Kirin stood up to his full height. The body that had once been racked with pain from battle and the excruciating upgrade process now felt strangely invigorated and bursting with energy. He tried lifting a slab of concrete debris that he had previously found too heavy... It was still heavy, but this time, he could lift it off the ground.
"Whoa... got a bit of buffalo strength now," he grinned broadly. "Maybe I should register for the national bodybuilding team... assuming there's still a nation left."
The feeling of power surging through his own body for the first time since arriving in this world was intoxicating enough to dampen the fear slightly... but only slightly.
Last night was proof that defending the fortress alone wasn't a sustainable long-term plan. He might survive common zombies, but if "Hunters" or something worse breached his nest... he was done for.
"Standing still is waiting for bankruptcy... A good business must know how to expand the market," he muttered to himself out of habit.
He immediately started planning for the new day. "Alright... Today's To-Do List."
Test New Product Potential: His Flora Affinity... He needed to know exactly what it could do. Market Analysis: Survey the surrounding environment... The Sukhumvit area of Bangkok. He needed to understand the alleys and threats in the capital. Find New Suppliers: Scout for additional supply sources. Relying only on existing stock was a risk.
He decided to start with the first item. He went back to the can where he had planted the yardlong bean seed last night.
"How's it going, kid... awake yet?" he said, holding his hand over the soil.
This time, he didn't just push energy out blindly. He tried to meditate... communicate... visualizing a strong, rapidly growing vine. A soft green light glowed from his palm.
Fwip!
The soil in the can trembled! A green shoot burst through the surface at a speed visible to the naked eye! It sprouted leaves... extended its stem... and in less than a minute, a small bean vine slithered out of the can, wrapping gently around his arm like a tame pet.
"Hey... it actually works," Kirin exclaimed excitedly. He could feel a connection with it. He could order it to creep left or right at will. "This is... a top-tier survival skill!"
Satisfied with the new power test, he climbed back up to the rooftop for the second mission... Market Analysis.
The view of the fallen Sukhumvit district was simultaneously terrifying and breathtaking. Skyscrapers that were once symbols of wealth were now silent concrete monoliths. Some buildings bore massive scorch marks; others had their glass facades completely shattered. The BTS Skytrain track, once the main artery of travel, was twisted and collapsed in sections. On Sukhumvit Road below lay a graveyard of luxury cars, still and silent. Everything was coated in gray dust, draining the color from the world.
He observed for a long time... This labyrinthine city was full of both danger and "Opportunity."
His eyes scanned the small alleys branching off the main road. Massive malls like Emporium or EmQuartier would have been looted in the first days or were likely infested with massive hordes... Not good targets.
But then he found it... In a quiet-looking sub-soi, there was a medium-sized Pharmacy. It wasn't in a prominent location, not the first target people would think of. But for him... medicine and medical supplies were resources as valuable as food.
Kirin's heart raced again... It was the thrill of planning a new business venture.
Of course... the horrifying memories of last night were still fresh in his mind. The thought of stepping out of this safe fortress made his stomach churn.
Will I survive this? The thought flashed through his head.
But he shook it off. He looked at his hands... felt the increased strength... recalled the Flora Affinity he could control... and the supplies in his dimension.
"Risk is part of business," he told himself. "If you don't invest, you'll never make a profit."
He made his decision... He was going outside.
Kirin went back down to the 12th floor. He began preparing for his first "Client Meeting." He laid out the machete, the crowbar, and the homemade iron spear... This was his "Sales Team."
He checked the emergency supplies in his backpack one last time.
His eyes showed a glimmer of fear... but it was overlaid with the determination and cunning of a negotiator.
"Alright..." He took a deep breath. "Time to go out... and negotiate business with the outside world."
The decision was made. But taking that first step out of the safest place on earth right now... required more courage than he expected.
Kirin began "Dressing to meet clients." He arranged his weapons meticulously. The machete was tucked at his waist for the quickest draw. The steel crowbar was strapped to his backpack. And in his hand was the rebar spear... the primary weapon for maintaining precious distance.
He double-checked his pack... One bottle of water, bandages, another piece of dried beef... essentials for a short-term mission.
Catching a faint reflection of himself on a metal sheet, he couldn't help but chuckle mockingly.
"Dressed to the nines like I'm going to war at the border... when actually, I'm just going to rob a pharmacy in Sukhumvit," he muttered. "My CEO life... really has its ups and downs."
He stood at the entrance of the fire escape leading down... toward the terrifying outside world. Hesitation slammed into his mind instantly. His legs felt nailed to the floor. His stomach churned violently.
Down there is nothing but death... The voice of fear screamed in his head.
But if you don't go... you're just waiting to die anyway, the cold, calculating businessman's voice countered.
He closed his eyes. Inhaled deeply. "Fine! Let's do this! What good does fear do anyway!"
Kirin forced his legs to take one step down the stairs... then another... The closer he got to the ground floor, the clearer the screams and the haunting echoes of the capital became.
Reaching the Ground Floor, he was on full alert. He peeked out from behind a large pillar... The street was still empty within visible range... It seemed safe.
He dashed out from cover immediately, sprinting to hide behind a wrecked Mercedes Benz. His heart pounded so hard it threatened to burst through his ribs. He stayed low, moving from one wreck to another slowly but steadily... creeping along the wall of a building now riddled with cracks.
The atmosphere of Sukhumvit at ground level was infinitely more terrifying than the view from above. The wind whistling through the gaps between shattered skyscrapers sounded like the whispers of demons. The scent of blood and the burning smell from distant fires hung in the air, refusing to fade.
Just as he was about to sneak past the mouth of a narrow alley...
"Urrghhh..."
A female zombie in an office uniform stumbled out without warning!
Kirin froze instantly! It was less than ten meters away! His stomach dropped to his feet. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Luckily, the zombie didn't notice him. It continued dragging its legs, following its instincts slowly across the street to the other side.
Kirin waited until it was out of sight before collapsing against the wall, completely drained. He let out a breath of relief.
"Holy shit... Almost went to meet the Maker," he cursed, his voice shaking.
After regaining his composure, he continued with doubled caution. Finally... he arrived at the sub-soi where the target pharmacy was located.
The shop's condition was as expected... The glass front was shattered. The steel security gate had been pried open... Clear signs of a break-in.
But the problem was... the storefront wasn't empty.
Two zombies were loitering around the area. One was in a condo security guard uniform. The other looked like a food delivery rider with half a helmet missing. Both paced back and forth slowly, acting like gatekeepers to hell.
Kirin hid behind a toppled phone booth. He analyzed the situation... Charge in directly? Bad idea... Fighting one-on-two in a narrow space, plus making noise that would attract others in the alley... Stupid.
Use brains... not brawn.
He glanced across the alley and saw a fancy coffee shop... and near his feet lay a piece of scrap metal pipe.
A plan formed in his head... "Operation: Lure the Tiger out of the Cave... or rather, lure the zombies away from the pharmacy," he smiled to himself.
He picked up the pipe, weighing it in his hand, calculating the distance and angle in his mind.
"Say your prayers, you bastards..." he muttered to the two zombies.
Summoning all his strength, he hurled the pipe as hard as he could!
CRASHHH!
The pipe smashed into the glass door of the coffee shop across the street, the sound echoing loudly through the silent alley!
It worked!
Both zombies in front of the pharmacy stopped simultaneously. Their heads snapped toward the sound. And without needing a signal... they began dragging their feet across the alley... heading slowly toward the interesting "Noise."
The path was clear!
But he didn't have much time...
He prepared to step out from cover... sprinting straight toward the gates of hell that stood open before him.