Looking at her wary expression made Lucien twitch.
This bitch… what are you thinking? Hope you don't think I poisoned you, he thought.
"Lucien, did you hit your head? Let me see," Mai asked, looking at him as he sat beside her. She looked like she had seen a ghost, while Lucien gritted his teeth.
"Man, Mai… I'm fine, okay? Just eat. Like I said, we have to help each other. As for your offense, it's fine—it was because I wasn't an awakener," Lucien said.
Whether she believed him or not was her choice; he was already tired.
Couldn't he just be at peace with her for once? At least get her to let her guard down…
But it seemed like this only made her more suspicious.
"Lucien, you can cook? Damn… the dandy son is so thoughtful. If I didn't know you, I might even say you're romantic," Mai scoffed, her mouth watering.
She quickly opened the plates as the food came into view.
The scent was incredible, and the presentation was top-notch. The taste would definitely be heavenly.
"Argh… what if I were romantic, huh? Maybe you'd know if you were really close to me and not just my fuck buddy," Lucien complained—but noticed no reply, just the sound of slurping.
"Ah, bitch…" Lucien muttered as he watched Mai greedily eat. All courtesy thrown out the window.
Wait… what? Why was she eating with her hands? Was she always like that, or was it just that sweet moment?
"Bah, who said your cooking should be this good? And my hand has healed," Mai said suddenly, surprised.
"Huh… wait, are you just noticing that now?" Lucien asked, and Mai nodded.
Lucien sighed, feeling a headache brewing.
"Damn… you must be so cute to be this brainless," he muttered.
"Yes, probably… Anyway, boss, I'm really sorry. I let the power get to me… I shouldn't have left you. Boss, I'm sorry," Mai suddenly said.
Her voice was apologetic as she bowed.
Lucien felt a twinge of emotion. After all, she had grown up with him. Even if she was his fuck buddy, there were some feelings involved.
But turning on his Appraisal skill made any goodwill vanish.
"Nah… even after saying this, your future doesn't change. You will still betray me. Fuck you. Just eat first and get your energy so I can… deal with you later," Lucien said, his eyes changing from warmth to disgust.
Mai, still chewing, stood confused. Her boss, who had looked pleased moments ago, now looked at her with disgust.
What did I do?
"Just eat and meet me outside," Lucien said, standing and walking away.
"Boss, wait! You didn't accept my apology… Also, the guards are outside, they will—" Mai started, but Lucien cut her off.
"Don't worry about that. I took care of it. And yeah, you're forgiven," Lucien said, closing the door and holding his head.
"How did that braindead girl even become my secretary in the first place?" he wondered.
Outside, the guards immediately bowed in fear when they saw Lucien.
After yesterday, when he specifically taught the two guards who had beaten him earlier, everyone feared him.
Just like their boss… he was an awakener. He could choose to forgive them or make their lives miserable.
"Inform Mai about the general details and meet us in an hour," Lucien instructed as they bowed.
Lucien didn't look back; he walked away, reviewing his plan.
They had returned for supplies yesterday when he almost died, so they were fully stocked. Next, protection.
First, they needed to mask their surroundings and figure out what areas were safe, forbidden, or dangerous to prevent incidents like yesterday.
Lucien also planned to track that zombie once more. At least if he could locate it, he could check its condition—whether they could kill it or if it might evolve.
Maybe search for survivors…
Thinking of this, Lucien's mind drifted to his father.
How mentally exhausting it must have been to see the love of your life, the one who promised to spend eternity with you even lay down her life for you attack you, and be the one to devour you.
Would his father even be able to lift a hand to strike his mother?
"Sigh… even though you were horrible parents, at one point, you were the best," Lucien muttered, his thoughts turning to someone he hated.
"Lu Gan," his elder brother and supposedly the protagonist.
"You will probably survive on your own, big brother… fuck," Lucien thought, rage consuming him as he shook his head, forcing the thought away.
Before he knew it, Mai appeared with the two guards. One hour was up.
The dozen men, Mai, and Lucien gave instructions to the group as they moved out.
Mapping and scouting began.
Starting at 10 AM, they walked dozens of kilometers, marking areas dense with zombies on paper. Supplies and paths were tracked too.
Soon, a map was beginning to form.
But the closer they got to finishing, the more anxious Lucien became.
He saw no sign of that zombie.
Did that mean they would return without seeing it?
No. He refused to accept it. They had to know their enemy's strength.
"The last one," one of the men instructed, and Lucien felt hopeless.
Has the zombie moved out? Damn it.
Just then, a shriek was heard.
"Everyone, come look! What's that?" Chieen, the squad leader, shouted.
Mai and Lucien rushed over. The moment they did, Lucien's eyes lit up.
"Lucien… that's him," Mai said, shocked.
Yes.
A few meters away, a tall zombie sat, chewing on a mountain of bodies.
"System, scan him," Lucien said immediately.
Host: Elite Zombie— Evolving
Rank: Beginner-Level Awakener (Low Level)
Strength: 40
Speed: 48
Stamina: 32
Abilities: Flash Step (Can appear anywhere within 500 meters)
Skill: ???
"Holy shit," Lucien muttered.
No wonder it could one-shot Mai.
It was insanely strong.