Securing a Shelter

Adam and Emily started gathering supplies that might come in handy. Food was the most important, but they did not have much of it. Next came water. Fortunately, Adam still had three or four bottles left. The smell of burnt corpses lingered in the air, making them nauseous.

But their biggest concern was that danger could arrive at any moment. With the door in poor condition, their chances of survival were slim.

Adam had leveled up recently and allocated his free stat points to agility. This might help him fight the dead later on. Right now, he was deep in thought about where they should go, while Emily collected their belongings. They could not simply move to another apartment. There might already be people inside, and if those people were stronger, it could turn into a problem. But going outside was not an option either, at least not yet.

Then, a sudden realization struck Adam. A week ago, he had run into Josh Smith in the apartment hallway. Josh, a middle-aged professor from a nearby university, had been dragging a suitcase behind him. Adam had casually asked where he was headed, and Josh had laughed, saying he was finally taking a vacation with his family. That meant his apartment on the fifth floor was empty.

Josh had a great flat with two bedrooms, perfect for a family man like him. Now, with survival at stake, Adam saw an opportunity. If they could reach the fifth floor and break into Josh's flat, they would have a much safer place to stay. The idea of breaking in felt wrong, but given the circumstances, morality had to take a backseat.

Adam explained the plan to Emily, and they prepared to leave.

However, the burnt corpses presented an opportunity. They were valuable bait. Leaving without making use of them felt like a waste, but taking them along was not an option either.

Emily thought for a moment before suggesting, "What if we cut off a piece of the corpse and use it as bait?"

Adam was impressed by her idea. He had no issue with cutting a corpse. His gambler's mindset made him a highly calculative person. The only things that mattered to him were the stakes and the profit.

"Let's do it. But which part should we take?" he asked.

"Let's take the head," Emily replied.

The two of them burst into laughter. The situation had become easier to handle after dealing with the three zombies earlier, and now, they were even joking around.

Adam grabbed a kitchen knife and started severing a zombie's head. It took some effort, but he finally managed to remove it. However, in the process, he got covered in blood that had splattered onto him while he was cutting.

"Aw man, now I have to change," Adam groaned. "Emily, take my stuff and go hide somewhere on the fifth floor. I will come with the bait after changing my clothes."

"Aye, aye, commander!" Emily replied with a smirk, giving him a mock salute before heading off.

Fortunately, she did not encounter anyone or anything on her way. Once she reached the fifth floor, she spotted Josh's apartment. Breaking the door was not an option, and lockpicking was not something she could do.

"Maybe Adam knows how to pick a lock," she thought. "He did tell me to wait and hide."

Meanwhile, Adam was in the bathroom, scrubbing off the blood from his hands and face. He was so focused on cleaning himself that he completely forgot to close the door. He had not bothered since his mind was occupied with getting rid of the blood.

All this while, the corpses outside had been attracting something.

When Adam stepped out of the bathroom, he froze in fear.

An unwanted guest was now feasting on the burnt corpses outside his doorway.

Adam was in grave danger for two reasons. First, his upper body was bare, leaving him vulnerable. Second, he had no weapon in his hand.

Thankfully, the zombie had not yet noticed him. Taking advantage of this, Adam began moving slowly toward his desk, where he had left his weapon. The metal rod was still there, along with the severed zombie head he had prepared as bait. But as he moved, he glanced at the creature feasting on the corpses.

This one was bigger.

The metal rod would not be enough.

His mind flashed to the cricket bat he had found earlier while searching for self-defense weapons. It was heavier, could land a solid hit, and had a better range. That was his best bet.

Just as he came to this realization, the zombie's head snapped toward him.

With a deep, guttural growl, it lunged.

Adam barely dodged, his body moving with unexpected speed. He was surprised at how fast he reacted.

"So agility was indeed the right choice," he thought.

Wasting no time, he dashed toward the cricket bat and grabbed it. The zombie recovered quickly and charged again, but Adam swung the bat with all his strength. The impact sent the creature stumbling back, crashing onto the desk.

It was still moving.

Not taking any chances, Adam lifted the bat high and brought it down in a hammering motion, smashing into the zombie's skull. The creature twitched but did not stop. He struck again. And again.

Two more strikes and a system message popped up.

[Level Up!]

Breathing heavily, Adam wiped sweat from his forehead.

"So, I must have been close to Level three after killing those three zombies earlier. This one pushed me over the edge," he thought.

A new allocation of three stat points appeared. He recalled how exhausted he felt during the fight. His swings had drained his stamina too quickly.

Without hesitation, he put two points into durability and one into strength.

Opening his status window, he smirked at his growth.

Name: Adam

Level: 3

Stats:

Strength: 4

Agility: 7

Durability: 5

Mind: 8

Available Stat Points: 0

Traits: Gambler's Mind – Allows Adam to remain calm under high-risk situations and make strategic decisions with a better sense of odds and probabilities.

Satisfied, Adam grabbed a T-shirt from his cupboard and threw on a jacket. The extra layers might offer some protection, he thought. Even a little resistance against bites or scratches could mean the difference between life and death. He tugged at the fabric, testing its flexibility. Not great, but it would do for now.

His eyes landed on the severed zombie head, still resting on his desk where he had left it. The dried blood had started forming a crust, the lifeless eyes staring blankly into nothing. The sight made his stomach twist, but he forced himself to pick it up. Disgusting, yes, but useful.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out into the dimly lit hallway. The building was eerily quiet. Too quiet. Every creak of the floor beneath his feet felt deafening, and he found himself constantly glancing over his shoulder.

The stairwell stretched before him, dark corners making it impossible to see what lay ahead. His grip on the zombie head tightened.

When he reached the landing, his eyes darted around.

His gaze swept the hallway, searching for any sign of movement. Then, he noticed the cleaning closet door slightly ajar. A flicker of movement inside caught his eye.

Silently, he approached and pushed the door open.

Inside, Emily sat on the floor, gripping a kitchen knife so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Her body was tense, her eyes sharp, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"You could not find a place more obvious than this?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow.

Emily let out a sharp exhale, lowering the knife just slightly. "Man, you scared the hell out of me," she muttered, shaking her head.

Adam allowed himself a small chuckle, but the moment was short-lived. His expression hardened. "Alright, enough fooling around. We need to get inside the apartment. The zombies are coming."

Emily's posture stiffened. "Wait, what happened? Did you run into one? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am fine," Adam reassured her. "It was only one, and I managed to take it down. But if we stay here too long, more will show up looking for this."

He lifted the severed zombie head slightly, letting her see it.

Emily's face twisted in disgust. She jerked away, "Eek! Keep that thing away from me!"

Adam smirked but didn't argue. Instead, he gestured for her to follow.

They moved cautiously, staying close to the walls, keeping their footsteps light. Every shadow, every distant sound, made them pause and listen. The silence was the worst part. It made their surroundings feel like a trap, as if something could lunge at them the moment they let their guard down.

Finally, they reached Josh's apartment. Adam knelt by the door.

He had dabbled in lockpicking before, mostly out of curiosity, but now that curiosity was proving to be a lifesaving skill. He pulled out a small lockpicking tool he had scavenged earlier - nothing specialized, just a thin metal piece from a maintenance kit, bent enough to do the job.

With steady hands, he inserted it into the keyhole and began working the lock. Each movement was slow and precise. His ears strained to hear the subtle clicks inside. Seconds stretched into what felt like minutes. His heart pounded in his chest.

Then…click.

The lock gave way.

He pushed the door open, ushering Emily inside before closing it behind them.

The apartment was dark, the air stale. They paused for a moment, listening. No sounds. No movement.

Empty. Safe.

Adam let out a slow breath and relaxed slightly. He placed the zombie head on the table and immediately set to work, searching through drawers, cabinets, and shelves. Food, water, medical supplies - anything that could help them survive.

Emily sighed, setting her bag down near the couch. She stretched, rolling her shoulders. "Hey, would you keep watch while I take a shower?" she asked, her voice laced with exhaustion.

Adam glanced at her, weighing the request. It had been a long and exhausting day, filled with blood, fear, and survival. He had already cleaned himself up earlier while scrubbing off the dried blood, but Emily hadn't had the chance. A shower, even a quick one, might help her feel a little more human again, something they both desperately needed.

"Yeah, sure," he agreed. "I will block the door and see what we can use."

Emily nodded, disappearing into the bathroom.

Adam sat down, glancing at the digital clock on the kitchen counter.

Ten hours remained until the tutorial ended.