My Sniper System in a Zombie Apocalypse World-Chapter 73: Scaling Up

"Mongoloid?" Jaxon raised an eyebrow.

"That’s the name of the safe zone at the Blackridge Facility," Natasha replied, scrolling through her phone.

"Really? That’s... an unusual name."

"Yeah," Natasha said, tapping the screen to enlarge a document. "The government officially named it that. It’s... weird at first, I know, but it actually makes sense. The area is built around the old mountain ridges. They wanted a name that symbolized strength, endurance, and natural protection."

Elena bit back a laugh. "I don’t think that name symbolizes that at all."

Jaxon tilted his head, nodding slowly. "Mongoloid... huh. Sounds... kind of legendary, actually."

"And what about that boat evacuation the choppers announced? That’s still an option, right?" Elena asked.

"We could try to get there too," Natasha said, hesitating. "But... not all of us would be allowed on board."

"What? Why? Why even announce it if that’s the case?" Elena exclaimed, frustration creeping into her voice.

It was Na-rin who answered, her tone calm but sharp. "Because that’s how it always works. Even before all this, people with skills, connections, or just the right luck get priority. Doctors, engineers, scientists... people who can rebuild society. Everyone else... gets left behind."

Natasha nodded and continued. "Think about it logically. A boat can only carry so many people. Food, water, fuel... everything grows exponentially with each extra passenger. The moment you overload it, it’s a death trap."

Elena frowned. "So they announce it to give hope... but the hope is... selective?"

"That’s just human society," Na-rin said quietly. "Someone’s going to survive, someone’s not. It’s always been that way."

Elena fell silent. As a policewoman working for the government, she understood this better than most. She knew how systems worked, how positions and connections could decide who was saved and who was left behind. Her hands clenched at her sides, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It’s... it’s cruel."

"Maybe," Jaxon said quietly. "But it’s reality. On land, the safe zone is rough, yes, but it’s sustainable. Evacuating everyone by boat? That’s unlikely. Our country doesn’t have enough vessels for that, and supplies would run out fast. I’m leaning toward sticking with our original plan, going to Mongoloid."

A heavy silence fell over the group. The bitter truth pressed down on them: survival wasn’t about fairness. It was about making it through the chaos, and sometimes, about who had the right connections.

"How long will it take before the train arrives?" Jaxon asked, breaking the silence and focusing instead on the things they could control.

"Exactly one week from now," Natasha replied, tapping on her phone.

"So even if we start the journey ourselves, we’ll still get there... though we’d have to do it on our own," Jaxon muttered, weighing their options.

Elena tilted her head. "And if we take the train?"

"Since it’s a government evacuation, there’ll be military escort," Natasha said. "The notice says food, water, and medical supplies are provided onboard. You won’t have to carry everything yourself or worry about running out along the way. They’ll handle infected and anyone causing trouble."

Jaxon nodded slowly. "That saves energy and reduces risk. No scouting dangerous streets or fighting off infected along the way."

"And the route is planned," Natasha added. "They know which areas are safest, which checkpoints to avoid. No guesswork, no getting lost. It’s probably faster too. At least in theory, the journey would be much easier."

Elena let out a small sigh. "So... less risk, more supplies, faster travel... sounds like it’s almost cheating."

Jaxon shook his head. That’s what the government always promises, but the reality rarely matches expectations. Even those choppers that rescued the HVT had lost three of their own. There’s no way the train journey would be completely smooth. Still, it had advantages. If infected attacked, they wouldn’t be facing them alone.

"We’ll probably have to surrender our weapons if we board, right?" Jaxon asked, glancing at Natasha, who also realized his words and nodded grimly.

He wasn’t worried, though. He had his storage space and could hide the weapons there, retrieving them if it became necessary.

"What do you think we should do?" Natasha asked, her eyes on Jaxon. Elena and Na-rin looked to him as well, waiting for his decision.

"If there’s an easier way, why not take it?" Jaxon said. "But let’s inform the others first. This decision affects everyone, so we should hear what they have to say before making a final decision."

"Alright, we’ll just do that," Elena said, nodding in agreement. "I’ll go and inform the others now."

As Elena and Na-rin left, Jaxon spoke quietly. "Thank you, Na-rin. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge."

Na-rin glanced back over her shoulder. "I didn’t do much. I’m pretty sure most of us would choose the train anyway. It’s the logical choice."

"We don’t know that. Either way, you helped a lot. Your insights into the city and the potential routes were invaluable," Jaxon said with a smile.

Na-rin’s lips curved into a soft smile before she hurried out of the room, slightly stiffening when she noticed Natasha staring at her.

Once they were alone, Jaxon turned to Natasha. "Natasha, can you collect all the guns from the others and bring them here?"

Natasha raised an eyebrow, confused, but soon realized his intentions. "You’re going to upgrade them?"

"Yes. The ones you’re using could use a suppressor upgrade. I’ll help out a bit."

Natasha frowned. "Are you sure? Won’t that cost too many coins?"

"Trust me, I gathered a lot. I have enough to spare, and it’s worth it to ensure everyone’s safety."

Natasha gave a small nod and left the room.

Alone in the room, Jaxon leaned back and opened his status window. He scanned his equipment, ammo, and resources, planning his next moves carefully.

.....

Name: Jaxon Hawk

Level: 7 (158/303)

Age: 24

Strength: 14.05

Speed: 10.52

Agility: 9.45

Intelligence: 10.25

Stamina: 10.85

Vitality: 6.65

Stat Points: 1

Skills:

Marksmanship (C-): Handling and control have improved. Aim faster and fire with greater stability. Recoil is easier to manage, and shots are more accurate even under pressure.

Stealth (G+): Enables quieter movement by controlling footsteps, posture, and body motion.

Storage Space (F): A personal dimensional space that can store up to 3 cubic meters of items and upgrades as you level up.

Coins: 862

.....

Jaxon stared at the stats window, letting the numbers settle in his mind. ’With my current stats... maybe I’m the strongest human now. But my skills are still lacking. Maybe I should try learning some close combat skills. I need to be more versatile.’

Then he turned his focus to his hard-earned coins. Now... time to put them to work.

"DMR MAX UPGRADE!" he muttered, confirming the purchase.

...

(55 coins spent. Ammo Lv.4 → Lv.5 max)

(134 coins spent. Magazine Lv.1 → Lv.5 max)

(187 coins spent. Body Lv.1 → Lv.5 max)

(152 coins spent. Muzzle Lv.1 → Lv.5 max)

(156 coins spent. Grip Lv.1 → Lv.5 max)

...

A soft glow ran across the rifle as the upgrades locked in.

...

(Stability & Handling: Recoil fully neutralized. Grip and body optimized for sustained, accurate fire. Weapon remains stable during continuous use and quick deployment.)

(Reliability & Durability: Self-cleaning and self-repair active. No jamming or overheating. High impact tolerance. Maintains performance in dust, rain, and harsh environments.)

(Ammunition & Reload: 40-round capacity. Automatic reload from Storage Space. Reload speed greatly increased. Ready to fire quickly after repositioning.)

(Ballistics: Extended effective range. No long-range damage drop-off. Improved penetration and bullet stability.)

(Access Control: Weapon bound to Jaxon. Unauthorized use blocked unless permitted by the owner.)

...

(DMR Sniper Rifle has reached MAX LEVEL. Exclusive Skill Unlocked.)

Exclusive Skill: Damage Stack

Requirement: DMR Equipped

Each kill permanently increases the rifle’s damage by 1 and the User’s Agility by 0.01. Effect is infinite.

Current Damage: 2500 + (0)

Coins Remaining: 178

...

’Damn! Now this is the weapon I imagined! It’s a beast!’

He scrolled through the weapon’s stats, marveling at the improvements. But then, his eyes landed on the exclusive skill: Damage Stack. A slow smile spread across his face. ’Wait... it permanently increases my agility too? With every kill? That’s insane!’

But then, a thought struck him, a question that made his heart beat faster. ’But... what if Natasha uses it? Would the agility bonus apply to whoever wields the weapon?’

The possibility was exhilarating. If the infected kept growing stronger, then fighting alone would never be enough. But if he could make the people beside him stronger too, his family would not have to face the future helplessly.

His gaze drifted, thoughtful.

’If I fully upgrade other rifles... will they gain the same kind of effect?’