The groans grew louder.
Wet.
Rotting.
Dragging through the forest.
Jin Hao didn't hesitate.
He sprinted northeast.
Branches slapped against his face. Cold mud splashed onto his clothes. His breath came fast—but controlled.
Thirty-two meters.
There.
A half-collapsed wooden hut leaned between crooked trees.
He kicked the door open.
Inside—dust, broken furniture, and a rusted iron blade lying beside an overturned table.
He grabbed it.
Heavy.
Unbalanced.
Poor grip.
But it would cut.
The system voice echoed again.
⚠ Zombies within 40 meters.⚠ Estimated arrival: 27 seconds.
He stepped outside.
And saw them.
Twelve figures stumbling through the mist.
Grey skin.
Sunken eyes.
Mouths hanging open.
Their movements were slow—
But relentless.
Infinity Eyes activated instinctively.
Red outlines appeared around their joints.
Neck.
Knees.
Ankles.
A line of data flickered.
Weakness: Cervical spine severance probability 73% with precise angle.Secondary: Knee joint destruction to immobilize.
Jin Hao exhaled slowly.
"Calm."
He couldn't fight twelve at once.
He needed separation.
He stepped backward deliberately, allowing the first two zombies to close the distance while the others lagged behind, tangled in roots and low branches.
One lunged.
Slow—but sudden.
Jin Hao sidestepped.
The blade came down awkwardly.
Clang.
It sliced across bone—but didn't fully sever.
Too shallow.
The zombie grabbed his sleeve.
Cold fingers.
Inhuman strength.
Adrenaline exploded in his veins.
He twisted violently and kicked its knee.
Crack.
The leg bent sideways.
The zombie collapsed—but kept crawling.
The second one reached him.
He barely ducked.
Its teeth snapped inches from his face.
He shoved the blade upward.
Infinity Eyes adjusted the angle mid-motion.
Tilt 12 degrees left.
He followed instinctively.
The blade pierced the neck.
A sickening crunch.
The zombie froze—
Then dropped.
One down.
His arms trembled.
Too slow.
Too weak.
The crawling one grabbed his ankle.
He slashed downward blindly.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Black blood splattered.
The head finally rolled sideways.
Two down.
Ten remaining.
He ran.
Deeper into the trees.
He used terrain.
Roots.
Narrow spaces.
Forcing them into smaller numbers.
Again and again.
Each fight was messy.
Each swing imperfect.
His palms blistered.
His breathing grew ragged.
Several times teeth grazed his shoulder.
Once claws tore across his back.
Pain burned.
But he didn't stop.
Hours passed.
The moon shifted across the sky.
Infinity Eyes kept flashing micro-adjustments.
Step right.Duck.Strike lower.Retreat 4 meters.Turn now.
He obeyed every instruction.
Because one mistake—
Would be his final one.
By the fourth hour—
Only two zombies remained.
Stronger.
Faster than the others.
Possibly evolved.
His vision blurred.
His legs felt like stone.
The blade was chipped.
Rust flaking.
The first zombie rushed unexpectedly fast.
He barely parried.
The impact numbed his arm.
The second circled.
They were coordinating.
Infinity Eyes flickered.
Survival probability: 31%Suggestion: Separate targets. Use fallen tree behind host.
He stumbled backward toward a fallen trunk.
The first zombie lunged over it.
Jin Hao dropped low.
The zombie tripped.
He used every ounce of strength and drove the blade downward.
It pierced through the skull this time.
The second one grabbed his shoulder.
Teeth inches from his neck.
He screamed.
Not in fear—
In rage.
He twisted violently, slamming it into the trunk.
Again.
Again.
Again.
The blade slipped from his hand.
No time.
He grabbed a broken branch and jammed it into the creature's eye socket.
It thrashed wildly.
He recovered the sword—
And swung with everything left.
The neck snapped.
The body collapsed.
Silence.
Heavy.
Absolute.
Jin Hao stood there, shaking.
Six hours.
Twelve zombies.
White Heart.
No deaths.
No bites.
He laughed weakly.
Then fell to his knees.
The forest slowly brightened.
Dawn.
Golden light filtered through twisted branches.
Birds cautiously began to chirp.
The night was over.
His body was not.
Blisters torn open.
Muscles shredded.
Clothes soaked in sweat and black blood.
He tried to stand.
Failed.
Vision darkened.
Infinity Eyes flickered faintly.
Immediate rest required.Host condition: Extreme exhaustion.
He collapsed fully onto the damp earth.
As consciousness faded—
A final notification appeared.
+12 Faith Coins+Basic Combat Proficiency Increased+Undead Knowledge Unlocked
Jin Hao smiled faintly.
"Four hours…"
"Not bad."
Darkness took him.
The sun rose fully above the forest.
And Stage One—
Had truly begun.
Jin Hao forced himself upright.
The broken wooden hut still leaned crookedly against the trees. The corpses of the undead lay scattered around the clearing, unmoving in the morning light.
No new movement.
Good.
The sun hung high in the sky—nearly noon.
He had slept for hours.
His body still ached, but the sharpest pain had dulled into a heavy soreness. His mind, however, was clearer than ever.
"Stage One…"
A translucent interface flickered before his eyes.
Stage One – Year OneZone Range: Level 1–30Lives Remaining: 1Territory: Not EstablishedStarter Cards: 30 (Unopened)
Thirty.
His true beginning.
He inhaled slowly and focused.
"Open starter pack."
The air in front of him shimmered.
Thirty faint cards materialized, floating in a semicircle.
White-bordered.
Basic.
Common.
They began revealing themselves one by one.
Card 1 – Worker (Male, 22)Card 2 – Worker (Male, 31)Card 3 – Worker (Male, 45)Card 4 – Worker (Male, 28)Card 5 – Worker (Male, 36)Card 6 – Worker (Male, 50)
…
The cards continued flipping.
Men.
Different ages.
22 to 50.
Rough hands.
Basic clothing.
No combat specialization.
No talents displayed.
By the time the revealing stopped—
Nineteen Worker Cards hovered before him.
Nineteen.
Out of thirty.
White Heart indeed.
He didn't curse.
He didn't frown.
He simply watched.
The cards dissolved into light.
And in front of the broken wooden hut—
Nineteen men appeared.
Confused.
Blinking under the sun.
They looked around cautiously, then at him.
Their gazes carried uncertainty—but no hostility.
A system notification appeared.
Nineteen Basic Workers Summoned.Loyalty: Neutral (70/100)Morale: Stable
Jin Hao exhaled slowly.
Nineteen mouths to feed.
Next.
The remaining cards began revealing.
Food Supply Card – Military Rations (5 Days, Single Person x3)Water Supply Card – Clean Water (5 Days, Single Person x3)
Basic survival provisions.
Not much.
Enough for maybe two people for a few days.
Not for nineteen.
His expression didn't change.
Final cards flipped.
Card 28 – Militia (Male, 27)Card 29 – Militia (Male, 33)Card 30 – Militia Squad (5 Men, Basic Weapons)
A total of eight combat units.
Five of them carried basic spears.
Three had short swords and wooden shields.
White-tier equipment.
Nothing impressive.
The light descended.
Eight armed men materialized beside the workers.
They stood straighter than the others.
Eyes alert.
Weapons worn—but usable.
System panel updated.
Total Population: 27Workers: 19Militia: 8Food Supply: Extremely InsufficientWater Supply: Extremely InsufficientShelter: Damaged Wooden Hut (Low Durability)Threat Level (Zone 1–30): Moderate
The forest felt larger now.
More real.
Twenty-seven lives now depended on him.
White Heart.
Worst starting pool possible.
Most Red or Blue awakeners would summon:
Trained soldiers.Specialized builders.Even rare hero units.
He received middle-aged laborers and barely trained militia.
Jin Hao closed his eyes briefly.
Then—
Infinity Eyes activated.
Data flickered across every individual.
Hidden lines of information layered over them.
Worker (Male, 31)Hidden Trait: Former Carpenter (Basic)
Worker (Male, 45)Hidden Trait: Experienced Farmer
Worker (Male, 28)Hidden Trait: Former Hunter (Low-Level Tracking)
Militia (Male, 27)Hidden Potential Path: Spear Specialist → Phalanx Guard (Bronze Tier Evolution Possible)
Militia Squad LeaderHidden Leadership Compatibility: 63%
His eyes sharpened.
White cards.
But not useless.
Not at all.
He slowly opened his eyes.
The workers were staring at him.
Waiting.
For instructions.
Jin Hao stepped forward.
His voice was hoarse—but steady.
"We fortify the hut."
He pointed.
"You three—clear the bodies and burn them."
He turned to the militia.
"Two on perimeter. Rotating watch every hour."
The men hesitated only briefly—then moved.
The system updated again.
Leadership Recognized.Population Obedience Increasing.
Jin Hao looked toward the dense forest beyond.
Level 1–30 zone.
Day One.
One life remaining.
Nineteen workers.
Eight militia.
Minimal food.
Broken shelter.
He felt exhaustion creeping back into his limbs.
But his mind—
Was calculating.
Stage One had truly begun.
And this time—
He would not waste a single move.