Recognizing Skill

They shrieked and thrashed about as the siren blared. Their long legs stretched forwards as they ran towards the source of the sound. Everyone, except Han and Andrew, quivered at the sight of so many special infected charging at them. Very quickly, each person rushed to find a weapon, to defend themselves.

Han rolled over to a pair of steel rebars the size of short swords, he quickly grabbed them and stood forming an 'x' with his newfound weapons. However, his taut nerves calmed down when he noticed the long legged zombies lashing out near the siren, it was as if they didn't even care that Han and the other fresh meat were in the vicinity. It wasn't until one of his former classmates screamed out in terror that the special infected twisted their loosely hanging heads to look at them.

These things were disoriented by the siren, and since their only impressive attribute was their speed, Han figured he could handle them. However, it wasn't that simple. Han could sense a dangerous gaze, up on the fourth floor, from a barred window.

The man with a chiseled physique called this the examination grounds. But, what kind of human could survive something like this all on his own? None, it could only be done by a cultivator. This was to find other cultivators, and the only way to not get detected is if he survives with the others.

Quickly he spread his aura of death just around Andrew and the others, the feeling of terror made them turn around to face Han,

"If you don't want to die, then all of you shut up and follow my lead."

Andrew and the others felt the back of their scalps tingle when Han spoke, the fear they felt even surpassed the fear that they had for the special infected. Han stood tall with his two steel rebars while pacing forward and his eyes looked straight towards them. They watched as he passed them, and with the seemingly light steel rebars in his hands, he struck. A disoriented special infected shrieking at the siren got caught by his assault, its head caved in from the attack.

Han tensed and eyed his surroundings to see if any special infected would attack, but they didn't. They simply kept lashing out and screaming at the sound that was terrorizing their sensitive hearing. His former classmates didn't want to attack, but Andrew spurred them to act as he was the first to follow Han's lead. With a baseball bat, he smashed repeatedly at the body of a special infected. Slowly, they took those things down one by one.

The guards watching started to cheer, it was the special infected being massacred, not what they expected, however, it was just as entertaining. Han took care not to get hit by the random lashing of the special infected as he battered the shit out of them. They had to do this fast. This siren was their only saving grace, and if they decide to shut it off then he would be forced to fight with his full capacity.

His black colored clothing turned dark scarlet as blood spurted all over him, the sight of him being so calm and collected as he advanced gave Andrew and the others a sense of hope. They were filled with despair when they saw the numbers of the special infected but now they might just actually make it out alive.

From a hundred to around a couple dozen, they were close, and they were killing the zombies fast. However, plans don't always go well. One of his former classmates got hit by the long legs of a special infected and shrieked in terror. Like a spark starting a wildfire, this scream made the special zombies go hectic. They started to charge at Han's group, and the others couldn't help themselves and started screaming too.

The crowd of guards went berserk with the cheering as the special infected started to chomp down Han's former classmates in rapid succession. Han and Andrew, being the first that charged forward, were caught in the middle of the turmoil. The blaring of the siren was accompanied by the dying screams of their former classmates as they tried their best to fight back.

It was over. Guts and human bodies started to drop, only to get up again as zombies, the chance of surviving this was bleak, but whoever was still alive fought to their best. When fear is pushed over the edge it becomes a wave of mad seeping anger to fight back. These kids have survived for some time now, they wouldn't all freeze up, if they did then they wouldn't have survived this long.

The twenty that remained fought off the last dozen of special infected. Grunts and warcries reverberated through the courtyard as Han and the remaining teens struggled with admirable intensity. One teen would kill two, only to die from the third one. Han was already killing a multitude of them, and Andrew surprisingly did the same as well.

From a group of twenty, whats was left standing at the end were five bloody youngsters huffing and puffing from exhaustion, including Han who also bent his knees as he feigned fatigue. Han, Andrew, two boys, and a girl. Around them were nothing but piles of long legged monstrosities and battered corpses of those that became zombies.

Their hearing readjusted as the siren died down, and they dropped their weapons. What they heard after was the hectic cheers of the crowd.

"Holy shit! They actually killed them all!"

"I won the bet! Where's my fucking money!"

"That kid with blonde hair's tenacious!"

"Are you kidding? Did you see that kid with the steel rebars!"

The fence gate opened, and the fat thug waited for them on the other side, nodding repeatedly with a smug smile plastered on his face, "It seems I have an eye for talent." he said.

From the fourth floor where the barred window was by, was the man with a chiseled physique, beside him was a woman. She was tall and slender with a curvaceous figure. Her foxy eyes narrowed at the sight of the five that walked out the examination grounds and chuckled,

"They're not what we were looking for, but they have potential. Looks like you have students now, Shou. If you hadn't killed the other, I wonder if you would have had six," she said in a half-joking manner,

"I apologize, boss. I hadn't been able to fight for some time, so my fist was itching." Shou slightly lowered his head and sighed,

"What did I tell you, about calling me that! Do you know how severe a problem that would cause if the guards heard you!"

"I apologize...Miss Helena."

"Better," she started to pace through the hall and stood by a room wherein yin energy reeked out,

"Now go and greet your new students. Remember, we're looking for fighters," She said as she entered.

Down below, the triumphant high schoolers were still watching the fatso boast about his eye for talent.

"I knew these kids were special the moment I laid eyes on th--"

"Yeah, Yeah, we know!" Andrew yelled out in annoyance, which quickly made the fatso go red in anger. Those among the crowd that could hear, laughed at him.

"That's what you get for boasting Fatty!" One of them said,

The fatty clenched his teeth as he turned towards Andrew and aimed his gun.

"What kid, you think just because you survived those zombies you're fucking special! I should put a fucking bullet in you right now!"

Andrew faced the gun straight on without backing down. Han was busy with something else as the two imbeciles argued, he was beside Lian trying to reassure her he was fine.

"Jinghan, you're alright!"

"Lian, call me Hanne when we're not alone. And do not worry I am fine."

"Hanne, I didn't know you were so strong." She nodded with understanding as she tapped Han's shoulder repeatedly in excitement, "How much combat experience do you have?"

"I'm just as old as you, so I probably have only twenty years of combat experience but I am extremely gifted in combat. You can rely on me." Han smiled charmingly,

"It's such a pity that I could only see you're current body." She said as she patted Han's head.

Once again, Han cursed his small prepubescent body. He may have features that were attractive, but to women, he simply looked cute.

'Fucking hell, wait till I level up to level 2 martial warrior woman! I'll show you how big I can be!'

His complaining was disturbed as the tension with Andrew and the fatty didn't deescalate at all. Andrew really felt invincible as he even smirked as the rifle was aimed point-blank at his face. The fatty was now trembling in anger, however, he didn't hurt Andrew at all. In the end, he lowered the gun, to the crowd's delight as they laughed at the fatty for backing down.

"Damn it!" The fatty cursed as he started to walk away, back into the prison building, "Shut up and just follow me! Even you pretty girl!"

Andrew harrumphed with arrogance as he paced beside Han, not just him but the others neared as well. Their eyes had a dazzling glint of respect while they stood by him. Andrew couldn't meet Han's eyes, but his demeanor echoed subservience. Han eyed them for a long time before his lips twisted into a satisfied smirk.

Han, Lian, Andrew and the other three followed the thug with Han in the front. Back inside they went a different route and went upstairs to the third floor. They paced through various cells with despairing people and eventually reached a large room that used to be a cafeteria of sorts.

The room was empty, there was nothing in there aside from one man standing with his hands to his back. He had his suit jacket off, and his chiseled physique terrorized their eyes. In Han's case, in terrorized his calm mind, as the overwhelming presence washed over him again.

"From now on you follow my orders, and my orders only!"