2026-09-24 22:45:15Jax stared at the floating blue screen in shock. One thousand energy points was a massive amount. That single broken lamp lying on the sidewalk was worth more than a whole mountain of store supplies.
Outside, the two ghouls opened their wide jaws, ready to bite down on the collapsed girl.
Jax knew he had to act fast. He couldn't let those monsters destroy the lamp or kill the girl. He tapped the glowing system screen in front of him, looking for a way to step outside without getting eaten.
A small option popped up near the bottom of the display.
[Temporary Shield Activated: Allows the Host to step outside the sanctuary for 10 seconds. Invulnerability active.]
"Ten seconds," Jax whispered to himself. "That is more than enough time."
Jax took a deep breath, kicked the glass door open, and dashed outside into the cold night.
The moment his feet hit the pavement, the two ghouls turned their yellow eyes toward him. They let out angry growls and lunged forward with their black claws aimed straight for his head.
Jax didn't even flinch.
When the claws hit Jax’s chest, a bright golden bubble flared up around his body. The claws snapped uselessly against the bubble, sending a shockwave that pushed the two monsters back a few inches. Jax didn't feel a single bit of pain.
Without wasting a single second, Jax grabbed the dirty stone lamp with his left hand. With his right arm, he scooped up the young girl named Mia, pulling her thin body over his shoulder like a sack of rice.
"Get back here!" Jax gritted his teeth, spinning around on his heels.
He leaped backward through the store entrance just as the two ghouls charged again. Jax crossed the line, slammed the heavy glass door shut, and locked the deadbolt tight.
BANG!
The two monsters crashed hard against the outside of the golden barrier, bouncing right off into the street like rubber balls.
[Safe Zone Re-sealed.]
[Temporary Shield Spent.]
Jax collapsed onto the clean floor tiles inside the store, catching his breath. He dumped Mia gently onto a soft pile of cardboard boxes near the counter. She was out cold, her face pale, but her heart was still beating steadily.
Jax looked down at his left hand. He was still holding the old dirty object. Now that it was inside the bright store light, he could see that the dirt was falling off. It wasn't a lamp at all. It was an ancient bronze dagger, wrapped in a thick layer of dusty red cloth. The metal handle was covered in faint glowing runes that pulsated with a soft green light.
The system screen flashed wildly with bright gold letters.
[Primordial Artifact Detected!]
[Item: Ancient Spirit Bronze Dagger]
[Do you wish to absorb this artifact into the Sanctuary System?]
[Yes / No]
Jax didn't hesitate. "Absorb it!"
The ancient bronze dagger turned into a bright ball of green light. The light dissolved right into Jax's chest, filling his entire body with a strange, rushing heat.
Jax gasped as his muscles twitched. He felt his arms get thicker, his legs get stronger, and his lungs expand with pure power. The exhaustion from running outside vanished completely. His body felt lighter, faster, and much more powerful than ever before.
Floating text filled his sight.
[Artifact Absorbed Successfully!]
[Rewards Received:]
[1. Host Physical Upgrade: Strength, Speed, and Endurance increased by 200%.]
[2. Energy Points Earned: 1,000 Points.]
[3. Sanctuary Level Up: Purification Counter Unlocked!]
Jax looked over at the cashier desk. A glowing silver counter had appeared right next to the register. The system gave a quick explanation inside his mind. Any infected person placed on this counter would have the zombie virus completely washed away from their blood, turning them back into a normal human.
Jax walked over to Mia, picked her up, and set her down on top of the glowing silver counter.
A gentle wave of soft white light washed over her body. The black blood on her face vanished, the scrapes on her legs closed up, and the dark purple veins on her arms melted away like ice in boiling water.
A few seconds later, Mia opened her eyes. She took a deep breath and sat up fast, looking around the bright store in complete shock.
"Where... where am I?" Mia gasped, her voice trembling. "The monsters... they were right behind me..."
"You're safe," Jax said, stepping forward with a cool bottle of water. "You're inside my store. Nothing outside can touch you here."
Mia took the water bottle with shaking hands, drinking half of it in one gulp. She looked at Jax with wide, grateful eyes, tears slipping down her clean cheeks.
"Thank you," she sobbed. "I thought I was going to die. My family hid that bronze dagger for generations, but those monsters took everyone else..."
She suddenly stopped talking, her face turning dead pale as she grabbed Jax’s sleeve.
"You have to be careful," Mia whispered in pure terror. "I ran from the center of the city. Something terrible is happening. The small ghouls are not the real danger. They are coming this way."
Jax narrowed his eyes. "Who is coming?"
"The Alpha Beasts," Mia choked out, her voice filled with deep fear. "They are giant mutated creatures that command the herds. I saw a huge one moving through the underground pipes, heading directly toward this district. It's hunting for food!"
Before Jax could ask another question, the glass bottles on the store shelves began to rattle loudly against each other.
Rumble! Rumble!
The tiled floor beneath Jax’s boots vibrated heavily, making him lose his balance for a second. Outside the front entrance, right in the middle of the street, the heavy iron sewer grate began to shake violently.
A deep, bone-chilling growl echoed out from deep underground, so loud that it rattled the glass frame of the store barrier.
The floor beneath the store suddenly vibrates heavily as a massive, low growl echoes from the sewer grate right in front of the shop.
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Chapter 11: The Ex-Fiancée’s Begging
Jax stood behind the glass door, looking at Chloe with cold, unfeeling eyes. He did not say a word, just watching her press her dirty hands against the sparkling window.Chloe’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at Jax. He looked taller, stronger, and completely healthy. His skin was clean, his hair was neat, and he was standing inside a warm room filled with rows of bottled water, hot noodles, and fresh snacks."Jax!" Chloe screamed through the glass, her voice shaking with desperate emotion. "Oh my god, Jax, it really is you! You survived! I knew you were strong!"She turned to the six tired refugees standing behind her, a proud, fake smile spreading across her muddy face."Look, everyone!" Chloe shouted happily, pointing at Jax with her trembling finger. "I told you we would find help! This is Jax, my former fiancé! He loves me so much he would do anything for me! We are saved!"The starving refugees let out weak sighs of relief. Some of them collapsed onto their knees on the cold
Chapter 10: Expanding the Empire
Jax looked at the glowing purple screen hovering in front of his eyes. Five hundred energy points was a cheap price to pay for doubling the size of his sanctuary. He tapped the yes button without a single second of hesitation."Expand domain now," Jax ordered softly.A wave of golden light rushed out from the cashier counter, spreading across the floor like water. It shot straight through the right side wall of the shop, passing right through the concrete like it was thin paper.A loud, deep hum echoed through the building. The dark wall separating the convenience store from the old, abandoned bakery next door suddenly began to melt away. The heavy bricks turned into shimmering dust, leaving behind a wide, beautiful arched opening that connected the two shops into one giant sanctuary.The golden barrier outside stretched instantly, wrapping around the entire bakery front. The dusty bakery space lit up with bright white lights, and the broken glass windows on that side sealed up, turni
Chapter 9: Unshakable Sanctuary
A loud WHOOSH echoed through the night as the rocket shot out of the heavy metal tube. A trail of white smoke followed the missile as it zoomed down from the rooftop, heading straight for the store's glass front display window.Mia screamed, diving behind the wooden checkout counter and covering her head with both hands.Jax did not flinch. He stood right behind the glass door, watching the explosive green rocket fly closer and closer.BOOM!A massive fireball erupted right in front of Jax’s eyes. The force of the explosion shook the surrounding buildings, filling the entire street with thick black smoke and flying debris. The noise was so loud it sounded like the sky was splitting open.Up on the roof, Captain Vance threw his head back and laughed wildly."That is what you get, you little fool!" Vance shouted, waving the thick smoke away with his gloved hand. "Nobody mocks Captain Vance and lives! Now let us go down there and collect our food!"His four guards cheered, stepping towar
Chapter 8: The Rooftop Threat
The bright red laser dot stayed locked directly on Jax’s chest. The air grew cold and quiet as the gunman on the dark roof five stories up adjusted his grip on the heavy rifle.Jax stood right at the edge of the store entrance. His mind raced, but he kept his body still. He knew that one wrong move outside the barrier could mean a bullet through his heart, but as long as he took one step back, he would be completely untouchable.Jax took a slow step backward, crossing the shimmering line into his safe zone. The moment his boots touched the clean store tiles, a sense of absolute calm washed over him."Don't move a single inch, boy!" a loud, rough voice boomed down from the rooftop across the street.A man stepped out from the dark shadows of the roof, standing right near the edge. He wore a dark green tactical vest, heavy combat boots, and black gloves. Behind him stood four other armed men carrying assault rifles. They were ex-security guards who used to guard the private bank down th
Chapter 7: The Instant Noodle Miracle
The bright red warning screen blinked out of control, painting the dim shop in a blood-colored light. The loud alarm chimed again and again inside Jax’s head.[Energy Reserve: 12%][Energy Reserve: 10%]"Jax! The light is fading!" Mia shouted, pointing at the front glass window with a trembling finger.The golden barrier had turned into a paper-thin film, flickering like a dying candle. Outside, the large scaled monster was lying in a pool of its own green acidic blood, but it was not dead yet. The creature roared in wild rage, dragging its heavy body along the concrete, heading straight for the front door to crush them before it died.Jax ran his eyes over the control screen, searching for any solution. He had no more energy points to create another spike bomb. He needed to finish this beast himself, right now, before the shield died completely and left them helpless.His gaze locked onto a shelf behind the register. Sitting on the middle rack was a simple red paper cup.Jax remember
Chapter 6: The Burrowing Mutation
The ground shook even harder as concrete cracks spread across the street outside. Mia let out a small scream, dropping her water bottle as she held onto the edge of the silver counter.Jax grabbed the heavy wooden frame of the checkout desk to steady himself. He kept his eyes locked onto the iron sewer grate sitting twenty feet away from the store entrance.With a deafening crash, the heavy metal grate burst straight up into the air, flying high before smashing down on top of a parked car.A massive creature crawled slowly out of the dark hole. It was three times the size of a normal man, covered in dark, stone-like scales that glistened with wet slime. Instead of eyes, the front of its head had four long, twitching feelers. Its fingers ended in long, curved digging claws that tore up the asphalt like paper.Ordinary ghouls standing near the street backed away in fear, whimpering like scared dogs. The massive beast did not even glance at them. It turned its long, ugly head straight to
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