Chapter 5: Claiming the Corridor
Alex leaned against the blood-smeared wall, his chest heaving as the last of his adrenaline high drained away. The apartment reeked of death—rotting flesh, stale blood, and sweat mixed together in a nauseating cocktail. His arms ached from wielding the machete, and his shirt stuck to his body, soaked with a mix of his sweat and the infected's blood.
He tapped the floating interface with a weary hand, its glowing screen still lingering in his vision.
[System Points: 30]
[Inventory: Open]
"Expand my safe zone, huh?" Alex muttered, glaring at the new mission prompt. "Yeah, sure. Just clear out some more of these walking nightmares while I'm one stubbed toe away from a heart attack. Great plan."
The sarcasm helped, if only a little.
Objective: Expand Your Safe Zone
The mission screen displayed an outline of the surrounding area, each apartment unit marked with a red or gray icon. Red meant infected; gray meant unexplored.
Alex's apartment—Unit 3B—was marked green, the only sign of safety amidst a sea of danger.
He zoomed in on the map, studying his immediate surroundings. According to the layout, there were six units on his floor, along with a stairwell at the far end of the hallway. The stairwell, however, pulsed with a foreboding red glow.
Tip: Stairwell zones are high-risk. Extreme caution is advised.
"Guess I'm not going downstairs anytime soon," Alex muttered.
Preparations
He tapped the inventory icon, summoning the grid-like screen that now held his few belongings:
Rusty Machete (Damaged)Roll of Gauze (x1)Energy Bar (x1)
The machete's icon pulsed faintly, drawing his attention.
Rusty Machete: Durability 7/20. Damage: Low.
Alex frowned. "Durability? So these things can break, too?"
He sighed, sliding the machete back into his hand. It felt lighter now, less solid—a reminder that even his weapons wouldn't last forever.
The Hallway
Steeling himself, Alex approached his broken doorway. His apartment was a small studio—cheap and cramped, but it had kept him alive. The thought of leaving its thin walls sent a chill down his spine, but the system wasn't giving him much of a choice.
He peeked into the hallway.
The fluorescent lights flickered erratically, casting long, twitching shadows on the dingy walls. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and faint groans echoed from somewhere further down the corridor. Blood smeared the walls and floor in chaotic streaks, as though someone had been dragged away.
"Just… take it slow," Alex whispered to himself.
He gripped the machete tightly and stepped into the hallway.
Unit 3A
The door to Unit 3A was directly across from his own. Its surface was covered in bloody handprints, and the handle hung at an odd angle, as though someone had tried to break it down.
Alex hesitated. "If there's anyone alive in there, they probably need help," he thought. "But if it's full of infected…"
He shook his head. Thinking too long would only make him panic.
He raised his machete and nudged the door open with his foot.
The room beyond was dark, the faint light from the hallway barely illuminating the interior. Alex squinted, stepping inside carefully. The smell hit him first—a concentrated blast of rot and mildew that made him gag.
His foot nudged something soft. He froze, glancing down.
It was a body.
The corpse was sprawled across the living room floor, its chest cavity torn open, ribs jutting out like jagged teeth. Flies buzzed lazily around the remains, their droning hum the only sound in the room.
Alex swallowed hard, his knuckles white as he gripped the machete. "Not going to puke. Not going to puke…"
He stepped over the body, scanning the room. The rest of the unit was in shambles—furniture overturned, broken glass scattered across the floor. He spotted an open backpack near the corpse and knelt down to inspect it.
Loot Discovered:Canned Food (x2)Bottled Water (x2)Crowbar (Good Condition)
Tip: Canned food restores stamina. Water prevents dehydration. Tools can be used as weapons or for environmental interactions.
"A crowbar, huh?" Alex muttered, lifting the tool. It was heavier than the machete, but sturdier, with no durability counter flashing beside its icon.
He placed the food and water into his inventory, the items disappearing with a faint shimmer. The crowbar, however, stayed in his hands.
"Looks like you're up, buddy," he said, giving it a test swing.
Ambush
Alex turned to leave the apartment, but a sudden noise froze him in his tracks—a wet, gurgling groan.
His blood ran cold.
The corpse on the floor twitched. Its limbs jerked unnaturally, as though pulled by invisible strings.
"Oh, come on…" Alex whispered, backing away.
The infected's milky eyes snapped open, locking onto him. With a guttural snarl, it scrambled to its feet, moving with horrifying speed.
Alex swung the crowbar instinctively, the metal bar connecting with the creature's head in a brutal arc. The infected crumpled to the floor, twitching violently before going still.
Enemy Eliminated: +5 System Points.
Alex stood over the corpse, panting. His heart felt like it was trying to burst out of his chest.
"Not… dead… enough," he muttered, bringing the crowbar down on its skull again, and again, until there was nothing left but a pulpy mess.
Returning to the Hallway
Back in the corridor, Alex closed the door to Unit 3A behind him. His hands were slick with blood, and his arms ached from the repeated swings of the crowbar.
The system chimed in his head.
Unit 3A Cleared. Safe Zone Expanded.
Mission Progress: 1/3 Units Secured.
The map updated, marking Unit 3A as green. Alex leaned against the wall, wiping sweat from his brow.
"One down," he muttered. "Two more to go."
From further down the hallway, another groan echoed. This one was louder, deeper.
Alex's stomach dropped. Whatever was waiting for him in the next unit… it wasn't going to be as simple as a single infected.