Ash Leon fired three arrows in quick succession, but they barely pierced the Crawler's thick, leathery skin.Even though he riddled the creature with arrows, it barely slowed it down.
"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath, though he had anticipated this.
Although it was an early-stage mutated zombie, the Crawler's rank was far above a Ghoul.In his previous life, Ash had studied the strength hierarchy of zombies. The first-stage mutations were considered Bronze-level, with stars indicating their relative strength.If a Ghoul was Bronze One-Star, then the Crawler was Bronze Five-Star.It was essentially the ultimate form of a low-level mutated zombie.
Without hesitation, Ash emptied his quiver and turned to run.
Thud!
The Crawler crashed down from above, smashing the ground into jagged cracks.It lunged forward after him.
Ash vaulted over a fallen bench just in time. The Crawler's massive claws slammed down, splintering the bench to pieces.
With terrifying speed, it landed behind him.
BANG!
The massive head slammed into Ash's back, sending him flying. Pain radiated through him, but the reinforced vest absorbed much of the impact.If not for the steel plates layered inside, two ribs would have snapped.
But being slammed wasn't the end.As he rolled to his feet, the Crawler's claw pinned him to the ground, pressing his chest into the floor.
"Damn it," Ash gritted out, struggling against the brute. "In my past life, I could've crushed scum like you with one hand!"
The Crawler leaned forward, dragging its blood-red tongue across his face, its saliva reeking with decay.
It lowered its head, opening its jaws to reveal two triangular rows of serrated teeth.
Death? Not now. Not yet.
He had been given a second chance at life. There was no way he would die here. Not when the Death Train still awaited him.
Ash clenched his jaw, his eyes flashing.The Crawler was like other zombies—attacks to the body were ineffective.It had no sense of pain, and it could heal.The only way to kill it was the head or neck.
An arrow still protruded from the Crawler's skull—his previous shots had struck true but lacked the force to finish it.
The only viable target left: the neck.
The Crawler's jaw came down, aiming for Ash's head.He twisted just in time—the teeth grazed his cheek, smashing the ground beneath.
Opportunity.
The creature's head was nearly within reach. With no hesitation, Ash drew the dagger from his thigh and drove it deep into the Crawler's neck.
Splash!
Dark green blood sprayed everywhere, coating him in the stench of rot.
The Crawler reeled upright, thrashing violently, trying to throw him off.
"I'm Ash Leon… once called the Night Demon!" he roared. "You won't kill me, you piece of trash!"
BANG!
The Crawler slammed into him again, the pain sharp and immediate, but Ash held fast, gripping the dagger.
Using his legs for leverage, he drove the blade even deeper.
Thrust!
The dagger pierced through, fully severing the neck.The Crawler went rigid, then collapsed onto the floor.
"You have slain the Crawler. Kill count: 1. Apocalypse Reward: Milky Brain Extract."
Ash rolled away, recovering from the stench, and leaned against a fallen pew to catch his breath.The mysterious voice chimed again.
Moments later, Ash knelt beside the Crawler, slicing its skull open.Thick, yellowish-white fluid oozed out.He poured it into a water bottle from his pack, discarding the water.
This was more valuable than a Green Phantom Stone.While the stones were standard currency on the Death Train, Crawler Milky Brain Extract could be worth three to five times more.It was also a key ingredient for Bull Serum, a low-level body enhancement potion that could drastically improve human physical capabilities.
"Jackpot…" Ash murmured, carefully storing the bottle.
But his brow furrowed. Why was there a Crawler in the church?
No one should be here. Crawlers didn't wander into empty churches.Perhaps survivors had come, but they would already be dead—and where were their bodies?
Unless…
Ash's eyes lit up."Guards," he muttered.Near the Death Train platforms, hordes of zombies known as Guards appeared. Unlike infected zombies, these creatures were artificially spawned, almost as if they materialized out of nowhere.
Energy renewed, Ash sprang to his feet, leaping over fallen pews.He reached the inner doors of the church and pushed them open.
"Nice…" he whispered, licking his lips. "Looks like I guessed right."