"Bang… bang, bang!" Ryan gripped the Type 54 pistol tightly, firing three consecutive shots at the zombies surrounding him.
The gun's powerful recoil sent a jolt through his arms, numbing his hands. He nearly dropped the weapon. While the pistol's power was enough to blow half a zombie's head off with a single shot, the recoil was equally unforgiving.
Ryan managed to maintain control—partly because of his previous experience with firearms and partly due to his excellent physical fitness. Even so, only two of the bullets hit their mark. One struck a zombie square in the head, dropping it instantly, while the second hit the torso of another.
Two bloodied and grotesque zombies collapsed to the ground. The third, which was hit in the arm, was flung half a meter back by the bullet's impact but was still moving.
Without hesitation, Ryan grabbed his engineer's shovel and swung it down with brutal force. The blade crushed the last zombie's skull, sending a sickening mix of black and red blood splattering across the pavement, mingled with fragments of white brain matter. The sight and stench made Ryan nauseous, but he pushed through his disgust.
He didn't waste another second. Breaking free from the encirclement, Ryan sprinted toward the other end of the street.
Meanwhile, the survivors hiding on the staircases flanking the street were roused by the gunfire. They cautiously peeked out, spotting a lone young man dashing past with a backpack strapped to his shoulders.
Ten minutes later:
"Whack!"
Ryan slammed a male zombie to the ground with a single blow from his shovel. He instinctively dodged the spray of gore, though some still splattered onto his clothes.
He had finally made it out of the street and was resting against the wall of a small shop. Breathing heavily, he pulled out his water bottle and took a long sip, his body trembling from exhaustion.
Suddenly, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
"Mission accomplished: Kill ten Level 1 zombies within three hours. Apocalypse Overlord System activated. Host information detection in progress."
Ryan froze, startled by the voice. His eyes darted around, searching for its source, but the street was silent.
"What was that? Did I just hear… a system?" he muttered, half in disbelief.
The voice had been unmistakable—clear, emotionless, and impossible to ignore. It resonated directly in his mind, as though bypassing his ears entirely.
"Am I imagining things?" he murmured, still scanning the area. But no matter how much he looked, it was evident: the voice wasn't coming from his surroundings. It had spoken directly to him.
[Ding... Detection completed.]
The mechanical voice sounded again. At the same time, a translucent light screen appeared in front of Ryan's eyes.
Host: Ryan
Special Ability: None
Physical Fitness: 13 (normal adult male: 10)
Speed: 14
Attack: 16
This was the basic information displayed. On the left and right sides of the screen, Ryan noticed more detailed data, including his means of attack.
He focused on one entry: Street Boxing.
Ryan's face immediately darkened.
"Street Boxing? Seriously?" he muttered to himself. While his fighting style might lack finesse, it was honed through countless battles. Was this the system's way of insulting him? He had practiced proper boxing techniques—why label it as "Street"? Suppressing his irritation, he continued examining his stats.
Beneath the main display were two additional lines of text:
Points: 10
Earn 1 point per Level 1 zombie killed.
Points can be used to purchase items in the system store.
Ryan's eyes lit up with excitement as he explored the Apocalypse Overlord System. According to the system's introduction, this was a one-of-a-kind tool designed to help the host rise to the top and become the ruler of the apocalypse, unifying the world.
For the first time, Ryan felt like his brain was struggling to process everything. Yet, given the circumstances, he reasoned that if the apocalypse could happen, then a system like this wasn't entirely implausible. He decided to stay calm.
However, the system didn't seem very... interactive. No matter how many questions Ryan asked, the only response was the cold, mechanical voice. Unlike the intelligent, conversational systems he had read about in novels, this one felt more like an inflexible program.
Shaking his head, Ryan moved on. He discovered a Novice Gift Pack in the system's inventory. If he hadn't checked thoroughly, he might have missed it entirely, as there had been no prior notification about its existence.
With a mix of excitement and skepticism, he opened the gift pack.
[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have obtained the following:
Jeet Kune Do Grandmaster ability (already issued).
Firearms Proficiency (already issued).]
In an instant, a flood of new knowledge surged into Ryan's mind. It felt as though he had undergone years of martial arts training in mere seconds. Techniques, strategies, and forms of Jeet Kune Do flowed through his thoughts alongside an in-depth understanding of firearms.
It was overwhelming but exhilarating. Ryan clenched his fists, feeling as though his body had also adapted to this newfound expertise. It was as if he had been practicing and refining these skills his entire life.
Jeet Kune Do (Improvised): Developed by Bruce Lee, Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts philosophy that emphasizes practicality, adaptability, and efficiency. It does not adhere to a specific style and is often referred to as the "style of no style." Its movements are characterized by directness, simplicity, and fluidity.
In terms of martial arts techniques, it incorporates strikes, grappling, trapping, and footwork, blending elements from various systems to suit the individual's abilities and situation. It stresses minimal effort with maximum effect, aiming to intercept and counter the opponent's actions swiftly and decisively.
Jeet Kune Do generates power through body mechanics, employing proper alignment, relaxation, and explosive speed. Its principles include economy of motion, non-telegraphic movement, and adaptability, making it highly effective in real-world scenarios.
With its motto of "Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation," JKD embodies the essence of freedom, fluidity, and effectiveness in martial arts.
Ryan didn't know how powerful he was as a master of Jeet Kune Do, but he felt that he could kill a Bull now. At the same time, he had a wealth of knowledge about boxing in his mind.
As for the proficiency in firearms, it was also very good for Ryan. At least now he felt much more familiar with the Type 54 pistol in his hand. If he fired again, he would generally never miss the target or let the pistol slip out of his hand.
Regarding the two abilities Ryan obtained, in the system's ability store, the Jeet Kune Do Grandmaster requires 500 points, while Firearms Proficiency requires 300 points. In other words, if Ryan kills zombies, he will need at least 800 points to acquire these two abilities. But now, he can get them for free.
The system's store is primarily divided into two categories: abilities and enhancements. The abilities include those Ryan has already acquired, such as driving skills from entry-level to master level, throwing skills from entry-level to master level, and hundreds of other types.
Each ability ranges from entry-level, skilled, proficient, master, and finally grandmaster, and can be purchased from 100 points to 500 points, respectively.
The enhancement abilities focus on enhancing physical fitness and things like weapons, such as Ryan's physical attack and other basic panels. Each enhancement requires 30 points, and the higher the level, the higher the requirements.
For example, Ryan's current panel is:
Physical Fitness: 25
Speed: 29
Attack: 31
Jeet Kune Do not only brings boxing knowledge and techniques but also significantly boosts his physical fitness. After all, without sufficient physical fitness, the power of Jeet Kune Do cannot be fully realized.
"Tsk tsk tsk"
Ryan looked at his panel in amazement. It was several times stronger than before; especially his attack was nearly three times that of a normal adult male. The other aspects were also more than twice as strong. It was simply abnormal...