The warmth inside the snowmobile felt like spring itself. Isaac couldn't help but think that if he could continue living in such comfort, he might actually live to see ninety.
As he basked in the heat, Lena's image slowly surfaced in his mind, vivid and captivating. All his previous doubts dissipated, replaced by a calm acceptance of his new reality. In that moment, the ideals of justice and camaraderie he once held dear seemed to fade away.
It was clear now—everything he had was a gift from Miles.
"How's the gift? Decent enough?"
Miles's voice crackled softly through the snowmobile's radio.
"This…" Isaac was awestruck. "Miles—no, Mr. Miles! Just how many resources do you have? You even have something like this? Aren't you worried about wasting fuel?"
The shift in Isaac's tone made it clear—Miles's methods had thoroughly won him over.
In a world where only the capable survive, it was futile to resist someone like Miles.
Isaac had once been a man of influence himself, but now he readily embraced his new role as a subordinate—and felt oddly grateful for it.
In times like these, few were lucky enough to serve someone like Miles.
Miles, who valued intelligence, surrounded himself with people who knew their place.
"Don't worry about the fuel, Isaac," Miles replied, a chuckle in his voice. "Just focus on bringing me zombies. Run this machine into the ground if you have to. If you run out of fuel, just let me know."
"Haha!" Isaac's laugh was hearty and unrestrained. "Rest assured, Mr. Miles! If I can find anything valuable out there, I'll risk life and limb to bring it back to you!"
"Good. And remember—follow traffic laws."
Miles's casual humor drew another laugh from Isaac.
Eager to test the snowmobile, Isaac started the engine. The powerful machine roared to life, its deep hum resonating across the icy expanse as it disappeared into the distance.
Inside the villa, Lisa, dressed in a sleek black maid's outfit, was tidying up with a mop.
"I never thought even Isaac would bow to you," she remarked, gliding from room to room.
Miles lounged on the couch, his angle perfectly aligned to appreciate the elegant curve of her figure.
He smiled. "He's a smart man, just blinded by his own convictions. When someone like him is offered a temptation they can't resist, their principles crumble on their own."
Justice and compassion? Where were those when I was left to die?
Miles's smile turned cold. "Surviving is the only truth now. And living well? That's a blessing. Whoever grants that blessing will command loyalty."
Lisa nodded in agreement, a knowing smile on her lips. "Then it's no wonder we're all working ourselves to the bone for you, just hoping the good times will last."
"They will." Miles's gaze lingered on her.
"Zombies in the Cloudtop District are getting scarce. If you want to grow stronger quickly, you'll need to figure out other ways to enhance your power."
Over time, Lisa had come to understand Miles's personality. His sharp tongue masked a pragmatic but not entirely cold heart—provided one never entertained thoughts of betrayal. Otherwise, he wouldn't hesitate to replace her.
"I have no idea where to start," Miles admitted with a sigh. "Is my psychic ability really only effective on zombies?"
"Mr. Miles, we've captured an unusual zombie—it seems like the type you mentioned before."
Isaac's voice, tinged with exhaustion, came through the radio.
"What kind?"
"Could it be a zombie mother?" Miles perked up.
Zombies mutated by radiation possessed unparalleled strength, far beyond that of ordinary infected. Such beings, dubbed "super zombies," were exceedingly rare.
Since the outbreak, the only known super zombie in Cloudtop was Andrew. After his initial appearance, Andrew had vanished without a trace.
Isaac's voice was breathless. "I think so. This beast is incredibly strong, more powerful than five regular zombies combined. And it's cunning—it knows how to hide and flee."
Unlike regular zombies that only attacked relentlessly, this one displayed strategy.
"Does it have pure white eyes and greenish-black veins running under its skin?"
"Exactly! And it's massive—not like its original form at all. It looks as though something boosted its growth unnaturally…"
Isaac shuddered. "If we hadn't outnumbered it, it would've escaped. Even so, we lost two men to infection."
A super zombie.
If ordinary zombies could enhance his power, then super zombies must hold even greater potential, their energy reservoirs far more abundant.
"Forget everything else. Bring it back immediately!" Miles ordered.
"Understood!"
An hour later, the snowmobile roared into the villa's courtyard.
Miles stepped out eagerly, his sidearm at the ready. He offered Isaac a faint smile. "Isaac, step outside and lock the gates. No one approaches without my permission."
Always cautious.
Isaac couldn't help but laugh softly, though he understood. Miles's vigilance was precisely why he had survived and thrived in this chaotic world.
Once the perimeter was secure, Miles approached the vehicle.
Attached to the snowmobile's rear was a massive zombie, bound tightly with heavy chains. Its frame was enormous, dwarfing even two average men combined.
Its green-black veins bulged grotesquely beneath its pallid skin, and its milky white eyes seemed to pierce the soul.
"What the…" Miles murmured, inching closer. "Andrew?"
In the days since his disappearance, Andrew had undergone a startling transformation. His once-normal frame was now grotesquely enlarged, his veins webbing across his body like a sinister map.
So this is what you've become.
A sly smile tugged at Miles's lips.
You've come back to me, Andrew. And today, we settle our score.
Miles fixed his gaze on the monstrous zombie. Instantly, a surge of overwhelming energy coursed through his mind, dispersing the white fog in his mental space by nearly half.
Miles froze, astonished. Such power!
Previously, absorbing over a hundred zombies had only cleared about ten percent of the fog. But Andrew alone—
This one zombie had eradicated thirty percent in mere moments.
If he could find a few more like Andrew, his mental space would be fully cleared, revealing whatever lay beyond.
As Miles absorbed the energy, Andrew's hulking form collapsed. His once-bloated body withered rapidly, shrinking into a lifeless husk.
Miles stared at the remains, his mind alight with possibility.
What wonders awaited him if he unlocked the full potential of his power?