"Aaaargh..." An unsettling, low growl, devoid of any clear meaning, echoed through the ruined street, shattering the daytime quiet.
Like a pebble dropped into a still lake, this single growl quickly triggered a chorus of similar, low-pitched snarls, rising and falling across the street.
As if an alarm clock had gone off, figures slumped in the rubble began to stir, slowly rising to their feet. They were a ghastly sight, with pale, exposed skin and raw, gray-red flesh, now aimlessly wandering the street.
With the return of movement, the once-silent street was now a scene of "lively death."
Meanwhile, in a small stall of a public restroom beside the street, a young man cowered on the toilet, his hands clamped tightly over his mouth and nose.
Shu didn't dare make a sound. Although his mind was a whirlwind of panic, his body was very obediently focusing all his attention on listening to the noises outside the restroom.
Shu couldn't understand how he, a model, upstanding, new-age youth, had suddenly found himself in this godforsaken place.
He had been looking forward to his winter vacation. He'd booked a train ticket, ready to go home and brag to his friends about his New Year's Eve holiday.
He'd been eating instant noodles and listening to music on the way when suddenly, he found himself on this street.
Shu thought he was having a weird dream, that he hadn't even boarded the train yet and was just lost.
Seeing the dilapidated state of the street, Shu figured he'd ask a local what was going on.
He found a person alright, but when they turned around, half of their face was rotted away. He could clearly see the muscles and tendons, all 28 teeth on display even without the lips, and the putrid stench that hit him was enough to make Shu freeze on the spot.
To be honest, in that instant, Shu completely refused to believe he'd encountered a "zombie." His first thought was that he'd wandered onto some big-budget zombie movie set.
But the stench and the disgusting appearance still triggered a primal feeling of revulsion, making Shu instinctively take a few steps back.
And it was that unconscious retreat that saved his life.
Perhaps it had been a long time since they'd seen a living person, but after a moment of stillness, the "dead-ite" decisively opened its mouth and lunged at Shu, wanting to sink its teeth into his fresh flesh.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing? I'm not an extra!" Shu retreated another couple of steps, keeping a wary eye on the dedicated "actor" who had missed its mark and fallen to the ground, while also quickly scanning his surroundings for any cameras.
He couldn't find any cameras. Instead, the "dead-ite" that had fallen to the ground stood up in a grotesque, contorted manner, baring 14 teeth at Shu, making the youth gape in disbelief.
Why 14 teeth?
Shu looked at the other 14 teeth on the ground, along with the jawbone that held them. He then looked back at the "dead-ite" in front of him, which was now trying to use its upper jaw like a pickaxe, and finally understood the seriousness of the situation.
Makeup? Props? A hidden-camera prank?
Okay, fine. If they're going to use such incredible technology to trick him, Shu would accept it!
Better safe than sorry, right?
Shu turned around and ran without hesitation. Looking back, he saw several identical figures had appeared behind him, all with twisted postures, horrific forms, and a barely-concealed, overwhelming stench.
Shu felt a wave of nausea hit him, like the instant noodles he had just eaten were trying to force their way back up.
He fought back the urge to vomit, found an opening, and sprinted, twisting and turning like a madman, before finally diving into the restroom and locking himself in a stall.
The low growls outside began to rise and fall. Shu could only cover his mouth and nose, even though he knew he wouldn't make much noise, he still tried to give himself a sense of security.
He was reflecting, he was repenting, he was wondering what he'd done to deserve ending up in this hellhole.
Was it because he'd opened with a perfect combo of super armor and a spiral rasengan yesterday in the arena? Or was it because he'd gotten two gold pulls in a ten-pull and posted it in the group chat the day before?
It can't be that bad, right? I've been hitting the cyber-mokugyo pretty often, how did my merit balance run out this quickly?
Why aren't the ones who get five golds in a ten-pull here with me?!
...Could it be those were the "dead-ites" I just ran into?
Shu successfully found some twisted comfort and managed to calm down, starting to think rationally.
The most important thing right now wasn't how he got here, but what he should do now?
Judging by the ruined state of everything outside, the disaster must have been going on for a while. And the number of zombies on the street was not something he could ignore. Shu figured that if he walked out with a loudspeaker, he could easily attract hundreds, if not thousands of "powdered corpses."
Too many "powdered corpses" out there. I'm staying put…
Wait, where am I now?
Shu suddenly realized and looked up at the cramped space, falling into deep thought.
He'd panicked and ran without thinking. He now realized he'd cornered himself.
What good would this flimsy toilet door do? Not only was there a gap above, but there was even space to pass paper under the door. The zombies would smell him and come here.
This wasn't a good place to stay for long. Shu didn't dare flush the toilet. He took three deep breaths and carefully opened the stall door, creeping out on all fours towards the exit.
Gripping a mop handle that he had broken off, Shu peeked his head out of the restroom.
The street was vast, and despite its current state of ruin, its former glory was still evident.
Not far from the restroom, Shu saw several large shopping malls.
But those weren't his targets.
The malls would have a wealth of supplies, but they'd also have too many people, or rather, too many zombies. He wouldn't dare go in there alone.
Shu was aiming for the small, independent convenience stores. One untouched convenience store would allow him to live comfortably for a long while.
If the convenience store was already ransacked, it wouldn't be all bad news for Shu. It would at least prove that there were other survivors, and he wasn't the only one left.
After scanning his surroundings, Shu set his sights on a target.
This time, Shu took a deep breath, held it, and crouched down, moving like a duck, hugging the sidewalk, inching towards his destination.
While the zombies wandering the street weren't the kind that could be fooled by holding your breath, their already cloudy, almost rotting eyes couldn't detect Shu, who barely made any noise.
After taking a dozen quiet breaths and enduring painful legs, Shu finally stood up. After making sure the surrounding area was safe, he pressed his face against the convenience store's glass door.
Seeing that there was no movement inside, Shu carefully opened the door, squeezing in sideways.
Shu didn't notice the lock hanging on the convenience store's doorknob.
At the same time, in a corner of the convenience store, a shadowy figure began to move silently, listening to the sound of the door opening.