"96..."
"97..."
"98..."
"99..."
"100..."
Lucian collapsed onto the cold apartment floor, chest heaving. For a heartbeat, all he could hear was the pulse in his ears—then the familiar electronic chime rang out.
DING
[You have completed Survival Newbie Quest #2: Body Strengthening. Reward: 20 EXP, 2 Skill Points]
Another soft chime followed, and blue light bloomed before his eyes.
DING
[Name: Lucian Wang]
Level: 2 (30/300 EXP)
Strength: 15/50 [+]
Agility: 10/50 [+]
Endurance: 18/50 [+]
Speed: 12/50 [+]
Charm: 20/50 [+]
Skill Points: 4
Inventory Slots: 2/3 [+]
• Teleportation Pill (1)
• System Manual
Survival Points: 50
Quest: [1 Available]
Space: (Level 1)
Sweat rolled down his temple as he stared at the glowing interface floating mid-air.
"Seems like the system's waiting for me to finish the last newbie quest before giving me more…" he muttered, glancing at another translucent panel.
[Survival Newbie Quest #3]
Clear Conditions: Use Teleportation Pill Reward: 10 EXP
"But I'm not wasting that pill for something so trivial," he sighed.
He sighed and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling for a few seconds before deciding. "Fine. Let's use these skill points first."
With a thought, he distributed one point each into Strength, Agility, Endurance, and Speed. The numbers on the interface shimmered and shifted.
[Name: Lucian Wang]
Level: 2 (30/300 EXP)
Strength: 16/50 [+]
Agility: 11/50 [+]
Endurance: 19/50 [+]
Speed: 13/50 [+]
Charm: 20/50 [+]
Skill Points: 0
Inventory Slots: 2/3 [+]
• Teleportation Pill (1)
• System Manual
Survival Points: 50
Quest: [1 Available]
Space: (Level 1)
Lucian squinted at the last stat. "Still don't get what Charm's supposed to do in an apocalypse… unless the zombies fall for my looks."
He chuckled to himself, but his amusement quickly turned to discomfort. His stomach twisted violently.
"Oh—shit."
He bolted to the bathroom.
Lucian barely made it to the bathroom before his body expelled a thick, foul-smelling black substance.
Twenty minutes later, he emerged, pale but refreshed—his body lighter, his movements smoother. His muscles felt denser, his senses sharper.
"Guess the system literally cleans out the impurities," he said, grimacing at the memory.
"Note to self," he muttered, drying his hair with a towel. "Never use skill points without a toilet nearby.
Just as he was about to sit down, a familiar ping echoed.
He reached for his phone.
[ My Beautiful Cy:
Good morning, Lucian ❤
Don't forget breakfast! I followed your advice and stocked up on medicine and food. It's all at your warehouse address now. I know you're busy, so I won't bother you too much. Take care, sanitize, and wear a mask whenever you go out, okay?
I love you. ]
Lucian smiled unconsciously. His heart warmed at the simple message.
After their unexpected confession yesterday, things had become sweeter. He hadn't told Cyril about his system or spatial ability, but he did mention renting a warehouse to stockpile supplies. As a doctor, Cyril had access to medicine that made his help invaluable.
[Understood, sweetheart. Take care too, and be safe on the road. I love you.]
He bit the inside of his cheek, fighting the grin spreading across his face. "God, I'm turning into such a sap…"
Another ping interrupted his thoughts. Expecting another message from Cyril, he opened it—and instead found his friends' group chat exploding with messages.
[CrazyClay: I think what Lucian said might actually be true.]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: About what? ]
[CrazyClay: [eyes roll.gif]. About the virus being dangerous.]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh]: [shocked.gif]. I thought he was just being delusional again.]
Lucian rolled his eyes as he read one of his friends' comments.
Yes, he actually had friends—though calling them normal would be a stretch. Just as he was selective with his lovers, Lucian was also picky when it came to friendships. Still, fate—or bad luck—had gifted him with a group of eccentric, loud, and occasionally insane people. But beneath all that chaos, they were good-hearted, loyal, and real.
He didn't hesitate to warn them about the virus. Survival came first, of course, but he could never sit back and watch the people he cared about walk blindly into danger. They'd stood by him when he'd been at his lowest—when no one else did.
[Leo the Great: @ CrazyClay, why did you say that?]
[CrazyClay: I asked my father, and we confirmed the information Lucian gave through one of our contacts in Ameron. The Ameron government and BSHO are hiding how deadly the virus really is. Our informant said that, aside from high fever and vomiting blood, the infected show extreme paranoia—so severe that they start biting and attacking people. ]
Lucian's brows knit together, a faint chill running down his spine.
Clayton Baltazar. His old seatmate back in middle school—loud, nosy, and impossible to ignore. For weeks, Lucian had tried to keep his distance, but Clayton's relentless friendliness eventually wore him down. Despite their clashing personalities—Lucian was quiet and reserved, while Clayton was loud and reckless—they somehow clicked. Over time, that stubborn extrovert became one of the few people Lucian could truly call a best friend.
And since Clayton's father was a doctor with deep connections in the medical field, Lucian had no reason to doubt the credibility of his words. If Clay said the situation was worse than it looked… then it probably was.
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero : That sounds terrifying.]
[CrazyClay: And the worst part? Anyone who's scratched or bitten ends up infected too.]
[Neothepets: [omg.gif] Why does this sound like a freaking zombie virus?!
[Leo the Great: @DeluLucian, does your info say the same thing? ]
Lucian was equally stunned.
It had been one of his early hypotheses, but now all the signs were pointing toward a single, terrifying conclusion—a zombie outbreak.
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he exhaled. "Looks like I'll need to focus on strengthening my body even more…" he murmured. "And I'll need weapons—especially firearms."
Taking a slow breath, he started typing.
[DeluLucian: My info is limited, but uncle's source is likely accurate.]
[Leo the Great: I thought so too… If this really is a zombie virus, then we'd better start preparing now.]
Lucian couldn't help but smile when he saw Leo's message.
Leonielle Millfiure.
They'd met back in high school—an unlikely friendship between the quiet class representative and the ever-composed student council officer. Despite Lucian's introverted nature, his sense of responsibility always landed him in leadership roles, which meant frequent interactions with Leonielle. Over time, those formal exchanges turned into easy conversations and into genuine friendship.
Leonielle's calm, mature demeanor balanced Lucian's quiet personality. Even with a three-year age gap, their wavelengths matched perfectly. Out of their group of five—each one a dominant alpha with their own pride and temper—Leonielle naturally stood out as the leader. His words carried weight, and everyone, even the stubborn ones, tended to follow his lead.
Lucian's fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he typed his next message.
[DeluLucian: Yes, we should. According to my lover, who's a doctor, the virus has already reached Xia. The hospital he works at is under quarantine. ]
[CrazyClay : What? Our informants didn't mention anything about this! ]
[Leo the Great: Hmm… then the government must be suppressing the news.]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Uh, I know this is serious and all—but are we just going to ignore the fact that Lucian said he has a lover? [raised eyebrow.gif] ]
Lucian sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Trust Anton to derail a conversation."
Memories of his middle school years flickered in his mind—back when he was hot-headed and restless. Without his parents' knowledge, he'd joined an underground fighting club just to vent his frustrations. It was there that he'd met Anton Pelts: loud, cocky, and annoyingly persistent.
They started as rivals, constantly throwing punches and insults at each other. But one night, when Lucian got cornered by a group of thugs after a match, it was Anton who showed up—bleeding, furious, and ready to fight beside him. From that night on, their rivalry turned into brotherhood.
Lucian smirked at the memory.
[CrazyClay: Congratulations, my son! [partying.gif]. Our baby's finally grown up! [tear-eyed.gif] ]
[Leo the Great: Congrats. ]
[Neothepets: Congrats! [confetti.gif]. Now hand over some red envelopes—or I'll tell my brother-in-law about your underground fights. ]
It was Anton who had introduced Neo to Lucian.
Lucian, being as selective with friends as he was with everything else, didn't care much at first. Even though Neo was Anton's friend, Lucian treated him like air—quietly polite but utterly indifferent. Naturally, that offended the young master.
Neo, spoiled and dramatic as he was, made it his personal mission to get Lucian's attention. He tried everything—gifts, jokes, messages at all hours of the night. At first, Lucian found it annoying… but over time, he couldn't help but laugh at Neo's persistence. There was something endearing about it—like watching a stubborn puppy wag its tail, desperate for praise.
Eventually, Lucian gave in.
[DeluLucian: If you do that, I'll tell your brother you're the reason he and his "white moonlight" broke up. ]
He sent the message with a smirk tugging at his lips.
[Neothepets: [eyes roll.gif ] My brother deserves better than that bitch anyway. ]
Lucian chuckled softly. He couldn't argue with that. Neo's brother's ex was the perfect example of a green tea bitch type—a person who is sweet and innocent on the outside but completely opposite on the inside.
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: Congrats, Lucian! If a zombie outbreak really happens, at least you won't die a virgin!]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Good one, Zero! [dying of laughter.gif] ]
Lucian shook his head, laughing under his breath. His friends never missed a chance to tease him.
[DeluLucian : Alright, enough jokes. You all should start stocking up—just in case.]
[Leo the Great: I agree with Lucian. First, we need to regroup. Two is better than one—especially if this really turns into a zombie apocalypse.]
[CrazyClay: Okay, so Leo and Zero are both in B Province, Anton and I are in K Province, Neo's home is in Q Province, and Lucian's is in R Province. We're all so far apart. [sad.gif] ]
It had been two weeks since the start of summer vacation.
While the rest of his friends were traveling or visiting their hometowns, Lucian had chosen to spend his summer quietly inside his apartment. It wasn't that he disliked going out—he just preferred the calm of solitude over the noise of crowds.
[DeluLucian: @ Leo the Great. I'm worried about how fast this virus is escalating. To avoid being caught off guard, we should all start preparing within the week. ]
[Leo the Great: Hmm, I see. Anyone oppose Lucian's suggestion?]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: I agree. The Xia government might be able to contain it for now, but one mistake could doom us all. ]
[Neothepets: Exactly! [furious cat.gif]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Zero's right! I've read and watched plenty of zombie stories, and it's always the same—the outbreak spreads because of the government's negligence or overconfidence. And honestly, our Xia government feels like the latter.]
[CrazyClay: I hate to admit it, but Anton's got a point. Judging by how the Xia government is hiding news about the virus, they're probably overconfident they can handle it quietly or find a cure before the public finds out.]
[Leo the Great: From a business perspective, that makes sense. If Xia becomes the first to develop a cure, the profit and global influence would be massive. Not to mention Celestial Pharmaceuticals is based here. They'd have the upper hand. ]
[Neothepets: Ugh, they only care about money, not people! [puffy angry kitten.gif]]
Lucian nodded slightly, agreeing with every word.
[DeluLucian: The government knows the risks, but we can't rely on them.]
[CrazyClay: [puffing cat.gif] Ditto! My dad thinks Celestial Pharmaceuticals does shady and unethical research. He even turned down a job offer from them because of it.]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: If Uncle thinks that way, then we definitely can't trust Celestial to control the virus—or find a cure—without serious consequences.]
A faint smile played on Lucian's lips. They could be loud, dramatic, and ridiculous sometimes, but his friends weren't stupid. Each of them was intelligent and capable in their own way.
That's why, even in the face of something as terrifying as a possible apocalypse, Lucian felt oddly certain—they'd find a way to survive.
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Since we don't have much time to prepare, our distance will be a real problem… and so will convincing our families.]
[CrazyClay: Oh… [sad puppy.gif] My family's huge, and I doubt my grandfather will ever agree to leave the ancestral home.]
[Leo the Great: Hmm… @CrazyClay, compile all the data you have about the virus and send it to me.
Anton's right. Our families will be the hardest part. My father's too proud to ever take orders from anyone. Clay's grandfather has his position and pride, so there's no way he'll abandon the ancestral home. And Neo's family… well, that's a whole different kind of complicated.
We might act as a bridge between them, but who knows what goes on in our elders' minds—especially when every single one of them is a dominant alpha. ]
Lucian couldn't help but shudder at that image—three dominant alphas arguing over authority during a crisis. 'That wouldn't just be messy… it'd be bloody.'
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: I think it's better if we divide for now. That doesn't mean we'll lose contact. I'm not rich like you four, but I'll try to design something—maybe a communication device that works even if the power goes out.]
A small, genuine smile curved on Lucian's lips as he read Zero's message.
Zero Kuryuu had always been different from the rest of them. He didn't come from wealth or influence—he was born to a humble farming family. And yet, Lucian admired him deeply.
Despite juggling countless part-time jobs to support himself, Zero graduated with honors in Electrical and Computer Engineering, never once asking for money or favors from any of them. His persistence, intelligence, and quiet pride earned Lucian's respect long ago.
[Leo the Great: I think Zero's suggestion is good. @ZeroAlwaysTheHero, since you're closest to my area, pack up and bring your family to my villa.
@Anton-Oh-Nyoh, @Delulucian — how about you two? Where do you plan to stay?]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: Thanks, Leo.]
[Leo the Great: No problem.]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: My father doesn't love me, my stepmother's a witch who thinks I'm a stain on her precious children's inheritance… but hey, I'm still rich. @CrazyClay, adopt me, please! [puppy dog eyes.gif] ]
[CrazyClay: Hmmm… I'll ask my father first. ]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Thank you so much! May you be blessed with a hundred children! ]
[CrazyClay: [eye roll.gif] ]
[Neothepets: What about me? My parents and brother won't believe me if I tell them a zombie outbreak is coming. They'll just say I'm being spoiled and begging for money again. [crying cat.gif] ]
[Leo the Great: Don't worry, Neo. I'll contact uncle and send him Clayton's data about the virus.]
[Neothepets: Thank you!!! [throwing finger hearts.gif] ]
[Leo the Great: And you, Lucian? Are you staying with any of us? ]
Lucian's lips curved slightly as he typed his reply.
[DeluLucian: I'll stay in my apartment. Traveling right now would take too long, and I'd rather use that time to stock up. I'm also planning to renovate and reinforce the place for better security.
Everyone should do the same — fortify your homes. If there's one thing I learned from movies and novels, it's that people's hearts change fast in a crisis. Safety should be our top priority.]
[Leo the Great: Agreed. That's part of my plan, too. If the government and the law collapse, the rich will be the first ones targeted.]
Lucian nodded and began typing.
[Delulucian: But if this really is a zombie virus like we've speculated, we'll need weapons. @LeoTheGreat, do you have any sources or contacts where we can buy guns?]
[Leo the Great: Yes. How much do you need?]
[Neothepets]: WHAT??? [shocked face.gif] Leo, why do you even have contacts?! Are you secretly part of the mafia?!]
Lucian wasn't surprised by Leo's reply. The Millfiure family was one of the wealthiest in Xia, with estates and properties scattered across the country. And with great wealth came the need for… certain connections. It wasn't exactly shocking if Leo's family had ties to the underworld.
[Leo the Great: I'm not, Neo. My family's just full of businessmen with powerful connections. But honestly, maybe you should ask your family the same question.]
[Neothepets: WHAT?! ]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Wait—what's that supposed to mean???]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: Hold up. If I'm understanding correctly… Neo—the same guy who's afraid of turtles—is from a mafia family?!]
Lucian stared at the screen, stunned.
He'd always had the habit of discreetly checking the background of the people he met—a habit learned from growing up with a policeman father. But somehow, he'd never come across this piece of information.
Still, even if he had known, it wouldn't have mattered. Lucian didn't judge people based on their background. Whether choosing friends or lovers, he valued character and loyalty above all. He was just caught off guard—he never would've imagined the gentle, well-mannered family could be… a mafia.
[Leo the Great: Honestly, I didn't expect it either. Your parents look like the kind of people who couldn't hurt a fly. But I stumbled on the info yesterday—accidentally. Your family hid it really well, Neo. Even my father never knew.
I was actually planning to ask for your help. We'll need firearms soon, and even with my connections, it's difficult to smuggle large quantities. I just didn't realize you didn't know about your family business.]
[CrazyClay: [chuckling.gif] I found out too—recently. Your brother brought his wounded omega to our clinic. The injuries were clearly from gunshots. To protect him, your brother revealed his identity to me and my father. I even signed an NDA! But since a zombie apocalypse might be around the corner, can we pretend I didn't say that, Neo? [Beautiful eyes.gif] ]
[Neothepets: WHAT THE—?! MOM?! DAD?! ARE WE A MAFIA FAMILY?! MY BROTHER HAS AN OMEGA?! WHAT IS HAPPENING?! [very confused.gif] ]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: Are you sure you're really their son? How do you not know any of this? [side-eye.gif] ]
[Neothepets: [fuck you.gif] ]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: @Delulucian — you've got a police officer for a dad. What's your take on this? Are you gonna cut Neo off now that he's… apparently mafia royalty? ]
Lucian chuckled as Neo continued spamming the chat with a flood of panicked emojis and exaggerated gifs.
[ DeluLucian: Honestly, we've been friends with Neo for so long, and we've gone through plenty together. We all know he couldn't even hurt a butterfly, let alone threaten any of us. His family's always been kind too—they don't even let us pay whenever we eat at one of their restaurants.
And really… with a zombie apocalypse possibly on the way, why would I care if Neo's from a mafia family? ]
[ZeroAlwaysTheHero: Hahaha, that's true! Neo screams like a girl whenever a grasshopper jumps near him. Not exactly mafia material. No wonder his family kept it a secret. ]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: [dying from laughter.gif] ]
[CrazyClay : [rolling on the ground laughing.gif] ]
[Leo the Great: [smiley emoji] ]
[Neothepets: Thank you for the touching speech, Lucian. Really. [eye roll.gif] And fuck all of you! [a thousand middle fingers.gif] ]
Despite his words, everyone could tell Neo was relieved.
[DeluLucian : Anyway, @LeoTheGreat, try convincing his brother to get us some guns. I'll wire you money later and send my warehouse address. ]
[Anton-Oh-Nyoh: I'll transfer some too! @CrazyClay, since I'm getting the guns, you better adopt me now!]
[CrazyClay: Whatever, Anton. If you need medicine, I'll buy some and have it delivered.]
[Neothepets: What about me? What should I do? [pitiful baby.gif] ]
[Delulucian: Just wait until Leo talks to your family and follow their instructions. Anyway, everyone—stay safe and take care.]
After sending the message, Lucian quietly exited the group chat.
He glanced at the clock—8:00 a.m.
In thirty minutes, the renovation team would arrive. After that… his crazy shopping spree would begin.