Weary Thoughts

"Who's that, John?" One of the women in the group stands up, curiosity etching her expression.

"Julia, this is…" The man Lucas had nearly incapacitated struggles to find the right words, his gaze fixed on Lucas.

"Lucas is my name." His voice remains composed as he addresses them, offering a faint smile.

"I have no desire to delve into your identities, but my companions are awaiting me. Excuse me," Lucas calmly states, stepping past the group of people. Silence greets his departure. It's only when he's on the staircase, descending to the first floor, that he hears someone break the quiet.

"Where do you think you're going, asshole?"

Turning on his heel, Lucas retraces his steps and approaches the source of the provocation. "Asshole? Well, that's not particularly courteous," he retorts, drawing nearer to the speaker.

In their midst, a total of eight individuals are present, including three teenagers who appear to be no older than fifteen. Despite Lucas's actual age of sixteen, his rugged demeanor, molded by the brutal conditions he's endured, causes him to appear older, perhaps around twenty, a reality he's not particularly proud of. Looking older than he is often carries negative implications.

"I have no connection to your group. I ended up here by chance after escaping from zombies. I'm minding my own business," Lucas's voice conveys a hint of anger as he speaks, prompting a friend named Josh to intervene.

"Julia, let him go. He's really formidable. We don't need more conflicts, right? Remember what happened last time?" Josh's words seem to sway Julia, who steps back from Lucas.

"I'm not interested in your affairs. It's my fault for appearing unannounced in your territory, but that guy also tried to take me out. If I weren't as strong as I am, he might have succeeded. Farewell," Lucas addresses Julia directly before continuing his descent down the stairs. Though he's aware of the hushed conversations that follow his departure, he doesn't allow them to weigh on his mind.

He knows the significance of strength, especially in the midst of disputes, particularly when living near his forthcoming base. The thought crosses his mind that Lucy, if present, would urge him to quell the confrontation. Lucas acknowledges that he allowed his emotions to flare, yet he's had unfortunate experiences with two different groups already. He's determined to avoid any new conflicts.

'Lucy was right about us needing our own base; I'll lose my mind if anyone pins new troubles on us.' Well, not that there has been much luck with meeting others.

The first base they encountered revealed its leadership to be cannibals, resulting in a massacre of all present. The second base had barely been a starting point before Lucy narrowly escaped a sexual assault. Nowhere seems secure except under his control. That's his conviction.

On the first floor, a small convenience store catches Lucas's attention. Their food supplies seem to be dwindling, but it's not his problem.

When Lucy was around, she helped temper his selfishness. But now, without her, Lucas feels little concern. Sooner or later, those people from the gym will venture out to kill zombies and likely cross paths with his base. However, staying holed up here means missing out on valuable experience points. Level one zombies currently roam everywhere, but who's to say they won't abruptly level up to twos, especially considering the appearance of level eight zombies?

'Josh, that guy doesn't have much level.'

Perhaps they've been locked inside the gym since day one. Their provisions will run out sooner or later. Stepping outside the gym's entrance, Lucas walks into the night. It's a rare instance of him being outside after dark. Normally, he'd be with Lucy, probably making ramen.

Most of the zombies still linger in the gym's vicinity. Lucas silently dashes to the side of the building closest to the university and continues his cautious journey from there. Fatigue gnaws at his skills, stamina, and mental resolve, aggravating his irritation. His arm aches terribly. Lucas sighs as he ambles with jian in hand.

Suddenly, a zombie emerges from an alley, locking eyes with him. Lucas reacts swiftly, thrusting his blade into the creature's throat and simultaneously launching a fireball into its mouth. Damaging its vocal cords, he uses his knee to topple the zombie and seizes the chance to leap onto its ribs.

---

[Level 2 Zombie Killed, Awarding 100 Exp!] 

[Received 10 Coins!]

---

There was no time for a single sound to escape before Lucas dispatched the zombie. The burst of fireball light went unnoticed by the other undead around.

Lucas trod softly, uncertain if zombies possessed night vision. Regardless, he had the advantage of the diminishing orange hues of the sunset illuminating the night sky. Clicking his tongue in mild boredom, he reflected on how dull it was to be alone.

It took him around twenty minutes, a deliberate pace, to avoid drawing attention. He arrived at the university, where, unlike his previous visit, the area wasn't swarming with zombies. His approach had been unhurried, yet the distance wasn't as great as it seemed. Such a span wasn't extensive, especially when compared to the sprinting and aerial evasions he had employed earlier to keep the zombies at bay.

Ascending the university's stairs and grappling with its wooden door and inner glass door, Lucas considered their substantial protection potential. This location, he mused, might have been an astute choice for their base. The only drawback was the proximity of the entrance stairwell to the road.

Beyond the receptionist's desk, he observed a pair of undead—red and green bloodstains painting a grisly scene. He dismissed the possibility of Lucy's involvement. Knowing her character, she wouldn't harm innocent humans.

Using his shoes to smear the still-liquid red blood while acknowledging the fresher green streaks, Lucas ventured onward. Casting a sidelong glance at the building's layout, he noted that from a certain perspective, the university resembled a box with a missing middle section, akin to the letter "O" with a 90-degree edge.

Though he had previously disregarded the existence of the garden within, the sight was captivating. Through a window, Lucas beheld a meticulously arranged middle area. Benches offered respite, while rows of flowers had bloomed into a tapestry of colors. Most enchanting was the tree at the center, its boughs adorned with pink blossoms. Though unfamiliar with the species, the tree, surrounded by its petal-strewn domain, left Lucas deeply moved.

Glancing at his phone, the time read 7:02 p.m., yet the sky bore an unusually deep moonlit glow. The desire to capture the garden's beauty on camera tugged at him, but the night was perilous beyond sheltered walls. His priority lay in finding Lucy, Meri, and her brother.

Ascending to the second floor, he encountered a few obstacles apart from scattered corpses. It was a Saturday evening when the outbreak occurred, and aside from students engaged in late projects, cleaners, and security personnel, few occupied the premises. Since Lucy had diligently cleared most of the wandering zombies, Lucas could follow the path of absence to locate them.

'It's truly beautiful.'

Even from the second floor, Lucas could still appreciate the garden's beauty from an elevated perspective. The view was even more captivating.

Refusing further distraction, Lucas roamed the building until he reached the fourth floor. The multitude of doors and rooms struck him as overwhelming, creating a labyrinthine challenge to locate Lucy. His initial hope was to find her on the third floor, but she was nowhere to be seen. Thus, he continued his search on the fourth floor, dispatching any wandering zombies he encountered.

Upon reaching room 409, labeled 'Lecture Room!', Lucas entered and found two pairs of eyes fixed upon him. One of them, a young woman, rushed forward to embrace him.

"Dude, what took you so long? I thought you got eaten. Thank God," she exclaimed.

Gently pushing her away, Lucas smoothed his shirt and responded, "There were some complications that caused the delay."

Glancing around, he noticed Meri standing nearby, accompanied by Cale.

"Is the boy already asleep? It's only around seven-thirty," Lucas inquired. Cale typically resisted slumber, often lying with eyes closed but not intending to rest anytime soon.

"Cale is feeling particularly tired tonight, sir," Meri admitted. "To be honest, we haven't encountered many zombies face-to-face. We usually hide, but today's encounter was too close for comfort. I had to eliminate them right in front of him to ensure our safety in that alleyway. It's taken a toll on him mentally."

Understanding the situation, Lucas nodded. "Alright, let him rest. Take a seat, no need to stand."

He extracted several towels from his pouch, offering makeshift bedding solutions. "I don't have any proper bedding, but we can spread these towels and use our clothes as pillows for now."

Curious, Meri remarked, "Since when did you carry so many towels in your pouch?"

"Sometime back, when you weren't around," Lucas replied with a sigh.

"But I've been with you everywhere, Lucas."

"Not all the time, though. Anyway, let's arrange these towels. I'm quite exhausted, especially today. We should get some rest early."

Lucas moved to secure the room door for added security.