Chapter 19 - Skill

The increasing number of zombies blocked the iron fence ahead. Sylas sensed the danger, quickly holstered his pistol, and disguised himself as a zombie before emerging from the alley.

As Sylas stepped out of the alley, zombies rushed towards him. However, they didn't notice anything unusual about Sylas and simply passed by him without attacking. As long as Sylas didn't attack zombies in their presence, he wouldn't be targeted.

The attack point in the alley was no longer usable. Sylas decided to find a new location. He observed his surroundings and noticed a grocery store on the street. The store had a second floor, which would make an excellent attack point.

The grocery store's door was locked. Using his lock-picking skills, Sylas quickly opened the door. After entering the store, he locked the door behind him and proceeded to the second floor. He opened a window and aimed at the zombies on the street.

With a bang, Sylas fired a shot. The bullet hit a zombie's body but missed its head. Achieving a headshot with one shot was certainly not easy. After all, the body's target was much larger, whereas the head's target was much smaller. For a normal person, aiming for the body would be the best choice to ensure accuracy. However, when facing zombies, one must aim for their heads. Only by destroying a zombie's head can it be killed.

From the second-floor window, Sylas continued to shoot, while the zombies on the ground floor could only endure the assault. Despite their close proximity, they couldn't reach Sylas. At close range, Sylas aimed at the zombies on the ground and started taking headshots one by one.

The gunfire quickly alerted nearby survivors. However, these survivors could only hide in their homes and couldn't see the situation outside, nor did they know who was shooting. The gunshots also attracted all the zombies from the surrounding streets.

On the street, it was densely packed with zombies.

This made it easier for Sylas to kill them. However, when the number of zombies increased, it also became extremely dangerous. Although zombies had no brains, they instinctively attacked living creatures. They would stop at nothing to assault the building where Sylas was. Moreover, as the number of zombies increased, they would crowd together, forming a growing mass. The second floor where Sylas was located would soon be overrun.

Sylas calmly fired one last shot before leisurely leaving the second floor. Shortly after he left, the zombies swarmed onto the second floor. By this time, Sylas had already exited through the back door. There were zombies at the back door as well, but not many. Sylas had already holstered his pistol and disguised himself as a zombie, making it so that none of the zombies would attack him.

Sylas glanced at the system interface; he had thirty-five zombies left to complete the task. He then looked at his hands, which were red and had blisters on his fingers. The recoil of the Desert Eagle was too strong, and after prolonged shooting, Sylas's hands had ended up in this condition. While the weapon was powerful, it was still somewhat difficult for Sylas to handle.

"I'll find another place and continue killing zombies. I'll finish the task today before heading back," Sylas thought to himself. After all, he didn't know if this random task would always be available or if it would still be there tomorrow. To be safe, Sylas planned to complete the task and claim the reward today, avoiding any unforeseen complications. Additionally, mastering another skill would enhance his safety.

Sylas already had a plan for the remaining thirty-five zombies. He decided to change his approach to killing them. Opposite the community where Sylas lived was another residential area. Sylas went straight into this area and found a building to enter.

At the door of an apartment, Sylas unlocked it and cautiously entered.

As soon as he walked in, a zombie lunged at him. However, upon seeing Sylas, the zombie did not attack. After all, in the eyes of a zombie, Sylas was also a zombie. Sylas took a tour around the room and found another zombie in the bedroom. He first closed the bedroom door, leaving only the zombie in the living room. Sylas drew his pistol and aimed at the zombie's head. With a bang, the bullet exploded the zombie's head.

Opening the bedroom door, the zombie inside, having heard the gunshot, rushed out. It didn't attack Sylas but instead began devouring the corpse of the zombie on the floor. Sylas, standing behind the zombie, raised his pistol and fired at the zombie on the ground, delivering a perfect headshot. 

Sylas felt confident—this method of killing zombies was highly effective. It was a clear demonstration of his superior intellect. With the method proving effective, Sylas decided to continue using it and systematically cleared out the zombies one by one. Thirty-five zombies, though not a small number, didn't take long for Sylas to eliminate entirely.

Finally, the task of killing one hundred zombies was completed. Sylas sighed with relief as he claimed his reward: firearm proficiency. 

**Chapter 20: Cooking Noodles**

Firearm proficiency was not just a simple skill. The moment Sylas acquired it, all knowledge related to firearms surged into his mind. This knowledge transformed into Sylas's own, making him a firearms expert. This was the true essence of firearm proficiency. 

A minute later, Sylas exhaled deeply. He had fully grasped all the knowledge related to firearms, thanks to the system's power. For a normal person, it would take years to learn this knowledge.

Under the great power of the system, Sylas learned all firearm knowledge in just one short minute.

Sylas now understood the structure of all firearms and knew how to use them effectively. Naturally, he also mastered the best shooting techniques. This was the power of firearm proficiency. As he caressed his Desert Eagle, Sylas felt for the first time that the gun was an extension of his body. It was no longer just a weapon; it was an extension of his arm.

Sylas walked to the window, looked at the zombies below, raised his gun, aimed, and pulled the trigger. His body jolted as a bullet was fired. The targeted zombie downstairs, at least fifty meters away, was instantly shot in the head. Achieving a headshot at this distance truly demonstrated Sylas's shooting ability.

However, Sylas didn't feel overly excited. He knew that firearm proficiency emphasized the use and maintenance of firearms rather than significantly enhancing marksmanship. This meant that Sylas was now a proficient gun user, comparable to experts in the military, but he was far from being a sharpshooter. This gap was something Sylas found somewhat disappointing. 

Nonetheless, it wasn't a big issue; his current shooting skills were certainly sufficient for his needs. Sylas holstered his pistol and left the building. It was time to head back since he had completed the task. He was concerned about Clarissa's safety at home. After all, a woman alone at home didn't have guaranteed safety.

"Tomorrow, I'll get a handgun for Clarissa," Sylas thought to himself.

Sylas thought about the police station in the city. Even if he couldn't use all the firearms and weapons, he could collect them for his subordinates in the future.

Before long, Sylas was already at the villa's front door. He knocked on the door to let Clarissa know he was back before using his lock-picking skills to open the door and walk in. Clarissa looked surprised when she saw Sylas enter. After all, she was the only one home and had locked the door from the inside. Even if Sylas had a key, he shouldn't have been able to open it.

Clarissa asked in astonishment, "How did you open the door? I had locked it from the inside!"

Sylas smiled and didn't explain. He simply said, "Just a little trick. I'll tell you about it later when I have time."

"Have you cooked? I'm hungry," Sylas said. He had only eaten a little while out, and by now, he was starving.

Clarissa quickly replied, "I haven't cooked yet. If you're hungry, I'll make something for you."

Then, she found herself laughing, a smile appearing on her face. Sylas went to the bathroom to take a shower. After killing zombies all day, he smelled quite unpleasant. Returning home, his first choice was to take a shower. 

After washing up and changing into clean clothes, Sylas felt completely refreshed. A delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen. Following the scent, Sylas entered the kitchen and saw Clarissa, wearing an apron, cooking.

Seeing Clarissa in this domestic setting, a spark of warmth flashed in Sylas's eyes. He walked up and hugged Clarissa from behind. Clarissa's body stiffened, not expecting Sylas to embrace her from behind. But then, realizing it was Sylas, she slowly relaxed.

"Let go of me, will you? I still need to cook," Clarissa said softly.

"I won't get in your way. You cook your noodles, and I'll hold my beauty," Sylas whispered into Clarissa's ear, gently teasing her earlobe.

Clarissa's face instantly turned red. She felt helpless, knowing that her current food supply depended on Sylas. She couldn't refuse, nor did she dare to. Remembering the days when she had no food, she felt grateful for the meals she could now enjoy. Some compromises had to be made.

Clarissa lowered her head, her face still flushed. Fortunately, the meal was almost ready. She quickly said, "It's done. You should eat it now before it gets cold."

"Alright, let's eat the noodles first," Sylas said with a smile, releasing Clarissa. He was truly very hungry.