NOVEL WEB Chapter 12: The Shotgun Acquisition
Lucas carefully opened the police cruiser's door. The glove compartment yielded two more pairs of handcuffs and a walkie-talkie. The passenger seat held a fast-food container now overgrown with multicolored mold—utterly worthless.
The real prize lay in the trunk.
A pump-action shotgun rested inside, accompanied by two boxes of shells.
"Jackpot."
At close range, this weapon could turn any zombie—even a potential mutant—into swiss cheese.
He swapped out the police baton for the shotgun and shells, storing them securely in his ring.
Inventory Management:
Removed: 1x Police BatonAdded: 1x Shotgun + 20 Shells
With his firepower upgraded, Lucas headed home to reorganize. He cooked the thawed meat—a rare luxury—seasoned with soy sauce and pepper. The rich aroma drifted through the window...
In Building 5, two tattooed men—one tall and wiry, the other short and stocky—sat on the landing.
Tall Man: "Boss... I smell meat. Actual fucking meat."
Stocky Boss: "You're hallucinating. Eat your damn Spam."
Behind them, the woman they'd "rescued" from the balcony yesterday cowered in a corner, her low-cut dress now torn and dirty.
Woman (weakly): "You... promised me some food too..."
Stocky Boss (sneering): "We saved your ass. That was the deal."
The men had already consumed her share of supplies. Now, they eyed the supermarket across the square—and their "plan" became clear.
Stocky Boss (grinning): "We'll use her as bait. Draw the zombies away while we loot."
The woman's eyes widened in horror.
Back in his apartment, Lucas checked his trades:
[System Notifications]
12/60 Toilet Paper trades completedAcquired: 4x Keys, 2x Water Bottles, 1x Energy Core
The shotgun's weight reassured him. But outside, predators worse than zombies were making moves.