Compared to the countless zombies swarming the hospital’s front courtyard, the numbers charging from both sides weren’t overwhelming. Glancing up, I roughly counted about forty zombies or so…

But for me, even with that superhuman state activated, wiping out this many was impossible. Escaping would be tough too!

Small shops lined both sides of the street—clothing stores, Chinese restaurants, even an adult novelty shop!

Yet… I didn’t dare enter any. I wasn’t familiar with the building layouts here. If those rooms had no back exits, I’d be dead!

I scanned left and right. The zombies were still over a hundred meters away. I had no idea where the rest had gone—logically, a street shouldn’t be this empty. At least it bought me some thinking time.

“ROAR!!!”

Their annoying shrieks made my whole body tense up.

Just as I gritted my teeth, ready to retreat to the hospital, my hand froze. Something on the zombie I’d stabbed in the temple caught my eye!

Slung around that female zombie’s waist was a small, fancy-looking women’s crossbody bag. But my focus wasn’t on the bag itself—it was on a glint of sunlight reflecting off something spilled from it!

“Car keys!!”

I rushed over, snatching the keys without a second glance at the other junk.

The moment I grabbed them, I hit the unlock button. Suddenly, a white SUV at the end of the row flashed its lights and blared a sound that echoed down the entire street!

“Beep~”

Perfect!! It actually worked!

But that distance…

No time to think!!

Gritting my teeth, I sprinted toward the white SUV. The zombies down the street spotted me too, roaring even more wildly as they charged!

The SUV was about fifty meters away, while the farthest zombies were slightly farther. Right now, it sat perfectly between me and the horde.

I tightened my grip on the Dagger as I ran, watching the zombies close in!

“Die!!!”

I leaped up with a shout, raising the Dagger high. I expected the zombie to impale itself below me—but to my shock…

It jumped too…

“What?!”

I barely gasped before a massive force slammed into my chest. A dull pain flared as I watched the zombie’s hands clamp onto my chest!

“Damn it!! I haven’t even dared to touch it myself!!!”

A weird mix of emotions surged—embarrassment? Shock? Rage…

I’d meant to drive the Dagger down, but the impact threw me off balance, slamming me onto the asphalt!

“Ugh!!!”

A sharp ache shot through my back. The world spun, and I realized I was lying flat on the road. That zombie’s claws gripped my chest—not gently. The pressure felt like my ribs might burst!

“Die already!!!”

“Squelch!!”

Before it could bite, I plunged the Dagger into its skull. I shoved it off with my knee, sending the twitching corpse sprawling!

But… as I pushed it away, another figure lunged from behind it!

Another one!!

The second zombie pounced. Ignoring the searing pain in my chest, I rolled away desperately.

“Thud!”

It crashed headfirst into the pavement. From the corner of my eye, I even saw its skull bounce once on the asphalt.

‘Ouch… that must’ve hurt!’

I sprang back up. Zombies, though, rolled awkwardly—their bodies, especially waists, seemed unnaturally stiff. Was it from the mutation?

While wondering, I charged the struggling zombie and stabbed down!

“Squelch!!”

“Gurgle~~~”

It let out a weird shriek as the blade pierced it. No time to ponder why—I stood up, eyeing the approaching horde and the SUV just six meters away…

“No time! Only one way…”

Gritting my teeth, I watched the charging zombie. I slowly closed my eyes, chasing that feeling of intense focus!

“Buzz~~~”

A strange hum filled my ears. That sensation crashed over me. When I opened my eyes, everything slowed down.

So slow… I could clearly see the rotten innards spilling from the zombie’s torn belly!

It was so close. When I’d closed my eyes, it had been six meters away, level with the SUV. But in that blink, it was already here?

And… something felt off. This zombie differed from the others—I couldn’t pinpoint how, but its movements seemed almost human. In this near-stillness, it was clearly faster than the rest!

“A new mutant? Doesn’t look like it…”

Strangely calm, I felt utterly detached, like I’d entered some emotionless sage mode.

I strode forward. My pace felt slow to me, but still far quicker than the zombie’s.

Habit made me stab its brain, then pull the Dagger out. I kept walking toward the SUV. In this state, I couldn’t run—just take longer strides.

Yet I walked at a normal pace. My mind had precisely calculated the time for both me and the zombies to reach the car.

I even glanced back. The horde was only twenty meters behind now, past the hospital’s back entrance, closing in.

The calculation held true…

My hand touched the car door just as the nearest zombie was still two meters short of grabbing me…

…What even is this power?

I yanked the door open, slid inside, and slammed it shut. The moment it clicked—

“Thud!”

I snapped out of the state. Exhaustion hit me like a wave.