The MP5 roared to life, sending a burst of bullets downrange. The first two zombies fell instantly, their heads blown apart by the precise shots. The other two were staggered but continued moving, their grotesque, decayed faces locked in his direction.
Thomas adjusted his aim and fired again.
Ratatatat!
[Zombies killed: 2/100]
[Zombies killed: 4/100]
The notifications flashed in his peripheral vision, giving him a strange sense of accomplishment. The MP5 was a game-changer—its rapid-fire capability allowed him to handle multiple targets with ease.
As Thomas continued to fire, a growing realization dawned on him—the zombies were becoming more reactive. The sound of the MP5 echoed through the open school grounds, pulling the undead from every direction. What had initially been clusters of wandering zombies now began to coalesce into a unified horde.
The reason—the rain has already turned into drizzle, providing less sound cover.
Ratatatat!
Another burst of bullets shredded through three more zombies, their lifeless bodies crumpling to the blood-streaked ground.
[Zombies killed: 7/100]
He glanced around, noticing movement on the far edges of the school property. Zombies were pouring out of classrooms and hallways, their frenzied moans growing louder with every passing second.
From his vantage point on the rooftop, Thomas watched in stunned silence as the horde pressed against the wall of the school building he was on, their momentum causing them to pile on top of each other. Just like in World War Z, the zombies used their own bodies as makeshift ladders, climbing higher and higher with each second.
Thomas's heart dropped. "Oh, hell no."
Panic surged through Thomas as he watched the horde of zombies pile on top of each other, creating a terrifying, writhing tower of bodies.
"Oh no, this is bad," Thomas muttered under his breath, his fingers tightening on the MP5. His eyes frantically darted to the side, searching for an escape. But there was no escape as behind the main exit of the rooftop, there were zombies trying to barge in.
The zombies below were now reaching up the school wall, climbing over each other, desperate to get to him.
"Focus," Thomas hissed to himself. He quickly checked the ammo count.
[Ammo: 50/600 (MP5)]
[Blood Coins: 53,400]
He opened the Shop Tab, praying the system had something that could turn the tide. Scrolling frantically through the options, his eyes landed on a solution that made his heart race.
[Item Purchased: M67 Grenade x3 –450 Blood Coins]
[Blood coins:
The grenades materialized instantly in his inventory. Without hesitation, Thomas pulled one out, yanked the pin, and hurled it straight into the writhing mass of zombies piling against the wall.
BOOM!
The explosion was deafening. It ripped through the undead tower, scattering charred limbs and rotten flesh in every direction. The force of the blast knocked several zombies off the wall, collapsing a large section of the pile. The sound temporarily drowned out the relentless groans.
[Zombies killed: 75/100]
Thomas didn't waste time celebrating. He grabbed another grenade, pulled the pin, and tossed it at another cluster forming near the base of the building.
BOOM!
The second explosion obliterated more of the horde, sending chunks of undead flying.
[Zombies killed: 92/100]
But the grenade had an unintended consequence: it attracted more zombies from afar and rushed to the base of the school building. He has to lure them away.
With that, he threw the last grenade, as far as he could toward the outskirts of the school grounds. The grenade sailed through the air before landing.
BOOM!
The explosion sent a shockwave across the grounds.
The zombies that were gathering at the base, were momentarily distracted—and then went to the source of the explosion.
"Now it's my chance!"
Ratatatata.
Thomas reappeared and then killed nine zombies using his MP5.
[Zombies killed: 100/100]
[Quest Complete! Congratulations! You have earned 50,000 Blood Coins and 1,000 EXP.]
[You have leveled up!]
[Level 2: 4,000/4,230]
Thomas stood on the rooftop, panting and sweating, the MP5 smoking in his hands. His eyes darted to the glowing system notification, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he processed the achievement.
"Level 2," he muttered, a small smirk creeping onto his face. "I'm starting to get the hang of this."
The satisfaction of completing the quest and leveling up was short-lived as his ears picked up the faint groans of zombies still lingering in the area, especially from the door.
Thomas wiped the sweat from his brow and quickly checked his status screen.
[Current Blood Coins: 104,950]
[Current Souls: 200]
[Ammo: 20/600 (MP5)]
"I killed 200 zombies and I'm still level 2?" Thomas just realized it. He needed to kill 12 more, since one zombie is equivalent to 20
"I killed 200 zombies, and I'm still just level 2?" Thomas muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. The realization hit him like a brick—he still needed 12 more kills to level up. One zombie was equivalent to 20 experience points, and while he was close to leveling up, the grind was beginning to wear on him.
"Alright," he sighed, gripping the MP5 tightly. "Twelve more. Let's finish this."
Thomas scanned the school grounds from the rooftop, his sharp eyes searching for any remaining zombies. The earlier explosions had drawn many of them away, but a few stragglers wandered aimlessly below. He quickly checked his ammunition count.
[Ammo: 20/600 (MP5)]
[Blood Coins: 104,950]
"Not much ammo left in the mag, but I can work with it," he said. He crouched low, taking aim at a lone zombie staggering near a pile of its fallen comrades. Its grotesque face twitched as it let out a low groan, unaware of the predator above.
Ratatat!
The burst of bullets hit the zombie square in the head, and it collapsed in a heap.
[Zombies killed: 201]
[Experience Points: 4,020/4,230]
Thomas smirked. "Eleven more."
[Zombies killed: 212]
[Experience Points: 4,040/8,693]
[You have leveled up!]
[New Skills Unlocked: Combat proficiency Level 1]
Thomas sighed and retreated away from the railings. Still, the banging from the door is jolting him. He knew that he couldn't stay here forever as the rooftop won't even make much sense in terms of a base. Not to mention, in the middle of the city.
He had to get out of this place. But the only way to get out was through that door. If he would get through that door, he needed protection. Since he can't summon forces right now, he must rely on protective equipment that would protect him from bites and scratches from the zombies. After all, that's their mode of infection.
Thomas quickly pulled up the Shop Tab, scanning for protective gear.
He scrolled past tactical vests, riot helmets, and other military equipment before his eyes landed on something that made him pause—a full SWAT Tactical Gear Set.
[SWAT Tactical Gear Set - 1,000 Blood Coins]
Description: Includes a bulletproof vest, helmet, gloves, elbow and knee guards, tactical boots, and a bite-resistant suit. Offers protection from bites, scratches, and moderate ballistic threats.
He didn't hesitate.
[Item Purchased: SWAT Tactical Gear Set - 15,000 Blood Coins]
[Blood Coins Remaining: 103,950]
The gear materialized in his inventory, and he immediately equipped it. Each piece fit snugly, as if right for his size.
Thomas flexed his fingers in the gloves and took a few steps in the boots. "Not bad," he muttered, feeling more confident. The groans from the door grew louder, followed by the ominous creak of the barricade.
Now, he couldn't just open the door as the moment he did that, the zombies would come rushing towards him. He needed something that would give him a moment of time to get ready for entering the door.
He had an idea. A claymore.
[M18 Claymore Mine - 800 Blood Coins]
Description: A directional anti-personnel mine. When triggered, the explosion unleashes a deadly spray of steel balls in a 60-degree arc. Effective for clearing groups of enemies.
[Item Purchased: M18 Claymore Mine x2 – 1,600 Blood Coins]
[Blood Coins Remaining: 102,350]
Two claymores materialized in his inventory. Thomas quickly pulled two out, inspecting the compact device. It was lighter than he expected, and the system had already provided him with the knowledge of how to use it.
"Perfect," he muttered.
He placed the claymores a few feet in front of the barricaded door, carefully angling it toward the entrance. Then, he connected the tripwire and secured it across the doorway. Any zombies bursting through would trigger an immediate explosion.
Thomas stepped back, admiring his work. "That should buy me some time."
Of course, once the door was open, not all the zombies on the stairway would be caught in the explosion, so he bought three M84 stun grenades for 450 blood coins. And also for more firepower, he bought another three M67 grenades for 450 blood coins.
[Blood Coins Remaining: 101,500]
Luckily, the armor vest that came with the SWAT armor had holsters for the grenades. Still, he wasn't satisfied, he needed energy.
Thomas scrolled down the Shop Tab and found what he needed.
[Adrenaline Shot – 100 Blood Coins]
Description: Temporarily boosts strength, speed, and reaction time for five minutes. Ideal for emergency escapes or combat situations.
Without hesitation, Thomas purchased two shots.
[Item Purchased: Adrenaline Shot x2 – 200 Blood Coins]
[Blood Coins Remaining: 101,300]
The syringes materialized in his inventory, and he quickly tucked them into one of the utility pouches on his SWAT vest.
As he stepped back to review his setup, the system chimed with a new notification.
[New Mission Unlocked]
[Mission: Escape the University
Objective: Leave the university premises.
Rewards: 25,000 Blood Coins, 1x mystery box, 3,000 experience points.]
"Escape the university?" Thomas repeated. The system wanted him to leave his university? That seemed difficult, considering that there are hundreds of students present in the university.
Well—whatever it takes.
Thomas looked at the door, and still, it was being banged by the zombies from the other side. He took one adrenaline shot by injecting himself through his wrist.
Almost instantly, a surge of energy shot through his veins like a lightning bolt. His breathing steadied, his senses sharpened, and his grip on the MP5 tightened with newfound strength.
"Alright. Time to move."
He leveled the MP5 at the door handle, and seconds later, he squeezed the trigger.