Arriving in front of an apartment building slightly larger than Aron's own, Daniel was the first to step inside. The moment they entered, Aron felt dozens of eyes on him. Customs officers, some in uniform and others in plain clothes, all stared at them curiously.
Aron, long accustomed to being stared at, wasn't the least bit bothered. His eyes swept across the room, but he didn't spot the man Daniel had mentioned, the one with the O-shaped mark on his forehead.
He shot Daniel a glance, silently asking where this supposed "special awakener" was. According to Daniel, no one knew what ability the man possessed, but everyone respected him deeply. No one dared provoke him, afraid of becoming the test subject for his hidden power.
What surprised Aron most was that everyone had simply believed the man's claim of being awakened. But when Daniel explained the reason, Aron understood.
On the day the apocalypse began, all the officers had been in a meeting when some suddenly turned into zombies, scratching and biting those beside them. By the time they managed to escape the horror, they realized only a quarter of them remained.
In that chaos, their colonel, the one leading the briefing. Right before their eyes, a dark O-shaped mark had appeared on his forehead.
Later, when reports surfaced that awakened individuals bore square-like symbols, the colonel's unique mark made him stand out even more. To the survivors, his awakening was proof of power and hope. They clung to him, showering him with respect, even treating him like royalty.
Aron could only sigh at their cowardice. Still, he couldn't really blame them. In desperate times, people clung to hope and leaned on anyone who seemed capable of protecting them. No one dared offend the man, and many even offered him supplies to be in his good books.
He also noticed there wasn't a single female officer present. It didn't surprise him. In society, it was frowned upon for women to work in uniformed jobs. Some still did, but they were rare.
"These are the two I told you about," Daniel said, introducing Aron and Rose.
The men sitting around only gave them brief nods. Their eyes, however, lingered on Rose with veiled lust, until they noticed the awakened mark on her wrist. Panic flashed across their faces, and they quickly averted their gaze, terrified of offending her. Rose, oblivious, quietly took a seat beside Aron.
Moments later, a man in his late forties or early fifties entered, flanked by two burly men in their custom uniform. The instant he appeared, everyone's faces shifted into fawning expressions.
"Hope you slept well, Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, I found this wine yesterday. It's an excellent brand…"
Aron almost cringed at their words. From the look on the man's face, he was enjoying every bit of it, perhaps even demanding to be addressed that way. Daniel who was at his side leaned closer and whispered, His name's Bob.
Aron could only shake his head.
Raising his hand, Bob silenced the room. His gaze swept over Aron, noting the lack of an awakened mark. His eyes then shamelessly roamed over Rose's body, making her uncomfortable. Even after spotting the mark on her wrist, he made no effort to hide his lechery.
Daniel quickly cut in to divert Bob's attention. "These are the two I told you about, Your Majesty."
Aron, though never interested in Rose, still felt anger stir at Bob's unrestrained gaze. Even seeing Rose with him, it was a kind of insult, to any man. But he didn't lose sight of his real goal.
Aron moved slowly, Reaching into his pocket, Bob flinched. His two bodyguards instantly stepped forward to shield him. Aron calmly raised both hands, revealing only a pack of cigarettes.
Bob's eyes lit up the moment he saw the cigarettes. Raising his hand, he ordered his men to step aside.
Aron had been wracking his brain for a way to get close to Bob without the use of violence, so he could claim his ability. That's when he remembered the cigarettes he'd scavenged a few days ago. Sure enough, Bob's gaze was practically glowing.
He had abandoned the bag of food he'd scavaged to keep his load light before he did the truck stunt, thankfully he had kept a few cigarette packs in his pocket. That decision was paying off now.
"This is a gift for you," Aron said. He almost added Your Highness but couldn't bring himself to say it.
Bob's face brightened. Receiving such a rare treasure instantly softened his attitude toward Aron. Not that Aron cared about how he felt. If not for Bob's talent, he wouldn't have bothered coming here at all.
"Nice, nice, nice…" Bob muttered in excitement, patting Aron on the shoulder.
On cue, a familiar voice echoed in Aron's mind
[Claimable Ability Detected…]
****
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