Kris's POV
Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing. Before all this, I was just the invisible guy—working graveyard shifts, keeping my head down, and steering clear of anything that might disrupt my quiet, routine life. I wasn't memorable. Just another face in the crowd, a yes-man who never stood out. My life had been a cycle of clocking in, clocking out, and avoiding anything that could complicate things. And I liked it that way. It was simple. It was easy.
But when I woke up on an underground train a few hours ago, something inside me shifted. Now? I was acting like a budget Jackie Chan—minus the martial arts part, of course. It was more about improvising and hoping for the best, taking each moment as it came. And let me tell you, I wasn't the "figure it out on the fly" kind of guy. I liked structure, a plan, knowing what came next. But now? I was being thrown into a twisted nightmare, and I was either going to sink or swim.
Right now, though, I felt more like I was flailing—arms and legs everywhere, praying I didn't drown.
But who do I blame for this mess? Who could've known that the cure for the T-virus wouldn't come with a needle?
After Alice had "kid-zoned" me—treating me like some annoying little brother—Spence called out from the hallway. Apparently, One and Kaplan had found a shortcut. Great. Another "shortcut." I couldn't help but wonder how many of these "shortcuts" were really just traps in disguise.
We started off at a light jog. Emphasis on light, since none of us had a clue what we were running from. But Kaplan noticed the blood on my arm first, and suddenly, our "casual stroll" turned into more of an "emergency response."
"What happened to you?" Kaplan asked, eyeing my shoulder.
I shot him an exasperated look. "Remind me never to crash a family reunion again. It was worse than breaking up a catfight."
"Uh-huh," Kaplan muttered, speeding up. "Forget I asked."
I didn't blame him. If JD were here instead of Kaplan, he'd get it. He'd probably make some sarcastic comment about me having no business jumping into zombie turf wars.
A few twists and turns later, my mind wandered. I couldn't help but replay the incident with Matt in my head. I remembered how he got scratched by mutated zombie-Spence. (Wasn't there a scene where his shoulder wound wriggled, and little tentacles poked out? Yeah, pretty gross.) That thought made my heart skip a beat. I checked my own wound again, feeling the burn creep down my arm.
It wasn't as bad as Matt's, but still. Wasn't I in a movie? Nothing was certain here. I could feel the panic crawling up my spine like a slow-moving wave, and that voice—the one from earlier, "Glasses Girl"—came back into my head: "You need to take the cure within ten minutes of being bitten, or you'll turn, no matter what."
I checked my watch. Ten minutes? How long had it been? I wasn't sure anymore. My pulse quickened, and I could feel the burn intensifying. Time was slipping away, and the world felt a little… off. The kind of off you feel when adrenaline's running high, but your brain knows it's barely holding it together.
And then I spotted it. A door marked with a red cross. A clinic.
I slowed my pace, glancing at the others, then slipped inside, hoping no one would notice. The antiseptic smell hit me as soon as I stepped through the door, and for a brief moment, I felt a spark of hope.
Once inside, I didn't stop to check if anyone was following. Time wasn't a luxury I had. I pulled out the green vial—the one supposed to be the cure. I was sure it was the right one. I'd seen identical vials at the corners of the case—just in case of leaks. But when I went to inject myself, I froze.
"Where's the needle on this thing?" I muttered aloud.
I stared at the vial, then at the rubber stopper. There was no needle. No way to inject the damn thing. Just a glass vial of liquid and a sinking feeling in my gut.
Panic set in. How long had it been since I was scratched? The burning sensation in my shoulder was getting worse, creeping down my arm. My heart was pounding in my chest. I had to move fast.
But what was I supposed to do? I couldn't even inject myself. I could run back to the group, but Spence was already on the verge of betraying the mercs, and Kaplan would have to shut down the system, which would set the lickers loose. I couldn't go back to Zheng's group, either. They were too close to the licker chamber.
I had one option: scavenge. I needed a syringe—anything that could help me inject this cure.
Meanwhile, with Zheng's Group...
After the mercenaries left, Lan let out a breathless laugh. "Did you see that? They looked like they were leaving us to die. Wonder how they'll feel when they meet the lickers."
With three thick metal doors and the defense system in place, their room was relatively safe. For now, anyway. It gave them a chance to relax. Jie handed a few cigarettes to Zheng, and they started talking about God's dimension again, their conversation drifting between the strange and the practical.
"There are so many things you can exchange with God," Jie said, his eyes distant, as if seeing the possibilities unfold before him. "I haven't even finished reading the list. There are four categories: Scientific, Magical, Support, and Enhancements."
"What do you mean by Scientific?" Zheng asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Oh, you know—guns, bulletproof vests, even sci-fi weapons. But they cost a fortune—definitely not something I can afford," Jie explained with a rueful smile. "Then there are Magical items—scrolls, Taoist charms, amulets, swords."
Lan jumped in, excitement lighting up his face. "You said you could get support items, like antidotes, healing drugs, even some sci-fi stuff like invisibility cloaks. And then enhancements."
Jie lit another cigarette, tapping the ash off casually. "Yeah, enhancements are my favorite. There's this Spider-Man mutation that costs 2,000 points. You get his bloodline, boosting your intelligence by 20, mental capacity by 20, cell vitality by 50, reaction speed by 100, muscle density by 100, immunity by 150. Plus, you get his web-shooting ability. All that for 2,000 points."
Zheng and the others were impressed. Lan thought for a moment, nodding. "That sounds too good to pass up. Why didn't you exchange for it?"
Jie shook his head with a bitter smile. "I'd love to. If I had that genetic mutation, I'd be a lot safer in movies like Resident Evil. But you need a Rank C reward to get it. And rewards are rare. I've only seen one in all my missions."
Zheng had to hold back the urge to mention that he actually had a Rank B reward. "What about other enhancements?"
"Well, there's also a T-virus mutation, like the one Alice has," Jie replied. "Increases intelligence by 20, mental capacity by 20, cell vitality by 50, reaction speed by 50, muscle density by 50, and immunity by 100. Plus, it gives you an evolution ability. Costs 1,500 points and a Rank C reward. Alice got it by default."
Zheng felt a new sense of hope stir in his chest. If he could survive long enough, maybe he could earn enough points to make himself stronger.
His curiosity got the better of him. "Why were you so tough on that kid earlier?"
Jie sighed, exhaling a puff of smoke as he leaned back. "That kid has potential, but he's a rascal. He was the first to wake up, but as soon as he saw my face, he shut his eyes and pretended to stay unconscious. Kept cracking one eye open to snoop on our conversations. I know his type—if you give them an inch, they'll take a mile."
Zheng was taken aback by Jie's assessment, but before Jie could elaborate, the lights in their room went out with a sudden, ominous hum.
Back to Kris...
I had spent too much time searching for something to inject the cure with, and now I was empty-handed. No syringe. No needle. Just the vial in my hand and the burning sensation spreading faster than I could process. My vision blurred, and the pounding in my chest was deafening. I could feel it now—this was a countdown. Every second that ticked by brought me closer to turning.
Then the lights went out. Of course they did.
Now, with the lickers on the loose and no light to guide me, I scrambled for a hiding spot. Finally, I ducked under a large stainless steel cabinet in one of the clinics. My heart was racing, my breath shallow as I tried to stay quiet.
But the burn in my chest felt like it was about to consume me. I had no time.
I ripped open the vial and drank the cure in desperation. And then, everything went dark.