The last days：Domination

The hospital was deathly silent, its sterile, dimly lit hallways stretching endlessly ahead. Adam and Monica had been moving for hours, their footsteps the only sounds in the vast emptiness. It was the kind of silence that gnawed at the nerves, that made you feel like you were being watched from the shadows. Adam didn't like it. In the chaos of the apocalypse, silence was rarely a good thing.
Their target was simple: the high-level zombie crystal cores that were rumored to be in this facility. The kind of power that could upgrade Adam's abilities. A step closer to gaining control of this broken world. But even as they moved forward, Adam couldn't shake the feeling that someone—or something—was watching them.
"How much farther?" Monica's soft voice cut through the tension. Her eyes flicked around, scanning the dark corridors. It was evident that she was uneasy, but she was doing a better job of hiding it than most people would have been able to.
亚当停了下来.他本能地举起手,示意她也停下来.他们靠近通往上层的楼梯.从这里,他能感觉到空气的变化——一种奇怪的,几乎是可触及的压力.它很微妙,但它就在那里.出了点问题.
"我不知道,"他说,他的声音几乎是耳语."但我不喜欢它."
莫妮卡眯起了眼睛.她伸手拿起她的武器-一把她从之前的遭遇中搜刮来的临时刀-然后向他靠近了一步."你觉得是另一个幸存者吗?"
亚当没有立即回应.他不能肯定.他只知道这个地方感觉不对劲.他们并不孤单.
他慢慢地开始前进,每一步都经过测量,他的感官处于高度警觉状态.莫妮卡默默地跟在后面,她的脚步轻盈而安静,就像她在世界崩溃的混乱中学会了成为的影子.
当他们绕过一个拐角时,Adam 发现了动静——走廊尽头有什么东西在闪烁.它很快,几乎难以察觉,但它就在那里.肯定有人——或什么东西——在那里.亚当示意莫妮卡留在他身后.他的手紧紧握住了砍刀的手柄,握在手中的重量令人欣慰.
他们一言不发,朝着动静的方向走去,他们的脚步几乎是无声的.每一种感官都被高度增强,每一根神经都处于紧张状态.Adam的呼吸很浅,他的脑海里在想着各种可能的情景.会不会是另一名幸存者?或者更糟糕的是——它会是一个陷阱吗?
走廊通向一个更大的房间,门口站着一个男人——高大,憔悴,穿着一件粗犷的皮夹克,脸上挂着轻松的笑容,但眼里还挂着轻松的笑容.男人的脸上饱经风霜,仿佛经历了无数次的战斗,眼神锐利,精打细算.他似乎对看到他们并不感到惊讶.
"嗯,嗯,"他说,他的声音流畅而充满乐趣."我没想到在这里还能找到其他活着的人.我还以为我是唯一一个在寻找水晶核心的人呢.
Adam的心跳加快了一拍.他本能地向前迈出一步,将自己稍微置于莫妮卡和陌生人之间.他的手一直放在他的武器上.这个人身上有些不对劲——他说话的方式,他的眼睛从来没有离开过亚当.这不仅仅是好奇心.那是一种掠夺性的目光.
"你也在寻找水晶核心吗?"亚当问道,他的声音很平和,没有透露出一丝他的不安.他不确定这个人是谁,但亚当很久以前就知道,在荒原上,每个人都有一个议程.有些人比其他人更微妙.
男人的笑容扩大了,他进一步走进了房间,显然对Adam的防御姿态并不在意."打猎,是的.但我更愿意称之为投资机会.世界是一个破碎的地方,我的朋友.一个只有最强者才能生存的地方.还有你?如果您打算度过难关,您将需要所有能获得的力量.那么怎么样呢?我们互相帮助.
Adam眯起了眼睛.他不信任这个人.他说话的方式有些不对劲——太圆滑了,太排练了.
"互相帮助?"亚当怀疑地重复道."那对你有什么好处?"
男人的笑容停顿了一会儿,但随后又回来了,这一次更加掠夺性."公平的交换.你有我想要的东西——我在任何地方都找不到的东西.我有你可能需要的东西.信息,资源,访问你甚至不知道存在的地方.
Adam's gaze hardened. "I'm not interested in your games."
The man's smile didn't fade. If anything, it grew more intense, more calculating. "I'm not playing a game, friend. I'm offering you a way to survive. You think you can just go hunting for crystal cores in a hospital like this and not draw attention? You'll be dead before you even get close to the good stuff. I can show you where it is. I can tell you how to get it, and how to get out. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. That's how it works out here."
Adam's mind raced. This was a man who clearly had information—and not just about the crystal cores. He knew things about this hospital, about the world outside, things that Adam didn't. But trust was a fragile thing in this new world. One wrong move and it could cost him everything.
"I don't need you," Adam said, his voice low, but firm. "I've made it this far without you. And I can take care of myself."
Mark seemed undeterred, his smile widening as he stepped closer, the distance between them closing with each passing moment. "Maybe. But trust me, you're going to need help soon. Out there, it's every man for himself. And if you think you can just wander around here, taking what you want, you're making a mistake. There are people who'll take you down for that crystal in your pocket. I'm offering you an ally. Something you won't get by fighting everyone off one by one."
Adam felt a shift in the atmosphere, something subtle but powerful. Mark wasn't just trying to trade information. He was trying to manipulate Adam into a corner, trying to make him feel like he had no choice. But Adam wasn't some weak-willed survivor. He had come too far to be played by someone like Mark.
"I don't need you," Adam repeated, this time more forcefully.
Mark's expression hardened for the first time, the façade of calm slipping slightly. "You'll regret that decision," he said, his tone turning colder, more threatening. "You think you're the only one who wants these crystal cores? There are people far worse than me out there. People who won't hesitate to kill you for what you've got. People who know this place better than you do. I'm trying to give you a chance to make it out alive. Don't waste it."
Adam's hand tightened on his machete, the weight of the weapon grounding him. He could feel the tension building between them, but he wasn't going to let Mark intimidate him. The man wasn't offering help—he was making a threat, trying to scare Adam into submission.
"You think I'm afraid of you?" Adam said, his voice deadly calm.
For a moment, there was silence, the air thick with unspoken words. Then Mark slowly took a step back, his smile returning, but it was a little more strained now, as if he had realized something had shifted in the dynamic.
"I don't think you're afraid of me," Mark said with a chuckle. "But you're smart. You know you're not going to make it on your own. Everyone needs help eventually. Even you."
Adam didn't respond. He just nodded, his gaze never leaving Mark's eyes. It was clear that Mark wasn't going to leave, but Adam also wasn't going to let him get the upper hand.
"Stay out of my way," Adam said, his voice cold and final.
Mark's smile faltered for just a second before he turned and began to walk away, his footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent hallway. "We'll see about that," he called over his shoulder.
Adam didn't watch him leave. Instead, he turned to Monica, who had remained quiet throughout the exchange.
"Let's keep moving," Adam said quietly.
Monica nodded, her expression unreadable. She had seen enough to know that there was more to this world than just survival. There were players in the game—dangerous, calculating people who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. Adam didn't trust Mark, but he knew better than to underestimate him.
As they moved forward, the sounds of Mark's footsteps faded into the distance, but Adam couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter was far from over. In the end, this wasn't just about the crystal cores—it was about power, manipulation, and survival.
And Adam wasn't sure how much longer he could play this game.