152 Chapter 152: Vanguard Squad (1/2)
Teacher Ruff Fielding managed to do a sweep of the academy and rounded up all the students hiding in the classroom, storage sheds, library, PA room and clubrooms. Even the society rooms were not spared, with the other teachers joining the search and ensuring that no student was left behind. Along the way, we managed to exterminate the few Dire Wolves that had managed to reach the campus grounds. A few stray students were slain, but we minimized casualties by working together. After that, we all gathered in the gymnasium.
The teachers gathered at the front, whispering on what to do going forward. Unable to suppress my curiosity, I sat some distance away and eavesdropped on them.
”Teacher Ji Lu and the others were killed. They succeeded in slaying the three rank C Thunder Wolves and a good portion of the Dire Wolf pack, but at the cost of their lives.”
”Damn it! Who's in charge now? Who's going to take responsibility?”
”Who cares about that? The important thing now is to lead the students to safety. I presume the plan is still the same. I'll lead a vanguard squad to scout a safe route forward and eliminate whatever monsters we can. If we encounter high-ranked monsters we can't defeat, we'll mark an alternative route forward. The rest of you will follow us in groups of tens and twenties.”
Teacher Fielding was impatient to execute the plan, mostly because he was aware that the longer we delayed here, the higher the risk of being attacked by another wave of monsters. There were more descending from the mountains, with stronger monsters joining their ranks each time. If we didn't move fast, we would just be sitting ducks for the monsters.
”I concur,” Teacher Mary Cure agreed. ”There are over a thousand of us. If we all move in one big group, we'll just attract a lot of attention and draw the monsters to us like moths to a light. However, I'm thinking the vanguard should comprise mostly of teachers. They'll be handling the most dangerous job and fighting monsters, after all.”
”There aren't many of us,” another teacher argued. ”If we split the students into groups of twenty and have a teacher lead each group, then we can't afford to put too many teachers in the vanguard squad. Otherwise some of the student groups will be left to fend for themselves.”
”That is indeed a problem,” a female teacher agreed sullenly. ”And not all of us teachers have combat ability too, which will compound the situation.”
”I can defend my group with defensive magic, so you don't have to worry about me,” Teacher Cure assured them.
”Your group will still be the sixth to move out.” Teacher Fielding regarded Teacher Cure gloomily. ”We need to get the injured to a safe place as quickly as possible.”
”I've ensured that they've all healed to the point of mobility. No one will be left behind. They should be able to move fine. The only issue is finding a safe route free of monsters. Obviously none of them will be fit for combat.”
”That will be the job of the first five groups. The vanguard, especially, and the subsequent four groups will clear out any monsters we've missed.” Teacher Fielding began to turn away. ”If we don't have enough teachers, we'll just ask for student volunteers. There are quite a few of them with practical combat experience, having regularly participated in monster extermination missions. They are just as good, if not better than many of the teachers in combat. I trained most of them myself.”
”We'll leave them to you then,” a male teacher said. Teacher Fielding nodded and whirled around to face the students.
”Attention, everyone!”
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As expected of the chief referee and combat magic instructor, his voice and presence were domineering as ever. The moment he spoke up, everyone turned to face him. Even the whimpering and sobbing students snapped out of their stupor to look at him attentively.
”I know this is a challenging time for all of you, but even so we have to move forward. We can't sit still and wait for help…in fact, it's possible that help might not come for a long time.”
Everyone sobered up at that and watched Teacher Fielding intently. He nodded and continued.
”As you all know…not just Jing Tian Magic Academy, but the whole of Jing Tian City is under siege right now. Everyone is under assault by monsters that emerge from underground tunnels below the city. The military will take some time to respond, and even then their priorities will be the civilians in the city and trying to retake it. If we want assistance from them, we should meet up with them at the emergency shelters in the city center.”
He raised his voice.
”The closest of these emergency shelters are only three kilometers away! If we all work together and traverse a safe route wisely, we should be able to reach the shelter without many casualties. They have powerful barriers there that will keep out the monsters, and supplies to last us for months if necessary. Unlike the school, which is not a shelter, we can better defend ourselves within these shelters and seek refuge there for as long as it is necessary for the Federation military to reach us.”
The students began murmuring to each other, hope flaring up in their chests. Many of us had witnessed fellow classmates slaughtered by Dire Wolves in the corridors of our academy, and some had to walk past grisly scenes of blood, carnage and corpses to get to the gymnasium, so they were highly aware of the threats that Teacher Fielding mentioned. If there was a place safer than the academy, they wanted to get to it.
”However, these three kilometers are being swarmed by monsters right now. Make no mistake, this will be one of the most dangerous journeys to make. We'll be more vulnerable outside, we have to remain vigilant for sneak attacks, and there are uncountable monsters roaming about the city. Even so, we can't stay here forever. As you've already seen, there are increasing waves of monsters assaulting the school. We can't hold out indefinitely. We have to move to a safer place before one of the higher-ranked monsters arrive.”
A single rank B monster was enough to kill a significant number of students during the campfire party incident. Needless to say, everyone was dreading the prospect of being here when a few of them arrived. And they would arrive eventually at this rate.
”…what do we do?”
”We have to make for the shelters, of course!”
”But there are more monsters out there!”
”If we stay here, the monsters will come!”
While everyone argued, Teacher Fielding clapped loudly to draw their attention back to him. Everyone turned as one, wilting under his stern gaze.
”What must be done will be done. We will carve a safety route to the shelter by whatever means necessary. Fighting, hiding, fleeing, whatever. Don't bother with nonsense such as honor or courage or heroism. The priority is to stay alive. We will survive, no matter what. It doesn't matter if we have to become sniveling cowards – if we can find a safe path past the monsters, we will take that. However, I am under no illusion that we will be able to avoid combat completely. As such, I will have to ask for student volunteers. Remember, this is strictly voluntary. Do not feel pressured to volunteer if you do not think you are ready for combat. This can mean the life and death of the whole team, so consider carefully.”
He took a deep breath.
”But it is absolutely necessary. As you have already heard, the teachers have also suffered casualties and we don't have enough people. We need to rely on you students to forge a path of survival for the sake of others.” He smiled. ”Isn't that what we've been training for?”
Everyone stared at each other.
”Allow me to elaborate. I will be leading a vanguard squad of about ten to fifteen student volunteers. As I said, combat is inevitable, so be prepared to fight for your life and the lives of your teammates. It will be extremely dangerous and I cannot guarantee your survival, but our job is to scout ahead, mark out a safe route for the subsequent groups following us, and eradicating any monsters we can to minimize threats to the evacuees. If we encounter high-ranked monsters, we will search for safer, alternative routes to go around them. It might end up being further than three kilometers, but as I said, we will do absolutely anything necessary to survive. No matter the odds.”
He threw a fist up.
”Now, who is with me?!”
Silence filled the gymnasium as the vast majority of students glanced uneasily at each other. Then someone raised his hand.
”I'll do it.”
Everyone turned to stare at me. I shrugged.