"Rat-rat-rat!"
"Rat-rat-rat!"
"Move! Move! There are more coming!"
In the corrupted streets filled with destroyed and abandoned vehicles, besides a large half-destroyed building covered in dried and wet moss, a yellow floating banner caught the eye with the word 'Quarantine'.
On the sidewalk, a group of six men with different appearances dashed forward, armed with rifles and pistols.
"Rat-rat-rat!"
They turned to shoot at about twenty men dressed in yellow hoodies and black pants, who were armed with light machine guns and submachine guns, relentlessly chasing after them.
"Rat-rat-rat!"
"Keep going! We're almost there!" One of the men shouted.
"Leon and Alex, cover our six! Jake, take the lead!" The man in charge ordered, his authoritative voice cutting through the chaos.
"Okay, sir!" Leon and Alex acknowledged.
The group continued running and firing their weapons, their footsteps echoing through the desolate streets.
"Turn this corner!" Jake, who led the group, instructed, gripping a map tightly in his hand.
As they turned the corner, their eyes fell upon an armored jeep parked on the other side.
"Stop shooting! Focus on running!" The leader shouted urgently.
All the men in the group ceased firing and focused on reaching the armored jeep.
However, in the midst of their haste, they failed to notice a long rope lying on the ground, connected to an alley across the street. It was too late when the last man in the group tripped over the rope and fell heavily to the ground, dazed.
"Leon!" Alex shouted, concerned.
But the leader of the group held Alex back, his voice firm and commanding.
"Don't!, leave him! We have what we came for!"
"But..."
Alex attempted to argue, only to be cut off by the leader's stern interruption.
"No 'buts'! Listen to my orders, or I will leave you to the 'Untamed'!"
Upon hearing these words, Alex shivered, torn between his friendship to Leon and the fear of the unknown. He glanced back at Leon, who was being approached by the other men.
"Help me!" Leon cried out, his voice filled with fear as he struggled to get up.
The men closed in on him, mercilessly delivering blows.
"Bam!"
"Thump!"
"Thump!"
"Bam!"
The brutal beating caused Leon to lose consciousness, his vision fading as he gradually succumbed to darkness. The last thing he saw was Alex and the others running away and climbing into the jeep.
"So, this is it?" Leon thought to himself. "Well, I guess I've lived a good second life."
"Hurry up and finish him before the walkers come!" A man barked, walking over to the fallen Leon.
After Leon lost consciousness, the men continued their assault, pummeling his defenseless body. When they saw that he had stopped moving, they picked him up and began dragging him away.
"Shit, walkers!" one of them exclaimed, glancing behind. His eyes widened as he saw the approaching creatures rotting faces, worm dropping out their mouth decaying flesh, blue/green skin, and menacing gait.
"Rat-rat-rat!"
"Take out some of the walkers on our way to the dumpsite!" another man ordered.
Three hours later.
In a dumpsite littered with the corpses of walkers and humans, Leon's lifeless body was unceremoniously dumped.
-Binding, Apocalypse Special Force System-
-Detecting host vitality: 0% (Dead). The host is being revived.-
Leon's battered corpse began to tremble, the veins in his hand pulsating with a crimson glow. Underneath his mask, armor, and pants, Leon's body underwent a miraculous transformation he began to heal.
One minute later.
"Huff!"
Leon jolted awake, his body propelling him into a sitting position.
"Wheeze!"
"Wheeze!"
He gasped for air, his breath coming in ragged bursts as he surveyed his surroundings.
"What happened? Didn't I die?" Leon wondered aloud.
-Host, no, you are not dead.-
Leon heard a voice resonating in his mind.
"What? Who is that? Show yourself!" Leon shouted, his voice filled with a mix of confusion and curiosity.
-I am the Apocalypse Special Force System, bestowed upon you upon your arrival in this world.-
"Really?" Leon asked, his curiosity piqued.
-Yes, host.-
Gradually, Leon's agitation subsided as he listened to the system's explanation.
"Why weren't you here earlier?" Leon inquired, a hint of frustration coloring his tone.
-I was meant to reach you when you turned eighteen and joined the army. However, unforeseen circumstances in this world delayed my arrival. I apologize, host.-
"Forget it. You're here now," Leon replied, his voice tinged with resignation.
Leon looked up at the sky remembering his past.
Leon looked up at the sky, his thoughts drifting back to his origins. He wasn't from this world, but Earth. Once a special forces soldier, he had died on a mission. Upon arriving in this unfamiliar realm, he had spent seventeen years honing his body and skills to join the army once again. However, during the Christmas season, a deadly disease swept across the city. The virus spread rapidly due to crowded gatherings, causing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and eventually turning victims into zombies, referred to as walkers in this world. By January, the walkers had ravaged the city, claiming the lives of 20% of its population. Leon's dream of joining the army was shattered as the government formed a group called the Cleaners to combat the walkers, save civilians, and regain control over the cities. Leon had managed to join the Cleaners, Group 10, leveraging his skills from his previous life. However, even among the Cleaners, internal strife and the rise of other groups had thrown the city into chaos. Over the past seven years, the walkers had overrun 60% of the cities, while various factions controlled 15%, leaving the Cleaners and the government with a mere 25%. Leon had belonged to Team 6, but that team had betrayed him.
"Sigh. System, what assistance can you provide?" Leon asked, seeking guidance.
-This system was initially designed to help the host build his own special forces unit within the military. However, given the circumstances, it has transformed into the Apocalypse Special Force System.-
-The host can create his own special force group to survive the apocalypse. The system's functions include:-
1. Self Upgrade.
2. Soldier Talent/Skill Upgrade.
3. Weapon Upgrade.
4. Vehicle Upgrade.
5. Territory Upgrade.
6. And more, to be unlocked.
-Using Force Points, the host can access each of the system's functions.-
Leon took a moment to absorb the information and functionalities of the system.
"Does the system have a gift pack for me?" Leon inquired.
-Congratulations, host, on receiving a starter gift pack. Would the host like to open it? Yes/No-
"Yes," Leon responded eagerly.
-Congratulations, host, on receiving the Normal Super Soldier Serum, Holographic Map Super Watch, 100 Force Points, and the Talent 'The Ace'.-
-Super Soldier Serum: Enhances the host's physical abilities to double or triple the strength of the strongest humans.-
-Talent 'The Ace': Grants the host the potential to become a master in various skills and areas over time.-
Leon retrieved the Super Soldier Serum, a futuristic syringe filled with blue liquid, from his inventory. Without hesitation, he injected the serum into his veins. Within seconds, a surge of power coursed through his body, making him feel stronger, faster, and more aware of his surroundings. He glanced down and realized he had grown taller.
With newfound confidence, Leon stood up and declared, "I will explore the system's other functions later. First, I need to find a safe place."
Leon assessed his surroundings and noticed a nearby dumpsite filled with discarded walkers and human bodies. It seemed like an appropriate place to hide
Leon surveyed the desolate surroundings, his gaze landing on a heap of discarded items and the lifeless bodies that lay among them. With a sense of pragmatic determination, he began removing the clean clothes from the corpses.
"These should come in handy," he muttered to himself, appreciating the stroke of fortune amidst the grim circumstances.
Among the fallen soldiers, Leon noticed one with an M9 pistol and a Swiss knife. He unloaded the magazine from the pistol and discovered it was fully loaded. Curiosity piqued, he checked the soldier's body and discovered another full magazine.
Swiftly discarding his own clothes, Leon donned the fresh garments he had acquired. Standing at an imposing 6'5", he possessed a striking appearance with red spiky hair cascading to his neck, piercing black eyes, and a ruggedly handsome face adorned with defined muscles. Clad in a black, form-fitting t-shirt, a long open hoodie extending to his knees, black cargo pants, a tactical gun holster securely housing the M9 and sturdy black combat boots, he exuded an air of readiness.
As Leon glanced upwards, he realized he needed to climb out of the dump to escape. Leaping from the edge, he surveyed the surroundings, finding no immediate threats. Turning his attention to a red, futuristic watch on his wrist, he twisted the top, triggering a surprising revelation.
"Wow, this watch has an incredibly detailed map of the city," Leon exclaimed, astonishment evident in his voice.
A blue, transparent map materialized over the watch, depicting the city divided into different zones. The green zone occupied 25% of the city to the north, while the yellow zone covered 15% to the west. The remaining 60% was marked as the red zone, encompassing the eastern and southern areas. Currently, Leon's position was represented by a white dot at the bottom of the red zone.
"If I want to make it back to the green zone undetected, I should head west," Leon contemplated, his thoughts mapping out a covert plan.
The map also displayed the names of various locations, such as markets, supermarkets, stores, malls, and apartments, each highlighted in different colors denoting their respective zones.
"The nearest and safest location appears to be an apartment complex," Leon mused, considering the possibility of finding sustenance there.
With his plan set in motion, Leon embarked on his journey toward the apartments, strategically navigating the alleyways to avoid encounters with the undead.
After thirty minutes of cautious progress, Leon found himself a mere ten minutes away from the apartments. However, he noticed the sun descending towards the horizon, prompting him to quicken his pace.
Five minutes later, he arrived at a five-story apartment building. Opting for the top floor as a vantage point and a defensible position in case of any unexpected visitors, he entered the last room. Sealing the windows to minimize the chances of unwanted attention, he discovered the room was enveloped in darkness. Fortunately, luck was on his side, as he stumbled upon a lantern, which he promptly ignited.
With the room illuminated, Leon set about scouring the fridge and cabinets in search of food. To his relief, he found an assortment of unexpired snacks, water, and canned goods.
"It appears the previous occupant didn't take any of these," Leon remarked, a fleeting smile gracing his face before fading into a solemn expression.
Leon's attention then turned to his trusty companion, a system that resided within him, offering a storage capacity of 300 meters.
"Thank you, system. You're truly invaluable," Leon expressed his gratitude, the excitement evident in his voice.
He decided to store the food in the system's storage, watching as the items disappeared from his hands.
"However, I shouldn't store everything," Leon reasoned, considering the practicality of the situation.
Stepping into the bedroom, he discovered a compact black backpack. Satisfied with his find, he resolved to eat his fill before continuing his journey.
"System, show me my current stats," Leon requested, eager to assess his capabilities.
-Host: Leon Snake-
-Age: 25-
-Affiliation: None-
-Level: 2-
-Force Points: 100-
-Physique: 50-
-Strength: 56-
-Speed: 58-
-Defense: 55- (Normal Human 5/ Atlethe 10/ Max Human Body 15)
-Talent: The Ace-
-Skill: CQC(Normal), Gunmanship(Expert)-
-Attribute Point: 0-
"Hmm, what is this affiliation?"
Leon moved his hand to touch the screen status. He regarded this screen status as his smartphone.
[Affiliation: The state or relation of being closely associated or affiliated with a particular group, created group.]
The explanation appeared of affiliation appeared.
"Hmm, so affiliation is to show if I belong to any group…" Leon nodded.
With a heart of curiosity, he touched the age and explanation that appeared like before.
"Let's check out the weapon upgrades,"
Leon took out the m9 and let the system scan it.