My Sniper System in a Zombie Apocalypse World-Chapter 64: Enough for Tomorrow

Hours passed, and before darkness fell, Jaxon told the others he would go out alone to roam the streets. He needed to hunt an infected, enough to smear their blood on themselves, after all, they still needed to stay hidden.

"Wait here. I’ll be back as soon as I can," Jaxon said, turning to face them.

Elaine and the students watched him closely, their eyes heavy with worry. It wasn’t just concern for his safety, they feared he might leave them behind.

"You’ll come back, right?" Hae-in asked hesitantly, her voice quiet, searching for reassurance.

"Don’t you trust my words?" Jaxon replied, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I..."

"I’m kidding," he interrupted with a small grin. "I’ll come back. No matter what. I promise. Is that enough?"

Hae-in nodded slowly. "Mm... be careful out there, Jaxon."

"Prioritize your safety," Elaine said, her voice steady though her eyes betrayed concern. "Even if you don’t find one, come back before it gets dark." Their eyes met briefly, and Jaxon nodded.

Without another word, he slung his rifle over his shoulder, picked up a water bottle and a small bag they’d found in the hotel, and stepped out into the streets. While the infected’s blood was necessary for camouflage, he also had other plans, things he needed to take care of before they left this city behind.

Jaxon stopped at an empty lot, the ground rough and dusty.

He knelt and twisted the cap off a bottle, pouring the water onto the dirt. He rubbed it with his hands until it turned thick and dark. Without hesitation, he smeared the mud across his arms, then his neck, then his face. Every patch of exposed skin was covered, blending with the earth and the worn clothes on his body.

Alone now, he could fully put into practice what Elena had taught him.

With his new appearance, he could blend with the dirt or trees if needed. Most of the infected in the city stayed inside the buildings, so why not stay outside and hide if he ran into them? The thought ran through his mind, cautious but worth a try.

He finished, then shifted from the corner, moving slowly along the quiet streets. He stayed low, stepping carefully over cracked asphalt and debris. Broken cars and scattered rubble littered the roads. The city was eerily silent as always.

Suddenly, he froze. Jaxon quickly dropped to the ground, pressing his body flat against the dirt, every sense alert.

From the tight corner ahead, between two crumbling buildings, a bald infected stood motionless. Suddenly, its jaws twitched, sniffing the air as if it had sensed something.

Jaxon crouched low, rifle ready, but didn’t fire immediately. He observed, studying the creature carefully. ’Seriously... why are the infected here different from the ones back in our city?’

He didn’t linger too long. The creature seemed to sense his presence the longer he stared. With a steady aim, he pulled the trigger. The bullet tore through its skull, and the creature collapsed to the dirt, headless.

His immediate goal was complete, but he had something more important in mind. He left the body behind, planning to retrieve it later, and continued moving cautiously.

After winding through the empty streets for what felt like hours, he finally spotted what he was looking for: a convenience store. The faded sign read Six-Seeeven.

Jaxon stopped just outside. He lowered his rifle slightly but kept his eyes scanning every corner. No groans, no shuffling footsteps, and no shadows moving across the glass.

He waited another full minute before finally stepping inside.

The lights above the empty aisles hummed softly. Shelves stood half-full, untouched. Jaxon frowned. Usually, places like this would be emptied in a rush. The fact that it wasn’t meant one of two things: either there were no survivors nearby, or they couldn’t leave to gather supplies.

He exhaled slowly. There was something more important to focus on now.

The time had come. ’Apocalypse Fundamentals, Section 1: Supply Hoarding.’

He didn’t waste a second.

Jaxon moved down the aisles, sweeping items into a basket. Cup noodles first, light, easy to cook, and good for morale. Then biscuits and crackers, chips, chocolate bars, energy bars. Anything packed, sealed, and ready to eat went in. He grabbed canned goods wherever he could find them, stacking bottles of energy drinks neatly beside them.

Calories mattered now. Taste came second.

As he worked, his mind drifted to his storage space.

He had tested it earlier in the hotel, pouring boiling water into a metal flask and storing it inside. Hours later, he retrieved it, and the water was still as hot as the moment he put it in. No heat lost; no time passed. A truly magical space. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

’I wonder if leveling up will unlock more abilities,’ he thought, a spark of anticipation stirring in his chest.

Next was the medicine aisle.

Painkillers, fever reducers, cold medicine. Anything that could stop an infection from turning fatal. He cleared the first-aid rack: alcohol, gauze, bandages, tape, antiseptic cream, masks, and gloves. Nothing would be left behind.

Hygiene came next.

Soap, wet wipes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, tissue packs, toilet paper. And, of course, feminine pads, since there were so many women in his group now.

At the counter, he found utility supplies.

Flashlights, batteries of every size, power banks still sealed in plastic, charging cables, lighters, and matchboxes. He tested the weight in his hands, then decided: take them all.

With the baskets full, he moved to the back storage area.

Jaxon worked fast but carefully. He packed everything into boxes, stacking items tight, pressing air out wherever he could. Noodles laid flat. Snacks slid into gaps. Medicines grouped, wrapped, and organized. Every inch of space mattered. He rearranged boxes again and again until there was no wasted room.

By the time he finished, sweat clung to his neck. He had stayed here far too long. It was time to go back.

He stepped back, surveying the neatly stacked boxes before storing everything in his three-cubic-meter storage space. It was packed perfectly, enough to keep a small group alive for months, if they were careful.

Jaxon nodded once. "This will do," he muttered, a small grin spreading across his face.