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thINKer: Dungeons, but it’s zombies this time.
Challenge Goals
Challenge 1 - Reach 15 votes on NU
Reward - 3 bonus chapters
If we reach it within 4 days we give out 4 bonus chapters
Current progress - 7 (+2) / 15
At the service centre, Chen Liu studied the mission board, noting that over ninety percent of tasks focused on clearing zombie hordes in the southern district. Each mission targeted a single building—office or residential—with verification by the command centre upon completion, followed by immediate rewards: 100 contribution points and 10 six-star white crystals. One mission makes you a one-star contributor, Chen Liu thought, calculating that 16 buildings would yield the 1,600 points needed for four-star status and a villa upgrade.
Missions were standardised, with no way to predict a building’s zombie count or strength, making assignments a gamble. The southern district cleanup followed a dragnet approach, leaving little choice in targets. Office buildings, packed with daytime outbreaks, were tougher than residential ones, where fewer people were home. High-risk spots like malls or markets, rich in supplies, drew large teams, but for Chen Liu’s four-person squad, such missions were suicide. The command allowed teams to keep portable supplies, with the rest collected centrally. It was a pragmatic resource reallocation. Warehouses, police stations, and government buildings were reserved for military teams. They’re securing the big hauls, Chen Liu thought. Taller buildings, like an 18-story high-rise, were theoretically harder than 10-story ones, but surprises like an eight-star zombie in a small building could upend expectations. Teams facing overwhelming odds could call for military aid, but would forfeit rewards.
After an hour in line, Chen Liu faced a satellite map of the southern district, red circles marking claimed buildings. Prime spots were gone, so he chose a 24-story residential high-rise at Weixing Residential Complex. More floors, more zombies, but I need the kills. He was unfazed by Liaocheng’s lack of skyscrapers. With registration complete, the Jinghu Battle Team set out.
In Liaocheng’s southern district, soldiers patrolled the Weixing complex. Parking beneath Building 7, their target, the team prepared to sweep its two units, each with four apartments per floor, totalling 192 households. To speed up, Chen Liu opted to go solo, while Zhang Chong, Yu Dachao, and Yu Na formed a trio, staying on the same floor for safety. He was confident that Zhang Chong’s strength and the others’ new gear—a machete and crossbow—could handle anything short of an eight-star zombie. “Stay sharp. Call out if anything happens,” he said, entering Apartment 101.
The ajar door suggested an escapee or a zombie breakout, as five-star-plus zombies rarely stayed trapped. Smack! Chen Liu kicked a plastic bottle, sending it crashing against a wall. Guuuaaaarrr!!! Two six-star zombies—an elderly couple in their fifties or sixties—shambled from the bedroom. A wall photo showed their happier days, surrounded by family. Even in death, they stayed together. Chen Liu thought that was sad but he had to do this. He charged, sidestepping to cleave one’s head with his axe, then spun to dispatch the other in under five minutes. He felt faster than a soldier. Collecting their crystals, he scanned the outdated apartment—peeling plaster, old furnishings, nothing valuable. Two packs of instant noodles in the kitchen weren’t worth taking. Rice is plentiful; speed matters more, he thought, leaving the bag. The command would send civilians to scavenge leftovers, a system to minimise waste. Meeting Zhang Chong’s group, who’d cleared their section, he grinned. “Let’s push hard and finish today.” “No problem!” Zhang Chong replied. The team morale was high.