The middle-aged man continued giving instructions:"Lila, in a bit, we'll hide while you go et that guy alone. Check out his strength."
"If he's really stronger than us, stick with him. Stay by his side and act as our spy. But if he's weaker… lure him into the ambush, and we'll take him out together!"
"Got it, no problem."
From the shadows, a young girl stepped forward. Her appearance was identical to the photo on the post.
This was their Plan B.
...
"Citadel Outlets?" Ethan raised an eyebrow. That place was about 10 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, right off the I-5 freeway, on the city's eastern edge.
Of course, Ethan wasn't sure if the address was real. For all he knew, it could be fake. But even if it was, it didn't matter—he could treat it as a chance to scout his new territory.
He picked up his phone and replied:
"Alright, I'll co. But that area's pretty dangerous, so I might take a bit longer to get there."
"Oh?"
The person on the other end imdiately felt hopeful. To them, this response ant the guy wasn't that strong—probably soone they could easily take down.
Ethan, of course, had said that on purpose to lull them into a false sense of security. He was playing the ga of deception to perfection, like a master strategist in a high-stakes match.
With that, Ethan got up, left his house, and headed downstairs. He began walking eastward.
Above him, a few pitch-black crows flew by, cawing.
The streets beneath his feet were still a ss. The surrounding feral zombies, upon seeing Ethan, all lowered their heads in submission, their postures radiating deference.
Ethan strolled through the apocalyptic city as if he were simply out for a walk.
Before long, a large figure appeared on the road ahead. It was Bulldozer, the one responsible for guarding the eastern sector.
Behind Bulldozer trailed a group of zombies, while a few crows circled above his head.
"Why's the boss coming here?"
"No idea… he usually never leaves his place."
"Could it be… he's here to check on us?"
"Yeah, that's gotta be it…"
"Definitely."
Bulldozer, with a goofy grin on his face, walked up to Ethan.
"Boss, you here to check on ?"
"I'm looking for so humans," Ethan said without breaking stride.
"Uh…"
Bulldozer froze, his expression stiffening. Sothing didn't feel right. s?
Where would there be humans?
This was his territory—there was no way such creatures could exist here.
"Boss, are you… sure about that?"
"I'm not certain yet. I'll go take a look. You all stay here for now," Ethan instructed.
"Oh, uh, okay, sure!"
Bulldozer nodded repeatedly, though unease crept into his heart. If humans really had shown up, wouldn't that an he'd failed at his job?
As he watched Ethan's figure disappear into the distance, the feeling was oddly similar to when a company's CEO suddenly showed up to inspect a branch office.
...
Before long, Ethan arrived at Citadel Outlets. The once-bustling shopping center was now a crumbling ruin. The buildings leaned precariously, with cracks spreading across their surfaces. Weeds sprouted from the gaps, swaying in the breeze, making the entire structure seem like it might collapse at any mont.
Ethan silently extended his senses. Beneath the surface, he could detect the presence of humans.
On the surface, there was only one, but hidden below, there were many more. They had created a ntal barrier to block detection, so he couldn't pinpoint their exact number.
"Perfect…" Ethan muttered under his breath.
As long as the address was real, their fate was sealed. They were already as good as dead.
Ethan headed straight for the entrance to the underground warehouse. The staircase leading down was littered with decayed bones and dried bloodstains.
The rolling shutter door ahead was corroded with rust, its surface a reddish-brown hue. Plastic trash, blown in by the wind, had piled up at the base of the door. Among the debris, faint movents of wriggling insects could be seen.
Ethan didn't bother with the door. Instead, he activated his Domain of the Dead ability, phasing sideways into the wall and entering the building directly.
The light around him dimd instantly, and a chilling aura filled the air.
The underground warehouse had been newly constructed but was still unfinished when the apocalypse hit. It had been under renovation at the ti and had never been put to use, leaving it empty and desolate.
Ethan's tall, lean figure erged in the corridor. He didn't bother hiding his presence and walked forward openly.
His footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, shattering the oppressive silence around him.
"Did he really co alone?"
Lila, who had been waiting for a while, noticed the faint sound of movent ahead.
She couldn't help but wonder… when did he get in?
"Ahem! Hey there, handso, is that you?" she called out, deliberately softening her voice to sound sweet and inviting.
From the shadows, a figure slowly erged. He was dressed in a spotless white shirt, his face pale and strikingly handso. But his eyes carried a hint of indifference, cold and detached.
Ethan studied the girl in front of him. She was indeed human, and, surprisingly, she looked exactly like the photo… the "al" matched the nu.
The only question was, how many others were hiding nearby?
He needed to draw them out.
"Hello, I'm here to rescue you," Ethan said calmly.
"Oh…" Lila stared at his handso face, montarily stunned. Her heart skipped a beat, a strange flutter stirring within her.
Originally, she had been kidnapped by mbers of the Black Hand Legion and, under their threats, had no choice but to join their group.
Her initial plan was simple: kill Ethan and take his crystal core or Neurocore. But now, seeing how good-looking he was, she couldn't help but entertain… other ideas.
"Handso, I'm so scared," Lila said in a soft, coquettish tone as she moved closer to Ethan, reaching out as if to grab his arm.
But Ethan sidestepped her effortlessly, avoiding her touch.
"Where are the supplies you ntioned?" he asked, his tone flat.
"…" Lila was speechless. Seriously? Is he this dense? she thought. What's he even here for? Just the supplies?
Still, she had to admit, his straightforwardness was… kind of refreshing.
"The supplies… they're inside. Follow ," she said, reluctantly leading him deeper into the building, toward the ambush her group had set up.
"Hmm…"
Ethan followed her, quietly sensing the energy around him.
Their footsteps echoed through the corridor, the only sound in the otherwise eerie silence. For so reason, Lila felt a twinge of awkwardness. The atmosphere reminded her of eting soone from an online chat in real life—strangely tense and uncomfortable.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
Eventually, Lila broke the silence.
"Aren't you worried I might be lying to you?"
"I'm not worried. If there aren't any supplies, I'll starve to death anyway. Might as well take a chance and trust you," Ethan replied with a faint smile, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Oh…" Lila lowered her head, biting her lip.
"Have you ever thought about… joining a group or sothing?" she asked after a mont.
"Not really," Ethan said, shaking his head. "But… if it ant staying alive, I might consider it."
A glimr of excitent flashed in Lila's eyes. She couldn't help but feel a connection to his words—they mirrored her own experience.
We're kind of on the sa wavelength, she thought.
"Exactly! Staying alive is the most important thing. Have you ever… killed anyone in the apocalypse?"
"Not yet," Ethan replied, shaking his head again.
At this point, Lila's thoughts shifted. She was seriously considering recruiting him into the Black Hand Legion.
After all, joining the group required a "pledge of loyalty"—killing a few humans to prove one's disdain for the old world's rules. From that mont on, mbers embraced absolute freedom, living by their own terms.
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