22 The Tiny Mart

***

January 27, 2029

"Lucas, do you think we should head back there? I mean, we already have our classes. Plus, I can't help but worry about Sarah," Lucy voiced her concerns.

Both of them had woken up a while ago. Usually, one of them would stay awake while the other slept to watch out for zombies, but last night had been exhausting. Hiding, traveling, and battling zombies on the way back to the class change building had taken its toll.

Lucas pondered for a moment before responding, "I'm not entirely sure, but perhaps not right away. It might be best if we focus on getting stronger first before facing them. They outnumber us by a lot."

Glancing at his phone for the time, Lucas continued, "It's already 8:23 a.m. We should start moving. The quicker we become stronger, the sooner we can aid Sarah."

Lucas hesitated briefly before adding, "Oh, and while we're on our way, could you help me look for a phone store nearby? My power bank is nearly drained. It's honestly a miracle that it lasted almost a week."

Lucy replied, "Sure thing. We don't really have any other plans, anyway."

She assisted Lucas in gathering the clothes they had used as makeshift bedding for the night. Handing him the roll-up bundle, she watched as he stashed them into the inventory pouch. Her gaze shifted to the blackened tiles on the building.

"Seems like a lot of people attained God's class last night. Almost all the tiles have turned black," Lucas observed.

Lucy mused, "That's quite fast, isn't it? Given that we took shortcuts to clear the dungeon, it's possible that others managed it, too. But are they as resourceful and cautious as you to avoid danger?"

Lucas sighed as he reached into his inventory and pulled out a few remaining canned foods, passing them to Lucy. "Well, it's not entirely surprising. You know, even with 75% of the population turning into zombies or even 90%, we still have a considerable number of humans left. Those who've survived this far must be the cream of the crop."

With gratitude, Lucy accepted the food and started eating, the sound of their munching filling the air. In the midst of eating, a thought struck her.

"Lucas, it's nearly been a week since the apocalypse began, but doesn't it strike you as odd that the government has been so silent?"

Looking over at Lucy, Lucas shook his head. "I doubt they're in a position to save anyone, including themselves. Most of the government officials are likely concentrated in the capital city, and you know as well as I do that the capital must be overrun by now."

Nodding in agreement, Lucy contemplated the situation. "I can't help but wonder how people are coping over there."

"They're likely facing devastation," Lucas replied somberly. "The only country that might have an advantage in this situation could be the one with the bald eagle fanaticism. I've heard they have a culture of gun ownership, and it's legal for most citizens to own firearms."

Lucy added, "Speaking of which, James, that officer we know, must have a head start in strength due to his background. Most officers are trained to use guns, after all."

"That's true," Lucas agreed. "But I still can't wrap my head around how people resort to cannibalism."

Lucy nodded, her expression reflecting the same perplexity.

"I understand that we don't have concrete evidence of them consuming human meat, but even if our suspicions are unfounded, I still can't shake off the feeling that something's off about them," Lucy said, taking a sip of water.

"Yeah, I agree. Remember how Ethan insisted that just the two of us go into that grocery store, even though we were in a group? It's hard to trust them when they act so strangely," Lucas nodded in agreement.

"Done with your drink?" Lucas asked, noticing the nearly empty can beside Lucy.

"Yes, let's go. We've got leveling up to do," she replied, brushing off her clothes.

"Lucas, next time, let's find a place with a bathroom. I feel so sticky and unclean right now," she commented.

"Absolutely, as long as we don't end up spending the night here again. Any other place should have a bathroom," he agreed with a sigh.

***

"Lucy, you handle those three, and I'll take care of the rest," Lucas instructed as they faced a group of zombies

Drawing his jian sword, he moved toward the nearest zombie and swiftly stabbed it in the neck. With a powerful slash, he severed the second zombie's head. Retrieving the dagger from his belt, he drove it into the third zombie's eye, ensuring a swift kill by piercing its brain. The zombies dropped to the ground.

---

[Level 1 Zombie Killed, Awarding 50 Exp!]

[Received 15 Coins!]

---

With the jian in his left hand, he approached the fourth zombie in the corner and efficiently beheaded it.

---

[Level 1 Zombie Killed, Awarding 50 Exp!]

[Received 5 Coins!]

---

Turning to Lucy, who had finished dealing with her group of zombies, he said, "Lucy, check out the drinks section. I'll search for more canned foods and snacks."

This was their second time entering the city's outer ring, having chosen a route near the internet café where they had previously sought refuge. It was an attempt to avoid running into James and his groups. Currently, they are inside a small supermarket.

Lucas glanced around and noted, "The number of zombies seems to be relatively low here."

Moving towards the food section, he surveyed the store's contents. He spotted decaying meat in the freezer and some spoiled vegetables.

Taking a long, hard look at the dwindling fresh produce options, he couldn't help but think, "Well, it seems I'll be getting pretty familiar with canned meat from now on."

Noticing a lighter on a shelf, Lucas mused, 'Oh, a lighter,' and decided to take it. While his fire blaze power was useful, it had its limitations.

He reflected on the fact that the apocalypse had started on a Sunday night. Luckily, this allowed them to access the supermarket's provisions, which might have been scarce or zombie-infested during daylight hours.

'I wonder how many people have survived until now,' Lucas pondered briefly as he scanned the supermarket. His thoughts were interrupted by Lucy's return, pushing a cart loaded with items.

"Why so much soymilk?" Lucas inquired, observing that almost half of the cart was filled with cartons of soymilk, while the other half held juice and water bottles.

"Why not? I love soymilk. It's nutritious, contains amino acids for health, and it's delicious. Plus, it's good for growth," Lucy responded matter-of-factly.

"Why not just drink regular milk?" Lucas asked, perplexed by her preference for soymilk.

"Oh, I can't stand milk. It tastes terrible, and the fact that it comes from cows is a turnoff for me," Lucy explained.

"Okay then, to each their own," Lucas conceded, deciding not to press the matter further.

"Let's hurry and search for more items. We shouldn't make too much noise, even though there aren't many zombies in the outer ring. It's better to be safe," Lucas continued, emphasizing caution.

"Give me the cart. You can grab another one, and I'll store everything in my pouch," he offered, taking control of the cart.

"Sure. Anything specific you want?" Lucy inquired.

"Hmm, maybe grab some more juice. Those tend to be expensive for their size," Lucas suggested.

"Just that?" Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," he replied simply. Lucy nodded and headed back to the drink section.

As Lucas began transferring the soymilk bottles into his pouch one by one, his back gradually began to ache from the repetitive bending. Eventually, he decided to sit down on the floor.

'Ah~ This feels nice,' he thought as he stretched his sore back. He continued stuffing bottles into his pouch until almost all of them were stored.

"Lucas?"

He looked up to find Lucy standing before him.

"What's up?" he asked, curious about her sudden interruption.

"I didn't know you were this lazy," Lucy teased, observing the boy who had saved her just a few days ago now seated on the floor with the cart beside him.

Understanding her questioning expression, Lucas furrowed his brows. "My back just started hurting from all the bending."

"Sure... Meanwhile, I was running around finding more drinks for us," Lucy retorted.

"Yes, I'm aware," he replied casually.

Lucy paused, seeming slightly exasperated by his nonchalant response.

Lucy "..."

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