The northern region of Huaxia.
Shencheng, this place also did not escape the ravages of the July sun.
A red alert for high temperatures had already been issued north of the capital.
At this time, there were still sounds of reading from within Shencheng No. 2 Middle School. They were students about to enter their third and final year of high school, and this summer was the best chance for some of them to turn their fortunes around.
No one wanted to attend remedial classes, yet no one wanted to give up on their studies. However, the school could not ignore human life; with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius, it had to close for vacation.
The school's air conditioners were still being installed and did not cover all areas. Two fans alone could not withstand such heat.
“Students, due to the high temperatures, we will have vacation starting from noon today. Classes will resume once the high temperature weather has slightly eased. These two parametric equations written on the blackboard…
If there are any points you still don’t understand, please ask me promptly after going home. I don't have much else to do anyway.
Oh, right, if no one asks me, I’ll assume you all understand, and you should be prepared to be tested.”
Without waiting for the students below the podium to cry and beg for mercy, the math teacher adjusted his glasses, picked up his thermos, and slipped away.
His movements were as smooth as flowing water.
Seeing that they had failed to reduce the power of knowledge about to be bestowed upon them, the students could only…
“Ye Zi, want to go together?”
“No need, I have something to do…”
“Oh~~ I get it, you’re waiting for Du Qingyu, heh heh heh, don’t do anything bad at school~”, the deskmate’s voice elongated significantly.
Ye Zhijian just smiled, not minding his teasing.
The stirrings of youth were the most beautiful memories of student life, and hard work along with an excellent college entrance examination score were indispensable ways to respond to and extend this beauty.
Therefore, his staying behind, besides chatting and strolling with Du Qingyu… cough, was also to spend more time reading! The classroom had a much better atmosphere than the dormitory!!!
Du Qingyu felt the same. It wasn't just the two of them who had this awareness; many students were like them, staying at school to read a bit longer.
Either to consolidate knowledge points or to do some exercises to clear their minds.
It wouldn't do to get rusty.
The third year of high school was both painful and fulfilling. Both during normal times and holidays, time seemed to fly by. Although the sun outside grew more intense, a calm mind naturally felt cooler, especially with the fans.
He didn't even break a sweat.
“Why is it a bit noisy outside?”
Ye Zhijian, though puzzled, just smiled it off. After spending so long in a school environment, one could read even in the midst of hustle and bustle.
This question was not one he knew the answer to.
He should go and ask the academic prodigy.
Holding his book, Ye Zhijian got up lightly. The moment he looked up, he was startled by the scene before him.
The classmates who had stayed in the classroom with him were all slumped over their desks.
Their breathing was heavy, and they appeared to be fast asleep.
If this were during a break, he would have found it normal, but this was in the short period before the school closed after vacation.
Would these studious fanatics still be sleeping?
Who would believe it if it were told (•́w•̀٥).
“Ye Zi, what’s going on, why are they all asleep?”, a top student from the front row noticed Ye Zhijian’s stillness and also reacted.
The current situation was indeed somewhat strange.
Before Ye Zhijian could say anything, he picked up his book and poked the face of the person closest to them.
“Lao Jiang, what’s wrong? Do you want to go to the infirmary to see a doctor?”
“Huh? It’s nothing, I’m just a bit drowsy.”
Unexpectedly, he responded. Perhaps sensing the abnormality in his physical and mental state, he packed his bag and prepared to go home.
“Ye Zi, Xiao Long, I’m leaving first. I think we need to get some sleep.”
As they were classmates, Ye Zhijian, seeing his dazed state, also felt a bit uneasy.
He said, “Xiao Long and I will escort you. You might have suffered heatstroke.”
Putting down his book, Ye Zhijian went to wake up the remaining people. No one responded. Those who did respond only said they felt like sleeping and then stopped.
Although he was deeply puzzled, Ye Zhijian could only take care of one conscious person first.
He would inform the school security to take a look when they went down. Once student safety within the school was involved, these security personnel would pay special attention.
Partly due to conscience and responsibility, and partly out of fear of affecting the school's reputation.
They were usually a bit slack.
But that was human nature, and Ye Zhijian could understand.
However, as he supported his classmate all the way down, Ye Zhijian felt increasingly that something was wrong. Some classrooms along the way had the same situation as theirs, with only a small number of people still diligently reading.
The vast majority were either sleeping or in a dazed state.
When coincidences piled up too much, they turned into extraordinary occurrences, suggesting something sinister was afoot.
This situation was clearly problematic.
There were still people coming and going in the school, but the more Ye Zhijian thought about it, the more agitated he became, even a little panicked.
His girlfriend, at this time, was either at the badminton court or in a classroom, and he needed to check on her.
His parents were in the south, and his phone was still in the dormitory, but Ye Zhijian wasn't too worried. They were very smart, and if the situation outside was the same, they would react accordingly.
Well, he hoped so.
“Xiao Long, I’m going to the badminton court to check on Qingyu. She might be there, and I’m a bit worried. You take him to the infirmary and then hurry home. I think something might have happened today.”
Ye Zhijian spoke vaguely, but they were all smart people and would understand something. Xiao Long gave him a look, nodded, and quickly pulled the sick person he was holding towards the infirmary.
Watching his friend leave, Ye Zhijian just sighed softly and rubbed his face.
He wondered if he was overreacting.
Perhaps everyone was just tired from reading.
There were still so many people playing ball and running on the sports field.
Eh, why did that person fall while running?
Witnessing the entire process, Ye Zhijian's heart skipped a beat, and his paranoia alarm reached its peak. He ran towards the badminton court at top speed.
Fortunately, both of them were punctual, and this time was relatively close to their usual agreed meeting time.
So, as soon as he arrived at the badminton court, he saw Du Qingyu waiting for him at the entrance, holding a small book and reading. She clearly hadn't realized what was happening.
“Qingyu! Here!”
The urgent shout jolted Du Qingyu, who was immersed in knowledge.
“What’s wrong, Ye Zi? Why are you in such a hurry?”
“No time to explain, let’s go to a less crowded place first.”
“???”
The sudden, potentially misleading words made Du Qingyu blush.
“Wait a moment, this is still school!”
Ye Zhijian also realized that what he said sounded a bit strange, but there was really no time to explain. In the last few seconds, more and more people on the sports field had collapsed, convulsing, or fainted on the spot, or looked like they had food poisoning with foam at the mouth and rolled-up eyes.
This was definitely not a coincidence; some terrifying entity was selecting its prey among the crowd!
Whatever it was, they had to leave here quickly!
Students without phones obviously didn't know what was happening and could only stare in horror at everything unfolding around them.
Suddenly, all these people lying on the ground quieted down and became motionless.
“Ye Zi, they… they all seem to be dead.”, Du Qingyu, being pulled along, became increasingly terrified, her palms sweating so much she could barely hold Ye Zhijian’s hand.
Seeing this, Ye Zhijian hardened his heart. Forgetting about the school, he picked up Du Qingyu and ran towards the dormitory, stepping over the “corpses” on the ground.
At this time, the dormitory was practically empty, and it was connected to the back mountain. Except for couples doing inappropriate things and perverts defecating on the spot, hardly anyone went there.
“I don’t know, I just feel something is very wrong. Let’s go to the dormitory to check, and besides…”
He stopped mid-sentence because he noticed the “corpses” on the ground were actually starting to twitch.
The fear of witnessing the dead come back to life made his hair stand on end.
“Don’t bother, hurry up!”
On the school road, Ye Zhijian ran madly with Du Qingyu in his arms. Beside them were a few panicked survivors and corpses that were gradually getting back on their feet, along with gushing blood.
“Damn it! What the hell is going on!!!”