'What can one do in a wrecked world?' As he meditated, several things crossed his mind. Two days had gone since they had settled within the minimarket, and they were completely focused on leveling up.
'What should I do now? Survive? That goes without saying. Create a survival camp? Regardless, people would still gather together. Even in my previous life, I did not have a clear goal.'
Growing accustomed to struggling for survival, Leo never had the luxury of thinking about the future because his present, filled with constant challenges, weighed far more heavily on him than his future did. Yet, it was unbelievable that he had the opportunity to begin anew..
The first year, he was locked in the storage room.
During his second year, he attended a survivor camp.
In his third year, he joined the military to improve his living conditions.
During his fourth year, he became a hunter and obtained a weapon from the system.
In his fifth year, he was named the weakest hunter.
Every year, he struggled to survive, frantically holding on to his life. Until he became a hunter, his life was dictated by survival instincts and external circumstances, leaving him with little autonomy or control over his choices.
'But now I'm going to be powerful enough to choose my own destiny. Regardless of how bad my circumstance is, I am used to battling in a disadvantageous position.' Leo wasn't rushing. Currently, being stronger was more important than looking for surviving. He still wanted to gain some skills before going to the university campus.
"I did it! Leo, I finally did it!" Willie exclaimed happily as he ran towards him. He was clearly thrilled for an unexplained cause.
"Why are you so happy? Did you learn the Small Fireball?" Leo stated it half-jokingly, but Willie was so thrilled that Leo worried he'd die from overexcitement. He felt melancholy after Leo gave him a skill book because he had previously failed to learn it.
"Yes, I have learned it. I received a system notification indicating that I had learned Small Fireball, and the book disintegrated into white light particles that merged with my body." Willie proudly boasted about his new skill, leaving Leo amazed by his remarkable feat of learning it within just two days. An ordinary individual may spend their entire life learning something in vain.
'Willie appears to have a high level of magic ability. Should I transform him into a mage?' Leo believed that it was the best conclusion for Willie. Mages did a lot of damage and could destroy a large number of monsters in one hit. Fortunately for Willie, wizards could attack from a distance, which was excellent for a lousy fighter like Willie.
'Willie has killed a number of zombies silently, but in hand-to-hand combat, he is too cautious, wasting his opportunity to attack.' Leo silently reviewed Willie's fighting talents in his mind. He will undoubtedly improve his skills as a mage rather than a fighter.
"Then let's put your skills to the test. "Let's grind levels." Ordinary zombies posed little harm to them unless they encountered a large number of them. However, having Willie with them minimized the threats to a minimum.
As Leo and Willie were about to leave the room, Leo noted that Adam appeared feeble.
"I apologize, guys. Can you go without me?" Adam said it rather poorly.
His abrupt refusal caught Leo off guard. He thought it odd that he didn't ridicule Willie when he ran enthusiastically into the room, but he didn't pay any attention.
'Do not tell me he is...' Adam appeared paler than usual. His breathing was heavy, and he appeared exhausted.
When Leo stroked Adam's forehead, he realized what was going on. Adam's temperature spiked, indicating an internal fever.
"Adam, why didn't you inform us about your illness?." He was anxious but yet glad for his pal.
'Is this what his future looked like if he didn't die? But isn't it too early? Never mind; it's still good for him.' Leo was astonished to learn that Adam had developed a fever. It may have meant nothing to the heavenly voice, but developing a fever on a new earth meant only one thing.
'I understand that Adam was blessed by the heavens, but awakening straight after the beginning is going too far. Lucky brat!' Leo cursed him silently because it was a pleasant moment for Adam. Everyone would be envious of their ability to awaken, as it was based more on luck than effort. Even Leo, in his previous life, was envious of Awakeners.
"What's going on with Adam? Is he going to be okay?" Willie inquired, half alarmed, half cautious.
"Don't worry about him; he just got a fever." However, it appears that we should relocate because we cannot simply set him down on the floor." Leo described his friend's predicament.
Willie was definitely concerned for Adam. Despite his fears that Adam might be infected, Willie decided to believe Leo's statements. Despite their initial disagreements and differences, navigating challenges together in recent days had unexpectedly brought them closer, fostering a newfound understanding between them.
'Adam is fortunate to awaken, but we do not have any temperature-lowering medication or linen to lay him down on. We should look for another spot to settle.'
Leo suddenly decided to exit the storage area. Even though it provided food, it couldn't give them with a comfortable bed or a kitchen to prepare meals. Willie had previously complained about how sore his buttocks had become.
"Adam, can you walk without assistance? If not, Willie will help you."
Adam nodded softly despite the difficulty, knowing that being stubborn would not help them. He hated being a burden, but he had no choice but to accept it.
His eyes were fuzzy, and everything around him was blurry. He had never experienced such a severe headache before. He felt as if his brain would explode from the overwhelming sensations of extreme cold and heat.
As Willie assisted the weakened Adam, Leo packed everything into his luggage. He mostly concentrated on packing canned goods and mineral water. Leo knew that they needed to be prepared for any situation, especially with Adam's sudden illness. He made sure to pack enough supplies to last them for a few days in case they were stranded.
"We're heading to the closest dormitory building. Willie, lead the way. Try to avoid large groupings of zombies whenever possible."
Leo offered guidance as he filled his backpack to the brim. They strolled quickly out of the minimarket, pausing many times when they encountered a large throng of zombies.
Of course, he was strong enough to face an evolved zombie. However, the most significant benefit of zombies was not their evolutionary possibilities but their sheer numbers.
There were tens of thousands of zombies on campus and millions more throughout the city. Humans will undoubtedly die in the struggle of attrition against zombies.
Even though Leo and Willie had killed over 50 zombies, they prioritized protecting Adam, which hindered their ability to engage in large group battles.
They were gradually approaching the dormitory building, and they could see it. Because it was in a residential area, there were plenty of zombies strolling around.
Facing increasing difficulty in approaching the building, Leo made the decision to eliminate the zombies obstructing their path.
"Hey Willie, any idea how many of those zombies are standing in our path?" Leo asked.
"There are over 30 zombies, including two swift zombies similar to the one you killed. Could you handle it?" Willie reported the number of creatures as he looked at him with alarm, leading him to smirk slightly. Without uttering a word, a surge of determination and adrenaline propelled Leo forward as he charged fearlessly towards the horde of zombies.