Chapter 14: A Chunk of Raw Meat Kills the Internet Little Princess

"Honey, come out quickly—look, Superman!!!"A woman, pressed against the window, cried out in astonishment.

"What Superman? I'm busy blocking the door so no zombies get in," her husband panted as he reached her side.

"Over there!" she pointed excitedly out the window.

Her husband followed her finger. On the busy street below, he could see a man wearing a cyan mask. In front of that man, a flash of blade light streaked by as he decapitated an approaching zombie—and two more zombies lay collapsed at his feet.

"Damn, a pro!" the husband exclaimed. Eager to learn more, he attempted to check the man's info:

  [Basic Information]  Nickname: ???  Title: ???  Level: ???

"Hey, that's strange—why can't I view his info?" he wondered aloud.

"Don't worry about it—come on, let's call for Superman and have him save us!" the woman chirped excitedly.

Immediately, her husband grabbed her arm and said firmly, "Don't even think about shouting like that. It'll give away our position and attract zombies—then we're finished."

"Besides, that 'Superman' is hiding his info on purpose. He doesn't want to reveal his identity, so why would he come to our rescue?" she argued.

The woman's husband replied coolly, "It's just common sense."Still, some people just don't get it.

"Hey, good brother, come save me!"From a window on the building opposite, a woman called out.

Alexander—ignoring the plea—picked up three cards from the ground as he continued on his way. It was now nearly 5:00 PM. With no secluded alleys nearby, he was forced onto a bustling main street. Out in public, he had to be cautious about revealing his information—especially since his game name "Yazī" had become famous overnight. Fortunately, the "Hidden Mask" he'd acquired was working perfectly.

As he walked, Alexander reviewed the items he'd just looted:  [Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables], [666 Cold Medicine], and [A Tube of White Person's Toothpaste].He neatly stowed the three cards back into his storage and pressed on.

Upstairs, the woman who had called for "Superman" grew furious when she saw Alexander ignore her. "Who does he think he is?" she fumed. Clearly, this was the notorious Internet Little Princess—boasting over 30,000 online fans and a rich "sugar daddy" who lavished her with sports cars every day. Now, she couldn't believe that a masked man wouldn't even spare her a glance!

Infuriated, she grabbed a flowerpot and hurled it toward him. Alexander, hardly bothered, easily dodged the pot with a couple of casual steps. His face, hidden by his mask, remained impassive. Realizing he'd finally caught her attention, the woman beamed and stretched out her arms:"Over here, good brother! Come rescue me—I'm trapped! There are several zombies, and I'm terrified. If you save me, I'll hold your hand!" she pleaded.

Without a word, Alexander reached into his storage and pulled out a card. In his hand, a small chunk of raw meat materialized—a slab of meat that still looked fresh. At that very moment, every zombie on the street lifted its head, their ashen eyes widening in unison.

  [Raw Meat Soaked in Zombie Virus]In the apocalypse, players affectionately call this "the zombie lure gadget." Its scent attracts zombies from up to 100 meters away. Once revealed, any zombie within that range will relentlessly chase after it.

Sure enough, as soon as Alexander produced the raw meat, a swarm of zombies zeroed in on it. He carefully tossed the meat through a window so that it landed squarely inside the woman's apartment.

Immediately, her brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't want food—I need you to get me to a safe place! Don't you understand?" she shrieked, pointing angrily at him.

Oblivious to the fact that zombies were now closing in on her home, Alexander ignored her insults. Seizing the moment as the zombies diverted toward the lure, he quickened his pace.How convenient—just when I was worried there wouldn't be enough zombies to divert attention, someone opens a window for a "rescue."The woman continued her tirade, her cursing voice even louder than the sound of her door being battered.

Only when a loud "BOOM" echoed did she turn around in horror—her own door and frame had been smashed down, and a horde of zombies surged inside.Terrified, she screamed, her body trembling as a yellow fluid began streaming down her pants onto the floor. Finally, overcome by fear, she collapsed into a puddle, her legs giving way as ripples spread. One can only wonder what her online "big brother" would think if he saw this mess.

Outside, the zombies brandished their claws and raced for the raw meat. In the ensuing scuffle, two zombies tore the meat to shreds—each devouring half. The others, unable to get the meat, lost interest in biting people and instead turned to gnaw on the woman."Ah!!!!" A piercing scream rang out through the street, sending chills down the spines of onlookers hidden in their homes. Many vowed never again to blindly call out for help—an important lesson in the apocalypse: know thyself.

After the screams subsided, a skeleton appeared where the woman had stood—a bleached-out skull festooned with remnants of blood and shredded flesh, its cranium smashed from too much brain matter. Satisfied, the zombies eventually left the room, and Alexander strolled away from that street with ease.

"Not bad…this must be the place," he murmured as he checked his watch. It was now 6:00 PM—two hours before nightfall. He had arrived at the "Modu Sports Center." Although he'd planned to come tomorrow, today's unexpectedly smooth journey had brought him here over an hour early. Not one to waste time, he resolved to begin exploring immediately—even if time was short, it was enough for a brief foray.

Glancing at his status panel, Alexander noted that he hadn't picked up any new equipment this afternoon. He suspected that the bounty of gear on Day One was due solely to an artificially boosted drop rate. As for cards, he had amassed nearly 30 that afternoon—and he still clutched two copies of [Raw Meat Soaked in Zombie Virus]. Such is the curse of a 100% drop rate: when too much drops, even the good stuff becomes common.