Chapter 18: Kill Messages Flood the Screen

The earthbound spike that had just erupted did not even faze the fearless zombies—they continued striding forward as if nothing had happened. And then, an even bigger surprise occurred!

As the ground trembled, one spike after another burst upward along the path ahead. These massive spikes, emerging at an unimaginable speed, impaled every zombie marching in a straight line from head to toe—blood spattered and shredded flesh flew everywhere.

Because all the zombies had been lured by Yazī into a neat, linear formation—and because he had perfectly timed and aimed his "Spike Assault"—every single zombie caught within that straight-line blast was mercilessly killed!

A rapid-fire cascade of system messages lit up the screen:  "Congratulations, player 'Yazī', for killing a Level 2 zombie – +2 XP, +3 coins"  "Congratulations, player 'Yazī', for killing a Level 3 zombie – +3 XP, +5 coins"  "Congratulations, player 'Yazī', for killing a Level 2 zombie – +2 XP, +3 coins"…In an instant, more than twenty such messages flooded the screen, and Yazī's XP bar surged visibly. Up ahead, four items glowing with a cyan light had dropped!

An important note on skill-equipped items:When an item with an attached skill is first used, its power and effect are at their absolute maximum—the system has infused it with full energy at the moment of drop. After that first use, the player's own Spirit is needed to recharge it, and its power then reverts to normal. Although Yazī had expected a decent effect, he was astonished to see that this first use of his Spike Assault skill was so devastating—it could easily rival the killing power of a 20‑level mage!

No matter; with this burst, his haul was overflowing. Before the spikes could retract, Yazī—disregarding the blood and shredded flesh scattered all over—scrambled over the ground to pick up every cyan equipment and item he could see, shoving them directly into his storage without even bothering to pick up the cards scattered about. Not that he was feeling conceited—the pressing fact was that more zombies were now surging toward the ping‑pong hall.

As the dozen or so spikes slowly retracted, the zombies resumed their relentless charge. Yazī quickly swept up all the cyan items visible. "Time to jet!" he muttered. Not waiting another second, he retreated swiftly and dashed back to the rear exit—the very door he had used to enter earlier. He reached it in record time and slammed it shut.

The pursuing zombies battered against the door; under the onslaught of a dozen or so, the door soon buckled and fell. Undeterred, the zombies pressed on, trying to breach the rear again—but one thing was clear: that arrogant man who had decimated dozens of his comrades had vanished without a trace!

For ten long minutes the zombies searched in vain—some retreated back into the ping‑pong hall, while others began wandering in circles. Finally, Yazī exhaled in relief.

At that moment, he found himself standing on a small platform jutting out from above the rear door of the sports center—a platform just large enough for him to perch on one foot, with a mass of zombies milling below. Rather than rush down, he took a moment to inspect the five bronze‑grade items he'd just acquired:

Two familiar items: Reconnaissance Eyes;Two identical devices: Short‑Range Launchers   [Short‑Range Launcher]: A one‑use bronze tool that can propel any item that fits into it to a designated location (within 30 meters).

A satisfied grin spread across his face. With this device in hand, he could soon re‑enter the sports center without attracting too much attention. Since it even allowed him to curve the projectile's path—so long as he knew the terrain well—the tactic was perfect.

Then he retrieved the fifth item: a pair of shoes glowing with a cool cyan light, fashioned in a rustic style with magical wing‑like patterns engraved on them. Could this be yet another skill‐equipped item? Quickly, Yazī checked its attributes:

[Windrunner Boots]:  Bronze‑grade equipment that summons the power of the wind.  Attributes: +1 Constitution, +1 Agility; reduces footfall noise.  Skill: "Quick Stride" – Increases movement speed by 20% for 10 seconds (cooldown: 1 hour).

Seeing that the Windrunner Boots also carried an active skill, Yazī was overjoyed—though after reading the details, his expression quickly returned to neutral; the effect was only average. With a resigned chuckle, he removed his old sports shoes and, balancing in a "rooster stance," managed to force his feet into the new boots. Thanks to system adjustments, the size was a perfect fit, and he immediately felt lighter on his feet.

Glancing at his base attributes now displayed on his panel, he noted:  Strength: 18  Spirit: 18  Constitution: 12  Agility: 18Even an average person at Level 10 wouldn't boast such stats—unless they had successfully "transcended" (i.e. advanced in their profession). And Yazī was certain that, by the time others transited, he had already long since achieved that state. He set himself a modest goal: once he transits, his attributes will be double that of a typical player at the same level.

Revitalized with this goal in mind, Yazī's determination soared. He eyed the zombies still roaming below, then produced one of his Short‑Range Launchers from storage. Next, he retrieved a card from his storage:  [Raw Meat Soaked in Zombie Virus]

This was the perfect complement—a lure that, when fired from the launcher, would draw a horde of zombies right to the designated spot, allowing him to slip into the sports center amid the chaos. With practiced precision, Yazī configured the launcher, activated the card, and conjured a chunk of raw meat into his hand. Almost immediately, the nearby zombies stirred; they had caught the scent of their favorite treat.

Without delay, Yazī loaded the raw meat into the Short‑Range Launcher and activated it. With a dull "thud," the meat was launched into the air. It curved gracefully—first looping around and darting through the rear door, then flying into the ping‑pong hall, bypassing obstacles until it landed in a corner exactly 30 meters from the launch point. Meanwhile, as the meat flew, every zombie within range began converging toward it, leaping and scrambling in anticipation—even jostling with one another in their hunger.