The alleyway was dark, smelling of garbage and urine.
The man in the tactical vest smirked. He didn't see a threat. He saw a girl in a ripped dress holding a kitchen knife. A pretty toy.
"Feisty," the man chuckled. He adjusted his aim slightly. "I like that. Maybe I won't kill you immediately. Drop the bag and the cleaver. Get on your knees. Hands behind your head."
His eyes raked over her exposed legs. The lust in his gaze was obvious.
Aria's expression didn't change.
Her mind was racing, but not with fear.
[Skill Activated: Basic Blade Mastery (Level 3)]
Her vision shifted. Red lines appeared on the man's body.
Wrist. Neck. Femoral artery. Achilles tendon.
The system was showing her the best places to cut.
"I won't say it again," the man growled, his finger tightening on the trigger.
"You have a bad stance," Aria said casually.
"What?" The man blinked.
"Your feet are too close together. And you are looking at my legs, not my weapon."
"You b*tch—"
Twang!
He pulled the trigger.
But Aria was already moving.
She didn't run away. She lunged forward.
Because she had observed his eyes, she knew exactly when he would shoot. She ducked low, sliding on the wet asphalt.
The crossbow bolt whistled past her ear, cutting a few strands of her black hair. It struck the brick wall behind her with a spark.
Miss.
The man's eyes widened. He panicked. He tried to reload, fumbling for another bolt from his belt.
Too slow.
Aria was already in his personal space.
The [Chef's Bloodstained Cleaver] was heavy, but in Aria's hand, it was a guillotine.
"Hand," she said.
Swish.
She swung the cleaver horizontally.
"ARGHHH!"
A scream tore through the night. The man's right hand—the one holding the crossbow—was severed at the wrist. It fell to the ground, fingers still twitching around the weapon.
Blood spurted like a high-pressure hose, painting the alley wall crimson.
The man fell back, clutching his stump, his face twisted in shock and agony. "My hand! You cut off my hand!"
Aria stepped on his chest, pinning him to the dirty ground.
She looked down at him like she was looking at a bug.
"You wanted to put a bolt in my eye?" she asked.
"No... wait! Please! I have supplies!" The man cried, snot and tears mixing with the blood. "I have a motorcycle! It's right there! Take it! Just let me go!"
"I'll take the motorcycle," Aria nodded.
She raised the cleaver high.
"But I don't like leaving loose ends."
"Wait—"
Crunch.
The heavy blade came down. It split his skull right down the middle, silencing his begging instantly.
The body twitched once, then went still.
Aria stood there, breathing evenly. Her heart rate barely increased.
In the distance, sirens wailed. Explosions rumbled. The city was dying, but she felt more alive than ever.
[Ding!]
[Target Eliminated: Human (Raider - Level 3)]
[Merciless Kill Bonus: +20% EXP]
[Plundering...]
[Jackpot!]
[You have stolen Attribute: 3 Agility Points.]
[You have stolen Skill: Basic Crossbow Mastery (Level 2).]
[You have stolen Skill: Hotwiring (Level 1).]
Aria raised an eyebrow.
"Hotwiring?"
She looked at the man's corpse. He was probably a thief or a gangster before the world ended.
Useful.
Killing humans was indeed more profitable. Zombies only gave stats, but humans gave skills.
She bent down and wiped her cleaver on the dead man's vest. Then, she picked up the crossbow from the severed hand.
[Item: Tactical Crossbow (Uncommon)]
[Silent. deadly. Comes with 10 reusable bolts.]
She strapped the crossbow to her back and collected the quiver of bolts.
Then, she searched his pockets.
A pack of cigarettes. A lighter. And a set of keys with a skull keychain.
Aria looked further down the alley. A black modified motorcycle was parked behind a dumpster.
"Perfect."
She walked over to the bike. It was heavy, a beast of a machine. With her enhanced strength, she handled it easily.
She threw her backpack onto the seat and straddled the bike.
She inserted the key and turned it.
Vroom!
The engine roared to life, a deep, aggressive growl.
Aria put on the helmet she found hanging on the handlebar. The visor hid her cold, beautiful eyes.
She revved the engine.
The hotel behind her was now completely overrun. Flames were licking the upper floors. People were jumping from the windows, preferring gravity to the jaws of the monsters.
Aria didn't look back. She shifted gears and sped out of the alley.
The wind hit her face.
Her destination: The "Safe Haven" Storage Facility in the suburbs.
In her past life, that facility became a fortress controlled by a warlord. It was filled with food, weapons, and medical supplies.
"This time," Aria whispered under her helmet. "It's all mine."
As she drove onto the main road, chaos greeted her.
Cars were crashed everywhere. Zombies were dragging people out of broken windshields. A police car was burning.
A man ran into the middle of the road, waving his arms at Aria.
"Help! Stop! Take me with you!"
Aria didn't slow down.
She accelerated.
Thump.
The motorcycle's heavy frame clipped the man, sending him spinning into the guardrail.
"Get out of the way," she muttered.
She wasn't a taxi service.
She checked the time on her watch. 12:45 AM.
The first wave of mutation was just beginning. By sunrise, 90% of the population would be gone.
She had to move fast.