Chapter 12

Mark retrieved his phone, playing a video of a woman's scream for help, and turned up the volume.

He threw it a distance away, catching the attention of the zombies in front of the door, causing them to run toward the sound.

As they gathered around the phone, Mark lit the flares that he had strapped to the propane tank and hurled it toward the group of zombies.

Then, he took aim with the sniper rifle and fired.

An explosion ripped through the air, engulfing the group of zombies in flames and smoke.

Limbs and body parts flew in all directions, painting a gruesome picture of destruction.

Seizing the moment, Mark wasted no time. He leaped from the rooftop, twisting his body in mid-air to minimize the impact.

As he landed, he executed a well-practiced roll, absorbing the remaining force of the fall. Rolling to his feet, he glanced at the door as Andy burst out of the door.

Without a moment's hesitation Mark summoned his phone back as they both fled from the gunshop, putting as much distance as possible between them and the fiery chaos Mark had created.

The roaring flames and billowing smoke concealed their escape from the now-distracted zombies.

As they approached the manhole entrance, the distant sounds of approaching zombies sent shivers down their spines. Mark urged Andy to climb down quickly into the sewers. Andy, filled with a renewed sense of urgency, began his descent.

Just as Andy reached the safety of the sewers, a group of ravenous zombies emerged from a nearby street, their hungry groans growing louder.

Mark acted swiftly, following Andy down the manhole, and just in the nick of time, he closed the manhole cover, sealing them off from the pursuing undead horde.

A while later, they met up with Kenneth, Michael, and Cj at the sewer gate.

Inside the mall, Mark was warmly welcomed by his girls. Anna, Monica, and Nicole rushed towards him, engulfing him in a group hug, showering him with kisses and affectionate words. Luda, who was pregnant, approached more cautiously, her concern evident in her eyes.

Anna, tears in her eyes, said, "Mark, we were so worried about you! Thank goodness you're back."

Monica added, "Yeah, we thought something terrible might happen."

Nicole chimed in, "You have no idea how relieved we are to see you safe."

Luda, her voice trembling slightly, said, "I was scared for you, Mark. I'm glad you're okay." She placed a gentle hand on her swollen belly, as she too gave her his love.

Mark gratefully thanked each of them, his voice filled with genuine appreciation. He reciprocated their affectionate hugs and kisses, reassuring them that he was back safely.

He paused for a moment to check his phone and received the rewards for the successful mission. A sense of accomplishment washed over him, knowing that the daring plan had paid off. While he could already hop into the next world, he realized the importance of taking the time to become familiar with his new skills for now.

Practicing his newfound teleportation tattoo ability, he marked the women with a womb-shaped design, elegantly placing their initials in the center.

He then embarked on a series of exercises, teleporting back and forth between them. These sessions allowed him to hone his control over this newfound power, ensuring he could use it effectively in future situations.

The girls were astounded as they watched him effortlessly appear and disappear between them. He kept practicing until an intense hunger gripped him. Surprisingly, he didn't experience any fatigue from the exercises, courtesy of his resilient vitality.

Sitting beside the girls, he accessed his dimensional storage and retrieved energy bars.

"How did you manage to appear between us so suddenly earlier?" Monica couldn't help but voice her curiosity, a sentiment that echoed in the other girls.

Mark flashed a grin and teasingly quipped, "I've just mastered a new trick I learned from my adventures in the mysterious East."

They exchanged puzzled glances, their expressions suggesting a hint of skepticism about Mark's explanation.

He cleared his throat to conceal his embarrassment. "Usually, that explanation does the trick."

They rolled their eyes in response to his remark.

As they left the room, Mark took the lead, pushing a shopping cart loaded with the guns he had acquired from Andy's gun shop. They headed to the lounge, their destination set on joining the other group.

With a sly grin, Mark declared, "Special delivery!" as he presented the cart to the group.

The group in the lounge erupted in cheers as they welcomed the arsenal Mark had brought.

Mark suggested, "There are plenty of bullets in here. Let's distribute them among yourselves."

They thanked Mark and began selecting both ammunition and guns they needed from the cart.

Mark turned to the girls with a mischievous grin and asked, "How about some undead target shooting? Up for it?"

Anna responded with a melancholic smile. "I'm not sure. It doesn't feel right to do it for fun," she admitted.

The other girls exchanged glances, clearly understanding Anna's reservations.

"No worries then. Let's head down to the parking lot and set up our own target range. We can use the mannequins from the department store," Mark suggested, offering an alternative plan.

Luda shook her head gently and explained, "I won't be able to join you. Climbing down the stairs is getting harder for me.

Anna, upon hearing Luda's explanation, expressed her concern as well. She gently placed a hand on Luda's shoulder and said, "Your safety and the baby's well-being come first. We'll be right back."

Monica and Nicole nodded in agreement with Anna's sentiments. They exchanged understanding glances before heading to the parking lot with Mark, leaving Luda to rest in a safe area.

Mark got to work, setting up the mannequins with paper targets in the inner part of the parking area, creating a makeshift shooting range for their target practice. Monica, Nicole, and Anna observed his preparations, eager to start practicing their shooting skills.

He returned to them and said, "Let's get started. Anna, you can go first." Anna nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped up to the makeshift shooting range, ready to begin.

Anna took her stance, holding the gun firmly as she aimed at one of the paper targets attached to a mannequin. Her fingers tightened around the trigger, and with a controlled squeeze, she fired a series of shots. The sound of gunfire echoed in the parking lot as the bullets hit their marks.

Mark, Monica, and Nicole watched with keen interest, assessing Anna's shooting skills. As she finished her round, Anna lowered the gun and turned to them.

He offered a supportive smile and said, "Anna, you might want to work on not blinking when you shoot. It helps with accuracy and control."

Anna offered a sincere apology, saying, "I understand, but it's just scary for me to shoot."

Mark nodded in understanding. "I know, Anna. Shooting can be intimidating, especially in a situation like this. Just take your time and practice; it'll get easier." He offered her reassurance and encouragement, knowing that they all needed to become proficient with their firearms in case of emergency.

He took the gun from Anna and aimed at one of the paper targets on a mannequin. As he fired, his own nervousness showed as he blinked excessively between shots, earning laughter from everyone. After finishing his round, he chuckled in embarrassment and admitted, "Well, it wasn't quite like this when I was shooting at the undead here last time. Let me give it another shot."

Monica burst into laughter. She couldn't resist teasing, "You were acting all confident back there, but it seems you're not quite the expert, huh?" Her laughter filled the parking lot, and she playfully ribbed Mark for his performance.

The parking lot echoed with the girls laughter.

Mark glared at them and steadied himself, took a deep breath, and aimed once more at the paper target. This time, he managed to keep his blinking to a minimum and fired with more precision. The shots hit the target more accurately, and he turned to the group with a grin, saying, "There we go, that's more like it. Practice makes perfect, right?"

The others cheered him on, appreciating the humorous moment and the determination to improve their shooting skills,

He, basking in their cheers and laughter, bowed mockingly as if accepting applause for his shooting display.

Mark patiently worked with Monica and Nicole next, until they felt more comfortable and confident in handling their weapons.

They practiced until their initial nervousness had faded away.

The girls eventually paused their target practice when their arms grew tired from firing rounds of ammunition. It was evident that they had put in a significant effort to improve their shooting skills during this practice session.

They decided to take a break from their target practice and left Mark to continue practicing on his own. They headed over to check on Luda upstairs.

Mark embarked to his own devices, aiming to improve his shooting skills, decided to vary his practice routine.

He alternated between sprinting and taking calculated steps, firing different guns as he moved. The echoes of gunfire rang through the parking lot as he practiced with shotguns and rifles, refining his ability to hit targets while on the go.

He continued his tireless training regimen, driven by determination and the hunger for improvement. However, even with his tireless body, he eventually paused when a growing sense of hunger reminded him it was time to replenish his energy.