Chapter 4

SKRREEE—!

That grating screech again—like someone dragging a rusty iron spoon across the back of your molars.

Jake froze mid-bite, his fork hovering over the tender lamb. He set it down slowly, the warmth draining from his eyes in an instant.

The heater was still blasting, but the air inside the cabin felt like it had turned to ice.

"Left side. By the door."

Jake held his breath and crept silently toward the driver's seat. Through the side window, he saw a face.

Or rather, what used to be one.

A humanoid creature was pressed flat against the driver's side door. Its skin was a sickly, grayish-white—like pork that had been left soaking in water too long. Its eye sockets held nothing but murky, milky white—no pupils, no irises. Its mouth was split open from ear to ear, revealing a jagged tangle of sharp teeth caked in black slime.

It seemed to sense the warmth and life radiating from inside. That hideous face pressed harder against the glass, nostrils flaring as it sniffed greedily, desperate for whatever it could find.

[Monster detected.]

[Analyzing target data...]

A red data box flashed in Jake's mind.

[Target: Strength-Type Zombie (Tier 1)]

[Strength: 30]

(Note: Average adult male = 5. Professional boxer = 10-25.)

[Agility: 5]

(Note: Average adult male = 5.)

[Physique: 30]

(Note: Average adult male = 5.)

[Evaluation: A hungry Tier 1 zombie. Its claws can easily tear through your flesh.]

'Strength 30?'

Jake's eyelids twitched.

Same speed as an adult male—not one of those slow, shambling zombies.

But its strength was on par with a top-tier boxer?

Jake glanced at his own build and sucked in a sharp breath. If he ran into this thing outside the vehicle, he wouldn't stand a chance.

And this was only a Tier 1 zombie.

The monsters in this world were no joke.

Before Jake could fully process the shock, the zombie outside lost patience.

"ROOOAR—!"

A guttural roar ripped from its throat. Its claw, bony as a dead branch yet impossibly sharp, reared back and slammed into the door.

The 3-ton motorhome shuddered violently from the impact.

Jake grabbed the steering wheel to steady himself, his eyes locked on the door.

The once-solid metal panel now had a fist-sized dent punched inward. Three deep claw marks gouged across the surface, the curled edges of torn metal revealing a raw, silvery gleam beneath.

[Warning! Vehicle under attack!]

[Result: Barely defended. Although not penetrated, structural integrity is compromised!]

Jake took a breath and forced himself to calm down.

'This Lv.1 RV is basically a tin can. If I let the zombie keep pounding, that door won't hold for more than a minute. If it tears through and gets inside this cramped cabin, I'm dead meat. There's no way I'll stand a chance against a Strength-30 monster.

'Fight back? Or run?'

Then Jake remembered Survival Rule #4.

[In this world, even common monsters are tough. But every kill drops rich rewards.]

With that thought, Jake gritted his teeth and reached for his waist.

The hatchet-gun was tucked there—the weapon he'd traded Universal Fuel for earlier.

[Name: Hatchet-Gun]

[Type: Weapon]

[Quality: Common]

[Ammo: 3/9]

[Description: Melee slashing or ranged shooting. Downside: Massive recoil.]

Jake gripped the hatchet-gun's handle. The cold metal against his palm steadied him somewhat.

But he didn't fire. He didn't roll down the window either.

He hesitated.

'Can one shot even kill this thing?

'And more importantly, to shoot, I'd have to lower the window. In that split second... is my bullet faster, or is its claw faster?'

Jake glanced at the monster's gleaming talons, then at his own not-so-muscular arms.

'Yeah, no. Real men don't go claw-to-claw with monsters, especially when you've got a cheat. Why would I fight it on its terms?'

Jake muttered, tucking the hatchet-gun back into his waistband. Both hands gripped the steering wheel.

'I can just ram it with the RV.'

Jake released the handbrake and slammed the gear shift into D.

His foot—the one hovering above the gas pedal now modded by the [Infinite] trait—stomped flat to the floor.

"Get... OFF!"

ROOOOAAAAR—!!!

The twin-boosted engine roared like an enraged beast. All four wheels spun against the frozen earth, kicking up a storm of ice and mud.

The zombie clinging to the door clearly didn't expect the iron enclosure to suddenly roar to life. The sudden G-force whipped its body backward—but its claws were already embedded deep in the door panel, holding it fast.

SKREEEE—!

The screech of tearing metal set Jake's teeth on edge.

"Still holding on?"

Jake stared at that ugly face pressed against the window, its mouth gaping at him in a silent snarl. His eyes went cold.

"Then don't let go."

A hundred meters ahead: a rusted highway guardrail. Old and weathered, but still solid steel.

Jake didn't let up on the gas. If anything, he pushed it harder.

80 km/h... 90 km/h... 100 km/h!

At the last possible second, Jake wrenched the wheel hard right.

It was a suicidal maneuver. Any normal RV would have rolled.

But this rig weighed three tons. And Jake's nerve was iron.

The massive vehicle scraped along the guardrail—a crushing, destructive slide—and the zombie, still hanging off the left door, was caught squarely between vehicle and steel.

"Die!"

CRUNCH!!!

A sickening, bone-shattering impact. Flesh and sinew giving way.

There was a long, grinding scrape. SKRREEEE—!

The zombie's shriek was cut short, choked off by the sheer force of the collision.

Under 3 tons of RV at 100 km/h, "Strength 30" and "Physique 30" meant nothing. The zombie was a tomato under a hydraulic press. Black blood and shredded meat splattered across the left window. Jake felt a slight bump—the wheels rolling over something that definitely wasn't road.

[Tier 1 Strength-Type Zombie eliminated!]

[Drops: Vehicle Upgrade Blueprint (Lv.1 → Lv.2) x1]

[Drops: Universal Fuel x1]

[Drops: Sprite (500ml) x1]

Jake's heart leaped at the system notification.

The rewards really were generous!

He didn't stop immediately. He drove a bit further, finally pulling over in a spot that looked relatively safe.

"Phew..."

Jake wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. After confirming no other threats in the area, he cautiously pushed the door open—hatchet-gun in one hand, flashlight in the other.

The 14℉ wind howled in.

Jake tightened his jacket and inspected the damage.

The door was a wreck. The once-flat metal was pitted with claw marks, and a long gouge ran down the side where it had scraped against the guardrail. Black stains and bits of unrecognizable gore smeared the glass and metal.

He cleaned it up as best he could, then climbed back into the warm cabin.

Once his heart had settled, he pulled out the upgrade blueprint.

[Name: Vehicle Upgrade Blueprint (Lv.1 → Lv.2)]

[Requirements:]

[1. Motorhome Lv.1 (Met)]

[2. Steel x50 units (Obtained by scrapping abandoned vehicles)]

[3. Rubber x10 units (Obtained by scrapping tires. Current: 7/10)]

(7 units have been absorbed into the blueprint.)

[Upgrade Effect: Full armor reinforcement (Defense increased to 40). Space expansion.]

Defense 40... Jake's eyes lit up.

That Strength-30 zombie had shredded his door. With Defense 40, monsters like that would be nothing but scratching at the paint.

And once he hit Lv.2... the [Gold Mod Per Level] skill would be triggered again.

Jake gripped the blueprint, his gaze burning.

The first mod—[Infinite]—had already given him the one thing that mattered most: not being caught by the Gray Mist.

What would the second gold mod be?

Just then, a bold red message blazed across the [Regional Chat], cutting through his thoughts.

[HELP!!! My car broke down!]

[Guys... My name is Lisa Jones. I'm a model... Please save me. I'll do ANYTHING...]

[My coordinates are...]

…

Player status panels updated coordinates in real-time.

Jake stared at the coordinates. About three kilometers away. Not far.

But he had no intention of going.

In the apocalypse, being a Good Samaritan was just a faster way to die.

Watching the desperate messages scroll by, Jake pulled the battered door shut.

The encounter had taught him one thing: On this highway, your ride matters more than any person. As long as this RV got stronger, he would survive.

Jake placed the blueprint solemnly on the dashboard. He shifted gears and pulled back onto the road.

Time to find abandoned vehicles. Scrap steel. Scrap tires.