With four combat drones now fully operational, Deejay took a moment to assess his situation. The Sentinel units hovered quietly near the docking area, their systems running at full capacity, ready to respond at a moment's notice. He still had a decent amount of Gold Coins left, but after a brief consideration, he decided not to spend them recklessly.
For now, his current firepower was more than enough, and there was no need to rush into unnecessary upgrades.
"System," Deejay said, leaning against the wall of his living room, "are there ways to increase my Combat Power and stats directly?"
"Confirmed," Aegis Prime replied. A new interface appeared, displaying a list of enhancement options—advanced serums, genetic refinements, and biomechanical upgrades. Each item came with a detailed explanation and a steep price tag.
Deejay's eyes paused on the cheapest option.
A serum that could increase his CP by another 1,000.
Cost: 100,000 Gold Coins.
"…Yeah, not happening yet," he muttered, closing the panel. Compared to what he currently had, the price was far beyond his reach. He wasn't disappointed, though. If anything, it gave him a clear goal to work toward.
With that settled, his attention shifted to the condo building itself.
"Sentinels," Deejay commanded calmly, "sweep the building. Eliminate all infected. Secure every floor."
The drones responded instantly.
Thanks to their advanced scanning technology, the Sentinels already possessed a full internal map of the structure. Heat signatures, movement traces, and sound patterns were layered together, pinpointing exactly where the infected were hiding. Most of them clustered in the lower floors—lobby, parking levels, and early residential units where escape had been impossible.
The operation was clean.
The drones moved floor by floor, room by room, eliminating zombies before they could react. Doors were breached only when necessary. Energy shots were precise and silent. Infected fell without ever knowing what killed them.
No alarms.
No chaos.
No close calls.
In less than thirty minutes, the entire building was clear.
When the final report came in, Deejay let out a slow breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"Building sweep complete," Aegis Prime reported.
"No hostile entities detected."
"Good," Deejay said.
At the system's recommendation, he immediately opened the shop again and purchased several defensive devices. Compact, disk-shaped modules materialized in his hands one by one. When placed near doors, they instantly reinforced frames, locks, and hinges with advanced composite materials. Another set of devices bonded directly to windows, strengthening the glass until it was harder than steel while remaining transparent.
The transformation was immediate.
The lobby no longer looked like an ordinary condo entrance. Smooth reinforced surfaces lined the walls. Subtle blue light traced along upgraded doors and windows, giving the entire area a clean, futuristic feel.
The total cost flashed briefly.
5,000 Gold Coins spent.
Deejay nodded in satisfaction. "Worth every coin."
Once the drones confirmed the upgrades were complete, Deejay finally decided to move. He made his way down to the lobby, weapon in hand, visor active. He was far stronger than before, but he wasn't foolish enough to let his guard down. Strength meant nothing if he made a careless mistake.
The lobby was silent.
Clear.
Secure.
"Resupply ammo," he ordered.
Four Sentinel drones docked briefly, their energy cores replenished with fresh ammunition. The process was quick and efficient.
For a moment, Deejay considered going out himself to retrieve the survivors waiting nearby. The thought barely finished forming before the system spoke.
"Recommendation: Remain inside," Aegis Prime advised.
"Sentinel units are fully capable of completing the task with minimal risk."
Deejay paused, then nodded. "Alright. Do it."
The drones launched immediately.
They exited the building and surged into the streets, carving a direct path toward the survivor group. Zombies turned at the sound, but it didn't matter. Blue-white flashes lit the area as infected dropped one after another, their numbers thinning rapidly.
It took only minutes.
The drones hovered low, projecting silent guidance markers.
"Follow closely," one instructed. "Remain quiet."
The survivors obeyed without question.
The Sentinels guided them through the shortest and safest route, eliminating any infected that wandered too close. Each confirmed kill added more Gold Coins to Deejay's total, though he barely noticed the notifications anymore.
As he waited inside the lobby, Deejay's thoughts drifted briefly to yesterday.
The concert.
That was why the population density had been so high. A massive event featuring popular K-pop groups, along with famous Japanese and Chinese artists. Fans from all over had gathered in the city.
Now, the streets reflected the aftermath.
"…No wonder," he murmured.
The realization was grim, but he pushed it aside. What mattered now were the people still alive.
A few minutes later, movement appeared on the lobby cameras.
The reinforced doors slid open.
The drones entered first, followed by a group of exhausted survivors. Dirty, shaken, but alive. Their eyes widened as they stepped into the secured lobby and saw Deejay standing there, calm and composed.
For the first time since the outbreak began, they were somewhere safe.