Night fell.
I worked tirelessly, stuffing every last bit of food, water, batteries, and tools into the bus.Boxes, bags, spare electronics… everything I could think of.
[Helper-01: Inventory Check Complete – 100% Capacity Utilized]
The bus smelled of old leather and gasoline.But it felt like… mine. My fortress. My escape.
I double-checked everything.
"Helper-01, optimize storage again. Make space for unexpected items."[Optimization Complete: 100% Efficient]
Satisfied, I shut down the lights.Tomorrow… I start driving to X City. One day away. One day to reach my sister.
Morning came.
Sunlight spilled over the streets.I slid into the driver's seat, gripped the steering wheel, and started the engine.
[Bus Status: Operational – All Systems Nominal][Tech Soul: Active – Bound Item Functional]
At first, the streets were quiet. Too quiet.
Then… I noticed it.
A few scattered cars abandoned on the road. People shouting, pushing.A faint scream carried from somewhere far away.
[Anomalous Activity Detected – Probability: Low]
"Okay… that's… weird," I muttered, keeping my eyes on the road.
I focused on driving. My laptop hummed beside me.Helper-01 began scanning traffic cameras, news feeds, and satellite networks.
[Observation: Anomalies Increasing – Localized Panic Detected][Recommendation: Caution – Avoid Dense Urban Areas]
The world I knew… was starting to unravel.But I had my Tech Soul, my bus, and my wits.And maybe… just maybe… I could make it through the first day.
Little did I know… this was only the beginning.
The outbreak had started.
At first, I thought it was just panic.Abandoned cars, shouting, people running.
Then I saw it.
A man collapsed on the side of the road. Heart attack? Fainting? I didn't know.But before I could process, his body… moved.Not like before. Not like a normal person.
[Anomalous Behavior Detected – Human Reanimation?]
He staggered toward the nearest driver, arms outstretched, eyes vacant.
I slammed on the brakes. Heart pounding."Okay… okay… this isn't normal," I whispered.
Other people… some dying, some attacking, some staggering like puppets.Chaos everywhere.
Traffic jammed instantly. Panic spread faster than I could react.
[Helper-01: Suggest Alternate Route – Main Highway Unsafe]
I cursed under my breath.Main highway? Not happening. Too many people. Too many… things.
I swerved into a side road, barely wide enough for the bus.Dust kicked up behind me as I drove.
[Observation: Casualties Increasing – Reanimation Likely Contagious]
Every corner I turned… more bodies.Some bleeding. Some still moving. Some… attacking.
I gripped the wheel tighter.
"Helper-01… scan for safe route. Avoid high population density at all costs."[Route Calculated: Estimated Travel Time Increased by 40%]
Time didn't matter. Survival did.I pushed the bus faster, taking every detour, backroad, and narrow path I could find.
If this keeps spreading, the world… won't be the same.
And in the back of my mind… my sister.One day away.And I had to make it there alive.
[Tech Soul: Status – Active][Bound Item: Bus – Operational; Auxiliary Functions Locked – Discovery Pending]
The apocalypse… had just started.And my journey had only begun.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter, keeping my eyes glued to the road.Detours, side streets, back alleys… the safe routes I calculated were my lifeline.
Then I saw it.
A man sprinting down the street.Face pale, eyes wide with terror.Behind him… a staggering crowd of the dead.
[Anomalous Behavior Detected – Hostile Targets Confirmed]
I froze. Heart pounding.
"No… no, no, no…" I muttered under my breath.
The man tripped.The crowd surged forward, snapping and clawing.
I had a choice. Drive past? Leave him?
"Helper-01… estimate probability of survival if I intervene."[Calculation: Intervention Possible – Risk High; Recommendation: Avoid Engagement]
But I couldn't just ignore it. Not when the fear in his eyes mirrored what I was feeling.I slammed the brakes and skidded the bus to a stop on the side road.
The man scrambled to his feet, looking at me like I was an angel—or a god.The zombies… kept advancing. Slowly, relentlessly.
This is it.
My pulse spiked.
The first real encounter… the first real kill…
I didn't know it yet, but this moment… would change everything.
I didn't hesitate.
The man was panting, covered in sweat and dirt, eyes darting between me and the approaching zombies.I opened the bus door.
"Get in. Now."
He scrambled inside, eyes wide with panic.
"Sit down. Don't talk. I'm going to get you out of the city, then we part ways," I said, voice firm.
He nodded frantically and sank into the seat.
[Helper-01: Monitoring External Threats – Zombies Detected: 12, Advancing]
I started the engine.
[Bus Status: Operational – All Systems Nominal]
The city streets were a nightmare.People screaming, cars abandoned, bodies moving unnaturally… chaos spreading faster than I could process.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter.
"Helper-01… plot safest possible route out of the city. Avoid main streets. Prioritize low population density."
The AI hummed as it calculated detours, side streets, and alleys.I weaved carefully, dodging abandoned vehicles and crowds.
The man stayed silent, trembling, clutching the seat.I didn't blame him. I barely understood what was happening either.
Focus. Keep driving. Keep moving.
Every corner I turned, every block I passed… I felt the city collapsing around me.But at least inside the bus, I had some control.Some semblance of safety.
"Almost… there," I muttered, glancing at the GPS."One more hour, and we'll be out of this mess."
The road ahead was uncertain.The dead were everywhere.The city was no longer safe.
And yet… I had to keep going.
The last stretch of the city street… quiet. Too quiet.
Then I saw them.
Three figures staggered in the middle of the road.Bodies twisted unnaturally, skin pale and bloody, eyes vacant and hollow.
[Anomalous Targets Detected – Hostile]
My pulse spiked.They were blocking the only way forward.
I slammed my hands on the wheel.Two options:
Take the long detour through back alleys and side streets—probably safer, but slower.
Ram them down and clear the path—risky, unpredictable.
I gritted my teeth.
If I take the detour… more time exposed to the chaos. If I ram… I might get lucky.
The man in the seat behind me gasped, gripping the edges.I glanced at him.
"Sit tight. Don't panic."
I tapped the accelerator.The bus roared to life.
The zombies staggered closer.I adjusted the wheel, aiming for the center of the nearest one.
Here goes nothing.
Metal met flesh with a sickening crunch.The bus jolted, tires skidding slightly on the asphalt.The first zombie fell sideways. The second turned toward me, groaning.
"Come on… move!" I muttered, swerving carefully.
By some luck—or maybe reflex—the bus smashed through the second and third zombies.I skidded to a stop a few meters ahead, heart pounding, hands trembling.
The man behind me breathed shakily.
"Are… are they… dead?" he stammered.
I didn't answer.I just focused on the road ahead.The long, uncertain path out of the city.
That was too close. Too damn close.
And I knew… this was only the beginning.
I froze."Wait… what?"
Helper-01 chimed in:
[Analysis: Unknown Energy Detected. Bound Item Responding. Absorption Initiated.]
I stared at the laptop.The screen flickered, numbers and bars filling rapidly.The bus… the laptop… some part of this Tech Soul thing… was absorbing something from the environment.
"Absorbing what…?" I whispered."Is this… from the zombies?"
The first bodies we hit earlier… maybe they weren't completely dead energy-wise.Maybe that sick, unnatural movement released some kind of signal… and my bound laptop picked it up.
The screen pulsed faster. Bars filling. Progress rising.I felt a strange… warmth? Energy? It wasn't pain… just a weird sense of power flowing into the system.
[Energy Absorption Complete – Effect Unknown. System Analysis Recommended.]
I gulped.
So this is what the Tech Soul can do…
I tapped the screen.The bus hummed softly, almost alive, as if it recognized something I didn't yet understand.
"Okay… calm down. Just… keep driving. Analyze later."
I hit the accelerator.Out of the city. Out of the chaos.
The road ahead was long, uncertain…but for the first time, I realized something crucial.
This world isn't just dangerous… it's full of things my Tech Soul can interact with.
And somehow… I had the feeling I was only scratching the surface.
Finally, the city skyline faded behind us.Buildings gave way to empty streets, cracked roads, and scattered debris.
I slowed the bus, scanning the surroundings carefully.No more immediate threats in sight. At least for now.
The man I had rescued earlier—Bill, he told me his name—sat quietly for a moment. Then he spoke, voice shaky but grateful.
"Thank… thank you. I… I don't even know how to repay you."
I kept my eyes on the road, silent.
"Just… stay safe. That's all that matters."
Bill nodded, swallowing hard.
"I'm heading to a shelter a few hours from here. Safe place. You… you keep going where you're going. Fate will decide if we meet again."
I gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.
Fate… huh?
He opened the bus door slowly.
"May luck be with you," he said, then disappeared into the outskirts, quickly blending into the shadows of the abandoned streets.
I exhaled, gripping the wheel.
That's it… no distractions, no attachments. Just me, the bus, and the road ahead.
The laptop hummed beside me.
[Energy Absorption: Recent – Status Stable]
The world was silent now, almost too quiet.But I knew it wouldn't last.Anomalies were spreading, the dead were moving, and chaos was growing.
No turning back. No time to second-guess. Keep moving.
And with that, I pressed the accelerator again.The outskirts stretched ahead, empty yet ominous…a reminder that the apocalypse had only just begun.
Once Bill disappeared into the outskirts, I allowed myself a moment to breathe.
Then I glanced at the laptop.
[Previous Prompt: Energy Absorption – Effect Unknown]
Lines of numbers and code scrolled across the screen.The bus hummed softly, almost like it was alive.
Suddenly, a prompt appeared:
[Energy Accumulated – 100%][Tech Soul Upgrade Available – Select Target]
I blinked.Two options appeared:
Laptop – Improve processing speed, optimize AI, expand data storage.
Bus – Enhance durability, mobility, or internal systems.
I hesitated, staring at the choices.
Laptop… or bus? Which one first?
Curiosity got the better of me. I selected Laptop.
A new sub-prompt appeared:
[Select Upgrade for Laptop]• Processing Speed• AI Optimization• Data Storage Expansion
I stared at it. My mind buzzed with possibilities.Then… I canceled it.
No… not yet. I need to think this through.
Next, I thought of the bus.Selecting it, the same kind of sub-prompt appeared:
[Select Upgrade for Bus]• Durability• Mobility• Internal Systems
Again, I paused… and canceled it.
Not yet. I need more time. I need more energy…
I leaned back in the driver's seat, gripping the wheel.The outskirts stretched ahead, silent and empty.
The world was dangerous, chaotic…But this Tech Soul energy… it was mine to control.
And I would decide carefully when the time was right
I stared at the canceled prompts a moment longer, thinking.
Wait… can I actually customize which way the soul-bound tech upgrades?
A thought flickered in my mind.If I could control it… I could turn the bus into more than just a vehicle.Maybe even a safe haven… something that could sustain me in this world.
I focused on the bus.
Alright… let's see what you can really do.
The system beeped softly.
[Upgrade Approval – Bus Selected][Specify Upgrade Type]
A new sub-prompt appeared:
[Select Renewable Power Source Upgrade]
Solar Panels – Convert sunlight into energy for continuous operation.
Biofuel Conversion – Use organic material as fuel for long-distance travel.
Kinetic Energy – Harness movement and vibrations for partial self-power.
I blinked at the options.
So I can actually decide how this thing powers itself…?
It was more than I expected. The bus could become a fortress on wheels… sustainable, self-reliant, and adaptable.
I didn't choose yet. I leaned back in my seat, thinking carefully.
Energy, mobility, survival… every choice matters now.
Outside, the outskirts stretched on, silent, empty… but I could feel the world shifting.The anomalies were spreading, and the chaos would catch up eventually.
But at least now… I had a tool.And I had control over how it evolved.
This… this could be the edge I need to survive.
I leaned back in my seat, eyes on the road, thoughts racing.
"Helper-01… analyze which renewable power upgrade is the most urgent for a movable fortress. I need efficiency, reliability, and survival potential."
The AI beeped softly, scanning the bus and the surrounding area.
[Analysis Complete – Recommendation: Solar Panels]Reasoning: Continuous energy supply, minimal external input required, low maintenance, compatible with current bus systems.
I nodded slowly, absorbing the information.
"Makes sense. Biofuel needs materials I might not always have… kinetic energy depends on movement… but solar… that's constant."
Helper-01 chimed again:
[Decision Pending – Confirm Upgrade to Solar Panel System?]
I stared at the prompt for a moment.
If I do this, the bus will be more independent… more like a real fortress on wheels…
My fingers hovered over the screen.The outskirts stretched ahead, empty and quiet.Every second mattered, and every choice could make the difference between survival and disaster.
Finally, I exhaled and tapped:
[Approve Upgrade – Solar Panels]
The system hummed as energy flowed, the bus quietly adapting.Panels seemed to extend subtly across its roof, glinting in the sunlight.I could feel the Tech Soul system integrating the upgrade seamlessly.
Not fully combat-ready yet… but this is a start.
I gripped the wheel tighter, eyes on the road.
One step at a time. One decision at a time.
The apocalypse had begun… and I was finally starting to fight back.
I kept my eyes on the road, hands gripping the steering wheel.
Then I thought of something.
"Helper-01… fetch me blueprints for weapons I can build and use right now. Durable, effective… and using only the supplies I already have."
The AI hummed, scanning my inventory and cross-referencing possible designs.
[Analysis Complete – Recommended Blueprints: 2]
Reinforced Melee Baton – Simple, durable, made from metal pipes and rubber grips.
Slingshot Launcher – Small, portable, can use rocks or metal shards for ammunition.
I exhaled slowly, satisfied.
These two… they're simple, reliable, and I can actually make them now.
Helper-01 added:
[Recommendation: Prioritize these weapons for immediate survival. Melee for close encounters, slingshot for distance.]
I nodded, fingers hovering over the screen.
"Alright… focus on the baton first, then the slingshot. Keep it practical and effective. I can upgrade later if needed."
The bus hummed along, solar panels glinting in the sunlight.
With the bus as a mobile fortress, a reinforced baton, and a slingshot… I might actually survive this.
Outside, the outskirts stretched quiet and empty.But I knew… the chaos was spreading.The anomalies weren't done yet.
And I was just getting started.
Billy's Point of View
I ran through the outskirts, heart hammering in my chest.Every step echoed in the empty streets. The smell of smoke and decay lingered in the air.
The shelter was my only hope… the one place that might still be safe.I had to make it there. No matter what.
Then I saw them.
Soldiers.Uniformed, armed… but not in formation. They were retreating, running past me in panic, their faces pale, eyes wide with fear.
The army… they're falling back?
Zombies—or whatever these creatures were—were swarming behind them.A few soldiers fired their weapons, but it was hopeless. They didn't even slow down the horde.
I pressed myself against a crumbling wall, holding my breath.
If they see me… I'm dead.
The soldiers passed by, muttering curses, trying to maintain some semblance of order.I caught a glimpse of one officer shouting orders, but the words were lost in the chaos.
The shelter… I have to keep moving.
I ran again, crouching behind debris, watching as the army vanished down the road toward the shelter.The sounds of gunfire and screams faded behind me.
Maybe… maybe I'll make it there.
But deep down, I knew the world had already changed.Whatever was happening… it wasn't just an outbreak.It was something worse.
And I couldn't shake the thought of the guy in the bus—the one who saved me.
Maybe fate will really let us meet again.
I didn't have time to dwell on it.The streets were no longer safe.Every shadow could hide death.
And the shelter… my only hope… was still far ahead.