Chapter 27: Saving Laziel

In the beginning of the apocalypse, the government indeed made a significant effort to rescue people. They provided shelters, sending the military to pick up survivors and give their best effort to preserve humanity.

It was approximately a few months later that the survival for the fittest began. Resources became more scarce and zombies evolved, putting humanity into perilous situations. 

The danger didn't only come from the mutated plants, animals, or zombies, but the humans themselves.

Nyra instantly jumped as soon as the door opened. On the bathroom floor, laid a man who seemed so weak that he was barely breathing. His face flushed like he was running a high fever.

"Let's get him out of there." Nyra choked, a little emotional in her voice, with a hint of relief.

Cassias moved quickly, and Daniel, as the fellow man, was forced to join in the rescue. They carried Laziel, who was currently unconscious. There were some bruises on his skin and he appeared to be severely dehydrated. 

The moment storms raged and zombies started appearing, Laziel was quick to realize what was wrong and locked himself somewhere safe. Unfortunately, he was hit by fever soon after.

There was none to care for him. On top of that, parts of his body were submerged in the water, worsening his illness in the uncertain weather. 

It was unknown whether he was considered lucky or not; he attracted those zombies only at the beginning who were smashing at his door. Then, his stillness must have driven those zombies away the moment they saw a new target.

Cassias carried Laziel on his back after they managed to pull him out. They worked together to get rid of the zombies chasing after them, then hurriedly got into the car.

On the way there, they met with other people who had joined the operation. The doctor had insisted on joining the search for survivors, but because there were too many zombies, they finally decided he should just stay in the car.

Darren repeatedly exhorted the doctor not to make too many noises, in case it would attract zombies toward him. 

"This is Laziel?" Darren scrutinized the pale and bruised man, then called the doctor to their car. 

There weren't too many survivors that could be saved, and it was natural. They still didn't know what was happening when people near them suddenly went feral and started biting them.

Even if they managed to get away from the zombies somehow, it was too late, as they already got infected by the zombie virus.

Nyra stayed in the car with Laziel and Zerra as the doctor examined him. Cassias dragged Daniel to help the rescue. However, just as they stepped out of the car, Daniel's sullen expression changed.

"Buddy, is that you?" He shouted excitedly at the dog that was coming toward them, staring at the humans with a feral look in its eyes. None reacted quick enough to prevent him from running toward the dog.

The dog was also a golden retriever, but Nyra and Zerra could see that it was a different one. There was a dark patch of fur on its tail, and its form was also bigger.

Its eyes were empty and crazed, and on top of that, the bigger form, however, suggested that it was a mutated dog. Plants and animals had quicker advancement compared to humans and zombies, and this one seemed to have surpassed level one and was on the verge of breaking through level two.

Such an animal was dangerous for even awakened humans, who were currently only at the first level of their power.

When Daniel was running toward the dog, it did the same thing to him. Upon noticing the strangeness of the dog, they shouted for him to be careful, and reminded him of the danger.

He didn't listen. 

"Continue to treat my brother," Nyra told the doctor, intending to go out. Her eyes flitted to Zerra briefly with an inscrutable look, before she jumped out of the car with her weapon ready.

The doctor looked at Nyra with complexities in his eyes. "Miss Nyra is really good at fighting… eh, Miss Zerra?"

Zerra also jumped out, wielding her pitchfork. She wanted to see with her own eyes what would happen to Daniel, feeling slightly sorry for him as a fellow cannon fodder. 

Anyway, since it was just the beginning of the novel, she believed that she had plot armor and…

Zerra looked at the scene in front of her with surprise. She thought that the script for Daniel would be him turning into a bloody mess next, becoming just another insignificant cannon fodder in memory. Thus, she had lit a candle for him in her mind. However, the expected scene didn't happen…

Instead, the dog passed by him and headed toward other people, its teeth bared threateningly before the dog leaped to the nearest person. The movement was so quick that the person didn't react on time. His long sleeve was torn.

Before its paw could reach the person's arm, Cassias was quick to drag and throw him away. He stumbled a few meters away, falling to the ground, but was safe.

"Everyone, get ready!" Darren instantly took control of the situation and commanded everyone to be alert.

There had been news about mutated animals, and they were stronger than zombies. Some people started using guns and throwing something at the dog. The way it could easily stomp on those branches that cracked them into two made their hearts tremble.

The situation grew more perilous as the dog accurately evaded each gunshot in vital parts, albeit its gigantic form–one meter in height.

"No, no, no, don't hurt Buddy!" Daniel desperately tried to jump in front of the mutated dog to protect it, without regard to his safety.

The dog jumped again, this time heading toward the car where Laziel was located. Nyra clutched her long knife tightly and glanced at the frozen doctor in the car. The dog could smash car glass windows.

Nyra went to stop the dog, using her cracking whip as she aimed toward the dog. It landed on the hind leg, and the dog growled at her. It lunged at her, shoving her away with its monstrous strength.

She hissed as her body slammed to the concrete surface. Blood seeped into her skin, and she stood up. The dog this time was running toward Zerra, whose heart was beating fast.

Cassias appeared just in time, kicking the dog a few meters away. The dog got up and snarled malevolently, not giving up. Zerra trembled slightly as she aimed her pitchfork toward the dog, wanting to stop its movement.

Its huge teeth made her scared. How painful would it be if she got bitten? There was nowhere to hide.

She thought that it was originally a coincidence when the dog ignored Daniel, disdainful of his meat. However, the moment she was about to stab the pitchfork toward the dog, Daniel stupidly stood in front of it.

He held his hands wide to shield the dog while shouting angrily, "I said don't attack Buddy. Why don't all of you listen?!"

Nyra trudged toward them, and she took a deep breath. There was determination in her step as she scolded him like he was crazy. "Are you crazy? That thing is attacking and endangering other people's lives!"

"Buddy won't!" Daniel insisted, like he was being bewitched. 

The dog was indeed currently standing alertly. It didn't attack Daniel, but still, it was growling threateningly at the surrounding people that were gradually closing in with weapons at hand. Its stance looked like it was ready to launch itself to anyone but Daniel.

Zerra now understood that Daniel was such an anomaly. That was most likely the reason they had brought him along and didn't abandon him.

However, the situation soon fell into a stalemate as Daniel was standing in the way.