Chapter Three

[Third-Person POV]

Three days had elapsed since the onset of the reckoning, and each passing day witnessed an unprecedented surge in the death toll of humanity. Across the globe, property lay in ruin, and bloodshed became a common occurrence.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The sound of a dangerous weapon was heard as it was fired.

"Mama, Papa, I'm scared." The child whimpered, tears streaming down their cheeks as silence enveloped the household.

"Shh... honey, you need to stay strong. Once it's safe, we'll be fine." The mother replied to her child, doing her best to comfort her child.

For the past three days, the family of three has remained huddled together in silence, seeking refuge within the confines of their home. Curtains closed their windows, shielding them from the horrors of the outside world.

The family's predicament grew increasingly dire as their food stores dwindled. Jerome, the father, felt desperation gnawing at him and resolved to gamble on the goodwill of their neighbors next door. It was the best news he could get if his neighbors weren't there, leaving food at their house.

However, he grappled with the grim realization that the worst-case scenario might unfold. His demise left his wife and child vulnerable and hungry, either at the hands of the monsters or provoked neighbors.

[Access denied. Redirecting trespassers.]

Without warning, the family of three was forcefully ejected from their home.

"What's happening?" Confusion and fear gripped them as they found themselves outside, vulnerable to potential attacks from hostile creatures. Suddenly, a blue screen materialized before them, bearing a message that promptly whisked them away from their residence.

"Let us back in! Damn it!" They pleaded, attempting to return to the safety of their house, but an impenetrable barrier obstructed their path, leaving them stranded outside.

Their presence had attracted some hostile creatures, and the man who did this was surprised by what had happened.

[Charles POV]

In three days, I managed to level up only twice. There were no monsters about as strong as the orc. However, with my shop upgraded once again, I now had many options, with a capacity of 40 spaces.

Most of the sites I frequented remained dormant, contributing to my growing boredom. With two skill points, I contemplated expanding my space to alleviate this boredom.

Despite the relative safety of my zone, I couldn't shake the feeling of its limitations. An idea dawned on me: perhaps unlocking more features would coincide with the growth of my space.

[Do you wish to expand your safe zone?]

Upon attempting the upgrade, a warning greeted me, unlike my previous experiences with upgrading my shop.

"Yes," I confirmed to the system, granting permission for the expansion. As the upgrade was completed, I was endowed with an additional 2500 square feet of space, doubling my territory.

Before acquiring the additional space, I was presented with the option of customizing the expansion. Instead of opting for a simple square, I annexed my neighbor's house, transforming my safe zone into a rectangular territory.

Observing the absence of activity from my neighbors over the past three days, I predicted that they were either absent or deceased.

As I expanded my safe zone to encompass the neighboring house, I witnessed a family of three being forcefully ejected from their residence.

"Let us back in! Damn it!" The father of the three shouted as he attempted to get in. His shout and fear, with a mixture of anger, attracted the attention of the monsters nearby. Three goblins three houses away walked menacingly with their sharp knives at the three.

[Do you wish to give Jerome access to your safe zone?]

[Do you wish to give Anne access to your safe zone?]

[Do you wish to give Marceline access to your safe zone?]

As the notification bars appeared, granting me the ability to permit their entry into the safe zone, Jerome's anxiety heightened. Sensing impending danger, he scanned the surroundings frantically, only to lock eyes with me.

"Are you the one responsible for this barrier? Please, I beg you, let my family in!" Jerome pleaded urgently, aware of the monsters' threat.

It didn't take long for them to deduce that I was behind the barrier, separating them from safety. Under the circumstances, this was a logical conclusion.

With practiced precision, I aimed my pistol at the three goblins advancing toward the family. My marksmanship had improved significantly since the first day, and the pistol's recoil no longer affected me as I had leveled up.

Firing four shots, I swiftly dispatched the trio of goblins, confirming a relatively painless end for all except the one targeted by two bullets.

[$1320 deposited in your safe-zone wallet.]

[You have executed a goblin (Level 4 First Order).]

[$1383 deposited in your safe-zone wallet.]

[You have executed a goblin (Level 4 First Order).]

[$1602 deposited in your safe-zone wallet.]

[You have executed a goblin (Level 5 First Order).]

As the days passed, nearby monsters grew stronger. Their increased level compared to the goblins of the past three days indicated the escalating danger. Sensing that more formidable creatures would likely appear, I swiftly dispatched the monsters before redirecting my attention to the family of three.

"Sure, you can have access, but there are conditions," I began, outlining my terms.

Understandably, my words elicited a negative reaction from them, considering I had ousted them from their own home.

"Don't you have any compassion? You kicked us out of our house. Can't you just leave us alone?" Their anger toward me was entirely justified. If I had cared enough, perhaps I would have felt remorse.

"No, not really, but I believe it would benefit you to follow me. With this world descending into chaos, safety is scarce. You've seen the barrier I've created. It's one of the safest places around. Moreover, I can see you're running low on food. I have the means to provide for your family if you work for me," I explained, gauging the mother and father's reaction, which confirmed their food scarcity. With ten slots available for survivors, they seemed like ideal candidates for recruitment. If they proved useless, I could always replace them. After all, who wouldn't want capable followers?