Chapter 17: The Blocked Road

The big green truck drove down the street.

Chloe held the steering wheel. Her hands were white because she held it so tight. The truck was very heavy. It was hard to drive.

“Go straight,” Ren said.

He sat in the next seat. He watched the road. He kept his new shotgun on his lap.

They were in the city now. The buildings were very tall. Glass fell from the windows and hit the street. The sky was still dark with smoke. Ash fell down like grey snow.

A zombie walked into the road.

“Hit it,” Ren said.

Chloe closed her eyes for a second. She pushed the gas pedal down.

Thump.

The heavy truck hit the zombie. The zombie flew through the air. It hit a wall and did not get up. The truck did not even slow down.

“Good,” Ren said. “Keep your eyes open.”

They drove for ten minutes. They passed many dead cars. They passed fires. They did not see any living people.

Then, Chloe stepped on the brakes. The truck stopped with a loud noise.

“What is it?” Ren asked.

“I cannot go,” Chloe said. She pointed to the front window.

Ren looked.

The road ended. A huge wall of cars blocked the street. City buses, police cars, and taxi cabs were pushed together. They made a tall wall of metal. There was no way to drive through it. Not even with the big truck.

“A roadblock,” Ren said. “People made this. They tried to keep the monsters out.”

“Did it work?” Chloe asked.

Ren opened the door of the truck. “No. Look at the ground.”

Chloe looked. The street in front of the car wall was painted red. Dried blood was everywhere. There were many bones.

Ren stepped out of the truck. He left the shotgun on the seat. He did not need it. His hands were better now.

“Stay in the car,” Ren told her. “Keep the engine on.”

He walked to the wall of cars. He wanted to see if there was a hole they could walk through. They needed to get to the other side. The Stadium was that way.

Ren used his nose. His new skill let him smell things from far away.

He smelled old blood. He smelled rust.

But he also smelled something fresh.

Wet dirt. And sick breath.

Ren stopped walking. He stood very still.

He used his eyes. He turned on his heat vision. The world turned blue and cold.

He looked at the wall of cars. Inside one of the city buses, he saw a bright red shape. It was big. It was hiding in the dark bus. It was waiting for him to come closer.

[Mutated Hunter (Lvl 6)]

[Status: Hiding]

[Warning: Very Fast]

“I see you,” Ren said in a quiet voice.

He did not run away. He wanted to test his new claws. He wanted to see how strong he was now.

Ren picked up a rock from the street. He threw it at the bus window.

Smash.

The glass broke.

The red shape moved. It moved so fast it looked like a blur.

It jumped out of the broken window. It landed on top of a police car.

It looked like a man, but it walked on four legs like a dog. Its arms and legs were very long and skinny. It had no hair. Its skin was pale white. It had no lips, just a huge mouth full of sharp teeth.

It hissed at Ren. Saliva dripped from its teeth. It burned a hole in the metal car. Acid spit.

“Ugly,” Ren said.

The Hunter jumped. It flew through the air. It aimed right for Ren’s face.

Ren did not move out of the way. He smiled.

He raised his hands.

[Skill Activated: Rending Claws]

His fingernails grew long and black. They turned into hard metal knives.

The Hunter put its hands out to grab Ren.

Ren swung his arms. He hit the Hunter in the air.

Schlick.

Ren’s black claws cut right through the Hunter’s long arms. They cut the arms clean off.

The Hunter screamed. It fell to the street. It rolled on the ground. Black blood sprayed everywhere.

It tried to stand up, but it had no arms.

Ren walked over to it. He looked down.

“Too slow,” Ren said.

He put his foot on the Hunter’s chest. He raised his right hand. He brought his claws down into the Hunter’s head.

Crunch.

The monster stopped moving.

[Target Dead: Mutated Hunter (Lvl 6)]

[Experience Gained: 200]

Ren pulled his hand out. He looked at the dead thing. It was Level 6. Good food.

He used his claws to open the chest. He found the heart. It was small but beat very fast before it died.

Ren ate it. He swallowed it in one big bite.

It tasted like sour milk and old pennies.

[Gluttony Activated.]

[Consumed: Hunter Heart.]

[Speed +4]

[Agility +2]

Ren felt the power rush into his legs. He felt lighter. He felt like he could run faster than a car.

He turned around to walk back to the truck.

But he stopped.

He heard a sound. It was not a monster. It was not a zombie.

It was a clap.

Someone was clapping their hands.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Ren looked up.

On top of the wall of cars, a man was sitting. He wore a dark green army jacket. He had a black mask over his face. He held a very big gun in his lap.

He was clapping for Ren.

Ren used his skill to look at the man.

[Name: Marcus]

[Class: Sniper (Player)]

[Level: 9]

Level 9. A human player. He was a higher level than Arthur.

“That was a good trick,” the man named Marcus said. His voice was loud and rough. “You cut that thing like paper.”

Ren did not say anything. He kept his claws out.

“I watched you drive up,” Marcus said. “I own this gate. Nobody goes past this wall. Not zombies. Not people.”

“We need to pass,” Ren said.

Marcus laughed. “No. You have a nice truck. You have a girl. I want the truck. I want the girl. You can leave.”

Ren looked at the man. He looked at the big gun.

“No,” Ren said.

Marcus stopped laughing. He picked up the big gun. He aimed it at Ren’s chest.

“I am Level 9,” Marcus said. “I do not miss. Give me the keys. Or you die right now.”

Ren felt his stomach growl. He looked at the man. He saw a meal.

“Shoot me,” Ren said.

Marcus pulled the trigger.

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