Chapter 4: Awakening

Agonizing wails and piercing screams tore through the silent air, like a sharp blade slicing through Lin Yi's foggy consciousness. He struggled to his feet, his head throbbing as if a million ants were gnawing at his brain.

A thick, acrid smell permeated the air, nearly making him retch. Lin Yi forced his eyes open, fighting against the discomfort. The scene that greeted him instantly jolted him awake: the once orderly lanes were now completely gridlocked, a cacophony of car horns and intermittent screams blending into a symphony of apocalyptic proportions.

"Bang!"

A deafening explosion erupted next to his ear, causing Lin Yi's pupils to contract violently. A fully loaded truck, like an out-of-control beast, roared past him. In a split second, Lin Yi barely managed to dodge, but the sight before him made his heart skip a beat.

The runaway truck had crashed through the roadside barrier, overturning on impact. Its cargo spilled out like a cascade of colorful building blocks, scattering across the ground. Even more horrifying was the sight of the driver, who should have been dead, crawling out of the damaged door of the still-smoking cabin at an impossible speed.

Lin Yi's eyes widened in disbelief at what he saw: the driver's skull was caved in, blood flowing down his distorted face, leaving a trail of crimson handprints on the ground. Such severe injuries would have instantly killed any normal person, yet this "person" was still moving rapidly, as if impervious to pain.

"Is this... a zombie!?" Lin Yi muttered, his mouth dry.

A chill ran down his spine as he hurriedly pulled out his phone. The time displayed on the screen made his heart sink: November 16, 2032, 11:52 AM. Three whole days had passed, and only 8 minutes remained until the apocalypse began!

Lin Yi's pupils constricted sharply as memories of the horrific scenes from the day of the apocalypse overlapped with the reality before him, making him dizzy. He had no time to ponder why he had been unconscious for three days after obtaining the ring, nor could he afford to consider how this period of unconsciousness might have disrupted his original plans. At this moment, he had only one thought: he must immediately rush to the residential complex where his comrade An Jingtian was!

Time was of the essence. An Jingtian had only 2 hours and 8 minutes left before he would completely transform into a zombie. Lin Yi was currently in the city center, quite a distance from An Jingtian's residential complex. His heart raced, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Just then, a hoarse roar interrupted his thoughts. The "driver" who had crawled out of the truck had quickly made his way to Lin Yi's feet, opening its blood-filled maw to bite.

Lin Yi's body reacted faster than his mind. Years of combat training kicked in at this crucial moment. Almost instinctively, he responded. "Thud!" A perfectly executed front kick, the hard sole of his shoe instantly crushing the half-bodied zombie's already broken skull. Foul-smelling black liquid splattered, and Lin Yi wrinkled his nose in disgust.

At that moment, a mechanical voice suddenly resonated in his mind: "Ding, zombie kill detected. Apocalypse player template activated ahead of schedule! Savior template enabled."

Lin Yi was stunned. In the next second, a light screen appeared out of thin air in the center of his vision:

"Apocalypse Player Information: Lin Yi (Awakened Level 0, Player Level 0)"

"Attributes:"

"Strength: 12 (10+2)"

"Agility: 12 (10+2)"

"Constitution: 12 (10+2)"

"Willpower: 14 (12+2)"

"Equipment: Ring of the Apocalypse (Special)"

Awakened Talent: Strength Burst (Significantly enhances physical abilities for a short time, enters a weakened state after consecutive use.)

"Level 0: All attributes +2 (Maximum value for each attribute in ordinary humans is 10, first awakening raises all attributes to the maximum!)"

Savior Template: Gain additional special skill (Eye of Judgment, unlocked after completing the first mission)

"Mission countdown: ???"

Lin Yi's breathing became rapid, his heart pounding like a drum. The player template, which was supposed to appear only after the apocalypse began, had been activated now. Not only that, but the Awakened talent he had longed for in his previous life had also appeared simultaneously. This saved him the time of having to rush to an energy node.

The Savior template that had appeared was something he had never heard mentioned in his previous life. The skill it came with was not yet visible, seemingly waiting to be revealed after the apocalypse began.

All these unexpected changes must be due to his early acquisition of the Ring of the Apocalypse. In his previous life, the ring had been taken only after the zombie outbreak, and according to survivors' recollections, nothing unusual had happened at that time, let alone a three-day period of unconsciousness.

Suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind, Lin Yi felt a special power surge into his body as the prompt sounded. His muscles instantly tensed, and his originally 1.8-meter tall frame seemed to grow a couple of centimeters taller.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Yi clenched his right fist, his muscles as hard as steel. He focused his energy, his waist suddenly twisting, his entire upper body coiled like a fully wound spring, ready to unleash.

"Whoosh!"

His fist cut through the air, emitting a sharp whistle, and smashed heavily into the door of a luxury car nearby.

"Bang!"

The car body shook violently, its metal door instantly caving in as if hit by a rampaging bull. The multi-ton vehicle's tires screeched against the ground, sliding sideways for over half a meter.

Lin Yi stared intently at the power of his single punch, his heart filled with shock. So this was the strength of an Awakened? The force of that one punch must have exceeded three tons! If it had hit an ordinary person, they would likely have been shattered into pieces.

Wild joy exploded in Lin Yi's heart. From now on, he finally had the means to struggle and survive in this apocalypse.

Without further hesitation, Lin Yi's right foot suddenly exerted force, instantly cracking the asphalt beneath him. His body, like a cannonball out of its barrel, easily leapt onto the car roof. The roof groaned under his weight, immediately caving in.

Taking advantage of his elevated position, Lin Yi carefully observed his path forward. Not far away, some physically weaker individuals were already beginning to transform into zombies. The zombies, having lost all reason, were frantically devouring any living thing they could reach, creating a bloody and terrifying scene.

Relying on his enhanced willpower, Lin Yi's mind raced, his thoughts crystal clear. In just a few seconds, he had mapped out his route in his mind: Linjiang Street, City Center Square, Ring Expressway, Heyuan Residential Complex... This was the shortest path to An Jingtian's location.

The Linjiang Avenue where he currently stood was in complete chaos, with hundreds of chain-reaction car accidents completely blocking the road. He would have to traverse the most chaotic part of the city on foot, then find a way to drive the rest of the way. Otherwise, relying solely on his legs, he would struggle to reach his destination within two hours.

"Brother... you must hold on!" Lin Yi prayed silently.

Without further thought, Lin Yi bent his legs and leapt towards the roof of a Bentley. The car body shook violently, startling the zombie that was feasting on the driver in the cabin. The monster, catching the scent of fresh prey, mechanically stopped its meal. With a chunk of bloody flesh still in its right hand, it lunged rapidly towards the car roof.

Lin Yi coldly glanced at the alerted zombie, paying it no mind. His legs tensed again, and he bounded away as if on a trampoline. With his superhuman physical abilities, in just a few dozen seconds, he had forcefully crossed this obstacle course of wrecked vehicles.

Not far away, a middle-aged man stared in disbelief at Lin Yi as he leapt down from the car roofs. Those terrifying jumps were like something out of a movie special effect. In his shock, he momentarily forgot about the dozens of zombies frantically chasing him.

"Help!" The man suddenly came to his senses, nearly stumbling. He called out desperately, as if he had seen a lifeline: "S-save me!"

Lin Yi frowned as he looked at this man who had been fleeing for his life and was nearly exhausted. He didn't want to waste time saving people; there were far too many zombies. With only six minutes left until the virus fully erupted, the zombies appearing now were mostly transformed from physically weaker individuals or those who had died in car accidents. Once the virus officially broke out, 60% of the entire Linjiang urban district's population would turn into zombies. The remaining 10% would gradually transform, like hidden time bombs.

And now, the population of Linjiang urban district alone was over three million! He couldn't be a saint, saving everyone he came across. Time was of the essence; he had to reach An Jingtian as quickly as possible.

The two passed each other. The man's gaze shifted from hope to despair, his lips trembling. His stamina was almost completely spent, his legs weak from exhaustion. If he stopped now, the zombies behind him would devour him entirely.

Despair and helplessness engulfed the man. The doll he had been clutching unconsciously as he fled slipped from his hand, falling to the ground. It was a birthday gift he had bought for his daughter.

Lin Yi's face remained expressionless, his peripheral vision catching the fallen doll. His original path deviated slightly.

"Charging Fist!"

Lin Yi let out a low shout, charging headlong towards the zombie nearest to the man. His right fist, like an unsheathed sword, thrust straight out.

"Squelch!"

Blood and flesh splattered as the tremendous impact force directly penetrated the zombie's chest, leaving a transparent hole in its body. Lin Yi unhesitatingly withdrew his fist, simultaneously ripping out the zombie's spine to use as a temporary weapon.

The zombie's skeleton, enhanced by the virus, was incredibly hard and often used as a weapon in the resource-scarce apocalyptic world. Lin Yi gripped the bone tightly and swung it down in a backhand strike.

"Whoosh!"

The white bone sliced through the air, emitting a bone-chilling whistle. In one strike, the zombie to his right was split in two, its halves swaying before collapsing to the ground.

The middle-aged man behind, who had thought he was done for, was both shocked and elated to see Lin Yi choose to intervene. Watching Lin Yi move through the zombie horde like a tiger among sheep, displaying strength beyond imagination, the man felt his mouth go dry. He could only think that this young man before him was like a god descended from heaven.

He looked at the distant crowds being pounced upon by the sprinting zombies, the entire city a scene of apocalyptic proportions. With his wealth of life experience, a thought immediately sprang to mind: The world is finished! But... following him! That's survival! He can save my daughter!

"Thud!"

The man suddenly fell to his knees, his expression subservient as he called out loudly to Lin Yi, who was still fighting through the zombie horde: "Please, I beg you, save my daughter! She's still at school!"

Lin Yi's face remained stern, his brow slightly furrowed. Dealing with the nearest zombies was already pushing him to his limit. Save people? Who then would save his brother? Time was of the essence, every second precious.

Lin Yi didn't even look back, leaving immediately after clearing the zombies blocking his path. Only a few words floated back on the wind: "Run! Survive! Then rely on yourself!"

Hearing Lin Yi's words, a bitter smile spread across the middle-aged man's face. He glanced at the zombie horde regrouping in the distance, quickly picked up the doll from the ground, and turned to flee. Lin Yi's words echoed in his ears, giving him a glimmer of hope and courage.

Lin Yi sprinted onwards, soon arriving at the Wanda Shopping Plaza in the city center district. By now, he was covered in blood, viscous liquid dripping from his hair, emitting a nauseating stench. He stood silently on top of a residential building, looking down at the shopping center below, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

The apocalypse was about to descend, and with it would come a mental storm sweeping across the globe. That powerful psychic shock would cause everyone to momentarily lose consciousness. If he were to be affected while on the move, the consequences would be unthinkable. No matter how urgent his mission, he had to first find a safe place to weather the storm.

Lin Yi's gaze fell on the parking lot in front of the shopping center. It was already a scene of chaos, resembling a battlefield. People hiding in their cars were like delicious treats sealed in cans, the fragile windshields no match for the zombies' attacks. The zombies, retaining only their hunger, relentlessly pounded on the car windows without fear, like wooden fish drums in a grotesque rhythm.

"Crack!"

Within seconds, the sound of shattering windows rang out one after another. The swarming zombies finally opened these "cans" and began to feast on the "delicacies" inside. Shrill screams filled the air, but Lin Yi could only watch coldly, his heart a tumult of emotions.

His gaze shifted to the first floor of the shopping center. The situation there was slightly better, with a large crowd hiding behind iron shutters. However, a silver car was parked in front of the doors, surrounded by crawling zombies. They greedily stretched out their hands, frantically reaching into the car.

Inside the car, a beautiful woman in professional attire let out a desperate scream. One hand gripping the car roof, the other clutching the steering wheel for dear life, her straight, snow-white legs kicked frantically at the nearest zombies. Her sharp high heels tore chunks of flesh from the zombies' heads, but failed to deliver a fatal blow.

"Help me...!" The woman turned her head repeatedly, her eyes full of pleading, "Please, someone save me!"

With her violent movements, glimpses of her underwear were visible beneath her skirt. But at this moment, no one would have any impure thoughts about this titillating sight. The instinct for survival overshadowed everything else.

"Don't open the door!"

"The door must stay closed!"

Behind the iron gate, several patrolling security guards instinctively moved to open the gate to offer help, but were loudly stopped by the surrounding crowd.

"If we open the door, we won't be able to hold back the zombies! Do you want to kill us all!?" A burly man furthest from the door urgently pushed away the nearest security guard, glaring at him with bloodshot eyes as if looking at a heinous criminal.

On a normal day, he might not have minded playing the hero and showing off. But faced with the zombie threat, he only wanted to save his own skin. The desire to survive overshadowed all morality and conscience.

Cries, chewing sounds, and screams rose and fell, finally fading into silence. The crowd behind the iron bars could only watch helplessly as the woman was slowly torn apart, yet no one dared to make a move. The security guards stood numbly in place, their legs weak. Even the few muscular fitness trainers just lowered their heads, not daring to look outside again.

The crowd fell into silence, shrouded in panic and sorrow. Yet beneath these emotions, people felt an inexplicable sense of relief: relief that they had made it into the building in time and locked the iron gates. Here, they were not only safe but had plenty of food. At least for now, they were secure.

Lin Yi took in all of this from his vantage point. Watching the crowd numbly protecting themselves, he couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. Not because no one dared to go out and save others - in the face of the apocalypse, self-preservation was only natural. There was nothing to criticize.

What he sighed about were the people inside the building. At this moment, nearly thirty thousand people had crowded into the shopping center. The dense crowd was packed together like sardines in a can. And now, only 10 seconds remained until the apocalypse broke out. When that happened, the power would fail, and the virus lurking in people's bodies would simultaneously detonate. This place would recreate the horrific scenes from his previous life, descending into hell.

"Buzz——!"

The ten seconds passed in the blink of an eye. A high-frequency, ear-piercing buzz suddenly rang out, as if it would tear through everyone's eardrums. Then, a mocking and brutal voice resonated in everyone's mind:

"The apocalypse has arrived, let the game begin!" "Welcome to the Apocalypse Game, you little insects." "Struggle to survive in this game!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the sky instantly turned pitch black, like ink. Gale-force winds howled, and the ground trembled. An invisible psychic shockwave, like a tsunami, swept through, reaching deep into every person's soul.

This violent mental assault was like a sledgehammer, brutally pounding at everyone's consciousness. Lin Yi felt a wave of dizziness, and the world before him began to warp and distort. He gritted his teeth, struggling to stay conscious.

Countless terrifying, heart-wrenching wails filled the air, targeting the deepest, most primal fears of the human heart. A global catastrophe unfolded simultaneously—whether bedridden or walking down the street, people suddenly froze in place, as if someone had pressed the pause button on humanity.

One second later, the zombie virus fully erupted!

As if their souls had been drained, those who transformed into zombies had bulging eyes, and their skin began to decay and fall off at a visible rate, revealing raw, red muscles underneath. Their pupils vanished, replaced by a chilling, bloodthirsty crimson glow.

At that moment, the crowded mall descended into utter chaos. The panicked crowd knocked over shelves that had been used to block the doors, producing a deafening crash.

"Bang!"

The lights at the top of the mall suddenly went out, plunging the entire space into pitch-black darkness. Yet in this darkness, thousands of eerie crimson eyes suddenly lit up, like ghostly flames rising from hell, sending chills down everyone's spine.

Standing above it all, Lin Yi watched as the apocalypse unfolded, his heart overwhelmed with emotions. He knew the real challenge had only just begun. Time was running out—he had to reach An Jingtian quickly, to save his brother before it was too late.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Yi clenched his fists. No matter how many difficulties and dangers lay ahead, he would press on without hesitation. For at the brink of the world's collapse, he bore the mission of a savior. And that mission would change everything.