But in that brief moment of distraction, a cold gleam flashed in Eva’s eyes.


    At the same time, a sharp pain shot through Ronan’s head.


    Fortunately, he snapped back to his senses just in time, regaining control over Eva before she could break free.


    Even the slightest lapse, and she had nearly escaped his grasp—sending a chill down his spine.


    The corpse puppet had been powerless against Eva, and if he lost control now, he would be in serious danger. More than that, he didn’t want to hurt her, nor did he want to be killed by her. Now that he had found her, dying was not an option. He had to find a way to bring her back.


    Lingering here was too risky. Without wasting another moment, Ronan directed Eva toward his hideout.


    Even with careful maneuvering, they inevitably encountered zombies along the way. But unlike the tense struggle he faced coming here, this time, the undead had no chance to resist.


    Eva was on a completely different level. Whether in speed or raw power, she far surpassed ordinary zombies.


    At first, Ronan hesitated to let her fight, worried she might get hurt. But the moment they encountered the undead, her overwhelming urge to attack surged forward, dragging him into an unfamiliar sensation. The aggression and violence he once felt when controlling regular zombies was now amplified tenfold.


    The moment Eva lunged into battle, Ronan realized something—he was only half in control over Eva.


    When she fought, her instincts were stimulated to the maximum. With his current level of control, he could only maintain their connection—he had no influence over her movements in combat.


    "I didn’t expect her to be this strong..."


    A deep unease settled in his chest. If he didn’t grow stronger soon, he knew it was only a matter of time before Eva slipped beyond his reach completely. And when that happened, not only would he fail to save her, but he could also end up dead by her hands. If she disappeared into the vast city, finding her again would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    Clenching his jaw, Ronan tightened his grip on the boning knife. Then, without hesitation, he rushed toward Eva.


    At that moment, four zombies surrounded her. She had just twisted the head off one of them, its body crumpling lifelessly to the ground.


    The remaining three had ignored Eva entirely—but the second Ronan appeared, they turned and lunged straight at him.


    It was Ronan’s first time facing so many zombies at once, and his nerves were on edge. But strangely, the violent energy radiating from Eva ignited something within him—a fierce urge to fight.


    Gripping the boning knife tightly, he let out a low growl and charged straight into the center of the three zombies.


    Unlike the stiff, lumbering undead of the movies, these zombies were powerful and agile. However, they acted purely on instinct, making their attacks predictable.


    The first zombie lunged, reaching for Ronan, but he swiftly pivoted to the side, dodging its grasp. At the same time, he drove his knife deep into the abdomen of another.


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    The blade sank into flesh, but Ronan had no time to hesitate. He immediately lashed out with a kick, sending the third zombie staggering backward.


    The force of the blow knocked it directly in front of Eva. Before it could rise, she grabbed its head and tore it clean off.


    Meanwhile, the first zombie had already recovered and was closing in fast. Ronan barely had time to steady himself before he realized—he was in trouble.


    His knife was still lodged in the second zombie, and the first had nearly already reached in front of him. Its bloodstained hands stretched toward him, and once caught, breaking free would be nearly impossible.


    But under the looming threat of death, Ronan didn’t panic.


    With a firm grip on the knife, he yanked it forward. The sudden motion pulled the wounded zombie toward him, and Ronan quickly sidestepped.


    The two zombies collided, throwing them off balance. Seizing the moment, Ronan slashed his knife upward, slicing open the abdomen of one and, without hesitation, drove the blade into the back of the other’s skull, twisting it sharply.


    It all happened in an instant.


    When the frenzy subsided, Ronan snapped out of his battle haze, realizing that only corpses remained at his feet.


    It was then that he understood—his reaction wasn’t just quick thinking. It was something more. His mental reflexes and physical movements had been perfectly synchronized. His instincts had sharpened, his body more responsive than ever before. While some of this could be attributed to his growing physical and mental strength, there was no doubt that the violent energy coursing through him had played a part.


    Most unsettling of all, as he stood there, bloodied knife in hand, staring at the lifeless bodies around him, a shiver ran through his frame.


    Not from fear.


    But from exhilaration.


    Nearby, Eva had already finished consuming the gelatinous substance from the zombies’ brains. Her once-dull eyes now gleamed with heightened clarity. If not for their eerie blood-red hue, she would almost look… human, an ordinary survivor.


    And strangely, as Eva changed, Ronan felt something shift within himself as well.


    The difference was subtle, but undeniable. His strength had increased, his exhaustion fading away. More importantly, his connection with Eva had grown stronger.


    Could it be that their bond allowed him to evolve alongside her? Apart from this, Ronan could not find a better explanation.


    Before this, Ronan couldn’t be certain whether this change was good or bad. But one thing was clear—the changes he felt were exhilarating.


    It did not affect his sanity, his mind remained intact. And yet, he was growing stronger, right alongside Eva.


    A thrill shot through him at the thought. Ronan even began to look forward to further changes. If they continued like this, who knew what they could become?


    Still, he couldn’t afford to be reckless. If anything happened to Eva, there would be no going back.


    On their way back, Ronan stopped at a clothing store and found a clean dress and a pair of sandals, intending to change the blood-stained clothes on Eva.


    The blood-covered corpse puppet hadn’t bothered him before, but Eva…


    She had always been someone who cared about cleanliness. Even now, in her current state, he couldn’t bear to see her like this.


    She deserved better.


    But once they returned to his hideout, Ronan found himself hesitating.


    Eva sat motionless before him, he glanced at the clean clothes in his hands, then back at her.


    How was he supposed to do this?


    Whether he controlled her to undress or did it himself, there was no avoiding it—he would end up seeing a body he had imagined countless times before.


    His throat went dry.


    Back then, his feelings for Eva had always remained unspoken. He had never dared to confess, nor had he ever imagined that their relationship would change.


    After all, he was just an ordinary guy—an unremarkable otaku struggling to make ends meet.


    Meanwhile, Eva had been the campus beauty of X City University, admired by many, surrounded by suitors who were far more accomplished than him in every way.


    Yet now, fate had twisted in the strangest of ways.


    But at this time, because he had to help her change clothes, he had to see her body...


    Even if she no longer had rational thought, Ronan still felt dry mouth, his pulse quicken.


    His gaze flickered between the basin of water at his feet and Eva’s bloodstained figure.


    A long silence stretched between them before Ronan finally let out a slow breath and, with deliberate hesitation, reached out his hand…


    As each button came undone, Eva’s delicate, fair skin was gradually revealed before Ronan’s eyes.


    His body burned with heat, but he forced himself to suppress the rising urge, focusing instead on gently wiping her down with a damp towel.


    "Calm down... Stay in control... No matter what, you’re still human..."


    It would be a lie to say he felt nothing while facing the naked body of the girl he had loved for so long. But as his gaze met Eva’s vacant, emotionless eyes, a sharp ache settled in his chest.


    When will she finally regain her sanity…?