Man Of Principles

The next morning.

In the safe and luxurious Royal Suite, five humans were moving like bees.

"Team, we move out at 7.30 am!"

Erza reminded his family.

The day has finally come.

…

Last night, they had a strategy meeting after Erza returned from his 'charity' act to the 1st Floor survivors.

"Everyone, take out your 'list'."

What Erza meant by the list was a compilation of names and their statuses.

Hundreds of names were written with four different handwritings.

"Bucky, can you scan these names with a camera and convert them into data?"

Bucky nodded.

He proceeded to hold his phone over the pieces of paper.

"Now convert the data into categories. Distance, location, latest status."

Bucky then touched the suite's tablet lightly, and an orderly table popped up on the dining room's TV.

"Bucky, how far is your reach into the internet?"

The youngest son had tested his Talent's limit.

He said that his current reach is only the beginner hacker level.

"I can go into websites with low to mid-tier security."

At Class-9, his abilities were way beyond 'Script Kiddies', it's somewhere between the 'Hacking Group' level to 'Hacktivist' level.

"Okay, this might be a little tricky, but can you pinpoint the location of the all names on the list via Giggle Map?"

Bucky nodded, and he closed his eyes.

The map of Naresia filled the 55' TV screen.

Then, red, yellow, and green markers appeared.

Red is for the deceased names and those uncontactable since the apocalypse.

Yellow is for the ones that have successfully contacted but in a dangerous situation, or recently lost contact.

Green is for the ones that are safe and their current status update.

"Draw a radius of 5 kilometers from our location."

They are currently the center of the nation's capital, K City.

In the map, no markers were in the 5-kilometer radius.

"The mutated Doronavirus' infects about 20% of the human population in its first week."

Erza remembered it from reading journals and analysis scientists put together in his last life.

Subtle hints of anxiety appeared on their faces.

"Expand to a 10-kilometer radius."

The circle got bigger, and no markers, even the red ones are inside the radius.

"The next 15-kilometer radius would mean the chances encounter a Horde will increase."

The radius increased to 15 kilometers.

Ding!

A small yellow marker appeared.

The pointer clicked on it and an information box popped out.

"O-Town, it's Sixth Uncle!"

Feera stood up.

Sixth Uncle Yoon is Mr. Zayf's youngest brother.

From the start, Mr. Zayf has been communicating with him every day.

But since yesterday, none of the family members could be reached.

'Even Bucky couldn't access their mobile phones or personal computers.'

"Most likely their devices ran out of power."

That would be way beyond Bucky's skills.

'We can't exactly channel electricity although Dad could control them.'

At this level, Mr. Zayf's Talent is still in its infancy.

The atmosphere was heavy.

Their worst fear and imagination ran wild.

"We can't rule out the possibility of them still being alive. Besides, the army and authorities have started saving survivors."

In the 7 days they were stuck in the hotel, echoes of firearms could be heard.

'There were also the rumblings of heavy machinery and turbulence in the sky.'

It meant that the military has taken action in eradicating the Infected.

"Mum, I did promise you that we will go save our relatives when we clear up the hotel. "

Erza gave his mother his assurance that they would carry it out.

"Erza, Mum is also confident with herself. With this power, I feel like I can do anything!"

The overall physical boost from Evolution Nectars is nothing short of miraculous.

"I'll pull up the location of shelters and bases on the map."

Bucky then mapped out all the possible military bases and survivor shelters.

He also expanded the search radius to 20km.

"I took in all the rumors, videos, pictures, and posts on every related site and came up with this."

Twenty-four blue spheres were displayed.

"There are a few that is quite near to O-Town."

If Sixth Uncle couldn't be found, they would knock on the bases and search for him.

Bucky then plotted their pathway in white, connecting from their hotel in K-City to O-Town.

"Bucks, upload all these to our phones."

Power and electricity are no longer an issue for them.

Mr. Zayf is walking, living power plant!

"Let's turn in early tonight, guys. We're going to need the energy!"

All of them stood up in agreement.

They went to sleep with a clear determination.

…

After seven days of 'cleansing' the hotel, they are finally stepping outside.

At the moment, most of the streets are empty.

The once populous K-City is now a giant ghost city.

The only creatures that exists are the Infected roaming about and the humans in hiding.

"Big brother, the five survivors haven't left yet."

Bucky whispered to Erza in the lift down from their floor.

Erza nodded.

Ding ding!

They arrived on the basement parking, B1 Floor.

Kaching!

He took out three set of keys.

Then Erza walked to a familiar black SUV, the Marcedes G-Wagoon he rented before the apocalypse.

"This one, and this one."

He pointed at a white Ferd G-160 and a brown Rolls Reece Pantomime.

"Son, why this fancy car? Isn't it better if we took the big truck over there?"

Mr. Zayf was pointing to a black Mitsubisha Tritan.

"Well Dad, I want you and Mum to travel in style! Hehe. And also, this 1.8 million dollar car is built much better than the truck!"

It was true.

The Rolls Reece scored better than the Mitsubisha in the Crash Performance Test.

"Let's not waste time, guys! Load the equipment and supplies! Double, triple check everything. I'll take care of matters above for a while."

They nodded and got to work.

…

7.50 am.

Klang! Klang! Klang!

Loud ringing noises echoed through a restaurant on the 1st Floor.

"M-Monster!"

An elderly voice screamed.

"Sh-Shut up! It might hear us!"

The five sleeping survivors jumped up of their make shift beds.

They reflexively grabbed their weapons.

Slowly, the door of the room they slept in opened!

'Zombies can't open doors!'

Slowly, a man's figure emerged.

"How long are you going to stay here?"

Hearing Erza's voice, they were relieved.

"What the hell, man? Don't you know those things are attracted by noise?"

Big Mark spoke in annoyance.

"Don't you think it's weird that there's no Infected at all on this floor?"

It was true.

All the blood splashes had dried up for quite some time.

They acknowledged his strength.

Not to mention the countless Infected bodies splattered outside the hotel.

Hundreds of them in fact.

It made the hotel looked like a death zone.

But where a death zone is for Infected, it is a sanctuary for humans!

"Mark, have some respect for our hero and savior!"

A shameless and elderly voice praised Erza.

Director Jing sucking up skills was cringeworthy.

"Sir Hero! I on behalf of the group would like to thank you for saving our lives! We can never repay your kindness this life or next!"

As the middle-aged man rambled on, Erza felt a tug on his sleeve.

It was the teenage girl that she gave a change of clothes to.

"T-t-thank you."

A tiny voice thanked Erza.

Although her eyes are covered by her bangs, her face looks much cleaner than yesterday.

"Ok."

Erza answered with a slight nod.

"So let me rephrase: Are you leaving now?"

Although his words are simple, the pressure from his aura was suffocating.

None of the survivors wanted to leave.

They finally found a zombie-free building and a very strong man with it!

"S-sir, you must be joking, haha…there are monsters outside, you couldn't mean to throw us back-"

Before Director Jing finished his words, a woman rushed to the front and hugged Erza!

"Please, handsome! I mean, Master! Take me in! You can do anything to me! Anything! I'll listen to everything you say, please!!"

Soft round buns were pressing against Erza's chest.

Aqua rose pleaded coquettishly for her survival.

Any healthy young male would get excited, but Erza has gone through two lifetimes.

"Get. Off. Me."

Erza's slight killing intent made her stop her act of seduction.

'He's not buying it? Impossible! Is he gay?!'

Her frightened expression explains everything.

Bang!

A loud sound went off all of a sudden.

"Look man! If we go back outside, we'll die!"

It was Big Mark.

He kowtowed so fast that it hit the floor.

"Teach me how to be strong like you!"

His head, which is touching the ground, starts to bleed.

"Sigh."

A stubborn and prideful man lowering his head to him, Erza would find it unsettling if he did nothing.

Not many men like him left during the apocalypse.

'Well, I don't hate people like him.'

The perks of having a prideful companion is that they would never do anything disgraceful like betrayal or cheating.

'Because their pride is everything.'

Their biggest fear is to be called a disgraceful person, or a scum.

Surprisingly, the teenage girl kowtowed too.

Director Jing and Aqua Rose were hesitating, while Lily was observing at the corner.

"I don't care if you want to leave, or follow behind me. But if you're getting something you need from me, I need to know I'm getting something I need from you."

Erza also said that this hotel is his base of operations. He won't let anyone inside without his presence or permission.

"Handsome Sir, perhaps you could let me manage and take care of your hotel while you're away…I'm an excellent housekeep-"

Clack.

Erza retrieved his crossbow from his back and loaded an arrow.

"Did I stutter? I don't want people in my place while I'm gone."

Director Jing's heart was beating nervously seeing him preparing his crossbow.

"U-um, perhaps you could drop us to the nearest army base…please?"

This time, the doe-eyed Aqua Rose uses her brilliant acting skill.

With tears welling on her big, beautiful eyes, any gentlemen's heart would melt.

Unfortunately, the man she was pleading to wasn't a gentleman.

"I'm running out of time. You're free to leave and find them yourself."

Without sparing a glance, he turned his back to her.

Aqua Rose's mouth was wide open.

Never in her life has she been rejected to the point of humiliation.

"You son of a b*tch! What's wrong with you?! A weak woman begs you to protect her and you would leave her to die?"

Homosexual! Impotent! Limp-d*ck! No normal men would ever shove her away!

Her nostrils widen and panting in anger.

"What do you want?! I want to give you my body and you just pushed me away! Do you like men?! Or you want money?! Tell me!!"

Aqua Rose has lost it.

"I have everything I want. I don't need someone who only knows how to act pitiful and spread their legs. Even the Infected has more use than you!"

Aqua Rose plopped to the floor in shock.

She then began to cry.

She was crying thinking of her fate.

"You two, come with me."

Erza gestured to both Big Mark and the teenage girl to follow him.

"Before I leave, I always make sure that there are no living beings in my hotel."

Erza threw a cold glance to the rest of the survivors.

Nonchalantly, he walked out of the restaurant with Big Mark and the teenage girl.

They followed him into the lift.

Ding!

"Wait here for a while."

They arrived on the 2nd Floor.

Erza searched his bag for Key Cards.

He took out two cards labeled '201' and '202'.

He then goes to room 201's door.

Knock knock!

Roooar!

"Seems like someone's inside."

Nonchalantly, he tapped the Key Card to the door.

"Hey! What the hell are you-"

Before Big Mark finished his words, two Infected lunged out from the room!

For a seasoned fighter like Erza, these jump scares are like a kitten's playful pounce.

Crack! Smash!

In less than two seconds, two stiff bodies with their heads exploded were laying on the floor.

'What just happened?!'

The two of them were lost for words.

"Come here."

He waved for them to come closer.

Cautiously, Big Mark and the teenage girl approached him.

Schwak!

Erza's next action made them even speechless.

He dissected the bodies, cracked open its spinal cords, and dug out the Evolution Nectars.

They saw him doing the same thing yesterday.

The gruesome scene made them nauseous, but not to the extent of vomiting.

"Lesson 1 : Always aim for the head. Make sure their brains are destroyed."

He then showed the the shiny pink pearl in his palm.

"I'll teach you how to survive, and you work for me. Every time I kill an Infected, you dig for these tiny pink beads in the spinal cords."

He then proceeded to dissect the second fallen Infected.

They had the most confused expressions in the world.

'They'll get better with experience.'

In the future, the two survivors would tell the story on how they became Erza's personal 'Pickers'.

Erza stood up and knocked on Room 202.

'No Infected.'

"Right, you take 201 and you take 202."

He handed the Key Cards to both of them.

"You have 15 minutes to freshen yourselves. I'll wait for both of you at the basement parking B1 Floor."

Both of them had excited smiles on their face.

They can finally take a shower!

"Remember, I'm a guy of principles. When I say that I will make sure there are no living beings in my hotel before I leave, I'm not kidding. If I don't see you at the basement parking in 15 minutes, I'll take it you're leaving this place. Either alive or otherwise."

Chills ran through their spine.