhand embarrassment."
Hana gawked.
Shao gave one last glance at Muchen, who stood near the entrance with the taller boy, the fire extinguisher clutched tightly in his hands.
"You stay here. Guard the entrance. If anything happens, shout."