At six in the morning, the sky outside was ink-black. A thunderstorm, neither too heavy nor too light, continued to patter down. Occasional rumbles of thunder sounded, jarring people's nerves.
Ran Hongxia couldn't sleep anymore.
Although she had long since changed out of her soaked clothes, putting on a sweater taken from the girls' dormitory and even draping a torn-down curtain over herself, she still shivered uncontrollably from the cold.
It made sense. Ran Hongxia had experienced drastic emotional ups and downs, followed Li Jiayu to battle insects, was drenched in rain for so long, and was finally captured by the Female Parasitic Vine. Even though she was the future Sword Saint and slightly enhanced by an Insect Crystal, her body couldn't take it. Right now, her head felt a bit dizzy; perhaps she had a fever.
But at a time like this, a mere fever was nothing. The temperature tonight was probably only seven or eight degrees Celsius. Coupled with the heavy humidity and the cold wind blowing in through the broken windows, everyone huddled together from the cold. Far too many people had colds, fevers, and runny noses.
Compared to some who had died tragically, Ran Hongxia already felt very fortunate. For example, just moments ago, a distraught girl had climbed onto a window and silently jumped to her death.
Roughly counting, this was the third suicide tonight.
They couldn't bear the cold, nor the endless darkness, and even less the dread of the future. They couldn't withstand the heavy pressure the apocalypse brought upon them, so they chose self-liberation. An early death meant an early reincarnation, hoping for a better next life.
Human nature is inherently fragile. In peaceful times, a student suicide at Xijiang University would definitely cause a campus-wide sensation. But now, especially on such a cold, dark, fearful night, everyone remained silently indifferent. Besides secretly wiping away a few tears, they couldn't help at all. In fact, they themselves were very confused: was clinging to life in such a terrifying era truly more valuable than self-liberation?
Three or four hundred people were slumped over the rows of desks. Some without seats could only sleep on the cold floor or lean against the walls. Occasional snores could be heard, but more prevalent were low, muffled sobs and the comforting words exchanged between friends.
In the four corners of the large hall, eight lanterns made of plastic material were placed, white candles lit inside. The pale candlelight flickered gracefully in the darkness, making the students, long accustomed to fluorescent lights, feel even more bitter.
"President Ran, a few girls in Hall Two are really suffering from the cold. They asked me to ask if you have any extra clothing in Hall Three. Even blankets that are half-damp from the rain would do. They're frail, and I'm afraid if this continues, they'll develop high fevers..."
A tall young man wearing only a white tank top and gold-rimmed glasses walked over to Ran Hongxia, speaking with a bitter smile. He had already taken off his jacket and given it to a girl freezing badly. Now he himself was covered in goosebumps from the cold, but he didn't regret it. He was one of the few responsible and conscientious male students, and also another vice president of Xijiang University's student union – Jiang Feng.
"Sorry... we really don't have any extra clothes..."
Ran Hongxia breathed out warm air, stood up wearily, and said apologetically:
"How about this? Take this curtain for them. Although it's a bit thin, it can still be used as a blanket. Mm... this sweater, take it too..."
"No, no, no, President Ran, don't do that. I can see you have a cold yourself. Your health is important; we absolutely can't let anything happen to you. After all, you're one of our few combatants. If the insects come again, we'll still need you to deal with them..."
Speaking here, Jiang Feng blushed slightly. He actually also wanted to shoulder the responsibility of protecting his classmates and fighting the insects, but his physical fitness was truly average. He wasn't even considered during the initial selection of axe-wielders. However, he later joined the supermarket transport team, making five round trips, carrying six boxes of biscuits, five boxes of ham sausages, and many fruit knives.
"Don't say that. Compared to the warriors who sacrificed their lives, I'm nothing..."
Fifteen axe-wielders had followed Li Jiayu and the others into battle. First, two died in the academic building, then another two near the girls' dormitory. During the fight with the Female Parasitic Vine, another four died, three fell into deep comas, leaving only the four axe-wielders protecting the supermarket transport team unharmed!
This death rate was truly unusually high. Every time Jiang Feng recalled it, he felt a wave of lingering fear. If he had actually been selected back then, he probably would have died without a complete corpse long ago.
"President Ran, let me ask you something... Li Jiayu, he really..." Jiang Feng hesitated for a long time before tentatively asking.
"Why are you asking this?" Ran Hongxia's delicate body trembled, her expression turning solemn.
"Did something happen to Li Jiayu? Are his injuries serious..."
Ran Hongxia opened her mouth but didn't know where to begin. Finally, she could only sigh:
"Quite serious... Principal Xiao Wanqing is currently performing emergency rescue. God bless him, may he overcome this ordeal."
"I sincerely hope he gets better soon... Li Jiayu, a member of the Etiquette Department, the 'Friend of Women' in the Arts Department... Truly unexpected, that one day, he would shoulder the hopes of the entire Xijiang University, becoming the guardian deity for all of us. I really underestimated him before..."
"Yes, I underestimated him too. That guy... that guy..."
Speaking of Li Jiayu, Ran Hongxia couldn't help but feel a surge of bitterness, tears actually sliding down the corners of her eyes. She knew very well that Li Jiayu had fallen, becoming a cold corpse. According to the Dark Octopus, the chances of Li Jiayu surviving were extremely slim. If he didn't open his eyes within twenty-four hours, he would never wake up again.
Does heaven envy talent...? Although Li Jiayu was arrogant and quite annoying, Ran Hongxia always held a special sentiment towards him. Perhaps it stemmed from admiration for a hero, envying Li Jiayu's powerful and sharp swordsmanship, and also gratitude for him pulling her back from the brink of danger several times.
Last night, after being rescued from the dance hall, Ran Hongxia was the first to break free from the mental shackles and regain consciousness. When she learned that Li Jiayu had stopped breathing and died, it was as if struck by lightning, the world spinning. It took her a long time to accept this fact. Her heart felt empty and uncomfortable. She still had so many things she hadn't had time to say to Li Jiayu, yet that guy... actually died...
He didn't look like someone destined for a short life!
Later, Ran Hongxia acted decisively, issuing a gag order, making all the men and women present swear to secrecy, forbidding them from revealing Li Jiayu's death to anyone. If the students on the thirteenth floor learned that Li Jiayu had died, it would definitely cause even greater panic among many mentally fragile people. The consequences would be unimaginable!
"Sister Hongxia, have some hot tea. Warm yourself up, and take some cold medicine too..." Feng Liaoyuan offered Ran Hongxia a cup of hot tea with a smile.
"Thank you..." Ran Hongxia took the cup but frowned slightly, saying:
"The alcohol in the alcohol lamps is very limited... We should use it sparingly. Why did you use it to boil hot water for my tea? Such a waste..."
"Not a waste. I didn't use the alcohol lamp to boil water. I used my flames. Don't forget, Li Jiayu said I'm a fire mage. After a night of adaptation, I figured out a few tricks for using fire. I can heat the iron pot continuously while saving mana. I boiled a pot of water, not only made you a cup of tea but also added dozens of bags of Laotan Sauerkraut Noodles. Cooked them nice and fragrant, all given to some girls dizzy with hunger to fill their stomachs."
A proud smile appeared on Feng Liaoyuan's face as he said:
"From now on, I'm your heater. Sister Hongxia, if you get hungry too, don't eat those ham sausages or biscuits. Just tell me, and I'll make instant noodles for you."
"No need. Your mental power isn't easy to recover either. I'm not hungry. Just take care of others..." Ran Hongxia shook her head wearily. "By the way, how is your hall? Did anything happen?"
"Same as usual... In my hall, a few couples committed suicide by jumping off the building together. Several love rivals who couldn't stand each other and had long-standing grudges got into several fights. It took a lot of effort to stop them..." Feng Liaoyuan said.
"Heh, your hall is considered good... Over in my hall, many people thought the food distribution was uneven, causing a lot of noise and commotion, instigated by ringleaders. They only calmed down after everyone was given an extra ham sausage... I really don't know what they're thinking. There's still so much food, enough for at least two days. There's no point rushing." Jiang Feng shook his head, sounding like he was disappointed in them for failing to meet expectations.
"There's nothing that can be done... When safety cannot be guaranteed, many people become sensitive and suspicious. Conflicts arise frequently. Perhaps in the near future, instances of classmates turning against each other, backstabbing each other, won't be uncommon! So, we must handle things seriously as a warning to others. Some matters require a firm hand; otherwise, major chaos will erupt. For example, I just broke the necks of six people!"
It was unknown when Chu Xiang had appeared before Ran Hongxia, speaking in a muffled voice.
"Chu Xiang, you killed people?" Feng Liaoyuan asked in astonishment.
"Yes, I never thought I'd kill someone with my own hands one day..."
Chu Xiang grinned, the savage patterns on his face looking as frightening as a Rakshasa demon. He said:
"Some girls couldn't stand the smell of corpses in the hall... you know, many people were corroded into corpse fluid by Acid Bugs. Even after clearing the fluid, a strong stench remains. They went to sleep in the relatively cleaner 'Classical Music Research Club' on the twelfth floor... As a result, several boys with wicked intentions sneaked in under the cover of darkness, intending to assault them. Luckily, I was patrolling nearby and caught them in the act; otherwise, those girls would have been done for... Those beasts no longer deserve to be called human. Killing them is better than wasting food on them!"