Investing in My Harem in the Apocalypse Makes Me Stronger
Chapter 27: Leaving the University

Chapter 27: Leaving the University

The gate was far larger than the smaller entrances connecting the university to nearby residential roads.

Two reinforced metal barriers stood open.

A guard station occupied one side, while a wide road extended beyond the campus walls.

Abandoned cars covered part of the intersection outside.

A bus had stopped diagonally near the middle and blocked one lane.

Nathan walked closer to the gate and studied the road.

The others waited behind him.

A faint current of green wind energy moved around his clothes.

After several seconds, Nathan lowered his bow.

"I don’t sense any major danger nearby."

He pointed farther down the main road and continued, "There are several mutated zombies around Level 20, but none of them are close to the gate."

"What do we do now?" Nathan looked at Cain.

Cain looked beyond the campus and noticed that the city outside was unnaturally quiet.

Broken storefront windows lined the street.

Vehicles had collided near the intersection, leaving twisted metal and shattered glass across the road.

Several zombies wandered between them.

Farther away, a column of smoke rose behind a row of buildings.

Cain rested one hand on his sword as he replied, "We continue with the plan."

He looked toward Nathan.

"Focus on finding high-level targets while we clear a usable route."

Cain then removed the sword from his waist and threw it toward Ron.

Ron barely caught the sheath against his chest.

"What are you doing?"

"Use it." Cain extended his hand and said, "Give me the dagger."

Ron stared at the sword.

"You’re finally giving me a proper weapon?"

"I don’t want you haunting me after you die and claiming it happened because I left you with a kitchen-sized knife."

Ron pulled the dagger from his waist and tossed it over.

"You finally have some conscience, huh?"

Cain caught it.

Ron unsheathed the sword by several centimeters before sneering, "Just don’t haunt my ass if you die from this decision."

Cain ignored him as he looked toward the other members.

"If anyone gets injured, come to me. I have a simple healing skill that can help as long as the injuries aren’t serious"

Before Ron could start interrogating him, he quickly waved his hand and asked Nathan to continue the journey.

Nathan did not pay attention to their conversation as his gaze remained fixed on the street ahead.

The group passed through the gate and entered the city road.

There were far more zombies outside the university, but most wandered without purpose.

The distance between them prevented the infected from gathering into a single horde, so Cain’s team ignored the weaker ones.

Any zombie that blocked their path was killed immediately.

Nathan handled those quickly. His arrows entered their heads from a distance, often before the creatures noticed the group.

Ron retrieved every arrow after the surrounding area became safe.

The task annoyed him almost immediately.

He returned from the fifth corpse with several blood-covered arrows held between his fingers.

"I understand why you brought me."

Cain did not look back as he replied, "Definitely because you’re useful."

"Useful as in becoming the arrow boy?"

"Well, you’re the fastest arrow boy."

"That doesn’t make it better!"

Nathan retrieved another arrow from his quiver.

Ron pointed at him and shouted, "Don’t you dare shoot that far."

Nathan released the bowstring. The arrow crossed the road and struck a Level 15 zombie near a pharmacy entrance.

Ron stared at the distance.

"You did that on purpose."

Nathan’s expression remained calm.

"We need the experience."

"You need experience. I need a better life."

Cain chuckled, "Stop complaining, I’ll give you a reward later."

"That promise better be worth it."

They continued west.

The road gradually widened near a commercial area.

A mutated zombie stood ahead.

Its body exceeded two meters in height, and its shoulders had expanded until the remains of its shirt hung from its arms.

Thick bones protruded beneath its skin around the chest.

[Mutated Zombie | Level 24]

Nathan immediately moved, green wind energy gathered around his feet as he used his (Windstep) skill.

His body surged forward.

The short burst carried him past an abandoned car and reduced the distance between him and the zombie before it could react.

Nathan raised the bow.

Compressed Wind energy wrapped around the arrowhead as he used his (Piercing Gale Arrow) skill.

The bowstring snapped forward.

Unfortunately, the arrow struck the zombie’s raised forearm.

Its reinforced flesh stopped the point from reaching the bone, but the impact forced the arm against its face.

Nathan immediately fired a Curving Shot toward the zombie’s left side.

The creature twisted its upper body, allowing the shot to pass its ribs.

Nathan’s fingers moved again and a second Curving Shot left the bow.

The zombie tried to step aside, but the arrow changed direction in midair.

A controlled current bent its path and drove the metal tip into the joint behind the zombie’s knee, causing its leg to buckle.

The mutated creature stumbled.

Nathan reached toward the arrows secured at his waist.

He drew and released without pausing as he used his (Rapid Volley) skill.

The first arrow pierced the zombie’s cheek, another entered the side of its skull.

The remaining shots struck around the same area before the creature could raise its arms again.

All five penetrated its head.

The mutated zombie fell forward, its huge body struck the road with a heavy thud.

Nathan approached carefully.

After confirming the kill, he placed one foot against the corpse’s shoulder and pulled out the arrows lodged inside its skull.

Cain raised an eyebrow.

His actual combat ability stood far above most people in the auditorium.

’He’s probably the strongest one after me.’

A blue glow appeared beside the mutated zombie.

"An orb," Jack said.

Nathan picked it up and inspected it.

[Blue Orb: Contains one random Rare-rank item.]

Nathan immediately crushed it, as they had agreed to open the loot right away to increase their strength as much as possible by allocating the loot depending on the items and circumstances.

Blue light gathered in his hand.