No Time

As I wandered around the first day, some parts seemed familiar while other parts not so much.

For example, that tower in the distance looked awfully familiar, but it was a company building that existed in almost every city.

I wondered if anybody still lived around here. Probably not, it's been about 2 years now. It'd be a miracle for people to still live around zombie-infested areas.

Unless they were in a nomadic group like the one in my previous life. Or if the city was taken over by a strong group of ability users. But the latter would need numerous ability users, which in itself would cause plenty of problems.

The zombies had mostly moved away. They were always in search of humans after all.

If a large group of people, with powerful ability users, came into a nearly abandoned city, it could work to their favor I suppose.

There had been cities like that. Where one powerful ability user with other ability users under them would rule over a territory. Some 'territories' were to keep people safe, while others did unspeakable deeds in them, only indulging in gains and pleasure.

I was going to roam around, but it would be nice to see what the others outside of the base were progressing in.

For example, Mo Yun's father's base was small in size but growing rapidly. Consisting of soldiers, they brought in and protected many citizens. They had many ability users as well. With equipment made by us, they had no chances of an infected person getting in.

It was the least I could do to help my friend's family.

Anyway, this city was mostly empty. Cars abandoned, no electric lights, only occasional shuffles from stray zombies made sounds.

It was strange to see a place that was filled with so much noise, lights, and people become desolate. But it had been a sight I was used to.

Humans weren't solitary creatures, this I understood well.

I began to miss having living organisms around. Even that unruly arctic fox of mine. I had it placed in the zoo and occasionally went to see the foolish creature jumping around, trying to catch a drone. It even planted its whole body onto the glass several times.

Maybe I could go to a safe base or hang around with a nomad group.

But I probably wouldn't be able to fit in.

I went into my space for a while. I read a little, cooked myself lunch, and trained.

When I came out, the sky was a few shades darker. A mild shade of greyish blue, it was about 5 PM.

I ran and up came another city. Strangely, this one had poorly made walls and light inside buildings.

I could hear some sort of music and people.

There were zombies hanging around the walls but they couldn't get in.

Perhaps this was a base? Or what could it be?

No matter, I was a little curious. What kind of place was this?

It was getting dark and more zombies had started to arrive.

The walls couldn't keep them out, as they had been made up to maybe 4 meters. The zombies climbed on top of each other and made their way over.

So of course, as any human in their right minds would do, people arrived and started knocking over zombies. It was a cute sight, to be honest. Imagine a bobo doll repeatedly getting up after a child pushed it over. The small child would surely get annoyed.

The zombies kept on rising up and the humans had to keep pushing the back.

I say humans, because if they weren't, they should have used their abilities already.

I focused on the figures repeatedly pushing away at the zombies and realized that their statures were small. They were children.

Really, what sort of place was this? They actually trusted children to deal with zombies?

I didn't ask 'how could they be so cruel' or 'kids don't deserve this'.

In my past life, children were a burden. Unless they had abilities and could help out with fighting, they were baggages that only parents who felt the need to care kept around.

In a normal case, they were traded for something, sold essentially. Worst? There were plenty.

As food ran out, cannibalism came about. Weak people who couldn't gather plants to chew on or kill a mutant creature to roast some meat went about catching other weak creatures to eat.

I was weak to children, but that was only because I had the power to protect people. And having taken care of my younger siblings for a long time, I was prone to taking care of younger people.

But in my past life, I had avoided children. I wasn't courageous and I didn't want to expose my space abilities.

There were powers to enslave people, mutants, and zombies. I didn't want to become a slave. I didn't want to risk any chance.

I was selfish, I still am, but at least I have more options now.

One thing was sure about this place. It wasn't a safe base.

It was most likely a small territory that had ability users, a lot of them.

By a lot, it didn't mean they would have thousands, it meant at least 30.

It was already very dark, so I had no qualms about using my raven form.

I flew as silently as I could and circled around like a bird of prey to spy on this place.

It was like a village, several small houses all around with one big building. There were a few men, mostly women, and lots of children. In the center was a huge fire. They were using zombies instead of logs to keep the fire going.

The whole place seemed organized. There surely was some kind of hierarchy.

It didn't seem like a good place, but I was curious and wanted to know what was going on.

Quickly and suddenly, I doused the huge fire with water.

Sizzling, smoke rose up and the people below started to yell and scream in fright.

I descended. I changed into my arctic fox form, it had the best night vision.

Everyone was running about and looking for a source of light.

Somebody finally lit up a fire from a few matchsticks and held up a wooden stick. It looked strangely familiar... Oh, it was a table leg.

I didn't know why they only had this one source of light. Were they stupid?

I hid in the shadows as they lit up the huge fire source again.

Only the adults were around the fire. The children stayed far away.

The apocalypse came with the weather going to the extremes and climates changing for the worse.

The night was freezing and day swelteringly hot.

These children were shivering as they piled together. The smaller children stood in the middle, surrounded by warmth, while the older kids shielded them.

Although this world wasn't great, it was always nice to see that there were some forms of care left.

Some adults stood up and went towards the kids.

Grabbing them roughly, several of them were taken away.

The adults were all women, it seemed the men of this place were being kept by these women too.

I shook my head as I knew that these women were probably sexually abusing or abusing the chosen children. As soon as they got into a building where nobody else was, I used my air ability to hold them in place. Children were held in place as well, just in case they made a suspicious yell or scream.

There were so many kids here, you couldn't tell who was who. They were also dirty and had long messy hair.

On an impulsive thought, I doused the fire again.

I used my special ability and saw the short future. I saw a child being dragged out and wrapped in ropes onto a pole.

...These unscrupulous adults also practiced cannibalism.

Then, I turned into a child that looked about 8 years old. I flexed my fingers and stretched. I hadn't been in my child form for about a year or two. Last time was when I was accompanying Little Blue to school as a hidden bodyguard.

Undercover Agent Shui Yu, ready to go! I smiled to myself and a childish giggle came out. Oops, quiet. Maybe my mentality also became a bit childish?

While the fire was out and they were struggling to find a flame again, I huddled near the kids.

I squeezed in and the kids without any words let me.

They stared at me blatantly several times but didn't say a word.

"I, I'm here to bring you guys out." I don't know why I stuttered. Maybe I really have turned more childlike. I used to stutter as a child in my past life.

The kids didn't look curious at all, they gave me one last look and turned their attention away.

I gave a huff and hugged my legs.

Soon enough, a child was dragged out. It was one of the older kids, maybe about 12 years old.

It was a young girl that looked frightened but didn't dare to yell or cry. She didn't struggle and was carried away.

I had only waited this long to see if this territory had any decent people I could maybe give a hand to, or become allies with. I ould work with evil people, but for those who ate of their own kind, it was always an uncertainty. Killing was fine but to eat humans was another matter. At least, I always thought so.

I quietly stood up and stifled the surroundings, literally. Everyone was stopped and the only thing moving and making noise was the huge fire.

It crackled and whipped at the sky.

Sigh, the world isn't a great place, but seeing it always made me feel sad.

The wind blew and howled as it felt sharp enough to cut your skin.

The warm surroundings turned ice cold and the fire was struggling to keep itself together.

Wham! Crack!

The doors banged open and some of them broke hinges. The windows, made of flimsy thin plastic casings, shook and rattled as if they were about to come off and fly away.

I wasn't angry, well maybe just a little, but mainly I was tired and annoyed. Why did people do this kind of stuff?

I was abused by my mother in my past life, I knew what it felt like to have been hated by your parents. These children lost their parents and still had to suffer through this. I only got to see them pushing off zombies, but who knew what they were put through during the day?

Oh, I still needed to experiment with some new techniques.

For example, sucking the air out of a victim.

I could've tried it out on an animal, but it was more useful to see something done on a human or zombie, as they were going to be the main targets in the future.

I had experimented on zombies before with this killer move and it turned out pretty successful, it slowed down their movements.

For humans, it would probably be a lot different.

And it was.

It wasn't gruesome per se, but it would be mild to describe them as mummies.

Ability users, like all zombies and mutant creatures, had a nucleus. But since their powers were usually focused on a few subjects, theirs had color, indicating what type of ability it would be most useful for.

For example, a blue nucleus was usually best for water abilities, as it meant that a creature with water abilities had stored their powers within it.

Nuclei were stuck in our heads, and if they were taken out, one would lose all their power. Some, if not many, died from their nucleus being taken out.

...I just realized something.

I thought I was some hero.

But do I now look like a bad guy, mummifying these villains? QAQ