28. Taking a Punch

The Dean transformed instantly, his eyes blazing with fury.

"I will kill him!" he roared. "And I will kill all of you too!"

After his outburst, the Dean lunged forward. He was not alone; the people who had been killed outside now poured into the room as well. They charged with outstretched hands and bared claws, intent on tearing Chi You and her companions to pieces.

Liu Qiang watched the scene, feeling only the urge to break down and weep. Was this where they would meet their end? Those people had risen from the dead, transformed into monsters, and they looked at Chi You and the others as if they were nothing more than prey, rushing forward to devour them.

The Dean threw a punch directly at Chi You’s face. Despite a month of training in combat, Chi You’s reaction was a fraction of a second too slow. The blow knocked her to the ground, and she couldn't help but wince in pain. A stark bruise bloomed on her exquisite face, looking jarring against her fair skin. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, making her look even more disheveled.

Jiang Pan saw this and wanted to pull out his phone to take a picture, but with so many monsters swarming them, he couldn't spare a hand. He felt a profound sense of regret.

The Broodmother appeared just then, shielding Chi You. As the Dean’s fist came down again, she used her hair to bind his arm, then proceeded to ensnare his limbs as well. The Dean struggled violently, but could not break free, which only fueled his rage.

Chi You stood up, touching her cheek; the contact made her brow furrow. Damn it, her face must be ruined. She was livid—she had worked so hard to attain this beauty, and he dared to do this to her. She would not let him get away with it!

Drawing her chainsaw, Chi You surged with hatred. She aimed it at the Dean and brought it down on his head. In an instant, the Dean was decapitated. Blood sprayed high, drenching the surrounding monsters and people in a crimson mist. Still unsatisfied, Chi You ordered the Broodmother to drop the corpse, then she plunged the chainsaw deep into the Dean’s chest. She was taking no chances that he might still be alive.

Meng Shuyin and Zheng Hong watched her, stunned. She was actually desecrating the corpse!

But only Chi You understood that the Dean was not so easily killed. Even with his head severed and his heart shredded, he could still thrive here. He would only truly die when the obsession in his heart dissipated. Unfortunately, Chi You did not yet know what that obsession was—what could make him so unable to let go that he cursed the entire hospital to its current state.

She pulled the chainsaw free and stood up, looking at the headless, mangled body on the floor. She let out a long sigh, but the movement tugged at the injury on her face, making her grimace. She covered her cheek with her hand, her eyes filled with resentment. That damn Dean—he had really tried to kill her.

The Broodmother continued to fend off the monsters, which had lost all semblance of humanity, their forms twisted and feral. Chi You raised her chainsaw and charged into the fray. These monsters were like cockroaches—impossible to kill; they would just crawl back up after a moment. It was infuriating.

On the ground, the Dean was already regenerating. His head began to sprout anew, and his body slowly knit itself back together. By the time Chi You looked over, he had fully resurrected.

Chi You felt a wave of irritation. How were they supposed to fight something that couldn't die and could resurrect infinitely?

The revived Dean locked his gaze on Chi You and charged again. It was clear he was hell-bent on killing her. The Broodmother hurried to block him, but the Dean’s strength had increased after his resurrection. A single punch smashed into the Broodmother, tearing away half of her shoulder. She looked down at the wound, but the Dean, relentless, rained more blows down upon her. She quickly used her hair to wrap around his fists, dampening the force of his strikes.

Chi You lunged forward with her chainsaw. "You damn Dean, can’t you just stay down?" she shouted. "I ask you a question, you say nothing, and then you just keep attacking us!"

She hacked at him with every ounce of her strength, desperate to finish him off. The Dean took every blow, his once-gentle face now twisted into a monstrous, terrifying mask. His gums were bloodied, and his eyes burned red with a deep, bottomless hatred.

"Jiang Pan, think of something!" Chi You snapped, looking for a way out. If they kept going like this, they were dead. The two locals were covered in wounds and wouldn't last much longer.

Jiang Pan fired his gun, his aim precise as he hit the monsters one by one. Hearing Chi You, he gave a hollow laugh. "Think of what? Where to hide? It’s swarming with monsters outside and inside. There’s nowhere to go. And besides, we’re standing on the Dean’s home turf—where is there to hide?"

Chi You sighed. If only Li Youchu were here; his defensive barrier would have been perfect.

The two locals nearby heard her and their eyes went wide. So, they were going to die here today? Liu Qiang wasn't having it. He had worked so hard to save up money to get married. If he died today, it was all for nothing. He frantically searched for a spot, spotted the Dean’s desk, and dove underneath it. The other man followed suit.

Huddled there, their hearts hammered against their ribs. "This is too terrifying," the man whispered, pressing his hands together in prayer. "I’m just going to work a normal job from now on."

"We have to get back first to even think about that," Liu Qiang reminded him.

"True," the man muttered, changing his wish. "Please, let us survive this and get out of here soon."

They remained hidden and safe for the moment, but it left Chi You and the others in a dire position. The stream of monsters was endless. No matter how strong they were, they couldn't hold out forever.

"Heh... I guess this is it," Zheng Hong said, feeling the warm blood on his face and laughing softly. For a moment, death felt like a release, but then he realized how wrong that felt.

"Hurry up and think of a plan," Jiang Pan said, unwilling to use his own brain and delegating the task to the others.

Meng Shuyin and Zheng Hong stared at him. If you can't think of anything, what makes you think we can? They were giving them too much credit.

"Let’s just die together then," Meng Shuyin replied flatly.

"Agreed," Zheng Hong added. "This dungeon is impossible to clear."