Chapter 217 Meditation
Lily clutched the broadsword tightly.
Hunger gnawed at her, but it also fueled a raw, desperate strength—a survival instinct.
In the gym, the students' faces were a mix of numbness and madness.
For over a month, they'd watched friends die and faced death themselves, their minds fraying at the edges.
Just last night, a girl had hanged herself from the basketball hoop when no one was looking.
But when everyone saw it the next day, no one cried; they just stared, eerily calm.
Lily knew this couldn't go on. As the only teacher left, she had to help these kids find a way to survive.
As she was lost in thought, Warren and Michelle approached.
"Mrs. Evans," Warren said.
Lily looked up.
Warren continued, "Shouldn't you go out and find some food? If we keep this up, we'll starve."
Michelle, looking pitiful, clasped her hands together and added, "You're our only hope. If you don't go out and find food, what will we do?"
Lily's face showed a flash of surprise.
She looked at Warren and Michelle, who both avoided her gaze, a hint of dissatisfaction in their eyes.
Lily got it instantly.
They thought she was too scared to go out and face the monsters, that she was shirking her duty.
She took a deep breath. 'I'm a teacher; I can't get mad at them,' she reminded herself.
Then she said, "If I leave, what will you do if the monsters attack?"
Michelle frowned. "So, Mrs. Evans, you have to be quick! Hurry back!"
Warren, trying to stay calm, said, "Mrs. Evans, don't worry about that. We'll protect the students as best we can."
He looked at Lily, feeling a bit disdainful. 'In such a critical time, you're still trying to save everyone? Isn't it a dangerous luxury? I'm not sure if that's bravery or foolishness. But it's good you're like this; otherwise, I might've been dead by now.'
He thought, 'You're useful, but not very smart. So just listen to someone smart like me! If the monsters come, I'll just push a few people out as bait.'
Michelle pleaded, "Mrs. Evans, please! Our lives depend on you!"
Lily looked deeply at the two students.
She didn't say anything but used the broadsword to help herself stand up slowly.
"Alright, I'll go out now. Take care of yourselves," she said.
Warren and Michelle agreed eagerly.
Over the past month, Warren had learned the monsters' habits.
They liked to toy with their prey and stored food, so they'd only kill a few students at a time.
Warren had already picked out a few scapegoats.
If the monsters came, he'd push those people out to buy time.
Then, when Lily returned, they'd be safe.
Lily, gripping the broadsword, pushed open the gym door and stepped into the freezing corridor.
The door slammed shut behind her, thanks to a few students.
She exhaled a puff of white breath, glanced down the icy hallway, and flicked her ponytail as she headed toward the cafeteria.
She didn't go far, though. After about a hundred steps, she ducked into a corner of the corridor.
Leaning against the wall, Lily closed her eyes and slipped into a meditative state.
Meditation wasn't some mystical power.
Anyone could learn it with the right guidance, a way to find peace of mind.
For martial artists, it was essential, helping them clear their minds and focus.
Legends said ancient masters could enter a mystical inner world through meditation.
Lily wasn't at that level, but as a top master from The Astralium Kingdom, she could use it to calm herself and hide her presence.
She couldn't wait any longer.
Instead of letting the monsters pick off the students one by one, she decided to take a risk.
'Only one of us can survive! Or we both die together!' Lily was determined to take the black monster down with her.
She could die, but as a martial artist and a teacher, she had to protect her students!
Lily's plan was solid, but she forgot that felines were masters at hiding their presence, the ultimate hunters.
Back in the gym, after Lily left, everyone instinctively moved to the corners.
Cindy sat in her wheelchair, looking as fragile as a crystal rose.
Aubrey squatted down and gently touched her legs and arms.
"Does it still hurt?" she asked.
A few days ago, Cindy had been used as bait to lure the monster.
Luckily, the monster was more interested in moving targets, so she barely escaped.
But the fall had injured Cindy, leaving bruises on her arms and knees.
Cindy looked at her only friend and gave a weak smile. "I'm fine; it's so cold I can't feel the pain."
Seeing Cindy smile, Aubrey relaxed a bit. "Don't give up hope. We have to keep fighting! We have to survive!"
Cindy nodded, her eyes blazing with determination. "Yes, we can survive! We'll both make it!"
Then a voice filled with deranged mockery cut through the air.
Heidi Parker looked at them with a twisted expression. "What a joke! Do you think luck will always be on your side?"
"A cripple, even if you survive, so what? You can't do anything and will just be a burden! If I were you, I'd just end it. You're living in pain and dragging everyone else down," she sneered.
Other students looked at Cindy with strange smiles. They felt it was unfair.
They were all physically intact, so it made sense for them to survive. Why should a cripple have the same right to live as they did?
"What's the point of your stubbornness?"
"Next time the monster shows up, you won't be so lucky."
Cindy didn't argue back; she was never good at debating, except online.
Aubrey couldn't stand it and wanted to defend Cindy.
Just then, Aubrey looked up and saw a hint of amber in the opposite window.
It was a giant eyeball!
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