Chapter 5: First Blood
896 Words
Congratulations, Player “Yazi,” for slaying a zombie. You gain 1 EXP and 1 Gold.
Congratulations! Player has leveled up to Level 2. Free Attribute Points +1.
Congratulations! You are the first to slay a zombie in the Apocalypse Game. You have earned the unique global achievement: “First Blood.”
A World Announcement is about to be broadcast.
Lin Ziluo clenched his fist, his pulse racing.
Success. He had done it. He had seized the achievement that countless others could only dream of.
The attributes attached to the title weren’t the main prize. The true reward—the one every player in his past life had longed for—was the worldwide announcement. To have your name spoken across the globe, to be remembered forever as the first… that was the glory no ordinary survivor could hope for.
In his previous life, even after becoming a so-called “Wargod,” Lin Ziluo had never managed to trigger a single world announcement. The difficulty was unimaginable.
Yet here, in the very first seconds of the end, he had already succeeded.
A deep, majestic voice suddenly rolled across the world, both resounding from the heavens and whispering directly at every player’s ear. No matter where you were—whether running from a newly-turned zombie or still gawking at the strange system windows—if you were conscious, you heard it.
World Announcement: Congratulations to Player “Yazi” for being the first to slay a zombie in the Apocalypse Game. By bravely taking the first step, he has earned the unique global achievement: “First Blood,” and a wealth of rewards. Other players, learn from his example.
The world erupted.
Some players gaped in disbelief.
“What? I haven’t even seen a zombie yet, and someone’s already killed one?” one man muttered, staring blankly at his panel.
“Damn it! Who cares who killed what? Somebody get this ugly zombie off me before I die!” screamed another, sprinting for his life with a monster on his heels.
“Zombies? What is this nonsense? Some i***t blasting fake radio announcements?” a boy grumbled, setting down his handheld console. He stormed to the door—only to have half his face torn away by the very “nonsense” he dismissed.
Elsewhere, a man lowered his blood-stained baseball bat, glancing at the corpse he had just crushed. “Interesting. Someone out there was faster than me?”
In a cramped apartment, a girl hugged her pillow, blushing despite the chaos. “Yazi… so strong. Maybe he’ll come protect me… like a real princess…”
And in another corner, a dog barked madly: “Woof woof woof! Woof woof!” (…Why are you even here!?)
…
Meanwhile, the one at the center of it all—Yazi himself—was basking in his reward.
Congratulations! You have received the Global Announcement: “First Blood.”
Rewards: 1,000 Reputation, 1,000 Gold, 3 Free Attribute Points, and +1 cubic meter Storage Space.
Lin Ziluo’s grin widened. “Perfect. This puts me leagues ahead of everyone else.”
Reputation was invaluable: certain items, shops, even rare equipment required high reputation to unlock. Some secret vendors even offered discounts or gifts based on reputation.
Gold, too, was critical. Hidden shops scattered across cities sold weapons, supplies, and the precious Resource Cards—guaranteed sources of food and water, lifelines for the unlucky survivors who couldn’t loot drops.
The attribute points were even more precious. Before level 10, you only gained a single point per level. This reward was like starting three levels ahead of the curve.
And the expanded storage space? Essential.
The system had rules—only inanimate objects deemed “yours” could be stored. A stolen blade might not count, but an arrow shot at you could. The logic was complex, but the system was always fair.
Satisfied, Lin Ziluo checked the achievement itself.
First Blood (Unique Title)
Attributes: +1 to all stats. Your first attack after midnight deals +100% damage.
For once, he was pleasantly surprised. Titles rarely offered much at all—but this one gave four free points across the board, plus a powerful daily bonus. Used wisely, it could be devastating.
Without hesitation, he equipped it. Warmth surged through his body, muscles tightening, reflexes sharpening. His strength had grown tangibly.
Titles, however, had restrictions: only one could be equipped at a time, and swapping came with a one-hour cooldown. A necessary limitation to prevent abuse.
Lin Ziluo stretched, feeling the changes in his body. His gaze drifted back to the corpse at his feet.
Something glimmered faintly in the blood.
A necklace.
His eyes lit up. An equipment drop.
He had nearly forgotten about his golden cheat: Absolute Drop Rate.
Item Acquired: Meditation Necklace (Bronze, Accessory).
Effect: +1 Spirit. Spirit recovery speed +10%.
Ordinary. Weak, even. But free stats were free stats. Lin Ziluo cleaned it, then fastened it around his neck.
Item Equipped: Meditation Necklace. Reminder—only one accessory of each type can be active at a time.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he muttered. In his past life, his three accessories had all been epic-grade treasures. To look down at this little trinket was almost comical.
But he smiled. He remembered exactly where and how those epics had dropped. This time, he would claim them again.
And sooner.
- Writer
