"Interesting," Maverick muttered. While he didn’t fully grasp all the scientific jargon the man had used, the basic concept intrigued him. It hadn’t even been a day since the apocalypse began, yet humans in this world had already managed to devise a ranking system for the zombies' power levels!This development felt suspicious, almost as if it had been premeditated by someone behind the scenes.Turning his attention back to the handsome man in front of him, Maverick asked, “What does this have to do with me not going outside?”Max’s expression turned grim as he replied, “Someone spotted a Gamma-3 zombie outside.”Hearing this, Maverick’s expression hardened. “Gamma-3? How strong is it?”“That…” Max hesitated, his face twisted in a mix of unease and contemplation, before finally speaking. “I think it could take down ten of me at once.”Maverick's eyes narrowed, his tone skeptical. “That’s impossible, and you know it. It takes us several kills just to level up, thanks to the biolens tra
Max, meanwhile, was a bit taken aback and almost mistook Maverick for a zombie. But upon noticing the towel covering Maverick’s face and his calm expression, Max relaxed.“Max, why are you quiet? Is something wrong?” a voice called from behind the door he had just exited.“No problem here. I spotted a human and almost mistook him for a zombie,” Max replied, his voice calm and posture steady. “You guys stay put. Wait for me to clean up the zombies here, and we’ll head to the next floor.”Finally, he looked at Maverick, pointed at three zombies close to him, then at Maverick, and then gestured to the five zombies near himself.Maverick instantly understood his words—or rather, his signs. Max was asking him to take care of the three zombies near him while Max handled the five closer to himself.Seeing this, Maverick nodded calmly, which seemed to relieve Max.Without hesitation, Max pulled out a long sword from his waist, dashed toward the first zombie, and swung it at its neck, slicing
Her foot caught on a jagged stone, and she went down hard, a scream escaping her lips as she hit the ground. The zombies descended on her like wolves on a lamb. Their bony fingers tore into her flesh as their jagged teeth sank into her body. Her screams of agony rang out, a chilling symphony of pain and despair.Through the chaos, her tear-streaked face turned toward Maverick. Her eyes, wide with terror and desperation, seemed to plead with him for help. But all she received was a cold, emotionless stare.Maverick had no time for guilt or sympathy. He was already occupied, cleaving another zombie’s head with a single powerful swing of his axe. As another lunged at him, he spun, delivering a brutal kick that sent the creature crashing into its companions. Without missing a beat, he grabbed the nearest one by the neck, slamming its head into the wall with enough force to crush its skull. Blood and chunks of bone splattered against the concrete.The girl’s screams began to fade, replaced
Stomping down on the reverse accelerator, the car began to move. Maverick didn’t bother avoiding the corpses strewn across the garage floor. Instead, the tires crushed them with a sickening crunch, leaving black blood, flesh, and brain fluid smeared across the ground. Unperturbed, the car rolled out of the garage and into the open.The loud roar of the engine immediately drew the attention of several zombies, but before they could reach him, the car had already sped off. The few zombies in his path were no match for the Mercedes’ frame as he plowed through them without hesitation. However, as Maverick reached the main road, the scene before him starkly contrasted with the memories in his mind.The once-smooth, stone-paved road was now unrecognizable. It was riddled with deep cracks and massive potholes, as though it had been struck by relentless earthquakes. The air around the road shimmered with intense heat, making it feel like the flames that once consumed the asphalt had only rece
[Thirty-Four Notifications Await Host]The robotic female voice echoed in Maverick’s ears. Without hesitation, he gave the command, “Open them all.”[Zombie Eliminated, 0.02 Energy Points gained.][Zombie Eliminated, 0.02 Energy Points gained.][Zombie Eliminated, 0.02 Energy Points gained.][Zombie Eliminated, 0.02 Energy Points gained.]...[You have killed a unique strange Zombie, 0.20 Energy Points gained.]As Maverick scanned the notifications, his attention fixated on the last one. The unusually high reward of 0.20 Energy Points caught him off guard.“Biolens, what kind of zombie did I kill to earn such a high energy gain?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.The monotonous female voice responded without delay. [Host killed a zombie with significant radiation levels in its body, fused with the unique zombie pathogen. This combination triggered a mutation in a specific area. Based on my calculations, the mutation occurred less than three minutes before the host's intervention. If the
“Seems like the zombies can't see but rely on sounds and the scent of blood to track their prey,” Maverick reflected grimly, his cold gaze fixed on the creatures wandering aimlessly where he had thrown a chair to distract them.Taking advantage of their confusion, he crept silently behind them, his movements fluid and precise. With practiced ease, his blade pierced through their skulls one by one, silencing them forever. Yet, the dying growls echoed, loud enough to draw five more zombies from the shadows.Maverick tensed, realizing the danger. If he lingered, he would be overrun. Adjusting the sweat-soaked towel wrapped tightly around his face, he swiftly pulled his knife free and slid beneath a nearby table, crawling away with calculated stealth.Moments later, the newly arrived zombies shuffled to the spot where their fallen kin lay. They growled and snarled, their movements disjointed as they searched for the source of the disturbance. From his hidden vantage point, Maverick noted
Swoosh!The axe in Maverick's grasp whirled through the air, its edge cleaving into the zombie’s skull with a nauseating crunch. The creature didn’t even have time to let out a sound before it was obliterated, its brain matter splattering grotesquely across the wall. The lifeless body crumpled, sliding down until it slumped at the base of the bloodstained surface.Maverick’s gaze shifted to the horde below. Dozens of zombies shuffled aimlessly, their movements slow yet menacing. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward with measured intent, his posture unyielding. To him, these weren’t monsters to be feared; they were opportunities. Each kill held the promise of growth, a chance to absorb more strength.As these thoughts simmered, he found himself standing next to the corpse of the zombie he had just dispatched. Without hesitation, he tightened his grip on the axe and moved forward once more.Swoosh!Crunch!With each swing, Maverick tore through the undead like a blade slicing throu
Maverick let out a muted sigh of irritation, the faint sound of air escaping his lips almost lost amidst the oppressive silence. His joints popped and cracked as he stretched, loosening the stiffness in his body. Without wasting time, he slipped off the bag slung over his shoulder and rummaged through it, pulling out a bottle of water. Unscrewing the cap with swift precision, he poured the cool liquid over his arms, scrubbing off the dark, sticky blood that clung to his skin.The idea of radiation seeping into his bloodstream and triggering some grotesque mutation was not something he intended to gamble with. As the water trickled down and splashed onto the floor, Maverick’s expression remained impassive. Once finished, he capped the bottle and slid it back into his bag before adjusting its straps.He moved to the stairwell of the 47th floor, his boots making muted thuds against the cold concrete. Each step was measured, his senses sharpened despite the lingering ringing in his ears f
The 47th floor descended into silence after the battle, leaving only the sharp echo of Maverick’s boots as they tapped against the corridor’s hard surface. The stillness was unnerving, punctuated by the faint hum of the city far below.After scavenging a bag and stuffing it with drinks and clothes he deemed useful, Maverick prepared to leave. His mind, however, was fixated on a peculiar thought. He replayed the events that turned Tom into a fully mutated zombie. An idea flickered—would slicing someone’s throat trigger the same transformation? Or was it the deep hatred of the victim fueling the mutation? He scanned his surroundings, but the devastation left behind by the nuclear blast rendered his theory untestable. Most people here were either dead or unconscious. Searching room by room for a survivor seemed an exercise in futility.As his thoughts churned, a faint buzzing sound tugged at his ears. It grew clearer, cutting through the oppressive silence. Maverick turned toward the nea