After reading the familiar question, Shane smiled.
"Yes…" He affird as he waited for the Recruitnt Stone to take effect.
In a few monts, the stone's glow intensified, casting shadows in the surroundings.
As soon as it vanished, the gray fog suddenly thickened outside the shelter. Soon, this gray fog coalesced into a human form. No, it seed as if the gray fog had given birth to a human.
As the fog receded, it revealed a woman in her mid-twenties. Her eyes were wide with a mix of confusion and awe.
Shane smiled after seeing how the woman was dressed.
"Perfect…" He muttered.
***
In the anti, as Alexa found herself in unfamiliar surroundings, she couldn't help but feel a bit excited.
"This… Am I finally out?" Alexa muttered as mories ca rushing to her head.
Alexa stood at an average height, her youthful features frad by chestnut hair that cascaded in waves down her shoulders.
Her eyes, a striking shade of hazel, scanned her surroundings, trying to make sense of the abrupt change in her reality.
"But where is this place?"
She was dressed in a chef's uniform, the na tag pinned to her chest read "Alexa," and the logo of the prestigious Celestial Towers Hotel in the bustling city of Neo Elysium was embroidered above her heart.
The city of Neo Manila, once a vibrant hub of culture and technology, had been one of the first to succumb to the mysterious fog that heralded the Zombie Outbreak.
Alexa had been working late in the hotel's kitchen when the fog seeped through the streets, swallowing the city in its opaque embrace.
People vanished, so without a trace, while others seed untouched. They were left to wander in a daze amidst the chaos.
Unfortunately for her, Alexa was among those taken by the mysterious gray fog. Her last mory before the fog's embrace was the panicked screams and the clatter of kitchenware. As so Zombies had actually entered the hotel at that ti…
Then, it was followed by silence as she was taken by the fog.
She had no idea how long had passed after she was taken.
In her unusual state inside the fog, a voice spoke to her—a voice that resonated with the authority of the Lord of the Realms.
It spoke of the calamity that had befallen her world, of the Zombie Outbreak, and of the Foreign Survivors who fought against the encroaching darkness.
When her senses returned, Alexa found herself standing in the midst of a ruined estate, the remnants of battles past etched into the broken walls and scorched earth.
A group of people, weary yet vigilant, watched her with cautious hope.
"Welco to my Shelter... I'm Shane, the owner of this small piece of land. May I ask for your na?" Shane's voice cut through her disorientation, grounding her in the new reality.
"Alexa…" She replied, her voice steadier than she felt.
"I was a chef at the Celestial Towers... What happened? Where am I? Are you one of those Foreign Survivors?"
Strangely, Alexa felt that Shane was soone she could trust. It seed as if this was due to the Lord of the Realm's will to make her assist this Survivor that was fighting against the Zombies.
"You're right… I'm a Foreign Survivor. I also have no idea about this region, but I can tell you that you're in a safe place now… We might still be fighting against the Zombies, but with my help, I can assure you that I'll make this shelter a safe haven for everyone."
Shane assured her, offering a hand to help her acclimate to her surroundings and briefly introducing the mbers of his shelter.
After so brief introductions, Shane asked a few more questions about Alexa.
Alexa smiled as she shared her story with Shane. Shane also did the sa as he recalled what he learned about the fog from the others.
"The fog... It's part of the outbreak or perhaps the one who sent us, Foreign Survivors, here. It takes people, but not randomly. It seems to choose those with certain... talents. You're here because you have a role to play in this new world." Shane could only say.
Alexa took a deep breath, her chef's instincts kicking in. Adaptability was key in any kitchen, and it seed it would be just as crucial here.
"I understand…" She said, nodding slowly. "What do you need to do?"
Shane smiled, the weight of leadership montarily lifted by the arrival of a new ally.
"For now, rest if you're tired. Then, I need you to familiarize yourself with the surroundings. You can also ask Anna if she can pass over so of her tasks to you. As you can see, we're busy reconstructing our wall… or perhaps fence… Right, I have collected so at with , and later, you can try to do sothing about it.
We'll need food, of course, but your talents might extend beyond the culinary. So, we'll find that out together later."
"Oh… I will make a tasty food. I hope we have so basic seasonings, at the very least. What type of at is it?" Alexa curiously asked. Since she only had 2 Survivor Skills, both related to her job as a cook, she was surely excited to contribute to the shelter.
Shane paused for a mont after hearing the question.
"That… Well, you see… It's provided by the mysterious Lord of the Realm. It should be safe." Shane vaguely answered, which made Alexa smile wryly.
She imdiately realized that the source of the at was suspicious. Nonetheless, she believed that Shane wouldn't let them eat Zombie at since there was no way he would want his small number of subordinates to lessen even more.
***
Nonetheless, with the imdiate danger averted, and the introduction finished, everyone returned to their tasks, the rhythmic sounds of construction filling the air as they worked to fortify the estate's defenses.
Hours ticked by, and the once-broken fence began to stand tall and strong once more.
"Hmm? Is it here?" Shane muttered.
Amidst the clatter and clamor, Shane's unique title, Territory Lord, manifested its power.
[ Territory Lord ( Legendary Talent ): You can occupy and claim a large piece of land for your developnt. There is a 100% chance of attracting talented inhabitants of the continent to serve you in your territory every five days! ]
The estate was soon surrounded by the gray fog as they seed to pulse with an unseen force. That's right. This ti, Shane was carefully observing the mysterious gray fog.
After all, this fog seed to be part of the Apocalypse itself.
As if on cue, the gray fog churned and twisted, and from its depths erged a figure—an old man with a dignified air about him.
'An old man this ti? However, the gray fog took a lot of ti to spit this old man out. He's probably special.' Shane couldn't help but think of this since he could rember how the others were easily 'spat out' by the gray fog before.
The others who had noticed this event had also paused, tools in hand, as the old man stepped forward.
His hair was silver, his back slightly stooped from years of service, but his eyes held the sharpness of one who had seen much in his lifeti.
Before the fog had claid him, the old man had been a butler, serving a nobleman in a grand estate not unlike the one he now found himself in.
His na was Mr. Wadsworth, and he had been the epito of loyalty and efficiency, a silent guardian of the household's secrets and the master's confidant before the Zombie Outbreak happened.
The nobleman's estate, known as Harrington Hall, was nestled in the rolling hills of a region once celebrated for its vineyards and orchards.
Mr. Wadsworth had arrived there as a young man, quickly rising through the ranks to beco the head butler, a position he held with pride and honor.
His days were spent overseeing the staff, ensuring that every detail of the manor ran like clockwork. From the gleam of the silverware to the precision of the dinner service, Mr. Wadsworth was a man of impeccable standards.
Unfortunately, his normal life was broken after Zombie Outbreak, which was followed by the Mysterious Gray Fog abduction, that had descended upon the world.
It brought chaos that was harsher than the previous kingdom wars. Of course, Harrington Hall did not remain untouched. The nobleman and his family fled, leaving Mr. Wadsworth and the remaining staff to fend for themselves against the encroaching darkness.
One fateful evening, as Mr. Wadsworth attempted to secure the estate against the relentless tide of the undead, the fog crept through the gardens and into the manor. It wrapped around him like a shroud, and his world faded to gray.
When he awoke, he heard a mysterious voice giving him an introduction to the new world he had entered…
Indeed, he was no longer in the familiar halls of Harrington Hall but standing before Shane and his band of survivors.
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