A sharp crack from the door caught his attention. The evening sunlight streaming through the window cast long shadows across the floor, highlighting the wood splinters beginning to fall from the nearly broken door hinges.
CRASH!
Finally, the bedroom door burst open with a deafening roar. The top hinge ripped away from its frame, leaving the door hanging crooked and swaying for a moment before slamming into the wall. Through the gap that formed, three pale-skinned figures in tattered clothes squeezed through one by one, moving with jerky but rapid motions. Their eyes were blood-red, their skin covered in wounds and bluish bruises, and thick, blackish drool dripped from their mouths. A nauseating stench—a mixture of death and rot—immediately filled the room, assaulting Huang Wei's senses.
The first infected, who might have once been a student judging by the remnants of a checkered shirt he wore, lunged forward with outstretched hands as if ready to grab. A heavy growl rumbled from his throat.
Huang Wei didn't waste time. With speed and strength that surprised even himself—the result of his improved attributes—he swung his baseball bat.
WHOOSH!
The air whistled sharply as the aluminum bat cut through it.
CRACK!
The sound of crushing bone echoed as the bat connected with the infected's skull. Huang Wei's powerful strike sent the creature flying, crashing into the dresser in the corner with a thunderous impact that shook the entire piece of furniture. Books and decorations scattered everywhere.
'This strength... it's real.' Huang Wei stared at the baseball bat in his hands, his lips forming a thin, cold line. This wasn't about being amazed anymore—it was about recognizing the new tool he had for survival.
But there was no time to ponder. The second infected leaped toward him with long claws ready to tear.
With senses sharpened by his enhanced agility, Huang Wei could see the attack as if in slow motion—every tensing muscle, every brutal intention. He stepped back and to the side, dodging claws that nearly caught his face, then immediately swung his bat sideways, targeting a weaker spot.
WHAM!
The aluminum bat struck the infected's jaw with a brutal sound, sending it flying toward the wall by the window. Its body hit the wall hard, leaving a disgusting streak of blackish blood on the white dorm room paint. The creature slumped to the floor, twitching.
The third infected, who had a stockier build wearing a torn security guard uniform, moved more cautiously. It growled low, staring at Huang Wei with empty but hate-filled eyes, as if recognizing the threat.
Not wanting to give it a chance, Huang Wei took the initiative. He stepped forward and swung his bat in a powerful overhead strike, targeting what he now realized was a weakness.
THWACK!
The infected's head caved in, black blood spurted out, and its large body collapsed to the floor.
'Three infected in three hits,' Huang Wei thought to himself, his breathing still steady thanks to his improved stamina. A slight sense of relief washed over him, though it was more from efficiency than victory. 'Maybe these infected aren't as tough as I thought...'
That thought wasn't even finished when danger alarms screamed in his mind. There was quick movement from his left side. Huang Wei turned to find the first infected he thought was down, now rising again and lunging at him with its mouth gaping wide, revealing teeth covered in black blood.
'Damn it!' With no time to dodge, Huang Wei raised his bat horizontally in defense.
CLANG!
A sharp sound rang out as the infected's teeth collided with the aluminum bat. Huang Wei could feel the harsh vibration travel up his arms. The infected bit down on the bat brutally, trying to reach Huang Wei's face just inches away.
The putrid smell of the infected's breath hit him clearly, making his stomach churn. Drops of black saliva dripped onto Huang Wei's face.
'I got careless!' he thought while trying to push the infected away. 'I didn't expect them to be this tough after taking such a hard hit!'
Holding off the attack with both hands on his bat, Huang Wei realized the fatal mistake he'd made. He was still thinking that infected had the same resilience as normal humans. The reality was that these creatures were far more durable.
'One hit to the head isn't enough... I have to completely destroy their brains!' Huang Wei pushed with all his strength, but the infected was incredibly strong, its body pressing forward relentlessly.
While still struggling with the first infected, from the corner of his eye Huang Wei saw the man in the red shirt starting to crawl to his feet. His red eyes gleamed with anger, and a low growl emerged from his torn throat.
With one powerful lunge, the infected leaped toward Huang Wei like a predatory animal.
Huang Wei knew he couldn't hold off two infected at once in such a cramped space. With a sudden movement, he rolled to the side, using his new agility to avoid the second infected's attack.
THUD!
His body collided with the nightstand beside the bed, sending sharp pain through his shoulder. Items on top—an alarm clock, water bottle, and several books—clattered to the floor noisily.
But Huang Wei's move worked. Both infected crashed into each other hard and fell in a writhing pile of bodies.
'This is my chance!'
Without wasting time, Huang Wei jumped to his feet and approached the two infected still trying to separate themselves. With a firm grip on his bat, he struck the head of the one in the red shirt, aiming for a fatal spot.
THWACK! CRACK! THWACK!
Each blow made a horrible cracking sound, and after the fifth hit, the infected's head was completely crushed, its rotten brain spreading across the floor. Finally, the infected stopped moving. Black blood formed a small pool on the floor.
But before Huang Wei could turn to the other infected, he felt movement behind him. Without needing to look, he already knew the third infected—the security guard—who he thought was dead, had risen again.
'They're incredibly tough! I need to be more thorough!'
Huang Wei spun around, facing the security guard infected now shambling toward him with unsteady steps. Learning from his experience, Huang Wei didn't aim for the head directly. He swung his bat at the infected's stomach.
WHUMP!
The powerful blow doubled the security guard over and sent him tumbling to the floor. Before the creature could get up, Huang Wei was already pummeling it with a series of quick, precise strikes to the head, making sure each blow destroyed its brain.
CRACK! SQUELCH! CRACK!
After five consecutive fatal blows, the security guard infected finally stopped moving completely, its brain now mashed like pulp. Huang Wei's breathing began to labor—even with his improved stamina, this intense fight was still draining his energy.
Turning to the last infected still writhing on the floor, Huang Wei finished it quickly. Four powerful, targeted strikes to the head, and the infected was dead.
Huang Wei stood in the middle of his now-destroyed room, surrounded by three infected corpses. Black blood stained the floor, walls, and parts of his clothing. His breathing was still slightly rushed, and sweat streamed down his forehead.
'Three infected... not as easy as I thought, but I managed.' He looked at his baseball bat, now covered in thick black blood. 'Without the status improvements, I might be dead. And I can't make the same mistakes again.' A cold determination hardened in his eyes, reminding him of the burden of promises yet unfulfilled.
Relief began to wash over Huang Wei, but it didn't last long. From the dorm hallway outside his now-broken door, he could hear growls and dragging footsteps getting closer. The sounds caught his attention.
Five new infected appeared in the doorway—more than before. Three wore dirty school uniforms, one had a sports jacket, and the last—the tallest among them—wore a blood-stained white lab coat, probably a lab assistant or professor.
"Damn it!" Huang Wei cursed in frustration, his voice carrying a mix of exhaustion and irritation. His arms felt heavy, and his breathing was becoming irregular. "After one group dies, another shows up! When will this end?!"
He gripped his baseball bat tighter, sweat dripping from his forehead. A cold sharpness radiated from his eyes, mixed with the bitterness of the situation. Adrenaline surged through his body again, overcoming the fatigue he was starting to feel.
"Alright, let's finish this!" he shouted, more to himself than to his enemies.
His shout echoed through the cramped dorm room, and as if responding to his challenge, all five infected moved in unison. They charged in with claws extended and mouths gaping, ready to tear their prey apart.
Huang Wei tightened his grip on the baseball bat, preparing to face the next wave of attacks. This time, he knew exactly what he had to do.