Now Lucien was certain of his decision. Alone, he couldn't defeat this elite zombie but together with Mai, they might stand a chance.
Lucien's eyes narrowed as he stared at the zombie. Comparing their stats, could they really defeat it? And if they could… at what cost?
Wait.
According to the system, since the Auxiliary grew alongside it, then physical awakeners had to have a growth method as well. The most logical way was through killing zombies, right?
I need to test this.
If he was right, Mai should be able to grow by killing zombies and so should he, since he was also an awakener. But…
Lucien glanced to the side at the stunned Mai.
"Mai…" he whispered.
She snapped out of her daze. "Yeah? I think we should leave before it spots us," she said, slowly moving her left arm.
Although it had healed, the memory was still fresh. Her arm reacted as if it were still in pain.
Seeing this, Lucien sighed.
"Listen, Mai. Ever since you awakened… have you grown stronger at all? I mean, after killing zombies or something?" he asked.
Mai paused, thinking.
"I don't think so. I've been the same…"
She hesitated, then smiled lustfully.
"Wait. After you and I had sex, I felt stronger though not by much."
Lucien's body trembled.
This bitch was definitely thinking of fucking him again.
Not that he'd refuse especially after experiencing the benefits. He needed SP urgently.
"Damn… so they don't grow by killing zombies?" Lucien muttered.
His mind raced as countless possibilities spun through his thoughts.
Crack. Crack.
Shew. Shew.
The sickening sound of flesh and bones grinding together echoed through the silent space, sending shivers down everyone's spines.
It was terrifying not just to see, but to hear.
What was worse… they were only a few meters away from the zombie.
For a brief moment, thoughts of escape flashed through their minds.
Suddenly, Lucien's eyes widened.
Wait.
What if Mai didn't grow stronger because the zombies she killed were too weak?
Once the thought was born, it refused to die. Lucien's heart began to race.
If this was true… then there was only one way to confirm it.
He looked at Mai, whose face was pale with fear as she stared at the elite zombie.
Damn it.
Too much had happened already. This wasn't the time to back down.
If he was right, both he and Mai could grow stronger. And what if an even stronger zombie appeared tomorrow?
For survival, they had to push to the extreme.
Having made up his mind, Lucien spoke.
"Mai, you might not like this but you and I have to kill that thing."
His voice reached not only Mai, but also the remaining dozen guards. Their eyes widened.
None of them dared to speak. Lucien had already dealt with them harshly before.
Still, thoughts lingered.
He's crazy… but isn't this good? If he dies and takes Mai with him, I can control the base.
The guard leader grinned inwardly.
"What?!" Mai shouted in shock.
"Are you crazy? Fight that thing? Just because you're an awakener doesn't mean you're invincible! Look at what happened yesterday—I almost died! And now you want us to fight it again?"
She glared at him.
"If you're eager to die, boss, go ahead. Don't drag me with you."
Lucien wasn't surprised.
After yesterday's defeat, no one would willingly face that monster again.
"Mai, you have to listen," Lucien said calmly. "That elite zombie is close to the base. Who knows,tomorrow morning it might be right in front of our shelter."
"We can leave," Mai argued. "Pull back and relocate to another building far from here."
"And how do you know that place will be safe?" Lucien shot back. "What if it has another elite zombie or something even stronger?"
He paused, then continued, addressing not just Mai, but the guards as well.
"Can't you see? The world has changed. If an elite zombie has appeared, more will follow. This is evolution."
"Stronger ones will keep appearing and we must become stronger too."
"And how?" Mai asked coldly. "The only way we've grown so far is through what we did yesterday. How will killing that thing help?"
"It will," Lucien said firmly. "Just… trust me. Let's find out."
He stepped forward, his eyes locked onto the massive, thin back of the zombie.
He didn't know if he was right.
He didn't know if he was wrong.
But none of that mattered.
What mattered now was survival.
The world had changed.
If awakeners existed… if zombies were evolving… then what about animals? Plants? Humans?
But the most dangerous threat of all would always be other humans in other words, other awakeners.
Once someone discovered a true method of growth, they would gain an overwhelming advantage.
A head start in this new world.
All his life, Lucien had lived under others, never good enough, merely the useless evil son of the Jinog family.
But not now.
Not today.
He was an awakener with a system, a lust-based one at that and he had already witnessed its terrifying benefits.
This time, he wanted to lead.
To become a pioneer.
A ruler of humanity's future.
And it all began with today's decision.
"Mai," Lucien said, his voice low, almost cracking. "If we leave without fighting this thing, death awaits us. No one is coming to save us. We're alone."
"Sooner or later, this zombie will find us and we'll die slowly."
He took a breath.
"But if we fight… there's a chance."
"A chance to change our future."
"What if killing zombies like this makes us stronger?"
"What if we survive?"
"In this world, it's no longer just about adaptability."
"It's about evolution."
He turned to her.
"Mai… the choice is yours."
"Will you evolve—"
"Or die?"