Chapter 3: Killing Undead and Level Up

The red panel appeared in front of his eyes as if he were seeing a monitor, hovering silently in the void. Even the black pupils of his eyes didn't reflect the red light.

[More Genes, the more blessings]

This was what was written in front of him, making Ray's heart stir.

"Has the world really become a game world?" he muttered. Finally calming down after gathering his thoughts, he went back to the living room where his PS5 was—his literal lifeline.

"Hey, system."

Ray shouted a little loudly because he couldn't help it, but to his surprise, no sentient voice came to his mind. Only the red panel appeared again.

He wanted to touch the panel, but when he did, his finger passed right through it as if it were a ghost.

"Am I seeing things now?"

Ray mumbled while rubbing his eyes again before he slapped himself lightly.

Pang!

"Nope, then should I open it with my thoughts?" he thought as he carefully spoke a word that was very popular in all the systems he had seen.

"Status."

Immediately, the red panel in front of him changed and showed a line of numerical data with his real-life body rotating around.

Ray felt a chill in his back when he saw the uncanny resemblance of his avatar and his real body. Even that rod's size was the same.

—--

[Status]

[Name: Ray Crownwell]

[Status: Awakened (E-class)]

[Skill: Body Strengthening (Awakening I)]

[Strength: 48 Kg (36 original)]

[Speed: 19.5 Km/h (13 original)]

[Mental strength: 1.02 (1 for the average adult man)]

He went through a round of preparation again. This time he wore light enough clothes that wouldn't hinder his movements and at the same time provide sufficient protection.

With the knife in his left hand, he lightly tapped on the railings.

Ting!

This time the sound was loud, loud enough to resound through the five-floored building.

The undead, like moths to a flame, were instantly attracted by the sound and headed towards it.

"You do this, Ray."

His grip on the knife and pan tightened as he mercilessly stabbed the first zombie through the gaps.

Then he slightly glanced at the status.

[Mutation energy: 20]

"Not bad."

Ray's eyes shone as he looked at the other zombies.

He patiently waited for them to arrive and be killed by his knife, like a spider laying its cobweb and patiently waiting for its prey.

Time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye as a mountain of corpses stacked on top of each other, blocking the entire gate.

"My hand feels sore." Ray's hand felt weak, and even tightening his grip around the knife was very difficult for him.

To kill these zombies, he needed to apply his full force into the blow and to withdraw as well he needed full force, which consumed a lot of energy.

At this time, the red panel appeared in front of him again.

[Congratulations, you have collected 60 mutation points. You can level up your skill Body Strengthening. Would you like to proceed?]

Ray murmured "yes" without hesitation.

He could hoard these mutation points, but if something unexpected happened and he died instantly because he hadn't upgraded his strength, it would be too late to regret it.

At this moment, a stream of energy appeared out of nowhere in his body, constantly strengthening him.

The previous muscle soreness seemed to vanish, replaced by warmth.

Just as Ray was revelling in this new power, he suddenly saw some figures quietly sneaking from the corner of his eyes through the gap in the corpses of the undead.