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2024-10-29 19:42:56Seth was about to get his hand on a signed, limited edition CD album of Queen when he heard loud footsteps from the front.
He turned to see Marnie hiding between one of the seats and a questionable furry blanket. “Where’s Amy?”
“She’s out,” the six years old said, showing her missing teeth to him. “The strange man is here too.”
Fingers wrapped around his metal baseball bat, Seth carefully went to the front, seeing that Amy was far too close to Wade, the infectore. He didn’t know that the blonde salesgirl was this suicidal. Though, he should be picking the signs up from the night they spent together.
After all, it wasn’t like she offered a ride and tagged along with him just to win a bet, was it?
Oh. She did that, alright.
“What are you doing?” Seth stalked behind her, knuckle-white hold around the metal bat.
The blonde turned her body to face him, standing between him and her infectore cousin. “It’s not like what you’re thinking.”
“What do you think I think?”
“I didn’t release him from your measly bondage.”
“That’s the point, you don’t tie your partner like a kidnapped hostage. It’s a common misconception, but Wade is not the kind of lover I want to tie.” Seth sighed through gritted teeth, “Enough about that. If you want to be like your cousin, please, I urge you. But don’t waste my time on it.”
Amy shook her head vehemently. “I said it’s not like that.”
From his experience dating his ex, Sarah, he should know that girls would debate everything, even if that was wrong. As long as they felt right, they would argue their way out. “Then what?”
“He’s not an infectore.”
Loud groans from the drooling ashen mouth behind her should be proof enough, but it wasn’t. Apparently, Amy wouldn’t work her arse off as a salesgirl if she was bright.
“Wade is not an infectore.” Amy repeated as if he didn’t hear it in the first place.
“You likes to hear yourself that much?” Seth narrowed his eyes at the hunched form of her cousin. “What part of him that look human to you?”
“He recognise me.”
“As a meal.” Seth said in a flat tone. “He wants your stupid brain.”
“No, no, no. You got it wrong Seth,” she waved her hand, diverting his attention to the van’s windshield. “He write this.”
‘HELP’
Seth didn’t waste time stating a damning fact. “He use blood.”
“Yes, but, he write it. He know how to write, and he recognise me. He’s not entirely gone!”
“… gggrrraaaahh … bbrrraaaaaaiiinnnssss …”
“Yes, listen to him.” Seth huffed indignantly. “He wants your brain. What part of that sentence you don’t understand? Oh, wait. Don’t tell me you already feed him your brain?”
From the look of her eyes, backing down was the last thing on Amy’s mind. She brushed aside his snide remark. “What if that’s not it? What if, by consuming brain, he can regain his humanity back?”
Seth furrowed his brows, eyes darting back and forth to Amy and the hunched infectore behind her. Wade was still groaning about brains like a chant, a bit different than the infectore’s usual unintelligible sounds.
But, on second thought, “You sure he’s not just trying to recruite you as his slave?”
“He’s not, you have to believe me. Wade wants us to help him to cure–“
Seth dashed forward and swung a hit with his metal bat, startling Amy, who stood frozen with their head tucked under her hands. But his target wasn’t her.
Wade groaned louder than before as pain struck his hand. “Ggrraaaaah!”
He didn’t cease. The bulging eyes, the drooling mouth that showed Wade’s yellow teeth, and the ashen skin were clearly a sign that he was farthest away from being human. At least, a healthy human. He guessed a junkie on the verge of OD resembled all those infectores.
Seth launched another attack, and Wade didn’t stand around anymore. The infectore also seemed to gain a little agility, even if one of his legs bent awkwardly. This makes the fight less boring. He brought down the metal bat, targetting his head.
Amy screamed for her cousin, and much to her relief, Wade evaded just in time.
This time, his evasion was followed by shooting his ashen hand forward. Wade tried to grab the metal bat, but Seth managed to pull back and swung it hard against Wade’s arm. Unlike his prediction, it didn’t break. There was no sound of a broken bone, only a simple thud as the metal connected with flesh. Still, it was enough for Wade to lose his balance.
Seth sent a heavy blow to Wade’s back without wasting it, leaving his head unharmed. Once the infectore was on the ground, Seth sat on top of him, pressing his metal bat against the back of his neck, rendering him unable to get up.
Only then that he look up at Amy. “Now, do you want to work with me?”
“On what?”
“We feed Wade some brains. You can see if your theory is right and I get to collect some cells.”
It was against what she said earlier, but Amy didn’t have any other choice. She just wanted to bring Wade back to normal. As long as Seth did the dirty job, she would be fine just being a witness. He would make a controlled farming ground with Wade as the main trigger. It was a win-win situation.
“We have to keep him on a leash.” Amy grumbled as she returned to the modified van, looking for something to tie Wade again.
“And while you’re at it, how about getting me some snacks, I’m, hungry.”
The blonde sales girl turned Seth’s accomplice huffed but did as told. “Just make sure to tie him properly this time.”
Surprisingly, they both worked well with each other. After they were done securing Wade and his grabby hands, they dumped the infectore back into the trunk. They agreed to abandon Amy’s second-hand car for the modified van as it got bigger space.
Once again behind the wheel, Amy stepped on the accelerator, deeming the road empty enough to let loose once in a while. However, her guest was not entirely correct. After a particularly steep hill and a sharp turn, a row of infectores ambled slowly on her path.
“Shit!” Amy was about to evade them, but Seth was jerking the wheel back, a manic grin on his face.
“Get them all!”
Her shocked yelp and Marnie’s whimper became a background as the car hit the unsuspecting infectores. She felt sick when the tires bulldozed their brainless bodies, splatting gooey blood and crunching bones.
“Yes!” Seth quickly took out his phone, expecting the resounding ‘dong’ from the System. But nothing happened. Only silence beside Amy’s thundering heartbeat. “Where’s the cells?”
The reply came in an instant.
[No kill. No cells.]
“But–“
[Only Systemist and registered Ally can earn from killing infectore.]
Seth frowned at that, “Ally?”
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100 Systems Invasion 19. Careless Alliance
As Amy stopped the car and ensured that Marnie was okay, Seth poured all his scrutinies into the lit-up phone in his hand. “Mind sharing with the class what Ally is?”It didn’t take long for the System to reply.[The word is pretty explanatory.]He heard the blonde girl’s snickers from his left. “It’s not funny.”“Sure it is,” she said, not sensing the dire situation.“I got nothing from it, after killing five infectores,” Seth argued.[No kill detected.]He read the words again. “Are you blind?”[Only Systemist and registered Ally can earn from killing infectore.]The System showed the same message.Seth grumbled, “Fine, I’m a Systemist, I get it. But the car I am in just killed a bunch of infectores, doesn’t that count?”[No.][Only Systemist and registered Ally can earn from killing infectore.]“Damn it,” he rubbed his forehead. “Then, what do you mean by Ally?”[Ally is a Systemist’s registered partner.][Invite 3 people to be Ally and get 9.000 cells for free.]“Huh?” Seth rerea
100 Systems Invasion 20. Parallel Log
When they stupidly went to open the modified van’s trunk – while ignoring the disgusting remains of the bulldozed infectores on the road and tires – Wade could only consent with a loud groan and flailing arms.“Right. He’s practically a braindead zombie.” Seth closed the trunk again.“Completely forgot about that.” Amy agreed, pinching her nose. “It’s useless anyway. We still have to kill people.”“Infectores. Not people.”“Oh, so it matters to you now? Didn’t you easily make a man explode into bits and blood?”Seth gritted his teeth, “It’s not me. Victor exploded by himself, I just sat opposite him.”“You know him?”“My professor in uni. But the one who died came from the future.”Amy guffawed, “There you go, let your creativity flow.” However, after his silence and humorless face, she faltered. “Wait, you’re serious?”“We got this nonsensical System and ridiculous invasion where your cousin now drools at human brains. Appearing from the future and then spontaneously self-explode ten
100 Systems Invasion 21. Seamless Reality
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100 Systems Invasion 22. Systemist 38
Invasion Day 14Games Headquarter, Salt Lake City, UT“It’s just this way, Ms. Dooley,” the game developer told a woman in her mid-twenties, moments before the world begins to change. “You know, you’re the second person that’s asked to be a beta-tester of Kaiser Hunt–“Behind them, something thuds hard against the glass wall of the exhibition area.Beatrice turned towards the sound and saw a man with a bloody ashen face take a step backward and throw himself against the glass again, pulverizing his nose against it in a spray of brown blood.Then, there were others, a dozen at least, all trying to break through the glass wall, and Beatrice had just begun to register the ghastly wounds that mar their bodies when three of them found the revolving door.The game developer moved past Beatrice, defended only by the paper shield of his own masculinity, and the fastest of the crazed people tackled him. Her hands clawed clumsily at his face, and as she wrenched the game developer’s head upward
100 Systems Invasion 23. The Hidden Elimination
Invasion Day 2Dillon Nature Center, Hutchinson, KSSystemist 38, the wounded man who, according to the System, was called Chief of Kaiser Hunt, was probably one of the managers at 4Games HQ. He was surely dead, as the System told her, and Beatrice supposed his death was the sole reason why she was still alive today.Beatrice was consciously aware that she had not yet caught up emotionally with how absolutely not alright she was. But she knew that when reality hit, it was going to come down hard on her.After locating the Chief’s car with the key, she drove away from the newly-risen 4Games HQ. She stopped at a small parking lot inside a state forest.A curving concrete path led from the parking lot to a log structure. Above the building’s doorway, a flat piece of rough wood hangs. The words ‘NATURE CENTER’ are written across its surface. A decal that reads First Aid Station stuck to the upper left-hand corner of the door.There were no other cars in the lot. The doors to the Nature Ce
100 Systems Invasion 24. Skill Mastery 0%
Invasion Day 3Woodlands Nature Station, Cadiz, KYIt was a gray and chilly morning. The fog lay thick over the highway hours after dawn. By the time Beatrice could make out the infectores congregating around a minivan, they were almost upon it.Dong![3 infectores detected within 30 feet radius.]The System’s notification was a little useless. For all the games she had played online, this supposedly mighty guide in her phone was a one-star service.Although its report arrangement was the only thing behind its time, Beatrice did think that the other features were pretty decent, particularly in the power-giving department. She had tested her added strength and speed. Even for a zero point something, the System truly made a difference on it.Averting her eyes from the minivan, Beatrice noticed that the infectores were not moving with a ravenous determination he saw in most of the other walking-dead wanna-be. It was a
100 Systems Invasion 25. Dominant Pheromone
Invasion Day 4 Madam Brett Park, Beacon, NY As such, the fourth day of the invasion felt like the worst. Now that the infectores had spread in almost all states, and also the world, people looked for themselves. The government didn’t give a clear information, and the press were speculating like crazy, reporting jumbles of misinformation anyone didn’t care to correct. Thankfully, the System was kind enough to let him know that the first wave invasion would not erase all humanity on Earth. Only some of them. With that information, Seth slowed down a little. As the three of them, and by that, he meant Wade the infectore too, were done slaughtering the ambling infectores, Amy decided that she wanted burgers for dinner. So, there they were, locking the door of a nearby burger joint to prevent any infectore from advancing on them. “Braaaaaiiin?” Wade groaned from where he was standing before the counter. He stared uncoordinately at the menu hanging over head, a slight drool pooled on h
100 Systems Invasion 26. Systemist Alert
Invasion Day 5Courtyard by Marriott, Fishkill, NYIt was a particularly hot day.Seth had to shed his jacket, leaving him in an undershirt due to the still air. Amy, too, had forgone her checkered shirt, only wearing her sports bra and tight, short pants. He averted his gaze when the blond bend and picked a fallen potted plant from the deserted hotel’s decoration.Apparently, they chose the right place to hunt. Near the hill, they camped for the last four days, a pretty small city with just enough civilians-turned infectores roaming around was the perfect farming area they could find.They could easily get food and drinks and change clothes anytime they liked, as long as no infectores close enough. Even the garbage – corpses, really – of the infectores were not piling up or strewn everywhere like the movies depicted.Aside from the infectore’s habit of not teaming up in bulk numbers, Seth,
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78. Make a Move
"You're so annoying, do I have to remind you every hour?" Rhea grumbled from the passenger seat, watching the dark-haired man behind the steering wheel as the car drove itself to the hill house. "Old news," Lucian commented and then glared at her. "But I already said not to let him into this again."Of course. "Mikhal's right. You do sounds like a jealous secret boyfriend.""Ha. Ha." There was no humor behind that. "First, I am not your boyfriend, I'm your fiance. Second, you're the one keeping this a secret, not me."Rhea grinned, "You didn't deny the first one? Are you jealous?""So what?" She frowned but didn't say anything else. She still couldn't figure out why he was jealous of that tall coworker of hers. No matter how many times she asked him, Lucian wouldn't tell.'Or you just never believe his answer,' a small voice at the back of her head supplied helpfully. She brushed it off because it was total drivel. There was no way Lucian actually felt jealous just because he liked
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77. Running for Life
She was not as reckless as Lucian sometimes said to her. But she was still new in this espionage thing, and Mikhal suddenly pushed her down to the ground. Her heart raced, pounding noisily along with the blood in her ears. Mikhal's tall figure was equally low by her side. Confidence may fool many people, but she had none of it right now. Especially not after a burly man in a tank top suddenly pointed his long firearm in her direction, right before she took another shot of the drug lab with her phone. Breathing quietly, they waited in suspenseful silence until the man turned his weapon away from their direction. Another man came out of the drug lab's door, probably exchanging words before both of them went inside again. Rhea exhaled in relief, shoulders slumping down as both Mikhal and her shared a look. They moved closer, trying to get more proof from the small window at the side of the building now known as the drug lab. Not only from the chemical glasses with some colored liquid
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76. Into Hidden View
After four days of work, Rhea finally got her day off again. Mikhal texted her, 'Meet you at East Station in twenty.' Smiling to herself, Rhea texted back an affirmation. "So…" Liz glanced at her from behind the steering wheel, "If I may ask, where are you going, Miss Rhea?""Out," she merely said."Any specific place in mind?"Rhea locked her phone, "Not really."The bespectacled girl looked uncomfortable for a second before she asked again. "Do you have any companions?""Yes.""Oh. Who is that?"Rhea narrowed her eyes, not liking where the bespectacled girl was going with this. "Is this an interrogation?""No, of course, not." Liz hastily said, topping it with an awkward laugh that she tried to make it sound natural. "I'm sorry if it came out like that, Miss Rhea. I didn't mean to."She sighed, turning to the sturdy houses that came into view as they finally reached the town's area. "It's fine. Lucian ordered you to do that, right?" Liz stayed silent, so she'd take that as a yes.
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75. Coping Mechanism
The cafeteria was full of cola and burgers. "Free dinner for everyone!" one of the senior staff called out as they entered it. Rhea grinned – almost jumped in excitement – as her favorite food was served in front of her for free. Emi, on the other hand, chimed in a loud voice, "We don't pay to eat here!"She stuffed her face with the burger. She sat surrounded by a white shirt and blue vest-wearing staff, finally having a nice break out of the craziness of the afternoon shift. "I can't believe I was so excited about it before."Emi smiled broadly, munching on her mouthful bite of burger. She looked funny. "Didn't I tell you that it's crazy?""Yes, but you carefully left out the fact that it is precisely like that oddball group all over again, except, it happens continuously. Marching in a group in the lobby, then shoving each other to get in the elevator. Why do we only have four elevators, anyway?""But it only happens in the afternoon. After that, it's pretty slow, isn't it?"Rhea h
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74. Unwritten Law
Lucian had been at the scene of serious diplomacy once, ages ago as he was still ten, where his father was showing him how to negotiate with a foreign mafia boss from another country. Earl would sign an agreement of letting said mafia boss move into Livingard and give him a little territory on the border to set up whatever operation they had planned. Earl would get back his prized butler slash right-hand man safely in one piece in exchange. He was fond of that man, his favorite butler. A middle-aged friendly guy who had a penchant for cutting apples into beautiful figures and dragging Lucian out of bed before dawn for a morning run. So, hearing that his favorite butler would be back after missing – he was captivated by the foreign mafia after accidentally crashing his motorbike to the mafia's daughter on the road – for three days, Lucian was eager when his father wanted him to tag along. It was supposed to be a valuable learning experience for him.One of the foreign mafia subordinat
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73. At Least We Try
'Let him be, don't talk to him, whatever, just ignore him.'She didn't even want to see him. But bottling her overflowing emotions? It was a ridiculous idea.Then a notification chimed in, breaking into her bubble of thought, pulling her from the suffocating underwater feeling. 'How's' your girl's day out with Emi?' Mikhal texted her, oblivious to the chaos she made herself. 'She was great.' She texted back.'Cool. No more outings today?' His reply came seconds later, followed by three dots, signifying he was typing now. 'Imma starts the afternoon shift today. Dunno what to expect.''Expect the worst.''Never know u'r such a pessimist.'She wasn't. Fine, maybe she was. Just at the moment, though. Rhea responded with a laughing emoticon. Followed by a string of crying yellow faces.'What was that?' She bit her bottom lip, 'I want to go out.' Her thumb sent it before she even read the line. She considered deleting it. No use, Mikhal already typed again.'I'm free, if you were asking
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72. The Walk Down
Sprinting to the beach, Rhea suddenly stopped before her sneakers touched the wet sand. Quickly taking them off, Rhea looked around for a place to put them without getting worried that the wave would sweep on them or someone take them away. Not that she was suspicious of some people enjoying the beach there, or that her shoes were extremely pricey – they were, not that Rhea knew about that, because it was Lucian who paid – but Rhea didn't want to lose her only pair of sneakers.She looked back to Lucian's parked car on the edge of the beach, where the dry ground met with green patches of grass. Squinting her blue eyes, Rhea calculated how much force she needed to get her shoes to the car's side. The light brown-haired girl got into a stance as if she would throw a slider with her sneaker as the ball. Then, Rhea let go of one of her sneakers in a powerful side swing. It flew in a bent trajectory and landed safely on the dry sand, though still a little far away from the car."Ah, I need
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71. Wolf in the Flesh
It was the first time Rhea saw a wolf in real life.The wolf looked like how a wolf would in a book or movie. Nothing special, unlike the jet-black wild wolf she saw in a show. Or the majestic white wolf in legends. The animal in front of her looked just like the usual wolf. Short, triangular ears. Broad snout. A long tail. Looking slender yet seems powerful in its built. Its back was grey, so was its upper head. While the rest of its fur was light brown, and the underside was white.Rhea could not believe it."Should we continue?" Jo asked, stepping slowly on the gas pedal.As Jo drove the car past the watchful gaze of the wolf, Rhea felt a shudder run through her body. Either it was a creepy coincidence, or Lucian somehow controlled the wolf to appear there and failed Rhea's escape. Which sounded impossible. Both of them.It was some minutes later that Jo stopped the car. They were near the first building in the outskirt of Stradfield's little town. "Are you sure you want to get off
