The sun was dipping low in the sky, casting long shadows over the open dirt road. Ji-hoon stood still for a moment, breathing heavily, staring west where the compass needle still pointed. The magic glow from the object pulsed faintly in his hand.
But his legs were tired. His stomach grumbled. And worst of all, the wind had changed.
It was colder.
Sharper.
He looked up. The sky, once a dirty orange, was shifting. A creeping darkness swallowed the light from the sun, faster than any natural sunset should.
"Not good," he muttered.
He turned back toward the path he'd come from—toward the starting town. It wasn't much, but it had shelter. It was safer than the open field, and much safer than the cursed farmhouse he'd barely escaped.
"I need to get back before night hits."
He started moving.
At first, he walked quickly. But soon, he was half-jogging, dodging broken fences and twisted tree roots. The pickaxe bounced on his back. The revolver was still useless without bullets. He gripped the lighter tight in his pocket.
Every few seconds, he glanced over his shoulder.
Nothing.
But the quiet was worse than seeing anything.
Too quiet.
The wind carried faint noises—moans, shuffling, a low growl that made his skin crawl.
He passed an old road sign he hadn't noticed before. Faded letters read: "Welcome to Dust."
That's what the town was called. Dust.
He didn't know if that was the real name or just the game's idea of a joke.
As the last sliver of sunlight disappeared behind the hills, the world changed.
A low hum filled the air, followed by a system message flashing across his vision.
[Warning: Nightfall Approaching]
Threat Level: High
Zombies gain increased stats after sunset.
Visibility reduced. Hostile creatures will begin to hunt.
Ji-hoon muttered a curse.
His body screamed to stop running, but he pushed harder. The path was rougher in the dark. Shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally. The lighter flicked on in his hand, casting a weak bubble of orange light.
Then—he heard it.
A groan. Close. Too close.
He turned his head and saw something moving behind a tree. One of them. A zombie—taller than normal, with twitching limbs and a broken jaw that hung sideways.
It stepped into view and screamed, loud and inhuman.
"Shit—!"
He ran faster.
More growls behind him now. More feet hitting the dirt.
He wasn't alone.
Zombies had picked up his scent.
Ji-hoon spotted the edge of town in the distance—familiar broken buildings, a rusted water tower, and the old general store. He focused on it and sprinted.
He turned a corner and dashed through the open gate. His boots kicked up dust as he reached the general store and slammed the door shut.
BANG.
He shoved a wooden shelf in front of it, then grabbed a nearby chair and jammed it under the door handle. His heart thundered in his ears. Outside, he could already hear scratching on the walls.
"Too close," he gasped. "Way too close."
He slumped to the floor and took deep, slow breaths.
He reached into his inventory and opened a can of corn. He ate with trembling hands, forcing the bland food down just to keep moving.
Then he started a small fire in a metal basin using the lighter and some old papers. The glow brought a little comfort. A little warmth.
[You have eaten. +20 Stamina restored.]
[You are Warm. Fatigue recovery rate increased slightly.]
He opened his status screen.
[Status]
Name: Klein Arkwood
Level: 2
Health: 85/110
Stamina: 47/100
Condition: Tired, Alert
Trait: Survival Instinct (F)
Inventory: Pickaxe (C), Rusty Knife (D), Leather Jacket (+2 Def), Lighter, Canned Food x2, Magic Compass, Torn Journal Pages (1 & 2), Ammo x3
He needed rest, but not yet. He pulled out the journal pages and read them again.
Sickness from the mines. People changing. A family trying to hold on.
It reminded him this world wasn't just a game. It had stories. Tragedies. Maybe even rules that followed their own logic.
He scribbled quick notes on the back of a torn page using charcoal from the fire.
Nightfall = stronger zombies
Some creatures don't leave certain areas (farmhouse monster)
•Trader's camp = goal
•Compass works = magic item
•Journal = hidden story clues?
He tucked the notes into his jacket.
Outside, something slammed against the wall.
He froze.
It was louder than a zombie.
A scraping sound followed. Something heavy dragging metal against wood. It circled the building once, then moved on.
Ji-hoon stayed completely still.
Eventually, the noise faded into the night.
He let out a slow breath.
He didn't sleep. Not really. He dozed, light and twitchy, waking at every sound.
At some point during the night, he thought he saw a flicker of blue light outside the window—distant, pulsing in the hills.
He didn't go check.
When he opened his eyes again, the fire had burned out and the sky was brighter. Not much, but enough.
Morning.
He survived.
Again.
Ji-hoon stood slowly and stretched, wincing as his muscles ached.
The general store was intact. The shelves still mostly empty. He grabbed some rope, a rusted hammer, and an empty flask from the back room.
[Items Acquired: Rope (Utility), Empty Flask, Hammer (D)]
He looked outside. A few smears of blood on the dirt. One unmoving corpse near the fence.
He looked down at the compass.
The needle still pointed west.
Still pulling him toward something.
Maybe someone.
He put it back in his jacket.
"No more delays," he muttered. "Next stop. Trader's Camp."
He stepped out into the morning light and shut the door behind him.
The journey had just begun.