Zombies! Yang Tian!

A week later.

A young man staggered down the street, aimless and dazed. His face was cold, his deep gray-green eyes carrying an unmistakable bloodthirsty aura. Occasionally, a low growl escaped his throat, sending chills down the spines of anyone nearby. This strange, half-alive figure was our protagonist—Yang Tian.

"What am I? Some pitiful, abandoned creature?" Yang Tian muttered, his empty gaze revealing a hint of confusion.

Suddenly, there was a dull "thud" as he collided with a zombie. The creature let out a mindless snarl, approaching Yang Tian.

"Get away." Yang Tian murmured, then roared with sudden fury, "Get away!" He struck the zombie with a fierce punch, sending it stumbling backward until it collapsed, unable to rise again.

"Don't you know to steer clear of me, you disgusting thing!" he shouted, kicking the zombie repeatedly, venting his anger until it lay lifeless. Yang Tian looked around, and the other zombies retreated, fear clear in their eyes.

The drastic shift from human to zombie left Yang Tian reeling. This desolate world now surrounded him, and he had become part of it. The bright sunlight barely touched him; he felt shrouded in darkness, out of place in every way.

Nightfall only intensified Yang Tian's isolation. As dusk settled, he would curl up in a hidden corner, enduring the loneliness. Zombies brushed past him, muttering guttural noises, and the scene plunged him into memories of his past life. Those evenings had been warm and filled with family and laughter. Now, only the chill of solitude remained.

Yang Tian now found himself in a completely foreign 2011, surrounded by walking corpses, while everything familiar had vanished.

"Why punish me like this..." he whispered, staring at the bleak streets, his mind flooded with memories. Each thought pierced his heart, the warmth of the past contrasting cruelly with the present.

He wandered aimlessly, his figure fading into the distance. With sunglasses or contact lenses, he might pass for human, his face sickly pale but manageable. But the unmistakable scent of death clung to him, that bloodlust, primal and feral, especially fierce whenever he encountered humans.

For sustenance, he relied on cold, leftover beef and lamb from abandoned supermarkets, as nearly all other food was gone. At one point, he stopped, pulling out a pocket watch. Inside was a photo of a young girl, radiant with a bright smile, no more than ten. This girl was part of a promise he had made to Black Bear—a promise bought with a life. Looking at the photo, a glimmer of purpose sparked in Yang Tian's eyes.

Closing the watch, he accessed his character template:

Character: Yang Tian

Status: Regular Zombie (2 stars)

Points: 381/681

Skill 1: Slaughter Blade — Maximizes melee weapon damage, causing deadly blows. Cooldown: 1 day.

Skill 2: Frenzy Speed — Boosts movement speed briefly, immunity to minor attacks.

Over the past few days, Yang Tian's strength and speed had grown. He evolved from a low-level zombie to a regular one, gaining new abilities from the bio-crystal. Now, his goal was to grow stronger, to upgrade, and earn more points. He was certain that one day he could overcome his dependence on blood and flesh, even re-enter human society. He owed Black Bear a life and a promise, and he intended to keep it.

"Yes, that's it," he muttered, clenching his fists. "Overcome the hunger, fulfill my promise, and reclaim my world. Even if it's just a memory."

Suddenly, a distant scream broke his thoughts: "Help! Help! Don't come near! Mom..." Yang Tian froze, then slowly reached for the heavy silver Barrett rifle slung across his back, turning toward the sound...