"I won't accept this, I haven't taken my revenge yet, how can I just die like this!"
A roar of anger echoed through a residence in downtown Washington.
Alexander abruptly sat up in bed, his face pale and drenched in sweat, unable to calm his emotions for a long time.
"What on earth happened, am I not already dead?"
Alexander splashed cold water on his face, trying to clear his head.
He looked around and the more he saw, the more familiar the place seemed.
Is this the home I lived in ten years ago?
Dust-laden memories resurfaced in Alexander's mind as more and more recollections flooded in.
"Yes, this is the home I grew up in, everything here is so familiar!"
Alexander quickly jumped out of bed, not even bothering to get dressed, and ran into the walk-in closet. Staring at the slightly immature face in the mirror, Alexander was overcome with excitement.
He returned to the bedroom, picked up his iPhone, and checked the date, which clearly displayed [May 5, 2055].
Alexander finally understood what was happening; he had been reborn, just before the apocalypse!
His excitement caused Alexander's body to tremble; he had truly come back from the dead!
The apocalypse hadn't arrived yet, and he needed to make the most of this day. Alexander tried to calm himself down.
He took out his phone again, and it was now 8:30 am, with less than 10 hours left before the apocalypse.
Alexander put the phone back in his pocket, opened the front door, and went out.
On the bustling streets of Washington, many people were hurrying about, while some gathered to discuss the unusual blood-red sky.
Alexander weaved through the crowd, warning the people who were gazing at the sky.
"A strange phenomenon in the sky foretells disaster; don't waste your time here, hurry up and stock up on essential supplies!" But no one took Alexander's warning seriously, and most people just laughed it off.
Whenever he tried to tell people about the impending zombie crisis, they looked at him skeptically and even mocked him.
So, Alexander decided not to say any more; no matter what others did, he had to prepare himself and ensure his survival in the coming crisis.
First, he needed to stock up on enough food and water. Alexander knew that once the zombie crisis broke out, it would be too dangerous to venture out for supplies.
To ensure he had enough resources during the crisis, Alexander began planning his shopping list and headed to the largest nearby supermarket.
Standing in front of the shelves, Alexander quickly filled his shopping cart with canned goods, instant noodles, dry food, and bottled water. He chose food items with longer shelf lives to ensure he wouldn't face any issues during the crisis.
During the shopping process, Alexander carefully calculated the amount of food he would need.
He estimated that he would require approximately 2,000 calories per day for the next month. Therefore, he chose high-calorie, easy-to-store food to quickly access energy in emergencies.
After purchasing a large number of supplies, Alexander started searching for a safe shelter.
He knew that once the zombie crisis erupted, the city would no longer be safe. Thus, he needed a place with good visibility, limited access, and easy to blockade.
After much deliberation, Alexander believed that an abandoned factory on the edge of the city was an ideal shelter.
The factory was surrounded by a dense forest and offered a clear view. Though dilapidated, the structure was still sturdy. Alexander decided to turn this place into his temporary refuge during the apocalypse.
Before moving into the factory, Alexander made several modifications to the building. He boarded up all the easily accessible windows with wooden planks and installed a sturdy iron door at the only entrance.
Additionally, Alexander built a simple watchtower on the factory's roof. He placed a folding chair on the rooftop, from where he could overlook the entire surrounding area.
This way, if any zombies approached, he could quickly detect them and take appropriate countermeasures.
By the time he finished these preparations, it was already 5:05 pm.
The apocalyptic game would begin promptly at 6 pm, turning the entire world into a digital, post-apocalyptic survival game.
With less than an hour left before the apocalypse, Alexander still needed to gather a few more things.
He drove away from the warehouse, heading back toward the city center.
At this moment, more and more people were gathering on the streets, looking up at the sky and marveling at the unprecedented sight.
Meanwhile, the radio in the car was broadcasting a message from a self-proclaimed astronomer, who confidently stated, "This global change in the sky's color is actually a rare natural phenomenon that occurs once every three thousand years. There's no need to panic, just enjoy the beautiful view."
The peculiar natural phenomenon seemed romantic to people, who took out their phones to snap photos of the sky. Some lovers even embraced under the crimson sky, whispering their feelings to each other.
Alexander turned off the radio and parked his car outside a hotel in a secluded location.
Upon entering, he saw an elderly employee dozing off at the reception desk.
"Hey, buddy, I need a room," Alexander said, tapping the counter to attract the employee's attention.
"Oh, $50," the employee replied lazily, still seated.
"Fine, and also send the number 5 call girl to my room," Alexander added, taking out $200 and placing it on the counter.
The employee stood up, eyed Alexander, and said, "I haven't seen you before. Is this your first time here? In that case, I won't charge you for the room. Just go on up, the call girl will be there shortly."
With that, the employee handed Alexander a room key. Alexander took the key and headed straight for the elevator without any further conversation.
"Trying to act so innocent, coming here to play with women, obviously not a good guy!" the employee muttered, watching Alexander's retreating figure.
In truth, this hotel was shady, running a prostitution business behind closed doors.
Alexander knew about it because he had been there before his rebirth. His purpose for coming was simple: to complete an achievement.
According to his memory, the number 5 call girl at this hotel would eventually become a minor Boss in the area, causing significant trouble.
With this in mind, Alexander decided to nip the problem in the bud.
He entered the small, foul-smelling hotel room with its only redeeming feature being a place to wash up.
Alexander took a shower, shaved his beard, and, feeling refreshed, got dressed and stepped out.
He glanced at his phone again: the time was 5:50. The apocalypse game was only 10 minutes away.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door, "Knock, knock, knock. Sir, your number 5 call girl has arrived."
"Come in; the door is unlocked," Alexander responded.
The door opened, and a scantily clad, heavily made-up call girl wearing flesh-colored stockings entered.
Her eyes lit up when she saw Alexander, surprised that her client was a handsome young man.
However, noticing Alexander still sitting on the bed and showing no intention of undressing, she frowned impatiently.
"What's the matter with you? Not even undressing? Hurry up, I have a bunch of clients waiting in line after you," she said.
"It's fine; just come over here. I won't cheat you," Alexander replied emotionlessly, still seated on the bed.
"Ha, do you have some new play in mind? You young people are really something, way more romantic than those old guys. Since you're so handsome, I'll stay a bit longer to play along with you," she said.
The call girl finished speaking and walked to the edge of the bed in her high heels, sitting down beside Alexander.
"So, how do you want to play?" she asked, starting to undress herself without waiting for Alexander's response.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Alexander glanced at his phone and said, "There's no rush; take a shower first."
With only a few minutes left before 6 o'clock, Alexander had to come up with an excuse to stall her for the time being.
"Hmph, you young people always love to be particular," the call girl grumbled.
She casually stripped off her clothes right beside him, then walked naked and unashamedly into the bathroom.
Alexander took out his phone: it was already 5:59. He stood up, pulled a sharp dagger from his pocket, and approached the bathroom.
Although he tried to walk quietly, the call girl inside, who was taking a shower, heard him and said without looking back, "I knew you young people like to try new things. If you're coming in, hurry up; I'm tired of standing here."
"Ding, ding, ding…"
Alexander's phone alarm rang. At this exact moment, it was 6 o'clock on May 5th, 2023.
As the phone alarm goes off, the call girl's body suddenly stiffened, and her skin began to change at a visible rate.
Just as she was about to mutate into a zombie, Alexander's dagger had already struck.
Before the call girl could complete her transformation, a bright dagger pierced her neck, and a "death" prompt appeared above her head.
Then, a message came through.
[Welcome to the "Apocalypse Game"!]