Free Web NovelChapter 12: Rapidly Levelling Up
"Boom!"
The moment Leo pressed down on the detonator, a chain of thunderous explosions ripped through the interior of the building.
Outside, the swarming zombies frozen in place. They had lost the ability to think, but the sudden, violent noise seemed to trigger a primal confusion in the horde. Before they could react, a massive shockwave tore through the halls. The blast claimed at least half of the monsters instantly, and a fierce fire broke out, spreading through the ruins within seconds.
But Leo hadn’t planned this just to burn them.
Right on cue, the structural pillars gave way. The entire building groaned, buckled, and collapsed inward with a deafening roar, burying the remaining zombies under tons of shattered concrete and heavy rubble. freeweɓnøvel.com
Watching the dust cloud settle over his completed plan, Leo finally let out the long breath he had been holding.
He didn’t get a chance to enjoy the victory, though. A bizarre sensation suddenly took over his body. A warm, overwhelming surge of power bubbled up from deep within him, seeping directly into his muscles and tissues. It felt like a deep, invigorating stretch after a long sleep , incredibly comfortable, knitting his body back together stronger than before.
In his mind, a series of crisp mechanical sounds chimed:
[Ding... Detected that the host has leveled up to Level 2. All stats +1.]
[Ding... Detected that the host has leveled up to Level 3. All stats +1.]
[Ding... Detected that the host is no longer in a weakened state.]
[Ding... Detected that the host has leveled up to Level 4. All stats +1.]
[Ding... Detected that the host has leveled up to Level 5. All stats +1.]
The notifications kept ringing in his head until the voice finally announced he had reached Level 7.
As the rushing energy finally settled, Leo stood up from the driver’s seat. His body felt lighter, more solid. Curious, he walked back into the living area of his vehicle, picked up his heavy iron crowbar, and gave it a few experimental swings. It cut through the air effortlessly.
But before he could really test his new strength, his stomach let out a fierce, hollow growl.
An intense, ravenous hunger slammed into him. It wasn’t just a normal craving; it felt like every single cell in his body was screaming for fuel to lock in the rapid upgrades.
Moving quickly, Leo grabbed the last two packs of compressed biscuits from his stash, tore them open, and shoved them into his mouth, swallowing them almost whole.
They barely made a dent. He was still starving, but a quick glance around confirmed the worst , he was completely out of food.
For a split second, the thought of going outside to harvest the loot cards dropped by the dead zombies crossed his mind. He forced it down instantly. A blast that loud would act like a dinner bell for miles around. Who knew what kind of mutated monstrosities were heading toward the noise right now?
He had pulled this off through a mix of careful planning and pure, ridiculous luck. He wasn’t about to throw his life away just because his stomach was rumbling.
Sucking in a breath, Leo climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged. He closed his eyes and began focusing on his breathing, inhaling and exhaling in a slow, rhythmic pattern to distract his mind. It took some time, but eventually, the gnawing pain in his stomach subsided to a dull ache.
Opening his eyes, he walked back to the front cabin and checked the external camera monitors. The screens showed empty, dust-choked streets. He let out a quiet sigh of relief. It looked like the explosion had actually drawn away any stragglers that had been lingering near his hiding spot.
Even so, he wasn’t moving. He would wait out the dark and head to the collapsed building under the safety of the morning sun.
Settling back into his seat, Leo reached down to his belt, pulled out his Origin Card, and called up his status profile to see exactly what he was working with now.
