Not all mutant zombies were large. Some were small and skinny, resembling sticks. These slender mutant zombies were even more dangerous than the larger ones because their mutation enhanced their speed. These fast-moving zombies were Sylas's current target.
Mutant zombies had a simple intelligence, making them smarter than regular zombies. Sylas hid among the zombies, slowly looking for a suitable attack spot. Before long, he found a safe location, drew his handgun, and fired a shot at the mutant zombie.
The bullet hit the mutant zombie's head, but even the powerful Desert Eagle couldn't blow its head off. Although this mutant zombie's mutation focused on speed, its body was still much tougher than regular zombies, though not as strong as the giant mutants. The bullet hit its head but didn't explode its brain.
The mutant zombie, upon being attacked, charged at Sylas immediately. Its speed was incredible, and it moved with agility, easily dodging obstacles and climbing walls to reach the second floor.
At that moment, a fireball shot out from a second-floor room, hitting the mutant zombie square in the chest, blasting its upper body into two halves. Such was the power of Sylas's fireball. These slender zombies might withstand bullets, but they couldn't survive a fireball's assault.
Sylas quickly found the zombie's head, split it open with a knife, and extracted the Energy Crystal. He let the system absorb the crystal directly.
If Sylas were to slowly absorb the crystal himself, it would take a long time to complete. However, letting the system absorb it meant instant absorption. Sylas knew which method was more convenient.
After a busy afternoon, Sylas managed to kill five mutant zombies, bringing him closer to a skill upgrade. Feeling fatigued from a day's work, Sylas decided to call it a day and rode his motorcycle back to the neighborhood.
Upon returning, Sylas didn't go straight to the villa but headed toward another building. His goal was to have a talk with Sydney.
Sydney lay on her bed, too listless to move. She had finished her last bit of food the day before, and only some water remained in the house. All day, Sydney had subsisted on water, leaving her weak and hungry.
At this moment, Sydney was filled with regret. Sylas had previously invited her to move with him, but she had refused out of caution. Now, although her safety was somewhat assured, she had no food. What good was this false sense of security if she was going to starve to death?
"Maybe I should just jump," Sydney thought, despairing. "In this apocalyptic world, the sooner I die, the sooner I can be reborn."
She genuinely considered ending her life, as she saw no hope for survival. Leaving the house to search for food was out of the question; a few zombies were wandering outside her door, blocking her exit and preventing her from leaving.
Lying on her bed, waiting to die, Sydney silently cried. She missed the peaceful world she once knew, her parents, and all the delicious food. But now, it was all over.
If no one came to rescue her soon, she planned to jump and end her suffering. She couldn't bear the torment any longer.
The apocalypse was not only a physical torment for Sydney but also a mental one. When Sylas saw her, she was lying on her bed, silently crying.
"What happened to you? Who bullied you and made you cry so pitifully?" Sylas asked, trying to suppress a laugh. The smile on his lips, however, was unmistakable.
Hearing his voice suddenly startled Sydney. "How did you get in here?" she demanded.
"Opening doors is a trivial matter; don't worry about that," Sylas replied nonchalantly. "By the way, you still haven't told me why you're crying. Did someone bully you?"
Sydney was silent for a moment, then softly said, "Living in a world like this, how can I not cry? I can't contact my family; I don't even know if they're still alive. I'm so hungry, just waiting to starve to death. Why do you think I'm crying?"
Suddenly, Sydney remembered the zombies outside her door. "There were zombies at my door. How did you get in? What happened to them?" she asked, surprised.
"I killed the zombies," Sylas said casually, as if killing zombies was a routine task for him.
Sydney was astonished. "Do you want to survive? Do you want something to eat? I can take care of you from now on," Sylas said seriously, looking at Sydney. He felt the moment was right.