That night, the atmosphere in the shelter was lively, the people had gathered under the glowing lights of the open square to celebrate. Music played, laughter filled the air, and a sense of peace, however temporary, wrapped around them like a warm blanket.
Darius stood on a makeshift stage, clapping his hands to gather everyone’s attention. "Everyone," he announced, his voice loud and clear, "we’ve all been through a lot. And though we’ve lost someone irreplaceable... it’s time to move forward. From today on, Randoff will take over Mr. Gabriel’s responsibilities."
A respectful silence fell as Randoff stepped forward. He looked calm, his expression thoughtful. "Gabriel was more than just a leader to us. He was a symbol of hope. Let’s carry that spirit with us. Let’s continue working together to protect each other, and build a future worth fighting for. May he rest peacefully, wherever he is now."
Everyone bowed their heads for a brief moment of silence.
Then Randoff turned to the crowd again and smiled. "Now... let’s continue this party. We’ve earned it."
A cheer erupted, and the celebration resumed with renewed energy.
Julian sat with his usual group, watching as people danced and shared food. He turned to Luke and asked quietly, "Is it really okay to have a party like this?"
Luke nodded. "It’s more than okay. Our supplies are stable now. The hydroponic system is fully up and running, thanks to Aya."
Aya, who had been sipping her drink nervously, almost dropped it. "U-Um... I-I just did what I could... I also learned a lot through it."
Vivi added, "This kind of event is good for morale. It gives people something to hold onto, a new reason to keep going."
Rea leaned back in his seat, arms crossed. "I almost feel bad for Derrick, though... still unconscious after burning out his stamina like that."
Vivi rolled her eyes. "Let him stay like that. He sided with the enemy. The fact we didn’t execute him is mercy enough."
As the group laughed and sipped their drinks, Luke leaned closer to Julian and whispered, "So... are you really leaving soon?"
Julian nodded slightly. "Yeah. I’ve stayed here too long already. It’s time we moved forward."
Luke gave him a firm look and smiled. "Alright. Then count me in, I’ll help you prep. Just make sure you’re ready."
Julian looked around at the people, the flickering lights, the safety they had built with blood and sacrifice. "Thanks, Luke."
Julian suddenly said, "Before I go... I want to check on the five people who were abducted by the zombies."
Luke nodded. "Alright. I’ll take you there."
Julian turned to the four women at his side and said gently, "Go ahead and enjoy the rest of the party."
And then, Julian followed Luke through the quieter corridors of the shelter. They arrived at the observation ward, where Ms. Rei and Selena were already waiting outside.
Luke raised an eyebrow. "You two aren’t at the party?"
Ms. Rei replied with a serious tone, "Tyson started acting strange. He screamed in pain and started muttering nonsense. It was... unsettling."
Julian’s expression grew firm. "May I see him?"
Ms. Rei nodded. "You can, but don’t get too close. His condition is unstable."
Selena led them down the corridor to a secure room where Tyson was restrained. As they walked, she explained, "It’s like he’s gone mad. He tries to chew his own fingers... and his eyes don’t look right anymore."
Luke frowned. "Could it be psychological trauma from the cocoon?"
Julian asked, "What about the others? Are they showing the same symptoms?"
Selena shook her head. "The other four are conscious and seem... normal. But they’ve lost their appetite. And loud noises make them flinch. Almost like they’ve been rewired."
Julian stepped closer to Tyson’s bed.
Selena quickly reached out. "Wait, don’t get too close. He’s unstable. It might trigger—"
But Julian ignored the warnings. As he looked at Tyson, a chill ran through him. Something... familiar. Like the twisted infection Clarissa once had after her bite.
Without a word, Julian placed his hand over Tyson’s chest and activated his skill, [Domination].
Tyson screamed in agony, writhing violently in his restraints.
Selena yelled, "Julian! What are you doing?!"
Luke stepped forward. "Hey, man! back off! You’re hurting him!"
Ms. Rei entered the room in alarm. "Julian! Stop it, now!"
But Julian didn’t let go. He focused deeper, and suddenly, Tyson’s mouth opened unnaturally wide, as if something inside was trying to escape.
A moment later, a slimy, writhing parasite burst out from Tyson’s throat, glistening with dark veins and wrapped around a small, glowing crystal.
It fell to the floor and squirmed wildly.
Julian immediately used his shadow skill to snatch and contain it.
Selena gasped. "That’s... a parasite?"
Ms. Rei quickly snapped into action. "Get me a containment vial! Now!"
Luke ran to the corner and tossed a secure storage capsule over. Julian trapped the parasite inside with a flick of his shadow tendrils.
Ms. Rei checked on Tyson, placing her hand on his chest.
"He’s just unconscious... his vitals are stable," she sighed in relief.
She turned back to Julian. "How did you know something was inside him?"
Julian narrowed his eyes. "Because... I’ve felt something like this before."
Ms. Rei looked at the parasite in the container, then at the others. "Should we check the remaining four?"
Julian nodded slowly. "Sure"
Julian proceeded to examine the remaining four victims. Selena stayed close, her expression tense.
"Well?" she asked. "Are there any more parasites?"
Julian placed his hand over the chest of one of them, closing his eyes briefly. "Yeah... they all have it. But it’s not as bad as Tyson. The parasites are still small... undeveloped."
He activated his [Domination] skill once again, and with a painful groan from each patient, a thin, worm-like parasite began wriggling its way out of their mouths, one by one. Julian captured each one using his shadow tendrils and sealed them inside containment capsules provided by the lab.
After the extraction, all four victims fell unconscious, though peacefully this time. Ms. Rei gently checked their pulses and nodded. "They’re stable... just sleeping."
She looked at Julian, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you... again. If you hadn’t noticed it in time, we might’ve never known."
Selena stood nearby, her arms crossed. "Why would the zombies even do this? What’s the point of planting parasites inside people?"
Ms. Rei furrowed her brow. "Maybe... to use them as sleeper agents. To infiltrate our shelters and attack from within."
Julian shook his head. "No. I don’t think zombies are capable of that kind of intelligence. Not yet."
He looked at the wriggling parasites trapped in the glass. "This is probably instinct. Like animals evolving to survive. Just like the mutated zombies that developed crystal cores... maybe these parasites are the next step. A way to force human hosts into their next evolution."
Luke, who had been quietly listening, winced. "That’s terrifying. To think something could be crawling around inside us... waiting to grow."
Ms. Rei turned to the lab’s terminals. "We’ll start analyzing these immediately. We need to understand what these parasites are capable of, and fast."
Julian nodded. "Good."
Luke placed a hand on Julian’s shoulder. "We should get back. The others are waiting."
Ms. Rei gave them both a grateful smile. "Be safe. And thank you again, Julian."
With that, Julian and Luke turned to leave the lab, their expressions serious as they disappeared into the dimly lit hallway.
It was late at night, the stars hidden behind drifting clouds, when Julian and his team stood at the room shelter, fully packed and ready to depart. The air was quiet, the kind of silence that made every footstep feel louder than it should.
Before leaving, Julian turned to the others. "Let’s stop by Randoff and Eliza’s place first. We need to say goodbye."
Everyone agreed with a nod, and they made their way to the familiar room. Inside, Randoff and Eliza were still awake, as if they had expected this.
Randoff looked up from his seat. "Heading out tonight, huh?"
Julian nodded once.
Eliza smiled softly. "We figured as much. You’ve all been restless lately."
She turned her gaze to Emma. "Take care of yourself out there, alright? Don’t go charging into danger without thinking. And listen to Julian."
Emma crossed her arms and huffed playfully. "I’m not that reckless."
Randoff looked at Julian with a more serious tone. "Take care of our daughter."
Julian met his eyes and replied firmly, "I will. No matter what."
Both Randoff and Eliza bowed their heads slightly in gratitude. "Thank you all," Eliza said. "For saving us, and this shelter. You’ll always have a home here."
Clarissa smiled and stepped forward. "We’ll come back."
Veronica flicked her hair confidently. "And next time, I expect this place to have better coffee."
Aya giggled shyly. "I’ll bring you something from the outside."
Then it was Emma’s turn. She grinned at her parents. "I’ll be back when I’ve got kids, so stay alive long enough to meet your grandkids."
Clarissa and Aya both flushed with embarrassment, their faces turning red.
Veronica sighed. "Emma, you’re way too bold..."
Eliza, wide-eyed, gasped. "Oh my..."
Randoff burst into laughter. "So that’s your idea, huh? Then give us lots of grandkids!"
Julian let out a slow, weary sigh. "...I’ll do my best."
The room erupted into light laughter, and with warm farewells, the group turned toward the door.
As they stepped outside, Julian and the others saw Luke and Rogan already waiting near the shelter gate with the modified jeep gleaming under the moonlight.
Julian raised an eyebrow. "You’re fast."
Luke smirked. "That’s thanks to Rea and Ken. They kept Albert distracted with drinks."
Julian chuckled. "Remind me to thank them properly."
Clarissa stepped closer and inspected the vehicle with curiosity. "This is... actually a pretty cool ride."
Aya nodded with a bright smile. "It’s equipped with a mounted M2 Browning. So we’ll be safe on the road."
Emma tilted her head. "Still, sneaking it out? Was that really necessary?"
Rogan shrugged. "Technically, it’s ready to drive. But Mr. Albert is a perfectionist, he’d keep tweaking it forever if we let him."
Luke sighed. "He’s probably going to explode tomorrow when he finds out."
Veronica rolled her eyes. "Well, too late now. Let’s get going."
They all climbed into the jeep. Clarissa glanced at Julian as he got into the driver’s seat. "You can drive this thing, right?"
Julian smirked confidently. "I’m a master behind the wheel."
Everyone gave their final waves as Julian turned the ignition. Luke leaned in and said, "Take care out there. Come back if you get the chance."
Rogan gave a thumbs-up. "May the road ahead be smooth and your luck even smoother."
Julian nodded. "We’ll be back. Just keep the shelter running till then."
With a rev of the engine, the jeep roared to life, headlights piercing through the dark horizon.