NOVEL WEB Chapter 4: The Door Wasn’t Closed
Chapter 4: The Door Wasn't Closed
Walking out of the shop, Wu Heng’s backpack was now heavier with a bag full of coins.
If the apocalypse hadn’t come...
Wu Heng could have exchanged gold and silver at a jewelry store and used it directly in this world.
He wouldn’t say he’d be as rich as a king, but buying a few otherworldly maids wouldn’t have been a problem.
He had even overheard someone in a tavern talking about the Druid class.
They could shapeshift into various forms to keep their partners interested.
But alas, it was too late for all that now.
He hadn’t sold the gold jewelry in the shop.
It wasn’t that the shop wouldn’t buy it, but he didn’t want to attract trouble.
The money he exchanged was enough; showing off gold jewelry would only draw unwanted attention.
Without power, you’re just a fat sheep in others’ eyes.
Right now, the focus was on leveling up and gathering troops.
He walked towards the blacksmithing district.
Blackstone Town didn’t restrict weapons, but within the city, swords couldn’t be unsheathed, and bows and crossbows couldn’t be exposed.
"You're back. What are you buying today?" the weapon shop owner greeted him.
"Do you have a smaller shield?"
"Right over here."
The owner took down a small silver round shield and placed it on the counter.
Wu Heng tried it in his hand. It felt heavy, and using it for extended periods or in high-intensity combat would be a burden.
"Do you have something lighter?"
The owner looked at him, then pulled out another shield from below. "This one’s for training the kids; it’s iron-plated on the outside and treated hardwood inside."
The exterior was silver iron plating, with dark-colored wood on the inside.
Wu Heng tested the weight in his hand.
This one was decent, and since zombies mainly attacked by grabbing and biting, it would suffice.
He figured he’d try heavier shields when his attributes improved.
"I’ll take this one!"
"75 coppers."
That price wasn’t cheap; iron plating over wood cost that much.
But in this weapon shop, it was actually the cheapest option.
He counted out 75 coppers, picked up the shield, and left the shop.
Along the way, he also bought a set of leather armor from the armor shop, made of tough leather with a simple design, though it had a sour, leathery smell.
He didn’t buy armor for the skeleton warriors.
First, because the number of skeletons would continue to increase, and outfitting them all in armor would be unaffordable given the current situation.
Second, he wanted to keep a low profile.
Blackstone Town wasn’t friendly to Necromancers, so attracting less attention was a good thing.
As long as he stayed alive and had the bronze key, troops and levels wouldn’t be an issue.
After buying the armor, his eyes fell on a wooden mannequin in the corner as he was about to leave.
It was used for displaying armor.
The one in front of him was a bit worn, clearly discarded.
"Is this mannequin discarded?" Wu Heng asked.
The owner glanced up and said, "It’s old, but if you want it, 2 coppers."
He was going to offer to throw it out for him, but the owner clearly knew his intentions and quoted a price directly.
Wu Heng didn’t say much, handed over 2 coppers, and carried the mannequin out.
It wasn’t worth much, but its value lay in its human-like shape, which could help him practice targeting the head and body.
After having dinner outside, Wu Heng returned to his residence.
Instead of returning to the modern world, he stayed in this one.
The apocalyptic environment was no longer suitable for living.
At least here, he didn’t have to breathe in the rancid air.
Standing in the not-so-spacious living room...
He picked up his short spear and shield and began practicing stabbing moves on the mannequin.
He aimed for the head, repeating the motion continuously.
He hadn’t received formal training, but getting familiar with these actions couldn’t hurt.
…
The next day, after a simple breakfast...
He put on his armor and opened the portal to the zombie world.
The air was still thick with the smell of rot, and the occasional zombie roar echoed from outside.
After securing the bronze key, he went straight to the living room.
Seventeen skeleton warriors, holding kitchen knives and daggers, stood upright in the living room.
With everything ready, Wu Heng gave the command, "Follow me outside."
The zombies in the corridor had already been cleared, but the stench remained strong.
Wu Heng led the skeletons downstairs, first checking the stairwell door to ensure it was still closed, then heading upstairs.
Reaching the top floor, the iron door leading to the rooftop platform stood before him.
His plan was simple.
He would move from the rooftop platform to the adjacent building to continue clearing out zombies and increasing the number of skeleton warriors.
Rushing out to face the zombies roaming outside head-on wasn’t realistic or wise.
Taking the rooftop was the safest approach.
Using the bronze key, he unlocked the iron door and led the skeletons onto the rooftop.
The rooftop was cluttered with various debris, the most noticeable being an iron cage made of wire mesh.
The rusty cage still contained dead pigeons.
The community had previously coordinated to remove unauthorized pigeon coops, but it seemed ineffective. Nearby, more wire mesh, rebar, and cement were ready, likely for further expansion.
Roar!!
Suddenly, a zombie roar came from behind the pigeon coop.
Three zombies emerged from either side of the coop, charging toward them with outstretched claws.
Zombies on the rooftop?
Well, it worked out; the skeleton warriors were about to level up.
Seeing the approaching zombies, Wu Heng directly ordered, "Attack."
Clatter!!
Seventeen skeleton warriors, armed with kitchen knives, charged forward, knocking the three zombies to the ground.
The sound of chopping flesh echoed across the rooftop.
Under the onslaught of so many skeleton warriors, the three zombies had no chance to fight back, flailing like fish on a cutting board, only to be knocked down repeatedly.
Wu Heng stood back, not intending to intervene.
He was just waiting for the fight to end so he could summon more skeletons.
Suddenly, a scraping sound came from behind.
He turned to see a limping zombie dragging its ankle, slowly approaching.
When the zombie saw Wu Heng turn around, it let out a roar and hobbled faster.
"Damn!"
There was another zombie trying to sneak up on him.
Glancing at the skeletons nearby, he confirmed he could call them over in time and decided to try taking on the zombie alone.
Gripping his short spear tightly, he charged at the zombie in small steps, calculating the distance between them.
When they were two meters apart, he lunged forward with his left leg and thrust the spear upward.
Squelch!
The spearhead pierced through the zombie’s collarbone and protruded from its back.
Missed!
He had aimed for its mouth, but the zombie’s limping movement caused the spear to veer off course.
While it still hit the target, the location didn’t deliver a fatal blow.
The zombie’s forward momentum forced Wu Heng to take several steps back.
The rotting body slid along the spear shaft, its grayish-white, withered arms reaching for Wu Heng’s face.
He raised his shield in front of him, stepped back, pulled the spear out, and swept it across the zombie’s leg.
Crack!
The sound of bones breaking echoed as the other leg snapped.
The zombie lost its balance and toppled to the side.
The series of actions flowed smoothly, with effective results.
The zombie fell, and Wu Heng stepped forward, pinning it down with his foot, and repeatedly thrust the spear into it.
He aimed for the back of the head with each strike, but the zombie’s violent thrashing made it far from a stationary target.
The intense struggle allowed the zombie to get back on its feet, forcing Wu Heng to retreat and circle around to maintain his safety.
Meanwhile, the other battle had ended.
The three zombies were reduced to mince under the relentless assault of the skeleton warriors.
Without needing a command...
The skeleton warriors rushed over, surrounding the zombie chasing Wu Heng, their kitchen knives falling without pause.
The zombie couldn't even lift its head under the relentless chopping.
Wu Heng stood aside, flicking his spear.
Zombies were strong and fearless, and most modern people, even the elderly, would struggle to deal with them.
Facing zombies directly was truly challenging.
【Gained Experience +10.】
【Summoned Unit - Skeleton Warrior Gained Experience +5.】
The experience notifications appeared as the last zombie was killed.
Wu Heng wiped the blood off the spear using the zombie's clothes and then consecutively cast 'Raise Skeleton.'
Four more skeletons stood up one after another, joining the ranks of the skeleton warriors.
Now there were 21 skeletons.
He found four iron rods nearby and handed them to the newly risen skeletons.
After what had just happened, Wu Heng led the skeleton troops to thoroughly check the rooftop platform again, confirming that no zombies were hiding in any concealed spots.
Then, they arrived at the iron door leading to the second stairwell.
The area in front of the door was piled with bricks and debris, likely stacked there by the zombies they had just killed.
He couldn’t understand how they had escaped to the rooftop only to become zombies.
Wu Heng instructed the skeleton warriors to clear away all the debris.
The iron door opened, releasing the thick stench of decay.
There were bloodstains on the floor, but no sign of zombies—they were probably downstairs.
Wu Heng whispered, "Let's go down."
Clatter!!
The skeleton warriors entered the stairwell, with Wu Heng following behind.
The one skeleton that had leveled up to 2 remained by his side to protect him.
The objective remained clear: first, check if the first-floor door was securely closed, then loot each room for supplies.
Thud, thud, thud!!
The skeletons' feet tapped against the stairwell, creating a dense sound of footsteps.
Though not loud, in the empty and quiet stairwell, it was unusually noticeable.
Roar~!
Roar, roar, roar~!
Angry zombie roars echoed from downstairs, followed by the sound of frantic running.
The footsteps grew closer, and six zombies peeked out from around the corner.
Seeing the group of skeletons descending the stairs, they let out ferocious and excited roars.
"Kill them...," Wu Heng ordered directly.
Clatter...
The skeletons raised their kitchen knives and charged down at the zombies.
The dozen or so skeletons in the front carried a powerful momentum.
They slammed into the advancing zombies, knocking them back and sending them tumbling down another flight of stairs.
Then, the kitchen knives began to fall continuously.
Thud, thud, thud~!
However, before these zombies could be killed, more zombies rushed up.
They crowded and pushed each other, numbering over a dozen.
And from downstairs, more footsteps could be heard.
Wu Heng's heart tightened.
This was bad.
The stairwell door wasn’t closed.
I’ve started a new book, and I hope everyone enjoys it.