Chapter 4: The Pack and the System
Jayden's heart began to race. The warehouse's metal rear door was being crushed by the force from outside, making horrific creaks. His minimap showed at least ten red dots clustered behind the door. He was surrounded by a small pack, along with five or six walkers at the front.
"Stay calm," he told himself. "Panicking would kill you."
He considered his options. Climbing back through the skylight? Too risky with the walkers around the building. Fighting out the front door? There were too many of them. That left him with only one option: fight, but on his own terms.
The warehouse was filled with narrow corridors and high shelves. This was his advantage. He wouldn't let the pack overwhelm him; he would draw them into a tight space where he could engage them one by one or in small groups.
He gripped his machete tightly. He pulled a throwing knife from his waist sheath and held it in his left hand. He was ready.
The rear door was ripped off its hinges with a horrific sound of tearing metal. The first walker burst through the gap. Jayden didn't wait. He threw his throwing knife from his left hand. The knife spun through the air, slicing into the walker's eye.
[Critical Hit! +20 EXP]
[Basic Throwing Knife skill experience gained! 15%]
As the first walker fell, two others behind him tripped over him, sending him reeling. Jayden seized the moment. He lunged forward, swinging his machete in a wide arc, and decapitated both walkers with a single blow.
[Double Kill! +30 EXP]
[Basic Cold Weapons skill experience gained! 18%]
But they were coming. The narrow corridor began to fill with groaning, rotting bodies. Jayden was forced to retreat, swinging a machete with every step back. Wet, foul sounds filled the warehouse. Sweat streamed from his forehead, his muscles burning. His Stamina (STA) bar was plummeting.
A moment of inattention allowed a walker to get too close. The creature dug its claws into Jayden's arm. The fabric of his tactical suit tore, and the claws scratched his skin.
[-10 HP! Risk of Infection: Low]
Jayden groaned in pain, but fought back instantly. He buried his machete in the walker's skull and pushed it back. Retreating, he ducked behind a shelf and pulled his Glock 19 from his pocket. Firearms were his last resort; noise would attract more. But now he had no choice.
"End of silence," he snarled.
He aimed at the group of walkers clustered at the front of the hallway and pulled the trigger. The gun's blast echoed deafeningly through the warehouse. The first bullet hit a walker in the chest, slowing it but not stopping it. Jayden cursed, his aim off-balance in his excitement. He tried to calm down, letting his [Basic Firearms] skill guide his mind.
The second and third shots hit heads. Two more walkers fell.
[+10 EXP]
[+10 EXP]
[Basic Firearms skill experience gained! 25%]
But the gunfire had drawn the other walkers outside into the building. The walkers at the front began to pour in, breaking the windows. Now he was trapped on both sides.
At that moment, a satisfying sound rang in his mind.
[LEVEL UP!]
[Level 1 -> Level 2]
[All HP and STA fully restored!]
[You Gained 1 Assignable Stat Points]
This was the break he needed. With renewed energy, he issued the mental command without a second thought: "Assign points to Stamina (END)."
[Stamina (END) 10 -> 11]
[Maximum HP and STA increased!]
He felt the warmth spreading through his body, the new strength filling his muscles. This wasn't just a psychological boost; it was a physical transformation. He could withstand more damage, fight longer.
He strapped his Glock onto his waist and grabbed his machete again. Now wasn't the time to retreat; now was the time to break through.
With a battle cry, he burst through the shelves. His movement was now more fluid, his blows more powerful. One walker, two walker... His machete moved in a dance of death. He elbowed one passing by, kicked another in the leg, knocking him off balance and crushing his head. This wasn't a fight for survival anymore; it was a massacre. Notifications streamed through his mind.
[Basic Melee skill leveled up! Level 1 -> Level 2]
[Your Strength (STR) permanently increased by +1!]
[Basic Cold Weapons skill leveled up! Level 1 -> Level 2]
[Your Strength (STR) permanently increased by +1!]
With his newly gained strength, each swing of his machete became more deadly. Reaching the main part of the pharmacy, he cleared out the last of the walkers. Looking around, he saw the ground covered with at least twenty dead bodies. He himself was covered in blood, sweat, and dirt. His arm was deeply cut, and his body was covered in bruises, but he was alive.
The road was clear. He looked out the broken windshield. The gunfire had drawn the walkers away from him, but for now, the street seemed empty. Wasting no time, he jumped out and started running. He didn't look back. He just ran.