Chapter 4

The man watched as Ethan left but still reported to his boss.

"Mr. Daniels, there's a guy outside trying to break into the supermarket with an axe."

Despite seeing Ethan leave, the man still informed his superior.

"Don't worry, Timmy. The security system of this supermarket is renowned throughout the city. He can't even get through the door," Daniels said nonchalantly, not caring about the others around him as he relaxed.

"The apocalypse has its perks. As the head of security, I get to enjoy the company of the CEO's daughter. We have enough supplies to last us for over a decade," Daniels remarked, enjoying his new power.

"You're right, Mr. Daniels. How else could we live so freely? Even if it's only for another decade, it's worth it," Timmy agreed. Daniels was generous, especially with women, and he shared his good fortune.

Daniels maintained his position by sharing luxuries and treating everyone fairly.

"All right, get out. I want to stretch a bit," Daniels said with a suggestive grin.

Timmy quickly exited, not forgetting to close the door.

"Miss Thompson, if you please me, I'll let you have dinner at the table tonight," Daniels said.

Lily Thompson's eyes, once dull, lit up. In these times, a decent meal was a rare luxury.

...

Ethan finished his meal, grabbed the fire axe, and continued his mission to clear out zombies.

After hours of fighting, Ethan had learned the most efficient ways to dispatch the undead. He had cleared out over 300 zombies around the supermarket.

The fire axe was dull and unusable, so he discarded it.

Ethan understood that zombies, while slow, were dangerous in numbers. If one got surrounded, the outcome was grim.

Thankfully, Ethan managed the distance between himself and the zombies, avoiding encirclement.

Ethan returned to a nearby room and assessed his gains.

[Zombie Heart*10: Increases Strength by 1;]

[Zombie Liver*10: Restores 1 HP per minute;]

[Zombie Rib*10: Increases Physical Fitness by 1;]

[Zombie Leg Bone*5: Increases Agility by 1;]

Including the 35 Strength points from the Butcher ability, Ethan's stats had improved significantly.

[Host: Ethan;]

[Primary Attributes: Strength 55; Agility 8; Intelligence 3; Constitution 15;] (Average male has 1 point.)

[Secondary Attributes: 

Health 700 (Strength + Constitution) * 10; Energy 180 (Intelligence + Constitution) * 10;

Speed ​​69 (Agility + Constitution) * 3;

Physical Attack 210 (Strength + Constitution) * 3; Magic Attack 54 (Intelligence + Constitution) * 3;

Physical Defense 140 (Strength + Constitution) * 2; Magic Defense 36 (Intelligence + Constitution) * 2]

[Abilities: Killer; Butcher;]

Ethan was no longer the same person as before. The increase in attributes made him a formidable force, able to withstand bites from zombies without a scratch.

Regular zombies were no longer a threat, but there were other dangers: animal zombies, lickers, chasers, tyrants, and mutants. These were tough enough to withstand firearms, making it difficult for humanity to reclaim infected areas.

"It's time to deal with the people in the supermarket," Ethan decided as dusk approached.

Timmy, seeing Ethan return, threw a water bottle from the upper floor, containing something warm and unpleasant.

He shouted mockingly, "Do you think you can find a way in after walking around?"

But the next moment, Timmy stared in disbelief. Ethan grabbed the door with both hands, veins bulging, and lifted it, creating a gap.

Without the power system, even Timmy and his group couldn't open the door.

"Holy crap, this isn't good. I need to report to Mr. Daniels," Timmy thought as he hurried away. If Ethan got inside, it would spell trouble!

Daniels and his fourteen associates were playing cards when Timmy burst in, causing annoyance.

"What's got you so worked up, Timmy? Why the noise?" Daniels asked.

"Something's wrong. That guy, he opened the door," Timmy blurted out.

"Let him. We have guns. If he comes up, we'll shoot him," one of the others scoffed.

But Daniels was concerned.

"How did he open the door?" Daniels pressed.

"He lifted it with his bare hands," Timmy replied.

"Impossible! That door weighs at least three or four tons. Are you kidding?" Daniels found it hard to believe. In the three months since the outbreak, he hadn't seen anyone like that.

The others laughed it off as well.

"Get the weapons ready. Whoever he is, bullets will stop him!" Daniels shouted, trying to rally everyone, then went to retrieve a pistol.

This firearm was something he had taken from the supermarket manager. Before all this, they were just regular security guards.

Ethan didn't expect to find himself in the living area so easily after getting inside. It seemed the guards relied too heavily on the door for security.

Bang!

A gunshot echoed in the dark.

Ethan's blood-red shield flickered and then vanished after taking the shot.

Daniels and his group were stunned. Despite being hit, Ethan was unharmed, shattering their perceptions.

"Monster! Get out!" Daniels screamed, firing repeatedly, desperate to stop Ethan and maintain his luxurious life.

The others hoped Ethan would fall, but he didn't. His defense was too high; the bullets didn't even penetrate his skin, only creating sparks.

Ethan's face, though ordinary, was unforgettable in this moment—menacing and fierce. It sent shivers down their spines.

They remembered that this man was a killer, drenched in blood. The glint of his axe only heightened their fear.

Some, already terrified, wet themselves and began confessing their post-apocalyptic sins, believing Ethan was a divine punishment sent to end them.

They fell to their knees, begging, "Please, spare us! We'll do anything—just let us live!"