Days in the Infinite

 "No, this actually works out perfectly." 

Li Ke smiled, but his smile froze when he looked toward the zombies outside the door. 

Because it wasn't just one or two zombies coming their way—it was dozens. A dense horde of them! 

"Uh, looks like we'll need to have a serious talk about your mistakes later." 

Despite the sheer number of zombies, Li Ke wasn't overly concerned. These zombies were unlike the frenzied, fast-moving ones that appeared at night. They shuffled forward slowly, their movements sluggish. 

Most importantly, they had only one way in: the front door. 

"Let them come…" 

Taking a deep breath, Li Ke reassured himself. As long as the front door held, he'd only have to deal with one zombie at a time. As long as he stayed calm, the situation wasn't unmanageable. 

The real issue was the construction of the house. Being a typical American wooden structure, it wasn't exactly sturdy. He couldn't help but worry about the door and windows giving way. 

As if responding to his thoughts, the glass windows, framed in wood, suddenly shattered. Zombie arms punched through, reaching into the room one after another. 

And unlike zombies in other worlds, these ones could climb. 

Li Ke had already noticed this detail when the wolf pack distracted the zombies earlier. But he hadn't expected that even during the day, when their movements were slower, they'd still manage to climb. 

Watching zombies enter through both the windows and the door, Li Ke grimaced. 

"Erina, you handle the windows. I'll take the door. If it gets too much, call for me, and we'll retreat!" 

With that, Li Ke charged forward, bringing his axe down hard on a staggering zombie that had just entered. 

The brittle, half-decayed skull split open with ease. Clearly, this particular zombie wasn't in great shape—its body bore visible signs of rot, and it collapsed quickly. 

Realizing this, Li Ke wasted no time. He switched to his hammer and smashed it into another zombie's head, knocking it to the ground and blocking the advance of the zombies behind it. The one in the rear tripped over the fallen body, crashing to the floor. 

Li Ke stepped on the first zombie's head, yanked out his axe, and swung it down again, splitting open the second zombie's skull and stopping it for good. 

With no other zombies immediately charging through, Li Ke turned to check on Erina. 

He'd assumed Erina would hesitate or struggle, but the scene before him stunned him. 

Facing a zombie trying to climb through the window, Erina swung her axe with a perfect stance, cleanly severing its head in one swift motion. 

Not stopping there, she reversed her grip and stabbed a kitchen knife into another zombie's neck, slicing sharply. Blood sprayed out in a torrent, yet not a single drop landed on her. 

A simple flick of her wrist, and the zombie's head lolled to the side, its movements ceasing entirely. 

Li Ke was momentarily dumbfounded. Her fluid motions, decisive actions, and precision—not even letting a drop of blood touch her—left him speechless. 

But he quickly snapped back to reality, dodging another zombie's lunge. He swung his axe in retaliation, shattering its spine and spraying blood all over himself in the process. 

Erina couldn't help but shout. 

"What are you staring at?! Stop zoning out! I'm a chef, you know! Of course I know how to use knives!" 

Right. That made sense. 

Li Ke, feeling the strain in his arms, glanced at Erina again. She had clearly found her rhythm, effortlessly swinging her axe three times in quick succession, decapitating three zombies without breaking a sweat. 

This girl… 

She might actually be stronger than me in combat. 

Whether it was her speed, agility, timing, or precision, she was leagues ahead of him. 

Though she was still visibly nervous and not entirely used to the situation, her combat skills were undeniable. 

"Well, this is…" 

At first, Li Ke found it absurd, but he quickly came to terms with it. 

Nakiri Erina might be a spoiled rich girl, a blond tsundere, and a picky eater. 

But there was no denying one thing: 

She was a chef. 

And not just any chef—a highly skilled one. 

Don't let her slim waist, long legs, and ample chest fool you. She could wield a heavy wok with ease. Among modern professions, chefs were arguably the most adept at handling blades and cutting meat. 

Even so-called sword masters couldn't match a chef's expertise in handling knives. 

Could it be that chefs were the modern world's true masters of cold weapons? 

The thought amused Li Ke, even as he shook it off. 

Still, his musings were cut short when another zombie entered his attack range. He immediately swung his axe, cracking the zombie's skull. 

Brains and blood splattered everywhere, and Li Ke panted heavily. 

Even with the zombies in a decayed state, swinging an axe and hammer repeatedly was exhausting. For an injured office worker like him, endurance wasn't exactly his strong suit. 

"I can't let myself be outdone!" 

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Li Ke raised his axe again, cutting down another zombie. After loosening up his arms, he smashed the head of the fallen zombie to finish it off. 

As he did this, an idea struck him. Summoning his thoughts, he willed the game interface to reappear before his eyes. 

He wanted to see how much experience he'd gain from killing one zombie. 

The moment the interface appeared, Li Ke swung his axe down on another zombie, killing it instantly. A series of numbers flashed in the corner of his vision. 

+1250 EXP. 

His experience bar inched forward noticeably, almost enough to level up. 

"So nine zombies would be enough to make Nakiri Erina a player? No, the required experience should be less since she doesn't…" 

Li Ke glanced over at Erina again and froze. 

In the short time that had passed, there were already over a dozen decapitated zombie heads piled around her. She wasn't even winded, and her clothes remained spotless. 

The zombies, showing a surprising level of intelligence, began pushing aside their fallen comrades' bodies to force their way inside.

Though the zombies demonstrated some intelligence, it was far from sophisticated. They continued to poke their heads through the window one by one, clumsily attempting to climb inside with stiff, awkward movements. This gave Erina ample opportunity to decapitate them with precision. 

In fact, the behavior of these zombies, clearing away the corpses of their fallen comrades, only made the window a highly efficient zombie guillotine. 

Looking at the grim efficiency with which Erina dispatched the zombies, Li Ke couldn't help but wonder: So, how exactly did she end up being chased by just a few zombies before?

Watching this fierce display, Li Ke was utterly baffled. With her level of skill, forget zombies—even if he wanted to try something inappropriate, he doubted he'd even stand a chance. 

"How can someone with a frame like that possess such strength?" 

He glanced at her slender arms, puzzled. Still, there was no time to dwell on it. Another zombie approached, and he swung his axe again, cleaving its skull open. 

Thanks to Erina's relentless efforts at the window, Li Ke found his workload at the door manageable. Unfortunately, the zombies outside weren't polite enough to form an orderly line. They frantically pounded on the walls and circled the house, searching for alternative entry points. 

Suddenly, as Li Ke was about to drop another zombie, a skeletal arm—its bones exposed—smashed through the rotting wooden frame beside the door. Splinters flew everywhere as the decaying wood gave way, leaving the already battered door in an even more precarious state. 

Though it didn't fully collapse, it was a stark reminder of the house's fragility. Clearly, this flimsy wooden structure was unsuitable for use as a safe haven. If they were serious about survival, Li Ke thought, they'd need a fortress of steel and concrete. 

Then again... 

Watching the mindless zombies crashing against the house, he swung his axe again, splitting another zombie's skull. 

What if this world has zombies that can dig through concrete walls... or worse, those immune to gunfire?

Li Ke couldn't rule out the possibility. After all, this world still held many mysteries for him. The merchant's shop had firearms and ammunition for sale, suggesting that such tools weren't particularly rare. And if guns were readily available, it raised another question: 

Would the game really be this easy?

His skepticism lingered as he mechanically swung his axe. 

Finally, as another zombie fell to the ground, a notification appeared in his vision: 

Level Up!

However, there was no sudden surge of energy, no replenishment of stamina, no miraculous recovery from his fatigue or hunger. His body remained just as exhausted as before, making him question the utility of leveling up in this game. For now, he pushed the thought aside. 

When the last zombie collapsed to the ground, Li Ke and Erina both heaved sighs of relief. 

Li Ke's arms burned with fatigue, trembling from the exertion. Even gripping his axe felt like a challenge. On the other hand, Erina—though finally showing signs of weariness—was still in far better shape. 

"So, what now?" Li Ke asked, glancing at the pile of corpses. "Do we move to another spot, or take a breather here?" 

Erina, pale-faced, shook her head irritably. After taking a few deep breaths, her expression shifted as the stench of decaying flesh hit her full force. Her stomach churned, and she quickly waved a hand in front of her face before staggering toward the door. 

During the fight, the adrenaline had dulled her senses. Now, with the battle over, the reality of the situation hit her like a freight train. The carnage, the smell—everything was unbearable. 

Li Ke didn't like the house much either, but exhaustion made him reluctant to move. Still, seeing Erina's discomfort, he decided to follow her lead. 

The two walked toward a different exit when Erina suddenly froze mid-step. 

"What's wrong?" Li Ke asked, only to stop short himself when he saw it. 

The door in front of Erina slowly opened on its own, creaking eerily as it swung inward. 

"Oh? Did you unlock the system too?" 

Li Ke had suspected this might happen, but seeing Erina officially gain access to the system left him with mixed emotions. 

Relief? Yes. But also... a sense of loss. 

"Yeah, I got it... but is this real? Or am I hallucinating?" Erina asked, her expression a mixture of wonder and disbelief. She watched as the door opened and closed repeatedly, as if by some ghostly hand. 

"Well, it's what will keep us alive." 

Li Ke briefly considered ruffling her hair, but one look at his blood-covered hands made him think better of it. 

"Oh, right. Check your status screen to see if you have anything like 'Cured Infection.' You can bring it up in your mind by selecting 'B.'" 

Following his advice, Erina opened her status menu and carefully scanned the information. 

"Nope," she said after a moment. "Aside from a 'Treated Scratch,' hunger, and thirst, I don't have anything else." 

Li Ke's face twitched. "Wait... so you weren't infected?" 

He remembered her showing signs of a fever and immune response earlier. 

Does that mean... her immune system is stronger than mine?

The realization was somewhat frustrating but made sense. 

Erina had access to nutritious, well-balanced meals every day, tailored to perfection by herself or her secretary. Add in regular exercise and exposure to sunlight, and it was no wonder her body was in peak condition. 

Li Ke, on the other hand, practically lived off takeout, worked long hours at a desk, and rarely saw daylight. 

"Yeah... makes sense," he muttered bitterly. "I guess you won't have to deal with the same problems as me." 

Erina, confused by his tone, quickly caught up to him as he walked out the door. 

"Pervy old man, you think we'll ever make it back home?" she asked, tugging at his sleeve. Despite having just decapitated more than ten zombies, her hands were still clean and delicate—unlike his, which were coated in blood and grime. 

Li Ke grabbed a rag and wiped his hands absentmindedly. 

"I don't know. No one does. Whoever brought us here hasn't exactly explained their intentions. Maybe it's just a trial, and we'll leave this world once we clear it. Or maybe... we'll be stuck here forever." 

He paused and glanced at her. "Also, what's with calling me a 'pervy old man'? I'm not even old enough for that title!" 

Erina stuck out her tongue playfully, only to immediately retract it as the stench in the air made her gag. 

"Well, you're definitely a pervert! Stripping me was bad enough, but groping that scary merchant's chest?!" 

Her cheeks flushed as she recalled the scene, anger flaring in her eyes. 

Li Ke looked bewildered. "Wait, you're still mad about that?" 

Erina didn't respond. In truth, she wasn't entirely sure why it bothered her so much.