The corpse lay still, blood pooling beneath it, staining the floorboards black. Jaden sat with his back against the wall, staring at the glowing blue remnants of the Lock that had just vanished.
His hands trembled, but his mind raced. That wasn't a hallucination. It was real. He had killed… a zombie. And in return, something—some force—had given him power.
A system.
Status: Jaden KnightleyLevel: 1Strength: 5 (+2)Endurance: 3Agility: 3Perception: 2Locks Collected: 1 / Unlocked: 1
"So this is real," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "An actual game system… in real life?"
He stood, grabbing the items the system had spawned—a dented energy bar and a water bottle. His stomach growled at the sight.
"This is loot," he said aloud, thinking back to his games. "So every zombie I kill gives me something... a Lock. Stats. Items. Maybe skills."
A thud came from the hallway.
He froze.
Then another.
And another.
They were outside. More of them.
He peeked out the door. A pair of undead figures were dragging themselves up the hallway, their flesh rotting, their eyes milky. But something else caught his attention.
A faint glow floated above their heads.
[#002][#003]
His eyes widened.
"They… have Locks too?"
He tightened his grip on the rusted knife. Fear crawled up his spine like ice. He wasn't ready to fight again.
But he had no choice.
He needed more Locks.
And more answers.
The first one lunged. Jaden ducked and slashed, the blade biting into its throat. It didn't stop. He shoved it back, sidestepped, then drove the knife into its temple with a grunt.
[You have killed: Infected - Lv. 1]+1 Lock Acquired: [#002 - Basic Lock]
The second came faster. This one had been fresher—still wearing a delivery uniform. Jaden almost hesitated—then remembered the screams he heard earlier.
No mercy.
He tripped it with a kick, jumped onto its back, and stabbed down again and again until it stopped moving.
[You have killed: Infected - Lv. 1]+1 Lock Acquired: [#003 - Basic Lock]
Panting, Jaden stood over the bodies, drenched in sweat and grime.
Three kills.
Three Locks.
You now have 2 unopened Locks. Would you like to unlock them? Y/N
He didn't hesitate. "Yes."
The Locks materialized in front of him. Two floating padlocks, glowing faintly.
Click.
[#002 Unlocked]+1 EnduranceLoot: Bandage (x1), Canned Tuna (x1)
Click.
[#003 Unlocked]+1 AgilityLoot: Worn Sneakers (+1 Movement Speed)
The bandage appeared at his feet, along with a dusty can of tuna. But what really caught his attention was the pair of shoes. They weren't flashy, just old running sneakers—but he felt something spark the moment he touched them.
They fit perfectly.
He felt lighter already.
Jaden took a deep breath and looked around the hallway. The building had gone silent again, but he knew that wouldn't last.
He had to leave. Staying here was a death sentence.
He ducked into his room, stuffed his backpack with food, water, and supplies. Knife on his belt. Sneakers on his feet. One last look in the mirror.
He didn't recognize the guy staring back.
Still just a skinny 22-year-old college dropout, but something in his eyes had changed—resolve.
Then the system pinged again:
[New Quest Unlocked: Escape the Building]Objective: Reach the first floor and exit. Eliminate or evade all infected on the way.Reward: Random Lock x2 | ???
Jaden cracked a grin. "Now you're talking."
The apocalypse had begun.
But he wasn't just surviving anymore.
He was leveling up.