《Being the Coroner of Doom[English]》 Chapter1 - The Walls They Build
Sixty years ago, the Earth changed forever. A plague swept across the world, twisting the natural order beyond recognition. Creatures once thought to be mere legends now roamed freely¡ªgiant, bloodthirsty mammoths the size of mountains, ice wolves capable of freezing entire villages with a single breath. Humanity, once the apex predator, was now a fading echo in a world overrun by monstrous evolution. To survive, mankind retreated behind towering walls, cutting themselves off from the vast wilderness that had become a graveyard of civilizations. But even inside these walls, safety was an illusion. Humanity was no longer the master of the planet. They had become prey. Fortunately, the discovery of the original stone¡ªa rare stone of special power¡ªgave some humans the ability to tap into the Force that drifted through the universe. Awakeners, as they were called, emerged, their powers enough to hold their own against the legendary beasts and keep humanity''s fragile flame burning. But even the strongest awakeners couldn''t protect the entire world. They could only defend the land within the walls. And that was enough to keep the human race alive¡ªfor now. .... Axel sat in the back of the classroom, his eyes unfocused as the teacher droned on about the past. The students around him scribbled notes, their pens moving in sync with the rhythm of history lessons. They dreamed of becoming awakeners, of stepping into the world of the powerful, the elite. But Axel wasn''t like them. He wasn''t dreaming about the awakening test. He wasn''t imagining himself as some hero, standing tall against the beasts in the wild. He just wanted to survive. He wanted to keep himself and his sister safe from the chaos of the slums. The teacher''s voice cut through his daydreams. "If our class can produce two awakeners, I''ll wake up with a smile in my dreams," the teacher said, his voice full of an enthusiasm Axel could barely muster. "But remember, it''s not as glamorous as it sounds. You''ll fight the creatures of the wilderness, and you''ll need to be careful not to become infected." Axel snapped out of his trance and glanced up. The teacher asked, "Who can tell me what an infected person is?" A student raised their hand. "Everyone, survived the plague, were changed by it. When an awakener lose control of their power, the mutation spreads, and they would turn into monstrous creatures, feeding on human flesh." "If you are scratched or bitten by them, even if you don''t die, you will turn into a zombie-like monster in a short time." The teacher nodded, pleased with the answer, and continued lecturing. Axel''s gaze wandered again, out the window. His mind drifted to the streets outside, the world he truly knew. A month from now, all the children who were about to turn eighteen would be tested for their potential to awaken. The lucky ones would be selected. The ones who failed? They''d be forgotten. Axel knew he had no chance. His family had never been wealthy, and without the resources to get the right education or support, his future was already decided. He could barely afford to keep his sister alive, let alone aspire to a life behind the walls. His thoughts were interrupted as the bell rang. The classroom emptied quickly, leaving Axel alone to pack his things. As he gathered his worn books, his eyes wandered to the trash can in the corner. There, among discarded paper and lunch wrappers, were small, broken fragments of original stone. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Axel hesitated for a moment, then walked over, his movements cautious. He picked up the remnants¡ªleftovers from the other students who could afford more¡ªand wrapped them carefully in a scrap of paper. Only when you have a higher Force in your body can you reach the critical point of breakthrough and have a higher probability of becoming an awakener. Therefore, students with good family conditions will carry it with them for absorption. These fragments, though small, still contained some of the Force to help someone like Axel. He wasn''t like the others, with their fancy supplies and polished dreams. He had to take what he could get. Once his bag was packed, Axel made his way out of the school. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the crumbling city. Although there are awakened humans, their overall strength is not at the same level as the monsters in the wilderness. Therefore, nowadays, major cities have built huge walls, to resist mutant beasts. However, the land inside the city wall is very expensive, and not everyone can afford a house. Axel''s eyes flicked toward the city wall, where a small, hidden door allowed those who couldn''t afford housing to slip out into the wilderness. It was a quiet exit, the gateway to the forgotten world beyond the barriers. Life outside the walls was never kind. The slums were dangerous, a lawless place where survival meant taking risks every single day. As he walked past, his eyes fell upon a crumbling courtyard. It had once been home. Three years ago, his father¡ªan awakener¡ªhad vanished without a trace. His team, too, had been wiped out. When the investigation turned up nothing, his father was labeled a traitor to humanity, and Axel and Annabelle were also cast out into the streets. That year, Axel had been fifteen, and Annabelle had been ten. ..... Axel continued down the road until the sound of raised voices caught his attention. People were gathered outside the slums, their faces anxious, filled with fear. Axel pushed through the crowd, his heart pounding. "Closure zone?" Axel asked, overhearing the murmurs around him. The sign in front of the gate confirmed it: "Closure Zone: No One May Enter or Exit." The guards stood firm, their armored forms blocking the entrance, and the crowd pressed forward, desperate to be heard. "There are infected people inside! You can''t leave us here!" someone cried. "Please, I can stay, let my child go out!" There are at least thousands of people in the c-zone slums. At this moment, they are holding the iron gate and crying desperately. Everyone knows how terrible the infected are. Infected people have appeared in other slums before, and hundreds of civilians have been devoured. Axel''s eyes swept through the crowd, but saw a thin little girl wearing a thin linen dress and a long braid, also holding the iron gate, looking out blankly. The moment he saw her, Axel felt relieved. ..... Skye from the law enforcement bureau felt a surge of anxiety as he watched the crowd rush out in a frantic panic. With so many people packed together, if one of them was scratched by an infected person and suddenly mutated... It was impossible to predict how many would die before they could contain it. "Everyone, go home! We''ll lift the blockade once we''ve confirmed the infected!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos, but the panicked crowd couldn''t hear him over their own fear. "Stop lying! There was an infected person in District F last time! Hundreds died!" "You don''t care about us! You just want to trap us here!" Skye hadn''t expected his words to make things worse. The anger in the crowd grew, and a section of the barbed wire began to bend under the pressure. Suddenly, a figure zipped past him. "Hey! Watch out!" Skye shouted, but the man didn''t stop. Axel glanced back at Skye as he kept running. "I know. But I need to get home." Home? Skye froze for a moment. What home could he be talking about in this mess? Before he could process it, Axel darted past him, his hands gripping the wire as he vaulted over it. "Wait, what¡ª?!" Skye''s voice caught in his throat. Was this guy crazy? Didn''t he know that this was a quarantine zone? The crowd around them murmured in confusion. Even those who were trying hard to squeeze out were a little stunned when they saw someone coming in from the outside. Did he not understand the danger, or was he just crazy? "Brother," came a soft, weak voice from behind Axel. Axel stopped, and a fragile, pale figure pushed her way through the crowd, timidly pulling at his sleeve. Chapter2 - Go home Skye watched as Axel turned to face the girl¡ªa little girl, no older than eight or nine, dressed in a faded floral apron. The moment was still, and Skye did not miss this collective moment of silence and said immediately. "See? Even the kids aren''t afraid. Why should you be? If it were really that bad, would I let him in?" His tone was a little sharper now. The crowd fell silent, and as they realized the sun was setting, their anxiety shifted to fear. One by one, they started to disperse. Axel looked down at the girl, his eyes softening. "You?" Annabelle shook her head. "From outside." Their gazes met, and without other word, they seemed to understand each other. He gently brushed her hair back, and they began to walk away. But then, a stern voice stopped them. "Young man!" Skye called, his voice heavy now. "If you go in there, I can''t let you back out. You really think this is a joke?¡± Axel paused, glancing at Skye. There was no hint of defiance in his eyes, just quiet resolve. "I know." He touched the girl''s hair once more before he spoke, his voice soft but firm. "But I have to go home." Skye hesitated, his eyes flickering to the little girl beside Axel, so thin she looked like she might be swept away by the wind. His expression softened, and he lowered his voice, barely audible over the noise of the crowd. "Once the sun goes down, stay inside. Don''t go out. The infected only come out at night to hunt." Axel''s gaze sharpened slightly at the mention of "hunting." Then he nodded. The crowd who had not left were about to gather around to listen to the exchange. Just then, the sound of grinding metal filled the air, and a massive steel wall rose outside the barbed wire, completely sealing off the area. "Please remain calm," a loudspeaker blared, its voice cold and robotic. "The law enforcement agency will enter Zone C. Once the infected are neutralized, the blockade will be lifted." "Until then, stay inside. Especially after dark! Do not leave your homes!" The announcement echoed through the crowd, but despair filled their faces. The same nightmare had happened in the neighboring District F. In one night, hundreds of people were slaughtered by the infected, leaving the area a hellscape. Now, District C was locked down, and no one could escape, no matter how badly they wanted to. A few rays of the setting sun filtered through the streets, but Axel couldn¡¯t feel the warmth. He knew the sun would set in less than an hour, and they needed to get home quickly. "Brother, I''m hungry," Annabelle murmured, pressing against his side. Her thin, malnourished frame was barely visible under her loose clothes, and her once-lustrous wheat-colored hair now hung limp over her shoulders. Despite the chaos around her, she seemed oddly unaffected by the panic. "Just hang on, we''re almost there." As they walked, the crowd around them began to thin. The infected feared the sun, but darkness was their domain. Soon, the street was nearly deserted. People were hurriedly securing their homes, nailing boards over windows and doors, preparing for the coming night. Children, who normally filled the streets with laughter, had already vanished into their homes. After walking two more blocks, Axel and Annabelle finally reached a small wooden house¡ªtheir house. They had worked for over two years to buy this place, a tiny sliver of safety in a world falling apart. But as soon as they stepped inside, they froze. The house was already occupied. Several burly men were lounging inside, puffing on cigarettes. They looked up as Axel and Annabelle entered, and their initial surprise quickly gave way to smirks of relief. "So, it''s just two kids living here?" one of them sneered, his voice thick with malice. Axel''s eyes narrowed. His protective instincts flared as he stepped in front of Annabelle, keeping her hidden behind him. "This is my house. You''ve got the wrong place." The men exchanged amused glances, then laughed. The scarred man in the lead sneered and took a step forward.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "Your house? Do you see your name on the door? I''m telling you, this is my place now. Got a problem with that?" His gang chuckled in agreement, but their eyes lingered on Annabelle. Although she was only thirteen years old and still wearing tattered linen clothes, she looked pure and lovely, as charming as a fairy.... They were all thugs who had been hanging around in the slums for many years. They had no house in Area C, so they just occupied one randomly. Unexpectedly, the owner of the house was two children, which saved them trouble. Axel''s breath caught in his chest, and a coldness settled in his gaze. His physical abilities¡ªthanks to Force¡ªcould help him take on a couple of them, but against this kind of slum scum, he couldn''t take the risk. Just as he prepared to speak again, he felt Annabelle''s hand grip his tightly, and then¡­ he sensed it. Behind him, her once-innocent eyes were now slightly bloodshot, and a faint, dark aura began to coil around her. The air around her grew heavy with barely-contained violence. Axel''s heart raced. He quickly turned to her, positioning his body in front of hers. His voice was barely a whisper, just for her. "Not now. Leave it to me." Annabelle''s bloodshot eyes flickered for a moment, but the dark aura receded as quickly as it had come. She returned to her quiet, innocent state, looking up at Axel as if she were nothing more than the frightened child she appeared to be. The scarred man''s voice interrupted the moment. "Hey, kid, I''m asking you a question!" The men chuckled, enjoying their little game. Axel turned toward them, forcing his expression into one of nervous submission. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke. "Okay, okay¡­ no problem. I''ll get out of your way, just¡­ just let me grab something to eat from the kitchen first, and then I''ll leave." The men laughed harder, the leader of the group waved a hand dismissively. "You''ve got one minute. Don''t make us wait." Axel nodded quickly, not trusting himself to speak. He gave one last look at Annabelle before heading toward the kitchen. Inside the small, dimly lit kitchen, Axel paused for a moment. The two small dishes on the counter had been left cold¡ªprobably something Annabelle had prepared earlier in the day, before the chaos erupted. His gaze fell on something else¡ªAxel''s fingers brushed against a black button on the wall, and with a quiet click, he turned a hidden switch to its maximum setting. The kitchen fell silent, the only sound the faint hum of the switch activating. ...... "Boss, you''re really just gonna let them go like that?" A yellow-haired man, sitting beside the scarred leader, grumbled, clearly frustrated. "That little girl... she''s so pretty. We haven''t had a woman in a while." The scarred man shot him a sharp look, his voice low and menacing. "The house is right here. Where are they gonna go? We''re waiting for the law enforcement to handle the infected. Keep quiet. If we make a scene, we''re all dead." The mention of the infected made the others visibly uneasy, fear flashing across their faces. The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut through with a knife. Axel held Annabelle''s hand tightly and quietly closed the door behind them. He scanned the room quickly, his mind racing. "Where are we going?" Annabelle whispered, her voice small, as if afraid to break the eerie silence outside. Axel took a deep breath, his gaze flickering to the setting sun that had just disappeared below the horizon. Usually, the slums would be alive with the sounds of people¡ªvoices shouting, arguing, cooking, laughing¡ªbut now, there was nothing. The whole street felt like a tomb. "We''re not going anywhere," Axel replied, his voice strained. He turned to face the closed door, a feeling of unease settling in his chest. The silence outside was suffocating. The two siblings sat together on the front steps, close, as if the proximity could protect them. Inside the house, the men sat motionless, too afraid to make any noise. After a long silence, the yellow-haired man shifted uncomfortably. His voice broke the quiet like a sharp crack in the air. "Boss, do you feel that? I feel... sick. Like I''m gonna throw up." The scarred man scowled at him. "Shut up and bear it. You''re just nervous. People get nauseous when they''re on edge." Normally, he might have let his younger brother step outside for a bit of fresh air, but not today. Today was different. They couldn''t afford to move or draw attention. The yellow-haired man grumbled but soon fell silent. The nausea faded, and sleep claimed him. One by one, the men in the room drifted off, unable to keep their eyes open. More than an hour later, Axel woke with a start. He looked over at Annabelle, who had fallen asleep beside him, her head resting against his shoulder. Gently, he shifted her, making sure she was leaning against the wall for support. He stood up quietly, careful not to disturb her, and reached into his boots for the dagger he kept hidden there. His fingers tightened around the handle as he turned toward the door. His eyes were cold now. All the panic and fear from earlier had been replaced by something harder. Axel and Annabelle had survived the slums for years, enduring countless hardships. They''d been bullied, pushed around, and forced to endure things no children should ever have to. But tonight¡ªtonight was different. Tonight, there were infected people outside. And he had to take his sister to live in the house! Axel stepped into the room. The sight that greeted him was worse than he''d expected. The men were sprawled on the floor, unconscious, some foaming at the mouth. The scarred man was the last to stir. His eyes fluttered open, and when he saw Axel standing there, his face twisted into an expression of disbelief. Axel, the same boy who had been so panicked and helpless earlier, was now standing tall, a cold fury in his eyes. He was holding a dagger. The scarred man tried to speak, tried to move, but his head was splitting with pain. He looked around, his gaze landing on his brother¡ªalready foaming at the mouth and out cold. The nausea. The vomiting. The sudden sleepiness of the others. The pieces began to click together in his mind. Gas poisoning. In that moment, the scarred man realized the truth. Axel had been planning this since he''d entered the house. He''d tricked them all¡ªhis earlier panic, his feigned fear, all of it had been a ruse. The scarred man''s heart pounded in his chest. He tried to speak, his voice weak with terror. "We can talk about this... we can¡ª" But Axel''s response was swift and brutal. "Shh." A spray of blood splattered across the scarred man''s face as Axel drove the knife deep into his chest. His eyes went wide in shock, and for a moment, his expression was frozen in disbelief. But his pupils rapidly lost focus as the life drained from him. Chapter3 - His awakening Thud. Thud. Thud. Axel''s heart was pounding in his chest. The moment his hand swung the knife, every ounce of strength in his body surged to its peak. It felt like his very cells were igniting with energy. Thud. Thud. The sound of his heart echoed in his ears. Blood splattered across his face, still warm, and his hands were shaking uncontrollably. The moment the scarred man collapsed, Axel heard something¡ªa subtle snap, almost like something breaking inside him. Crack. But there was no time to dwell on the sensation. Axel moved quickly to the kitchen, turning off the gas. He held his breath as he opened the window, letting the stale air escape before walking to the door, gasping for fresh air. Looking down at his bloodstained hands, he fell silent. Though Axel and Annabelle had fought off their share of slum thugs over the years, this¡­ this was the first time he had ever taken a life. "Annabelle¡­" He turned to wake his sister, but she was already awake, her large, doe-like eyes staring at him. More precisely, she was staring at the blood on his hands. She swallowed, her gaze unwavering. "Brother, I''m really hungry... If you take any longer, I might just go crazy." Axel wiped the blood off his hands with a steady, practiced motion and stepped into the room. The bodies of the four men were sprawled across the floor, lifeless. Axel could hear Annabelle''s breath growing more uneven behind him, a slight tremor to it. "Hold on. Just wait for me." He moved to cover the bodies with a large cloth, and Annabelle seemed to relax just a little, the tension easing from her small shoulders. He entered the kitchen again, taking out a needle. With a practiced hand, he inserted it into a vein in his arm, the blood quickly flowing into the small bowl in front of him. ........ Axel watched in silence as Annabelle drank the blood in small, careful sips. Yes¡­ Annabelle was infected, too. But Axel still didn''t know why it had happened. In fact, the change in her began three years ago, after their father led a team out of the city. Since then, she could no longer eat normal food¡ªonly his blood could sustain her. But she was different from the others. She wasn''t afraid of the sun, and she didn''t lose control, turning into a mindless, ravenous monster like the others. Yet Axel knew the official stance on the infected. They were to be executed on sight¡ªno questions asked, no chances to explain. It was a secret only the two of them shared. Annabelle drank half the bowl, but her stomach still gurgled with hunger. She looked at Axel with faintly reddened cheeks, her eyes pleading. Axel stayed silent, his thoughts drifting. He couldn''t bleed any more. He hadn''t eaten anything all day, and his energy had been drained by the recent violence. His head was starting to spin. In the past, Axel had tried buying blood from livestock at the market, but one sip was enough for Annabelle to turn red all over, her body burning up as if she were losing control like the other infected. Only her own blood could keep her stable. And so, Axel had bled for her over the years. It was for this reason that he, who was once gifted, is now far from the standard of awakening in the Force. Looking at his little sister, frail and vulnerable, Axel stood up. "I''ll get more blood." In the last three years, Annabelle''s strength had grown, although Axel didn''t know how it compared to true awakened individuals. What he did know was that she could''ve easily taken care of the thugs¡ªif only they weren''t afraid of drawing attention, of attracting law enforcement or other infected. But her hunger was growing. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.Axel grabbed a few mouthfuls of food and drank a large gulp of water before heading back to the kitchen to prepare more blood. "No, you''re in no shape. Eat something first." Annabelle''s cold little hand gripped his arm, her eyes firm with determination. "It''s fine¡­ I''m okay." Axel tried to reassure her, but as his eyes flickered to the white cloth on the floor, something in him stilled. "This¡­" He froze, staring at the cloth. Four faint, green orbs of light hovered above it, flickering like will-o''-the-wisps. Annabelle looked back, confused. In her eyes, the cloth was just a cloth, normal, no different than before. "What''s wrong?" she asked, not understanding Axel''s sudden unease. "This is¡­ strange." Axel couldn''t look away. The closer he got to the floating lights, the more his skin prickled. As he moved about half a meter away, the lights seemed to sense him¡ªalmost like they had a mind of their own¡ªand they attached themselves to his hands. A faint, cool sensation brushed against Axel''s hand. The green light balls gradually faded, and in their place, four small light-green crystals¡ªno bigger than a fingernail¡ªappeared in his palm. "What is this?" Axel muttered, turning the tiny crystals over in his fingers. Before he could make sense of it, he heard Annabelle''s breathing grow heavier behind him. Her wide eyes were locked on the crystals, and she stared at them like they were the only thing in the world. "You want to eat them?" Axel asked, surprised by her action. Annabelle nodded, her eyes shining. She instinctively reached out but stopped herself, glancing at Axel as she bit her lip in restraint. Axel was taken aback. For three years, he''d tried everything to find a substitute for blood, but nothing had worked. This was the first time Annabelle had shown any interest in something other than blood. "Then go ahead, try it. But hey, don''t eat them all," Axel teased, handing her two of the crystals. Annabelle quickly popped them into her mouth and then¡ªburped. "This?!" Axel''s jaw dropped. Two tiny crystals, the size of a fingernail, had filled her up? "Brother, where did you find this? Why didn''t you tell me about it earlier?" Annabelle said excitedly, her voice filled with genuine delight. She hadn''t felt full in so long. Axel stared at the two remaining green crystals, lost in thought. These had come from the bodies of the men he''d killed earlier, but Annabelle hadn''t been able to see the green light balls before. Could it be¡­? Maybe this was connected to his awakening? Every awakened individual had a special skill, but Axel was still far from becoming one. He thought back to the burning sensation in his body and the strange cracking sound he''d heard when he killed the scarred man. Could that have been when the change started? Though doubts lingered in his mind, Axel pushed them aside. The important thing right now was figuring out how to use this. If he could keep extracting these crystals from the corpses, he wouldn''t have to keep bleeding for Annabelle. He picked up one of the green crystals and stared at it, focusing all his attention on it. Axel instinctively channeled the Force, his body responding to the pull of the raw energy. The crystal began to glow faintly, and in the next moment, it seemed to melt away, merging into his skin. "Huh?" Axel exhaled sharply as a warm current coursed through his body. It was a sensation he knew well¡ªthis was the unmistakable feeling of his Force improving. For a moment, Axel stood still, his mind racing. For the past three years, Axel had struggled with his abilities, relying only on scraps from other awakened people. But it was barely enough to keep him going. He had almost given up hope of ever truly awakening, his dreams reduced to just surviving with Annabelle and trying to find their missing father. But now, for the first time in a long while, there was a glimmer of hope - the crystal. Chapter4 - Infected ¡°The ability to extract life essence from corpses?¡± Axel thought, his mind racing. Awakener abilities were diverse, with combat powers being the most common. But there were also those with life-related powers, which, though rarer, could be just as valuable. For example, some people could accelerate plant growth¡ªan ability that was incredibly precious in a world where land was scarce. Axel looked down at the last crystal in his hand. It was slightly larger than the others, and he recognized it as the one he had taken from the "scar-faced" man. ¡°Hm?¡± He felt a distinct difference as he held the crystal. This one provided much more force than the previous ones. ¡°It seems... the strength of the crystal depends on the strength of the person who died.¡± The stronger the individual, the more potent the energy stored in the crystal. Axel could feel the power pulsing in his fingers, but a new question gnawed at him. Was this ability only effective for people he¡¯d killed himself? Or could it work with any dead body? For now, though, there was no time to test it. The sound of something scraping the earth outside suddenly interrupted his thoughts. A low, wheezing breath echoed through the cracks in the walls. Along with it, a thick, suffocating stench of blood flooded through the open window. Axel¡¯s senses went on high alert. He and Annabelle both stood up in unison. ¡°Infected.¡± He motioned for Annabelle to be quiet. He had absorbed the force from the crystals, but he still wasn¡¯t sure if he could handle an infected, especially one that had been transformed from an awakened individual. The breathing grew louder. The infected was getting closer. ¡°The smell of blood...¡± The words were almost a growl, coming from somewhere deep in the chest of the creature. Axel and Annabelle¡¯s eyes locked, both aware that the infected was now at their door. *Knock knock.* It was faint at first¡ªalmost like a drumbeat against the door¡ªbut the sound made their hearts race. Axel¡¯s eyes quickly flicked to Annabelle¡¯s face, where the red in her pupils had deepened. He pulled the dagger from his boot, feeling the cold metal in his grip as the seconds dragged on like an eternity. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the sounds stopped. The heavy footsteps began to fade away, retreating into the distance. Axel and Annabelle let out breaths they hadn¡¯t realized they were holding. But their relief was short-lived. A voice suddenly came from the outside. ¡°It¡¯s been here, but now I don¡¯t know where it went.¡± Axel froze. He recognized the voice. It was the man from the Law Enforcement Bureau¡ªthe one who had warned him to stay inside after dark. In the major cities, the law enforcement bureau employed many awakened individuals to handle infected people and monsters. Axel had hoped to avoid them for now, but it seemed they were getting closer.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Another voice¡ªthis time a woman¡¯s¡ªspoke up. ¡°It¡¯s been fatally injured. It shouldn¡¯t be able to run far. We¡¯ll search the area.¡± Axel¡¯s heart skipped a beat. They were looking for the infected... but what about them? The strange and dangerous things in their house¡ªthe blood, the syringes, the covered bodies on the floor¡ªnone of it could be explained away easily. "Okay, I¡¯ll check on this house," the woman¡¯s voice said. Axel acted quickly, stepping up to the door and yanking it open. "Is it... is the infected gone?" The two law enforcement officers standing outside froze when they saw the terrified boy before them. Their eyes moved from Axel to the small, trembling girl standing just inside the door, her wide eyes peeking through the crack. The room behind them was dimly lit, with no other figures in sight. Skye, the taller of the two, smiled warmly, clearly trying to put Axel at ease. "It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe now. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re here to protect you." He reached out to pat Annabelle¡¯s head, but the little girl flinched away, she quickly closed the door, leaving just a tiny gap between it and the wall. She watched them cautiously, her eyes full of uncertainty. Skye chuckled, her tone light. "She¡¯s a smart one, isn¡¯t she?" Freya, standing beside Skye, smiled softly. "She¡¯s probably been through a lot." "Annabelle, don¡¯t be afraid. These two are from the law enforcement. They¡¯ll keep us safe." Annabelle didn¡¯t seem fully convinced, but the mention of the law enforcement seemed to calm her a little, and she nodded, though she kept her distance. Axel turned back to Skye, who seemed satisfied by the response. Skye then nodded to Axel, a small grin on her face. "You did good, kid. Staying quiet and keeping your head in the middle of all this... I¡¯m impressed." He paused for a moment. "Are you two the only ones here? Where are your parents?" Axel¡¯s face darkened slightly, his gaze dropping to the floor. He didn¡¯t need to answer¡ªSkye and Freya saw it in his eyes. There were too many orphans in the slums, far too many. Parents who went into the wilderness, hoping to make a living, never returned. They were taken by mutated beasts, or worse, and left their children behind to fend for themselves. Skye placed a hand on Axel''s shoulder, her expression softening. Just then, the radio on Skye¡¯s belt crackled to life, the voice coming through sharp and urgent. ¡°Captain, I searched the area. There¡¯s no sign of infected #2. It looks like it¡¯s fled far.¡± Skye frowned, glancing over at Freya, who shared her confusion. ¡°What do you mean it fled? It should¡¯ve been seriously injured,¡± Freya remarked, her brow furrowing. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have gotten far.¡± Axel, standing near the door, looked out into the distance, his ability kicking in. From the sounds of the retreating steps, he knew the direction the infected had taken. But it was something else that caught his eye. Out beyond the dilapidated church, a flash of green light flickered. Axel¡¯s pulse quickened as he recognized it¡ªthe same eerie green glow that had appeared after the death of the scar-faced man. Skye and Freya didn¡¯t see the light. They couldn¡¯t. Axel looked at the green ball and felt a little moved. The scar-faced man was not an awakener, but a thug stronger than ordinary people. The crystals provided were enough to increase his force. If it is the life crystal produced after the death of the infected... Let''s not talk about the distant future. If he can become an awakener, then he has the capital to move to a safer city with Annabelle. "Where will it be?" Skye frowned. There were two infected people in total. If they killed one, they would not need to act separately, and things would be much easier. Axel turned to them, his voice calm but firm. ¡°I know where it went. I can take you there.¡± Skye looked at him, surprised. ¡°You saw it? Where?¡± Axel nodded. ¡°I saw it when it fled. I was scared, but when it passed by, I peeked out through the window. I can show you the way.¡± Skye and Freya exchanged a look of disbelief. Most people, especially children, would have been too afraid to even think about tracking the infected, let alone keeping an eye on it as it ran. But Axel had done just that, showing more courage than they had expected. ¡°Well, I¡¯m impressed,¡± Skye said, a slight smile tugging at her lips. ¡°Alright, lead the way. Just keep within three meters of me. If we don¡¯t find it, I¡¯ll get you back here safe.¡± Freya raised an eyebrow, her concern still evident. ¡°Captain, is it really a good idea to bring a child along? It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Skye waved her hand dismissively. ¡°It''s okay. The other infected is still unaccounted for, and this one¡¯s injured and is under control. We¡¯ll handle it.¡± He turned to Axel again. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Skye, captain of the law enforcement detachment. This is Freya, my deputy.¡± Axel nodded, his eyes drifting back to the distant green glow. ¡°Axel,¡± he said quietly.