"Welcome to Death Town. I'll be leading you through your survival journey."
"In six hours, you will be transported to Nevernight City."
"New mission: Head to Nevernight City and locate the Priest Gene Serum. Only those who find the Priest Gene Serum will be allowed back into Death Town."
"The first three survivors to return will receive special rewards."
"To return to Death Town after completing the mission, simply say the word 'Return' in your mind."
"Anyone who remains in Death Town five minutes after the mission begins will be eliminated."
The moment Death Town separated from the real world, that mysterious voice rang out again.
As soon as the voice faded, the tavern burst into noise. Confusion filled the room.
Nevernight City? No one had ever heard of such a place. Was it a code name? A forgotten city?
"Everyone, quiet down…" A man in a suit stepped forward and raised his voice. "Let's think about this logically. The sudden apocalypse is clearly beyond natural explanation. Isn't this entire town already something beyond human comprehension?"
Gradually, people began to calm down. Everything that had happened so far already defied common sense. If the impossible could happen once, why not again?
The suited man continued, "If we want to survive, we have no choice but to follow what that voice said…"
Someone interrupted angrily, "You're telling us to leave the town and search for some goddamn serum? What if Nevernight City is swarming with zombies? Hell no, I'm staying right here."
"I suggest you don't," said the guy in athletic gear who had seen the gangster get killed earlier. "If you stay here past the timer, this town will kill you. Don't believe me? Feel free to try."
The man in the suit said seriously, "That's why we have to stick together. If we pool our strength, we'll complete the mission. Zombies aren't invincible. We're still alive, aren't we?"
His words were oddly persuasive. Many people nodded, moved by his tone.
The suited man pressed on, "Now, I hope everyone can bring out what they have—food, water, weapons. We'll share everything. No one can survive this on their own. Helping others is helping yourself."
Some were hesitant, but a few were convinced. Once someone offered up supplies, others followed. Human nature leaned toward conformity. After all, we're social creatures.
Kevin, however, didn't move. He wasn't interested in joining the crowd. He knew better.
The man in the suit walked over with a friendly smile. "Hey, buddy—"
"Get lost." Kevin cut him off coldly before he could finish. "Don't mess with me."
The suited man froze awkwardly. Seeing Kevin close his eyes and ignore him completely, he gave up and walked away.
Other people glared at Kevin. In their minds, he was just being selfish—hoarding food and weapons.
But Kevin only sneered inwardly. These fools would soon realize that in a collapsed world, everyone was an enemy.
He had seen it before: people turning on their teammates for a single weapon… or even a piece of bread. Once, a man had shot his wife in the head just to keep a meal for himself.
And Kevin? He'd lived through it all. If he could trust anyone, he wouldn't be back in this timeline.
Trust? Teams? What a joke.
Let's see how all these idiots die later, he thought with a silent scoff. In this world, the only one you can count on is yourself.
Because this was the apocalypse.
After Death Town vanished into the void, something else happened.
The voice returned, announcing that the tavern would now remain open for one hour.
Unlike in the real world, Death Town's tavern was unique—it could only be accessed while the town was in the void.
Kevin's eyes lit up like stars.
Others looked equally excited. The tavern would have food. Many of them were starving.
Money? Not a big deal. Sure, they regretted not bringing suitcases full of cash, but who doesn't carry at least some money?
But once they walked inside, they were stunned.
Normal money didn't work here.
Death Town had its currency: Bone Coins, each stamped with a skull. In Kevin's last life, everyone called them Bones.
There were copper, silver, and gold Bones—ranging from 1 to 1000. The metal determined the tier of goods available. Copper got you basic items, while gold bought the rare stuff.
And yes, they were exchangeable—1,000 copper for 1 silver, 1,000 silver for 1 gold.
The real problem? No one knew how to get Bone Coins.
USD, euros, pounds—none of it could be exchanged.
No Bones, no food.
Kevin snorted. Idiots. The tavern wasn't just for eating. They hadn't realized its true value yet. But soon… they would.
He slipped into a quiet corner.
The tavern had three sections. First was the dining hall. Second, a small bar run by a voluptuous blonde woman in a red dress—she was the bar owner.
Everyone was focused on food. Alcohol wasn't a necessity, and nobody cared.
But the bar sold more than booze—it was where you could trade items.
Kevin stepped up to the counter. "I want to view my stats."
The woman glanced at him and waved her hand in front of his face.
Kevin (Human?) (Male, Age 23)
Level: Unranked
Privilege: Death Town Tavern Entry — Zone 7
Class: None
Strength: 66
Stamina: 75
Agility: 75
Mental Power: 71
Bone Coins: 0
Weapons: Recurve Bow (22 arrows), Standard Knife
Gear: Anti-stab Vest, Tactical Gloves, Tactical Belt
Items: None
Skills: None
Storage Slots (22): Empty
After her hand passed, several lines of data appeared before his eyes. This was the tavern's only free service—checking your status.
"As expected, totally average," Kevin muttered. "But this question mark… Maybe rebirth gave me something extra."
He placed a beginner energy crystal on the bar. "How much can I get for this?"
The bar owner's cool face lit up. She smiled. "Thirty copper Bones."
Kevin shook his head. "That's probably the first one of its kind here. I'm likely the only one who can trade it. Be generous—fifty."
She thought for a moment. "Forty. Final offer."
"Deal. Also, show me the skill list. I want something that boosts ability."
She nodded, took the crystal, and placed a new menu in front of him—not for drinks, but for skills.
Basic Combat: 15 copper Bones
Basic Marksmanship: 15
Basic Judo: 15
Basic Jeet Kune Do: 15
Basic Piano Mastery: 15
…
It listed countless skills—most survival-focused, but a few bizarre ones like piano and painting. Kevin rolled his eyes. Who the hell would buy those?
In his last life, he chose Basic Archery and then trained it to the master level.
But this time, he skipped it. With muscle memory from his past life, he was already better than basic level.
Instead, he looked at Basic Combat and Basic Jeet Kune Do. MMA—Mixed Martial Arts—was a real-world system combining boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai, and more. It was brutally effective.
"I'll take Basic Combat." He pointed to it, then placed a bottle on the counter containing brain tissue. "And I want one body-enhancement potion. Use the rest of the money for materials."
The bar owner smiled. "The leftover's enough for materials. But what about the crafting fee?"
Kevin frowned. "How much?"
"Sixty copper Bones," she said. "No discounts."
Kevin bit his lip. The brain matter was just the base. Without ingredients and the fee, it couldn't be made. But he didn't have enough for both.
"I can let you buy on credit," she said suddenly.
Kevin's eyes widened.
He was thrilled—then quickly composed himself. "What do you want in return?"
There was no such thing as a free lunch.
"I know you're heading out for the Priest Gene Serum," she said. "I want one."
Kevin muttered, "So I'll need… three. One for the mission, one for myself, and one for you."
That just made things harder.