Upon entering the building, Lucas was directed to a room where he was instructed to stay. The interior bore the signs of its past life as a grocery store, with shelves still stocked with food and seasonings – rows of white salt and sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. The room itself was located in one of the adjacent buildings under the control of the group, which seemed to consist of around fifty individuals collaborating together.
After a thorough check by another member, Lucas found himself in the room. On the wall hung what appeared to be a child's drawing, and he realized he was on the first floor while the person who had led him in remained on the second.
Leaning against the wall of what seemed to be a child's bedroom, Lucas observed Lucy with a degree of eagerness as she devoured the food provided to her.
'The child who once lived here is likely no longer among us,' Lucas thought as he surveyed the remaining toys inside the bedroom drawer. Given the scope of their cries and screams, it was unlikely that children could have survived for long in such an environment.
The room was fitted with a single bed, a familiar predicament they had encountered before. Although it was rather cramped for their teenage bodies, they had little room to be selective. Lucas pondered if Lucy might manage to fit on the small bed.
With no new skill orbs discovered thus far, Lucas couldn't ascertain if the group had already obtained any, but he suspected they were well-versed in the leveling system, given their coordinated efforts to clear the area.
Feeling the need to stretch his legs, Lucas left the room and encountered the man he had met earlier standing in front of the house. The man noticed Lucas approaching and slowly moved toward him, holding a knife stained with green blood.
"Hey, young man. It's good to still be breathing, huh?" the man said, the knife still in his grasp. He then noticed Lucas's gaze fixed on the knife.
"Tomorrow, we're heading out to hunt. Be ready, kid."
"Hunt?" Lucas inquired.
"Yes, exactly! You do know about the system, right? Your parents must have told you," the man assumed.
Somewhat puzzled, Lucas gave a nod in response to the man's words.
"What level are you at?"
"Um... level two. Our parents helped us get there; we're still struggling with the idea of taking lives, even now."
"Hmm... The world is changing, kid. Toughen up! I'm Kell. What's your name?"
"Lucas."
"Ha... nice name, kid. And your sister?" Kell inquired.
"Her name is Lucy; we're a year apart."
"Siblings, huh... You two don't look all that alike."
"We have different dads."
"Step-siblings, I see. Well, for now, just stick around. Survival's a group effort, after all," Kell stated, patting Lucas on the shoulder with energy. Kell appeared to be in his 30s and likely already had children of his own.
"Ah... socializing can be tough. Conversations with Lucy are simpler."
After a few more exchanges with the men, Lucas returned to the room where Lucy was engrossed in playing with his phone.
"Lucas, you should've downloaded more offline games."
"I'm not really into gaming."
"Figures," Lucy responded with a knowing look before resuming her game.
Given their proximity to Lucy's home, Lucas suspected that she was restraining herself from leaving immediately. He wondered about her parents, assuming they must be kind.
From Kell's account, the group often went hunting for food and experience points in a nearby supermarket. The highest level among them was William, the supermarket's night guard, whom they were set to join tomorrow. William stood at level fifteen and was progressing rapidly since gaining several levels on the first day of the outbreak. Kell described William as diligent and dedicated, though Lucas preferred to reserve judgment until meeting him in person.
"Lucy, I'll be going hunting with Kell tomorrow."
"Huh? What about me?" Lucy frowned, setting down the phone. From his vantage point, Lucas could see the game she was playing – one he himself enjoyed during moments of boredom.
"I'm not sure. They didn't mention you. Just hang tight for now. You're already twice as strong as an average person. The highest-level person here is just fifteen, and well... most people prefer to avoid direct confrontations with zombies."
"So, you're leaving me behind?"
"..."
"Lucy, are you good at Sudoku?"
"Hey, I may seem a bit slow, but I'm a Sudoku master."
"Is that right?"
"Yes."
"Lucas, still doubting me?"
"Lucy, you can't even do the math properly."
Lucas left Lucy to her self-debate and began to eat the food they had been given – a collection of energy bars. Naturally, he took her claim with a grain of skepticism.
***
February 08, 2029
Completing his breakfast of dried beans, Lucas bid Lucy farewell and ventured out to meet Kell.
"Don't be afraid, kid. Just close your eyes and take them down. Look, I'm already at level ten," Kell reassured, flexing his muscles for Lucas to see. Kell stood slightly taller than Lucas, perhaps around 185 cm in height.
Silent and observant, Lucas followed Kell to meet up with the rest of the group, eventually encountering their leader, William. With a short black buzz-cut hairstyle and a strong build, Lucas couldn't help but feel small in comparison. It appeared that new recruits weren't an uncommon sight, as William hardly spared him a glance.
After around thirty minutes of organization, their group of approximately sixteen people set out for the supermarket. Upon arriving there, Lucas opted for a metal bat as his weapon of choice. Aside from long swords, this was the weapon he was most familiar with, as short knives were considerably riskier. Although Kell and others tried to sway him towards a different option, believing the metal bat's weight and power would be difficult for Lucas to manage, he stood his ground stubbornly, causing the others to eventually give up.
During the journey, Lucas found little opportunity to kill zombies as his companions dispatched them swiftly. Notably, William wielded a black metal baton, suggesting he had likely completed an achievement.
'Probably has quite the track record,' Lucas mused to himself.
Upon reaching the supermarket, the group split into two teams. William led the first group to the third floor, while Jake led the second group, including Lucas, to the second floor, where mostly spoiled meats and vegetables remained.
Stepping onto the escalator, Lucas gazed down at the first floor's strewn zombie corpses and bare shelves. It was evident that some individuals had escaped with the non-perishable foods – an understandable reaction to the apocalypse.
Once on the second floor, the team divided further. Lucas found himself in a subgroup led by Kell, feeling a bit like a newcomer helper.
"Try smashing that zombie's head, kid. Don't worry, I'll assist. It's likely just a level one zombie," Kell instructed.
Nodding in feigned nervousness, Lucas made his way towards the zombie. The nearby zombies had already been dealt with by his comrades.
"We've already swept through this floor. William cleared out some of it. No need to worry," Kell reassured.
"Just aim for the head and try to control your swing, okay?" Kell advised, before sliding open the glass door to the store. The solitary remaining zombie dashed out, and with all his might, Lucas brought the bat crashing down on the weak creature. The impact caved in the back of its head, releasing a spray of blood.
---
[Level 1 Zombie Killed, Awarding 50 Exp!]
---
"Great job," Kell complimented, slapping Lucas on the back and giving him a proud look.
"Last time, it was getting close to nightfall, so we had to return quickly, leaving some zombies behind. Wasn't that easy? I never expected a young kid like you to swing like that."
"I used to play baseball."
"Is that so?" Kell responded.
Subsequently, instead of scouring for food, Kell busied himself with hunting down weaker, still-active zombies for Lucas to dispatch. The fervor with which Kell celebrated each of Lucas's kills could potentially label him a fanatic prior to doomsday.
"Well, we've spent enough time here. Typically, we'd take care of zombies for experience and search for food. But since you seem quite capable, I'll go look for supplies as well. Stay safe, kid."
With that, Kell left Lucas with a broad smile, disappearing into one of the stores. The moment Kell was out of sight, Lucas's expression shifted, an eager grin replacing the previous appearance of naivety.
'I should have invested more points in agility,' he thought to himself as he hurried up the stairway.