Vell ducked under the first one's swipe and drove the pipe into its knee. As it fell, he pivoted and caught the second one across the face with the back swing. The third grabbed him from behind, its teeth snapping at his neck.
Maya screamed and, without thinking, threw her broken bottle. It struck the infected in the eye, causing it to loosen its grip just enough for Vell to break free.
He spun and drove his fist into the infected's throat with all his strength.
[Skill Enhanced: Enhanced Strength Level 3]
[Description: Your physical strength is 30% greater than normal humans]
His fist crushed the infected's windpipe.
It fell to the ground, clawing at its throat.
The other two were already recovering. He knew he had to end this quickly before his adrenaline wore off.
He charged the one with the broken knee, bringing the pipe down on its head with enough force to crack its skull. It collapsed without a sound.
One left.
The final infected was the largest of the three, its muscles bulging beneath gray skin. It growled, showing rows of sharp teeth.
Vell was breathing hard, his body covered in sweat and blood. The pipe felt heavy in his hands again as his surge of energy began to fade.
The infected rushed him. He tried to dodge, but his injured leg gave way. He fell to one knee as the infected's claws slashed across his back.
Pain exploded along his spine. He cried out and dropped the pipe.
"No!" Maya screamed. She ran forward, grabbing the pipe from the ground.
"Maya, don't!" He shouted, but it was too late.
She swung the pipe at the infected, but it was like hitting a wall. The infected barely noticed. It turned toward her, its yellow eyes gleaming with hunger.
Fear turned to rage in Vell's heart. He would not let it touch her.
With a roar, he pushed himself up and tackled the infected from behind. They crashed to the ground, rolling across the pavement.
The infected was stronger, pinning him down with frightening ease. Its jaws opened wide, ready to tear out his throat.
He saw Maya standing frozen in horror, the pipe still in her hands.
"The head!" he shouted. "Hit its head!"
Understanding flashed in her eyes. She raised the pipe and brought it down with all her strength.
The infected jerked as the metal connected with its skull, but it wasn't enough. It turned toward her, growling.
That moment of distraction was all Vell needed. He grabbed a jagged piece of broken concrete from the ground and drove it into the infected's eye with every ounce of strength he had left.
The creature screamed—a horrible, human-like sound that echoed across the parking lot. It thrashed wildly, then went still.
Vell pushed the heavy body off him and lay on the ground, gasping for breath. Every part of him hurt. Blood soaked his clothes from multiple wounds.
Maya dropped to her knees beside him, tears streaming down her face.
"Are you okay? Please be okay," she sobbed.
He tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace. "I told you to run."
"I could not leave you," she said, wiping at her tears. "You are all I have."
He reached up and squeezed her hand. "We need to move. There might be more."
She helped him to his feet, supporting him as he limped toward the alley. His leg wound was deep, and his back stung where the infected had clawed him.
They made it to the alley and kept moving, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the parking lot full of dead infected.
After several blocks, Vell had to stop. He leaned against a wall, his breathing labored.
"We need to find somewhere safe," Maya said, looking around anxiously. "You need to rest."
He nodded, too exhausted to speak.
A yellow window appeared before him.
[Quest Completed: Defeat the Infected Horde]
[Experience Gained: 1000]
[Current Level: 4 (125/800)]
[Rank Updated: 5,421]
[Skills Enhanced:
- Enhanced Strength Level 3
- Combat Awareness Level 2
- Adrenaline Surge Level 1
- Infected Knowledge Level 2]
[New Skill Unlocked: Pain Resistance Level 1]
[Description: Slightly reduced pain from injuries]
He stared at the notification in surprise. He had jumped two levels from a single fight.
Maya looked around and spotted a small shop with its door hanging open. "Wait here."
"Maya—" he started to protest.
"Just for a minute," she insisted. "I need to check if it is safe."
Before he could argue, she darted across the street to the shop. She peered inside, listening for any sounds of infected. The store was dark and quiet. She stepped inside, her heart pounding in her chest.
It was a clothing store, with racks of shirts and pants knocked over. She grabbed a few t-shirts from a fallen display and hurried back to Vell.
"I found something to bandage your wounds," she said, kneeling beside him.
She tore one of the shirts into strips and carefully wrapped his leg. Her hands shook, but she worked quickly, just like he had taught her when she had scraped her knee badly last year.
"The store looks empty," she told him. "We should go inside. You need to rest."
He nodded weakly. "Okay."
She helped him to his feet, and together they made their way to the store. Once inside, Maya found a back room with an employee break area. There was a small couch where she helped him lie down.
"I will check for supplies," she said.
"Be careful," he warned, his voice strained.
She nodded and began searching the store. In a small bathroom, she found a first aid kit. Behind the counter, there were bottles of water that someone had left behind.
As she gathered the supplies, a yellow window suddenly appeared in front of her.
[Quest Completed: Aid an Ally]
[Experience Gained: 100]
[Current Level: 1 (150/200)]
She stared at the notification in surprise. She had gotten experience points just for helping Vell. She felt a small surge of pride. She was not useless after all.
She returned to the break room with her findings. "Look what I found!"
He managed a weak smile. "Good job."
She opened the first aid kit and found antiseptic wipes, bandages, and pain relievers. "This will help with your wounds."
As she cleaned his injuries properly, another notification appeared.
[Skill Unlocked: Basic First Aid Level 1]
[Description: Basic knowledge of wound treatment and care]
"I got a skill," she said, her eyes wide with excitement.
"What kind?" He asked, wincing as she applied antiseptic to the gash on his leg.
"First aid. The system says I have basic knowledge of wound treatment now." She wrapped a proper bandage around his leg. "Does it feel better?"
He nodded. "Much better. You are a natural."
She beamed at the praise. For so long, she had felt like a burden to him. Always needing protection, always hiding behind him when danger came. But now, she was actually helping.
After treating his wounds, she gave him water and pain relievers. "You should rest now."
"We both should," he said. "But someone needs to keep watch."
"I will do it," she offered immediately.
He looked uncertain. "Maya..."
"I can do it," she insisted. "You fought ten infected. You saved my life. Let me help."
After a moment, he nodded. "Wake me if you hear anything. Anything at all."
"I promise."
He closed his eyes, and soon his breathing became deep and regular. Maya sat by the door, watching the street through a crack in the blinds.