Chapter 11: The Bloodied Path
Chapter 11: The Bloodied Path
Alex adjusted his grip on the reinforced crowbar as he stood at the edge of the dimly lit hallway. His system's Survival Instincts continued to pulse faintly, marking red outlines of infected further down the corridor. It felt strange, like a sixth sense that was both comforting and unnerving at the same time.
"Six down, fourteen to go," he muttered, glancing at the mission tracker. The sound of distant groans echoed through the narrow passage, growing louder as he moved deeper into the second floor.
The air felt heavier here. The coppery tang of blood lingered, mixing with the stench of decay. Alex stayed low, stepping carefully around shards of broken glass and debris.
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A Sudden Dilemma
Turning a corner, Alex paused as he spotted two infected near the far end of the hallway. They were hunched over what looked like the remains of another survivor, tearing into the body with ravenous fervor.
> Survival Instincts Alert:
Enemy Count: 2 (Standard Walkers)
Danger Level: Low
As he prepared to move closer, something else caught his attention—a faint clicking sound coming from a nearby room. He froze, glancing at the partially open door to his left.
"Another one?" he whispered, activating his detection ability. A single red outline flickered into view inside the room, its movements erratic and twitchy.
> Enemy Detected: Stalker (Enhanced Infected)
Danger Level: Medium
Alex cursed under his breath. He had faced a stalker on the third floor, and while he'd managed to kill it, the fight had been brutal. Their speed and agility made them far more dangerous than the standard shambling infected.
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Weighing His Options
He had two choices:
1. Take out the two walkers first, which would clear the hallway and reduce the risk of being flanked later.
2. Deal with the stalker now, before it noticed him and launched an ambush.
Alex clenched his jaw, weighing the risks. The stalker was the bigger threat, but if the walkers heard the fight, things could spiral out of control fast.
"Alright," he muttered, gripping his crowbar tighter. "Let's be smart about this."
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Ambushing the Stalker
Alex pushed the door open just enough to slip inside, his footsteps silent as he moved toward the twitching figure in the corner. The stalker's back was turned to him, its disjointed movements even more unnerving up close.
Taking a deep breath, Alex raised his crowbar and brought it down in a crushing blow.
> Critical Hit! 40 Damage.
The stalker let out a bloodcurdling screech, spinning around with unnatural speed. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Alex, and it lunged at him, claws outstretched.
"Damn it!" Alex ducked, narrowly avoiding the swipe as the stalker's claws raked the air where his head had been.
Before it could recover, he swung the crowbar again, smashing it into the creature's ribs. The reinforced weapon hit harder than before, and the stalker stumbled back, snarling in pain.
> Stalker: 20 HP Remaining.
The infected charged again, its speed nearly overwhelming. Alex barely sidestepped the attack, the claws grazing his arm and tearing his sleeve. Ignoring the sting, he pivoted and drove the crowbar into the stalker's head with a powerful two-handed swing.
> Stalker Eliminated: +25 SP.
The creature collapsed to the floor, its body twitching violently before going still. Alex staggered back, breathing heavily as the system chimed.
> Mission Progress: Floor 2 Cleared – 7/20 Infected.
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The Walkers Respond
The screech of the stalker had drawn the attention of the walkers in the hallway. Alex heard their groans growing louder as they approached the door.
"Of course," he muttered, gripping his crowbar and turning to face the doorway.
The first walker stumbled in, its rotting face contorted into a snarl. Alex swung the crowbar in a wide arc, the reinforced edge caving in the infected's skull with a sickening crunch.
> Walker Eliminated: +10 SP.
The second walker lunged at him, forcing Alex to step back. It clawed at his chest, ripping a small tear in his jacket, but he countered with a quick upward swing, smashing its jaw. The walker staggered, and Alex finished it off with a blow to the side of its head.
> Walker Eliminated: +10 SP.
Mission Progress: Floor 2 Cleared – 9/20 Infected.
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A New Discovery
With the immediate threat neutralized, Alex took a moment to catch his breath. His system pinged, and a notification appeared:
> SP Earned: 45 SP (Total: 120 SP).
"Not bad," he muttered, checking his surroundings. The room the stalker had been lurking in appeared to be a small maintenance closet, its shelves lined with tools and supplies.
Alex began scavenging, his eyes scanning for anything useful.
> Items Found:
Scrap Metal (x2)
Duct Tape (x1)
Painkillers (x1)
Keycard: Floor 1 Restricted Area
His eyes widened at the last item. The keycard was worn but intact, the words "Restricted Area – Floor 1" printed in bold letters.
"Floor 1…" Alex whispered, gripping the card tightly. The system's map had marked the first floor as a red zone, heavily infested and dangerous. Whatever was locked behind that restricted door had to be important—or deadly.
> New Mission Unlocked:
Restricted Access – Floor 1
Objective: Use the keycard to unlock the restricted area on Floor 1 and investigate its contents.
Reward: 150 SP + Bonus Loot Crate.
Alex sighed, tucking the keycard into his pocket. "One problem at a time," he muttered, glancing at the mission tracker for Floor 2.
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Pushing Forward
With nine infected down and eleven to go, Alex knew the worst was still ahead. The eastern wing of the floor was marked on his map as the most dangerous, with a cluster of red dots indicating a large group of infected.
He stepped back into the hallway, his reinforced crowbar resting on his shoulder. His body ached, and exhaustion threatened to set in, but the thought of more SP—and the upgrades they would bring—kept him moving forward.
"Let's finish this," he said under his breath, disappearing into the shadows.