One life spotted

Kia fired shot after shot, and with each gunshot, the zombies staggered back and fell to the ground. However, they got up again and kept coming.

Seeing this, Kia took in a deep, desperate breath and gritted his teeth. He focused on the target and pulled the trigger multiple times continuously.

Bang!

The bullets pierced through their bodies and finally through their skulls. Only when the last of the five zombies collapsed to the ground did Kia stop. He stood there panting heavily as the zombies lay motionless on the ground.

*Ding!*

[Congratulations on successfully eliminating the infected threat.]

*Ding!*

[50 points have been awarded to you.]

Kia was still in shock as he tried to process everything that was happening, but at this point, he was starting to regain his senses, and now only one thing was clear. This was real!

"How did they even get here?" he asked, fully aware that the street had been empty when he had arrived.

[The sound of the gunshots attracted them here. The noise likely echoed through the area, drawing the attention of nearby infected.]

That made sense. Zombies in movies were indeed attracted to any sound. Kia shook his head and bit down on his bottom lip, staring at the gun still in his hand.

"What am I supposed to do now?" he asked aloud, not really expecting an answer. But the system responded anyway.

[It is my recommendation that you seek shelter. You are in a dangerous and vulnerable position. I suggest you find a more secure location as soon as possible.]

Kia looked around the room. Six bodies on the floor. There were closed windows and only one door, which was now broken and useless, leaving him exposed.

Just as he was about to step out of the apartment, he heard growls and shuffling footsteps coming from outside. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks—more zombies were on their way.

[It looks like you have attracted more infected to your current location. I recommend securing this place as best as you can because you won't be able to fight all of them.]

Kia's hands ran through his hair. "How many are there?" he asked.

The voice from his watch remained silent for a moment, except for the beeping light. After a few seconds, it finally spoke.

[There are approximately 11 infected heading towards your location at this time.]

"Oh, fuck!" Kia cursed, his hand running through his hair faster and more aggressively as if he was attempting to dig his fingers into his scalp.

He looked around the apartment once more, thinking of anything that might help him secure the windows and door. There was nothing but a large wooden table. He grabbed the table and dragged it towards the broken door. It covered the lower part of the door, but there was still room to see outside.

"That won't do," he muttered and turned around to find something else when the system beeped again.

*Ding!*

[Danger. Two Infected spotted.]

He knew that; he was already panicking enough. Why did this stupid watch have to keep pointing out the obvious? Kia thought angrily to himself. He jumped over two of the bodies and dragged the shelf he had crashed on earlier.

It was big and a little heavy, but that would do. He began dragging as fast as he could towards the door, but then he heard another beep.

"What is it this time?" he huffed, securing the shelf by the broken door.

*Ding!*

[One life spotted.]

This made Kia's brow furrow.

"Life?" he repeated, confused. That wasn't how it was supposed to go.

[Life: a person or animal that is alive or breathing.]

Before he could fully process it, the system's words were followed by a sudden, piercing scream that shattered the air, sending shivers down his spine.

With shaking hands, Kia left the door, which was already secured, and peeked through the window. His eyes widened in horror when he saw a lone figure stumbling towards the apartment. It was a young girl.

"A child," Kia muttered. That's a freaking child running for her life with two zombies chasing her from behind.

Kia made eye contact with the little girl, her eyes filled with fear and exhaustion. As soon as she caught sight of Kia through the window, her eyes widened with hope. With trembling hands, she stretched her small hand forward as she ran towards the house, but Kia, seeing this, immediately pulled away from the window. His heart was pounding like crazy.

Should he help her? What if she was infected? She must have been beaten, he thought.

"What should I do?" he asked.

[Your objective is to survive. However, if you choose to help the child, it may increase your points.]

Points? Not that again. What was he going to do with some useless points? Kia's anger bubbled inside him. He took a deep breath.

"No, I can't risk it. I have to protect myself first," he thought, though he could feel the guilt already starting to consume him. But the child was not his responsibility, and he wasn't letting himself get involved.

Kia took a few steps back from the window, hoping not to attract attention from the zombies following her trail.

"Papa!" the little girl screamed, and Kia froze.

"Fûck, she's going to get herself killed," he spat with a clenched fist, and just as expected, zombies appeared behind the young girl. She began to slow down to catch her breath, and one of the zombies was closing in on her.

He couldn't stand it anymore; he pushed aside the shelf barricading the door and ran out of the apartment into the streets.