The pair continued down the sidewalk. The farther they ventured into the commercial district, the more the city seemed determined to funnel them in unexpected directions.
A delivery truck sat jackknifed across the road ahead, its trailer wedged between two traffic lights after colliding with the median. Several abandoned cars surrounded it, leaving only a narrow opening between a concrete barrier and the truck's rear wheels. They slowed down.
"We can squeeze through."
Levy peered past the wreckage.
"You sure?"
"It's either that or we double back."
Levy glanced over his shoulder at the route they'd just taken, then nodded.
"Fair enough."
The gap was barely wide enough for a person to pass sideways. Noah slipped through first, his backpack brushing the trailer as he emerged on the other side. Levy followed a moment later.
Neither had taken more than a few steps before a metallic groan echoed behind them. The trailer shifted. Both spun around instinctively as the rear of the truck settled another inch into the pavement before coming to a stop.
After several tense, quiet seconds, Noah exhaled.
"...Let's not do that again."
Levy didn't argue.
The city had a way of reminding them it wasn't dangerous only because of the walkers. They continued forward, but every block seemed to present another obstacle.
A collapsed traffic light forced them across the street. Construction fencing blocked an entire section of road. Twice they detoured through narrow service lanes after abandoned vehicles made the main route impassable.
The distance wasn't great, the time it took was, though. It reminded Noah of something his father once said on a road trip.
A straight line ain't always the fastest way home.
He smiled softly.
Back then, it had just been another one of his dad's sayings. Now, he understood.
A low groan drifted across the street. Noah looked up to see four walkers wandering between parked cars. He raised his spear slightly, then lowered it again.
"Leave them."
Levy glanced over.
"They're not in the way."
"Exactly."
Neither of them had the luxury of wasting energy proving they could win every fight. Sometimes the better choice was simply to keep walking.
They crossed another intersection before Noah stopped.
"...Hold on."
Levy paused.
"What?"
Noah pointed toward the road. Three walkers lay scattered across a faded crosswalk. Unlike the others, they weren't mangled. No slashed skulls. No stab wounds. Each had a single, precise puncture through the head. Levy crouched beside one.
"...These weren't us."
"No," Noah said, scanning the area. "Obviously."
No struggle. No casings. No trail. Just bodies dropped cleanly in place.
"Think someone else passed through here too?" Levy asked.
"Maybe."
It was the only honest answer. The city was full of survivors. Three dead walkers didn't change that. Still, Noah lingered on the wounds a moment longer before standing.
"Come on."
They moved on as the buildings thinned and the road opened into a larger intersection. Noah slowed again, taking in the scene. Unlike the earlier horde, the walkers here were scattered—drifting between cars, crossing streets, lingering near storefronts.
"...Nine," Noah muttered.
Levy looked over.
"Only nine?"
"Close enough."
Levy frowned.
"Close enough for what?"
Noah was about to answer when a sharp metallic pop echoed somewhere behind them. They both snapped toward the sound. The delivery truck they'd squeezed past moments earlier had shifted again, its trailer settling hard against the pavement.
The impact nudged the compact car pinned beneath its rear bumper. The car rolled forward only a few inches—just enough to tap the vehicle parked in front of it.
Thunk.
Then another.
Thunk.
A third car rocked slightly as its parking brake finally gave way. Neither Noah nor Levy spoke as the sedan continued creeping down the slight incline before colliding with the rear of a city bus resting in the middle of the intersection.
Clang.
For a heartbeat...
Nothing happened.
Then—
BWAAAAAAAHHHHH!
The bus horn erupted through the empty streets, echoing between the surrounding buildings with startling force.
Noah's eyes widened.
"...Shit."
All across the intersection, heads turned.
Not one.
Not five.
Every Walker within earshot.
The nine in front of them immediately changed direction as more figures emerged from side streets—a pair from a laundromat, three from behind a pharmacy, and others filtering between abandoned vehicles farther down the road.
Levy slowly looked toward Noah.
"I don't think it's just nine anymore."
Noah didn't take his eyes off the growing crowd.
"No."
The bus horn continued blaring.
There wasn't any point trying to sneak away now. Even if they turned back, the noise would keep drawing walkers from every direction. Sooner or later, they'd be surrounded. He tightened his grip on the spear.
"We make an opening."
Levy nodded once.
"Got it."
Only then did Noah glance toward the corner of his vision.
〔(755/800) EXP〕
Forty-five experience.
He was getting close.
Too close.
He lowered the spear slightly.
"...Actually."
Levy looked over.
"What?"
"I'm not finishing them."
"Uhhhh, mind explaining, buddy?"
Noah hesitated.
"I'm forty-five experience away from Level Five."
Understanding flickered in Levy's eyes.
"Fuck, the Awakening."
Noah nodded.
"I'm not sure what's gonna happen when it starts."
Levy glanced toward the approaching Walkers.
"You think it'll happen right away?"
"I don't know."
That answer was becoming too familiar. The System gave information—just never enough.
Noah rested his spear against the pavement.
"If it knocks me out..."
"I'll cover you," Levy said immediately.
Noah looked at him.
"But not with this many Walkers."
"You're right," Levy admitted, tightening his grip on his knife. "So what are you gonna do? They're getting a bit too close."
Noah turned back toward the Walkers.
"I'll weaken them."
"And I'll finish them?"
"That's the idea."
"Works for me."
The nearest walker closed the distance and lurched forward. Noah met it halfway. Instead of driving the spear through its skull, he twisted his body and swept its legs out from beneath it. The walker crashed onto the pavement, its momentum carrying it into another approaching walker.
Levy was already there. His knife plunged into the first walker's temple before he pivoted, burying the blade into the one that had stumbled over it.
Two bodies dropped. Before either of them had a chance to breathe, another groan rose from their right. Noah struck it with the butt of his spear, sending it into a telephone pole. Levy finished it before it could recover. Another groan came from the left. Then another.
Noah glanced toward the side street. More walkers were pouring into the intersection, drawn by the relentless blare of the bus horn as it reverberated between the surrounding buildings.
"It's bringing them in," Levy said, backing toward Noah.
"I know."
Another walker reached them. Noah caught it across the jaw with the shaft of his spear, knocking its head sideways before shoving it into the path of two others. They tangled together in an uncoordinated heap.
Levy darted in, finishing one before retreating again. The second struggled to pull itself back to its feet, but Noah didn't give it the chance. His spear flashed forward almost on instinct. The steel tip punched cleanly through its skull.
〔+5 EXP〕
His jaw tightened.
"Damn."
Levy looked over.
"What?"
"Trying not to kill them, remember."
Levy mentally face-palmed.
"Right, forgot."
A walker squeezed between two abandoned cars and lunged toward Levy. There wasn't enough room to shove it away this time. Noah reacted on instinct, driving the spear cleanly through its head before he could think twice.
〔+5 EXP〕
"...Seriously?"
The words slipped out before he could stop them. The street was becoming harder to navigate. Walkers poured from every direction, weaving around abandoned vehicles and squeezing through the gaps left by yesterday's chaos. Every corpse they dropped became another obstacle beneath their feet.
Levy stumbled as his shoe caught against a fallen walker. One reached for him immediately. Noah planted the butt of his spear against its chest, forcing it backward before kicking another away that had begun circling toward their flank.
"Left!" Noah shouted.
Levy recovered just in time, spinning around and driving his knife into the walker's temple.
They continued giving ground, not because they wanted to, but because every attempt to push forward was met with another walker.
Noah stole a quick glance behind them.
Another cluster was pouring into the intersection, the sound of the bus horn carrying farther than he'd hoped.
"They're funneling in," he muttered.
Levy followed his gaze.
"...We're not clearing this."
"No," Noah answered without hesitation.
"We gotta go."