Fear... It’s a primal feeling.
The sense of dread existed in the world long before humans defined it. It is an inherent trait among all beasts.
Some might fool themselves into thinking they fear nothing. In reality, they just haven’t come across anything worth fearing.
The chosen had no reason to be afraid of the zombies. Most of them looked forward to slaying them as they were rewarded for it.
But what will they do if they come across a monstrosity they couldn’t kill?
Fear will take root in their hearts. Their flight senses would trigger. They’ll try to escape, which is what they were doing now.
"Where is she?" Commander Hailey asked.
The muscular man had long since given up on his pristine uniform. The medals that had once been his pride were discarded into the trash. He was one of the first ones to grasp the reality of the new world.
Yet he maintained his commanding demeanor. His head held high as he walked the corridors of his office. However, no one noticed the hint of fear in his eyes as the soldiers guided him to where Jade was being held.
A few hours ago, in the early morning, chaos broke out. Civilians who were stranded outside began shrieking as Jade appeared there, walking with a severed head.
A sprinter rushed to attack her, but was put down by the soldiers stationed around the walls. Now she sat in the clinic room, clutching the severed head like it was her lifeline.
The doctors and nurses tried to take the head off her hands, but failed. In the end, they gave up and waited for the commander.
One look at her, and Hailey knew the woman was in shock. If they snatched the head from her, then she might collapse altogether.
"Bring in the psychic," he said, wondering what could have put her in such a condition.
Neha came rushing in.
"Jade?" she mumbled, squatting next to her.
Jade lifted her eyes up, took one look at Neha, and began weeping. All the strength she had disappeared. John’s severed head rolled to the ground as she jumped into Neha’s arms for comfort.
Jade didn’t look in good shape, physically or mentally. She was covered in blood and dirt, as if she had crawled her way to the base.
Even Neha was taken aback by Jade’s appearance. But not more than seeing her alive. Both of them should have died in the zoo.
Something has changed.
"Do you know her?" Hailey asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"Yes... We went to the same college," she replied, caressing her back. "Could you give us a minute here?"
Hailey nodded, instructing everyone to leave.
After a few minutes, Jade’s sobs slowed down.
"Jade, are you alright?" Neha asked, brushing a strand of hair from Jade’s face. "What happened to you two?"
Hailey watched on from the doorway, his arms crossed. The woman had been through hell outside, and he wanted to know all about it.
"H-He’s alive! He killed John and left m-me alive..."
Over the next couple of hours, Jade told them everything that had happened at the zoo. The more she talked, the more horrified Hailey became.
From Jade’s account, it was clear the Blaze guy wasn’t an ordinary being. The ability to control zombies made him an unprecedented threat.
However, Neha was worried about something else.
"Those zombies you saw... did any of them look like a frog?" she asked. "A human-sized creature with long limbs?"
"Fucking hell! What about that crystal? Where is it?"
"Just tell me where it is, damn it!"
Neha slammed her fist on the table before clutching her head. The zone boss was dead, but as long as no one brought the crystal out of the portal, everything would be fine.
Those words hit her like a truck. First, the zone boss, and now the SSS-ability crystal. Both of them were in a zombie’s hand, and from the looks of it, it wasn’t an ordinary zombie.
Neha didn’t believe Jade’s tale about Blaze. No undead, no matter how talented they were as a human, could retain that level of intelligence.
Maybe it was her arrogance speaking, or maybe it was her fear. But she refused to believe a zombie Blaze had ruined her plans.
She didn’t bother continuing the interrogation and paced outside the room. Hailey looked at a soldier and nodded. Jade was of no use to them anymore, hence she wasn’t welcome to stay.
"Get rid of her altogether."
Meanwhile, the commander turned towards Neha.
"It would seem your foresight has failed us," he said.
"I’m... sorry," Neha mumbled. "I didn’t think anyone could take out the zone’s boss. Especially a zombie, of all things."
"I don’t require your apologies," Hailey scoffed.
Before she could say anything, Hailey grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall.
"You promised me the crystal, and you will bring it to me. Or else..."
"I... will..." she said, struggling against the commander’s grip on her neck.
Hailey released his grip around Neha’s neck, letting her fall. But he wasn’t done yet, and slapped her hard to let out the remaining frustration on her.
"Three days. That’s all you got," He said, walking away.
Neha stared at his departing figure, wondering if she should snap his neck.
She shook her head, getting up. Things had changed a lot from her previous life.
I was a fool to think that bastard Blaze would die so easily.
She thought killing him would erase all her misfortunes, but despite being a returner, she was still getting screwed over him.
"It’s fine... one crystal doesn’t matter either way," she groaned as she got up.
Then again, it wasn’t the crystal that worried her, but everything that Jade revealed. If Blaze was truly taming the undead, then taking him out was of utmost importance.