Their journey had come to an end as they arrived at a large casino, but it was far from the vibrant hub you would expect. Unlike its usual flashing lights and vibrant colors, the casino now stood eerily quiet, its sounds muted. Gone were the clinking glasses, laughter, and humming slot machines, replaced by an unsettling stillness.
The gentle music that once filled the air was now a distant memory. The silence was understandable, given that any signs of life could attract threats from both beasts and humans. This was the group's base, a testament to how the harsh realities of the current world had shaped them.
A barricade of cars had been strategically parked in front of the casino, forming a makeshift barrier to prevent outsiders from entering easily. The group had passed a different route when coming, so they didn't have to go through the trouble of climbing over them.
A weathered CCTV camera, mounted above the casino's entrance, kept a watchful eyes on the surrounding area, monitoring anyone who dared to approach.
Gunther, familiar with the security setup, waved at the camera, and the door slid open with a soft hiss, granting the group access inside.
As they entered the casino, the group was met with a warm and weary smile from the survivors who had sought refuge within its walls. The air was thick with the scent of worn clothes and stale air, but the sense of community and bonding was evident.
The refugees, huddled together in small clusters, looked up from their makeshift beds and meager belongings, their eyes filled with a mix of hope and desperation. They welcomed Gunther and his group with open arms, grateful for the presence of fellow humans in a world that seemed determined to devour them whole.
The casino's once-flashy interior had been transformed into a humble sanctuary, where survivors could find solace and support in the face of unimaginable horrors.
Welcome back, lads!" A warm smile spread across the face of Anthony Claud, the leader of the base, as he approached the group with open arms. From a quick view of his rugged facial features, it could be roughly stated that this man was in his mid-fifties.
As he greeted the group, he shared hearty hugs with a few of them, including Gunther; exuding a sense of camaraderie and familiarity.
"It must have been a difficult journey right?" Anthony said, "You all should rest up."
As his eyes landed on Dave, he ambled towards him with a gentle smile. Gunther had already briefed him on their encounter, sharing the information of how they had found him, including how he had helped during their intense battle with the masked men and beasts.
With this background knowledge, Anthony approached Dave with a warm and informed demeanor, his eyes sparkling with interest and curiosity.
His warm smile and open arms had made Dave feel at ease, as he welcomed him to the base with genuine hospitality. He then turned to Simbi and entrusted her with Dave's care, tasking her with ensuring his comfort and well-being.
Meanwhile, the group had captured two of the masked men they killed, and they were swiftly led away for questioning. They sought to uncover the truth behind their actions.
As Dave followed Simbi into one of the rooms, their path was crossed by a striking figure. A tall, lanky individual with a bold, punk-inspired blonde hairstyle.
He shot Dave a piercing glance before turning his attention to Simbi. "Who's this?" he asked, his tone laced with a mix of curiosity and authority, causing Simbi to chuckle out nervously.
"This is Dave, my quarters-mate and classmate," Simbi explained. "We found him wandering the streets, so we brought him along with us."
She turned to Dave and introduced them. "Dave, this is Ajax, I met him after the apocalypse started. He's been a great help to me and to everyone here. Come on, let's go get you some food, you must be starving." She quickly said, pulling him towards a direction.
And so, Simbi had hurriedly left Ajax's presence, who could only watch as the duo walked away, his eyes twitching in anger at the scene.
Although, Simbi was yet to agree, Ajax had been making a lot of advances to her, asking her to be his girlfriend, but she had yet to give him a reply. It pained him to see that the girl he has been trying so hard to get, was going around with another guy.
"Who cares if he's her classmate!" He yelled, drawing the attention of some of the people around.
"Are you okay Ajax?" One of the guys who had just arrived with Gunther's group said as he appeared behind him.
"Does it look like I'm okay?!" He replied.
"Actually, there's something about that guy that you need to know."
…
…
A couple of minutes after arriving at the base, Dave had decided to stroll out of his given apartment, a large space he was sharing with eight other people. He has been given food, and it was only at that moment that he realised how much he has been famished.
Simbi had soon left after eating, she claimed to have somewhere important she needed to be. Dave had then decided to leave the apartment he was given to see the setup of the entire base.
As he got out of the room, a certain person had approached him. It turned out to be the guy he was introduced to, by Simbi earlier; Ajax.
"You're Dave, right?" Ajax said. "Let's have a quick sparring match."
Just as soon as he said this, he started walking off, he didn't even bother hearing Dave's opinion on whether he was willing to fight or not.
At that moment, a notification from the system had suddenly popped up above his face.
[New Quest!]
[Defeat the one known as Ajax]
[Reward: 100 Exp]