I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves as I introduce myself to the group. "I'm, uh, Kei," my voice comes out softer than I intended. I clear my throat and add, "What about you guys?"

The first girl to respond has wavy auburn hair and a face dotted with freckles. "I'm Sara," she offers a gentle smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. She's wearing a simple sweatshirt and jeans, and despite everything, she looks like she's trying to hold it together. Even though her slightly puffy, reddened eyes suggest she's been crying recently.

"Tim," the guy grunts shortly. He's tall with broad shoulders, looking every bit the athlete in his tank top and jeans. His brown eyes dart all over the room, never settling on one spot for too long.

"And I'm Lily," the second girl straightens her posture. She has long, straight black hair and an air of composure about her. Her fitted t-shirt and jeans are neat, like she'd just gotten dressed for a normal day. Her gaze is sharp and focused as she looks at me.

"Hmmm." I nod, trying to appear nonchalant. Inside, my heart's racing a mile a minute, but I do my best to keep my expression neutral.

An uncomfortable silence descends upon the room, which Tim eventually breaks. "So, Kei, Level 13, huh? That's insane."

"Completely bonkers," Sara agrees, her eyes widening.

Lily raises an eyebrow, her expression guarded. "Level 13 is impressive, but how'd you do it?"

I hesitate, not sure how much I should tell them. These people are strangers, after all. "I guess I just got lucky," I finally shrug.

"Got lucky?" Tim echoes, his tone skeptical.

"Dude, you must have the Gods watching your back or something," he adds, shaking his head in disbelief.

Lily narrows her eyes. "Nobody just 'gets lucky' in this situation."

I feel a pang of guilt at my half-truth but push it aside. "Look, lucky or not, we're all here now. We should focus on what’s happening around us."

Sara nods, her expression softening. "Have you seen anyone else?"

I take a deep breath, steeling myself to share what little I know. "Not really. Anyone I came across was already... gone." I pause, remembering the sanctuary zone. "When this started, I was in the restroom. For some reason, it's a sanctuary zone. Monsters can't get in there."

Tim leans forward, something flickering in his eyes. "For real? A safe spot?"

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"There's a catch," I add quickly, not wanting to give false hope. "It only works for Level 10 or higher, and it can only fit 10 players max."

The room falls silent as they process this information. Lily breaks the silence, her voice steady. "Level 10? But didn't you say you started in the restroom? How'd you get there at Level 1?"

I feel my face heat up as I realize my mistake. "Oh, uh, I mean... I got to the restroom later, after I hit Level 10." The lie tastes bitter in my mouth, but I can't bring myself to admit the truth.

Lily's eyes narrow further, but she doesn't push it.

"Only 10 players? That's not going to help much if we find a lot of people," Sara says softly, her shoulders slumping.

"No, maybe not," I admit. "But it would help if you're in immediate danger or need a moment to rest."

The trio exchanges glances before Tim speaks up. "So, how do we get to Level 10?"

"Yeah, what do we have to do?" Lily adds, her tone urgent.

I lean against a nearby table, trying to appear casual despite their expectations. "The only way I know right now is through hunting."

"Hunting?" Sara echoes, her voice trembling slightly.

I nod, feeling a twinge of sympathy for her. "Yeah, hunting the zombie monsters. They're slow and not too hard to kill, at least for me. They give decent XP too."

Sara's face pales, and she wraps her arms around herself. "No way," she whispers. "We have to kill those... those things? I can't do it, I just can't."

I want to comfort her but I'm not sure how. "Hey, you'll be fine," I reach out tentatively, then pull my hand back, trying to sound reassuring but probably failing miserably. "I think. Maybe." My voice trails off uncertainly.

Sara's cheeks flush slightly, and she gives me a small, grateful smile.

Tim clenches his fists. "So, how many do we have to kill?"

"I don’t know," I admit. "Could be dozens, could be more. It's going to be tough, especially at Level 1."

Lily eyes me carefully. "Dangerous or not, it's probably better than doing nothing. But I wonder..." She trails off, her gaze lingering on me.

Feeling uncomfortable under her scrutiny, I quickly change the subject. "The most important thing right now is surviving and adapting. We can figure out the details as we go."

Tim looks down and grits his teeth, his face reddening. "Look, will you help us, Kei? We're clueless here, and it's frustrating as hell. We need someone who knows what they're doing."

Sara and Lily turn to me, their expressions a mix of hope and determination.

I hesitate, weighing my options. Helping them could be risky, but it might also provide some much-needed companionship in this nightmare. Plus, there's strength in numbers, right?

"Alright," I say finally, trying to sound more confident than I feel. "I'll help you level up. But it won’t be easy.”

Tim’s shoulders relax slightly, relief and a hint of impatience in his voice. "Nothing ever is."

Sara and Lily nod in agreement, their faces set with determination.

"Okay," I take a deep breath, meeting their eyes. "Then let's get started." As I lead them out of the room, I can't help but wonder if I've made the right choice. But with everything turned upside down, maybe taking a chance on these strangers is exactly what I need to do.