| Chapter 005 | Prologue - Garbage Disposal
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ (1/12) thugs required for apocalypse quest completion! ]
The group of ruffians slowly lowered their gaze and saw one of their companion dead on the ground. Blood dripped from the hole in-between the corpse's forehead as the dead's expression remained frozen in shock.
Everest glanced at the newly-emerged bluish and translucent digital window, containing two materialized notifications. The arrival of fresh information from the system directive made the situation crystal clear.
The quest completion rewards be 50 AXP.
If the dozen thugs are added into the rewards, I could gain at least 110 AXP.
More than enough to level up!
What he needed was to reach the next level to ensure the odds of his survival. With this in mind, he determined himself to see through the end of the apocalypse quest. For the sake of his survival, and for leveling up.
"You fucker!"
One of the thugs who was armed with another handgun cried out and pointed the firearm towards the insane young man. The group of ruffians were enraged, furious at the bastard who just killed one of their own.
Most of them took out whatever weapons or tools they had in their pockets, ready to maul the young bastard to death.
As the armed thug was about to pull the trigger and shoot the madman, a hushed metallic clung resounded in the narrow and dirty alleyway followed by the peculiar whistle of lead.
The thug holding the handgun dropped it onto the ground as they fell forward with a thud. Blood splattered across the cold and filthy concrete.
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ (2/12) thugs required for apocalypse quest completion! ]
None of his companions paid him any heed as they rushed towards the insane bastard. It wasn't the matter of pride or revenge anymore. They were fighting for the sake of survival.
"I'll kill you, you bastard!"
A ruffian arrived before Everest, holding a knife in their hand. They slashed downward with the cold, metallic glint of the knife piercing through the air. He dodged the attack with ease, sidestepping and throwing a knee to the rushing ruffian.
"Eat this, fucker!"
Another ruffian emerged from his side, swiping a metallic pipe sideward. He barely dodged the assault by crouching, and immediately shooting the chin of the scoundrel.
In mere seconds, they were knocked back and landed into the cold floor as a corpse.
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ (3/12) thugs required for apocalypse quest completion! ]
It was the third thug that had died in the hands of Everest. But nevertheless, it was far from over. Surrounding him were different attacks from several ruffians. Some wore braced knuckles, few were holding knives, while what remained had all kinds of weapons.
Stepping back, he felt the cold concrete wall behind him. He was cornered while surrounded by scoundrels who were attacking him at the same time. Although, he didn't care.
He swung his Ruger towards the right, shooting every head that came along the iron sights of his firearm. Before his return into the past, such a bewildering action belonging to an action film, shouldn't have been possible.
However, he was far different from before. Along with his vast array of experience, the skill cards provided by the system directive changed him. The Marksman Skill wasn't to be underestimated.
Everest didn't know how, but he could feel his shooting skills amplified beyond what was natural. His old shooting capability would be rated in terms of hitting a moving target at 75-yards.
Now, he might be able to shoot them as they shifted positions 250-yards away from him. Most importantly, he would be hitting them directly in the head.
I should take a look to the skill's description.
Several muffled cracks of echoing lead escaped the suppressor of the Ruger Mark IV. In a short amount of time, five ruffians that had ganged up on him were swiftly dispatched. 22lr bullets made their way into the foreheads of the scoundrels, finishing them off.
What followed was the constant emergence of notifications alongside Everest's perception.
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ (8/12) thugs required for apocalypse quest completion! ]
The remaining ruffians of the group lost their anger as they perceived the deaths of several of their companions. They understood that they didn't stand a chance against the insane bastard in front of them.
Pouncing at him would leave them dead on the ground like their now-corpse friends.
Glancing at one another, the remaining four scoundrels nodded at one another. It was time to flee the dirty, narrow alleyway. They needed to call for the others and avenged their companions.
But Everest didn't plan in letting them taking a foot off the alleyway.
The moment they surrounded him in the alleyway was the juncture that cemented their destined deaths.
Letting them leave the scene was tantamount to foolishness. It would paint a target on his back and would give him more trouble. Above all, he wouldn't be able to complete the apocalypse quest and level up.
Aiming the firearm at their heads, Everest fired what remained of his cartridge. No matter how fast they sprinted away, no matter how far, one by one, the scoundrels fell into the ground until only a lone ruffian remained.
The crimson ink of blood poured out from the back of their heads while the sole survivor tripped and fell forward into the cold concrete.
Breathing heavily, the lone ruffian glanced at the young man walking towards them. Everest calmly extracted the magazine of his handgun, replacing it with another. As he stood before the last survivor, he gazed at the ruffian for one last time.
"P-Please d- don't kill me-"
The lone ruffian begged for mercy, but it was already too late. Focusing the suppressor at the head of the last survivor, a cold glint escaped the eyes of Everest as he pulled the trigger without a hint of qualm.
Another metallic crack rang out within the dirty alleyway, and the short, bloody party ended in the massacre of twelve individuals.
They couldn't even scream neither cry out for help nor mercy. It was a tragic fate, though much more merciful than the destinies of those that survived the first days of the outbreak.
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ You have eliminated a level 0 hostile thug, <5 AXP Received!> ]
[ (12/12) thugs required for apocalypse quest completion! ]
"Damn, I forgot how crazy New Yorkers were..."
Everest remarked while returning his handgun to the inventory. The modern times weren't exactly peaceful, though it was far less bloodier and crazier than the apocalyptic era. Anyhow, he briefly glanced at the corpses and continued.
"Aren't I also one?"
Without a tinge of hesitation or delay, he crouched near the bodies and discreetly searched their pockets for any valuables. He was fortunate to have been wearing a pair of gloves.
Otherwise, he might found the cops knocking the front door of his apartment later. He wouldn't want to be in police custody while shit hits the fan in this bustling metropolis.
After scouring the corpses of the ruffians, he stared at the valuables he had found littered throughout their bodies. There were a couple of watches, silver rings, necklaces, and various ornaments.
It made him wonder if they just looted a random store before meeting him.
Other than some interesting jewelry, there were knives, brass knuckles, and the two Glock 17s. These two were the most valuable things he had looted from the corpses of the scoundrels. Along with a couple of magazines, they would be worth a fortune in the apocalypse.
Depositing all of these valuables into the inventory, Everest stood up and took a deep breath before gazing at the dozen of corpses one last time. A bluish and translucent digital screen then materialized.
[ One Versus A Dozen(Completed!) ]
[ Congratulations, you have been rewarded 50 AXP, random skill card, supply crate! ]
Staring at the fresh notifications, the edges of his lips slowly rose from intrigue. It was the first time he had completed a quest issued by the system directive, and it wouldn't be the last.
For the sake of his survival, and for a future absent of regrets.
[ Would you like to use the random skill card? ( Yes / No ) ]
Everest raised his eyebrows and thought about it for a moment. Storing it didn't make sense as it didn't give him an assurance that it would be useful once he was cornered in some way. So, it might preferable to perceive it for what it was.
After all, he'd rather avoid relying too much in luck.
Or else, he might die unlucky.
Yes, I'd like to use the random skill card!
[ Understood, generating random skill card! ]
After his confirmation, another notification emerged before him, finalizing his command. The spoken notification vanished afterward, replaced by a lone card that resided in the middle of his vision.
His gaze narrowed as he took his time observing the random skill card. It didn't present any color, resembling a transparent card with its outlines entirely visible.
This is the random skill card, huh? It seems that this is completely rng, though I do wonder what kind of skills I could get. Am I limited to my class? Or could I explore future into the available skillsets of the system directive?
Everest had tons of questions plaguing his mind. However, it wasn't the greatest time to be questioning the system directive. Corpses lay nearby, which meant that spending more time would increase the risk of cops discovering him.
He'd rather avoid getting arrested, so he willed the random skill card to open.
Before his eyes, the transparent random skill card slowly turned, unveiling its secrets with the alure of mystery. As it utterly unfolded itself, a notification swiftly materialized below the skill card.
[ Congratulations, you have received Close-Quarters Combat(★)! ]
Not, bad...
Although he'd rather avoid fighting the aberrants in close quarters, it was better to have a capability to crush them when the unlikely moment arises. Combined with his extensive fighting experience, he was now a force to be reckon with.
[ You have reached the prerequisite of leveling up! ]
[ Would you like to level up? ]
Out of the blue, another set of notifications emerged.
Looking at the bluish and translucent digital screen, the system directive asked him whether or not he wished to level up. His eyebrows rose, a bit dumbfounded that it wasn't automatic.
A distant echo of sirens reverberated in the distance, reminding him of what was at stake.
I guess it's time to leave,
Taking a glance at the dozen corpses of the scoundrels he had murdered, Everest sighed and left the dirty, narrow confines of the alleyway. He stepped out of it, returning to the streets of Manhattan.
There was no doubt that a random CCTV camera might have seen him entering the alleyway with the group of ruffians. But whether or not they knew he existed didn't matter.
Time was running out for the modern world, and he was merely trying to experience it before the inevitable collapse of humanity through the advent of the apocalypse.
Meanwhile...
A lone, shadowy figure stumbled upon the eerie scene of the cold and narrow alleyway. Its skin was pale, while its vein were blackened and bulged. Strands of hair cascaded from its head as it gradually gazed upon the corpses lying on the ground.
It had discerned the scent of flesh, and it salivated at the thought of consuming it.
The pale, humanoid monster was the first of the many that was about to come.