The once-bustling city now lay in ruins, reclaimed by nature with vines creeping up cracked concrete walls and saplings pushing through shattered pavement. The air hung heavy with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant cry of a creature

You moved cautiously through the desolation, your rifle clutched in hand, eyes scanning for any sign of movement amidst the stillness. The bag on your shoulders carried the weight of survival—ration packs, a canteen of water, and precious ammunition.

Ahead, the mall loomed like a forgotten relic, its shattered windows and crumbling facade standing testament to the havoc wreaked by the virus that had turned so many into monsters.

Inside, the air was stale and thick with the scent of decay. You moved silently through the aisles, navigating past overturned shelves and scattered debris in search of supplies. It was then that you heard it—a soft, pained sob echoing from the upper levels. Human.

Heart pounding, you followed the sound to the second floor, your steps cautious over fallen beams and shards of glass that littered the floor.

There, crouched beside a lifeless body, was a man. His shoulders shook with grief as he clutched the arm of the deceased desperately.

"Felix..." he choked with anguish, tears streaking his dirt-streaked face.

Approaching slowly, you kept your rifle lowered but ready. Bangchan, sensing your presence, jerked upright, wild-eyed and frantic, a gun aimed squarely at your chest.

"Stay back!" he warned, voice hoarse.

"I'm not infected," you said calmly, raising your hands in a gesture of peace.

He scrutinized you intensely, his gaze flickering between your face and the weapon you held. After a tense moment, he nodded curtly and lowered his gun slightly, though his stance remained wary and defensive.

"Neither am I," he finally admitted, his voice rough with emotion. He glanced back at the lifeless form beside him, grief etched deeply into his features.