Chapter 15.1 – Rainy Night in Hua City (7)

◎Saved a Lunatic◎

Zhou Anqi started running a fever after falling asleep.

She had caught a cold these past two days – a sore throat, runny nose that flowed like water, and yet she was stubbornly concerned about her appearance. To avoid showing her embarrassment, she went to the restroom multiple times a day to touch up her appearance. She endured like this until night, her temperature soaring. The next day, when her classmates came to check on her, they discovered that she had been burning up in a daze for quite a while.

With precedents like Jiang Rui and others, there was a high probability that Zhou Anqi’s fever at this moment was a precursor to awakening her ability.

“41℃,” Xu Liren announced the number on the thermometer, a worried expression on his face. “She needs to take antipyretics as soon as possible. If she continues to have such a high fever, even if her ability awakens, she might end up with brain damage.”

The value of an ability user was clear in everyone’s minds. Jiang Rui, Liu Zixuan, Zhang Qi, and even Song Ke were living examples. Without ability users leading the way, ordinary people couldn’t venture outside alone. As ability users, they enjoyed privileges. Despite Song Ke’s indifference to group activities, her sporadic attendance in meetings, and her lack of interest in collective actions, Xu Liren still tolerated her behavior.

Even if Zhou Anqi had a terrible personality, as long as there was hope for her ability to awaken, she wouldn’t be easily given up on. However, the current issue was that when they hastily evacuated from the school earlier, they didn’t have enough medical supplies, especially prescription medicines. They had to take the risk of searching outside.

“But it’s still raining outside.”

“That’s right, going out in this kind of weather, even if we don’t encounter zombies, people might still die, right?”

“Don’t make me go out, please, don’t make me go out…”

Since two days ago, the rain in Hua City had been growing stronger, gradually showing signs of engulfing the entire city.

Heavy rain, zombies, a sealed-off city, and coupled with the loss of communication signals, going outside had become several times more dangerous.

Faced with various doubts and whispered conversations, Xu Liren stood up slowly. His cold gaze swept across the room. “From the very first day we established the safe zone, I promised everyone that even in the direst circumstances, I, as a teacher, will not abandon any one of you. This promise will always stand.”

His voice always had a kind of magical persuasiveness. Gradually, the crowd quieted down. Xu Liren then turned to a tall boy standing next to him. “Jiang Rui, I would like to ask for your help. Will you lead a team to go out and find medicine today?”

Jiang Rui’s fingers curled slightly. Meeting Xu Liren’s expectant gaze, he nodded with determination. “Mr. Xu, I’m willing to go out, but the other members of my team, they’re not ability users. I don’t want to force them.”

Almost the moment his words fell, several boys, including Zhang Hao, Kongzi Qi, and Tian Yi, stepped forward, expressing their support.

“Brother Jiang, I’m going with you!”

“I’m going too!”

“Count me in, the more people, the faster we’ll find it.”

Young people still had vigor in their hearts, and camaraderie was highly valued. They believed in Jiang Rui and were willing to follow him on this risky venture. Despite this, Xu Liren’s expression remained tense because the group was still small. One ability user and five or six regular individuals – the risks of going out with this composition were still high.

“Count me in too,” Zhang Qi suddenly spoke up from the back row, his head lowered.

His dislocated arm had been reset, but his despondent spirit hadn’t recovered yet. Among the members of their two teams, they each brought their most trusted companions. Jiang Rui was popular among friends, and Zhang Qi had his own group of brothers. However, that day, he had helplessly witnessed his good friends being engulfed by flames, intensely hating his own helplessness. Since then, a psychological shadow had been cast, and these past few days, he even felt a strong aversion to the idea of “going out.”

Now, the girl he liked lay on a mat, her life hanging in the balance, her face pale from the torment of high fever. Could he really be so cowardly as to beg others for help again? Would he still be considered a man if he did that? So, Zhang Qi clenched his teeth, overcame his fear, and stepped forward.

“Just me.” Zhang Qi’s voice was hoarse as he emphasized, not wanting to burden others any further.

Xu Liren nodded solemnly, for the first time not opposing the request for both ability users to go out together. “Alright, you’re both powerful.”

Seated nearby, Cao Yiyi clenched and unclenched her fingers, her inner turmoil akin to a raging fire, burning her from within.

Why?! Fine, that bitch Song Ke is an ability user, but why does even someone as dumb as Zhou Anqi awaken an ability? This idiot, this fool who can be easily manipulated with a few words, why is she any better than her?

But… she couldn’t show her anger because, in everyone else’s eyes, Zhou Anqi had always been her “best friend.” Moreover, Jiang Rui was also going out. As long as Jiang Rui was there, safety shouldn’t be a problem. Perhaps she could even find an opportunity for privacy…

Cao Yiyi struggled to maintain her expression. It took great effort to put on an appearance of righteousness. “Mr. Xu, I’m also willing to go out.”

Xu Liren looked into her eyes, now inflamed with jealousy, and slightly squinted, as if he could see through her dark thoughts. “Teacher knows you’re concerned about your friend. You should stay and take care of her.”

Cao Yiyi and Xu Liren locked gazes for a couple of seconds, and she nodded, as if bewitched by some hidden motive.

“Is there anyone else willing to help Zhou Anqi find medicine?”

Xu Liren raised his voice, surveying the surroundings. As expected, he met pairs of eyes that avoided his gaze.

“Is there anyone else willing to go out?” he repeated.

The entire safe zone seemed muted, as if someone had pressed a mute button, and silence spread like wild grass, unfurling in all directions.

“Me.”

Amidst the prolonged silence, a calm and unruffled voice suddenly broke through.

Everyone turned their heads in unison, and when they saw who the speaker was, their jaws almost dropped, especially the students from the original Class 3. Their expressions were as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight – a truly captivating spectacle.

Song Ke leaped down from a three-meter-high skylight, facing a crowd of terrified and astonished gazes. She silently repeated, “I want to go out.”

Jiang Rui’s blood pressure surged, and he took a deep breath. Ignoring everyone else, he strode forward and pulled Song Ke aside to a corner of the room. “You don’t need to do this. Everyone saw how Zhou Anqi treated you. Don’t risk yourself for someone like her. Stay safe in the secure zone.”

Song Ke blinked in confusion. Wait, he thought she was going out for Zhou Anqi?

She tried to explain, “I’m not—”

Jiang Rui interrupted her, “I’ll talk to Mr. Xu and ask him to let you stay here.”

Turning away, he started walking, but then Song Ke’s patience reached its limit. She directly swung her backpack at the back of his head. “Not for, for her. I haven’t, haven’t eaten. Need to find supplies.”

After getting hit, Jiang Rui looked at her almost empty backpack and remained stunned for a few seconds. It took a while for him to snap out of it, coughing awkwardly. “Then I’ll bring something back for you.”

“No, I’ll find it my-myself.”

Shaking off Jiang Rui, Song Ke went around him and stood in front of Xu Liren, locking eyes with him without flinching. “Today, I want, want to go out.”

Not a request, not asking for help. Both of them understood that Song Ke was just informing him.

Xu Liren stared at her for several seconds before nodding slowly. “Okay.”

With three ability users joining the team, their strength became formidable, not to be underestimated. Even if unexpected situations arose, they would be able to handle them promptly.

“Find the medicine and come back. Don’t linger outside,” Xu Liren counted the number of people and softly advised Jiang Rui and Zhang Qi.

Seeing that others were allowed to go out, Liu Zixuan couldn’t sit still either. “Mr. Xu, let me go out too!”

“You can’t go out.” Unexpectedly, Xu Liren decisively refused him, despite his typically gentle demeanor.

“Why? I’m also an ability user, and if I go out with them, it’ll be easier to come back. We won’t have to wait outside!” Liu Zixuan’s eyes sparkled with hope.

Xu Liren sighed meaningfully. “Yes, you are also an ability user…”

Liu Zixuan felt a glimmer of hope and his excitement showed in his eyes. “So, does that mean you agree?”

“—Liu Zixuan, remember, only you, only you can’t go out.”

Every single person here could go out, except for Liu Zixuan. He was the cornerstone of the entire safe zone, or rather, everyone in the safe zone relied on his presence. If he were to go out, and something happened outside, if he couldn’t come back, or worse… if he abandoned everyone and ran away, what would the remaining people do?

The entire sports field was both a comfortable area constructed by Liu Zixuan himself and a cage that trapped him.

Liu Zixuan hadn’t realized this truth and was still standing there, disappointedly protesting. However, others instantly understood and exchanged various glances privately.

The members about to go out used their time wisely, putting on raincoats and checking their backpacks, making preparations.

Song Ke walked along the wall and pushed open the equipment room’s door. Her gaze swept over the mountains of shot puts, javelins, and discuses. When she emerged, she was carrying a huge umbrella. Its canopy was incredibly wide, and when opened, it could shield half the sky. The umbrella ribs hung slightly downward, making it look more like half of a steam-basket cover than an umbrella.

Her umbrella was indeed quite peculiar. It had a metallic luster and a unique deep blue color, instantly capturing the attention of many.

As Song Ke walked toward the door, someone muttered in confusion, “Do we have this kind of umbrella in our equipment room? Where did she find it?”

…