Apocalypse Supermarket: I Exchange Noodles for Artifacts

Chapter 5: Acquiring the First Artifact

Jax 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.