Aron suddenly felt an overwhelming fatigue wash over him the moment he thought about what lay ahead on their path.
Anyone living in Zone C knew that place, because the filling station had been on the news more often than not.
Despite the massive size of Zone C, only three filling stations had ever been built. The third one stood right in front of the checkpoint, the largest of the three.
Technically, Zone C only had two filling stations, but Zone C's government always claimed the third as well saying it was closer for them to operate it. It was smaller than a normal station in Zone B, but the profits it pulled in were enough to make both governments fight tooth and nail.
They had been fighting over it even before the apocalypse, and even now it remained unclaimed by either.
Aron's gaze at the Zombies rampaged behind, ramming into everything in their way, leaving nothing but destruction behind. If those creatures got close to the station, there would be an explosion for sure.
"Hey! Buddy, there's a fuel station up ahead!" Aron shouted, his voice rising as he banged on the glass.
The driver had a fresh cigarette between his lips. He puffed calmly, acting as if he hadn't heard a word.
Aron had heard him laughing earlier. He knew the glass wasn't sound proof. The bastard was ignoring him on purpose.
"If you don't turn now, we're going to burn to death with the zombies!"
The driver's only reply was to slam the accelerator. The truck roared forward, showing he'd heard Aron but had no intention of changing course.
Then, without warning, the man turned his head slightly. A slow smile spread across his face as he exhaled a puff of smoke directly at the glass, mocking Aron.
Aron had never felt so insulted in his life.
That did it.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Aron hammered his fists against the glass with all his strength, shockwaves trembling across its surface. He refused to believe he couldn't break it.
But after dozens of blows, his fists bled, crimson streaks staining the glass. And yet… not a single crack appeared.
Even bulletproof glass shouldn't be able to withstand that kind of abuse.
Aron froze, heart pounding.
His blood was the only mark on the surface.
The driver didn't so much as glance at him. His eyes remained locked on the road ahead, cigarette smoke curling around him, as if everything was proceeding exactly as it should.
(Aron, this isn't the time to lose your cool. Think.)
Aron forced himself to calm down, drawing in a deep breath.
(Ah, almost forgot…)
Relief flickered across his face as he fixed his gaze on the driver's side profile.
"Just pray the gas station kills you," Aron said coldly. "Because if I find you alive afterward… I would make sure you repay this debt with interest."
The lanky driver suddenly burst out laughing. He turned, exhaled another puff of smoke at Aron, then mouthed the words with a wild grin: You wish.
After that, he ignored Aron completely, his eyes back on the road.
Aron said nothing more. He'd made his point.
The truck sped on, zombies chasing behind them. For ten long minutes, none came from the front.
When they reached the checkpoint border leading into Zone B, Aron's eyes narrowed. A blockade stood ahead. Inside a transparent security booth, three zombies clawed helplessly at the glass, saliva dripping from their jaws as they gnawed at the surface like rabid dogs. Their sluggish movements told Aron they were only Level Zero.
Without hesitation, the driver rammed straight through the barrier, the truck thundering forward without a scratch.
That alone confirmed his suspicion.
Aron was now seventy percent sure he's an ability user,
(But if he is, how is he keeping it active for this long? Four hours nonstop… no one should have that amount of mana yet right. It doesn't make sense.)
Earlier, Aron had noticed a strange mark on the man's skin. At first, he thought it was a tattoo. But then he remembered something he'd seen on the net.
Saying Awakened individuals manifest a square mark on their wrists. He thought it was a scam at first until Rose showed hers. The driver's shape was nothing like that.
His wasn't a square. His mark was a bold, black circle, sitting right on his forehead. The same sheen as Rose, but an entirely different shape.
Aron's thoughts broke off as the truck climbed onto the highway bridge. His gaze dropped to the river below.
The zombies behind followed, but something strange happened. They piled against each other, as though not wanting to fall off the bridge as though terrified. The sight reminded Aron of how the zombies behaved when the giant zombies he'd encountered before appeared, the ones that had hurled that fat corpse at him.
His eyes fell on the river below the bridge.
Once a clear, dazzling blue, it now ran crimson, as if filled with blood.
His pulse quickened. Something was in the river.
Still, with the unconscious Rose on his back, Aron didn't hesitate. Fire ahead, unknown danger below, he chose the river atleast he had a fighting chance.
He tightened his hold on her, then leapt.
Just before they hit the water...
[Immunity has been turned off. FortiSphere on.]
"Huh? Does this mean I can only use one ability at a time…?"
He'd never intended to use it. But the zombies' fear of the river had changed his mind. Whatever lurked beneath, he'd take his chances.
The moment they hit the water, everything turned red. His vision blurred, his hearing muted by the dome that shielded him and Rose. Then, without warning, something struck them with unimaginable force.
The next instant, Aron found himself airborne, blasted out of the river. The protective sphere around them slammed into Zone C's border wall before finally dropping them onto the river's railing. They landed safely, as if the impact hadn't happened at all.
Aron glanced at his Mana, only 50 left. But he wasn't discouraged.
It had been worth it.
Shrikkkkkk!
A piercing screech split the air.
The surface of the blood-red river broke as a massive octopus-like monstrosity rose from below. Tentacles writhed, barbed with jagged spines. Its colossal size made Aron feel like an insect in comparison.
His heart leapt to his throat.
What the hell is this thing? It's not a zombie…
He realized with a chill that he'd been too focused on humans. Zombies weren't the only threat. The apocalypse had changed everything, creatures included.
With this doesn't it mean, reaching Zone A by sea would be impossible.
Shrikkkkkk!
The abomination rushed toward them.
Aron tore off his shirt, his muscles taut and gleaming. He bound Rose securely to his back with the fabric, his smirk cold and sharp.
"It's either you or me," he whispered, raising a kitchen knife toward the monster. "And I know for sure it won't be me."
Just as the monster was a few meters away.
"Spsss! Over here! Hurry!"
A door Aron hadn't noticed before swung open nearby. A uniformed man, looking to be in his thirties, waved frantically.
Aron didn't hesitate. He sprinted and dove through the doorway with Rose still tied to him.
The man instantly slammed it shut behind them.
Boom!
Tentacles crashed against the sealed door. The screeching echoed for minutes before silence finally returned.
Aron's fists clenched. Even against that monster, he believed he could have fought. Maybe not killed it, but escaped with a few wounds.
But with Rose on his back? The outcome was uncertain. He couldn't risk it.
If it had been before, he would abandoned her without a second thought. But now…
Because of her and her ability, he was still alive. Without her, he would have been minced meat already. Even if his conscience didn't stop him, reality did.
Breathing heavily, Aron finally looked at the man who had helped them avoid disaster.
"Thanks for back there," he said with a smile, extending his hand. "My name's Max."
The lie slipped out easily.
***
Author:
I'm feeling really unwell right now, so please bear with me if there are any mistakes in today's chapter, I was even seeing double while editing🥲.
If I'm not able to update tomorrow, I hope you can forgive me. But if I feel even a little better, I'll definitely post.
Thank you all so much for the power stones. You guys make me really happy ❤️