At noon, abandoned suitcases and dilapidated vehicles littered the deserted streets. The roadsides were in chaos, as if a violent storm had swept through. In the distance, even corpses could be seen lying lifeless on the ground.
"What the hell? I was just staying up late watching a TV show. How did I end up here?"
On the rooftop of the only hospital in town stood a man in a hospital gown. His eyes were wide with shock, his mouth agape, and his face pale with horror as he stared down at the scene below.
Figures moved along the streets, but they were far from normal. These people were supposed to be dead—yet they could still walk. Some were missing limbs, crawling grotesquely across the ground.
This was a world of the walking dead.
Jason had somehow been transported into this dangerous, apocalyptic world, and for a moment, he couldn't comprehend what was happening.
"Random skill updated: Fighting Mastery!"
What the hell?
A voice suddenly echoed in his mind. Jason instinctively turned his head, and a sharp pain struck his brain as unfamiliar information flooded in. His whole body felt like it was being bitten by countless ants. He gritted his teeth against the pain, not daring to make a sound.
He knew all too well—zombies were drawn by sound. This was the rooftop of a hospital. If he made any noise, they'd swarm the building, and escape would be impossible.
After a few minutes, Jason, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, waved his arms and instinctively performed a set of boxing moves.
"Huh… this skill is insane."
By now, Jason was beginning to piece things together. He tried calling out to the system, but there was no response. Still, the fighting techniques had been imprinted clearly in his mind.
Bang!
Just as Jason was about to stretch his arms and legs, a loud crash echoed from downstairs. He leaned over the edge and saw a man in a hospital gown sprinting out the back door in a panic, several zombies in hot pursuit.
"Fuck, isn't that Rick? What the hell is he doing running around like that?"
Jason's eyes widened in disbelief. Without hesitation, he turned and raced down the stairs.
Rick was the protagonist of the show—Jason's favorite character. If Rick died this early, what would be the point of this whole experience?
Rick, who had just burst out from the rear entrance, looked terrified. Glancing at the zombies chasing him, he swallowed hard, completely clueless about what was happening.
All he remembered was getting injured during a criminal pursuit, and then his brother Sean taking him to the hospital. Everything after that was blank.
"What the hell happened to this world?"
Rick looked around. It was still Earth, but everything had changed. The surroundings were destroyed, like a war zone—or maybe a bankrupt company's chaotic moving day.
Roar!
The zombies, having lost all traces of humanity, went berserk when they spotted Rick. They opened their bloody mouths, flailing their arms as they sprinted toward him.
"Oh shit!"
Snapping back to reality, Rick was horrified. Driven by pure survival instinct, he ignored the pain and fear, dragging his weak body toward an unknown destination.
Meanwhile, Jason had already reached the ground floor using the exterior staircase. He spotted Rick nearby, panting heavily. He grabbed a wooden stick from a pile of trash and, clenching his jaw, charged forward to help.