Thomas shifted the truck into drive and slammed his foot on the accelerator. The Raptor surged forward, its massive tires crunching over debris and cracked asphalt. The first zombie that tried to block his path was met with the full force of the reinforced bumper, its body flung to the side like a ragdoll. Thomas winced but kept his focus ahead, weaving through the maze of abandoned vehicles.
The horde began to swarm, drawn by the truck's engine and the commotion it caused. Zombies lunged at the Raptor, their decayed hands clawing at the windows and sides. Thomas gritted his teeth, gripping the wheel tightly as he navigated through the chaos.
He reached a narrow section of the lot, where cars were tightly packed together. Slowing down was not an option. He switched gears, the Raptor's powerful engine roaring as he plowed through, the reinforced frame shrugging off the impact of smaller cars and zombies alike. Broken glass and severed limbs littered the ground behind him.
As he neared the exit of the parking lot, a particularly large group of zombies blocked his path. They had gathered near the gate.
Thomas's mind raced. There were too many to drive through without risking damage to the truck, and stopping was out of the question.
He glanced at his inventory and smirked.
"Let's give them something to chew on."
He summoned another grenade, pulled the pin, and he tossed it out of the driver's side window and immediately accelerated.
The grenade landed in the middle of the horde, and a deafening explosion followed.
BOOM!
The shockwave sent zombies flying in every direction, clearing the path ahead. Thomas didn't waste a second. He drove through the smoke and debris, the Raptor's suspension absorbing the rough terrain with ease.
Finally, he burst out of the parking lot and onto the open road. The groans of the undead faded into the distance as the Raptor's powerful engine carried him away from the chaos.
Thomas exhaled, his hands still gripping the wheel tightly. The adrenaline coursing through his veins made his heart pound in his chest, but for the first time in hours, he felt a glimmer of hope.
"Made it," he muttered, glancing at the rearview mirror. The parking lot—and the horrors it held—were now far behind him.
[Congratulations! You have completed your quest!]
[You received: 25,000 Blood Coins, 1x mystery box, 3,000 experience points.]
[User: Thomas Estaris]
[Level: 4]
[Experience Points: 12,820/14,583]
[Blood coins: 139,450]
Thomas barely had a moment to process the victory message that flashed in his vision. The rush of completing the quest was tempered by the grim reality around him. The night was far from over, and the road ahead was riddled with threats. Zombies were still lurking, drawn by the noise of the Raptor's roaring engine, their mangled forms shambling out of alleyways and side streets.
Thomas tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles white as he focused on navigating the road. A trio of zombies stumbled onto the road ahead, their rotting faces illuminated by the Raptor's headlights. Without hesitation, he pressed the accelerator, the powerful truck surging forward.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The reinforced bumper made quick work of the undead, flinging their broken bodies aside like discarded trash. A spray of dark ichor splattered across the windshield, but the Raptor's wipers, equipped with all-weather blades, cleared it in a single sweep.
"Sorry, no mercy tonight," Thomas muttered.
Further down the road, a larger group of zombies had formed a makeshift blockade. Cars were abandoned haphazardly, their doors hanging open, and the undead clambered over the vehicles, their guttural groans growing louder as they spotted the approaching truck.
"Persistent, aren't you?" Thomas growled, his eyes narrowing.
He reached into his inventory mid-drive and summoned another grenade. With his free hand, he pulled the pin and tossed it out of the driver's side window, his eyes flicking back to the road ahead.
BOOM!
The explosion lit up the night, a fiery blast that scattered the horde and sent vehicle debris flying. The remaining zombies were either stunned or blown apart, their ragged forms crumpling to the asphalt.
The truck rumbled forward, but there was no time to celebrate. More zombies poured onto the road from a nearby alley, their lifeless eyes glowing faintly in the dark. Thomas grimaced. This stretch of road wasn't going to let him leave without a fight.
He swerved sharply to avoid a zombie lunging at the side of the truck, the Raptor's tires screeching as it skidded slightly. The undead creature missed its mark, tumbling to the ground and rolling beneath the rear tires. The crunch of bone and flesh was sickening but necessary.
Ahead, another zombie jumped directly into his path, its bloated body slamming against the hood with a dull thud. The creature clawed at the windshield, its jagged nails scratching the glass. Thomas slammed on the brakes, sending the zombie flying forward. He shifted gears and sped up again, the Raptor plowing over the writhing creature without slowing.
The road finally opened up, giving him a clear view of his surroundings. He slowed down slightly, glancing in the rearview mirror. A handful of zombies were still trailing him, their decayed forms moving surprisingly fast for their condition.
But he could rest now, the read ahead of him was clear of obstruction. There's no way for them to catch up to him even if they are running at full speed.
Five minutes—there was no obstruction for five minutes, not even zombies. He allowed himself a fleeting moment of peace, his thoughts wandering back to his home, a modest house nestled in a quiet subdivision 10 kilometers from Adamson College. The thought of returning to a familiar place, even one likely overrun, brought him a sliver of comfort. Home had always been a symbol of safety, of solace—a place where, even now, he might find something worth holding onto.
But that peace was short-lived.
A loud thud shook the truck as something heavy landed on the roof. Thomas's eyes snapped upward in alarm, his heart skipping a beat. The sound of screeching metal followed, and suddenly, a massive claw tore through the reinforced roof like it was paper, sending shards of steel and insulation scattering into the cabin.
"What the hell?!" Thomas shouted, swerving the truck violently in an attempt to dislodge whatever had landed.
But the creature didn't budge. Instead, its monstrous form leaned into the tear it had created, and for the first time, Thomas got a good look at it through the gaping hole in the roof.