The thing his bodyguards were fighting at the moment was definitely those undead that they saw in the transmission video.
A quick look was enough for Viktor to see that there were a dozen zombies surrounding the bodyguards. The team would taunt the monsters, and when the latter inevitably lunged, they would use their combat knives to injure it. This was the only way they could minimize the sounds of battle and stop attracting more attention to their location.
It appeared that the information they received about the undead monsters was largely accurate. The way they walk might appear shambling and clumsy, but they were in no way slow at all, though they certainly didn't run like how some of the newer movies depicted them.
However, the more fortunate thing was the information that stated wounds from these undead are not infectious. Hence, the three ex-special forces bodyguards could slowly lure them to fight in close range with their knives without fearing they would be added to the ranks of endless zombies.
As Viktor approached them, Captain Petroski who had noticed the former quickly said.
"Young master, please don't get too close. It's dangerous!"
It was a fair warning, and therefore Viktor stopped quite a distance away from them - close enough to see everything that was happening while also far enough to not be accidentally swept into it.
He decided to watch the fight from the sidelines while sitting on a flat rock. However, when one, two, and three zombies fell dead on the ground, he did not get any of the orbs as expected.
As if Viktor was asking directly, a voice spoke in his mind.
In response to the Djinn's sassy attitude, Viktor rolled his eyes. Still, what it said was true.
Hence after taking a long sigh, he jumped off the rock he was sitting on. That burdensome rule certainly made the fun entertainment turn into a chore.
He continued to observe at first, unsure what to do, but an idea came to him right as there were only half a dozen zombies left. He decided to shout his order to the three bodyguards.
"Do not kill them! Restrain them!"
The sudden order certainly confused them, but they immediately tried their best to execute the order. One pushed a zombie crashing into the snowy ground, another stepped on the zombie's chest with his military boots, while another restrained it by holding both its arms.
"Good, good! Hold it down!"
"Master, they are already dead. There is no need to take pity on them. They used to be human, but not anymore." One of the bodyguards spoke, trying to remind Viktor.
In response, Viktor rolled his eyes and said. "Duh, how stupid do you think I am? Just listen to my order and hold them tight!"
He approached the first zombie, pulled out his knife, and stabbed it right on its head.
Spllaaattt!
Black substance similar to blood yet with a foul smell seeped out from the wound as the zombie thrashed wildly. This continued for a while before it finally stopped moving. Right afterwards, the same orb appeared and flew towards him.
[You have received the spirit energy of undead human level 3]
[You have received 1 points in endurance]
[You have received 1 points of spirit force]
"Nice!" Viktor muttered to himself.
The men stared at him, confused about what was so interesting. Apparently, they were unable to see the orb. Not wanting to appear odd in front of his subordinates any longer, Viktor decided to quickly kill the other five zombies who were held down.
Spllaattt! Spllaattt! Spllattt!
Apparently, from the 6 zombies he killed, he only managed to obtain two orbs, each gave him one gave him a point of endurance and a point in spirit force. Either way, his assumption was right in that he just needed to kill the creature with his own hands, and he would get the orbs.
[Strength - 12 ]
[Agility - 15 ]
[Endurance - 14]
[Battle power - 13]
[Spirit force - 4]
After they killed the zombie, some of the men started to check the corpses out one by one. Viktor raised his eyebrows and asked the captain who stood next to him.
"What are they looking for, Captain?"
The captain explained that it was odd for a group of zombies to wander around in this secluded woods, and they decided to check the corpses for clues. Afterwards, from the tattered clothes and the items found on the zombies, they realized that the zombies came from Moscow, who supposed to be about 50 miles to the south.
"I believe that something must have driven them out." The captain concluded.
"The government!?"
"Could be, but It could also be a threat, a predator that made them moves away from the city"
Right in the middle of their conversation, one of the men came closer and brought something they found from the corpses. It was two very small stones, with an appearance similar to a white pebble, but upon closer inspection, they would shine like crystals under the light.
"I believe that this was what the information referred to as 'spirit stone', young master." said Captain Patroski.
Viktor had heard that term before from the emergency videos, and he found the fact that some survivors would consume such stones to gain some strange power. Everything in the information videos sounded like crazy chatter, hence, he did not think much of it at that time, especially after the communication was cut off.
Viktor decided to take the stone and keep it in his pocket, as it might be useful later.
Either way, Viktor still didn't have much time. Each second wasted made him one second closer to his destined death. The once laid back young master had become unusually aggressive, as he told the bodyguards to spread out.
"What exactly are you looking for, master?"
"Animals, or zombies. Watch out for the big black one though. If you find it, run away and warn me."
With that, the group separated. Captain Patroski and one men to one way, while Viktor with the one named Boris, went the other way. Even though he could make them each go alone, it was always good to have someone to watch your back, especially in a woods at night, where monsters and zombies could possibly lurk in every corner.
"There!"
Viktor's flashlight was directed to a creature next to a tree. It was another similarly mutated rabbit.
When he got closer, the rabbit once again reacted similarly like its kin, lunging toward him
"Watch out, young master!" Boris took out his knife, prepared to protect his master.
However, to Viktor's surprise, this time he could see the creature's movements clearly. The surprise grew even more when he found that he could dodge the rabbit without much effort.
With movements much quicker than before, he stabbed the poor rabbit with his knife.
Spllaattt!
[You have received the spirit energy of rabbit level 3]
[You have received 1 points in agility]
[You have received 1 points of spirit force]
The notification brought a smile to Viktor's face. Indeed, he felt stronger from one kill. He quickly turned around, looked at the bodyguard who was following him, and said, "Hurry, find me more rabbits!"
Startled by such an order, Boris awkwardly replied, "Yes, young master!"