Rose High School is located in the commercial district, situated on the eastern coast, and falls under the typical subtropical monsoon climate with long summers, high temperatures, and frequent rainfall.

In mid-May, almost everyone had already switched to wearing short sleeves.

Chen Mu and his friends had been active for over a day without getting a drop of water, and the thirst was becoming unbearable. Their clothes clung to their bodies, making them uncomfortable.

"Let's quench our thirst first," Wei Dalei said, pulling out his spear and handing it back to Chen Mu. He then stepped aside, gesturing for Tang Jing to drink first.

Thirst was harder to endure than hunger.

Tang Jing didn't hesitate and went up to wash her hands first. Then she cupped her hands together like a bowl and drank "two large bowls" of water, one gulp after another.

After she finished, she made way for the others.

Chen Mu and Wei Dalei stood on both sides of the stream, each drinking the water as it flowed.

When they had almost had their fill, they both used the water to wash their faces.

Wei Dalei went even further, taking off his "hula hoop" and removing his shirt. He stood under the mineral water bottle, letting the water pour down on him like a shower, laughing heartily.

"Be careful not to catch a cold," Tang Jing chuckled from the side.

"No worries, I feel so energized right now, haha..." Wei Dalei struck a dramatic bodybuilding pose while showering and laughed loudly.

Whether strengthening his body would guarantee not falling sick, Chen Mu didn't know, but Wei Dalei's physique was naturally strong. He had spent many summers playing with him under the water tap.

However, Chen Mu himself didn't dare to do the same at this moment. Just like Tang Jing said, falling ill now could be life-threatening.

After the two finished washing, Tang Jing also went up to splash her face. She took out a pack of tissues she carried with her, wetted it with water, and carefully wiped her neck and arms.

After she finished, she offered the tissues to Chen Mu and Wei Dalei, asking, "Do you want some?"

"No need," they both shook their heads.

Wei Dalei was soaked all over, and a pack of tissues wouldn't do much. He used his dry shirt as a towel after wringing it, and Chen Mu simply used the hem of his clothes to wipe himself.

The water flowing out of the mineral water bottle increased, forming a small stream on the ground, slowly flowing towards the door crack.

"Hurry up and collect water; it might run out soon," Chen Mu urged and quickly transformed the "hula hoop" back into a plastic bucket.

Wei Dalei went up to collect water.As the opening was small and the water pressure was low, the water stream couldn't form a steady flow; it resembled a gushing spring instead. As the water level in the bottle dropped, the flow decreased.

Thankfully, compared to the bottle's water, the plastic bucket in Wei Dalei's hands seemed enormous, and it was filled to the brim in an instant.

He was about to lift it onto his shoulder when Chen Mu stopped him.

"I'll help you seal the opening; it'll be easier to carry that way."

After saying this, Chen Mu pressed his hands against the bucket's opening.

Moments later, the original bucket's walls slowly extended upwards, gradually closing in, and in no time, it formed a sealed water container. It looked like those plastic water containers used in water dispensers, just much larger.

"This is great," Wei Dalei said with a laugh. There was no need to worry about water spilling out, making it much easier to carry. He hoisted the water container and started walking.

...

...

Dong Junwei gazed at the last ray of evening sun shining through the storage room window, watching the surroundings gradually darken. She furrowed her brows, torn between her unbearable thirst and worries about Chen Mu and the others.

If they were to lose the three of them, the remaining people might not make it through the night.

Lost in her thoughts, Du Jiajia approached her. "Have Chen Mu and the others not returned yet?" she asked.

Dong Junwei forced a smile, "They should be back soon. Can't you fall asleep?"

"I fell asleep, but woke up thirsty again."

"Don't worry; we'll have water to drink soon."

Although Dong Junwei hadn't made any practical contributions to the team, she acted like the parent figure, caring for everyone and dealing with disagreements.

"What if... Squad Leader, what if they don't come back at all? I know it's not good to say this, but I can't help but think about it. If we don't have water, I don't think I can make it through tonight." Du Jiajia's voice weakened noticeably, and she seemed a bit dazed.

People can go without food for several days, but surviving three days without water is very difficult. In the current weather, with the group facing such a crisis, they needed to replenish water urgently. They hadn't drunk water for over a day and a night, and they were reaching their limits.

"It's okay. You should go and get some rest. Talk less. If Chen Mu and the others come back, I'll wake you up to drink water," Dong Junwei comforted Du Jiajia despite her own throat feeling parched and burning.

"But... I'm afraid that if I fall asleep, I won't wake up," Du Jiajia said.

"It won't happen. Wait for another half an hour. If they don't come back, I'll go find water."Of course, those words were just meant to comfort. Not to mention that she couldn't find water by herself, even if she did, she wouldn't be able to bring it back.

"Don't go, I'm scared..." Du Jiajia's consciousness was already starting to blur. She wanted to sleep, but she was afraid to do so.

Dong Junwei was feeling uncomfortable as well, but she didn't dare show any signs of weakness, fearing it would make others even more hopeless.

Seeing Du Jiajia's drooping eyelids, still struggling not to sleep, Dong Junwei went up and held her hand. The two sat at the edge of the towel, supporting and encouraging each other.

The last ray of evening sun vanished, leaving only the newly risen moon casting a faint glow. The surroundings seemed even quieter now.

Dong Junwei could even hear the sound of classmates swallowing saliva in their sleep.

There was a rustling sound from behind, indicating that someone else was woken up by thirst.

"Squad Leader..."

Zhu Hao walked over, his voice terrifyingly hoarse.

He didn't reveal his horns on his head; he still hadn't figured out the usefulness of this ability.

Dong Junwei nodded at him.

"Chen Mu and the others..." Zhu Hao swallowed some saliva to make his speech smoother.

Dong Junwei helplessly shook her head.

Zhu Hao didn't say anything more and sat down in a place similar to Du Jiajia.

One after another, more people woke up.

But when they realized that Chen Mu and the others hadn't returned yet, they fell silent in disappointment.

"They've been gone for half an hour. Should I go and find them?" said a boy named Qian Fei.

Qian Fei was quite tall, but unlike Wei Dalei, he had a gentle and even somewhat timid nature. Even girls loved teasing him from time to time, and he never got angry. Since the disaster struck, Qian Fei had been hiding in the crowd and never dared to stand out. Everyone understood his personality, so they didn't blame him for anything, especially since he still hadn't awakened any special abilities; he couldn't be of much help.

However, in the face of extreme circumstances, one's character could hardly suppress the desire to survive.

Qian Fei finally stepped forward, motivated partly by the need for survival and partly by his own guilt for not contributing so far.

But Dong Junwei shook her head, "Let's not act hastily. Tang Jing said they might take an hour to come back. It's only been half an hour now. If we rush out and miss them on the way, it'll be a waste of time."

Qian Fei didn't insist and quietly sat back down.

About ten minutes later, Dong Junwei watched as her classmates began to slump down on the towel, almost in a state of unconsciousness, and her own vision started to blur.

Just then, footsteps could be heard in the distance.