Mutagen

"Damn! Why is it the neck again?!"

Mark lamented as the shot missed his intended target. Still, he managed to do what he needed to do anyway. Furthermore, the stray slugs from the shot flew off passed through the zombie riddling the other zombies behind with holes.

He did not have any actual experience or training in using guns prior to this event and the things he knew are knowledge that he picked up in the internet and video games. Since that was the case, he was not that confident with his arm strength to endure the recoil. Mark aimed the gun a bit lower so as the recoil kicked in and raised the barrel due to the force behind the shot, he would still be able to land the shot on the head of the zombie.

However, it went differently from what he thought. The recoil was weaker than he thought and maybe, he braced for the recoil too much that the recoil became restricted. It looked like his arm was not that weak after all.

The three men who was quite a distance away already stopped when they heard the gunshot, they looked at Mark in awe. Though, the scene of him who stood in front of a headless bleeding corpse was quite unsettling.

Then, they saw him retreat towards them quickly so they also continued running away.

Mark did not dare linger any longer and shot off towards the three. The zombies already the third floor in the east wing. From his position, he could also see survivors screaming as they climbed up the escalators and stairs in the central area.

As the three men were pushing heavy carts of food, Mark easily managed to catch up to them quickly. They arrived near by the central area and saw what the situation was.

People from the lower floors who managed to survive came flocking up to this floor like a deranged swarm of rats. They were screaming and pushing each other while some could not help but fall down from being pushed aside. Some of the survivors who wore light colored clothes were particularly eye-catching as they escaped clutching their pained bodies riddled with dirty shoe prints.

Still, the numbers were considerably lower compared to the number of people Mark saw running away to escape to the lower floors. It was easy to speculate what happened to those who did not make it here.

The people that never left the confines of the third floor tried their best to direct the people but there were only few of the panicked survivors paid attention to them. Most of them did not even try to listen as they scattered like flies trying to find refuge on their own.

The woman who Mark tried to approach earlier was the most proactive in helping the survivors who were carrying children and was pointing towards the TechZone.

It was then that a fat man who had unruly and cunning face appeared. He was perspiring and panting heavily as he ran in panic and even knocked down the woman.

"Get out of the way!"

The fat man shouted and continued running after leaving a few curses. Behind him, a man with burly stature wearing a suit and sunglasses followed.

Seeing how these idiots run around like mice being chased away from their nests, Mark frowned.

"AHHHHH!!! HELP ME!!!"

The man who was the last to climb the escalator screamed as a zombie managed to catch up to him. He saw caught and dragged from behind down the escalator. His scream did not last long and became muffled as he fell down the escalator while struggling to free himself. Together with the zombie that caught him and the ones following behind, they all fell down like dominos.

This might be a depressing sight but it could only be said that the person was unfortunate as he met his end before anyone could even react to help him. Though by the looks of it, no one really bothered to help as everyone who was around him before were frantically trying to escape.

Still, the man's death brought more time for the people on the floor.

As Mark and the three men reached the central area, several more screams sounded coming from the western wing of the third floor.

Everyone stopped as they saw about a dozen people running away from that direction and behind them, there are several fast zombies running after them.

The survivors who just reached the floor grimaced seeing that they were surrounded and the ones who were giving their efforts did not know what to do either.

At this moment, Mark looked around him. Shaking his head, he proceeded and took the liberty of commanding the three behind him.

"You two, bring those carts inside. And you…"

He looked at the most fit looking of the three and pointed at a wall several meters away.

"Get that fire extinguisher and follow behind me."

Drawing this gun from his side once more, Mark took off towards the direction of the survivors from the west wing while the three followed his orders without hesitation.

The two who was left in charge of the carts switched to pulling the carts behind from pushing the carts. They carefully waved through the confused people. Seeing the amount of food on the cart the two was pulling, the people who stayed in this floor was pulled from their stupor. The others who searched for supplies only managed to get a few plastic bags or small boxes of food but the carts the two had was carrying several large boxes.

Mark also waved through the people while the man carrying the fire extinguisher followed closely behind him. As he passed along the woman who fell down, he stopped for a bit.

"Get inside already and only take those who are listening. As for the others, leave them if they wanted to continue with their stupidity."

"But-"

"No buts, hurry up. We are losing time here. I don't really care about you guys but if the zombies arrive before you people managed to enter the TechZone, then don't bother surviving. You guys will sure die when that happens to it's up to you."

Without waiting for another reply, he continued on his way. The man following behind him also heard what Mark said but he said nothing. Right now, he was only following Mark's orders.

The woman who was left behind hesitated for a bit as she looked at the back of the two. In the end, she looked at the survivors who were in despair. She bit her lip and shouted. Though she still held the notion of helping these people, what Mark said to her also had sense. As she shouted, her previous concerned tone as she tried to help these people was now changed into a commanding voice.

"Those who wanted to live, follow us quick! OR ESLE! Become food of those monsters right now!"

Then, she left as she pulled her co-employees with her. Her co-employees were also surprised by her change in attitude and only took another look at the people who watched her leave before following behind her in a hurry.

The survivors looked dumfounded for a short moment before what the woman shouted sunk into their minds. Everyone immediately scrambled as they followed after the employees. Among the people, the fat man bulldozed himself through the people in front of him and shamelessly followed the woman who he just pushed away and cursed at earlier.

After everyone entered, the employees remained beside the entrance and only closed the shutters half-way as they wait for Mark, the man he brought with him and the survivors they went to help.

It was then…

"What are you bastards doing? Close that door already!"

The fat man shouted as he panted with spittle flying out of his mouth.

"What are you saying?! We still have people outside! And who are you to tell us what to do?!"

One of the employees guarding the entrance shouted back.

"I don't care about them! Hurry up and close that damn f*cking door before those demons get in!"

Infuriated, the employees guarding the entrance prepared to teach this fat bastard a lesson but they could only step back with pale faces before they could even move a step forward.

In front of the fat man, the man wearing a suit and sunglasses stood pointing a pistol at the employees.