Ash Leon pushed open the door and was met with a narrow corridor leading to the small garden behind the church. But the passage was packed—swarming with zombies
Their bodies were intact, with no signs of bites or tears. These weren't the infected from bitten humans—they were the first wave, the original undead that appeared when the apocalypse struck
Ash's gut tightened. He knew he was right: these zombies, along with the Crawler he had just fought, were guardians. This corridor led straight to the Death Train platform
Instinctively, Ash reached for his waist—and froze. His recurve bow had fallen to the ground during the battle with the Crawler
He took a cautious step back. To deal with this horde, ranged weapons were necessary. Not because close combat couldn't kill them, but because experience had taught him a critical rule: always keep distance. Every scratch, every missed movement could be fatal if the virus infected you
As he started to retreat
Clang!
A crisp metallic sound rang out. Ash looked down—his heel had kicked a bronze doorbell off the church's old wooden door
"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath. The antique door had a bell that rang whenever it was opened. And now, that sound had alerted the horde.
The zombies turned their heads, let out guttural snarls, and started shuffling toward him. Ash didn't have time to hide—he bolted.那些僵尸转过头来,发出低沉的咆哮声,开始朝他蹒跚地走来.艾什没时间躲藏——他拔腿就跑.
Five meters out, he dropped to his knees and slid forward across the floor. During the slide, he grabbed his recurve bow, notched an arrow, and spun to fire backward.
Thunk. Thunk.
Arrows arced through the air, spraying crimson as they smashed into two zombie heads. Killing two was only the beginning. Ash sprang to his feet, moving as he shot relentlessly.
"Zombie killed. Total: 15.""Zombie killed. Total: 16."
Sweat beaded across his forehead. He'd downed around ten, but the horde seemed endless. The corridor teemed with them, far more than he had imagined.
He reached for his quiver—empty.
Ash dashed sideways, past the Crawler's body, yanked out an arrow, notched it, and decapitated a zombie just two meters ahead. But the delay was costly. More zombies had closed in. Even after dropping a few, it was clear: if he didn't act fast, he'd be surrounded—and getting to the Death Train would be impossible.
"Time to go all out!" he growled.
Ash grabbed a bench from the side, lifting it over his chest, and charged forward.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The weight of the bench slammed into the zombies, knocking them aside. After several meters, exhaustion hit, and with a final heave, he hurled the bench forward, sending several zombies sprawling. He leapt onto it for leverage and launched himself onward.
"Get the hell out of my way!"
Ash roared, veins bulging on his neck, a wild animal possessed by pure survival instinct.
Bam!
He slammed into another zombie, his shoulder absorbing the impact. His left arm swung up as a nearby zombie tried to bite, its teeth clanging off the metal plate strapped to his wrist.
Pow!
Ash punched the zombie square in the face, shoved it aside, and scrambled to his feet. He barreled into the corridor behind the door.
"Shit!"
Even inside, the zombies crowded thickly. Ash's eyes blazed with deadly focus as he charged forward. He was playing for keeps. In this shattered world, only the fearless survived; the timid had long turned to the undead. Survival demanded unrelenting ferocity.
"RAAAH!"
Ash roared like a predator, crashing into the horde, swinging his arms hard to the sides.
Bam. Bam.
Zombie heads cracked under his blows, bodies hitting the floor. Momentum unbroken, he surged forward.
He was well-prepared: steel plates sewn into his vest, metal makeshift bracers, and shin guards. But gaps remained. No armor could cover everything—over-protecting meant immobility. He had to use speed and precision.
After taking down two more zombies, Ash lowered his stance, crouching like a hunting leopard. His shoulder slammed another forward, sending it flying.
Ahead, ten more zombies blocked his path. Charging through one by one wasn't an option—he didn't have the stamina. But then, his peripheral vision caught the ceiling…
Ash's eyes snapped. He hissed low and launched himself forward, kicking a zombie in the chest, planting a foot on the wall, and springing again. Hands grabbed the hanging chandelier. As his body swung, the light swayed dangerously.
"I'm not dying here!"
Ash released his grip at the apex, flinging himself forward over the horde, crashing to the ground beyond.