Chapter 5: The Loot and the Price
Leaving the city was far more difficult than entering. The echo of gunfire drew distant walkers like a magnet. Jayden could no longer skulk in the shadows. This was an escape.
Without his renewed Stamina and increased Agility, he would never have made it. He leaped buildings, climbed fences, slipped through narrow passages. Every move was a testament to every skill point and level he'd gained. This world was trying to kill him, but it was also making him stronger than ever.
Reaching the safe confines of the forest, he finally slowed and leaned against a tree. His chest heaved, his lungs burning. He checked his status screen.
[Name: Jayden Mendoza]
[Level: 2]
[Hit Points (HP): 75/110]
[Stamina (STA): 22/110]
[STATISTICS]
Strength (STR): 12
Agility (AGI): 11
Stamina (END): 11
Perception (PER): 10
Intelligence (INT): 10
[Assignable Points: 0]
He examined the scratch on his arm. It was deep and painful. He pulled the freshly obtained antiseptic from his pack and poured it onto the wound. He gritted his teeth in pain, but knew it was necessary. He wrapped the wound with a clean cloth. The notification [Risk of Infection: Eliminated] flashed a comforting green light in his mind.
The journey back to camp was long and silent. Jayden tried to process the experience. He had lost count of the walkers he had killed. He had faced death. But he had made it. He hadn't just survived, he had grown stronger. The pack on his back was filled with medicine and supplies. It was a tangible victory.
The sun was setting when he reached the quarry. Morales, on patrol, was the first to spot him and immediately alerted the others. Everyone gathered around Jayden as he trudged into the camp. The worry on their faces turned to relief at the sight of him, bloodied but intact.
"Jayden! My God, are you okay?" Lori called out, holding Carl tightly.
Shane stepped forward, taking in Jayden's distraught state and tattered clothes. His face held a mixture of suspicion and respect. "Did you have any problems?"
Jayden nodded. "It was a bit crowded," he said with a tired smile. He set his backpack on the ground. "But I got what you wanted."
Dale and Glenn quickly opened the bag. Their faces lit up when they saw the medicine, especially Dale's blood pressure pills and antibiotics.
"Unbelievable," Dale murmured, casting a grateful look at Jayden. "Son, I don't know how you did it, but you saved all of our lives."
That night, the atmosphere around the campfire was different. Jayden was no longer just a silent hunter. He was a hero, a lone survivor of the camp's most challenging task. People brought him food and water, and Andrea, with her nursing expertise, carefully dressed the wound on his arm.
Jayden sat before the fire, watching the flames dance. Physically exhausted, he was, but mentally alert, he had never been more alert. This world could bring him death at any moment, but the system gave him a chance to fight. Every level, every skill point, increased his chances of survival and protecting his loved ones, this new family.
He turned his gaze out of the camp, toward the dark road leading to Atlanta. He knew this was only the beginning. Greater dangers loomed. The Governor, Terminus, the Saviors... They were all waiting somewhere.
But Jayden was waiting too. And with each passing day, with every walker he killed, with every experience point he gained, he became more ready for them. He wasn't just a player anymore; he was the most unexpected and dangerous anomaly in this cruel world. And he was determined to play by his own rules.