The countdown on Tian Li's watch steadily ticked down: 01:58… 01:57… He took a deep, steadying breath. Despite the absurdity of his situation—floating in space, about to fight zombies with a Desert Eagle—a strange calm settled over him. His high stats, a result of his dedication to a balanced lifestyle in his previous life, gave him a quiet confidence. More importantly, the "Infinite Oxygen Supply System" had removed one of the most pressing concerns of survival, allowing him to focus solely on the immediate threat.
He checked the Desert Eagle in his hand. It felt solid, weighty, a familiar heft from his occasional trips to shooting ranges back on Earth. Twenty rounds in the magazine, plus an unknown quantity to be supplied at checkpoints. He ran through the rules again: eliminate all enemies, minimize damage, and follow the specific path from South to West, then East, and finally North. The mention of more ammo based on performance in the previous zone was a welcome detail.
00:30… 00:29…
Tian Li decided on a strategy. The "Monster of the Abyss" was zombies, a creature he was intimately familiar with from countless games and movies. Their typical weaknesses—headshots, slow movement, predictable behavior—would likely translate. He needed to conserve ammo and aim for critical points. He also considered the environment. He was in a "cube," implying a confined space. He'd use the limited maneuverability to his advantage.
00:03… 00:02… 00:01…
[Combat structure 1 Area 1: Eliminate all Monster of the Abyss: Zombies: 20
Eliminated: 0/20]
A low groan echoed through the cube, and from the shadowy corners, the first shambling figures emerged. They were grotesque, with decaying flesh and vacant eyes, exactly as he expected. They drifted, propelled by some unseen force, slowly converging on his position. There were about five visible initially, their numbers steadily increasing as more emerged from seemingly nowhere.
Tian Li raised the Desert Eagle. The first zombie was about ten feet away, its arms outstretched. He squeezed the trigger. The gunshot was surprisingly loud in the vacuum-like environment of the cube, a sharp crack that reverberated. The zombie's head exploded in a shower of greenish-black fluid, and its body instantly dissipated into faint, dark motes that vanished.
[Eliminated: 1/20]
He didn't wait. He shifted his aim, targeting another approaching zombie. Another shot, another headshot, another cloud of dissipating matter. The zombies, though slow, were numerous. Tian Li moved, a fluid, almost graceful sidestep, avoiding a grasping hand. His agility, a perfect 10, was already paying dividends. He fired again, then again, each shot precise, each zombie falling.
He noted that the remaining zombies seemed to react to the sounds of his shots, turning their attention towards him, albeit slowly. This was good; it meant he could draw them out, control the flow of the fight. He systematically cleared the immediate vicinity, making sure no zombie got too close.
After taking down five, he reloaded the Desert Eagle. The mechanism was smooth, and he mentally counted the shots he had left. Fifteen more in the magazine. He had to make them count. More zombies were now visibly closing in, a shuffling horde of the undead.
He began to move more strategically, floating backward while firing, creating distance. He aimed for quick, precise shots, conserving his dwindling ammo. He found a rhythm: shoot, move, assess, shoot. His heart rate was elevated, but his mind remained clear. This wasn't just a game; this was survival.
A particularly large zombie, its chest cavity ripped open, lumbered directly towards him. It seemed more resilient than the others, absorbing a body shot without immediately dissipating. Tian Li frowned. Some variants, then. He aimed for its head, firing two quick shots in succession. The first struck its shoulder, causing it to flinch. The second, a direct hit to the forehead, finally brought it down.
[Eliminated: 12/20]
He was doing well on damage taken – zero so far. His accuracy was high. He had to maintain this. The final eight zombies were spread out, some in the distance, others closer. He decided to press the attack, drifting forward cautiously. He spotted a cluster of three near the far wall. He took aim, a single shot, then another, then a third, rapidly eliminating them.
[Eliminated: 15/20]
Only five left. He was down to his last few rounds in the magazine. He reloaded again, feeling the urgency. He saw them – two coming from the left, three from the right. He moved to intercept the pair on the left, dispatching them with two quick headshots.
[Eliminated: 17/20]
Now three remained. They were closing in from different angles, attempting to flank him. Tian Li knew he had to be careful. He focused on the closest one, firing a single, decisive shot. Then he spun, bringing his weapon to bear on the next.
[Eliminated: 19/20]
One left. It was a straggler, slow and barely responsive, drifting towards him from a distance. Tian Li took his time, lining up the shot, wanting to end this cleanly. He fired. The last zombie dissolved.
[Eliminated: 20/20]
[Combat structure 1 Area 1 Cleared! Damage Taken: 0. Ammo Remaining: 4. Proceed to West Checkpoint.]
A soft green glow emanated from the western wall of the cube, revealing an opening, a tunnel leading to the next area. Tian Li felt a surge of adrenaline, mixed with relief. The first challenge was overcome. He had minimized damage, and his ammo count was decent. He wondered what the next area would bring and, more importantly, how much ammo he would be resupplied with. With a determined expression, he drifted into the illuminated tunnel.