In a similar fashion, they eliminated zombies until dusk. Notifications kept echoing in Soren's mind."You have absorbed the essence of five level 2 Zombie-[Common]. +0.1 Agility""You have absorbed the essence of five level 2 Zombie-[Common]. +0.1 Agility""You have absorbed the essence of five level 2 Zombie-[Common]. +0.1 Strength""You have absorbed the essence of five level 2 Zombie-[Common]. +0.1 Durability""You have absorbed the essence of five level 2 Zombie-[Common]. +0.1 Strength"The party had grown accustomed to the undead's repetitive fighting style. In their latest skirmish, they even managed to dismantle a zombie without Soren's intervention, although he still watched from the sidelines to ensure their safety. Fatigue threatened to overwhelm them, but adrenaline, the thrill of progress, and a burgeoning hope prolonged their energy reserves—at least to a certain extent."You've improved. Now you can hunt without me," Soren said.Peter was splayed out on the ground. "Shut the fuck up, Soren," he mumbled. Soren raised an eyebrow, neither amused nor offended."Look at you—" Eric was about to throw oil on the fire when Leia jumped in."Not really, skeletons constantly roamed the place. If a second one appeared while we were fighting, we'd die without your help." She wasn't belittling herself, just being realistic."Also, it's always good not to push our luck. The man who walks by the river will eventually get his feet wet," added Lee. Soren didn't refute their words. Never deny a compliment; it planted the seed in their minds that you weren't actually worth the praise.They walked in silence under the twilight, accompanied by the aroma of decay. Soon, one of the bunker's entrances came into sight. Lee knocked thrice on the door, and the gates slid open after a small pause."Welcome back. Killed any zombies?" joked the man behind the door."Yeah, ten of them," answered Eric. At first, the doorman was taken aback, but then he started laughing."I might have killed one or two down here myself," he mocked. "Come on in, monster hunters, today we got chicken soup for dinner."Soren was the first to step through the door in a hurry."What about a handshake competition?" Peter argued with Leia, offering a harmless contest of strength."God, Peter, let it go, dude." Eric was exasperated. Peter had lost an arm-wrestling match to Leia during a break between zombie hunts, and he just wouldn't move on."How about we get some food first?" Leia diverted, preferring to rest."It won't take long, I promise," said Peter, purposely obtuse, as he curled up his shredded sleeves. Leia's glare could kill; she was fuming.Lee shook his head and patted her on the back. "Don't hurt him, girlie, be gentle." Eric trailed behind him. Both of them hastened their steps. The food's smell was making their mouths water.Groans of pain and the guard's boisterous laughter informed them of the handshake's result. Eric tried to stifle his laughter, which caused him to choke and cough. Leia's eyelids twitched as she joined them. The three of them queued up for food. Soren was in the midst of an argument with the cook."Please, Lady Sarah, pretty please. I've been fighting all day long. One more bowl. Give this injured, tired boy one more bowl, please," pleaded Soren, utilizing his best set of puppy eyes. Leia shuddered at the unsettling sight."How you been fightin' all day, and you don't have a scratch on ya? Clothes lookin' cleaner than a flower summer dress. Boy, cut the nonsense. You ain't gettin' another meal outta me," said the old woman. Her ladle swooshed as it cut through the air like a master swordsman's blade."Look at them, Lady Sarah," Soren said, gesturing to Lee, Eric, and Leia, who were waiting in the line he was holding up. "Not my fault I don't get hurt because of my skill and handsomeness."Ignoring his antics, Sarah turned her attention to the beaten and bruised trio. "What happened to y'all?" she asked, incredulous. Meanwhile, Soren's hands crept up to two filled bowls with expert stealth."Zombies," answered Eric, his impatience showing. If he didn't eat something within the next five seconds, he would commit theft—other crimes too, if necessary."Hold up, y'all actually went and fought the zombies?""Yep," Eric said, bowl extended, grimace worsening."Why in the world would y'all go and do that now? Ya tryin' to get yourselves killed? 'Cause if that's what ya want, I can make it happen real quick right 'ere," Sarah exclaimed, smacking her ladle against her palm."Just give me some food, woman," Eric shouted, unable to bear it any longer.The zombies paled in comparison to the whooping that ensued. The ladle sliced through the air with grace unmatched, its every swipe chanting the sharp melody of the wind. Painful red marks blossomed across Eric's body, from his hands to his stomach, as the instrument of justice and catharsis delivered its retribution."Never raise your voice to me, child. Is that understood?" Sarah warned. From her monotone pitch, no passersby could have inferred the punishment that had transpired. Eric hung his head."I can't hear you," the cook pressed."Yes, ma'am," said Eric in a hushed tone."Good. Now come 'ere and grab two bowls. After ya've eaten, ya'll go find that sweet girl Samantha and ask 'er to give ya some cream for ya wounds. Is that understood?" she instructed in a softer tone."Yes, ma'am."Sarah proceeded to give Leia and Lee two portions each. They thanked her profusely, their gratitude doubling from one person to the next. As they were leaving, the older woman noticed something amiss."Where's that little scoundrel? He took five bowls! When he returns tomorrow, I'm gonna skin him alive," she yelled, incredulous, her ladle promising swift and painful punishment."Scary," Leia whispered."Agreed," Lee replied, nodding nervously.Peter, somehow, was already sitting next to Soren. The both of them were scarfing down their soups."Where did you get that?" Lee asked, perplexed."Soren gave them to me," Peter answered."Did you go to the infirmary?""Not yet, I'll go after this," Peter said, diving back in. Preoccupied by the taste of chicken, Lee didn't ask another question. A few minutes here and there wouldn't affect Peter's condition much. It wasn't a life-threatening injury.Leia settled next to Soren. "Why did you act that way with Lady Sarah?" she asked, curious to know."When the kids asked her, it pained her to refuse them. I saw it in her face. That was my best chance to get extra food without making a scene," Soren explained as he picked up his third and last bowl."But you ended up stealing the food anyway.""When you arrived, I had a distraction. That wasn't my first choice, but sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness than permission. Sarah's a kindhearted person. She won't keep a grudge.""You're getting whooped," Eric stated while sipping his soup."I think my Durability's enough to handle it."Eric shivered. No amount of durability would suffice against that scepter."Do not antagonize the volunteers here, Soren. We need them on our side if we're going to survive," Lee instructed."Playful banter is the best way to build strong relationship foundations between humans," Soren retorted."We need no 'banter'—none at all. Follow the rules, please. If the lunch lady's telling you to eat a certain amount of portions, she's saying it for a reason. She knows how much food we have left. We need to ration if we wish to last longer." Lee's tone left no room for debate.Soren ate without responding. His body language was neutral, betraying no particular emotion. Only the tips of his fingers were a shade whiter than they should've been.The team didn't talk much after that. They scarfed their soup in silence, preferring to sleep as early as possible. Tomorrow would be a tough day."You have absorbed the essence of a level 2 Zombie-[Common]. +0.1 Durability""You have absorbed too much essence from this type of creature. No additional attributes can be gained""You have leveled up. +1 Free Attribute Point""I'm level 2," Soren declared, and everyone's eyes lit up. It was time to get some essences for themselves."What are we hanging around for, then? I want to level up too," Peter said, his excitement evident in the way he almost slipped when getting up. The others, although more reserved, buzzed with eagerness, their movements a bit snappier than usual.The team speed-walked to the next area (running wasted too much energy) and engaged the first group of zombies they encountered. To Soren, their attacks were easy to dodge. It would've been child's play for him to dance through their clumsy swipes and roast their ribs, but he had something else in mind. He let a skeletal claw rake his shoulder. His knees bent as he braced his core to absorb the impact that rippled through his frame, dissipating across each taut muscle fiber.Durability: 1.6 → 2.6 (2.7)Health: 45.7 → 43.1Upright and unharmed, Soren grinned. Apart from the charcoal color, no critical damage adorned the zombie either, but that was beside the point. He could now escalate his combat style, unlocking a new arsenal.He sidestepped the claws, letting the blunt impacts hammer against his body, giving him a wider margin to counterattack. A firestorm detonated against the creature's ribs. Fractures webbed through the blackened bone, and splinters broke free. Stepping aside, he redirected an attack with his left hand, forearm gliding along the zombie's arm, gripping its elbow tight. Orange flames blazed white as he planted his feet and pulled, sweeping its legs. The undead smashed into the ground, charred, brittle parts exploding into fragments. Fire raged through its vertebrae, rending the rotting skeleton in two.Nearby, the other members of the group performed dizzying maneuvers to distract a pair of zombies. The monsters flailed their arms, desperate for a target to latch onto, but Leia kept a safe distance. As a result, one zombie broke free and lunged at Soren. He was forced to block, widening his stance to withstand the impact. It hurt—or some emotional description to cut the abrupt change. The zombie failed to topple him and went berserk. It unleashed a frenzied barrage that was stopped by Peter and Lee. They grabbed its arms, twisting them behind its back, holding it in place. The monster struggled, unable to shake off the weight of two grown men. It perished soon after, subdued and broken.Three gray crystals landed in Lee's lap."Steady yourself," said Soren, a moment too late. The crystals were already burrowing inside Lee's skin. The older man began flopping like a fish out of water. Soren barely restrained an amused grin."Is he alright?" asked a concerned Peter."Nobody ever died of pleasure. As long as he keeps his sanity, he will be fine," answered Soren, not very reassuringly. To almost everyone's relief, the seizures didn't last long.Leia fell to her knees and placed a hand on Lee's chest to gauge his heartbeat. "How're you feeling?" she asked after making sure he didn't have arrhythmia or other signs of heart failure."Better than ever," Lee said with a strained smile, propping himself up on one hand. "I can't endure that again anytime soon, though.""Then we'll distribute the essences evenly," suggested Leia, reflexively glancing at Soren. He didn't react to her actions, providing no opinions on the matter."I agree. After this, I'm not so confident I can withstand multiple crystals in a row. There isn't a safe moment out here, is there? You can't even enjoy a break in peace." A lamenting sigh escaped Peter's lips. The display bothered him. Eric stole glances at Soren from the corner of his eyes. In the end, he agreed with Peter's proposal."Let's move on," stated Lee, standing up. He understood Soren's mindset; he didn't have to be reminded.