THWACK!
The zombie's skull split like overripe fruit, viscous fluids splattering across the pavement as the creature collapsed. Lucas Kane exhaled sharply, surprised by his own strength.
One clean swing with the tactical hatchet—like slicing through butter.
Back in his old life, Lucas had butchered game during hunting trips. Even with specialized tools, fracturing bone required tremendous force. Yet now, the reinforced craniums—nature's hardest biological armor—yielded effortlessly to his strikes.
The remaining two infected snapped toward him. A female lurcher lunged first. Lucas pivoted, his riot shield deflecting the attack while his combat boot sent the second assailant sprawling. Another hatchet swing—squelch—gray matter painting the concrete.
The woman screamed again, her shrill voice ricocheting off abandoned buildings.
"Shut it!" Lucas growled between strikes. Three more precise blows neutralized the threat.
His enhanced physique barely registered the exertion. Pre-collapse, this skirmish would've left him gasping. Now? Just another Tuesday in the wasteland.
TRANSLUCENT PROMPT APPEARS:
[SYSTEM: Lootable corpses detected. Harvest? Y/N]
Lucas pressed his palm against the nearest body. It dematerialized into his inventory.
LOOT ALERTS:
[Acquired: Bio-Enhancement Compost x3][Acquired: Energy Core x1][Acquired: Lighter x1]
The "compost" resembled pulsating meat clumps—definitely zombie-derived. Thankfully, his storage nullified odor and decay. Eight corpses later, his haul included:
30x Bio-Enhancement Compost3x Energy Cores1x Patriot SUV Keyfob1x Apartment Key1x Keycard (Block 3, Unit 2)$325 Wasteland Scrip
NEW SYSTEM NOTICE:
[KEYFOB: Patriot-class armored vehicle located in underground parking. 87% operational integrity.]
[KEYCARD: Grants access to fortified residential block. Potential safehouse.]
[SCRIP: Redeemable at automated kiosks for preserved rations.]
The woman's voice pierced the silence from her fire escape perch: "You're just leaving me?!"
Lucas didn't glance back. Survival wasn't a group activity—especially with liabilities who attracted walkers like sirens.
The keycard slid into the access terminal. To his shock, electricity still hummed through the building's defenses. The reinforced alloy door thunked open, revealing a pristine lobby untouched by the chaos outside.