Chapter 8: Strength in Steel
The pounding on the door grew louder, the infected outside snarling and groaning as they slammed their rotting bodies against the barricade. The wooden shelf groaned under the strain, and Alex knew it wouldn't hold for long.
Sweat dripped down his brow as he activated the system interface. The blueprint for the Reinforced Door (Basic) hovered before him, glowing faintly.
> Blueprint: Reinforced Door (Basic)
Materials Required:
Scrap Metal (x10)
Duct Tape (x2)
Wood Planks (x4)
"Scrap metal?" Alex muttered, glancing around the apartment. He hadn't exactly seen a stash of materials lying around.
The infected slammed into the door again, shaking the entire frame. Splinters rained onto the floor as Alex gritted his teeth.
"Okay, think!" he muttered, scanning the room for anything useful.
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Scavenging Under Pressure
He started in the kitchen, yanking open drawers and cabinets. Most were filled with junk—rusty silverware, broken appliances—but a few yielded results.
> Items Found:
Kitchen Knife (Damaged, Low Durability)
Metal Pan (Scrap Metal +2)
Broken Toaster (Scrap Metal +3)
Alex tossed the pan and toaster into his inventory, feeling a flicker of hope. "Five down, five to go," he muttered.
The pounding on the door intensified, followed by the sound of wood cracking. Alex's heart leapt into his throat. He sprinted into the bedroom, where the corpse on the bed still lay motionless.
"I'm sorry about this," Alex whispered, averting his gaze as he rifled through the nightstand.
> Items Found:
Rusty Nails (x12)
Wood Planks (x2)
He grabbed the planks, shoving them into his inventory. Just as he turned to leave, the bedroom window rattled violently. Alex froze, his flashlight beam sweeping toward the noise.
A bloodied face pressed against the glass, its milky eyes staring hungrily at him.
"Shit," Alex hissed, backing away. The infected began clawing at the window, cracking the glass.
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Race Against Time
The system pinged again.
> Materials Updated: Scrap Metal (x5), Duct Tape (x2), Wood Planks (x2).
Missing Components: Scrap Metal (x5), Wood Planks (x2).
"Not enough," Alex muttered. The barricade in the living room wouldn't last much longer, and now the bedroom window was about to give out.
A sudden idea struck him. He sprinted back to the living room, ignoring the splintering wood at the front door, and swung his crowbar at a metal picture frame hanging on the wall.
The frame clattered to the floor, its edges bent and warped.
> Scrap Metal +1
Next, Alex turned to the coffee table. Its legs were thick wooden planks, held together with screws. He brought the crowbar down, prying one leg off with a loud crack.
> Wood Planks +1
The infected outside roared as the door finally gave way, the bookshelf sliding forward under the pressure. The first infected shoved its head through the gap, snarling and snapping its bloodied teeth.
"No time left," Alex growled. He accessed the system and slammed the Craft button.
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Crafting the Reinforced Door
The system's interface flared to life as materials vanished from his inventory.
> Crafting in Progress... 5 Seconds Remaining.
Alex watched helplessly as the first infected forced its way into the room, its bloated body toppling the barricade. Behind it, more pushed through, their grotesque forms illuminated by his flashlight.
"Come on, come on!" Alex yelled, gripping the steel-edged crowbar.
> Crafting Complete! Reinforced Door (Basic) Ready for Installation.
The glowing outline of the reinforced door appeared in the frame, waiting for Alex to confirm. Without hesitation, he slammed his palm against the confirmation button.
The door materialized instantly, slamming into place with a metallic clang. The infected nearest the frame smashed into the solid steel and crumpled to the ground, stunned.
The others clawed uselessly at the reinforced surface, their moans of frustration muffled.
Alex collapsed against the wall, panting heavily. His leg throbbed where the stalker had slashed him, and his ribs ached with every breath.
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A Brief Respite
The system pinged again, this time with a calmer tone.
> Safe Zone Upgraded: Reinforced Door Secured.
Infected Cannot Breach Current Defenses.
Alex let out a shaky laugh, wiping the sweat from his forehead. For the first time in what felt like hours, he could breathe without the fear of being torn apart.
He glanced at the reinforced door, its steel surface gleaming in the dim light. "That better hold," he muttered.
His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since this nightmare began. Alex pulled an energy bar from his inventory and tore it open, wolfing it down in seconds. The faint sweetness gave him a small burst of energy, enough to push through the exhaustion.
As he sat there, the system pinged again.
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New Mission: Expand and Fortify
> Objective: Clear Floor 2 of Infected.
Reward: Skill (Survival Instincts, Tier 1), Bonus Loot Crate.
Alex groaned, leaning his head back against the wall. "You're really not giving me a break, are you?"
The second floor loomed below him, filled with more infected—and likely worse things waiting in the shadows. But with the steel-edged crowbar in hand and the safety of the reinforced door, he finally felt like he had a fighting chance.
Alex stood, gripping his weapon tightly. "Fine. Let's see what else you've got for me."
With a deep breath, he opened his system map and marked the stairwell leading down.
It was time to descend into the unknown.