He reached for the card but didn't examine it immediately, instead swinging his bat again to brutally smash the head of the dumb level 1 zombie still hissing in a daze.
With that, the fight ended, and he couldn't help but exhale. Good, he had only spent 2 stamina points and gained 11 experience. Including before, his experience bar was now 15/20.
Memphis turned to look at Lionel and Amanda, who still bore expressions of fear and bewilderment, and calmly said:
"Chairman Hester, I want to resign."
In the blood-soaked room, the atmosphere suddenly fell silent.
This was something Memphis had wanted to say for years.
Lionel, who initially intended to praise Memphis out of habit, was taken aback when he heard this, his mouth twitching. He suppressed his anger and quickly put on a sincere smile:
"Memphis, you saved our lives, whatever you say goes. Isn't that right, Amanda?"
Lionel, being the director of a scam company, was extremely cunning and shameless. In that brief moment, he had thought of numerous possibilities and decided that, given Memphis's capabilities, he should first satisfy and appease him. He even roped Amanda into the conversation, trying to forge a connection.
Amanda, being both Lionel's secretary and mistress, understood his intentions clearly. She immediately suppressed her fear and confusion, giving a "professional" smile:
"That's right, Memphis, whatever you say goes. We've always been good friends."
She was even more direct than Lionel, deciding to strengthen her relationship with Memphis as much as possible. After all, she didn't believe Lionel could be as fierce in killing enemies as Memphis was.
Seeing the two of them exchange pleasantries, Memphis couldn't help but smile wryly. He realized he had underestimated their cunning before.
He had initially wanted to stir up some conflict so he could leave without any emotional burden. But given their tactful words, he couldn't go against his conscience and had to nod:
"Yes."
Few words, acknowledging a bit, but making no promises.
Then he immediately asked:
"Director Hester, Amanda, did you see the giant skull in the sky earlier?"
Lionel and Amanda were taken aback, then quickly responded:
"Yes, I saw it, and I heard the skull say something about a game..."
"Yes, yes, then my vision went white, and a few seconds later, Kieron and the others went crazy..."
Now they started to express their fear and confusion, recounting everything.
Memphis quietly listened to their recounting and then raised an eyebrow and asked:
"Did you get an attribute panel but no skills?"
Lionel and Amanda looked at each other and shook their heads.
Memphis pondered, thinking carefully. It seemed that the conditions "survive" and "level up" within a certain time were necessary to receive skill gifts. So, he was the only one with the so-called resource system panel and level-up capability. He raised the baseball bat and calmly said:
"The world has undergone some unknown transformation. I only know that killing zombies with this can increase experience, and with enough experience, one can level up and enhance their body. It was through these enhancements that I was able to fight the zombies."
He shared some information but didn't mention that leveling up could grant skills. After all, there were no zombies for these two to hunt right now.
He then showed the card in his hand and continued:
"Killing zombies can also drop some items, like this."
The card in Memphis's hand quickly conveyed mechanical information into his mind.
"Ding! Random item card, confirm usage?"
"Use."
Following his confirmation, the card suddenly shattered into a burst of light, then reformed into a long-handled machete with black hilt and red skull patterns, looking extremely sharp.
"Ding! Machete Lv2. Attributes: +2 strength, +1 agility. A sharp weapon."
Memphis felt a surge of joy, sensing that wielding the newly acquired scimitar made him a bit stronger. With this weapon, hunting zombies would be much easier.
Both Lionel and Amanda were speechless at the transformation they witnessed, fully convinced by Memphis's earlier explanation.
There was a hint of greed in Lionel's eyes. In this mutation, strength meant survival. However, he was wise enough not to reveal his thoughts, carefully saying:
"Memphis, if we use guns to kill zombies, will we also receive enhancements?"
Memphis raised an eyebrow and shook his head in response:
"I don't know. After all, I don't have a gun. Do you, Mr. Hester?"
Lionel quickly replied:
"Yes, I have a k54 with 12 bullets, but it's hidden in the security room."
Running a scam company, he naturally prepared a few illegal items but kept them well-hidden, avoiding storing them in his office to prevent additional charges if the police ever raided.
He quickly added:
"Memphis, if you can get that gun for me, I'll give you all this money."
As he spoke, Lionel pulled out thick stacks of cash from his desk drawer.
Amanda's eyes lit up slightly at the sight of the money.
She became Lionel's mistress not for love or lust, but for money.
Memphis immediately shook his head, refusing:
"Mr. Hester, I don't need money right now. However, I can retrieve the gun, but I want to use it. You know, fighting zombies is very dangerous, and I remember there are still two guards in the room who are likely dead by now."
Lionel hearing Memphis's refusal then gritted his teeth. He didn't immediately agree but asked instead:
"What are your plans next?"
Memphis calmly replied:
"First, I'll find my younger brother, gather some food, and then we'll head to the outskirts. The city is full of zombies, and I don't plan to stay here."
Lionel nodded at this:
"I can show you where the gun and ammunition are hidden and give you the company pickup truck keys. However, you must promise to take us with you when you escape and help me get back to Pinecrest to save my family."
Memphis's eyes lit up at this. A pickup truck would be excellent. Even if he couldn't drive, Lionel certainly could.
As for taking them along and saving their family, Memphis didn't find it too disagreeable. After some consideration, he agreed:
"Deal."
After reaching a mutual understanding, Memphis immediately said:"Prepare yourselves, gather all the food and drinks, and wear more clothes to protect yourselves. As for other useless things, I suggest not taking them."To Memphis, things like money or gold were relatively useless at the moment and would only add weight.Lionel and Amanda both nodded, hesitantly agreeing. They first checked their phones, feeling even more anxious when they saw the signal bars were dead.Ignoring them as they packed, Memphis moved towards the door, peeking through the peephole.It was impossible to see inside from the outside, but from the inside, he could easily see out.Outside, there were indeed zombies attracted to the noise. Moreover, there were more than one."Infectious form level 1, can turn living beings into the same kind.""Infectious form level 2, can turn living beings into the same kind."Relying on his scouting vision, Memphis confirmed that the two zombies were relatively normal. They w
Bang! Bang! Bang!The door shook continuously, then with a crack, it burst open, the lock unable to withstand the zombie's monstrous strength.A tall zombie with a rotten, slimy face stepped out of the room."Aaah... Mmm mmm..."Amanda couldn't help but scream in horror, immediately being silenced by Lionel beside her.Though Lionel was equally terrified, he feared attracting more zombies even more.This tall zombie seemed to be Devlin Leyton, Kieron Leyton's brother. It hissed threateningly, its heavy footsteps moving towards Memphis and the others."Its speed isn't too high, but its monstrous strength is immense!"Memphis quickly assessed the situation. As the zombie's claw came down, he used his superior speed to dodge, gripping the machete and slashing upwards, striking its arm joint.Crack!The zombie's claw was severed on the spot.The zombie didn't feel any pain and swung its remaining hand towards Memphis's head. He quickly crouched, rolled through its legs, and moved behind i
Having made their decision, the three of them lined up and left, heading straight for the stairwell. Memphis took the lead, Amanda in the middle, and the portly Lionel brought up the rear, his hand trembling as he gripped the baseball bat.Kheeze… Kheeze…At the staircase landing between the 3rd and 2nd floors, two zombies were kneeling, gnawing on a body. Hearing the footsteps of the three people coming down, one of them immediately turned its head and then crawled over."Infectious form level 2, can turn living beings into the same kind.""Infectious form level 2, can turn living beings into the same kind."Just two level 2 zombies. Memphis swung his sword, shattering the skull of the crawling zombie, then casually chopped off the head of the other one still engrossed in eating.His experience points had risen to 12/40.He turned to Lionel and Amanda:"If you have the courage to face them, you can gain greater power. These zombies are disgusting and dangerous, but they're also relat
Right at this moment, a jet-black baseball bat struck, knocking that arm aside.It was none other than Amanda Owens, who appeared to be the most frail and harmless.At the critical moment, she stood up, wielding the bat towards the strongest zombie.Memphis seized the opportunity, conjuring a second ice spear in his hand, gritting his teeth as he plunged it into the eye socket of the large-handed zombie, piercing through its skull.One fatal move."Kheeze... Kheeze..."The two newly emerged zombies were not frightened by their comrade's death, continuing to crawl up, their large mouths gaping like blood basins ready to bite.Memphis had a chance to catch his breath, quickly pulling the ice spear out of the large-handed zombie's eye socket, and thrusting it straight into the mouth of an approaching zombie.At the same time, Amanda swung the baseball bat, hitting the top of the other zombie's head with a "bop" flattening it.The two level 1 and level 2 zombies were killed before they co
Watching Amanda use her skill and excitedly explaining, Lionel hurriedly stammered:"Can... Can you recover me too? I'm so tired, only 2 stamina points left..."He had spent half an hour in the office fighting off 3 or 4 zombies and was nearly exhausted.Amanda awkwardly said:"It will be 5 more minutes before I can use it again."Memphis looked at him for a moment, then said:"Just wait a bit. This time she served me, next time it will be your turn."His words were somewhat strange, causing all three to fall into a brief silence. Memphis coughed and led the way down:"Let's go, you two need to be a bit more careful."Lionel and Amanda shook off their random thoughts and quickly followed Memphis.As soon as they exited the emergency stairs, a level 2 zombie approached.Memphis casually slashed it, then calmly ordered:"Watch the situation behind us, keep me informed, I'll lead the way.""Got it!"The outdoor parking lot was on the left side. Memphis glanced over and immediately saw a
The big-handed zombie let out a cry, its other hand swatting over, immediately deflecting the ice spear, causing it to only pierce its right shoulder.But that was enough for Memphis. He immediately spent a point of intellect, shooting cold air into the wound, freezing the zombie's shoulder quickly, then with a pop, it shattered into small pieces, leaving half its body in fragments.Even so, it didn't die, nor did it feel pain, letting out a loud cry, its swollen arm grabbing the ice spear, trying to pull Memphis closer.Memphis immediately let go, spending another point of intellect to create an ice hammer, decisively smashing it into its head.Bop!The heavy ice hammer crushed the zombie's head into pulp, and it immediately fell to the side, unable to even groan.Only then did the remaining three zombies notice the commotion, all simultaneously shuffling over, reaching out their monstrous claws towards Memphis.6 seconds to maintain the skill.Memphis's head was a bit dizzy, the ice
Memphis continued to examine the remaining two skill books and the item card."Ding! First-tier passive skill: Enhanced Resilience. Skill attribute: Permanently gives the owner +3 resilience. The skill cannot be repeated, but can be enhanced and advanced.""Ding! First-tier active skill: Thunder Ball. Skill attribute: Summons two thunder balls from the sky to strike the target. Activation cost: 1 stamina point, 2 intelligence points. Cooldown: 2 minutes. Note: Power and number of thunder balls are determined by intelligence and skill level.""Ding! Apocalypse Jacket lv3. Attribute: +1 to all stats. Durability 3/3, can defend against 3 attacks from monsters bel
After slashing two more level 2 zombies, the area around the gas station was clear of monsters.He was unlucky not to have dropped any items, gaining only exp and gold coins."70/80 exp, almost leveling up."Memphis hesitated for a moment but ultimately discarded the idea of searching for more zombies to kill. Safety was paramount; once safe, he could think further. If he recklessly left the safe zone and encountered a zombie above level 10, he would surely die without a burial place.Returning to the car, Memphis saw Lionel filling a plastic can in the back.
A skilled Marksman might fire 10 skill volleys and take down 40 zombies before exhausting their energy and needing assistance from a Healer. In contrast, a Melee Fighter could take down those same 40 zombies with only about 4 stamina points, moving at lightning speed. The truly skilled and experienced ones consumed even less.Melee Fighters contributed the most to the tally of 33,000 zombies slain from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., fighting continuously without pause.Abel, usually well-regarded, found himself completely outclassed in this battle.What could he do? Fight Diego? Haha, in a one-on-one match, a Marksman typically stood no chance against a Melee Fighter. They were faster, more reactive, and could dodge attacks while closing the distance. Lightning balls or fire blades hurle
It was a losing trade that might not even yield the desired outcome. After all, the anti-demon effects displayed by Jarred earlier weren’t omnipotent. It was, at the end of the day, just a Level 4 weapon. How could they possibly procure enough shells to take down the zombie horde of over 80,000?Zared glanced around before clearing his throat and saying: “Deputy Leader Wallflower, actually...""Commander Riggs, Leader Sears currently holds that item, and it cannot be used temporarily.” Wallflower interjected sharply, cutting Zared off as soon as he glanced left. She silently cursed the old fox for clinging too persistently.Did he want to use lofty ideals to requisition her prized possessions? Not without paying the right price.Silenced, Zared could only fume quietly, while the other leaders exchanged wry smiles.Starla wasn’t participating in this campaign and had gone off alone to breach Hour. Not only were they failing to assist her in securing the ferry, but now they were trying
Normally, humanity appreciated stationary zombie hordes because they could lure small groups away, picking them off gradually. The horde’s numbers would dwindle, and the pressure on the humans would be minimal—they could drag it out as long as they needed. But here, things were different. Their primary goal was to lure the entire horde away to seize the weapons depot, not to endure relentless face-offs like this.They no longer had enough artillery shells to target the horde’s center and eliminate its core forces. This left the army with only one option: close-quarters combat. Asymmetric warfare remained asymmetric from beginning to end.Out of 100,000 zombies, they had managed to kill about 15,000 since morning, losing 31 soldiers in the process. Their ammunition reserves were running dangerously low. Meanwhile, the Soul Suppression emitted by the 100,000-strong zombie horde was both powerful and far-reaching, making prolonged resistance impossible. The weaker soldiers were already d
Jarred could only stick his tongue out, panting heavily, pretending not to hear. He lacked the strength to argue, letting his brother’s scolding wash over him. Around him, Sasha activated her Springtime Youth skill, restoring 80% of his maximum stamina and mental energy while eliminating two debuffs: nausea and hallucinations. Warren followed with Mysterious Turtle Saves The World, erasing 80% of his physical damage and tripling his recovery rate until all his injuries were healed.Both Sasha and Warren had recently consumed a bounty of experience crystals, reaching level 10. Their third-tier skills, enhanced to +3, made their healing abilities truly formidable.Seeing that his brother was out of danger, Memphis felt a fleeting sense of relief, though it was soon replaced by an unexpected pang of envy.He feared death. The kind of experimentation Jarred had just undertaken to refine his skill proficiency—testing it on his own body—was something Memphis longed to attempt but could neve
This was the fourth-tier skill Counterturn, enhanced with single-strike explosive force, carrying 85% of the original power Memphis had personally charged into it.Level 4 equipment, when used wisely, could produce strategic effects capable of influencing large-scale battles. But only if used correctly.Using a Level 4 Demon Slayer gun on humans would be idiotic. Forcing someone to strip with a Level 4 Seal Ring? Even more idiotic. Swallowing a Level 4 Gluttony Prison to escape an enemy? Madness. Drinking a Level 4 Mutant Potion to activate its Silence effect during a battle you’re commanding? Utter lunacy.Similarly, the Level 4 Mimic Ring required careful selection of skills for specific situations. It wasn’t about copying the strongest skill and unleashing it indiscriminately—that was brute-force fighting. The key lay in choosing the most suitable skill for the scenario.In this battle, if Memphis had copied three attacks from E3 Level 33, he would have failed. Even launching three
Why didn’t humanity retreat to create distance and dodge these attacks? Because if everyone retreated, who would hold the line? The fortifications painstakingly built could not simply be abandoned.Humanity was clever, but the zombies were learning too. After Memphis issued the order to fall back, maintaining distance, the level 29 M2 went berserk, unleashing wide-area Soul Suppression attacks across the entire battlefield. Even without clear targets, it roared relentlessly, targeting the peripheral zones of the low-level zombie horde under attack.This carpet-bombing tactic created a situation where assault soldiers endured continuous shockwaves. Even if they weren’t directly targeted, the residual effects depleted their energy pointlessly, while the "useless" survivors remained untouched.It was a disaster. Realizing the beast couldn’t be easily deceived, Memphis had no choice but to deploy forces closer to the battlefield again, using human lives as shields for the troops. The situ
However, the current distance was still insufficient. From the center of the zombie horde to the human frontlines was over three kilometers. When the Soul Suppression wave struck the 300 people present, it caused only some pale faces and mild panic among the survivors of Iron Stone. The residents of Hope, long accustomed to such attacks, remained entirely unaffected.After this exchange of blows, with neither side sustaining any losses, Memphis drew his D.E pistol from his holster and fired two loud shots into the air. From elevated positions along both sides of the tactical trenches, hundreds of soldiers in specialized combat uniforms suddenly rose and unleashed a barrage of attacks on the surging horde of zombies below.Their positions were the closest to the frontlines, near the entrances to ten tunnels teeming with zombies. Attacking from above was most advantageous. Their combat uniforms, made from burlap soaked in zombie flesh and blood, effectively masked their human scent agai
At 7:30 a.m. on the 22nd day after the apocalypse, the first zombie stepped into Trench No. 4, officially marking the beginning of the battle on the outskirts of Iron Stone Town.The first zombie was followed by a second, then a third, then a tenth, and soon hundreds poured into the area of ten interconnected trenches. This was the opening skirmish between a horde of 70,000 zombies and nearly 600 humans.From a kilometer away, Memphis observed the battlefield through binoculars, scrutinizing each wave of zombies entering the trenches to gauge the overall situation and assess the evolutionary progress on the 22nd day of the apocalypse. This was his first encounter with a zombie horde under command since safe crystals had been distributed. Humanity had advanced significantly—but what about the zombies?Fortunately, nearly 80% of the horde remained at level 1, indicating they had not undergone comprehensive upgrades across the board. In terms of their foundational strength, this horde wa
Just yesterday, over a dozen residents from Hope Town, despite having endured countless hardships and learning the value of peace, still dared to stand against order. How could Memphis be assured that the residents of Iron Stone Town would stay compliant?The extreme protest in Rutted Track yesterday was a nightmare Memphis had no intention of repeating. He needed to prepare from the smallest steps to block similar schemes in the future. The most straightforward and upright method? Throw those eager to join into the flames of war until they were thoroughly tempered."Understand the pain and harshness of war? Understood, haven’t you? Then live sensibly from now on."This was just one reason why he kept the residents of Iron Stone Town in their original location. Another