Chapter 4: Classy

Lin returned to his residence, a high-rise building where he occupied the top floor, the twentieth. His home was a testament to meticulous organization and cleanliness, with everything arranged in a minimalist style that was both pleasing to the eyes and functional. The windows were reinforced with sturdy white steel guardrails, a necessary precaution against the anticipated attacks of flying mutant beasts during the impending apocalypse.

Lin had also installed solar panels. Although he was about to turn into a zombie, electricity remained crucial. With his human reasoning intact, he foresaw the need for entertainment and information. Watching TV, playing games, and using his cell phone would not only help him pass the time but also gather valuable intelligence in the new world order.

As the night progressed, Lin awaited the dawn, knowing that the apocalypse was scheduled to start at 9:00 AM. Watching the clock tick towards the fateful hour, he stood by his window, observing the street below bustling with traffic and pedestrians, blissfully unaware of the impending doom.

At exactly nine o'clock, the change was instantaneous and dramatic. The sky, adorned with a bright sunrise, suddenly turned a deep, blood-red hue. People on the street stopped in their tracks, staring upwards in confusion and disbelief. Questions and exclamations filled the air, and many began to capture this strange phenomenon on their phones, unaware of the catastrophe about to unfold.

Without warning, chaos erupted. People collapsed onto the streets, cars crashed into each other, windows shattered, and in mere moments, the once orderly street turned into a scene of apocalyptic destruction. The initial confusion quickly turned into horror as the realization dawned on the survivors – the dead were rising, turning into zombies right before their eyes.

Amid the screaming and chaos, Lin experienced his own transformation. Losing consciousness briefly, he awoke to find himself changed – he was now a zombie. Though his appearance remained largely the same, aside from an unnatural pallor, he felt different. His body felt stiff, movements sluggish, and a sense of numbness pervaded his limbs. Lin Dong realized that he had become what he had anticipated – a D-level zombie (low-level), devoid of much of his former physical abilities.

Despite these changes, Lin noticed enhancements in other areas. His hearing and smell had become more acute, and his nails had turned into sharp, iron-like claws. His teeth could now easily tear through flesh and blood. Testing his new abilities, he bit into an apple and found it tasteless, like chewing wax. His hunger for raw flesh and blood grew insurmountable.

Resorting to his habitual elegance, Lin set a table with raw beef. He meticulously cut the meat into regular pieces, despite his stiff movements, and began to eat. The raw meat, which would have been repulsive before, now tasted delicious, its blood sweet and satisfying.

Outside, the world descended into chaos, but Lin remained in his bubble of civility, elegantly consuming his meal. With each bite, he felt his zombie body grow stronger and more agile. His increased consumption led to rapid improvements in his physical capabilities.

After devouring an equivalent of two cows, Lin Dong finally felt satiated. He cleaned himself up, noticing that his movements were now much more fluid and faster than an ordinary human. Estimating his progress, he concluded that he had evolved to a higher level of zombie.

Stepping to the window, Lin surveyed the city. The streets were a tableau of horror – shattered glass, blood, and bodies everywhere. Zombies roamed in search of prey, while some fought over corpses. Survivors were few, and their desperate attempts to escape often ended in tragedy.

The red sun cast a macabre glow over this nightmarish landscape. Yet, Lin, now a creature of this new world, remained detached. He lay on the windowsill, sipping a glass of red liquid, possibly wine, and wiping his mouth with a clean white towel.

In his high-rise sanctuary, Lin was isolated from the chaos. The world outside had transformed into a wasteland of the undead, where survival was the only law. Lin, with his unique blend of zombie instincts and human intellect, was poised to navigate this new reality. The television continued to broadcast emergency messages, urging survivors to seek refuge and warning of the dangers that now prowled the streets. But for Lin, these warnings were mere background noise. His focus was on adapting to his new existence, one where elegance and survival intertwined in the surreal dance of the apocalypse.