NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 14: The Dawning Threat
As Day Four of the apocalypse dawned, Lu Ming was greeted by the sobering reality of his new life. Wednesday's focus: legs. The morning air felt heavy, thick with the tension of survival, but there was comfort in routine. Lu Ming embraced it. He relished the small mercies—running water, electricity, and gas. Even with the world crumbling outside, inside, life retained a semblance of normalcy.
His morning ritual began with a hearty breakfast: a steaming bowl of noodles, three eggs, and a side of pickled vegetables. His appetite had doubled since the world turned upside down, driven by the physical demands of his new existence.
"At least for now, I’ve got enough supplies," he muttered to himself, shoveling food into his mouth, grateful for the small luxuries he still had.
Once breakfast was done, Lu Ming slipped into his workout routine, heading to the second floor for the day’s grueling leg session. For two solid hours, he pushed himself to the limit, sweat pouring down his face as his legs burned from the relentless strain. Collapsing onto the exercise mat, his chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath. Despite the pain, a flicker of satisfaction stirred in him.
"Leg training’s crucial," he reminded himself. "Neglect them, and they’ll betray you later." Now, more than ever, the truth of that mantra hit home.
The trek back down the stairs was a challenge all its own. His legs, trembling with exhaustion, barely managed to carry him. He gripped the railing tightly, relying on his upper body to ease the burden. Once he reached the bottom, he fixed himself a protein shake and collapsed onto the couch, the tension in his muscles slowly unwinding.
When he finally caught his breath, he pulled up his attribute panel to assess his progress.
Name: Lu Ming♂
Age: 25
Strength: 7.5 (8.2) ↑
Physique: 7.9 (8.6) ↑
Agility: 8.0 (8.7) ↑
[Skills]
- Fitness (Lv2 50/200)
A slow smile crept across his face as he took in the steady increases. The grind, the pain—it was all worth it.
With some time to spare before lunch, Lu Ming decided to work on his slingshot proficiency. The slingshot had proven itself in the fight the day before, and now it felt like an extension of him—silent, lethal, and effective. The small glass marbles, his ammunition of choice, were easy to use and devastating in their precision.
Standing at his makeshift range, Lu Ming loaded the slingshot, drawing the band back and taking a moment to focus. His muscles were already sore, but his aim was sharp. He let the marble fly. A satisfying snap rang out as it struck the bullseye, earning him a +2 proficiency boost.
Another shot landed just outside the target’s center, a +1 boost this time.
"The logic is consistent," he mused as he loaded another marble. "Accuracy equals results. If I keep this up, I can improve quickly."
He fired again and again, the repetition wearing at his muscles but driving his proficiency ever higher. By the time his fingers went numb, his slingshot proficiency had climbed to Level 3.
- Slingshot (Lv3 0/300): You have acquired basic slingshot shooting techniques. Agility increased by 0.6 (+0.3) points.
Another bullseye followed, bringing another +2 to his proficiency.
The path to mastery was clear: train hard, and the results would follow. No need to complicate things with moving targets or increased distances—yet.
Exhausted but satisfied, Lu Ming dragged his sore body to the kitchen to prepare lunch. His meal was a feast by apocalypse standards: three bowls of rice, a steamed bun, boiled chicken breast, stir-fried vegetables, and half a serving of protein powder.
His hunger was insatiable, but he knew it was a byproduct of his intensified training. His body, now a machine built for survival, needed fuel. Without it, he wouldn’t last long in this new world.
After eating, Lu Ming took a brief break, settling into a routine that had become his new normal. The clock ticked to 12:00 PM, marking the start of his afternoon rest. When 1:30 PM rolled around, he awoke refreshed, checking his attribute panel again. The sight of his growth sparked a thrill inside him.
"Another great day," he whispered, his pulse quickening. The exhilaration of becoming stronger, of outpacing the chaos outside, was like a drug.
But the high was fleeting. Memories of the hulking zombie he’d encountered crept back into his mind, casting a shadow over his thoughts. His good mood evaporated, replaced by an undercurrent of dread.
Dragging his tired legs upstairs, Lu Ming peered out of the observation hole in his reading room. The street below was eerily quiet. The giant zombie was nowhere in sight. Even the few stragglers that had hovered near his door had disappeared.
Yet despite the stillness, a sense of unease gnawed at him. The existence of that giant zombie weighed heavily on his mind. What could he do if more of them appeared? How would he defend himself?
For now, there was no answer.
Pushing the troubling thoughts aside, Lu Ming returned to his training. He had skills to hone, and worrying about things beyond his control wouldn’t help.
Meanwhile, in another part of the village, tensions simmered.
Dr. Meng Jie’s day had taken a sharp turn. The plan had been simple: leave for the city center shelter at dawn. With Zhang Lixin, the seasoned soldier, and Wang Xiong, the recently Awakened, on her side, she calculated a fifty percent chance of making it safely.
But fate, as always, had its own plans.
Early that morning, Wang Xiong woke to an unnerving sight. A group of ten zombies loitered in front of his door. While not entirely unexpected, it wasn’t their presence that unnerved him—it was their stillness. They stood there, motionless, unaffected by distant sounds or any other distraction. It was as if they were waiting for something—or someone.
"What’s going on?" Dr. Meng Jie asked quietly, squeezing past Wang Xiong to peer out the window.
For a moment, the two men exchanged glances. Then, after a tense silence, she pulled back, her expression troubled.
Wang Xiong frowned. "What’s wrong?"
Dr. Meng Jie hesitated. "They’re normal... mostly. But something about them feels off."
Her uncertainty sent a ripple of unease through the group. Wang Xiong’s frown deepened, but before he could speak, Dr. Meng Jie added, "I have a theory."
She glanced at Zhang Lixin and Wang Xiong, the weight of her thoughts heavy in her voice. "What if these zombies are receiving commands from something—or someone—stronger?"
Her words hung in the air, thick with tension. The two men looked at her, incredulous.
"You’re saying the zombies are following orders?" Wang Xiong asked, disbelief etched in his features.
Dr. Meng Jie nodded. "Yes. It’s possible. We’ve seen enough anomalies to know this isn’t a simple infection."
Her theory left Wang Xiong speechless. Zhang Lixin remained quiet, absorbing her words. She continued, her voice more urgent now. "As I mentioned before, Awakened individuals like Wang Xiong have the potential to evolve. But we share a common origin with the zombies—the same Mystery Factor that triggered Awakening infected them."
Her words grew darker. "If we can evolve, then so can they. In fact, it’s highly probable."
The weight of her revelation settled over them like a thick fog. The physical prowess of even the average zombie was staggering—stronger, faster, more resilient than a regular human. The idea that they could evolve further was terrifying.
Wang Xiong ran a hand over his chin, his expression grim. "So, you’re saying we might be targeted by stronger zombies?"
Dr. Meng Jie nodded again. "Yes. And I believe there's more."
She leaned in, her voice lowering to a near whisper. "What if the key to evolving—for both the Awakened and the zombies—lies in absorbing more of the Mystery Factor?"
Zhang Lixin’s eyes widened. "Are you saying they need to hunt to evolve?"
Dr. Meng Jie nodded gravely. "Yes. And they might view Awakened individuals as their ultimate prey."
A cold shiver ran down Wang Xiong’s spine as the pieces clicked into place. "So... I'm like Tang Sanzang now?" he muttered, referencing the monk in Journey to the West, who was hunted by demons because of his purity.
Across the street, hidden in the shadow of two buildings, a pair of pale eyes gleamed with hunger. The giant zombie that had encountered Lu Ming watched Wang Xiong’s house, its hunger growing with every passing second.
It could feel it—something inside that house was different. Stronger. More satisfying than any meal it had ever tasted.
But the giant zombie was patient. It knew better than to charge in blindly. This wasn’t just any prey—it was something special. A grand meal requires careful planning.
The zombie’s gut growled, its ravenous hunger barely contained. But it waited. It would let its prey weaken first, and grow desperate.
Then, when the time was right, it would strike.
End of Chapter 14