Chapter 217 Meditation

Liang Yue gripped the Tang sword tightly in her hand. Though the feeling of hunger was unbearable, it also gave her an incredible burst of strength—a primal survival instinct. 

In the gymnasium, the students' faces were filled with numbness and madness. After more than a month of continuous exposure to the deaths of those around them and the constant threat of death itself, their mental states had deteriorated. 

Just last night, a girl had hanged herself on the basketball hoop when no one was looking. But when everyone saw it the next day, no one cried; they remained eerily calm. 

Liang Yue knew things couldn't go on like this. As the only teacher among them, she had to help these kids fight for a future.

As Liang Yue was deep in thought, class monitor Wu Chengyu and group secretary Shen Miaoke approached her.

"Ms. Liang," Wu Chengyu spoke.

Liang Yue looked up at them.

Wu Chengyu continued, "Shouldn't we go out and find some food? If this keeps up, we'll starve to death."

Shen Miaoke clasped her hands in front of her, her fingers intertwined, with an expression of compassionate sorrow. "You're our only hope. If you stay here resting and don't go out to find food, what will we do?"

A flash of surprise crossed Liang Yue's face. She looked at the two class leaders, who both averted their gazes, their eyes showing a hint of dissatisfaction.

In that instant, Liang Yue understood. They thought she hadn't gone out to search for food for several days because she was afraid of encountering monsters and dying. So now they had come to ask her to fulfill her responsibility as a teacher?

Liang Yue took a deep breath. *I'm a teacher. I shouldn't get angry with my students*, she reminded herself. Then she said to them, "If I leave, what will you do if the monsters come and attack you?"

Shen Miaoke still frowned. "That's why, Ms. Liang, you have to be quick this time! Hurry back!"

Wu Chengyu coughed lightly and said calmly, "Ms. Liang, you don't need to worry about that. We'll do our best to protect everyone!"

He looked at Liang Yue with a slight contempt in his heart. *At a time like this, still thinking of protecting everyone? I can't tell if you're just upright or foolish! But it's fortunate that you're like this; otherwise, I might already be dead. Well, you have your uses, but you're not that smart. Just listen to someone clever like me! Even if monsters come, I can just sacrifice a few scapegoats to buy us time.*

Shen Miaoke clasped her hands together and pleaded, "Ms. Liang, please! Our lives are all in your hands!"

Liang Yue gave the two students a long, deep look. She didn't say anything but used her Tang sword to support herself as she slowly stood up.

Then she said, "Alright, I'll go out now. Take care of yourselves!"

Wu Chengyu and Shen Miaoke readily agreed.

Over the past month, Wu Chengyu had figured out the monsters' habits. They liked to toy with their prey and had a habit of storing food. So each time, they would only kill a few students, not too many. 

In fact, Wu Chengyu had already selected a few sacrificial pawns. If the monsters really came, he would push those people out to buy time, then wait for Liang Yue to return and be safe.

Liang Yue gripped the Tang sword, opened the gymnasium door, and walked into the icy corridor. The door behind her was quickly shut by a few students.

Liang Yue exhaled a small puff of white breath, glanced at the end of the icy corridor, then flicked her long ponytail and walked toward the cafeteria. She didn't go far but quickly hid in a corner of the icy passage after taking about a hundred steps.

Leaning against the wall, Liang Yue slowly closed her eyes and entered a meditative state. 

Meditation wasn't some magical ability; even ordinary people could master it through proper guidance, achieving a peaceful state of mind. It was a mandatory practice for every martial artist, allowing them to clear their minds and look within themselves. 

According to legend, in ancient times, the top martial arts masters who had reached the pinnacle of their craft could enter a mysterious inner world through meditation. 

Although Liang Yue hadn't reached that level, as a top martial artist in Huaguo, she could at least use it to calm her mind and restrain her breath. She could no longer afford to wait. Rather than letting the monster kill the students one by one, it was better to take a chance.

"Only one of us can survive," she thought. "Or... we both die together!"

Liang Yue had already accepted the possibility of death. If necessary, she would perish alongside the black monster. She could die, but as a martial artist and a teacher, she had to protect her students.

Liang Yue's resolve was strong, but she forgot one thing: as a natural hunter, a feline predator was even better at concealing its presence.

Inside the gymnasium, after Liang Yue left, everyone instinctively huddled into the corners. Yang Xinxin sat in her wheelchair, still looking as fragile as a crystal rose. 

Lu Keran crouched down, gently touching her legs and arms. "Does it still hurt?"

A few days ago, Yang Xinxin had been used as bait to lure the monster. Luckily, the monster was more interested in living beings that could move, and she narrowly escaped. However, she was injured in the process, with bruises on her arms and knees.

Yang Xinxin looked at her only friend, a pale smile on her face. "I'm fine. It's so cold I can't feel the pain."

Seeing Yang Xinxin smile, Lu Keran relaxed a bit. "Don't give up hope. We still need to live well, right?"

Yang Xinxin nodded, her eyes firm. "Yes, we can survive!"

"We will survive together!" she declared.

A mocking laugh tinged with madness echoed nearby. Zhang Mengning, her face twisted, glared at them. "You're dreaming! Do you think luck will keep favoring you?"

"A cripple—what can you do even if you survive? You'll just be a huge burden!"

"If I were you, I'd kill myself. Not only are you suffering, but you're dragging others down with you!"

Other students also gave Yang Xinxin strange, eerie smiles. They felt it was unfair. They were physically healthy and had a reasonable chance to survive. Why should a disabled person have the same right to live as they did?

"What's the point of holding on?"

"The next time the monster shows up, you won't be so lucky."

Yang Xinxin didn't argue; she was never good at debating, except online. Lu Keran couldn't stand it and wanted to speak up for Yang Xinxin.

At that moment, she looked up and suddenly saw an amber glow in the window across from her.

It was a massive eye!