Chapter 23: Turning on Each Other

Liu Shuang'er pursed her lips, scrolling through the group chat on her phone. The others were gleefully boasting about their narrow escapes. 

"Wang Gang and Wang Lei from our building had the sense to retreat early," she remarked. 

Huang Ming, meanwhile, was maneuvering his drone around the cafeteria. 

"I almost forgot—Ding Yang and Xu Shan from our building are still inside the cafeteria. What if they're wiped out?" 

As soon as he said this, he spotted Ding Yang and Xu Shan slowly emerging from the cafeteria entrance. Only five of them were left. 

It turned out that during the earlier fight in the kitchen, several of them had been scratched or bitten without realizing it. While the survivors from Building 7 were battling the zombies from Building 1, a bloody fight had also broken out in the cafeteria kitchen. 

Suddenly, two of their comrades turned and attacked the others. Chaos erupted, and by the time the fighting stopped, only five were left standing. Each of them bore injuries, and it was unclear whether they had been infected. 

Ding Yang, Xu Shan, and the other three were covered in blood, their eyes bloodshot and faces twisted with fear. Without a word, they headed straight for Building 10. 

Wang Qiang ignored them, focusing instead on organizing the remaining survivors to secure the cafeteria. They finally succeeded, but the cost had been devastating. 

The survivors were relieved. With fewer than twenty people left, the remaining supplies would be divided among them. They eagerly began moving the supplies. This time, Wang Qiang had learned his lesson—he assigned a few people to keep watch while the others handled the transporting. Still, it was a case of too little, too late. With over sixty people earlier, why hadn't they done this sooner?

"Huang Ming, Professor Li Qingya is gone. She disappeared!" Liu Shuang'er exclaimed, noticing that the zombie professor was no longer under the tree. 

"Don't worry about her. We can't deal with her right now anyway. What concerns me more is Ding Yang and Xu Shan's group of five," Huang Ming replied. 

"Exactly. They're covered in blood and probably have scratches all over. If they get into Building 10, it'll be a disaster," Gu Anqing chimed in, immediately grasping Huang Ming's concern. 

Huang Ming stroked his chin thoughtfully, then pulled out his phone and called Li Chang'an. 

"Fatso, it's me, Huang Ming." 

"Ming... Ming? What's up?" Li Chang'an's groggy voice came through the phone. He had clearly been asleep. 

"Listen, Ding Yang and Xu Shan's group of five are covered in blood and probably have scratches. They're heading toward Building 10 right now. Warn everyone in the group chat. They need to stop those five at the entrance. If those five get inside, you know what'll happen." 

Li Chang'an sat up abruptly, sweat beading on his forehead. 

"Ming, how long until they get here?" 

"About five to ten minutes." 

"Got it. I'll handle it." 

As soon as he hung up, Li Chang'an sent a message to the group chat: 

"Ding Yang and Xu Shan's group of five were ambushed by zombies at the cafeteria. They're heading back to Building 10 now, covered in blood and with visible scratches. We need to stop them at the entrance. They'll be here in five minutes. What do we do?" 

The chat fell silent. Seconds ticked by, but no one responded. 

Huang Ming watched the chat, growing increasingly frustrated. He cursed under his breath: 

"These idiots. Are they just waiting to die?" 

He didn't care much about their survival, but he didn't want the entire building overrun with zombies. It was like someone taking a dump on your doorstep and expecting you to clean it up. 

Fortunately, Wang Lei finally stepped up. He took charge and sent a message: 

"What's there to discuss? We stop them. There are 26 guys in this group. Everyone, grab your weapons and meet in the lobby. Now!" 

Soon, Huang Ming could hear the sound of hurried footsteps echoing through the building. He breathed a sigh of relief. 

In the lobby of Building 10, Wang Lei and the others stood ready, weapons in hand, blocking the entrance. They waited for Ding Yang and Xu Shan's group to arrive. 

It didn't take long. 

Ding Yang and Xu Shan reached the entrance, only to find their former comrades staring at them with cold, lifeless eyes. Their hearts sank. They knew exactly what was happening—they were being barred from entering. 

"Brothers, let us in. The blood on us is from the zombies, not from injuries," Ding Yang pleaded, trying to reason with them. 

"You can come in, but you'll have to stay outside for a while. If nothing happens by nightfall, we'll let you in," Wang Gang said, his tone firm. He didn't believe Ding Yang's excuses. The scratches on their bodies were obvious to anyone with decent eyesight. 

The atmosphere grew tense. Ding Yang, Xu Shan, and the others knew they were in a lose-lose situation. If they tried to force their way in, they'd be overwhelmed. But with their injuries, they were as good as dead either way. Despair began to creep in. 

Suddenly, one of the five began to convulse. Before he could fully turn, the other four took him down. Then another one started to change, and the remaining three acted swiftly, eliminating him as well. 

Now only Ding Yang and Xu Shan were left. They stood facing each other, weapons in hand, their expressions filled with bitterness. 

"Brother, if I start to turn, make it quick. I'll drop my weapon right away," Ding Yang said, thumping his chest as if to reassure Xu Shan. 

"Same here," Xu Shan replied. 

But as soon as he finished speaking, his body began to tremble. Ding Yang raised his machete, ready to deliver the final blow. However, as he lifted the weapon, he realized his own strength was fading. His body started to shake uncontrollably. 

The people in the lobby watched in horror as the group turned on each other. The sight sent chills down their spines. 

Now only Ding Yang and Xu Shan remained, staring at each other with weapons drawn, their faces etched with despair. 

"Brother, if I turn, make it quick. I'll drop my weapon immediately," Ding Yang vowed, his voice trembling. 

"Same here," Xu Shan replied. 

But as soon as he spoke, his body began to convulse. Ding Yang raised his machete, ready to strike, but as he lifted it, he felt his own strength failing. His body began to shake uncontrollably. 

The people in the lobby watched in stunned silence as the group turned on each other, the grim reality of their situation sinking in.