The Decaying Dream of America: I Assemble Corpses and Confront Madness

The sharp gunshot ripped through the afternoon, silencing all the noise.

The students, who were whispering just a second ago, instantly turned into frozen statues, their faces drained of color.

Their pupils dilated, and confusion and fear rapidly intertwined in their eyes.

Lin Zheng subconsciously turned his head and glanced at the young faces around him that were also ashen-faced.

Panic spread like wildfire, quickly overwhelming everyone's reason.

Run. Dodge. Counterattack.

These words kept repeating in his mind.

Every year, the school mandates the showing of safety drill videos and the posting of posters, the content of which is nothing more than teaching students how to protect themselves in the event of a shooting.

At that time, these were just insignificant background noises, disciplines that didn't need to be taken seriously in a numb life.

But now, they have become the only lifeline he can grasp at this moment.

Panic erupted from deep within the classroom.

"Ah—" A scream shattered the silence, followed by an outbreak of panic among dozens of people.

"Hurry! Hurry!" Someone tried to squeeze towards the only gate.

"Get out! Don't block the way!" The sounds of pushing, shoving, and crying instantly filled the classroom.

The crowd surged toward the exit like a punctured honeycomb, but ended up crammed together in front of the narrow doorway.

Some people even tried to jump out of the window, but this was the fifth floor, and the concrete floor was clearly visible.

At that opportune moment, intense gunfire erupted, followed by screams, curses, and groans from outside the door.

The students who had just squeezed out of the door wanted to go back inside, while the students inside, unaware of what was happening, were driven by the gunshots to try to escape.

It's like a walled city; those outside want to get in, and those inside want to get out.

Outside the window, the sparrows had vanished without a trace, leaving only the cold, hard glass reflecting the glaring light.

Lin Zheng felt a throbbing pain in his temple, his fingertips involuntarily curled up, and cold sweat soaked his palms.

He clenched his teeth, his Adam's apple bobbing as he forced himself to stay awake.

We must not let them break through.

Running around aimlessly will only hasten your death.

In the chaos, his gaze pierced through the panicked crowd and met another pair of calm eyes in the air.

Good friend Smith Williams, they were both equally clear-headed, and both caught up in the same situation.

Without further ado, Lin Zheng shouted in a clear and powerful voice towards Smith.

"Lock the door! Block it!"

His voice briefly swayed the crowd, which was on the verge of spiraling out of control.

Smith nodded without hesitation and immediately moved toward the door, his movements decisive.

Almost at the same time, another burly figure moved.

That was Sam, a quiet, Black student who wore a sweatshirt with the university logo.

He was tall and muscular, and the power he unleashed at that moment was astonishing.

He rushed straight to the door, using his massive body to push aside the students huddled together, without any hesitation.

The throng of people was no different from lambs before him; at the slightest movement of the sheepdog, they scattered in all directions.

Sam grabbed the doorknob, making a crisp "click," and locked the door behind him.

Then he leaned against the door and opened his arms, and a city wall stood there.

"Hehehe, you all heard that. Running outside will only make you die faster. Bullets kill people easier than slaughtering pigs."

The surging crowd immediately stopped.

"Aren't we going to run away and just stay here to die?!" a white man retorted angrily, and then reached out to attack.

"If you know how many shooters there are, where they are, and what kind of guns they have, then you'll be fine running out. But if you go out knowing nothing, you're just asking for death. That's my experience in the neighborhood, you know?"

Sam effortlessly blocked the other person's attempts to push or shove him with his large, fan-like hands.

"What about the students who ran out? We should bring them back." Another white woman said worriedly, arms crossed. "Beatles, oh no, my friend just ran out. Open the door, we have to find our classmates."

"Shut fuck off! If you want to go out and die, then go out by yourself. Don't bring the other students with you, you saintly bitch!" Smith cursed angrily.

The other party immediately fell silent, clearly intimidated by Smith's status as a rich second-generation and the power he had accumulated through his usual actions.

This bought Lin Zheng valuable time.

He ignored the students who were still in a state of panic and rushed straight to the podium.

"help me!"

Smith followed closely behind, and together with Lin Zheng, the two of them pushed the heavy wooden podium toward the door.

The bottom of the podium rubbed against the rough cement floor, making a harsh "squeak" sound that made one's teeth ache.

Several students who were nearby were awakened by the loud noise and instinctively came over to help.

Sam braced himself against the door with one hand, while reaching out with the other to push it open together with Lin Zheng and Smith.

The huge podium was quickly pushed to the front of the door, blocking most of the doorway.

This is just the beginning.

"And tables! Chairs! Push everything that's usable over here!" Lin Zheng's voice was hoarse.

He pointed to the rows of desks and chairs in the classroom, his eyes sweeping over the students who were still in shock and at a loss.

He must turn everything he can use into defensive fortifications.

Several relatively calm classmates, encouraged by Smith and Sam, also joined in.

They disassembled and lifted the heavy tables and chairs, stacking them behind the podium to form a simple yet sturdy fortress.

The heavy tabletop and sturdy chair backs interlocked, filling every possible gap in the door frame.

Sweat trickled down Lin Zheng's temples, sticking coldly to his skin. His arm muscles ached, but he couldn't care less.

Block the doorway.

That's the only thing we can do right now.

The fortifications behind the door quickly piled up to be taller than a person, forming a tight seal.

Some students who had tried to run away were now blocked by the impenetrable fortifications, and they collapsed to the ground helplessly, crying in despair.

Lin Zheng's gaze pierced through the gap between the desk and the podium, looking outside.

The corridor was deserted, eerily silent.

"Do you have any adhesive or paper? Let's stick this up on the window."

Without the initiative, the defense can only try to prevent the opponent from obtaining information about its own side. Even if the opponent launches a strong attack, there is still room for maneuver to find other ways.

Several relatively calm girls started rummaging through their bags. Girls who usually like to carry a bunch of small items in their backpacks really came in handy at this point.

The sirens continued to wail shrilly, reminding them that they were not truly safe.

It wasn't until Sam used brute force to push the last chair firmly against the doorknob that the massive wooden door let out a heart-wrenching groan under the weight.

With the main door blocked and the windows covered, the defense work inside the classroom was temporarily put to rest.

The students' sobs gradually subsided, replaced by heavy breathing and the muffled thumping of their hearts.

Everyone sat on the floor against the wall, their eyes filled with terror, staring intently at the door, which was completely blocked by tables and chairs.

Their bodies huddled together, like a flock of frightened lambs seeking warmth.

Lin Zheng was panting heavily, his gaze sweeping over Smith and Sam beside him.

Smith's forehead was covered in sweat, but his eyes remained sharp.

Sam sat silently by the door, his burly body leaning against the fortress made of tables and chairs.

None of the three spoke, but a tacit understanding had already formed between them.

This temporary shelter was hastily erected amidst extreme chaos, fueled by courage and desperation.

It is fragile.

But at least for now, it has given them a glimmer of hope.

But this is only temporary safety.

The world outside the door was still shrouded in the cacophony of gunfire and sirens.

They didn't know who the gunman was.

I don't know what the goal is.

It's uncertain whether the next defense to be destroyed will be the one they painstakingly built.

Just as everyone was on edge, waiting for the unknown fate to befall them.

A series of heavy, slow, and extremely oppressive footsteps approached from afar in the corridor.

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, each one landing on everyone's heart, growing ever closer.

Finally... it stopped right outside their door.

Everyone held their breath; the air was extremely thin at that moment.

Outside the door, lurks the Grim Reaper, a force that breeds panic.

Inside the door were shivering survivors.