Zeke departed from the building, but his mind was still plagued with numerous unanswered questions. The realization that it was only the second day and there existed another faction comprising more than six hundred members left him feeling somewhat overwhelmed.
Under the mounting pressure, Zeke paused for a moment and gave his cheeks a firm pat with both hands. Regaining his composure, he recalled the objectives he had set for himself.
Aware that his journey ahead would be fraught with challenges, he glanced back at the towering library building one last time before forging ahead.
As he headed towards his dorm room, he mused to himself, 'This is merely on our campus. Undoubtedly, there are numerous factions out there already established with better beginnings than ours.'
As he proceeded, Zeke diligently eliminated any zombies he encountered, aware of the fact that the President of the faction had already attained a higher level than him. Moreover, he estimated that the individual following him was likely at a similar level.
Upon reaching his dorm, Zeke's initial action was to stash his bed within one of the rings to avoid sleeping on uncomfortable surfaces in the future.
Subsequently, he gathered a handful of cherished photographs and other sentimental items that he wasn't yet prepared to relinquish. Afterward, he settled down and checked the Egg countdown timer.
[Egg Countdown]
2:48:12 remaining
Realizing that a considerable amount of time had elapsed and the sun was gradually rising, Zeke resolved to persist in scouting the campus and eliminating zombies until his egg hatched. Upon its hatching, he intended to make his way back to the cafeteria and prepare to depart, starting his journey.
For the following two hours, Zeke relentlessly eradicated swarms of zombies. While navigating the campus, he observed that the number of zombies appeared to be on the rise. He pondered whether this was due to the nearby faction's influence or simply the organic development of the apocalypse.
After a while, he arrived in proximity to the university's athletic facility. The locale that was typically bustling with students was now uncannily silent. Zeke proceeded cautiously, with his senses heightened. Suddenly, a sound emanated from one of the locker rooms. He advanced stealthily, his bat held firmly waiting for action.
As he peered inside, Zeke saw a group of survivors huddled together. They looked up at him with fear in their eyes.
"It's okay," Zeke said softly, putting his weapon away. "I'm not going to hurt you. Are you guys okay? Do you need any help?"
The survivors nodded gratefully, and Zeke spent the rest of the time helping them escape from the sports complex and guiding them to the cafeteria. Along the way, they encountered several groups of zombies, but Zeke was able to fight them off.
Finally, they made it to the cafeteria, where the survivors were welcomed with open arms by the people there. Zeke was glad to see that everyone was working together, despite the existence of different factions.
Having briefed everyone on the current state of affairs outside, Zeke proceeded to inform them that the President of the University had established a faction comprising over five hundred members, which was currently stationed in the primary library building. Additionally, he extended an invitation to those planning to stay on campus to join their faction.
Zeke subsequently meet with Andrew, Olivia, and Sarah, providing them with a detailed account of his encounter outside. He detailed how the President had achieved a higher level than him and how the configuration of his faction worked.
He also presented Sarah and Andrew with a small storage ring each, given that they were not journeying together. Zeke bid them farewell, guaranteeing that they would always have a place in his faction once they had located their families. He expressed his hope to reunite with them in the future, provided everything progressed smoothly.
As Zeke turned to walk away, Sarah suddenly rushed up to him, embracing him tightly from behind, holding onto him for a prolonged hug before abruptly letting go and running off, leaving Zeke in a state of bewilderment. He watched her depart, perplexed by her sudden behavior, but eventually shrugged it off, knowing he had more pressing matters to attend to.
As he settled down to wait for his egg to hatch, Zeke couldn't help but feel grateful for the friends he had made in the game so far. He knew that he couldn't do this alone, and he was glad to have found people he could rely on.
With that thought in mind, he closed his eyes and waited for the timer on his egg to run out.
As the timer on his egg reached its final seconds, Zeke's heart started to race with excitement. He had no idea what kind of creature would hatch from it, but he was looking forward to finding out.
Finally, the timer reached zero, and the egg began to crack open. Zeke held his breath as a small creature emerged from the shell. At first, he couldn't quite make out what it was. But as it took a few shaky steps forward, he saw that it was a small cat with extremely long front teeth.
[Please name your new pet]
Zeke couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the creature. It was cute in its own way, with its scruffy fur and toothy grin. He reached out to pet it, and it nuzzled into his hand, purring contentedly.
"Well, I guess I have a new companion," Zeke said, grinning from ear to ear. "What should I call you?"
The cat looked up at him with big, curious eyes, as if waiting for Zeke to decide.
After a moment of thought, Zeke decided on a name. "How about Fang?" he said. "With those teeth of yours, I think it suits you."
Fang meowed in agreement, and Zeke scooped him up into his arms. He knew that having a companion in the game would be a challenge, but he was excited to take on that challenge with Fang by his side and it would also bring loads of benefits.
'Inspect'
[Fang]
Race: Sabertooth Tiger
Rank: Beginner
Potential: ???
Level: 5
Skills: [Bite] [Devour]
As Zeke inspected the creature's status, he was taken aback to discover that it was a Sabertooth Tiger. But after seeing his razor-sharp, elongated front teeth it did make sense. Furthermore, he observed that its rank was not novice but beginner, which led Zeke to believe that it must be a more advanced creature. However, he couldn't be entirely sure. The potential attribute was also a mystery, as it was represented by three question marks, leaving Zeke puzzled.
After finishing packing his supplies, Zeke meet with Olivia to confirm if she was prepared to depart.
As Zeke walked out of the cafeteria, he felt a sense of purpose and determination. He didn't know what challenges lay ahead, but he was ready to face them head-on, with his new friend and his trusty companion by his side.