As the mutant zombie''s body collapsed, Eva swiftly leapt over and extracted the gel from its brain.


    With her incredible hand speed, Eva could remove the gel without spilling a drop of blood. It wasn’t until she released her grip that a thick mixture of red and white began to slowly ooze from the large hole in the zombie’s skull.


    Ronan was taken aback. The gel in the mutant zombie’s brain was vastly different from that of ordinary zombies. While the gel in regular zombies was only faintly red, the gel from this mutant was heavily veined with crimson lines, almost resembling a gorgeous red gemstone at first glance.


    After instructing Eva to wait, Ronan carefully took the gel from her hand and examined it closely.


    Previously, Ronan had speculated that this gel might be some kind of viral lesion—similar to a stone-like growth in the body but with a softer consistency. The fact that it resided in the brain could explain why the infected lost their sanity and became zombies.


    Swallowing the gel might make the virus in Eva’s body more concentrated, and her influence will gradually deepen. It could be a form of fighting poison with poison…


    When he held it near his nose, a sharp, pungent scent immediately assaulted his senses, causing Ronan to recoil and grimace in disgust. He almost passed out from the overpowering smell. However, this kind of thing that normal people can''t bear is the most delicious in Eva''s eyes.


    From the appearance of the gel, the virus within it seemed far more potent than that in the gel of regular zombies. Given their previous encounters, Ronan made up his mind. He would have Eva swallow it once they found a safe place to rest. If not, she might collapse from the virus, and Ronan would also lose all ability to move. At that point, any normal zombie would easily finish them off.


    Stepping past the fallen mutant zombie’s body, Ronan frowned as he entered a workshop that resembled a gruesome slaughterhouse. He left Eva outside, preventing the smell of blood to attract more zombies.


    The floor was covered in a thick layer of blood and flesh, making each step feel unsettling. The overpowering stench of decay made his head throb.


    As he thought about the possibility of Emma being among these dismembered bodies, a wave of rage surged through him. He almost wished he could drag the mutant zombie’s corpse back and beat him up.


    The workshop was filled with numerous finished or half-finished craft swords, but none of them were what Ronan needed. He searched the area for what felt like an eternity before finally finding a box hidden beneath a blood-soaked sleeve.


    As soon as Ronan opened the box, he found several daggers and short knives inside. Each blade gleamed with a cold light, sharp and well-crafted. Compared to the bulky kitchen knives he had seen before, these were not only of higher quality but also easier to carry.


    After testing the grip and balance of each weapon, he selected a short knife, securing it at his waist, and a dagger that suited his fighting style. These two weapons would offer at least some advantage on the journey to the main city.


    Even though Eva was powerful, the deeper they ventured into the city, the more zombies they would encounter. Relying solely on her wasn’t a viable strategy.


    Being with Eva gave Ronan a complex feeling and subtle mentality. He didn’t want to depend on her strength for survival—he wanted to surpass her. If Eva ever regained her sanity, he wanted to stand as her equal, not as someone who had merely survived under her protection.....Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Their spiritual connection allowed him to evolve alongside her, offering him a rare opportunity to grow stronger. But evolution together alone wasn’t enough. As a mutant zombie, Eva’s raw physical strength far exceeded his, while his advantage lay in his ability to learn and refine his combat skills.


    Through his battles with Eva over the past few days, Ronan had gained valuable experience. His recent fight with the mutant zombie was proof of that.


    But it still wasn’t enough.


    As he stepped out of the workshop, he glanced at Eva’s back, his expression unreadable.


    Now that he knew other mutant zombies existed, it was only a matter of time before even stronger ones appeared. Eva’s rapid growth alone suggested that more powerful creatures would emerge soon. In a densely populated urban area swarming with zombies, the number of mutant zombies would likely be significant.....


    At this rate, he wasn’t growing fast enough.


    "Let’s go."


    Seeing nothing else worth taking, Ronan led Eva away. Even though she received his mental commands without question, he still saw her as the lively girl who once clung to him, and he couldn’t help but talk to her as if she could respond.


    But what Ronan didn’t realize was that, just after they left, a slender, pale hand parted the heavy curtains of a two-story building across the street. Through the narrow gap, a pair of sharp eyes watched as he and Eva disappeared down the road.


    "Emma, what’s wrong?"


    A man''s voice echoed from within the dimly lit room.


    Emma let the curtain fall back into place, turning toward the shadowed interior. Her delicate features, framed by soft light, were expressionless, making her seem even more fragile.


    "The mutant zombie is dead," she said flatly. "And the best dagger from inside was taken."


    The man stepped forward, his face in disbelief. "Impossible! How did they do it?"


    "Head-on combat." Emma''s expression also seemed a little complicated. "I originally considered killing him myself—he is, after all, a relative of mine. But I never expected anyone to face a mutant zombie directly and win. I noticed them when they arrived. One was a girl with little combat ability. The other… he looked familiar, but I can’t place him. Nothing about him stood out."


    "Incredible. We racked our brains for a solution, and someone else beat us to it." The man shook his head, his expression a mix of shock and frustration.


    Emma groaned in annoyance. "The real issue is the dagger! I forged it myself, and he just took it! I wouldn’t have bothered coming back if it weren’t for that."


    "It’s gone now. Just let it go," the man said with a sigh.


    Emma’s eyes darkened with anger. "Let it go? I spent over half a year crafting that knife! Why should he get to take it? We should track him down and take it back!"


    "Don''t ask for trouble..."


    "You’re such a coward! If I ever see him again, I’ll make sure he regrets it. Thief!"


    "Fine, fine…" the man muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration. Then, as if remembering something, he hesitated before asking, "So… what now? Should we check your cousin’s shop? Maybe see if any of his family survived?"


    Emma scoffed, her face twisting with disdain. "I hope they’re all dead."


    She fell silent for a moment before sighing in reluctant agreement. "We don’t have much choice. That family inherited My grandfather’s blacksmithing skills, so their weapons should be decent. Let''s go and take a look."


    "If I knew how to use any other weapon, I wouldn’t even bother. But…" She trailed off, her brows knitting together. "That guy back there… the more I think about it, the more familiar he seems."


    "In a town this small, it’s not surprising," the man replied. "You probably saw him around before. Forget about it. Let’s just prepare and head to your cousin’s place."


    Unlike Emma, who remained cold and indifferent, the man seemed oddly eager about the plan.


    Looking at the man''s reaction, Emma just scoffed. "I really hope they’re all dead," she muttered under her breath. "Especially him. Taking my knife… I hope he dies soon."


    Meanwhile, as Ronan and Eva continued on their way to the temporary stop, a sudden chill ran down Ronan’s spine. His body tensed instinctively, and an unshakable sense of unease crept up from his feet.


    He spun around quickly.


    Nothing. Only a few freshly slain zombie corpses littered the ground.


    "What the hell…? Am I imagining things?"


    He scanned his surroundings warily but saw nothing unusual. After a moment, he sighed, shaking off the strange feeling.


    Turning back to Eva, he quickened his pace, eager to leave the area behind.