Jiang Yuan pressed his back to the door, his heart hammering so hard it felt like it would explode.
The monster outside was still pacing, its slimy footsteps echoing in the hallway, as if searching for a way to break in.
He stared at the phone in his hand. The warning, "Fatal threat has entered 10-meter range," felt like a knife at his throat.
"What do I do… what do I do…"
His eyes darted around the cramped apartment: a tattered sofa, a simple wardrobe, a folding table, and a fruit knife in the kitchen corner.
No weapons. No escape.
Then the phone screen flickered, and new text appeared:
[Danger Prediction triggered: In 3 seconds, the monster will ram the door.]
Jiang Yuan's eyes widened.
3 seconds!
He lunged for the corner, grabbed the fruit knife, and pressed himself flat against the wall beside the door.
BOOM!
The door shuddered violently, splinters flying.
The monster had rammed it!
Jiang Yuan held his breath, his grip on the knife white-knuckled.
The phone screen lit up again:
[Danger Prediction triggered: In 5 seconds, the monster will ram a second time. The door will crack.]
5 seconds…
He scanned the room, locking onto the heavy wooden wardrobe. It was solid enough to block the door.
"Now or never!"
Jiang Yuan roared, throwing his full weight behind the wardrobe and shoving it toward the entrance.
Screech!
The heavy wood scraped across the floor. The moment it jammed against the door—
BOOM!
Another deafening impact. A jagged crack split the door, and foul black liquid oozed through.
But the monster's attack was stopped.
Jiang Yuan collapsed to the floor, gasping for air, his back soaked with cold sweat.
He looked down at the phone. The warning vanished, replaced by a new prompt:
[Danger Prediction usage count +1. Current total: 2/3.]
[Newbie reward granted: Basic Physical Enhancement (Temporary). Duration: 10 minutes.]
A warm current flooded his body. The ache in his muscles vanished, replaced by strength, and his frayed nerves steadied.
Jiang Yuan tightened his grip on the fruit knife, his gaze hardening.
He knew this was only the beginning.
The apocalypse was here. And he had to survive.