Apocalyptic Game: The First Move Is to Kill the School Belle

There was no zombie near the ping-pong table where Alexander now stood, so he had ample time to wait for reinforcements. After a brief respite, the two fastest zombies arrived at the table. Seizing the advantage of his elevated position, Alexander struck first—delivering a powerful kick to the face of the foremost zombie. The force sent it tumbling backward in a rolling motion. The remaining zombie did not escape; Alexander decapitated it without a moment's hesitation.

At that very moment, the opaque door of the ping-pong hall began to rattle and bang. "Damn, those roars are attracting more zombies outside," Alexander grumbled. He quickly regained his composure and planned, "Once I finish off these zombies, I'll execute a strategic retreat." After all, the heavy door would hold for a while longer.

Alexander leapt down from the table and rushed over to a fallen zombie that, perhaps still reeling from the blow, hadn't yet risen. With one forceful swing, he ensured it would never get up.Now, only 10 zombies remained in the hall that could move freely. Confident in his agility, he decided to wear them down by using the space between the tables to play a deadly game of hide-and-seek. As a group of zombies surged toward him, Alexander ducked under one table, then emerged from the opposite side to deliver a swift slash to a zombie at the rear.

Surrounded by the undead, he jumped onto one ping-pong table, then hopped to another. In a series of fluid, graceful maneuvers, he eliminated five zombies. However, his stamina had taken a heavy toll. In such a short span—fighting against 17 zombies with equal base attributes and slaying the majority—his endurance was nearly spent. Few would believe such a feat if they heard it.

While catching his breath by leaning on a table, Alexander noticed a red potion bottle on the floor—it had dropped from one of the zombies he'd just slain! Treasuring it like a rare gem, he quickly scooped it up, evaded an onrushing zombie, unscrewed the cap, and gulped down the red potion. The sweet liquid rushed through his throat, its delicious taste making him yearn for more.

[Stamina Potion] – A one-use bronze-tier item that instantly restores 20% of your stamina. Additionally, it restores 5% of your stamina per minute for 5 minutes afterward. (There is a 30-minute cooldown after use.)

Indeed, Alexander had just downed what players call the "Little Red Bottle." The sensation of renewed energy was marvelous. He exhaled deeply, then hurled his Tang Blade once again. The cooldown for Whirling Slash had finally expired. Although this time the technique wasn't as razor-sharp as before, each throw and subsequent return still reaped the life of one zombie.

Taking advantage of the lull, Alexander lowered his gaze to scout for items dropped by the slain zombies. He gathered a card here, two cards there—three cards in total, all of which turned out to be supply cards. The remaining three zombies were nearly upon him. After grabbing the last cyan-glowing item, he promptly crawled back under a ping-pong table.

Retrieving the item, he examined it carefully—it was a soil-yellow bracelet engraved with intricate, ornate magical patterns.  [Spiked Bracelet] – A bronze-tier, magically enhanced bracelet.  Attribute: +1 Spirit  Special Skill: Spiked Charge – Summons a vertical row of spikes from the ground to deliver heavy, line-based damage. (Cooldown: 24 hours)

"Damn, a skill-bearing accessory!" Alexander marveled. Such jewelry is far rarer than standard gear like shoes or clothes. On Day Two of the apocalypse, he had managed to collect rings, necklaces, and now bracelets—and this one even carries a skill. Truly priceless!

He quickly slipped the bracelet onto his wrist; it automatically adjusted to fit perfectly—a convenient touch. Meticulously checking its stats had taken time, but it was well worth it.

At that moment, the ping-pong hall was completely surrounded by zombies. Unfazed, Alexander first used his Tang Blade to sever the legs of one zombie. Then, exploiting the gaps created by fallen foes, he crawled out. Two more zombies converged on him. With a wry smirk, he dodged a lunging zombie by bending low, then delivered two clean slashes to a zombie that had already lost both legs.

Suddenly, the main door of the ping-pong hall crashed down with a deafening "BOOM." Zombies from behind began to pour into the hall. Normally, such a scenario would necessitate a strategic retreat—but Alexander charged straight into the fray. With zombies chasing him from behind and an endless wave surging in front, he found himself encircled.Yet, as he stood amid the chaos, a faint smile played on his lips. He halted, stood his ground, and silently awaited the encroaching zombies. They drew closer—so near that their nauseating stench filled the air. As nearly ten zombies lunged simultaneously with razor-sharp claws, a determined gleam flashed in Alexander's eyes.

He forcefully kicked the surface of the nearby table, launching it slightly as he momentarily became airborne. Executing a stylish backflip, he landed behind the two zombies that had been chasing him. In that instant, all the zombies aligned in a straight line before him.

Skill—"Spiked Charge"The bracelet on Alexander's wrist burst into a radiant soil-yellow glow. Instantly, the ground ahead trembled violently. In a spectacular display, a massive spike—formed entirely of compacted earth—erupted from the ground, impaling the foremost zombie."DEATH" flashed above its head.

[Congratulations to player "Yazī" for killing a Level 2 zombie, earning 2 XP and 3 coins]

Yet, it was not over—the trembling of the ground continued, as if gathering an even greater force!