I was still standing in front of the clothing store mirror.
A pretty face, long hair, eyes that—okay, honestly, looked a bit lifeless and creepy—stared back at me. I looked like the protagonist of a romantic zombie game, if you ignored the fact that I was a zombie here too.
"So... this is what it feels like to be a female lead? A zombie one, no less."
My right hand suddenly lifted on its own. I didn't command it. It just... moved. Then my fingers trembled slightly, like muscles that hadn't been calibrated properly.
I heard the joints in my shoulder shift. It didn't hurt. But... it was disgusting.
"Yup. I'm officially the living dead."And this living corpse was spacing out alone in a clothing store.
Dragging my feet slowly, I explored the shop. Not because I wanted to shop, but because... well, I had nothing else to do. I grabbed a long coat hanging from a rack and tried it on.
"Not bad. Zombie fashionista style."
At least it covered the huge wounds on my arm and left shoulder. I also found a pair of boots. They fit perfectly. Either pure coincidence or the system was being kind.
As I stepped out of the store, the status screen suddenly popped up in front of me.
[Main Mission Unlocked!]Kill zombies, mutated animals, or humans to reach Level 10 and evolve
Reward: Special Dress – Auto-repair function.
Time remaining: 6 days 23 hours 51 minutes.
"SERIOUSLY?! THERE'S A TIME LIMIT?!"
I nearly fell from shock. But... my legs were too stiff for a dramatic collapse. So I just plopped down like a broken doll.
"Evolve...? So even zombies can level up?"
I didn't know whether to feel happy or hopeless. But one thing was clear—I didn't want to die again.
Maybe... I should start with the basics: finding food.Though I wasn't even sure if zombies still needed to eat.
I started walking down the mall corridor. The stench, the sound of water dripping from a leaky ceiling, and the wrecked shops made it feel like a post-apocalyptic movie.But this was real.
Then... I smelled something.
Not the fancy perfume from the cosmetic store.
But the scent of fresh meat.Alive.
My steps, slow but steady, led me toward the source. And there—at the end of the hall—I saw a girl. A human. Still alive.
She looked panicked, hiding behind a vending machine. Hugging a small bag and clutching a rusty golf club.
Instinctively, I took a step forward.
"W-what am I doing...?"
My stomach churned. Not from hunger in the usual sense. This was... primal instinct.
The "Bite" skill activated.
"Wait! WAIT A SECOND! Don't activate on your own!"
My hands and jaw started to move on their own. I panicked. It was like autopilot. I tried to resist—but my body wasn't listening to me.
I don't want to bite someone! I'm not a monster!Well... okay, I am a zombie now, but still!
When I was just five steps away—the girl turned. Our eyes met.
Her eyes widened in fear. But she didn't scream. She simply raised the golf club, ready to swing it hard.
System has detected conflict between consciousness and instinct.
System objective updated.
Reward: Ability to upgrade or select a new skill.
Condition: Fully suppress your instincts within 3 days.