Chapter 25: A Heavy Decision

The explosive zombie slowly opened its mouth, releasing a hissing sound. Small parasitic zombies began to crawl out of its body, immediately moving towards Regu Aegis.

"Shoot now!" Leoric shouted as he fired his first shot, aiming at the large zombie's head.

Cong and Rico followed suit, stopping the movement of the approaching parasitic zombies. A small explosion from the large zombie's body sent sticky liquid flying towards them, but they quickly backed off to avoid direct contact.

"This is worse than we thought," Pan said, helping Elis, who almost fell due to slipping.

As the threat on the hill was finally subdued, they realized that Theo, who had been injured earlier, was beginning to show signs of change.

November 21, 2058 – Night

At the top of a small hill rising in the Green Zone, Regu Aegis and Leoric's group finally stopped. The cold air enveloped them, and only the faint glow of emergency torches illuminated their tired faces. Theo lay on the ground, breathing heavily, his wounds worsening due to the toxic fluid from the explosive zombie.

Elis sat beside Theo, holding his hand tightly. "You'll be okay," she said, though tears began to wet her cheeks. "We'll find a way to heal you."

Theo gave a weak smile, though pain was clearly visible in his eyes. "Elis, you don't need to lie to me. I know… I won't last long."

Pan Colman approached, staring at Theo with a serious expression. He knew what needed to be done, but the decision wasn't an easy one. "Theo," he said softly. "If you change… you know what we have to do."

Theo nodded weakly. "I don't want to be a burden. Just do it when the time comes."

Final Moments

As the night grew later, Theo's condition worsened. His body began to tremble, and his skin turned a pale greenish hue. Mira, a member of Leoric's team, approached with a cold expression.

"We can't wait any longer," she said. "If he changes here, we're all in danger."

"I know!" Elis replied angrily. "But… we can't…"

"Elis," Pan interrupted, his voice firm yet gentle. "This isn't about what we want. It's about what we have to do."

Leoric approached Pan, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We can do it if you can't. Theo is one of us."

Pan shook his head. "No. He's part of Regu Aegis. This responsibility is mine."

Pan raised his weapon with trembling hands. Elis turned away, unable to watch. Theo gazed at Pan with a peaceful smile.

"Thank you, Pan," he said softly. "Look after them for me."

With a single, silent shot, it was over.

Continuing the Journey

The next morning, the mood was still heavy with sorrow. No one spoke as they left the hill, but the weight of the loss was clearly in the air. Elis walked behind, her face full of sadness, but there was a new determination in her eyes.

"Where do we go now?" Hart asked, breaking the silence.

Pan took out the map and pointed west. "There's a laboratory we detected back at the central base. It's a research facility owned by Professor Selman, a colleague of Dr. Alaric. If there's any place that holds answers about these mutated zombies, it's there."

Dr. Alaric, who had been silent until then, finally spoke. "Selman is one of the best virologists. If he's still alive, he might know how to stop all of this. But… I'm not sure what we'll find there."

Leoric looked at Pan. "How far is it?"

"About two days' journey from here," Pan replied. "But we have to stay alert. The Green Zone is full of dangers we don't fully understand."

A New Trail

November 23, 2058 – Night

As they continued their journey, the atmosphere grew tenser. The loss of Theo still lingered over them, but the drive to find answers at the laboratory pushed them forward. Leoric and Mira led, while Pan ensured everyone stayed in a safe formation.

After walking for two full days, they finally saw the large laboratory building in the distance. The tall antenna standing atop it emitted faint signals that had guided them.

"There it is," Dr. Alaric said with a sigh of relief.

However, before they could feel relieved, a low growl was heard from the bushes around them. From the darkness, glowing blue eyes began to emerge, staring at them with a silent threat.

"Defensive formation!" Pan shouted as he raised his weapon.

Before they could react further, the swift movement of one of the creatures caused the ground beneath them to shake.