Chapter 44
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'Not here either.' I said and crossed the sixth and final place in the map where the old man might have been.
The seven places were the three hills surrounding the village, two massive electrical pole, one tall water tower and one mobile signal tower.
Anyone of those place could have been used as a place to spy on the village while maintaining a safe distance from it.
The old man was not foolish. In fact, he was extremely cunning and smart. He would not die easily and certainly not in the hands of some mindless beasts.
But if he was alive and was keeping an eye on the village in hopes of searching for his son, then he must have chosen one of those seven places.
Or so I thought.
'Maybe he is just very good at covering his tracks.' Lily offered.
'Maybe. And the rain might have washed away any clue that he might have left.' I said and looked at the mud in the ground with a frown 'Maybe he's just dead and everything I've done so far has been useless.'
'You seem concerned.'
'I'm not really concerned but if a man like him really died in the paws of a few mutts, then that would be just…'
'Sad…?' she offered.
'Disappointing.' I said 'I didn't like that guy. Not in the least. In fact, I almost feel jealous of him because of how much big brother values him. But he was a human. So he was on our side. At least that's how I see it.'
'So what are you going to do now?' she asked.
'It's getting late.' I said as I looked at the red tint in the horizon. 'In need a place to sleep considering how all the houses in the near vicinity have been occupied by those Mutant beasts. I should find a place before the sun sets.'
—————
The place I ended up sleeping in was on top of the mobile signal tower. It was cold up there. And windy. And scary, since I was never really a fan of heights.
I spent half of the night hoping that I won't roll down the tower while in my sleep. But I was more scared of Mutant beasts creeping up on me at night than I was of height. So I made do with it.
I also activated the Agility Booster skill before sleeping with the hope that I would be able to upgrade the skill as quickly as possible.
—————
'They are gone.' Was my first thought as I looked down at the quiet and empty village with my binoculars. 'No wait. There are some of them there. But they are just lazing around.'
'Maybe it's their sleeping time. Maybe they are tired and are just resting for a bit.' Lily suggested. 'Don't jump to conclusions too quickly Ashok.'
'I am not jumping to conclusion. It's just my… just my…'
'Just your what?'
'It's just my sixth sense telling me that a lot of the mutant beasts have left the area. At least all the smaller ones have.' I looked at every corner I can see in the village from this distance, but aside from the empty roads, the only mutant beasts I was able to see were the huge ones like cows and buffaloes.
'Do you think the bigger ones chased the smaller ones away?' I asked in puzzlement.
'I don't know. Maybe it's the other way around and the smaller ones ran away in search of food or maybe they were just scared of the bigger ones.'
'Maybe. But that doesn't make me very happy.'
'Why? Isn't it good for you that they left?' she asked.
'Not really. If some of them are lurking nearby then it'll be even more dangerous for me from now on.'
'Why don't you just observe the forest for a few minutes. And I'm pretty sure your Big bro didn't expect this mission to become so dangerous when he sent you here. So take your time and make sure yo keep yourself sage.' Lily said.
'That is a good suggestion. I'll observe the place for a few hours before making any move.' I said and went on to look around the forest with my binoculars in search of any stray mutant beast.
Four hours of my search from the top of the mobile tower, where I had slept last night, proved to me that most of the mutant beasts had completely left the area. But that's all I had.
I didn't know where they left. Or if they will return.
If I was unlucky then I might even meet their large group while returning back from the mission.
'Do you remember that girl named Rose Valentine.' Lily asked casually, but I could tell from her tone that she was just being casual for the sake of approaching this sore topic in a safe manner.
'That girl who scammed me. What of her?' I asked indignantly.
'She sold a few info pages regarding the Behaviour of Mutant Beasts didn't she. You might…'
'No.' I refused flatly 'I am not buying anything from that girl. Those info pages would probably only tell me that Mutant beasts will try to eat me and to stay away from them. Then then she'll tell you to pay 50 crystals to get additional information. I have no wish to get scammed by her once again. Thank you.'
Lily stayed silent for a long before before she finally said 'Suit yourself then. But… Wait, what's that?' she asked, and I could tell that there was a bit of fear in her voice.
'What do you…' I wanted to ask but I had heard the buzzing sound already. It was as if thousands upon thousands of people were shouting at the top of their lungs in the distance.
I turned around and was quite perplexed when I saw the darkness in the horizon.
And this one seemed very close to the Black fog I had seen at the start of the apocalypse.
It was writhing. Changing it's form slightly in a manner that not many would be able to notice, but I did. My heart almost jumped at the sight of the Black thing that was now shrouding the whole horizon and was slightly growing in size with each passing second.
And the black… thing, coming from the horizon was screaming. In a sense, I already knew that it was not the Black Fog that I feared so much.
But for a scant moment, I wished that it was.
Because even if it was the Black fog, the worst it would do was try to submerge me into excruciating pain where I would once again fight for my life in a battle of will.
It was the most traumatizing thing of my life. So traumatizing in fact that I would see nightmare regarding it every single day if I was not having nightmare about Abnormals, Mutant beasts and mutant trees. But the Black fog was something I was familiar with.
I knew what it did and I knew how to fight against it. It was dangerous. But it was something familiar.
This thing was not.
And as I watched with my binocular and the black fog like thing came into view, I had almost wished in my terror that it was the Black fog and not this thing instead.
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'Not here either.' I said and crossed the sixth and final place in the map where the old man might have been.
The seven places were the three hills surrounding the village, two massive electrical pole, one tall water tower and one mobile signal tower.
Anyone of those place could have been used as a place to spy on the village while maintaining a safe distance from it.
The old man was not foolish. In fact, he was extremely cunning and smart. He would not die easily and certainly not in the hands of some mindless beasts.
But if he was alive and was keeping an eye on the village in hopes of searching for his son, then he must have chosen one of those seven places.
Or so I thought.
'Maybe he is just very good at covering his tracks.' Lily offered.
'Maybe. And the rain might have washed away any clue that he might have left.' I said and looked at the mud in the ground with a frown 'Maybe he's just dead and everything I've done so far has been useless.'
'You seem concerned.'
'I'm not really concerned but if a man like him really died in the paws of a few mutts, then that would be just…'
'Sad…?' she offered.
'Disappointing.' I said 'I didn't like that guy. Not in the least. In fact, I almost feel jealous of him because of how much big brother values him. But he was a human. So he was on our side. At least that's how I see it.'
'So what are you going to do now?' she asked.
'It's getting late.' I said as I looked at the red tint in the horizon. 'In need a place to sleep considering how all the houses in the near vicinity have been occupied by those Mutant beasts. I should find a place before the sun sets.'
—————
The place I ended up sleeping in was on top of the mobile signal tower. It was cold up there. And windy. And scary, since I was never really a fan of heights.
I spent half of the night hoping that I won't roll down the tower while in my sleep. But I was more scared of Mutant beasts creeping up on me at night than I was of height. So I made do with it.
I also activated the Agility Booster skill before sleeping with the hope that I would be able to upgrade the skill as quickly as possible.
—————
'They are gone.' Was my first thought as I looked down at the quiet and empty village with my binoculars. 'No wait. There are some of them there. But they are just lazing around.'
'Maybe it's their sleeping time. Maybe they are tired and are just resting for a bit.' Lily suggested. 'Don't jump to conclusions too quickly Ashok.'
'I am not jumping to conclusion. It's just my… just my…'
'Just your what?'
'It's just my sixth sense telling me that a lot of the mutant beasts have left the area. At least all the smaller ones have.' I looked at every corner I can see in the village from this distance, but aside from the empty roads, the only mutant beasts I was able to see were the huge ones like cows and buffaloes.
'Do you think the bigger ones chased the smaller ones away?' I asked in puzzlement.
'I don't know. Maybe it's the other way around and the smaller ones ran away in search of food or maybe they were just scared of the bigger ones.'
'Maybe. But that doesn't make me very happy.'
'Why? Isn't it good for you that they left?' she asked.
'Not really. If some of them are lurking nearby then it'll be even more dangerous for me from now on.'
'Why don't you just observe the forest for a few minutes. And I'm pretty sure your Big bro didn't expect this mission to become so dangerous when he sent you here. So take your time and make sure yo keep yourself sage.' Lily said.
'That is a good suggestion. I'll observe the place for a few hours before making any move.' I said and went on to look around the forest with my binoculars in search of any stray mutant beast.
Four hours of my search from the top of the mobile tower, where I had slept last night, proved to me that most of the mutant beasts had completely left the area. But that's all I had.
I didn't know where they left. Or if they will return.
If I was unlucky then I might even meet their large group while returning back from the mission.
'Do you remember that girl named Rose Valentine.' Lily asked casually, but I could tell from her tone that she was just being casual for the sake of approaching this sore topic in a safe manner.
'That girl who scammed me. What of her?' I asked indignantly.
'She sold a few info pages regarding the Behaviour of Mutant Beasts didn't she. You might…'
'No.' I refused flatly 'I am not buying anything from that girl. Those info pages would probably only tell me that Mutant beasts will try to eat me and to stay away from them. Then then she'll tell you to pay 50 crystals to get additional information. I have no wish to get scammed by her once again. Thank you.'
Lily stayed silent for a long before before she finally said 'Suit yourself then. But… Wait, what's that?' she asked, and I could tell that there was a bit of fear in her voice.
'What do you…' I wanted to ask but I had heard the buzzing sound already. It was as if thousands upon thousands of people were shouting at the top of their lungs in the distance.
I turned around and was quite perplexed when I saw the darkness in the horizon.
And this one seemed very close to the Black fog I had seen at the start of the apocalypse.
It was writhing. Changing it's form slightly in a manner that not many would be able to notice, but I did. My heart almost jumped at the sight of the Black thing that was now shrouding the whole horizon and was slightly growing in size with each passing second.
And the black… thing, coming from the horizon was screaming. In a sense, I already knew that it was not the Black Fog that I feared so much.
But for a scant moment, I wished that it was.
Because even if it was the Black fog, the worst it would do was try to submerge me into excruciating pain where I would once again fight for my life in a battle of will.
It was the most traumatizing thing of my life. So traumatizing in fact that I would see nightmare regarding it every single day if I was not having nightmare about Abnormals, Mutant beasts and mutant trees. But the Black fog was something I was familiar with.
I knew what it did and I knew how to fight against it. It was dangerous. But it was something familiar.
This thing was not.
And as I watched with my binocular and the black fog like thing came into view, I had almost wished in my terror that it was the Black fog and not this thing instead.
'Not here either.' I said and crossed the sixth and final place in the map where the old man might have been.The seven places were the three hills surrounding the village, two massive electrical pole, one tall water tower and one mobile signal tower.Anyone of those place could have been used as a place to spy on the village while maintaining a safe distance from it.The old man was not foolish. In fact, he was extremely cunning and smart. He would not die easily and certainly not in the hands of some mindless beasts.But if he was alive and was keeping an eye on the village in hopes of searching for his son, then he must have chosen one of those seven places.Or so I thought.'Maybe he is just very good at covering his tracks.' Lily offered.'Maybe. And the rain might have washed away any clue that he might have left.' I said and looked at the mud in the ground with a frown 'Maybe he's just dead and everything I've done so far has been useless.''You seem concerned.''I'm not really concerned but if a man like him really died in the paws of a few mutts, then that would be just''Sad?' she offered.'Disappointing.' I said 'I didn't like that guy. Not in the least. In fact, I almost feel jealous of him because of how much big brother values him. But he was a human. So he was on our side. At least that's how I see it.''So what are you going to do now?' she asked.'It's getting late.' I said as I looked at the red tint in the horizon. 'In need a place to sleep considering how all the houses in the near vicinity have been occupied by those Mutant beasts. I should find a place before the sun sets.'The place I ended up sleeping in was on top of the mobile signal tower. It was cold up there. And windy. And scary, since I was never really a fan of heights.I spent half of the night hoping that I won't roll down the tower while in my sleep. But I was more scared of Mutant beasts creeping up on me at night than I was of height. So I made do with it.I also activated the Agility Booster skill before sleeping with the hope that I would be able to upgrade the skill as quickly as possible.'They are gone.' Was my first thought as I looked down at the quiet and empty village with my binoculars. 'No wait. There are some of them there. But they are just lazing around.''Maybe it's their sleeping time. Maybe they are tired and are just resting for a bit.' Lily suggested. 'Don't jump to conclusions too quickly Ashok.''I am not jumping to conclusion. It's just my just my''Just your what?''It's just my sixth sense telling me that a lot of the mutant beasts have left the area. At least all the smaller ones have.' I looked at every corner I can see in the village from this distance, but aside from the empty roads, the only mutant beasts I was able to see were the huge ones like cows and buffaloes.'Do you think the bigger ones chased the smaller ones away?' I asked in puzzlement.'I don't know. Maybe it's the other way around and the smaller ones ran away in search of food or maybe they were just scared of the bigger ones.''Maybe. But that doesn't make me very happy.''Why? Isn't it good for you that they left?' she asked.'Not really. If some of them are lurking nearby then it'll be even more dangerous for me from now on.''Why don't you just observe the forest for a few minutes. And I'm pretty sure your Big bro didn't expect this mission to become so dangerous when he sent you here. So take your time and make sure yo keep yourself sage.' Lily said.'That is a good suggestion. I'll observe the place for a few hours before making any move.' I said and went on to look around the forest with my binoculars in search of any stray mutant beast.Four hours of my search from the top of the mobile tower, where I had slept last night, proved to me that most of the mutant beasts had completely left the area. But that's all I had.I didn't know where they left. Or if they will return.If I was unlucky then I might even meet their large group while returning back from the mission.'Do you remember that girl named Rose Valentine.' Lily asked casually, but I could tell from her tone that she was just being casual for the sake of approaching this sore topic in a safe manner.'That girl who scammed me. What of her?' I asked indignantly.'She sold a few info pages regarding the Behaviour of Mutant Beasts didn't she. You might''No.' I refused flatly 'I am not buying anything from that girl. Those info pages would probably only tell me that Mutant beasts will try to eat me and to stay away from them. Then then she'll tell you to pay 50 crystals to get additional information. I have no wish to get scammed by her once again. Thank you.'Lily stayed silent for a long before before she finally said 'Suit yourself then. But Wait, what's that?' she asked, and I could tell that there was a bit of fear in her voice.'What do you' I wanted to ask but I had heard the buzzing sound already. It was as if thousands upon thousands of people were shouting at the top of their lungs in the distance.I turned around and was quite perplexed when I saw the darkness in the horizon.And this one seemed very close to the Black fog I had seen at the start of the apocalypse.It was writhing. Changing it's form slightly in a manner that not many would be able to notice, but I did. My heart almost jumped at the sight of the Black thing that was now shrouding the whole horizon and was slightly growing in size with each passing second.And the black thing, coming from the horizon was screaming. In a sense, I already knew that it was not the Black Fog that I feared so much.But for a scant moment, I wished that it was.Because even if it was the Black fog, the worst it would do was try to submerge me into excruciating pain where I would once again fight for my life in a battle of will.It was the most traumatizing thing of my life. So traumatizing in fact that I would see nightmare regarding it every single day if I was not having nightmare about Abnormals, Mutant beasts and mutant trees. But the Black fog was something I was familiar with.I knew what it did and I knew how to fight against it. It was dangerous. But it was something familiar.This thing was not.And as I watched with my binocular and the black fog like thing came into view, I had almost wished in my terror that it was the Black fog and not this thing instead.
