Chapter 4: Awakening

Wails and screams.

Lin An struggled to get up from the ground, his head splitting with pain.

The air was filled with a burnt smell.

The originally orderly lanes were completely jammed.

Dense honking mixed with screams into a continuous noise.

"Bang!"

Lin An's pupils contracted sharply as a fully loaded truck roared past him.

He hastily dodged, and the sight before him made his heart skip a beat.

The out-of-control truck crashed into the barrier and overturned on the ground.

The loaded cargo scattered.

The cab, ablaze with fire, flung open its door as it overturned.

His skull caved in, yet the driver, who should have died, scrambled out of the damaged door in a flash.

Blood-red handprints walked across the ground.

With such injuries, a normal person would have already died.

This is... a zombie!?

His mouth was dry.

Lin An hastily pulled out his phone; the time on the screen made his heart sink.

November 13, 2032, minute.

Three days have already passed.

There are still 8 minutes until the Apocalypse outbreak.

Not on Fengming Road, I actually disappeared for three days!?

His eyes were about to burst.

The horrific scene of the Apocalypse outbreak from his memory overlapped with reality.

Lin An had no time to ponder why, after obtaining the ring, he appeared here, having crossed three days of time.

This disrupted his original plan.

Now he must rush immediately to the residential block where his comrades are.

At this moment, there are only 2 hours and 8 minutes left before An Jing Tian fully turns into a zombie.

Moreover, the distance from the city center where he is to the residential block where An Jing Tian lives is not short.

"Howl!"

The zombie on the ground crawled forward rapidly, hoarsely screaming, and had already reached Lin An's front.

A straight kick to the body!

In anger and haste.

Lin An delivered a standard stomp; the hard sole instantly crushed the half-body zombie's shattered skull.

"Beep, detected zombie kill."

"Apocalypse Player Template activated early!"

"Savior Template activated."

A light screen instantly appeared in the center of his vision.

"Apocalypse Player Information: Lin An (Awakened Ones 0 Fourth Rank, player level 0)"

"Attributes:"

"Strength 12 (10+2)"

"Agility: 12 (10+2)"

"Constitution: 12 (10+2)"

"Willpower: 14 (12+2)"

"Equipment: Apocalypse Ring (Special)"

Awakened Ones Talent: Power Burst (greatly enhances physical qualities for a short time; continuous use leads to a weakened state.)

"0 Fourth Rank: All attributes +2 (the limit for ordinary humans in each category is 10; the first awakening raises all attributes to maximum!)"

"Savior Template: Gain additional special skill (Judgment Eye, unlocked after completing the first mission)"

"Mission start countdown:???"

Lin An was stunned, his breathing gradually becoming rapid.

Originally, the player template would only appear after the Apocalypse began.

I didn't expect it to appear now.

Moreover, the Awakened Ones talent longed for in his past life also appeared.

This saved him the time he would have spent rushing to the energy node.

And the Savior Template that appeared, he had never heard of it in his past life.

Is this change caused by the ring?

Recalling the oddity of taking the ring.

Lin An couldn't help but feel a bit of palpitation.

In that black fissure, something clearly wanted to burst out.

He suppressed the thoughts in his heart.

A special force surged into his body after the prompt sounded, his muscles tensed all over, and his original height of 1.8 meters increased by two centimeters out of nowhere.

Lin An drew a deep breath, his right hand muscles tensed.

He threw a punch.

Twisting his waist to generate force, his arm, with a sound of breaking air, slammed straight into the sturdy car door.

"Bang!"

The car body shuddered violently, the metal-made door dented instantly, the tires of the several-ton sedan scraped black marks, and it slid straight sideways half a meter.

Lin An stared fixedly at the power of his own punch.

His heart was filled with shock.

Is this the power of an Awakened One?

His heart surged with joy.

From now on, he had the capital to struggle in the apocalypse.

He exerted force with his right foot and took a step.

The asphalt pavement cracked.

His body leapt onto the car roof like a cannonball, and the roof dented under the impact.

Taking advantage of his high position, Lin An carefully observed the route ahead.

Not far away, some physically weaker ordinary people were gradually turning into zombies.

Devoid of reason, retaining only the desire to eat, the zombies frenziedly gnawed at any living thing.

Relying on his strengthened will, his thoughts raced, his mind crystal clear.

Within a few short seconds, Lin An quickly formulated his route forward.

Linjiang Street, City Center Plaza, Ring City Expressway, He Yuan Residential Area..

This is the nearest route to Jing Tian's place.

The Linjiang Avenue where he currently is is already in complete chaos.

Over a hundred serial traffic accidents have completely blocked the avenue.

He must travel on foot through the most chaotic part of the city, then find a way to drive there.

Otherwise, relying solely on his legs, he would hardly make it there within two hours.

Brother..

You must hold on!

No time to think further.

Lin An bent his legs and jumped again onto the roof of a Bentley.

The car body shook; the zombie that had been gnawing the driver inside the cab smelled the scent of a living being.

It mechanically stopped eating, then, with its right hand clutching a chunk of meat, lunged swiftly toward the roof.

Lin An couldn't be bothered with the startled zombie; he exerted force with his legs again.

Like bouncing on a trampoline.

Relying on his strong physique, within just a few dozen seconds he forcibly crossed the obstacle created by the pile-up.

Not far away, a middle-aged man stared in shock as Lin An jumped down from the car roof.

Lin An's terrifying leaping ability resembled a scene from a movie.

For a moment, he actually forgot that dozens of zombies were frantically chasing him from behind.

"Save! Life!"

A stumble.

The man staggered, tearing at his vocal cords, shouting as if he had seen a lifeline.

Hearing the sound, Lin An slightly raised his head to look.

Seeing Lin An notice him, the man's face lit up with ecstasy.

"Save.. save me!"

Lin An looked at the man who had been fleeing for his life, nearly collapsing, and couldn't help but frown slightly.

He did not want to waste time saving people.

There are too many zombies.

Only six minutes remain until the virus outbreak.

The zombies appearing now are mostly those with poorer physical condition, or people who died in traffic accidents and turned.

Once the virus officially breaks out, 60% of the population of Linjiang City's urban area will become zombies.

The remaining 10% of the population will gradually turn, like hidden time bombs.

And now, the urban population of Linjiang City alone exceeds three million.

He is no saint who saves everyone he sees.

The two brushed past each other.

The man's gaze shifted from hope to despair, his lips trembling.

His strength was nearly exhausted, his legs going weak from loss of power.

If he stopped, the zombies behind would devour him completely.

Despair and helplessness.

In the man's hand, the doll he had subconsciously gripped while fleeing fell to the ground.

It was a gift he had bought for his daughter's birthday.

Lin An's expression remained blank, his peripheral vision glancing over the doll.

His original route forward deviated slightly.

Charging punch!

Translation: "Rushing Punch!" (or "Charge Punch!"). We'll choose "Rushing Punch!".

Lin An lunged head-on toward the zombie nearest the man, his right fist thrusting straight out like a sword.

Translation: "Lin An lunged forward, colliding with the zombie nearest the man, his right fist thrusting straight out like a sword."

We need to keep it concise but faithful. Let's produce: "Lin An lunged forward, colliding with the zombie nearest the man, his right fist thrusting straight out like a sword."

Lin An lunged head-on toward the zombie nearest the man, his right fist thrusting straight out like a sword.

Flesh and blood spattered.

Translation: "Flesh and blood flew."

The tremendous impact punched straight through the zombie's chest, creating a clean hole from front to back.

Translation: "The tremendous impact punched straight through the zombie's chest, front to back, leaving a translucent hole."

After pulling it out with a backhand, Lin An simply ripped the zombie's spine out to use as a weapon.

Translation: "After pulling it out with a backhand, Lin An simply ripped out the zombie's spine to use as a weapon."

The virus‑strengthened bones of the zombie are incredibly hard!

Translation: "The virus‑strengthened bones of the zombie are incredibly hard!"

They are often used as weapons when supplies run low in the apocalypse.

Translation: "They are often used as weapons when supplies are scarce in the apocalypse."

Backhand chop!

Translation: "Backhand downward chop!"

The pallid bone sliced the air, emitting a low, wailing whistle.

Translation: "The pallid bone sliced the air, emitting a low, wailing whistle."

With one strike, the zombie on his right was split cleanly down the middle, its two halves wobbling before collapsing.

Translation: "With one strike, the zombie to his right was split cleanly down the middle, its two halves wobbling as they fell."

The middle‑aged man behind him had thought he was doomed.

Translation: "The middle‑aged man behind him had thought he was done for."

Seeing Lin An still choose to act, he couldn't help but become extremely excited.

Translation: "Seeing Lin An still choose to act, he couldn't help but become extremely agitated."

Watching Lin An charge like a tiger into a flock of sheep, displaying strength far beyond his imagination.

Translation: "After watching Lin An burst into the crowd like a tiger among sheep, displaying strength beyond his imagination,"

The man felt his mouth go dry, as if he were looking at a monster.

Translation: "The man felt his mouth go dry, as if he were looking at a monster."

He watched the distant crowd continually knocked down by sprinting zombies, amid a city resembling the apocalypse.

Translation: "He watched the distant crowd continually knocked down by sprinting zombies, and the apocalypse‑like city."

With enough experience, an idea instantly popped into his head.

Translation: "With enough experience, an idea instantly popped into his mind."

This world is doomed!

Translation: "This world is doomed!"

Follow him!

Translation: "Follow him!"

We can survive!

Translation: "We can survive!"

He can save my daughter!

Translation: "He can save my daughter!"

Thud

Translation: "「Plop」" (keep the quotes? The original includes Chinese quotes 「」. We should keep them? The instruction: translate faithfully, keep punctuation. So we should output the same punctuation: 「Plop」. We'll keep the Chinese quotation marks? Usually we keep them as they are part of the text. We'll output: 「Plop」.

The man suddenly dropped to his knees, his face humble, and shouted loudly at Lin An, who was fighting through the zombie horde.

Translation: "The man suddenly dropped to his knees, his face humble, and shouted loudly at Lin An, who was fighting his way through the corpse horde."

"Please, save my daughter—she's still at school!"

Translation: "「Please, save my daughter—she's still at school! 」"

Lin An's expression remained cold; dealing with the nearest zombies was already the limit of what he could do.

Translation: "Lin An's expression remained cold; dealing with the nearby zombies was already the limit of what he could do."

Save someone?

Translation: "Save someone?"

Then who will go save his brother!?

Translation: "Then who's going to save his brother!?"

Lin An didn't even look back.

Translation: "Lin An didn't look back."

After clearing the zombies blocking the way, he left straight away.

Translation: "After clearing the zombies blocking the road, he left straight away."

Run!

Translation: "「Run! 」"

Survive! Then rely on yourself!

Translation: "「Survive! Then rely on yourself! 」"

Hearing Lin An's words, the middle‑aged man gave a wry smile.

Translation: "Hearing Lin An's parting words, the middle‑aged man gave a bitter smile."

Seeing the zombie crowd gathering again nearby, he quickly grabbed the doll from the ground and turned to flee.

Translation: "Seeing the corpse horde gathering again not far off, he had no choice but to snatch up the doll from the ground and flee."

。。。。

Translation: "...." (we need to keep the same number of dots? The line shows four dots? Actually "。。。." maybe three Chinese full stops and a period? We'll output as "....". We'll just output the same characters: "....". But we need to translate? It's punctuation/ellipsis; we can keep as is. We'll output "....".)

Downtown district, Wan Da Shopping Plaza.

Translation: "Downtown district, Wanda Shopping Plaza."

Lin An was covered in blood, thick blood dripping from his hair.

Translation: "Lin An was covered in blood, sticky blood dripping from the tips of his hair."

He stood silently on a residential rooftop, gazing at the shopping center.

Translation: "He stood silently atop a residential building, gazing quietly at the shopping center."

The apocalypse is about to begin, and a global psychic storm will soon erupt.

Translation: "The apocalypse is about to begin; when it does, a global mental storm will sweep the world."

During the psychic storm, people will briefly lose consciousness.

Translation: "During the mental storm, people will briefly lose consciousness."

If disturbed while on the move, it becomes extremely dangerous.

Translation: "If disturbed while on the move, it would be far too dangerous."

No matter how urgent he feels, he can only avoid it for now.

Translation: "No matter how urgent he feels, he can only avoid it for now."

。。。

Translation: "..." (three dots). We'll output "...".

The parking lot in front of the building is a mess.

Translation: "The parking lot in front of the building was a mess."

The people hiding inside the cars are like tasty cans.

Translation: "The people hiding in the cars were like tasty cans."

Perhaps the car doors can hold off the zombies, but the fragile windshield cannot.

Translation: "Perhaps the car doors could hold off the zombies, but the fragile windshield could not."

The zombies, retaining only their hunger, are like wooden fish, relentlessly pounding the windows with their heads, oblivious to pain.

Translation: "The zombies, retaining only their hunger, struck the windshield relentlessly with their heads, heedless of pain."

Within a few seconds, the windows shatter.

Translation: "After just a few seconds, the windshield shattered."

The swarming zombies then open the cans and feast on the meat.

Translation: "The swarming zombies then opened the cans and feasted on the meat strips."

。。。

Translation: "...".

First floor of the shopping center.

Translation: "First floor of the shopping center."

The crowd hiding behind the iron gate helplessly watches the sedan in front of the door.

Translation: "The crowd hiding behind the iron gate helplessly watched the sedan parked in front of the gate."

Silver‑white body of the car is crawling with zombies.

Translation: "The silver‑white body of the car was crawling with zombies."

They greedily stretch their hands toward the interior, trying to grab.

Translation: "They greedily stretched out their hands, reaching into the car."

Inside the car, a beautiful woman in professional attire screams in despair.

Translation: "Inside, a beautiful woman in professional attire screamed in despair."

She grips the roof, her straight, snow‑white legs repeatedly kicking at the nearest zombie.

Translation: "She gripped the roof, her straight, snow‑white legs kicking repeatedly at the nearest zombie."

Her sharp heels chip away chunks of flesh from the zombie's head, but it's not fatal.

Translation: "Her sharp heels chipped away chunks of flesh from the zombies' heads, but it wasn't fatal."

Save me..!

「Save me.. ！」

Please, you guys, save me!

Translation: "「Please, you guys, save me! 」"

A glimpse of what's under the skirt faintly appears.

Translation: "A glimpse of what lay beneath her skirt flickered into view."

The attractive woman keeps turning her head, her gaze pleading with the people just beyond the door.

Translation: "The lovely‑faced woman kept turning her head, her pleading gaze fixed on the crowd just beyond the door."

Don't open the door!

"The door cannot be opened!"

Several patrolling security guards instinctively wanted to open the iron door, but were loudly stopped by many people.

"If the door opens we can't block the zombies! Do you want to get us killed?!"

The burly man farthest from the door rushed and shoved aside the nearest guard, glaring at him hatefully as if looking at an enemy.

If it were usual days.

He wouldn't mind playing the hero saving a beauty, to show off.

But in the face of zombies.

He only wants to preserve his own life.

Crying, chewing, screaming, until no sound remains.

The crowd inside the iron railing could only watch helplessly as she was slowly torn apart, yet no one dared to go out.

The security guard holding a plastic baton stood numb in place, legs weak.

A few tall fitness trainers also just lowered their heads, not daring to look again.

The crowd fell silent.

Merely under fear and sorrow, people nevertheless felt a hint of relief.

Relief that they had timely hidden in the building and locked the iron railings shut.

This place is not only Safety, but also has ample food.

On the residential building, Lin An took in everything.

Seeing the numb self-preserving crowd, he couldn't help but sigh lightly.

It's not that he sighs because no one dares to go out to save people.

Under the Apocalypse, preserving oneself is normal.

Nothing to blame.

What he sighs about is the people inside the building.

At this time, the shopping centre has already been crowded with nearly thirty thousand people.

The dense crowd is like sardines packed in a can.

And now there are only 10 seconds left until the Apocalypse erupts.

By then, power will fail, and the virus lurking in the human body will also simultaneously detonate.

Here will be reproduced the miserable state of the Past Life, falling into hell.

"Hum!"

Ten seconds pass in an instant.

High-pitched piercing buzzer sound.

Suddenly, a mocking and cruel voice sounded in everyone's mind.

"Apocalypse Descent, game opens!"

"Welcome to the Doomsday Game, you little bugs."

"Struggle to survive in this game!"

Without warning.

The sky instantly turned dark, winds raged, the earth trembled.

An invisible mental shock swept over everyone.

The violent mental shock hammered toward the depths of the soul like a heavy hammer.

Briefly lost consciousness.

Countless terrifying, heart-pounding wails sounded, pointing directly to people's deepest fears.

Worldwide simultaneous mutation occurred; people in hospital beds, on streets, walking on roads stood straight in place.

One second later, the zombie virus erupted!

As if the soul had been sucked out.

Humans turning into zombies had their eyes bulge.

Their skin all over rotted and fell off, exposing raw red flesh.

Pupils disappeared, leaving only a trace of bloodlust.

And at this time.

Inside the crowded Shang Cheng, the panicked crowd dropped the door-blocking shelves they were holding.

"Pa."

The lights atop Shang Cheng went out, and in the darkness myriad pairs of dense scarlet eyes lit up.