Chapter 49: Rooftop Revelations and Lingering Hunger

Perhaps it was their timely departure, for by the time Qiao Xia and his three companions swiftly ascended the stairs and reached the iron door of the rooftop, they had encountered no further dangers.

This prompted Li Lin Guan to quickly rap on the iron door, using the pre-arranged signal. As soon as the door swiftly opened, the four of them, laden with various bags, stepped through to the other side.

During this time, Qiao Xia, mindful of not startling anyone, deliberately used his school uniform to wrap the hand that clutched the severed head.

No one knew the exact nature of the battle that had just transpired, but the flowing long hair of the muscle-bound, red-eyed patient was tightly entangled around Qiao Xia’s fingers, forming a knot so stubborn it would take a considerable amount of time to undo.

Attempting to sever it with a fruit knife was equally futile; drenched in blood, the hair was as slick and unyielding as a freshly caught loach, demanding significant effort to cut through completely.

Within the perilous teaching building, where danger lurked at every turn, even Qiao Xia, despite his unique ability, dared not prolong the risk. He resolved to return to a safe zone before attempting to deal with the gruesome trophy.

The rooftop, after all, offered ample space. His plan was simple: find a secluded spot, untangle the hair from his fingers, and then simply toss it over the edge.

Perfect!

Still, the hand that had cradled a severed head would undoubtedly require a thorough washing; otherwise, Qiao Xia doubted he would ever truly savor a meal again.

****

“Wow, Li Lin Guan, you guys are incredible! You actually found so much food. I finally won’t have to starve anymore!”

“Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing here? This is *our* Li Lin Guan’s find. There’s nothing for you. If you want food, go down and get it yourselves!”

“Wuwuwu, our boss is still the best!”

“Pah! You worthless dogs. I must have been blind to ever call you brothers; the thought of it now makes me sick to my stomach.”

As the iron door to the rooftop clanged shut once more, Qiao Xia, just as he finally drew his attention away from his left hand, suddenly perceived a subtle shift in the atmosphere around him.

Beyond the members of the original ‘stay-behind’ faction, several of Li Lin Guan’s own subordinates were now mingled among them, maintaining a distinct distance from the ‘assault’ faction.

Observing the disdain etched across the faces of the ‘assault’ faction, Qiao Xia required no explanation; he instantly grasped the entire convoluted situation.

While the four of them had been below, foraging for food, the rooftop had been far from peaceful. A significant conflict had erupted between the two factions.

The scratch marks marring Damao the strategist’s face alone suggested that the two factions had even come to blows.

Even more, some individuals had defected from their original factions.

Consequently, upon witnessing the safe return of the food-finders, the defectors, unable to resist their burgeoning hunger, had once again sidled closer. This act had naturally drawn the scorn of the ‘assault’ faction.

Yet, the defecting subordinates largely ignored the ‘assault’ faction’s jibes. Instead, they fixed their pleading gazes upon Li Lin Guan, desperate for some food and drink to quell the gnawing hunger in their stomachs.

This caused Qiao Xia to unconsciously raise an eyebrow. He then quietly retreated to the side, his gaze fixed on Li Lin Guan, curious to see what decision he would ultimately make.

The recent events in the corridor had illuminated for Qiao Xia precisely why Li Lin Guan held sway as the boss of No. 1 Middle School. Beyond his formidable fists, the man possessed an unwavering sense of loyalty.

Had it been otherwise, Li Lin Guan would never have charged forward when Qiao Xia urged him and his two companions to flee.

Thanks to his unique ability, Qiao Xia had never fallen into despair, no matter how dire the circumstances.

Li Lin Guan, however, had faced that moment with a grim resolve to die, solely to buy enough time for the three of them to escape the red-eyed, muscle-bound patient’s relentless assault.

Indeed, every individual possessed their own unique spark.

Yet, if Qiao Xia considered their first meeting just yesterday, observing Li Lin Guan’s cocky, almost infuriating demeanor, he truly would never have imagined such profound loyalty resided within the man.

“Li Lin Guan, after you left, they…”

“Enough. I largely understand. Since things have come to this, there’s no need to dwell on it further! Ye Dafeng, give them five loaves of bread, two packs of instant noodles, and three bottles of water. After that, whatever transpires will no longer concern us.”

Just as Damao the strategist prepared to succinctly recount the events, Li Lin Guan simply raised a hand and waved dismissively. Having spoken, he paid no further heed, intent instead on finding a spot to rest.

Only five minutes prior, he had channeled the spirit of a revolutionary martyr, nearly meeting a grisly end with a massive hammer to the head.

The imagined spectacle of brains splattered across the floor, a sickening mosaic of red and white, was enough to make anyone gag.

Now, having reached a zone of relative safety, Li Lin Guan found his legs trembling uncontrollably.

Fortunately, thanks to the loose fit of his school uniform, no one else seemed to notice his involuntary tremors.

However, Ye Dafeng and Ye Daluan, his brother, were both clad in modified skinny pants, and their trembling legs were undeniably visible. This sight astonished some of Li Lin Guan’s other subordinates; they couldn’t fathom why the ‘Crazy Wolf’ brothers, known for their audacious fearlessness, were now quivering so violently.

Yet, recalling the horrifying scenes they had witnessed from the rooftop throughout the day, the subordinates immediately understood. If *they* had been the ones sent to forage for food, they might not have returned alive.

In the face of death’s chilling embrace, merely surviving was paramount!

“Why only give it to *them*? We’re all students from the same school; we should be helping each other, showing unity and friendship!”

“Exactly! Can’t I just give you money? I’ll pay ten times the price; surely that’s acceptable!”

“You can’t possibly eat all that food; it’ll just go bad. Even a little charity would help; I’m starving.”

“You’re so strong, you should be helping the weak. Hurry and give us the food!”

However, even as Li Lin Guan extended a measure of mercy to his former subordinates, the other members of the ‘stay-behind’ faction were far from appeased.

Their initial yearning for safety had kept them firmly within their comfort zone, unwilling to risk their lives for food, content merely to await rescue.

Now, however, faced with such an abundance of food, their primal hunger surged, making the desire to eat an irresistible force.

They had eaten only yesterday, yet today, the hunger felt utterly unbearable.

It was precisely this profound hunger that caused them to shed all pretense of shame. Their demands for food now echoed with the same intensity, if not more, than their earlier protests against Li Lin Guan and his companions venturing from the rooftop.

This ‘I am weak, therefore I am entitled’ attitude utterly dumbfounded Li Lin Guan and his loyal subordinates, who felt their entire worldview being relentlessly challenged by the brazen display.

“You damn well don’t know when to quit…”

“Why waste words with them? Just take it! That scrawny kid who went down with them surely has something good in his hands!”

Then, just as Damao the strategist prepared to unleash a torrent of colorful expletives, someone from the ‘stay-behind’ faction began to incite the others. They immediately surged towards Qiao Xia, snatching the school uniform from his left hand.

The school uniform was indeed ripped away, yet the severed head in Qiao Xia’s grasp remained suspended horrifyingly in mid-air.

Its blood-red eyes stared back, meeting the wide, horrified gazes of the crowd.