Chapter 27: Amok

As we got near the shelter, a sloppy sign on top of the entrance read “Si Shelter”.

“Si Shelter, huh. How fitting.” Luo Zehn muttered to himself.

Since the word ‘Four’ and ‘Death’ corresponds to each other in the Chinese language, I found it fitting as the name for this shelter as well. The atmosphere of the shelter certainly gives off a death-like vibe and I could very well assume that the same atmosphere could be found inside as well.

And just as I said, we were spot-on in our assumptions.

Nearing the entrance, we heard a few excited murmurs emanating from the interiors of the shelter. Well, to be perfectly honest, we couldn’t hear the murmurs clearly so we just assumed that it was so. One thing’s for sure, however. Whatever they’re doing inside those walls was enough to fill them with joy in a post-apocalyptic world.

But what we were expecting was different from what greeted our eyes.

At the sight of the atrocity, Luo Zehn’s face paled as nerves emerged from his neck. The pure rage and hatred could be seen from his eyes as he firmly gripped the hilt of his sword from his back. He was ready to extract his sword and lay waste to the shelter in front of us but I managed to get in his way. Without second thoughts, I stepped in in front of him and gave him the most vicious glare I could ever muster. The bloodlust that I’ve released from my body was enough to snap him back to reality as his eyes lost the seething anger within.

“Calm down bro!” I put both my hands in front of him as I uncharacteristically tried to calm him down. He wasn’t expecting such an enthusiastic calming technique that he became confused.

Well, this was better since it would be much easier to revert him into his calm state of mind.

“What are you doing? Do you want to blow our cover? And here I was, thinking that you’re not a musclehead anymore.” I clicked my tongue.

“What was that?” He asked. He was still confused that he didn’t hear everything that I said.

“Nothing. In any case, calm down. We don’t want to rile them up and cause unnecessary bloodshed. Use your mind, please.” I pleaded with him.

Although Luo Zehn had drastically improved when it comes to his muscle-headedness, he still had a lot to learn. Just a few seconds ago, that thing he did was something that would’ve probably killed us if I hadn’t stop him. Well, getting killed was the least-case scenario.

Getting eaten is the worst-case scenario.

“How do you want me to react to that?! They’re cooking a whole human being!” He whispered at me but his tone could’ve very well been a scream.

“Just relax. I’ll think of something.”

…

“That’s it, turn it a little bit more.” One of the men licked his lips as he watched his meal in the spit.

There were three of them, eagerly anticipating their meal as they cooked it on slow fire. Every time they felt impatient, they would get the brush from beside them and marinate the meat. One could clearly see the look of hunger in their eyes.

And as if it couldn’t get any better, another man came up to them and jerked his thumbs towards one of the ramshackle houses in the shelter. It’s as if he didn’t see anything wrong with what the group was doing. “Are you done cooking him? Our kids are getting hungry, you know.”

Then another man came and sat beside the group. “Man, today’s our lucky day. Where did you find him?”

“We caught him with one of our traps in the forest. He was a fool for walking into the forest.” One of the men exclaimed.

Something inside me was trying to come up as soon as I heard their twisted conversation. I couldn’t figure out if it was rage, sadness, killing intent, or everything in between but I could feel it.

<New skill obtained: Rage>

<New skill obtained: Killing Intent>

<New skill obtained: Ferocity>

<New quest obtained: Bi- >

I didn’t hear the rest of the notifications as my mind drifted from consciousness to unconsciousness. It was the same feeling I got when I turned into a rabid human five years ago.

Going through that again, I feared for the worst as I shoved Luo Zehn away from me. “Get away from here, now,” I told him. I didn’t want him to be in the crossfire when I turned feral. And there’s a big possibility that Luo Zehn might die if he tried to stop me. I don’t know how I acted these past few years and I wouldn’t want to know either. That’s why I drove him away, hoping that he would listen.

There was a hint of confusion in Luo Zehn’s eyes as he flinched and stepped backward. I could tell that he could feel the killing intent that my body was releasing. That’s because there was a slight look of fear in his eyes as he turned around.

“It’s dangerous, I’m not leaving you here,” He shook me. “Keep it together, man. We’re in this together.”

Ah, and here I was, trying to calm him down when I was the one who needed it the most. I thought to myself as the boiling wrath inside me was trying to overcome my mind. I didn’t feel normal, nor did I feel well. If I could tell the truth, I was a bit frightened.

No, I wasn’t frightened at myself, I was frightened that I would cause unnecessary chaos if I turned into a rabid human once again. I’ve gotten a lot stronger and the System did tell me that it was her doing that gave me back my consciousness. If I lost it again, I fear that my powers would go rampant and there would be no one who could stop me. Even if Luo Zehn tries to stop me, I don’t think he would be able to do so.

“Luo Zehn… please… listen to m- ” I trailed off.

And then, I finally lost consciousness.

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