“Rem?”
“Dad!?”
Peter grinned as James and Rem were having their reunion. Peter sized up the girl with the bob-cut. After asking her a couple of questions and getting two words in response, he found out that her name was Anne. Contrary to her petite frame, she was fifteen.
He peppered her with a dozen questions, but she coldly ignored him. Ever since her violent outburst, she also never made eye contact with Peter and opted to keep her vision angled at the floor. Peter, as a responsible adult, attempted to break the silence between them, Peter chuckled, “That’s heartwarming, isn’t it?”
Anne finally shot him a derisive glare and then paid him no attention. Somewhat disappointed, he tried giving her food, which she also rejected. Finally, Peter snorted, “Are you really fifteen? You look like your twelve.” Anne clutched onto Olivia’s sword and flashed it menacingly.
“Aii, I give up!” Peter whined with an artificial high-pitched voice. Seeing Peter walk over to James and Rem, Anne hopped into the back of the car.
“Rem, what happened to mom?”
“She… she’s… she’s with grandpa now dad.”
James’ hopeful expression turned downcast. His eyes watered and turned red. He wanted to lash out, but seeing his son alive, restored part of his sanity. Taking a deep breath, James looked at his son’s burnt right arm and asked, “Rem, what happened to your arm?” James pointed at the cauterized stump, and Rem replied, “It’s no.. nothing.”
Seeing Rem’s flustered expression, Peter interrupted, “Yeah right, what happened kid?” James glared at Peter and coaxed his son to tell him what happened. Rem narrated his “heroic tale” of saving Anne, but getting burned in the process. Peter’s eyes lit up with approval.
What a simple-minded and honest kid.
Unlike Peter’s reaction, James scolded, “You have to put your life first! Always!” In response, Rem stomped James’ foot and marched to the car while kicking away every piece of rubble in his way. Rem sat next to Anne and slammed the car door.
“Good job, family man.”
“Why do you have to mock me?”
“Because I feel like it.”
James’ expression twitched before entering the car without a rebuttal.
“Alright strap in kids. We’re going to Jersey!”
Peter started the engine, but a loud tire popping noise echoed.
“Ahh?!! What the heck! Damn it!”
“Calm down Peter, we can find another car.”
“James, have you seen a single car on the road so far?” Thinking back, James’ expression paled. “No…no…” Seeing James’ annoying mug, Peter got out of the car. “Well, I guess this brings out deal to an end James. Anne, let’s go.”
Peter took his two plastic bags and dumped the food into a backpack. Finally, he took two bottles of mineral water and a bottle of whiskey and zipped up the bag. Anne also got out of the car.
“What are you doing?” Anne asked in a frigid tone.
“So, you do speak! Well Anne, the deal I had with James was to use his car and in exchange, I’d get him food. I delivered on my end, but the car, as you can see, is not a viable option anymore.”
Before Anne could protest, Peter interrupted.
“Look, I don’t do things out of the goodness of my heart, but I see a potential fighter in you. So, you can either come with me or stay with Rem and James. Your choice.” Before Peter could leave, James screamed, “Wait! I can give you money! Take Rem and me with you.”
Peter turned around and looked at James’ disheveled appearance. With a bitter taste in his mouth, he said, “Look, I operate based on mutual interest. I already got you food, so I’ve fulfilled my end of the bargain. I was willing to let you ride-along, but the situation has changed.”
“Can’t you protect me as a friend then? I’ll never survive out there! Peter! Please!”
Peter stayed quiet and didn’t respond.
“You promised us we could come with you Peter.” Peter looked into Anne’s worried expression and couldn’t help but think of Amy again.
I too made a promise…
~11 years ago~
~ Changhua Christian Hospital~
“Da…daddy,” a weak, but pleasant voice caught his attention.
“Yes, Amy?” Peter watched as his five-year-old daughter struggled to sit in her hospital bed. Sitting by her side, all he could hear was the nurses and doctors rambling on and on.
“Your daughter… we recommend that she immediately prep for surgery before… Mr. Cheung… What… Tell us what course of ac-…”
Despite the noise, the only voice he heard was his daughter’s voice. They made a pinky promise that day.
“Pinky… promise,” he whispered.
~Flashback end~
Peter looked at the group of three in frustration. Ever since the night began, it was one tough decision after the next. He danced with death twice and had killed more today than he had in a long time. He massaged his temples and looked into the sky. The night wasn’t all that different from pre-apocalypse except for the red-hue on the crescent moon.
I didn’t have to remember, and that was fine and dandy for 3 years…
He shifted his eyes away from Anne because each time he glanced into her brown eyes and raven black hair, he kept seeing Amy. Even their names were similar.
“Sigh”
Perhaps out of compassion or to live up to his promise, Peter made a split-second decision.
“Fine! But here’s the deal. I have to go to Jersey one way or another. If you are willing to follow my orders and fight, we won’t have a problem. I can’t promise you that you won’t die on the way, but I can promise that you will have enough to eat and drink. Are you still willing to join me?”
Peter solemnly gazed at the group and analyzed each of their expression. Rem was the first to agree, then Anne, and finally James. Rem and Anne both had a resolute expression that would move even the most stalwart generals. On the other hand, James shot back a reluctant look and asked, “Peter, why do you want to go to Jersey? Won’t we be safer if we found a base in the city?”
“First, that’s none of your business. I have my own reasons to be in Jersey. Second, there are way too many variables in play to risk holding out in the city. We need to operate under the assumption that things will get worse. As such, we must be prepared to pack up and leave at any given moment.” Peter said
James seemed perplexed by Peter’s last sentence, but he nodded and replied, “Okay, I will respect your wish Peter.”
“James, what did you do for a living before all this?”
“I was a therapist,” James replied
Peter’s thoughts turned dark instantaneously. He shivered when he thought of the word. Without asking further, he pointed at the car with a cold scowl on his face.
Seeing Peter’s reaction, James shuddered and shuffled toward the car at a lightning-fast speed. Peter then barked, “Get the food from the plastic bags and put them into your backpack. Pack light, one bottle each. Leave the rest.”
Anne locked eyes with Peter and gave a faint smile. Shocked at Anne’s display of emotion, Peter unconsciously returned a grin. Although they didn’t see Peter’s grin, James and Rem shuddered and began packing faster.
ROARR!
As soon as James and Rem finished packing, a frightening roar broke the quiet atmosphere in the neighborhood. Following the bellow were two high pitched screams.
Rem shrieked, “That was Tommy!” Peter turned around and clasped his hands over his mouth.
That roar wasn’t far away. Those five kids must’ve poked a hornet’s nest.
Removing his hands from Rem’s mouth, he took off his bag and pointed at the window on the 1st floor of the apartment complex in the alley. Peter hopped on top of the dumpster and jumped up. He managed to grab onto the ledge of the window sill. Pulling himself up, he peered into the room and saw two corpses on the floor, one human and one goblin. Sensing no danger, he kicked away the broken glass on the window and entered the bedroom.
After trashing the entire bedroom in search of something, Peter tsked his tongue and shrugged. He took three pairs of jeans out of a wooden drawer and tied them together. “This should hold,” he muttered under his breath.
Heading back over to the window, he threw down the make-shift rope and pulled all three up.
“We’re going to stay here for the night. Rem, move the goblin and human corpses to the living room. Anne, find some cleaning supplies. James, locate bedding for three.”
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
The three simultaneously nodded and did as Peter asked. James gulped at the sight of the bedroom, but Rem dragged him away. Eventually, they decided that Rem would have the couch, and James and Anne would sleep on the floor.
Out of a mix of fear and respect for Peter, they unanimously decided that he would have the bed. Yet, Peter gave them a shock.
“I’m not sleeping tonight. I’m going to see if I can find your friends. If anything happens to me and I’m not back by the morning. Leave without me.”
James was the first to open his mouth, “No! What are you doing Peter?!” Rem and Anne also seemed confused, but kept quiet.
“Relax, I’m just going to check out what happened. If I can save them, I will. Even if they’re dead, I want to at least see their corpses. I’ll be fine.”
James didn’t dare to make eye contact and entered a contemplative mood again. “Good… luck sir.” Rem mumbled.
Peter’s mood turned for the better as he wordlessly walked out the door.
He went down the flight of stairs but didn’t encounter any creatures. The hall before the main exit was caked in blood. Judging by the hundreds of goblins roaming outside, it was unlikely there would be any left in the building. As he stepped out the door, he spotted fifteen goblins. Luckily, they didn’t see him. The first two goblins held torches, and the rest were communicating in loud shrieks.
“Savage little pricks,” Peter whispered under his breath.
Like before, in the supermarket, he slipped behind the group of goblins and slit their throats with a dagger. After three goblins died similarly, the goblins finally noticed something was wrong.
Peter slid his dagger back into the holder and brandished both machetes. He gave a low guttural roar before diving into the goblins. Waving his machete downwards, he cleaved the first goblin through the brain.
Shortly after, he followed up with a lightning fast thrust and a follow up swing. 3 bodies fell to the floor. The goblins finally reacted and took out their weapons.
“Shriek!!”
Two goblins lunged at Peter. Sidestepping the raging goblin with the baseball bat, he turned his attention to the one in midair and swung upwards. Then, he kicked the goblin with the baseball bat off balance and drove his free machete into its skull.
The remaining seven goblins all shrieked at the same time before charging at Peter. With his improved hearing, he could hear another fifteen goblins approaching his position.
Screw it, I’ll kill these seven quickly and hide.
Throwing away his ordinary machete, he held his [Blood Machete] with both hands and slashed horizontally.
Puchi!
Sidestepping the incoming dagger strike, Peter elbowed the goblin forward. Peter gripped his machete with both hands again and approached the two coming in hot on his right. Locking eyes with the goblin holding a kitchen knife, he dashed toward the goblin holding his machete point up and struck horizontally. The machete shattered the goblin’s kitchen knife and slid through its torso like hot butter.
Sensing an incoming spear attack from his exposed left flank, he released his grip on the blade and stepped back with his left foot. He dodged the strike by a hair, but the goblin was now overextended and vulnerable. Slanting the sharp edge of the blade, Peter performed an upward strike with his right hand to behead the goblin.
He brought the blade back down and lowered his center of gravity. When the third goblin approached his strike range, he hacked down at full force to deliver the death sentence.
The incoming fifteen goblins were two hundred feet away, and there were four goblins left. Peter pounced towards the goblin in front and shoved his machete straight through the goblin’s throat. The remaining two goblins threw their torches at him and fled. Turning around, he ran toward the goblin he elbowed earlier and thrust down.
The fifteen goblins were now fifty feet away, but Peter had blended back into the darkness. The fifteen goblins led by a hobgoblin were shrieking and jumping in anger around while pointing at the thirteen corpses sprawled on the floor.
Did the kids get caught by the goblins?
Peter followed the group back to their camp. As he approached closer to the field, it became harder to hide. There were sentries on almost every block. He activated [Ghost Walker] and ended the patrolling goblins on his way. Then, Peter saw it.
Sitting around the giant campfire was a huge 3-meter-tall muscular green humanoid beast. The green figure had two tusks that protruded from its lower jaw. It was fully clothed with black rattan leather pants, a grey belt of unknown leather that covered up to its waist and silver arm guards. It also held a greatsword about 1.8 meters long and .5" thick. The hobgoblin group that he followed looked extremely fearful of the orc. The hobgoblin kneeled and began to speak in an unintelligible fashion.
After the hobgoblin stopped speaking, the orc surprisingly lifted its greatsword and threw it towards Peter. Alarmed, he instantly broke out of cover and into the campfire.
Seeing Peter emerge, the two goblins who got away earlier shrieked loudly and pointed at Peter. The rest of the goblins were riled up, and the orc smiled wickedly at him.
[Mini-Boss Orc Warrior]
[Level: 20]
[Skills: N/A]
“Hi…I come in peace?”
After his friendly wave, the crowd of goblins jumped towards Peter.
ROAR!
Immediately, the goblins and hobgoblins froze in place and backed away from Peter. The orc pointed at him and kicked over a weapon.
[Steel Sword – Uncommon]
[Effects: +5 STR +6 AGI]
[Skills: None]
It wants to duel me?
“I can’t really say no to such a charming beast like you, can I?”
Picking up the sword, he kicked up a piled of soil at the orc and lunged towards the orc’s throat. The orc jumped backward to dodge the incoming soil and swung his greatsword. The greatsword sliced towards Peter at incredible speed. The speed was on par, if not faster than the jungle cat boss. Despite ducking the great sword in the nick of time, Peter felt a few strands of hair fall off.
Watching the orc expression of glee, Peter could only continue weaving back and forth. The fight extended for another thirty seconds before his head started aching.
I can’t keep pushing Mind’s eye any longer!
Seeing none of its swings connecting, the orc grew more unrestrained with its attacks. It began swinging the greatsword with more power forcing Peter to tango with death. The orc’s gleeful face from finding a worth adversary began to warp into irritation. With a ferocious gaze, it attacked with the flat side of the blade to cover more area.
CHANCE!
Although the swing covered a larger hit zone, it was obviously slower. Peter dashed toward the orc’s unguarded left side and circled behind. Eyeing the orc’s left ankle, specifically the tendon area, Peter whipped his sword twice at the orc’s soft tissue.
Immediately, the orc’s flat swing rammed to the ground as it fell on its left knee. The orc’s muscular neck was now vulnerable, and Peter activated his [Ring of Str] and thrust his sword into its carotid artery. This was a full-powered strike and burned through his remaining stamina pool, exhausted from his dances with death. If the orc didn’t die from this wound, Peter would die from its vengeance.
“Huff. Puff. Haaa”
The orc covered his throat with its meaty left palm, but the damage was done. Unable to stand up while kneeling on its left knee, the orc positioned adjusted its center of gravity and launched off its right leg towards Peter.
His gut sensed an abhorrent amount of danger, and he leaped up to the sky. If this was pre-apocalypse, Peter would’ve indeed broken the world record for the vertical leap.
The orc fell flat on its face after its leap of faith to bring down Peter. Unfortunately for the orc, it also broke Peter’s fall as Peter’s body landed on the orc’s back.
At this point, the blood flooded out of the orc’s neck. The orc slowly turned its head around. It locked eyes with the damned human, but it didn’t see a smug or arrogant look on the human. The human stared at it like an equal. With its remaining breath, it flashed a scary-looking smile.
Under the corpse of the orc was a green glow that he had never seen before. Peter quickly tucked his hand under the orc warrior and fished out the green treasure chest. The hundreds of goblins on the sidelines stared on with a mix of shock, fear, and awe at the human.
“Shing!”
[Body Enchant – Rare]
[Passive: Muscles are more durable. Slight increase to magic resistance.]
[Active: +15% to STR and AGI, +25% to CON and VIT. 25Mana/min]
After going through the process twice, Peter mentally prepared himself and only felt a slight sting in his head. Immediately after learning the skill, Peter watched the hobgoblins gather into groups. Each hobgoblin led thirty goblins.
The hobgoblins looked eagerly at Peter as they screamed at their subordinates. After seeing the corpses of goblins on the floor, he understood the situation. The leader was dead, and now the little warlords were forming factions.
I’m not in any condition to fight. Savage green bastards, I’ll be back.
Picking up the remaining two white chests by the orc’s corpse, Peter activated [Ghost Walk] and vanished. Seeing Peter magically disappear, the hobgoblins were enraged. They immediately began throwing wooden spears towards the spot Peter pulled off his vanishing act.
PUCHI!
Suppressing his urge to scream, Peter ran for his life with a spear stuck in the back of his lungs. Peter quickly left the camp and re-appeared behind the last building where he disarmed a goblin on the way. He could feel his breath fading away and prayed to the system for an HP potion.
“Shing!”
[Sharp Sword – Uncommon]
[Effect: + 5 AGI]
[Skill: None]
No! God dammit system, you are so capricious! What about our vows woman!
“Shing!”
[Panacea – Uncommon]
[One-Time-Effect: Heals HP, Mana, and Stamina loss.]
I guess you still hold a spot in your heart for me.
With his eyes blurring and his lungs running out of oxygen, Peter downed the potion and removed the spear at the same time. The pain was unbearable, and he instantaneously blacked out.
While unconscious, the potion quickly sealed up the spear wound and minor wounds fighting the goblins.
SHRIEKK! SHRIEKK!!
The noisy chatter from the goblins stampeding outside woke Peter back up. Groggy, Peter could still feel the wounds mending. Although his flesh was squirming and contracting, it didn’t hurt. Instead, it felt ticklish. Finally, the wounds finished healing, and invigorating energy filled his body.
Seeing traces of light from the sun, Peter sighed.
I still can’t quite get used to this feeling. Ah- its daybreak?
Interrupted by the sound of footsteps, Peter snapped back to reality and gripped onto [Steel Sword]. Peter waited as the footsteps grew increasingly louder. He heard loud grunts followed by thirty footsteps.
[Body-Enchant]
Activating the skill, Peter rushed towards the hobgoblin and struck the sword into its heart. After catching the hobgoblin off-guard, he kicked the hobgoblin towards the middle of the group and split the group into two. He dove into the left group and started swinging both swords.
Although he wasn’t ambidextrous, he adopted the Musashi blade style. He warded away goblins that got too close for comfort with his left sword and indiscriminately slaughtered with his right sword. With the increase of 15% AGI and the extra 14 AGI from both swords, he suddenly felt that these goblins were extremely slow.
In a minute, a dozen goblins from the left group died. The right group shrieked for assistance, but like a wolf left alone with a flock of sheep, they fell one by one. As their screams gave life to the sun rising in the distance, three more groups of reinforcement arrived.
Seeing the new arrivals, Peter’s bloodlust suddenly peaked. His mind flooded with images of the kids he rescued, especially Olivia. Despite barely knowing her, he felt unexplainable regret and profound sadness in his heart when she died.
Letting all the anger he had pent up over the past few hours take over, Peter reached a state of absolute focus. The Panacea had wiped away his physical fatigue, and the mental fatigue was replaced by cold determination. The anger had converged into a single thought– to kill everything that stood in his way.
He identified the three hobgoblins leading each group of 15 or 20 goblins as his primary targets. He dashed down the middle. Strong warriors didn’t think much as overthinking would weaken their hearts and actions.
The hobgoblin screeched as it felt the threat running at breakneck speed towards it. It drew its club and attacked with a heavy overhead swing. Before he could even swing the club down, his throat gushed with blood. Then it felt the cold metal slide out, and the figure dash toward the goblins he was leading.
Like a tiger in a pack of sheep, he slaughtered. Each swing drew blood. Every time a goblin ran towards Peter, it wouldn’t even have a chance to brandish its weapon before it was beheaded or stabbed through the heart.
Within five minutes, another three-dozen goblin led by hobgoblins were similarly slain. Although the only thought on his mind was to indiscriminately slaughter, he noticed that many goblins began to freeze up like a statute when he was within 2 meters distance. The fear on their face was evident, but it didn’t explain why they wouldn’t react.
Ignoring the strange phenomenon, the remaining goblins ran for their lives as Peter chased them down.
I’m exhausted. Can.only.maintain. this ability for a few minutes…
The high faded once the madness stopped and the mental and physical exhaustion kicked in. Peter watched the remaining dozen or so goblins run and headed back to the building. Feeling his eyes drooping, he slapped both cheeks and encouraged himself to speed up the pace going up the stairs.
“Knock Knock”
“Pe…Peter?” James asked
“Open up, James.”
James tipped his head and looked down at the man about half a head shorter. Peter was drenched in green blood and his shoulders shoved James out the way.
“Did you find them?” asked Rem from the couch.
Opening the door to the bedroom, Peter frowned and replied, “No. Good Night.”