[Train to Busan] [Instance mission: Survive until the train reaches Busan terminal] [Instance mission 2: Kill 20 zombies] [Level requirement: Awakened of level 5 or below] [Mission requirement: Do not leave the train before arrival] [Mission rewards: 500 experience, Black Iron Chest, Zombie Heart ×3]
Lin Dong read the prompts before him and couldn't help smacking his lips. These requirements really were demanding.
Ordinary people could kill the zombies in Train to Busan.
But the mission required them to kill twenty?!
That was a bit much!
Lin Dong was certain that anyone who entered Train to Busan recklessly, without any preparation, would die. Guaranteed!
Calling this a C-rank instance wouldn't have been an exaggeration!
Yet the Federation had only rated it D-rank?
Absolutely ridiculous!
Despite his grumbling, Lin Dong had no intention of backing out.
Without any hesitation, he chose to enter!
The next second!
White light flared before Lin Dong's eyes!
Roar! Roar! Roar!
Piercing zombie howls rang out right beside his ears. A cold, reeking gust swept toward him, almost brushing his cheeks.
The white light faded, and his vision cleared completely.
He was already inside a carriage on the Train to Busan.
The cramped, crowded carriage was shrouded in the mingled stench of blood, rot, and rust.
Shattered phones, torn backpacks, and clothes stained with dark red blood littered the floor. Vicious claw marks and signs of gnawing were everywhere.
Everywhere he looked was hell on earth.
Lin Dong glanced around. Zhou Gong and Bai Ruoxue were already there.
Though both were shocked by this hellish scene, neither showed fear.
Clearly, they both had decent nerves.
"Lin Dong!"
Zhou Gong even looked eager to get started. "Come on, let's go!"
Bai Ruoxue said nothing, but she clearly felt much the same.
"Wait!"
Instead of moving with them, Lin Dong called the two of them to a halt.
"What is it?"
Zhou Gong turned back, his face full of curiosity.
Lin Dong's expression was serious. "Before we start, we'd better get something straight."
"Are you planning to act as a team or go solo?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
Without even thinking, Zhou Gong said, "We're from the same school. Of course we're sticking together!"
Bai Ruoxue nodded in agreement.
Lin Dong nodded. "Since we're acting as a team, let's choose a captain first!"
"Huh?"
Zhou Gong scratched his head. "Is that really necessary?"
"We can just talk things over as they come up."
"Talk things over?"
Lin Dong sneered. "When something actually happens, you want to go east, I want to go west, and she wants to go south. How are you going to talk that over?"
"When you've only got a few seconds, will you have time for a discussion?"
"If no one's calling the shots, I'd rather go alone!"
Zhou Gong and Bai Ruoxue exchanged a glance. Lin Dong had a point.
A team without a leader was just a loose collection of people.
It had no fighting power at all.
Zhou Gong glanced at Lin Dong, then suddenly chuckled. "Why didn't you just say you wanted to be captain?"
"If you're the captain, I have no objections."
Bai Ruoxue nodded along.
Lin Dong chuckled. "It's not that I want to be captain. It's that we need one!"
"Ever played games? Going into a team fight without someone calling the shots is the worst!"
"You're right!"
Zhou Gong immediately cupped his fist in his palm. "Brother Dong, from now on, you're the captain!"
Bai Ruoxue nodded to Lin Dong, showing her approval.
After all, of the three of them, Lin Dong had the highest known stats. And the fact that he'd raised this issue showed that he was already thinking about the team.
They were both happy to choose someone with strength and brains as their captain.
"I can be captain."
Rather than growing smug at Zhou Gong's flattery, Lin Dong became even sterner.
"I can be your captain, but you have to meet my requirements and obey my orders!"
"That's the bare minimum, and it's mandatory. Think it through before you answer."
Zhou Gong and Bai Ruoxue exchanged a glance.
Only a moment passed.
They both nodded.
Zhou Gong went straight to the point. "Captain, just tell us what we're doing next!"
Bai Ruoxue kept her eyes on Lin Dong.
"Don't rush."
Lin Dong pointed at the zombies wandering in the carriage opposite them and said calmly, "First, we'll clear out the zombies ahead!"
"Huh?"
Zhou Gong was dumbfounded. "Captain, aren't we here to investigate what caused the instance to mutate?"
"So many people came this time. If we don't get moving, what if someone else beats us to it?"
"What's the panic?"
Lin Dong smiled. "The train's only so big. If there's a problem, it has to be in one of the carriages!"
"As long as we clear them one by one, we'll find it eventually."
"Besides, something that could cause an instance to mutate won't be that easy to find. Let the others test the waters first and see if there's any danger."
Hearing that, Zhou Gong couldn't help giving him a thumbs-up. "Brilliant, Captain!"
"I think you're just a brilliant ass-kisser!"
Lin Dong laughed as he teased him. He took the backpack off his back, pulled out the Silent Sleeve Arrow, and strapped it to his left arm while giving instructions.
"When we open the door, I'll take the front. Bai Ruoxue, you'll stay in the middle and cover both sides. Zhou Gong, you'll bring up the rear and finish off any zombies the Silent Sleeve Arrow doesn't kill. Any problems?"
"No problem. Leave it to me!"
Zhou Gong nodded vigorously.
Bai Ruoxue nodded silently.
"Move out!"
Without wasting another word, Lin Dong prepared to begin!
Bai Ruoxue immediately took her place behind him.
Zhou Gong knocked his fists together, itching for action.
"Phew!"
Lin Dong let out a long breath. His gaze turned resolute in an instant, and he pressed lightly with his palm!
The next second!
The blocked train door slowly opened!
Roar! Roar! Roar!
Hearing the noise, the zombies wandering through carriage 15 charged at Lin Dong with snarls, like sharks scenting blood!
Thwip!
The instant the door opened, Lin Dong fired the Silent Sleeve Arrow. The sharp bolt plunged straight into the zombie closest to the door!
Bam!
Though small, the Silent Sleeve Arrow packed tremendous power. The bolt actually pinned the zombie to a seat!
[Ding! Congratulations! You have killed an ordinary zombie and gained 1 experience point!]
"What the hell?!"
Reading the system prompt, Lin Dong couldn't help complaining. "That's way too stingy! Only one experience point?!"
"One point's already pretty good!"
Zhou Gong answered from behind him. "My grandfather told me some instances only give fractions of an experience point."
"Fractions of an experience point?"
This was the first Lin Dong had heard of such a thing, and he immediately felt much better. His hands never stopped moving as he quickly loaded another bolt and fired again!
[Ding! Congratulations! You have killed an ordinary zombie and gained 1 experience point!] [Ding! Congratulations! You have killed...]
As their three-person squad drove into carriage 15 with Lin Dong at its tip, experience notifications rang out one after another.
Throughout their advance, Lin Dong looked only ahead. After each shot, he moved forward immediately, never looking back for a second glance!
Bai Ruoxue held a dagger, constantly watching for zombies lunging out from either side.
Zhou Gong handled the cleanup at the rear. Whenever a zombie was still alive, he immediately stepped forward and smashed its head apart with his fists the size of clay pots!
Though this was their first time working together.
Their coordination was remarkably smooth!
Nothing went wrong along the way.
As Lin Dong fought his way from the rear of carriage 15 to the front, a level-up notification quietly sounded.
[Ding! Congratulations! You have reached level 2...]
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