A sudden throbbing pain jolted Ronan awake in the early morning.


    As soon as he opened his eyes, his gaze landed on Eva, who was still sitting in the corner.


    Freshly cleaned and dressed in new clothes, she looked almost the same as before... except for the eerie red glow flickering in her eyes.


    The strange sensation Ronan had just felt was likely Eva’s instinctive hunger. If she could speak, the first words out of her mouth would undoubtedly be: "I''m hungry."


    And the only thing that could satisfy her hunger was the special gel found in a zombie’s brain.


    Based on how Eva had reacted after consuming it, the gel seemed to fuel further mutations in the virus within her body—its effects were undeniable. And if she needed it, he had no choice but to provide it.


    Thinking about it, it''s really complicated and strange.


    Most survivors were desperately trying to avoid zombies, yet here he was, actively seeking them out. Worse still, he had a mutant zombie by his side.


    After eating a quick meal, Ronan pulled a brand-new, razor-sharp knife from his backpack. His old boning knife was already showing signs of wear, and a dull blade could mean life or death in a fight. It was time to replace it.


    Out of curiosity, he tried offering Eva a sausage. She showed no interest whatsoever. It was clear—her body only craved the gel.


    "Let’s go. I’ll take you out to find food." He pulled Eva up and led her downstairs.


    The city was long dead—devoid of supplies, resources, and life. But what it did have in abundance was zombies.


    However, plunging into a horde was still too dangerous, even with Eva’s strength. Instead, Ronan decided to target isolated zombies, picking them off one by one.


    As he carefully searched for stragglers, another thought crossed his mind.


    Zombies like Eva relied on survivors as their only food source. But most survivors, if cautious enough, could manage to stay hidden—even if it meant barely scraping by.


    So what would happen when these zombies ran out of prey? Would they start turning on each other like Eva had? Maybe in some places, there already was other mutant zombies like her roaming.


    For survivors, that would be a nightmare beyond imagination. Pushing the thought aside, Ronan refocused on the task at hand.


    With his strengthened mental link, controlling Eva was noticeably easier than it had been the day before. And after a night of practice, he had also begun to understand the trick of controlling Eva.


    Unlike ordinary zombies, Eva wasn’t just driven by instinct—she possessed a strong desire to attack and had even begun to communicate her needs to Ronan.


    She was naturally powerful, and trying to exert full control over her would only hinder her abilities and increase the risk of resistance. Therefore, Ronan maintained only a mental connection with her, ensuring she wouldn’t attack him while allowing her to move freely.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Despite her autonomy, the bond between them kept her from straying far. She remained within his line of sight at all times, staying close to him as if instinctively drawn to his presence.


    Fortunately, the suburbs had a lower population density, making it easier to find lone zombies. Ronan soon spotted a few wandering near an intersection.


    The moment Eva saw them, she sprang forward without hesitation, moving with astonishing speed and precision.


    Ronan, momentarily stunned by her aggression, quickly followed, gripping his sharp knife.


    Within a minute, the fight was over. The zombies lay lifeless on the ground, and Eva, having consumed the gel from their brains, had grown even more agile, her eyes became more alert.


    At the same time, Ronan noticed a subtle but undeniable shift within himself—his mental strength had increased, and his body felt slightly more powerful. Though the change wasn’t dramatic, any progress was welcome.


    However, as Eva fought, Ronan also became acutely aware of the intensifying surge of violent energy coursing through their connection.


    For the rest of the morning, Ronan accompanied Eva as she hunted. By noon, she had killed dozens of zombies, and her hunger had finally been sated.


    But what happened next took Ronan by surprise.


    After consuming the brain gel from so many zombies, Eva suddenly appeared exhausted, her emotions becoming increasingly unstable. Had their bond not strengthened throughout the morning, she might have already broken free from his control.


    Sensing abnormality, Ronan quickly found an empty residential building and carried Eva into one of the abandoned rooms.


    By then, her fists were clenched in annoyance, but her body was too weak to move. Completely drained, she collapsed.


    Ronan laid her on the bed and immediately noticed something—her skin seemed to be burning up, her body temperature frighteningly high.


    Had consuming too much gel at once caused the virus in her body to become unstable?


    Just as Ronan was worrying over her condition, an overwhelming wave of rage flooded his mind. His vision blurred, and for a brief moment, everything before him was veiled in crimson.


    It was clear—whatever transformation the virus was triggering in Eva was now affecting him as well.


    The pain was unbearable… Ronan knew that if he severed his mental connection now, he could escape the frenzy consuming him. But if he did, Eva—completely unrestrained—would undoubtedly attack anything in sight.


    He had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure.


    His body burned as if set ablaze, cold sweat drenching his skin. A crushing pressure built inside his skull, an unbearable swelling sensation, as if something within him was on the verge of breaking free.


    If not for the sheer willpower he had developed through controlling the corpse puppet, he might have lost consciousness by now.


    Eva’s breathing grew rapid, her lips parted as she panted. A faint flush spread across her once-pale cheeks, and the red in her eyes deepened, glowing with intensity.


    Under Ronan’s strained gaze, she suddenly closed her eyes and collapsed onto the bed without a word.


    For a moment, panic gripped him—then he forced himself to stay calm. He knew next to nothing about this virus, let alone the mutations it triggered. No amount of worry would help now.


    Through their mental bond, he could still sense Eva’s vital signs. It was just that the power brewing in her body was getting stronger and stronger, and she could not bear it temporarily, so her body activated the self-protection mechanism and made her faint temporarily.


    With no choice but to wait for her to wake, Ronan had been enduring the physical torture...


    Hours passed before the heat finally subsided, leaving behind a strange clarity. The energy that had torn through him now settled deep within, seeping into every cell. His body no longer ached—it felt invigorated.


    Clenching his fists, Ronan flexed his fingers, a newfound strength coursing through him. He could tell he had become stronger. As for other changes, he would probably have to experience them one by one in battle.


    Just then, Eva’s eyelids fluttered open. But what made Ronan stunned for a moment was that after this mutation, Eva''s eyes actually returned to the appearance of a normal person! The eerie, glowing red had faded, replaced by a deep, crystal-clear black.


    Her gaze was colder now, more piercing, as if shrouded in an unreadable depth. The dangerous aura she once carried had vanished beneath an illusion of normalcy.


    To an outsider, she would appear no different from any other survivor—a quiet, distant girl hardened by the apocalypse. No one would ever suspect she was, in reality, a mutant zombie.


    This wasn’t just mutation. This was evolution. An evolution achieved by consuming her own kind.