The morning sun broke through the thick, dark haze hanging over the city, casting a pale orange light across the ruined streets.
The hunt resumed exactly where they had left off the previous evening. With James gaining far more confidence in Summer’s terrifying combat skills, their hunting strategy operated like a well-oiled machine.
Using himself and the faint smell of human blood from a small scratch on his forearm, James successfully lured small clusters of mutated monsters out of their hiding spots in the surrounding alleyways.
Summer handled the rest. Moving like a pale phantom with her boosted Agility, she tore through the brutes before they could even react. Within just one hour of hunting, twenty more feral zombies lay dead on the pavement.
Summer swallowed the twentieth glowing crystal, feeling the familiar wave of cool energy rush into her core.
[Feral zombie killed.]
[EXP gained: +50]
[Evolution Progress: 70/100 (Feral Zombie Cores consumed)]
She checked her status screen briefly, noting her level had increased to Level 8. Her attributes were steadily growing, making her overall strength increase.
She turned around toward Jacob, who was leaning heavily against a wrecked car, catching his breath while wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Let’s rest for now," Summer offered in her quiet, raspy voice.
Jacob looked up, clearly surprised by her suggestion. Yesterday, she had not cared about his physical exhaustion or well-being at all, as her complete attention had been focused solely on hunting down as many feral zombies as quickly as possible.
But after the events of the previous night, the dynamic between the human family and the zombie girl had shifted into a genuine mutual understanding.
"Thank you, Summer," Jacob panted, offering her a grateful smile. "A short break would be very welcome."
He was glad to see her showing empathy. It proved that despite her predatory instincts, her mind was growing more human by the day.
They retreated into the shaded lobby of a ruined bank nearby to rest. Mary and Ilas sat together on a leather sofa, while Ella carefully unpacked a bottle of water.
Although the mother and daughters were still slightly wary of Summer’s pale appearance and sharp claws, their interactions with her were slowly becoming far more comfortable.
They no longer shrank back in sheer terror whenever she moved.
As Jacob rested his tired legs, Ella held her water bottle tightly and hesitated for a moment.
She looked over at Summer, who was sitting cross-legged on a marble counter, idly swinging her dark boots back and forth in the air.
Summoning her courage, Ella walked over and stopped right beside the counter.
"Summer..." Ella started quietly, her small voice echoing in the quiet bank lobby. "Can you... can you allow me to kill a zombie?"
Summer stopped swinging her legs. She tilted her head to the side, her large crimson eyes wide with genuine confusion.
"You... want to eat core too?" Summer asked naively, her lips pouting slightly as if worried she would have to share her precious food.
Ella blinked in surprise before waving her hands frantically in front of her face. "No! No, I don’t want to eat cores! I just... I want to learn how to fight them. I want to be self-independent."
Summer stared at her blankly, her simple mind processing the strange words. "Why? I can protect you. Deal... says I protect."
Ella looked down at her dirty sneakers, her expression turning somber and serious. "I know you are protecting us, and you are really strong. But I cannot depend on you always. What if a zombie attacks me when you are far away? What if you cannot reach me when I need help?"
Summer frowned tightly. Dark lines creased her smooth forehead as she deeply pondered Ella’s words.
The human girl was right. The city was vast, and feral zombies were fast. If a monster ambushed Ella while Summer was busy fighting others several streets away, the weak human girl would die instantly.
"True..." Summer conceded softly, her red eyes dimming in understanding. She nodded her head firmly. "Okay. Fight one."
To ensure absolute safety, Summer pulled a mental thread, summoning her designated squad leader, the tall male zombie she named One.
The rotting zombie shuffled into the lobby, standing stiffly before them.
Summer looked at One and issued a strict, direct mental command: Fight her, but do not use claws or teeth. Only use blunt shoves. Do not infect.
One nodded its head in a robotic manner, turning its dull, unfocused eyes toward Ella.
Ella took a deep breath, stepping into the center of the lobby. She did not possess heavy gauntlets, glowing boots, or high system attributes.
She was just a normal sixteen-year-old girl in a loose jacket. Yet, the moment she took her stance, her whole posture changed entirely. Her feet spread shoulder-width apart, her knees bent slightly, and her breathing became slow and rhythmic.
One lunged forward, swinging its heavy, rotting arm in a clumsy, horizontal strike.
Instead of panicking or backing away, Ella stepped directly into the zombie’s attack space, dodging beneath the slow swing.
She grabbed One’s extended wrist with both hands, pivoted her hips with incredible fluidity, and used the monster’s own momentum against it.
With a sharp exertion of breath, she threw the much larger zombie directly over her shoulder.
BANG!
One slammed hard onto the marble floor on its back, cracking the tiles beneath it.
Before the zombie could attempt to rise, Ella stepped forward and drove the hard heel of her shoe directly into its throat, pinning its windpipe and immobilizing it completely.
The entire fight had lasted less than four seconds.
Summer sat frozen on the marble counter, her mouth slightly open in absolute astonishment. She stared at the tall male zombie pinned helplessly on the ground, and then at the small human girl standing victorious over it.
One was significantly taller, heavier, and physically stronger than Ella in every conceivable way. Yet Ella had brought it down effortlessly without using any equipment.
"How?" Summer gasped out, her raspy voice filled with genuine awe as she slid off the counter and hurried over. "You... so weak... but beat One so fast!"
Ella let out a soft, embarrassed chuckle, stepping back to let One scramble back up onto its feet. "I practiced martial arts for six years before the apocalypse happened. My instructor taught me how to redirect force and hit vital balance points."
Summer leaned in close, her glowing red eyes sparkling with intense curiosity. Her simple mind immediately began analyzing what she had just witnessed.
Ella’s physical body was fragile, but her techniques were sharp, precise, and completely stripped of wasted movement.
Summer realized something terrifying. If Ella possessed the exact same physical attributes and equipment as Summer, Ella could defeat Summer in a straight fight easily.
Summer relied purely on raw speed, crushing force, and brute momentum. She had no real skill, only heavy attacks.
A sudden surge of excitement burned in Summer’s chest. She did not feel threatened; she felt utterly fascinated.
She wanted that skill. She wanted to know how to move like that.
"Teach me!" Summer blurted out, her pale hands grasping Ella’s sleeves tightly. Her dark eyelashes fluttered with pure eagerness. "Teach me... martial art!"
Ella blinked in surprise at the sudden request, looking over at her parents. Jacob had a frown on his face, then he nodded.
Ella looked back at the eager zombie girl and smiled brightly. "Okay! I will teach you martial arts techniques. But as the price, you have to accompany me when I practice fighting real zombies so I can get stronger too."
"Yes! Deal!" Summer agreed instantly, nodding her head so fast her dark hair whipped around her cheeks.
Both of them were ecstatic in their own way. Summer was thrilled at the prospect of mastering deadly physical techniques to complement her growing power, while Ella was overjoyed to finally gain the means to protect herself and her family alongside a powerful companion.