Chapter 7 — Blood, Steel, and Survival
Smoke rose in black spirals across the New York skyline. Chaos was no longer just a premonition—it was a reality, dirty, brutal, and merciless. The screams, the sound of sporadic gunfire, and the distant roar of the hordes blended together like a funeral soundtrack for the end of the world.
Inside the reinforced apartment, the group was gathered, exhausted, covered in blood and ash. The barricades held, but for how long?
I stood by the window, watching the city die outside. Every siren gone, every building in ruins, every corpse lying in the streets reminded me that we were on our own.
I took a deep breath and turned to them.
"Let's get organized. You guys look for food, medicine, and whatever supplies you can carry." My voice was firm, practical, trying to mask the weight I felt. "I'm going to go after her… and her parents. And see if I can find any more weapons along the way.
Gabriel, still with his shirt torn and his face marked with bruises, frowned.
— Daniel… are you going alone? It doesn't make sense. It's too dangerous.
— That's what has to be done — I answered without hesitation. — We can't leave anyone behind, and the more people walking with me, the louder the noise. They are attracted to loud sounds. We need to be quick and discreet.
Amanda, sitting next to her mother, whispered:
— Do you still… care about her?
I hesitated for a second, but the memory of her face pierced me like a lightning bolt. Helena. The ex who, even after the end of the relationship, still occupied a corner of my heart. It wasn't just because of her… it was because of what was still human in us.
— It's not just about that — I answered, looking away. — I know the address, I know how to get in. And I'm going to take the opportunity to look for weapons. We're in New York, there's a chance of finding heavy equipment, if you know where to look.
Lucas nodded, running his hand through his dirty hair:
— Okay… but come back in one piece. There's no point in saving everyone if you die in the process.
I smiled. They didn't know, but I had an advantage: the invisible system, which evolved with each confrontation, with each drop of blood spilled. I couldn't count, but it made me stronger, faster, more resilient.
I checked my mental inventory:
🎯 System — Status:
Strength: 3
Speed: 2
Stamina: 2
Vitality: 12
Available points: 0
Items: Tactical knives, reinforced baton, 12-gauge shotgun (4 cartridges), Weapon Fragment (under analysis)
I was far from ideal, but each confrontation brought me closer to being their only hope.
Leaving for Hell
I left before dawn, the streets empty except for the corpses and the stains of darkened blood. Every step had to be calculated, every corner observed.
Helena's house was about ten blocks away, in a more residential neighborhood, but nothing was safe in New York.
I walked through alleys, jumped over destroyed barricades, avoided groups of zombies devouring bodies.
The system flashed sporadic information, mapping the terrain, identifying threats. Mutants, regular zombies, newly transformed corpses. I filtered everything, focused.
As I turned a corner, a horde blocked the way. At least thirty of them, devouring an overturned bus.
"No direct confrontation," I thought. But the system indicated a special alert:
Alpha Zombie Detected — Class 2 — Horde Leader
High reward. Extreme risk.
My fists clenched. Facing this now? Madness. But instinct told me that each victory made me stronger… and I needed to be prepared for the worst.
I retreated silently, skirting the streets, memorizing the place. First, the priority was Helena.
Helena's House
I arrived at the block. The houses were in ruins, doors broken, windows broken. The smell of rot filled the air.
I ran to her house, jumped over the fence, and approached.
Door half open. Caution.
I entered the dark room, the sound of the floor creaking under my feet. The system detected movement, hearts beating... alive.
I found Helena upstairs, locked in the bathroom, holding a kitchen knife. Her eyes wide, her face pale.
"Daniel?!" — Her voice came out between a whisper and a sob.
"I came to get you out of here," I replied, relieved to see her alive.
She ran, hugged me, her body trembling. The familiar smell of her perfume still resisted the chaos.
— My parents… are in the basement. They hid when it all started.
I went to the basement, found them both alive, scared, but conscious. I gave them quick instructions. We needed to get out before the horde noticed our presence.
The Bloody Return
The way back was even more dangerous. The city seemed to have woken up in fury. Hordes on every street, their roars echoing between the buildings.
In the alley behind the hardware store, I found something that changed the game: an AR-15 rifle, hidden under a police officer's body. Three intact magazines.
🎯 Internal Notification:
Weapon Obtained: AR-15 Rifle (30 shots per magazine)
Efficiency against Mutant Zombies: High
Status A updated
I smiled. It was the kind of advantage I needed.
We advanced in silence, dodging larger groups, but on the eighth block, we were surrounded.
The Larger Horde
At least fifty zombies. Common, mutants, and an Alpha leading.
There was no way to escape. I looked at Helena, at her parents. It was fight or die.
—Stay behind me. Do exactly what I say.
I raised the AR-15, aimed at the Alpha.
The first shot exploded the creature's skull. The system updated:
🎯 Alpha Zombie Eliminated — Reward: 150 XP
🎯 Items Obtained: Red Crystal x3, Genetic Fragment
The zombies hesitated for a second. I took advantage. I shot at the mutants, clearing a path.
Helena stabbed with the knife, her parents tried to defend themselves. It was brutal, desperate, but adrenaline and the system guided me.
Each shot, each blow, made me stronger, more efficient.
We managed to escape, running through the alleys, the bodies falling behind us.
The Reunion
We reached the building. The group ran to help me, relieved to see Helena and her parents alive.
"We got weapons, food, a little hope," said Gabriel, sweaty but smiling.
"And I got this," I showed him the AR-15 and the fragments I had obtained.
The system pulsed, invisible, growing in power.
But I knew: New York was falling. And the hordes would only grow.
The battle was far from over. But with blood, steel and survival, we still had a chance.
To be continued…