The stairwell felt different the moment Lin Tianhao stepped into it.
The lights were still on, casting a dull yellow glow across the concrete walls, yet the space felt dimmer than it should have. The air was thick, as if something unseen had settled into every corner. Even the faint echoes of movement seemed swallowed before they could travel far.
He descended slowly, placing each step with care.
This kind of place had taken many lives in the early days. People thought danger waited outside, in the streets filled with chaos. They forgot that narrow spaces turned panic into traps. A single mistake here left no room to recover.
Halfway down, he stopped.
A sound drifted upward.
Soft. Uneven.
Something dragging along the floor below.
His gaze sharpened.
It wasn't fast, which meant it had not fully adapted yet. Most likely still within the lowest rank, though feeding could push it higher at any moment.
He adjusted his grip on the metal chair and continued downward.
The sound grew clearer with each step. A wet, repetitive motion, followed by the faint scrape of movement against concrete.
When he reached the landing, he saw it.
The figure crouched over a body, shoulders twitching as it fed. Its movements were erratic, head dipping and lifting in short bursts. Blood stained the ground beneath it, spreading in uneven streaks.
Lin Tianhao did not rush forward.
He studied it.
The tension in its limbs.
The slight delay between reaction and movement.
Still unstable. Not yet fully coordinated.
He shifted his footing.
The faint noise drew its attention.
The creature froze, then turned its head in a slow, unnatural motion. Its eyes locked onto him, clouded yet focused with a single purpose. Blood covered its lower face, dripping from its chin as its jaw hung slightly open.
Then it lunged.
Faster than expected, but still predictable.
Lin Tianhao stepped in instead of retreating. The chair swung in a clean arc and struck the side of its head. The impact sent it crashing into the wall, its body convulsing briefly.
He followed through without pause.
Another strike.
Then another.
Each hit landed with controlled force, aimed precisely. The skull weakened under repeated blows until it finally cracked.
The body went still.
Silence settled again.
Lin Tianhao exhaled quietly and crouched down.
A faint glow had already formed within the remains. He reached in and retrieved the Organic Core. It pulsed steadily in his palm, stronger than the one from earlier.
He wiped it clean and stored it instead of consuming it.
Taking too much energy at once could disrupt the body's balance. Even with experience, there were limits he would not ignore.
His gaze shifted briefly to the corpse beneath the zombie. A woman, lifeless, her expression frozen in fear.
There was nothing he could do for her.
He stood and continued down.
The closer he got to the ground floor, the louder the world became. Distant screams echoed through the building. Footsteps pounded across different levels. Somewhere nearby, something heavy collapsed, followed by frantic shouting.
The outbreak had spread further.
Faster than most people would realize.
By the time they understood, it would already be beyond control.
When he reached the final landing, he slowed again.
The glass doors ahead reflected a faint image of his figure. Beyond them, movement filled the street.
He stepped closer, careful not to draw attention.
Three zombies lingered outside.
One near the entrance.
Two farther away, wandering without clear direction.
Their spacing worked in his favor.
If they rushed him together, it would be troublesome. If separated, they were nothing more than targets.
He rested his hand on the door handle and paused for a brief moment, calculating.
Then he opened the door slightly and slammed it shut.
The sound cut through the air.
Sharp and controlled.
The nearest zombie reacted instantly, turning toward the noise and stumbling forward. The others shifted but did not commit.
As expected.
Lin Tianhao stepped back and waited.
The first one crossed the doorway.
He moved at once.
The chair struck cleanly, and the zombie dropped before it could react. He finished it quickly, retrieved the core, and retreated a step before the others could close in.
The second followed after another controlled sound.
Same method.
Same result.
By the time the third remained, the pattern had shifted.
It hesitated.
Its movements were less predictable, as if sensing something was off. It lingered just outside, twitching slightly without committing.
Lin Tianhao adjusted.
He stepped outside.
Just enough.
The zombie reacted immediately, rushing forward with more speed than the others.
He did not meet it head-on.
He sidestepped, letting its momentum carry it forward, then brought the chair down on the back of its head. The impact drove it to the ground.
He ended it there.
Three bodies lay still.
Three more cores.
Lin Tianhao stood quietly for a moment, scanning the area.
The street had descended into chaos. People ran in different directions, some chased, some already fallen. The sounds of panic filled the air, mixing with the growing presence of the undead.
This was no longer the beginning.
This was escalation.
He reached into his pocket and counted what he had.
Four cores.
One already consumed.
Three remaining.
Enough to strengthen himself, but not enough to grow complacent.
He picked one up and studied it briefly before consuming it.
The energy spread through him more smoothly this time. His body adapted faster, absorbing the power with less resistance. A faint current of electricity flickered across his fingertips, lingering slightly longer than before.
Progress.
Still far from enough.
He lifted his gaze toward the distance.
Something moved beyond the chaos.
Larger.
Faster.
Not human.
A mutated creature had already appeared.
Lin Tianhao's expression hardened.
The world was accelerating.
So would he.
He stepped forward and began walking down the street, not toward safety, but toward where the danger was thickest.
Because in this world, survival did not belong to the cautious.
It belonged to those who acted first.
And this time, he intended to stay ahead.