Zombie Survival System

Marlon jolted violently, as if he'd just been struck by lightning. His gaze, previously vacant, began blinking frantically. Then suddenly, he took a deep, shuddering breath, followed by a violent coughing fit, expelling nearly a liter of salty water from his lungs. Each cough tore painfully at his throat, yet gradually brought him back to consciousness.

"Dammit... What was that?" he muttered between gasps. "That second panic attack was way worse than the first one. But seawater is surprisingly effective..."

Alexandre immediately replied in a calm yet tense voice:

"By drinking large amounts of saltwater, your body rapidly loses its internal water due to the salt. This temporarily prevents your infected blood cells from regenerating, reducing the hold the Z Virus has on your system."

Marlon stared at Alexandre, eyes wide with disbelief, and hesitantly asked:

"I'm not a doctor, but causing severe dehydration by consuming that much salt... isn't that risking death?"

Alexandre replied bluntly:

"Theoretically, yes. But with our modified Hunter physiology, we should be able to survive long enough. At least, that's what I hope."

Marlon gritted his teeth, his body still trembling from the shock, pain, and cold. He now fully understood why so many participants had been quickly eliminated. Alexandre's revelations did little to reassure him; his entire body was gripped by a searing, agonizing pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

Behind them, the scene had descended into chaos. Dozens of students remained trapped by their own fears, flailing wildly and uncontrollably. The drones and rescue boats were busy retrieving those who had lost all control. However, Alexandre noticed something else: several students had stopped panicking and were now observing Alexandre and Marlon with unexpected calmness. It appeared they, too, had instinctively figured out how to handle this bizarre collective panic. Alexandre briefly locked eyes with a few of them, exchanging silent looks of mutual respect.

At that moment, he noticed Claire swimming gracefully nearby, seemingly unaffected by the ordeal. She flashed a slight mocking smile and murmured loud enough for him to hear clearly:

"Interesting, Hautville. A few more seconds and you'd have lost your spot on the podium."

Alexandre deliberately ignored her provocation. He was already overwhelmed with questions and doubts. One thought echoed relentlessly in his mind:Would this really be enough to finish this infernal trial?

Clenching his jaw in determination, he resumed swimming at a steady, sustained pace. Deep down, he knew this second wave might not be the last. Even though he'd found a temporary solution to this strange "marine hysteria," nothing guaranteed he'd last until the end of the trial.

Ahead of them, Jack Blade continued walking steadily on the water's surface, utterly indifferent, like an unstoppable machine immune to human fatigue. His pace remained intense, forcing each student to maintain a punishing rhythm. Behind him, the group had suffered heavy losses. Over two-thirds of the candidates had already been eliminated, and those few survivors appeared to be in shock. Despite their suffering, the remaining swimmers exhibited a fierce determination, driven by an unyielding will not to quit.

Marlon, breathless but now fully aware, cast an anxious glance toward Alexandre:

"So what's the plan now? If we face another even stronger wave of hysteria, I'm not sure luck will save us again."

Alexandre quickly considered their options. He knew perfectly well there was only one choice: push forward at all costs, hoping desperately that this panic wouldn't return, or at least not in an even more violent form. He replied firmly:

"We keep going. The longer we stay in the water, the more points we earn each hour. We need to hold out as long as possible."

Marlon nodded slowly. Despite his visible anxiety, an iron resolve was clear in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Claire maintained a safe distance, always in total control of her movements, displaying an almost arrogant ease. She threw another glance at Alexandre and added with a touch of irony in her voice:

"Don't get too comfortable, Hautville. This trial isn't just about testing your physical or psychological endurance. Jack Blade knows exactly how far we can go. Above all, he's testing our ability to adapt and survive in an unpredictable and hostile environment."

Alexandre accepted her words silently, knowing deep down she was right. This test was far from over. Their physical and mental limits would continue to be stretched.

Raising his head, Alexandre fixed his eyes on Jack Blade's distant silhouette. The battle wasn't over yet, and no matter what happened, he was determined not to break.