Chapter 21: Visitors from Building 7!

Before Wang Gang and his group could even step into the cafeteria to gather supplies, another group emerged from the shadows of the adjacent road. They moved in a large, imposing formation, clearly outnumbering Wang Gang's team—there were at least 60 of them.

At first, Wang Gang's group thought they were zombies and nearly scattered in panic. But it turned out to be students from Building 7, led by Wang Qiang, who swaggered at the front, a machete in hand.

"Students from Building 10, the supplies in the cafeteria belong to us from Building 7. Do us a favor—you already took plenty yesterday. Turn back now," Wang Qiang said coldly, his tone devoid of any emotion, as if the cafeteria's contents were already his.

Wang Gang and Ma Tao were at a loss. They were just temporary leaders, not actual bosses, and didn't dare make decisions for the group on the spot. The situation quickly grew tense.

Then, Wang Lei stepped forward. His steps were steady, his lips curled into a confident smirk. 

"Wang Qiang, we've come all this way. We can't just leave empty-handed. How about this—we'll take one load, and the rest is yours." 

Wang Lei's voice was firm, and he met Wang Qiang's pressure head-on, his expression almost mocking, as if he already held the upper hand.

Wang Qiang's eyes narrowed. He didn't want to risk other buildings showing up later and complicating things. Reluctantly, he agreed. 

"Fine. Make it quick."

Just as the two groups were about to enter the cafeteria, a dozen zombies burst out from inside. The cafeteria was still pitch black, the faint light of dawn not yet penetrating its interior, so no one had noticed the danger earlier. The commotion outside must have drawn the zombies' attention.

Wang Gang and Ma Tao, standing at the front, were terrified. They stumbled and rolled to the ground, narrowly escaping the initial attack. But those behind them weren't so lucky. Before they could even raise their weapons, blood-curdling screams pierced the quiet morning.

Panic set in immediately. Everyone knew what those screams meant—zombies from the surrounding area would soon converge on the cafeteria.

From his drone, Huang Ming observed the chaos. Zombies from nearby were already rushing toward the cafeteria, drawn by the screams. Before he could fully process the scene, Liu Shuang'er spoke up beside him.

"Huang Ming! Something interesting just happened. After those screams, the zombies near Building 1 started moving toward the cafeteria too. They shouldn't be able to hear from that distance. It's like something's controlling them—some kind of intelligent creature."

"Shuang'er's right," Gu Anqing chimed in. "Around Building 5, everything's normal. The zombies are just wandering aimlessly. No unusual activity."

Huang Ming nodded, his mind racing. 

"So Building 1 might have some kind of advanced zombie or mutated creature. Shuang'er, follow the zombies moving from Building 1. See if you can spot anything unusual."

"You think the intelligent creature might be hiding among them?" Liu Shuang'er asked.

"Exactly. Stick close and see what you can find."

"Got it! Leave it to me!" Liu Shuang'er replied, clearly excited by the task. She seemed to have a knack for this kind of stealthy work.

Meanwhile, the scene at the cafeteria entrance was a bloodbath. Wang Gang's group had assumed the cafeteria was clear after yesterday's cleanup, but now they were facing another wave of zombies. If they'd noticed them earlier, their numbers would've given them the upper hand. But the sudden ambush left a dozen students bitten, and soon, those bitten turned into zombies themselves.

The situation was chaos. 

"Stay calm! It's just a dozen zombies! Don't panic! Take them down and hold the line!" Wang Qiang shouted, his machete slicing through a zombie's neck. With a powerful kick, he sent the head flying, shattering a cafeteria window.

Wang Qiang, true to his role as Building 7's leader, remained composed, directing his people amidst the chaos. Both groups from Buildings 7 and 10 slowly regained their footing and began to fight back effectively. Zombies fell one by one, and morale began to rise.

But before they could celebrate, more zombies closed in from all sides. A few students, caught off guard, were pounced on from behind, their necks torn open. Fear and despair spread like wildfire.

The initial wave of zombies wasn't even fully dealt with before more arrived. Panic set in again. Some of the more timid students started to flee, but their retreat only made them prime targets. They didn't get far before being overwhelmed by zombies, their screams echoing across the campus.

The deserters, however, inadvertently bought the remaining fighters some breathing room. With some zombies distracted by the fleeing students, the situation at the cafeteria entrance stabilized once more.

"That should do it. We're safe now, right?" Wang Gang panted, kicking a zombie's head away. He felt a bit more at ease seeing the situation under control.

"I think we should skip the supplies. Let Building 7 handle it. I feel like more zombies are closing in. We should get out of here while we can," Ma Tao said, his eyes darting around nervously. The earlier ambush had clearly shaken him.

"I agree. Let's retreat. Anyone who wants to stay and grab supplies can, but no pressure," Wang Lei added, already starting to move cautiously back, keeping an eye out for any sudden zombie appearances.

Wang Gang and Ma Tao exchanged a glance, then followed suit. The rest of the group began to retreat as well, though some stayed behind, convinced the worst was over and eager to grab what they could. After all, Building 7's people were still there—they felt safe enough.