Chapter 11 - THE OUTSIDE WORLD (1/2)

That morning Azief woke up at 6. He always woke up at 6. Habits. The outside is still dark. The sun has not yet dawned.

He rubbed his eyes.

He almost thought he was dreaming yesterday with all the gore he witnessed, and killings, and then when he looks at his surrounding he knows this is not his house.

It's not his room. It's not his place. And it is certainly not his bed. He sighed and the first thing he uttered when he woke up.

'Shit'

'Yesterday was not a dream.' He said. The stiffs, the aliens, the monstrous beast, all of it were not in his dreams or imaginations.

The world ended yesterday. That is what he thought to himself. The world as they know it has ended.

And a new world begins today.

He wanted to lay his body right back to bed but he can't when he remembers there is still a threat near him.

Even though most of the stiffs here just patrol with aimless walking and has low intelligence, Azief don't know if something new is going to happen.

Something new means something he doesn't know. And he doesn't like that. He doesn't like not knowing.

Especially when such ignorance could lead him straight to the jaws of death. And he prefers to see Death when he is ready, old and decrepit; living in a house beside a beautiful lake, with a woman he loves.

Die of old age. That is what he wants. He doesn't want to die of illnesses, of gory accidents, or drugs.

He wants to die the natural way, of boredness of life. I live again today he mused. Even better, die while having sex.

He laughed a little at his unreasonable musing.

Today will be a heck of a day. He knows this is in his heart. Today he will begin his plan.

So, he got up and equipped all his armour. He looks almost like Altair in Assassin Creed. The only difference is the difference in colors of the attire and the black aura enveloping him.

It was small and barely detectible. Still, there is that aura.

Then he looks outside the window from his bed. The second floor really does give quite the view to the outside scenery, which is full with corpse, and walking corpse.

Azief could see all the prowling stiffs…..walking aimlessly…and groaning. Most of them are far away from the house.

Azief perception then envelope the radius of 100 meter.

Nothing dangerous Azief mused.

'Good' he said. At least he knows that his passive skills are useful in detecting enemies.

Now he is getting ready. First target. Food. The Mall. With the rings he surely could store many things.

He's going to raid the crap out of the Mall. Canned food, first aid kit, medicines if there is any, everything useful.

But to do this efficiently he needs to have a helper. This is where Tan come in.

He opens the door and went down the stairs. He look around the sofa near the living room. Tan was there, sleeping peacefully on the couch.

Azief approach the sofa and move him.

'Wha-' and the moment Tan recognize Azief he quickly regain his composure.

'Azief. You scared me. I thought it was the zombies. I thought they have breached my house'

'No, they did not. I would have noticed and you would have been dead. Get up. We're going to move.'

'Yes.' Tan said bitterly. Azief is clearly not respecting him even a bit.

Both of them clean their faces and then getting ready. Tan brought his bag. It was big but not too big that it would hinder him from running and it has back support.

They were in the front door and Azief has to say something before they venture outside. It was important so Tan understand what they will be doing outside.

'Tan listen to me. Do you know where we are going?' And Tan who was behind Azief stopped and said

'The mall.'

'Yes. Here is what I want you to do. You will store food, drinks, anything useful. Don't pick up anything not useful. That is your job. Pick up canned food, snacks, chocolate bars, aid kits anything in your mind that you deemed useful for our survival.

Tan nodded.

'Now I want to know. What level you are and what are your highest stats, and your World Orb item?'

Tan reply honestly.

'I'm level 01, and my highest stat's is Spirit and my weapon is a staff.' He said

'Did you bring the staff with you?' Azief said seeing there is no staff near Tan. Not in his hand and not on his back.

'No.' he said

'Where is it?' Azief asked

'At the kitchen.' Tan pointed to a staff disguised as a broomstick. No, it is not a broomstick but at least that is what Azief thought last night when he was woken up at 3 am.

'Go bring it' Tan went into the kitchen and bring the staff. Arriving in front of him Azief then quickly say

'Now I want you to also level up when we went outside' Hearing this Tan face turns pale.

'But I'm afraid of the zombies.'

'Don't worry. I'll weaken them enough. You need to gain some power if you want to survive. If you become a dead weight I'll leave you. It's that simple.'

'You…wouldn't do that would you?' Tan said his voice is trembling. Could this young man have the heart to leave him being eaten by the zombies?

The answer would be yes. Azief don't know Tan.

He doesn't even owe anything to him. If he is a dead weight and only hinder Azief survival, then Azief would leave him in a heartbeat.

After all if he could not benefit from having Tan on his group then what function does Tan serve. Mascot?

Tan is not cute and he certainly not beautiful and Azief hate mascot. Especially if the mascot is cute and cuddly.

He hated them with a passion of a thousand burning suns.

He is helping Tan precisely because Tan could help him and vice versa. Tan wanted his strength; Azief wanted someone who could at least store items.

He did not ask much. And if Tan level up, it is not only good for Azief it will also be good for Tan.

His chance of survival will also be higher. Then Azief answer after musing all of this in his mind.

'I would.' Hearing this Tan face turned pale but then a face of determination appears on his faced.

He understands the world today is different than the world yesterday. If you are useless you will be thrown away.

So he makes a decision lightning fast.