John Wang's POV
March 17th, 2025 — 8:50 PM
Longwan University — Linbei Campus, Pharmacy Exterior
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I hit the street a second before the roof caved in.
Concrete and steel crashed down behind us in a roar of pulverised stone and screaming metal. A shockwave slapped the air flat around me, tossing dust and burning grit into my eyes, my mouth, my ears.
I didn't stop moving.
Zhou Xue's weight was slung over my shoulders — lighter than she should've been, all bone and blood and shredded muscle. She let out a breathy gasp against while clinging to my back, her fingers clutched weakly at my jacket, but she stayed conscious.
Good.
I staggered over broken stones, but finally caught my footing and bolted across the rubble-strewn street, boots slamming hard against cracked asphalt. Every breath burned like sucking in sandpaper.
Behind us, the pharmacy finished collapsing, the last of the roof falling with a wet, crumpled roar.
Couldn't think about it.
Couldn't afford to look back.
