Lucas Kane understood one thing perfectly—while survivors were polite in the chatroom, reality was a different beast entirely. When face-to-face, nobody could predict what another desperate human might do. In many cases, the undead weren't the scariest threat. It was people.
Having grasped the general layout of the neighborhood and the distribution of survivors, Lucas finally opened a can of luncheon meat and ate half of it by the dim morning light, followed by most of a bottle of purified water. With his hunger and thirst sated, he lay down on the bed and drifted off to sleep.
When he awoke, the sky had already brightened. The number of zombies on the streets had thinned noticeably. Fortunately, the one with the revolver was still lingering nearby—it hadn't wandered off.
Lucas polished off the remaining food and water, then glanced out over the apartment complex. The woman in the low-cut evening gown who had been perched on the awning was gone. No blood, no corpse. Maybe she was rescued—or maybe she escaped.
Three or four new zombies now roamed the complex, circling around the window of a first-floor apartment in Building Two. Something inside was attracting them.
No matter. Lucas would deal with it.
These weren't like the larger groups that could overwhelm him. These three? Easy pickings. Free experience.
He warmed up in the room, stretched a bit, then stepped out. The stairwell was eerily quiet. Unit 102's door remained ajar just like yesterday. The building's main door was still intact—proof that the undead never made it inside the previous night.
Lucas took a deep breath and slipped out, charging silently toward the three wandering corpses.
This time was different from before. Previously, that woman's screams had drawn attention, letting him pick zombies off without resistance. Now, without any such distractions, the undead became noticeably more alert.
When Lucas was seven or eight meters away, all three turned toward him at once.
They heard him? Seriously? These were definitely upgraded variants.
With a chorus of guttural moans, the trio lunged.
Lucas didn't hesitate. He sprinted forward, splitting the nearest zombie's skull in a single swing of his fire axe. He blocked the next with his shield, pivoted, and cleaved down the final two in quick succession.
[You have harvested 1 zombie corpse: Energy Core x1, Damaged Car Key x1, Mutated Fertilizer x3]
[You have harvested 1 zombie corpse: Energy Core x1, Mutated Fertilizer x3]
[You have harvested 1 zombie corpse: Broken Key x1, Mutated Fertilizer x3]
Lucas pocketed the familiar cores and fertilizer, eyeing the two new items.
[These items are broken and have no practical use.]
"Tch." He tossed the junk aside and moved on.
These zombies were only the appetizer. His real target was still out there: the gun-toting zombie he had tracked since yesterday.
To Lucas, other survivors were more dangerous than any zombie. Zombies could be avoided—stay in a safehouse, and they were powerless. But survivors? They could break in, lure zombies to your shelter, or betray you for resources. A firearm was the best deterrent.
[Warning: A zombie will appear from the corner in 3 seconds. Stop moving if you want to avoid direct confrontation.]
Lucas froze immediately at the system prompt, raising his axe.
1 second...
2 seconds...
3 seconds...
A low, dragging growl echoed around the corner.
A foot. Then another.
The moment its head emerged—THWACK! Lucas split the zombie's skull open in one clean arc.
[You have harvested 1 zombie corpse: Energy Core x1, Bloodstained Clothing x1, Mutated Fertilizer x3]
[Bloodstained Clothing: Infected and unusable.]
More junk. He discarded the clothing and peered around the corner.
The alley forked in two directions: one path led to a narrow road connecting to the main street, the other veered toward a small garden where two zombies wandered aimlessly.
He kept low, body pressed to the wall, and made a silent dash for the unguarded alleyway, slipping past the zombies undetected.
Peeking out, Lucas spotted the revolver zombie again. Many of its escorts were gone, drawn off by other survivors last night. Only a dozen remained nearby.
But in the distance...
Dozens—no, maybe hundreds—of zombies cluttered the far end of the road. It was a swarm.
Still, now was his best chance. If he didn't act, the opportunity might vanish.
Lucas picked up his axe and tapped it gently against a wall.
CLANG.
Two zombies perked up at the sound, slowly turning toward the noise.
Good. Only two.
Using a nearby car for cover, he crept forward and tapped again—softer this time.
The undead advanced, slow and staggering. Lucas noted something crucial: zombies reacted proportionally to sound. Quiet sounds lured them sluggishly. Loud ones? They sprinted with terrifying speed.
So he stayed patient. Tap by tap, step by step, he lured them in.
One step closer.
And then—
NOW!