Chapter 13: Shield and Dagger (1)

"SHIIIII!!!!!"

**Bam** **Splat**

A loud blunt sound echoed around a certain building.

*There's too many ghouls!*

A large man was clenching his blood riddled fists as he looked ahead of him.

In front of him were ghouls.

"KiShhIIiii!!!!"

But unlike the ghouls that he's encountered till now the ones that were approaching were all crawling in all four.

Their bodies was clearly human but the way they crawl were like insects.

"How did they find us?"

Bak mumbled under his breath as he kept a little girl behind him, So-yeong, protecting her from harm. (So-yeong was previously spelled: Seoyoong)

So-yeong was shaking from fear as she held a soap sculpture in her hands although she doesn't really understand the situation she at least knew that something bad was happening.

"Uncle..."

She held tightly on Bak's clothes and Bak who noticed patted her head to reassure her.

"It's fine uncle can handle at least this much" Bak said in assurance.

Bak smiled gently but considering his face it looked more like a gangster's smile but despite that So-yeong wasn't afraid of his smile.

"Mm" she nodded in affirmation as she looked at Bak.

*She's ignoring them*

Bak has noticed something ever since they were still at the store where he fed So-yeong with soup.

It was that despite the obvious presence of Ghouls around them the little girl seems to not see them or was just outright ignoring them, she never asked about it or even talk about it even when one of the crawling ghouls came and attacked them.

Bak took care of the first appearance but he noticed that there were actually more coming so he quickly carried So-yeong into his arms and escaped.

They've been running for half an hour and had ended up on a narrow corridor of a building the only good thing was that they were a at the 4rth floor of the building which means Bak doesn't have to worry about ghouls suddenly barging through the windows.

Still with the amount of crawling ghouls approaching, Bak and So-yeong might as well be cornered rats.

"SHIIII!!"

One ghoul jumped forward with its mouth wide open Bak reflexively caught its jaws with his hands and it flailed trying to escape from his grasp.

**Crack**

With his strength Bak tore the ghouls jaw from its head and slammed the ghoul on the wall.

**Splat**

Blood splattered the wall painting it red and below it was an unmoving jawless ghoul.

*We need to go*

Bak looked towards where the ghoul came and saw many more crawling ghouls in a single file in the corridor.

Bak could take them on if he wanted to but not right now. He wasn't alone he had to protect So-yeong as he fights and even for a veteran like Bak he had to admit that fighting alone while protecting someone was one of the hardest things to do in a battle.

*I don't have my skills and this body isn't even close to my previous one*

With that in thought Bak carried So-yeong into his arms and started running.

"ShiIiiI!!"

The crawling ghouls followed Bak increasing their speed along the way.

"Uncle the dogs are chasing us" So-yeong said as she was peeking behind.

*Dogs huh?*

Bak thought about how So-yeong called the ghouls but brushed it aside as there was more urgent matters.

"Hold tight So-yeong Uncle's gonna run faster"

Bak felt So-yeong's arm wrapped on his back tighten, he also held So-yeong much more securely and started running faster than ever.

The ghouls that were about to catch up were left in the dust as Bak sped up.

**Crack** a sound of cracking concrete came from the ghouls and...

"ShiiIII!!!"

One ghoul started taking large leaps and quickly closed the distance.

"Shii!"

With one more leap the ghoul was now right behind Bak with only less than a meter in between.

*Damn it*

Bak was aware that one ghoul was close behind him but he didn't know how it quickly closed the distance in such short amount of time.

Bak could see a stair connecting to the upper floor was right ahead the door that was meant to restrict entrance towards the stairs was already busted down leaving it fully accessible to whoever enters He could reach it but the only concern is the ghoul that's right behind him.

It would just take one more leap or even a hop for this ghoul to land on Bak.

Seemingly excited with its meal the ghoul started salivating as it followed behind, its sticky saliva mixed with blood fell to the floor as it kept chasing and without further waiting the ghoul kicked the cold hard concrete and launched itself towards Bak's back.

"Bad Dog!!" A girl screamed.

It was So-yeong and she threw the soap sculpture made by Bak straight to the ghouls face it didn't do much in terms of physical damage but it did offer as a welcomed help.

"KIIIISHIIIIII!!!"

The ghoul was hit on the nose which caused it to scream in pain and completely missed Bak as it went straight to the ground right before the stairs.

Bak quickly climbed through the stairs with So-yeong, he didn't see it but he was sure So-yeong helped him with the ghoul.

"Thanks So-yeong"

"Mm!" So-yeong who was thanked for her actions smiled widely and proudly.

Bak didn't see the smile but felt that So-yeong was glad, so he kept climbing the stairs in great speed.

**Step** **step** **Step**

Bak's heavy footsteps echoed along the staircase it would have been nice if that was all that echoed.

"ShiiII!!!"

Screams from the ghouls that was chasing them also echoed along the staircase.

*They're persistent!*

Bak didn't like that fact as he kept climbing he has already reached the 8th floor with this staircase but Bak didn't stop to enter those previous floors and the reason was that the doors for those floors were also busted down.

*I need a floor that still has its door intact so that I can block this ghouls*

He needed to stop the ghouls somehow and a floor that couldn't even offer a quick primary defence like a door was pretty much paper against water.

"Grahh"

A ghoul was up ahead and fortunately it was one of the normal ones.

It saw Bak climbing up the stairs and it suddenly jumped down towards him. The ghoul was barely skimming straight down the stairs as it fell, no, it was already basically sliding down the stairs head first.

Bak who didn't want to be bothered just used his strong legs and jumped to dodge the sliding ghoul the ghoul landed straight on the stairs and bashed its own head on the edge of a stair.

Bak caught a glimpse of that ghoul and also the crawling ghouls that were chasing them. A glimpse it was just a glimpse but Bak was sure on what he saw within that small amount of time.

*They're jumping from one railing to another!*

Some of the ghouls that was chasing him had disregarded the stairs and has chosen the stair railings as another mean to chase after Bak and So-yeong.

Shocked by this behavior Bak increased his speed.

**Creak**

"A Monkey!"

So-yeong screamed.

That loud creaking sound sounded close and the fact that So-yeong shouted monkey meant one thing.

*It's right behind us!*

"Shi!!"

Feeling danger approaching Bak quickly sat So-yeong three stairs above him, it was more of a toss though.

So-yeong landed on the stairs with her butt.

"Ow!"

**Crunch**

At the same time So-yeong landed a loud crunch of flesh resounded three stairs below her.

"Gaah!"

Bak was bitten in the neck in-between the left shoulder right were So-yeong was supposed to be a few seconds ago.

"Uncle!" So-yeong screamed in fright.

She knew that something bad would happen if you were bitten by the weird people, So-yeong is a smart child for her age and there was no way that she didn't realize the bad things happening around ever since her father asked her to play a game on that day she merely choose to stay and act ignorant although right now So-yeong was subconsciously suppressing her memories deep inside she knew the crisis that they were in.

[Negative status Resistance: Active]

[Poison Resisted!]

[Regeneration (small): Active]

But Bak right now wasn't an existence that would be affected by such bite.

*I gotta thank the grim reaper*

Thanks to the tinkering of his grim reaper Bak had something that would let him survive anything related to negative status, be it abnormal, an illness, a poison, or even serious diseases.

[Herculean Strength: Active]

Bak reached for the ghoul biting his neck and with his powered strength crushed its skull delivering a **Crunch** sound.

The ghoul after having its head crushed lost power over its jaw and fell to the stairs.

So-yeong who saw this happen couldn't help to open her mouth in shock.

*So strong* that was the one thing she could say in her mind.

**Creak**

Suddenly another creak reached both Bak and So-yeong ears.

"KisHiIii!!"

Another ghoul was able to reach the same railing as the first ghoul did, but unlike last time Bak reacted much quicker and decisive.

**Creak** **Boom** **CREAK**

Bak kicked the railing with all his might prompting a louder creak.

**Snap** **Snap**

Stair railings are built in a way so that it wouldn't give in to external forces so easily but Bak's kick which was also powered up by Herculean Strength proved to be more than the railings could handle as it disconnected from the others with a snap and fell to the bottom together with the ghoul still clinging to it.

Of course as soon as the ghoul and the railing reached the ground a loud **Splat** and **Clang** echoed throughout the whole staircases.

But Bak and So-yeong didn't have the luxury of waiting for that to happen as there were still dozens of ghouls climbing both the stairs and railings.

Bak quickly picked up So-yeong again this time positioning her in the right shoulder where there was no blood.

Suddenly Bak felt a warm drops of water in his shoulder.

**Hic** **sob**

So-yeong was crying and Bak noticed it.

*Of course she would cry this situation would make any child cry* Bak thought

They were being chased by dozens ghouls while she was nearly bitten by one of those flesh eating ghouls.

"**Hic** Uncle are you **sob** okay?"

But Bak's thought was proven wrong by So-yeong's question.

She wasn't crying out of fear, She was crying out of concern of Bak's well being.

Bak's eyes widened in surprise he never imagined that this little girl on his arms would be concerned of him out of all people. It had barely been 2 days since Bak took care of her moreover Bak discovered that the previous owner of his body was the one who took the life of this little girl's father. Bak didn't expect sympathy from her as he was basically also her father's murderer.

Bak reached out his hands to pat So-yeong's back.

"It's alright I'll be fine"

Bak said softly.

So-yeong who heard that soft voice slowly calmed her sobbing and merely clung tighter to Bak.

*I won't die as long as I'm in this world* Confidence flashed on Bak's eyes as he thought of one thing that's allowing him to live without fear of immediate death.

Bak gazed ahead of the stairs and he finally saw a doorway with it's door still intact and in good condition , bright light was flooding out the door as if it was welcoming Bak and So-yeong.

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"Mm"

Fumi slowly opened her eyes after a long time of sleep her head started taking in the situation.

"Fumi?"

A voice called out to her it was the voice of her older sister. She hurriedly turned her head towards the owner of the voice.

"Onee-san..." Fumi said in a small voice.

Her throat was a little dry and it felt tiring to move her mouth to speak. But Fumi wasn't surprised about it as she had experienced it so many times already.

She was physically weak and because of that she often gets sick. She would lie in bed for a couple of days straight during that period of time she'd feel like her body was made of lead and very tired.

"Fumi you're finally awake!"

Shizuka smiled brightly.

It had been 4 day's since they were found by Natashia, Shizuka woke in the 2nd day but Fumi took two more days to wake up.

Shizuka had already fully recovered and has been helping out Natashia on guarding the medical center from any zombie attacks and other miscellaneous things.

**Creak**

Suddenly the door to the room creaked open and a very beautiful woman came in.

"Oh! you're finally awake honestly I was worried since you've been out for 4 days"

She had long black hair tinged with white at its tips, red velvet lips, charming eyes and overall beautiful face and body, the lab coat she was wearing made Fumi think if she was a researcher or a doctor.

"Oh yeah this beautiful woman is Natashia she's the one who found us when we were unconscious."

Shizuka introduced Natashia to Fumi.

"..."

Fumi who'd grown into a shy and timid girl but knew great manners stayed silent and merely stared at Natashia. Shizuka found this odd as she had expected Fumi to also introduce herself in turn.

"Eer.. uhh.. Shizuka is your sister deaf?"

That was the first thing Natashia asked Shizuka as she also received the same reaction from Shizuka when she woke up.

Natashia started moving her hands in front of Fumi.

"Ah.. N-no I'm not deaf..." Fumi hurriedly spoke as she realized that Natashia was doing sign language for her.

"...O-okay"

Natashia tried to hold back the laugh that was about to burst out of her mouth as she saw Fumi's reaction that was also the same as Shizuka's.

*They really are sisters*

While Natashia was able to hold back her laugh a smile still formed on her mouth.

"Ahahaha"

Shizuka laughed.

Shizuka had also realized that Fumi's reaction was the same as her's but Fumi didn't hear it as her head pounded and suddenly became heavy.

*Nicole!?* A small voice echoed in Fumi's head

*The crazy healing bitch!* A voice of a man screamed.

Fumi's head felt heavy as she heard that voice inside her head, that voice belonged to the soul, Rogue, who is currently residing in her body of course Fumi herself doesn't know about the soul inside her, that was why she felt weird at the same time.

Fumi herself doesn't feel anything against Natashia but at the same time something inside her was telling her to stay away and be cautious against Natashia.

It was Rogue inside of her who was giving off that feeling but Fumi had no way of knowing.

*Shit! Out of all the members I could've meet it just had t—*

The voice inside Fumi's head suddenly got cut-off and her head felt lighter than ever and looked back at Natashia once again and introduced herself

"My name is Fumi, Nice to meet you miss Nico..le?"

Fumi said something weird.

Shizuka and Natashia heard it too.

Shizuka found it weird too and only Natashia found it interesting her smile became much more vibrant than before.

*Found one...* Natashia said in her mind

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