A Truckload of Canned Beef? Jackpot!
Lucas Kane was more than satisfied with his current state.
His body had surpassed previous limits—stronger, faster, sharper in every way. But as he opened his system interface again, reality set in.
Progress to Next Rank (Awakened): 15 / 200 Energy Crystals
Still 185 crystals short...
That meant over 300 more zombies.
Lucas inhaled sharply.
The zombies around the residential block had already been mostly cleared out. If he wanted more energy, he'd have to push into unfamiliar territory—the open city.
And out there, things were different.
The compound had been safe, enclosed. Few entry points, low mobility for the infected.
But outside? Wide streets, branching alleys, open intersections—a single wrong move could attract hundreds of zombies from multiple districts.
Not to mention the risk of getting surrounded.
It wasn't just about killing efficiently anymore. It was about surviving the swarm.
He needed a better method.
Lucas opened his inventory and inspected the vehicle keys he'd collected.
Red Sedan Key: 1.6L engine
White SUV Key: 1.8T turbo engine
Taxi Key: 1.4L engine
Heavy-Duty Truck Key: 600 horsepower
Heavy truck? Now we're talking.
A grin spread across his face.
With Tang Sword in one hand and riot shield in the other, Lucas moved cautiously toward the main road.
Luckily, the horde attracted by the woman's scent the previous night had mostly dispersed. The streets nearby were quiet, with only a few wandering zombies.
Lucas took them out effortlessly.
Climbing atop an abandoned SUV, he scanned the area.
Then—he saw it.
A massive blue shipping container truck, parked on the curb.
Two zombies staggered around it. Lucas disposed of them with swift strikes.
Then he turned to the container.
[You've found a sealed container. Scanning contents...]
[No infected detected. Inside are 500 crates of factory-sealed canned beef. You should consider buying a lottery ticket.]
500 crates?!
Lucas's heart skipped a beat.
He used the Tang Sword to slice through the padlock like paper and swung open the steel doors.
Rows and rows of neatly stacked crates filled the container from floor to ceiling.
He opened one at random—inside were six circular metal cans, each sealed tight.
Each can held 500 grams of premium beef.
Quick math:
6 cans per crate × 500 crates = 3,000 cans
3,000 cans × 500g = 1,500 kilograms of meat
Over 3,300 pounds.
Lucas laughed out loud.
Even if he ate two cans a day, he could survive on this for over four years.
Without hesitation, he dumped the entire contents into his storage ring.
Item added: Factory-Sealed Canned Beef ×3000
Storage Slots Used: 1
One slot. Three thousand cans.
"This ring is better than any truck."
He stepped into the cab of the vehicle and placed Lupo in the passenger seat. The wolf cub sniffed the upholstery, then curled up contentedly.
Lucas spent a few minutes familiarizing himself with the controls. Thankfully, despite the apocalypse, vehicle engineering between the worlds hadn't diverged much.
He found the clutch, throttle, gear stick.
And then—he started the engine.
VROOOOM!
The truck roared to life.
Birds scattered from the treetops, flapping wildly into the sky.
Graaah... urgh...
Zombies emerged from nearby storefronts, lured by the sound.
This was just the beginning.
Lucas grinned and threw the truck into reverse gear.
No mirrors, no hesitation.
He slammed the accelerator.
BOOM!
The heavy-duty vehicle surged backward, smashing aside parked cars like paper boxes.
RAAAAAH!
The infected took notice.
Like moths to flame, they began charging toward the sound—limbs flailing, mouths open.
Perfect.
Lucas switched to forward gear and twisted the wheel, turning into a narrow alley he had previously scoped out.
This alley had almost no parked vehicles and only a handful of idle zombies. A straight, tight lane—perfect for zombie baiting.
He drove at a steady speed—not too fast, not too slow.
Just enough to keep the horde chasing without catching up.
Honk. Honk.
The truck's horn bellowed across the district, as loud as an air raid siren.
And it worked.
Within seconds, Lucas heard them.
Howls. Screeches. Shattered glass. Thudding footsteps.
They were coming.
Glass shattered overhead—second- and third-story windows bursting open as zombies leapt from buildings.
Gates flew open from the adjacent compound as dozens of zombies poured out, stumbling over each other.
Too narrow to exit together, they began piling up—zombie atop zombie, climbing the gate like ants.
Some fell and broke bones, white tibias poking through shredded muscle.
But pain meant nothing to them.
They kept coming.
ROWR!
Lupo let out a low growl from the passenger seat, his fur bristling.
Lucas reached over and scratched behind his ear. "Easy, boy. They can't touch us here."
He honked again—drawing even more undead out from hidden corners and alleyways.
The truck was nearly surrounded.
Meanwhile, the regional chat channel exploded:
[User: ShelterHunter]
What the hell was that? Anyone else hear that horn? Sounded like a damn war siren!
[User: StaySilent]
Heard it. Jesus, who the hell is blasting a truck horn in the apocalypse? Zombies love that noise!
[User: KitchenGhost]
I'm hiding in my apartment, not even breathing too loud... and this maniac is outside blaring his horn?
[User: GearHawk]
I swear that's a truck horn. Big rig. Probably attracted half the block.
[User: Skywatcher]
I'm on the rooftop. Good news: zombies on Welcome Avenue didn't move.
Bad news: the entire district is converging on this guy's location.
[User: WindowScreamer]
I can see the truck from my window. It's parked right below my building! There are hundreds of zombies pouring in! He's gonna get himself killed!
[User: Lightfoot]
No joke, I counted 200-300 infected heading into that alley. If that guy doesn't move, he's toast.
[User: NoWayOut]
Why here?! Why my block?! I can't even leave the building now—this guy parked his apocalypse party under my window!
The horde kept coming.
The alley was bursting with bodies.
Just as the region thought he was done for...
The heavy-duty truck roared forward.