The world is now a game, and maybe an opportunity to prove my worth.
Am I naive to think that way?
[Zombie Wave: 15 min]
Fifteen minutes before the first wave, zombies would swamp the whole building in just a few minutes, and I was the person who needed to be more careful than any people out here.
What can I do here?
I scanned my surroundings intently. Everyone was staring at the air, stiff legs with pale faces.
Then a thought clicked in my mind.
It was selfish, but I had no other choice.
"Everyone, please calm down."
A voice snapped, breaking the silence.
A young man with a well-ironed suit, slightly slicked-back black hair, and sharp brown eyes stepped forward.
"Please, can I have a minute of your attention? I have a plan."
As the word plan was spoken, everyone's gaze shifted instantly to the young man. He looked confident in what he was about to say.
Yun Taesung, from the sports article group. He was a calm and charming man. Everybody liked him. Always got compliments for his looks. He was also Han seoyeon sister's faince.
So he survived.
I turned my head slightly toward Han Seoyeon. And asked.
"Weren't you worried about him?"
She shook her head, nodding.
I didn't feel she was actually worried about him or anyone else. But it's not her fault.
We humans tend to think only about ourselves in situations where our lives are at risk. It's just how humans are wired.
Default setting, which can't be changed.
Yun Taesung spoke again with a firm voice.
"Thank you. Please listen to me thoroughly. We make a group of three—five people in each group. Our main objective, if I am right, is to escape the building while surviving from zombies. We split into three groups—one group will check the upper floors, and the other two will check the lower and middle floors."
Huh?
Someone—an older guy with a shaky voice, nodded.
"Yes, yes, we should do what he says. This young man knows what he's doing."
Others chimed in and followed the older coworker.
"Yun Taesung-ssi is so calm, even in this kind of crisis."
"He's really dependable."
Idiots.
The voice of the Geon Lizard suddenly echoed with a mocking tone.
["It's no fun, let me make it fun."]
[Low-tier zombies have been spawned]
["Now it's more fun, isn't it? Let's see what you humans can do."]
The words of Yun Taesung earlier, which had everyone's hopes up, disappeared the moment they heard the Geon Lizard.
Annoying talking lizard.
"Calm down, everyone! Let's get out of this room first. Team A, follow me. Team B, check the elevator. Team C, the middle floor."
"Get moving."
Everyone slid toward the exit door in a rush. The transparent screen blocking the door opened with a soft clink.
I stood by the wall, watching. I couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling—like someone had been staring at me since the start. I shook my head and scanned the room. A broken broom lay near a flipped-over computer on the ground.
"Yang Jihan-ssi, we're not going with them?"
My gaze shifted to the voice. I hadn't noticed Han Seoyeon until now. I'd been too lost in thought and forgot she was still standing close to me. She looked calm now maybe she'd seen more than enough to panic anymore.
I shook my head slightly.
"No. I won't be joining them. You can go if you want."
Her eyes flicked to the door.
"I'll stay."
I nodded.
"We need a weapon. Pick up anything useful you can find."
"Yang Jihan-ssi, would this do?" she asked, holding a keyboard in both hands with a serious tone.
"..."
After a few seconds of holding back a laugh, I answered,
"Yeah. Stay behind me."
We walked on our toes. I leaned out first, peeking through the door to check the stairs.
No zombies.
I motioned her to follow. The storage room was right next to our office. We could use it to reach the upper floors. There was no way the game would make the exit on the lower floors.
We headed out.
A loud, grinding sound echoed from downstairs. Then figures—slow-moving—came into view. Black, moist skin. Cuts all over. Ugly, bloodied faces. They were zombies.
But not the kind I expected.
These weren't just low-tier tutorial zombies. They were Grunto Zombies from the 11th Apocalypse Floor. Because of their slow walking pace, we had a few seconds to reach the door.
Han Seoyeon froze, staring at the Grunto Zombies. Her legs shook, and she gulped.
"Han Seoyeon-ssi, move back! Now!"
She jolted back to her senses and moved quickly.
I stepped back and kicked the storage door. It was locked. I glanced back at the Grunto zombies—they were getting closer.
Shit.
I kicked again. And again with full force.
Grr. Grrr.
They were right in front of us.
I took a deep breath and slammed my foot into it with everything I had.
Thud.
The door finally opened.
But just then—a Grunto grabbed my shoulder and pulled me toward it. I shook, trying to loosen its grip but its nails dug deep into my skin. A sharp pain flared, dizzying me.
"Yang Jihan-ssi—bend down!"
I instinctively dropped.
Thwack!
The keyboard smacked into the Grunto's head.
It took a moment for me to register what just happened then I grabbed the Grunto and shoved it with the broken broomstick, using both hands to push it back.
Han Seoyeon rushed inside. I followed and slammed the door shut behind us.
Han Seoyeon and I pushed the door—it was locked, but it wouldn't hold much longer. The hook was slightly broken, and the Grunto were ramming it from the other side. After a few minutes of struggle, the pounding stopped.
I peeked through the glass. They were leaving, moving upstairs.
I let out a deep breath and slid down against the door, sitting. The adrenaline faded, and the sharp sting in my right arm came rushing back.
"Are you okay, Yang Jihan-ssi?"
I looked up. Han Seoyeon stood nearby, eyes fixed on my wound.
I waved it off.
"I'm fine. We need to get out of here first."
I stood, turned on my phone flashlight, and scanned the room.
The vent—if I was right, it should be...
It was on the Middle of the wall.
I shoved a table over and climbed up, yanking the cover off the ventilation.
"Let's go," I said, motioning her forward.
As I entered the vent, a sharp rotten stench and years of dust hit my face like a wall. The space was so narrow I could barely crawl properly. I twisted my head to glance back she was following close.
"Where are we heading?" she asked.
"Seventh floor. There's an opening near the kitchen. Should help us avoid the zombies."
"How do you know this?"
"I used to fix the vents. Found it then."
"Oh… okay."
We crawled in silence for a few minutes before a faint light came into view. I peeked through the next opening.
Clear.
I dropped down, landing with a soft thud. Han Seoyeon followed.
Grrr. Grrr.
My head snapped toward the sound.
A Grunto zombie lunged from behind the kitchen counter.