Chapter 8: Darkness and Truth
1001 Words
"What the heck is that?" Wilson's voice trembled with shock and fear as he peeked from behind the counter.
"I dunno," Campbell responded, his face pale. His usually indifferent expression had transformed into rare agitation.
In front of their hiding spot, a massive gap in the wall was conspicuous. The remnants of broken walls were stained dark red with blood. Clear, black tire marks on the ground indicated the only exit from the shopping mall to the outside.
Now, however, it was blocked by a despair-inducing figure.
A towering figure over two meters tall stood like a small mountain, separating two areas. Its suit, strained by bulging muscles, had torn into strips. Its red-black skin still bore signs of decay but was far different from its kin, suggesting immense strength.
“A first-level power-type zombie…”
Quinn muttered the creature's name darkly. She was astonished at its appearance——after all, it was only the second day of the apocalypse.
Such rapid evolution was rare. At that moment, she felt a subtle vibration in her neck; a prompt from the Angel-Hunter System.
[Mission Objective: Hunt the first-level power-type zombie in the shopping mall.]
[Mission Reward: Lottery draw ×1. Energy points: 300.]
[Mission Time Limit: None.]
The mission’s target.
Quinn glanced at the target again and smiled bitterly. It wasn’t the right time to complete the mission.
In her current state, facing a first-tier power-type zombie would be an even match. The tireless zombie would likely have the upper hand. Even in her previous life, with her second-tier enhanced body, Quinn struggled to harness her full strength.
Quinn's reluctance to confront the zombie wasn’t just due to her own state.
Behind the first-tier power-type zombie, a chain connected its body to a supporting pillar in the hall. The chain restricted the zombie’s movement, forcing it to stay put and growl menacingly at the regular zombies coveting the bodies.
Clearly.
“This is deliberate,” Campbell stated, echoing Quinn’s thoughts. Adjusting his expression, he continued seriously, “We...all survivors in this building are trapped in this monster-filled prison, and these creatures... they can change and get even scarier.”
“Why would someone do something like this?” Wilson’s face was filled with disbelief.
In the apocalypse, shouldn't people support each other for better survival?
Quinn could easily guess Wilson’s naive thoughts. In the early stages of the apocalypse, she had seen many with such ideas. Most died due to their foolishness, while a few survived after changing their mindset.
The apocalypse had no mercy for goodwill. It was a survival-of-the-fittest competition. Evolution wasn’t just physical but psychological, a transformation every survivor had to undergo.
The ugliness of human nature was primal and mad. Whether it was the last pack of instant noodles or the final escape route, even a tiny life-or-death chance could reveal the most hypocritical aspects of human nature.
“I don’t know…”
Quinn had a hunch it was related to Rita or perhaps directly orchestrated by her. This was another reason she hesitated to face the first-tier power-type zombie. She couldn't afford to deplete her strength fighting the zombie and then contend with Rita.
Rita posed an even greater threat than the first-tier zombie.
“So, what should we do?” Wilson asked.
“Let's just head back,” Campbell sighed and then turned to Quinn, asking, “Little girl, you’re still a student, right?”
“Huh? Oh… yeah, I’m from County No. 1 High School,” Quinn replied, momentarily startled by Campbell’s unexpected approach.
Being treated like a junior…
Quinn found it a bit amusing. In her past life, she had survived two years in the apocalypse as an experienced hunter. Despite her young age, she was a veteran among hunters, capable of wounding high-level angels like Teresa, a feat few could achieve.
Without lingering further, Quinn, Campbell, and Wilson retraced their steps. Since zombies weren’t gathered near the stairwell, they only encountered three solitary zombies.
Campbell handled the fight alone, with Wilson trembling and Quinn merely watching.
The makeshift spiked club proved remarkably effective. The nails pierced the zombies' brains with each swing, splattering red and white fluids like overripe watermelons.
Campbell’s decisive and ruthless actions starkly contrasted with his gentlemanly appearance. Both in psychic abilities and combat skills, he was already among the elite survivors.
Quinn silently evaluated Campbell. Such individuals, barring bad luck, typically secured good positions on human bases post-apocalypse, whether civilian or official.
Yet, Quinn found no mention of Campbell in the high-ranking personnel of the four human bases in the province. While it was possible he had moved to another province, Quinn suspected he might have died prematurely.
Could it be here in this mall?
Lost in thought, they reached the restroom. The creak of the door drew everyone’s attention. As they saw the trio return, the waiting crowd eagerly surrounded them, desperate for news.
Rita, still in the corner, was an exception.
Campbell organized his words and described the situation on the first floor. His account extinguished the last hope of the enthusiastic crowd, plunging the small room into despair.
“Quinn…” Hana gave Quinn a worried look. Despite being a schooler, just recently under her supervision, Hana now saw Quinn as a pillar of support.
Quinn’s maturity and capability were far beyond those of an ordinary adult, contrasting sharply with Hana’s previous impression.
Lloyd discreetly moved closer to Quinn, his subtle gesture of trust warming Quinn’s heart.
She understood this as an expression of their trust. The rare sense of responsibility brought a faint smile to her lips. Whether as a comrade in her past life or a friend now, Quinn prided herself on never disappointing those who relied on her.
"Looks like I'd better start working on improving Lloyd's abilities if they want to survive the apocalypse," Quinn thought.
"Hey, I found a bunch of useful stuff at the supermarket upstairs. Wanna come check it out with me?" Quinn sent an invitation to Lloyd.
- Writer
