The First Dragon God

It was after an unknown amount of time had passed that Leo was finally able to recover some of his strength, enough to move his body.

He immediately got up from the ground, pushing his exhausted and still-aching body from the cold floor.

Right now, what Leo wanted to do was rest enough to recover his strength completely and for his body to stop aching, but Leo knew just how impossible that is for him.

The cold from the floor has already penetrated deep into his body, causing his fingers to become even number than it was before. His blood was barely flowing at this point as the complexion of his skin was already turning pale and taking a bluish tint, and his body was becoming stiff.

Leo was aware that if he would freeze to death in no time if he continued to lie on the floor.

But standing up wasn't that easy. Even though he has recovered enough strength to move his body, it wasn't enough for these type of movements, but Leo cared less.

He gritted his teeth as he forced himself up from the ground. As he moved, his body made cracking sounds, his stiff body and bones adjusting itself.

Leo winced from the pain that followed the cracking sounds made from the readjustment of his bones. It wasn't easy. The pain was uncomfortable and almost unbearable, and this was even more so that every little movements of his was enough to cause him pain.

Leo had no idea how long it took him before he finally stood up on his two feet. He looked around the empty lobby of the building, safe for him and Ms Ves who was still unconscious on the ground.

Tatiana had left, saying that she has something to take care of and would be back later.

Leo didn't bother to ask where she was going as it's none of his business. What he should be concerned right now is his survivor and that of Ms Ves, and not a girl who can completely take care of herself.

Focusing on his current predicament, he continued looking around the lobby for anything that can be used as a makeshift bed or any indication of the building was used for before the apocalypse.

Leo hoped that it's something either related to food or clothing but after looking around and seeing nothing but a computer rested on the receptionist's table, document papers scattered on the floor and the cold metal waiting chairs, he knew that this was an office building.

He knew that things weren't in anyway going according to how he hoped it would, when he saw this and it caused him to sigh in frustration.

"More work to be done then," He said to himself.

Leo was clear on what they—he and Ms Ves—need right now is a good place to sleep. They need something that's not cold like the floor, possibly warm—though extremely impossible to find.

They also need dry clothes, possibly warm thick coats for the cold. Not impossible to find but looking extremely difficult right now with things are.

The wet clothes on Leo and Ms Ves' body were already drying and this was the reasons why Leo was feeling the cold more than before.

The last and equally important is food. Leo was feeling very famished right now and would very much want to eat anything edible he can get his hands on.

"The food can wait, what I should take focus on right now is a good place to sleep and dry clothes. I might be lucky to get some edible food," He said as he made his way up the main staircase located on the building's grounds floor.

Slowly and cautiously, he climbed the stairs, and made his way up to the first floor of the building.

From what Leo saw outside, the building had a total of three floors, excluding the ground floor.

With this, he deduced that the building shouldn't have a lot of occupants before the apocalypse but he knew that it would still be more than a hundreds workers.

Leo didn't know if everyone was able to escape from the building before everything went to shit, but he was banking on it.

There's no way he would be take on any zombie in his current state but he knew that if he's caught in a situation where he has no choice, he would have to face the zombie like it or not.

Leo arrived on the first floor landing and he was greeted by an empty floor. There was nothing to see besides scattered documents papers on the floor and deserted desks.

Leo breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this. He knew that since he couldn't find anyone on the first floor, then it means that the first place was free of zombies.

"I wonder what I can salvage from here? I can maybe convert these desks into something that we can use to sleep," Leo said, as he walked around the first floor.

After he had confirmed that it was truly empty of any living being or zombie, he made his way back to the ground floor again.

The reason why he came to the first floor was to confirm if it was safe for what he's about to do next.

He plans to use the waiting chairs and receptionist's desk in the lobby to barricade the ground floor windows and door, completely blocking out the zombies.

This is to prevent them from getting through even if their numbers are to increase in the future.

Leo has no idea how long he's going to be making use of the building but he felt that as long as he occupies it, he should make it as safe as possible to save himself too much trouble in the future.

As for how this relates to his venturing to the first floor, the reason is because he wants to make sure that no zombie is close by and attracted by the sound that would be made when he's moving the chairs and desk.

Tatiana did say that the zombies are attracted to life force but she never said anything about them not being attracted to sound or light. Leo felt that it's better to go through this small trouble now than to ignorantly put his life in danger later.

Immediately after he got back to the ground floor, Leo started barricading the door and windows as planned.

He was still feeling weak, tired, hungry and cold but he didn't allow himself any time to rest. He knew that the earlier he get what he's doing done, the better for himself.

Not paying attention to his battered and exhausted body, his numb fingers and parched lips that he licked constantly, Leo continued to move the chairs to the door.

Just as he expected, moving the chairs alone created a lot of noise and he could see how the small zombie horde outside was reacting.

They started clawing at the door harder, banging their bodies and biting into the air. Their actions caused Leo to become frightened as he didn't know if the door would be able to hold for long against the type of assault it was getting.

"Before they breach the door, I have to barricade it completely, barricade the windows and the main staircase leading to the first floor, only then can I relax," Leo said, as he forced himself to not pay attention to the zombies at the door.

Leo was still moving the chairs when he noticed a movement in the corner of his eyes. He quickly turned to see Ms Ves up on her feet and looking at him, and he felt a chill down his spine.

"Leo, run!" She said with a low growl as her eyes turned white completely and she rushed towards him.

Before he could process her words, she lunged at him with unnatural speed, her hands clawing toward his throat.

"Fuck!" Leo screamed internally, his body reacting instinctively. He stumbled back, narrowly avoiding her grasp as she slammed into the chair he'd been moving. The impact sent it skidding across the floor.

"Ms. Ves! Stop!" he shouted, his voice cracking with panic.

But she didn't stop. Her movements were erratic, her growls filled with primal rage. She lunged again, and Leo scrambled backward, his legs threatening to give out beneath him.

His mind raced. She's turning. She's turning into one of them.

He reached for the closest object—a jagged piece of metal from the broken desk. His fingers trembled as he gripped it tightly, his vision blurring with fear and exhaustion.

"Ms. Ves, please!" he begged, his voice breaking. "It's me! Leo!"

For a moment, her movements hesitated. Her head tilted slightly, as if she recognized his voice. But then the growling returned, louder and more feral, as she lunged again.

Leo clenched the metal shard, his heart pounding. I don't want to hurt her. But if I don't…

The sound of her growls echoed through the lobby, mixing with the relentless pounding of the zombies outside. Leo's back hit the barricade, his escape cut off.

Tears stung his eyes as he raised the makeshift weapon, his hands shaking violently.

"Don't make me do this," he whispered, his voice trembling.

Ms. Ves roared, her hands clawing toward him as she closed the distance.

Leo's grip tightened.

'I have no choice.'

The next moment, everything happened in a blur.