NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 15: The Accelerating Crisis
By Day Four of the apocalypse, Lu Ming had stumbled upon an unexpected benefit—his recovery time had accelerated dramatically. According to conventional wisdom from fitness resources, leg workouts typically left the body sore for one to three days, often necessitating rest days to recuperate. But now, after just a brief midday break, Lu Ming felt rejuvenated. His vision sharpened, his fatigue evaporated, and the soreness in his muscles? Completely gone.
This newfound resilience defied everything he knew about the human body. The only explanation? The attribute panel.
After pushing his body to its limits in the morning, Lu Ming spent the afternoon honing his slingshot and cold weapon combat skills. Hours blurred as he practiced, every throw and swing moving him closer to mastery.
By evening, his slingshot proficiency had jumped from (Lv3 2/300) to (Lv4 5/400), boosting his agility by another 0.4 points. The process remained consistent—hitting the bullseye earned him 2 points, while less accurate shots gave him 1. Thankfully, there was still ample room for improvement.
His progress with cold weapon combat was even more remarkable. He vaulted from (Lv1 86/100) to (Lv3 10/300), gaining 0.5 points each in Strength and Stamina.
As the day waned, Lu Ming found his mind drifting back to the street outside. The image of the giant zombie weighed heavily on him, a grotesque reminder of what the undead were capable of becoming. The notion of his safe house being an impenetrable fortress was now in question. Could it withstand an assault from such evolved monsters? He needed more than a sturdy wall—he needed constant vigilance.
"Surveillance," he muttered, staring through his lookout hole at the deserted streets below. The world outside seemed calm, but that calm felt more ominous than reassuring. "I have to stay one step ahead of these things."
Strength, he realized, was his only insurance. With newfound resolve, Lu Ming spent the rest of the evening pounding away at his sandbag. By the time he retired to bed, his hand-to-hand combat skill had risen to (Lv2 75/200), a solid advancement.
When he finally lay down, exhaustion claimed him almost instantly. But his sleep was restless, and he awoke the next day with renewed determination.
"Day Five of the Apocalypse Calendar," Lu Ming muttered as he dressed. "Thursday."
It was supposed to be a rest day, but in this new world, there was no such thing. His attribute panel had to be pushed to its limits. Training was no longer just for self-improvement—it was a survival strategy. He couldn’t afford complacency, not after seeing what these zombies could become.
"They evolve," he said aloud, the thought solidifying in his mind. "Zombies can evolve."
His safe house, fortified as it was, might not be enough to stand against the undead's relentless and terrifying transformation. The weight of that realization gnawed at him. The only way forward was clear—he had to evolve too, using the attribute panel to push his body to its absolute peak. His goal: 100 points across all attributes.
With that, he believed, even the giant zombies wouldn’t stand a chance.
Physical Status of Day Five
Strength: 10.1
Physique: 10.6
Agility: 10.8
[Skills]
- Fitness (Lv2 100/200)
- Slingshot Shooting (Lv5 48/500)
- Archery (Lv2 33/200)
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Lv3 64/300)
- Cold Weapon Combat (Lv4 85/400)
Day Six Friday
Chest workout day.
The streets remained eerily quiet, devoid of the usual shuffle of the undead. Even the hulking monstrosity that had haunted Lu Ming’s thoughts was nowhere to be seen. But the calm outside was overshadowed by another, more pressing problem—his appetite.
Ever since his nap the previous day, his body had gone into overdrive. His visual acuity had doubled, surpassing the typical range of an average adult male, and his hunger had followed suit. The need for sustenance seemed to grow with each day, consuming his fresh food supply at an alarming rate.
"Bad news," he muttered as he rummaged through his stores. "The fresh food is almost gone."
His reliance on frozen goods would soon become unsustainable. The protein powder helped stave off hunger, but he knew it was a temporary solution. The looming food crisis gnawed at him, as relentless as the undead that waited just beyond his walls.
Physical Status of Day Six
Strength: 10.8
Physique: 11.3
Agility: 12.1
[Skills]
- Fitness (Lv2 150/200)
- Slingshot Shooting (Lv6 32/600)
- Archery (Lv2 33/200)
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Lv3 85/300)
- Cold Weapon Combat (Lv4 315/400)
Day Six saw progress in his slingshot proficiency, now Level 6, though the slow pace left Lu Ming uneasy. The quiet outside only amplified his growing sense of urgency. He needed to find a way to accelerate his training.
Day Seven
Back workout day.
Another day passed without incident. The streets remained empty, offering no answers to the questions swirling in Lu Ming’s mind.
Day Eight
Leg workout day.
By evening, Lu Ming realized he had survived a full week of the apocalypse. Despite the looming threats, he found a sense of accomplishment in his routine. He had grown stronger, more disciplined, and more resilient.
It was worth celebrating, in its own way.
Day Nine Monday, 10:00 AM
After completing his morning training, Lu Ming checked his attribute panel. A smile of satisfaction tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Physical Status of Day Nine
Strength: 13.1 (13.9) ↑
Physique: 13.6 (14.4) ↑
Agility: 13.9 (14.7) ↑
[Skills]
- Fitness Lv3 (50/300)
- Slingshot Shooting Lv7 (152/700)
- Archery Lv3 (108/200)
- Hand-to-Hand Combat Lv4 (12/400)
- Cold Weapon Combat Lv6 (33/600)
As proud as he was of his progress, a new tension settled over him. The zombies outside were no longer milling aimlessly. Something had changed. From his lookout, Lu Ming watched as the undead slowly began shuffling in the same direction, as if pulled by an unseen force toward Good Hope Village.
A knot of unease formed in his gut. Something was happening—something big—but he couldn’t see far enough to make out the details. All he could do was watch and wait.
The strange behavior of the zombies was tied to the events unfolding across town.
For the past five days, Wang Xiong and his companions had been trapped inside their home, surrounded by the relentless undead. Like Lu Ming, they had observed the unsettling transformation of the zombies but had little evidence to support their theories.
After days of waiting, hunger had become their true enemy. The physical enhancements of the Awakened came with a cost—a massive increase in energy consumption. Much like Lu Ming, Wang Xiong found himself ravenous, his body demanding more sustenance than their meager food supplies could provide.
By Day Five, the trio had no choice but to act.
End of Chapter 15