Chapter 4: The Apocalypse Game Descends

"Don't worry—no need to undress; just come over here," Alexander said coolly, still lying on the bed.

"Oh? Planning on a new game? You youngsters are something else. Fine, since you're not too bad looking, I'll play along," the woman replied. She then stepped over in her high heels and sat down on the bed with a flourish.

"Now, tell me—what's the plan?" she demanded, stubbing out her cigarette before beginning to undress.

"No need. Just go take a shower, and once you're done, leave. I'm not paying you back," Alexander ordered.

He had called her over simply to see if she would turn into a zombie. Sure enough, as she drew near, he caught a whiff of that peculiar odor—a faint scent that only emanated from zombies. With the descent of the game imminent, those fated to be "lucky" enough to turn would start showing signs.

"Honestly, what are you thinking? But you did say it—after your shower, you're leaving, and the money's non-refundable," she retorted, spitting as she carelessly slipped off the rest of her clothes.

Then, completely naked, she swaggered into the bathroom.

Checking his phone, Alexander noted it was 6:59. He rose from the bed, retrieved the sharp dagger—now washed clean—from his backpack, and stealthily approached the bathroom door, still concealing the weapon.

Inside, the woman, with her back turned as she showered, heard the slight noise and, without turning around, remarked, "I knew you were up to your tricks. If you're going to play around, hurry up—I'm tired of standing here."

At that precise moment, the alarm Alexander had set for 7:00 rang out:

"Ding~~~"

The woman suddenly froze in place, her skin visibly turning pale and gray at an alarming pace.

In that very instant, Alexander's dagger was already thrust forward.

"Roar~"

Before the zombie-transformed woman could finish her shriek, the dagger had pierced her neck. A black "DEATH" icon flashed above her head.

Alexander exhaled in relief.

Then a blue announcement panel appeared—tardy but clear:

[Welcome to the 'Apocalypse Game']

[Once this game is initiated, it will evolve autonomously with no possibility of external interference.]

[The brutal apocalypse has descended; 80% of the unfortunate have turned into zombies, while the remaining 20% of the lucky ones must focus on surviving—because once you're dead, there's no second chance.]

[Zombies in this world possess keen hearing but somewhat sluggish vision—they can only detect moving objects.]

[To enhance your gameplay, here are some rules:]

[1: Killing zombies or other zombie creatures increases your level and grants you new attribute points—the game experience is closely tied to your level.]

[2: Killing zombies or similar creatures might drop equipment, items, or supplies, but the chances are very low—purely down to luck. I wonder if you're lucky enough?]

[3: In-game, items are ranked from Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond, Epic, Legendary, Mythical… and beyond that, well, you wouldn't even get close.]

[4: Hidden opportunities have been scattered across the globe—be meticulous in your search.]

[5: All modern weapons—guns, shells, nuclear bombs, etc.—will lose their effectiveness. Do not use them to pick fights with zombies, including vehicles.]

[6: At this stage, all human communication devices are disrupted. However, you can still use your phone to read novels or play single-player games.]

[7: Zombies will evolve over time; you must keep pace. Only scratches or bites turn you into a zombie—don't worry about their blood being infectious. Also, nighttime will boost zombie attributes, so be sure to hide.]

[8: There are many more tips, but I'll save them until you've passed the initial seven-day new player grace period. Trust me—zombies are very weak now, so kill as many as you can. Don't say I didn't warn you!]

[Remember, the Apocalypse Game is full of uncertainties and endless possibilities.]

[Finally, enjoy your game!]

Alexander skimmed the announcement, noting it was identical to what he'd seen before, and closed the page. A new panel then popped up:

[Hello, player "Alexander", welcome to the Apocalypse Game]

[Would you like to set a game name?]

"Yes—set my game name to 'Yazī'."

Yazī—the name of one of the ancient dragon legends from the Dragon Kingdom, known for bloodlust and a penchant for battling evil. But for Alexander, choosing the name Yazī was all about revenge. As the saying goes, "A debt of a meal must be repaid; a grudge the size of an eye must be avenged." Derek, the entire Derek family, and everyone who had ever hunted him down—prepare to face my retribution!

The panel confirmed:

"Player 'Alexander' has successfully changed their nickname to 'Yazī'."

"Character creation complete. Loading attribute panel…"

Alexander unfurled his attribute panel:

Player: Yazī (No title yet)

Level: 1

Experience: 0/1

Reputation: 0

Gold: 0

Inventory Space: 0.1 cubic meters

Base Attributes:Strength: 11 (Average adult male is 10; affects physical power and attack damage)Spirit: 15 (Average is 10; affects skill potency, cooldowns, and usage count)Constitution: 10 (Average is 10; influences health and defense)Agility: 13 (Average is 10; determines reaction time and speed)

(Note: All base attributes are mere numbers and may change with battles or your current state.)

Talent: [Mastery of All Disciplines] – An Epic-level talent; you've learned countless combat techniques and can skillfully apply a variety of fundamental abilities.Skills: NoneEquipment: NoneQuests: None

Damn, this panel was leagues better than the one from my previous life. The boosts in Spirit and Agility were likely due to the enhanced reflexes from my rebirth, and the Epic-level talent stemmed from all the abilities I'd honed over ten grueling years in the apocalypse. And that was only the beginning. The zombie I just killed at the moment the apocalypse descended was merely the prelude to the ultimate reward that lay ahead!