However, after Clark took the potion, his agility reached a staggering 14 points, rendering The Licker's efforts futile. No amount of damage could hit its target, which only made it more furious.
"Roar!" The Licker roared in anger, bending over. The wound on its half-shattered skull became more pronounced. Forced to lower itself, the brain tissue covered by regeneration was exposed in front of Clark.
Now is the time! Clark took a deep breath, no longer conserving his energy. Stepping forward, he narrowly avoided The Licker's furious strike.
"Power Surge!" His strength surged once again, muscles exploding like dynamite. He pivoted and struck back!
Clark's speed reached its peak, taking several steps on top of The Licker's massive body. He leaped high into the air, muscles in his waist exerting force, a burst of violence traveling from his waist to his muscles. The fire axe in his hand swung fiercely.
The axe blade, producing a sonic boom, accurately struck the unprotected brain. The axe handle shattered, and the force at the point of impact caused it to break apart. Once inside, it was like stirring scrambled eggs.
Clark's eyes were fierce as he firmly gripped the axe handle with both hands and violently stirred the brain of The Licker.
"Ding, Tier 1 Mutant Zombie Killed: The Licker."
"Received 1 point of energy."
"Received: Armor Crafting Material: Muscle Tissue*1 (White)"
"Muscle Tissue: Highly resilient mutant muscle that can be used to make white armor, with an additional +1 Agility attribute."
"Review: Muscle tissue from the calf area, suitable for making footwear."
"Received: Equipment Crafting Material: The Licker Spine*1 (White)"
"The Licker Spine: Bone structure with hardness comparable to alloy, can be used to craft weapons, with +1 Sharpness and +1 Strength attributes."
"Review: Practical equipment crafting material, can also be used as a weapon."
With a "bang," as The Licker's massive body slowly fell to the ground, a small white light instantly flew out from the corpse and entered Clark's body.
"Energy detected, opening the experience panel."
"Current Awakened Rank: Tier 0 (1/2)"
"Current Player Level: Level 0 (1/2)"
"Next level requires the killing of: 1"
Confirming that The Licker was dead, Clark, slightly hunched over, breathed heavily. Killing The Licker had been quite a struggle.
In the post-apocalyptic game, only killing mutant zombies or creatures would grant experience. Regular zombies were useless when killed, yielding no experience points. Whether you were a player or an awakened, the only way to level up was to find a way to kill mutants. However, mutant zombies were often powerful and far beyond what a Tier 0 Awakened could handle.
In his previous life, many Awakened individuals had remained at Tier 0 until their deaths, unless they had prepared potions in advance and obtained extremely powerful talents. Faced with such monsters, going head-on would only result in death, with no time for rest.
Before leaving, Clark glanced slightly behind him. The wealthy businessman who had been hanging outside the security window had already fallen to the ground. His body lay in a pool of crimson blood. It was unclear whether he had his fingers bitten off by the female zombie or if he had let go voluntarily.
On the iron window, the female zombie's skull had already been deformed from squeezing, but it still mechanically opened and closed its mouth. Clark had no intention of investigating further.
Confirming that there were no survivors near the entrance of the residential area, Clark extended his right hand. A white light flashed, and the massive body of The Licker was stored in his spatial ring. As a mutant zombie, The Licker's body was a treasure trove. Not only did it yield valuable materials, but the body could also be processed into attribute-less equipment comparable to bulletproof vests. However, time was of the essence, and he would have to deal with it later.
In the HY residential area, inside an apartment building, a young girl sat huddled in a corner of her room, her face streaked with tears.
"Brother... Clark is coming soon," Viola tightly held her phone and nervously said to the young man sitting on the chair. The last message on her phone was from Clark.
"Roar!" In the chair, a man with bound hands and feet let out a low growl. The chair beneath him shook violently as he struggled to break free from his restraints. The iron chains rattled, producing an ear-piercing noise.
"Brother... I'm so scared," Viola lowered her head. She couldn't bear to look at Dirk's face after the flesh had peeled off, presenting a gruesome sight resembling a fleshless skeleton.
After their parents passed away, the only brother Viola could rely on had turned into his current state, but she felt utterly helpless. This left her somewhat hopeless, and her body couldn't help but tremble, like a helpless little animal.
The clock on the wall ticked. Viola occasionally turned her head to look at the tightly locked door, her eyes filled with pleading, but outside the door, there were only the sounds of zombies scratching at the iron door. The anticipated footsteps never came.
"Brother, you must hold on. Clark will find a way to save you."
Struggling within Dirk's bloodthirsty eyes, a hint of reason flashed, "Clark!"
Reason vanished in an instant. His voice was hoarse, but Viola could faintly hear the name Dirk pronounced from his lips. Viola suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with joy. This was the first time Dirk had spoken complete words since the outbreak.
"Bang! Bang!" Outside the door, the zombies seemed to have sensed the presence of their comrades and began to pound the iron door frantically. The door shook violently and deformed in response.
After Dirk's reason disappeared, he once again struggled wildly. The iron chains rattled, revealing stark white bones where his wrists were tightly locked. Some parts of the once tightly locked handcuffs had fallen off.
Here it is! An old building covered in withered vines. Clark looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar doorplate, feeling excited. Not a single second was wasted.
In just five short minutes, Clark had fought his way through hundreds of zombie hordes. The thick, sticky blood had already dried on his combat suit. His boots were covered in bits of flesh.
Clark had replaced the broken fire axe in his hand with half of The Licker's spine. From the outside, after all the bloodshed, he looked like a monster emerging from a pile of corpses.
"Dirk!"
"Viola!"
Clark didn't stop his steps, rushing into the residential building without paying any attention to the zombies in front of the building. He continuously shouted the names of the siblings, Dirk and Viola.
"Clark!"
Inside the room, Viola, crouched in the corner, wore a face of surprise. She quickly stood up, afraid she had misheard, and peered out the window.
"I'm here!"
Viola leaned out and waved, her eyes filled with hope.
Outside the door, the zombies grew more restless, drawn by the scent of a living person on Clark. Clark heard Viola's voice and quickly looked in her direction.