Summer spent the night in a hotel, choosing to avoid his parents due to the guilt he felt. He wanted to leave without seeing them, knowing how disappointed they would be. As he prepared for sleep, he checked his account balance one last time.
Balance: 5,360 UECD.
He sighed, realizing this was all he had left after purchasing some dry food and water for emergencies.
Money was also crucial for Evolvers—essential for acquiring high-quality genetic weapons and Gene Crystals. But wealth alone wasn't enough; hard work and dedication were necessary to make the most of any Evolution Gene.
He noticed a message notification on the holographic display and saw that Julia's profile was inactive.
The last message he had sent was: "Did you eat well?" It still remained unread.
"Does she want to forget me that much?" he wondered, feeling a pang of regret.
"Just you wait Julia, I will prove I can do it."
But a nagging question lingered: "Will she wait for me that long?"
His thoughts drifted to Azaroth Malakar's grinning face, and he shook his head to clear it. Turning off the communicator on his wrist, he prepared to sleep.
.....
The next day, Summer finally met the escort team that would ensure his safety on his journey to the Primal Zone. As he approached the small warcraft, he saw the four members of the team gathered before it. They all exuded the powerful aura that only Evolvers possessed, and they were slightly older than Summer, likely in their mid-twenties.
"So…? We have to babysit a kid now?" the tall, red-haired young man grumbled, his brows furrowed in annoyance. He had an advanced heavy sniper rifle slung over his shoulder and seemed less than thrilled with the task. His name was Silver.
"Well, duh. That $75K won't come that easy, you know," a valiant-looking young woman with bronze skin chuckled. She carried a greatsword on her back, ready to strike at any moment. Her name was Alisha.
"Haha... it seems Silver's been having a good time lately. Don't you think, Captain Lucia?" a muscular young man named Yang teased, glancing at the woman in the white-and-red piloting suit. Yang had bulging muscles and a slight yellowish tint to his skin.
Captain Lucia, with her short amethyst hair draped over her shoulders, looked dignified in her white cap. Her hands were crossed over her chest as she regarded her team. "Of course, he's been having fun with his new girlfriend these days. Maybe he's forgotten how tough this job really is."
"Hey, don't make fun of me, you three," Silver protested, his long silver hair gleaming in the sunlight. "I mean, seriously… a Non-Evolver? It could be dangerous for him as well as us."
"It's as it is, Silver," Alisha said with a grin, her bronze skin gleaming under the sun. "We have to make do. Don't be a scaredy-cat now."
Silver shook his head helplessly, deciding not to argue any further. He knew better than to bicker with his teammates.
"Alright, enough jokes guys," Captain Lucia said, her tone turning serious. "We're entering uncharted territory, so we need to be ready for anything—whether it's wild beasts or other human Evolvers."
The four of them—Lucia, Alisha, Yang, and Silver—were from different continental lineages, a proof of the diverse world they lived in after the Great Gene Apocalypse. Lucia and Silver hailed from Europe, Alisha from Africa, and Yang from Asia.
After the apocalypse, the continents had merged into a massive landmass, even larger than the ancient Pangea, leading to the formation of the United Earth Coalition (UEC) in 2102. Despite their different cultures and religions, these four worked together seamlessly, like a battle hardened machine.
Summer, clad in his dark BioFlex Suit, stood there feeling awkward and unsure of how to initiate a conversation with the team. The suit accentuated his muscular build, a result of his rigorous training in hopes of becoming an Evolver, even if he hadn't yet succeeded.
Captain Lucia finally turned to Summer, her confident smile easing some of his nerves. "So, Summer, let's get your journey started," she said. "Don't worry, we'll make your money's worth."
"O-Okay," Summer replied, following them onto the small warcraft.
"Don't be so stiff, Summer," Alisha said with a playful grin as she slapped his back, causing him to stumble forward.
She quickly helped him regain his balance, laughing lightly. "Sorry, I forgot for a moment that you're a Non-Evolver. Though, your physique says otherwise."
Summer managed a weak smile. "Yeah, I trained a lot."
Indeed, all his training hadn't been in vain. His body was strong, his muscles hardened from years of exercise, and he even had a defined six-pack.
The BioFlex Suit accentuated his form, making him look fit and, as Alisha hinted, rather attractive. Although some Evolvers with physical enhancement abilities had larger muscles, many were even stronger than him despite appearing less muscular. Everything depended on one's Base Evolution Gene, something Summer still yearned to awaken within himself.
"So, Summer, mind giving me the map of the exact location?"
Once everyone seated, Captain Lucia asked, from the front.
"Ohh, Yes..Wait a sec.." Summer said as he took out a different map, which marked the place he needed to go. And of course, it was not exact location that real map had shown..
"Alright, be ready for another long journey guys." Lucia said, taking the map.
She drives alone, however an AI was there for assistant.