Chereads / Fallen In Apocalypse / Chapter 4 - The Liquid in the Blood

Chapter 4 - The Liquid in the Blood

The Calm Before the Storm

The camp was alive with activity as the morning sun bathed the area in its golden light. Clare moved between the new shelters, checking on the civilians and ensuring everyone had eaten. Elina was sharpening a long blade near the perimeter, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Lina sat at a makeshift table, sketching a map of the surrounding area, while Mina was humming softly as she hung freshly cleaned clothes on a line.

Rade stood in the center of the camp, his arms crossed as he watched Ignis play with a ball of fire. The juvenile dragon, now level 5, had become a source of fascination for everyone. Its fiery antics drew smiles from the civilians, but Rade remained thoughtful, his mind preoccupied with the looming threat of the Demon Cult.

The outposts he had learned about were scattered across the city, and each one represented a potential danger. But if he was going to lead this group to safety, he needed to confront the cult head-on.

A Hidden Desire

As Rade leaned against a makeshift post, he opened the system store, scrolling through the various abilities available for purchase. His eyes landed on the one he had been eyeing for days: Invisibility.

The ability was listed as:

Invisibility (750 Void Tokens)

Grants the user the power to become invisible for a limited duration.

Duration increases with the user's level.

Cooldown: 2 minutes.

Rade sighed, staring at his Void Token count: 320.

"This ability could change everything," he muttered to himself.

If he had invisibility, infiltrating the cult's outposts would become far less dangerous. He could gather information, sabotage their operations, and escape without being detected. But 750 Void Tokens was a steep price.

Clare approached, interrupting his thoughts. "You've been staring at that screen for a while. What's on your mind?"

Rade hesitated before showing her the store interface. "It's this ability," he admitted. "Invisibility. It could make things easier, but I'm nowhere near the required tokens."

Clare nodded, her expression thoughtful. "You'll get there. Just focus on one goal at a time."

Rade smiled faintly. Clare always had a way of grounding him.

The Journey Begins

Rade left the camp just as the sun reached its peak, the heat of the day beating down on him. Ignis flew overhead, its small wings surprisingly powerful for its size.

The city was eerily quiet, the ruins standing as a testament to the world's collapse. Broken cars lined the streets, their frames rusted and overgrown with vines. The occasional growl of a distant monster served as a reminder that danger was never far away.

Rade checked his map, the glowing interface marking the location of the nearest cult outpost. It was a few kilometers away, hidden in what used to be a shopping mall.

The First Encounter

As Rade approached the mall, he spotted movement in the shadows. A group of figures in black robes was gathered near the entrance, their heads bowed in what appeared to be a ritual.

"Cultists," Rade muttered, raising his rifle.

Ignis let out a low growl, its orange eyes narrowing.

Rade took a deep breath and aimed at the nearest cultist. His first shot rang out, hitting the target square in the chest. The figure collapsed, dissolving into mist and leaving behind a Void Token.

The remaining cultists reacted instantly, drawing weapons and shouting in a language Rade didn't understand. They charged at him, but Rade was ready.

He fired shot after shot, his improved stats making him faster and more accurate. Ignis swooped down, unleashing bursts of flame that scattered the cultists and set their robes ablaze.

Within minutes, the fight was over. Rade stood amidst the ashes, breathing heavily.

Ding! You have earned 15 Void Tokens.

He picked up the tokens and stepped into the mall, his senses on high alert.

A Grim Discovery

The interior of the mall was dark, the air thick with the stench of decay. Rade moved cautiously, his rifle at the ready. Ignis perched on his shoulder, its flames providing a dim light.

As he explored, Rade came across a makeshift altar surrounded by strange symbols painted in blood. The sight sent a shiver down his spine.

"What are they doing here?" Rade whispered.

Ignis growled, its flames flickering more brightly.

Rade examined the altar, finding a piece of parchment with a crudely drawn map. It marked several locations across the city, each one labeled with the cult's strange symbols.

"This must be their network," Rade muttered. "If I can take out these outposts, maybe I can weaken them."

He pocketed the map and continued his search, finding a stash of supplies hidden behind a false wall.

Ding! You have obtained the following items:

Medical Supplies

Ammunition

Canned Food

"These will come in handy," Rade said, loading the supplies into his inventory.

The Monster Awakens

As Rade prepared to leave the mall, a low growl echoed through the halls. His map interface flashed a warning:

Warning: Rank-D Monster Detected.

Rade turned to see a massive wolf emerge from the shadows, its glowing red eyes fixed on him.

"Great," Rade muttered, raising his rifle.

The wolf lunged at him, its speed shocking despite its size. Rade dodged to the side, firing several shots into its flank. The bullets hit their mark, but the wolf barely flinched.

Ignis swooped in, unleashing a burst of flame that forced the wolf to retreat. Rade used the opportunity to reload, his mind racing.

"This thing's tougher than I expected," he muttered.

The fight continued, Rade and Ignis working in tandem to wear the wolf down. Finally, with one last shot, the creature let out a pained howl and collapsed.

Ding! You have earned 5 Void Tokens.

Rade picked up the token and let out a sigh of relief. "That was close."

Back to Camp

By the time Rade returned to the camp, the sun was setting. The civilians greeted him with relieved smiles, and Clare rushed to check him for injuries.

"I'm fine," Rade assured her. "And I found something useful."

He laid out the map he had taken from the mall, explaining its significance to the group.

"This shows the locations of other cult outposts," Rade said. "If we can take them out, we might be able to stop whatever they're planning."

Elina studied the map, her expression serious. "This is good, but it's risky. The cult is dangerous, and we don't know what we'll find at these places."

"I know," Rade said. "That's why we'll take it one step at a time. For now, we focus on gathering more resources and strengthening the camp."

Ignis's Growth

Later that night, Rade sat by the campfire, watching Ignis play with the civilians. The dragon had grown noticeably larger, its scales shimmering like molten metal.

Rade couldn't shake the feeling that Ignis's rapid growth wasn't normal.

"Why are you leveling up so fast?" he muttered, scratching the dragon's head.

Ignis let out a contented purr but offered no answers.

A New Resolve

As the camp settled for the night, Rade stood by the perimeter, gazing out at the ruins. The Demon Cult was a looming threat, but for the first time, he felt like he had a chance to fight back.

With his growing strength, Ignis by his side, and the support of his camp, Rade was determined to uncover the cult's secrets and protect the people who depended on him.

The apocalypse was far from over, but Rade was ready for whatever came next.

Secrets of Evolution

The morning in the camp began as it usually did: Clare organizing the civilians, Mina bustling around preparing breakfast, Elina sharpening her blade, and Lina strategizing the group's next moves. Ignis perched on a tree stump near Rade, its glowing scales reflecting the early sunlight.

Rade sat in a quiet corner, reviewing the documents he had retrieved from the cult's outpost. Most of the symbols and text were indecipherable, but one page stood out. It depicted a human figure with glowing veins, and beneath it, a series of strange markings accompanied by crude diagrams of vials and syringes.

"What are they doing with people?" Rade muttered to himself.

Clare approached, handing him a cup of water. "Still trying to figure out their plans?"

Rade nodded. "There's something here about... evolution. They're experimenting on people, trying to unlock some kind of potential."

Clare frowned, her healer instincts immediately on edge. "Experimenting on humans? That's monstrous."

Rade sighed, leaning back against the wooden post. "I need to know more. This could be why they're so dangerous."

Deciphering the Documents

Rade gathered the group later in the day, spreading the documents out on a makeshift table.

"These papers mention something about a liquid inside humans that can help them evolve," he began, his voice steady despite the unease he felt. "The cult hasn't figured it out yet, but they're actively working on it."

"What kind of liquid?" Lina asked, leaning closer to inspect the diagrams.

"I don't know exactly," Rade admitted. "But if they succeed, they could create soldiers far stronger than anything we've faced."

Elina crossed her arms, her expression dark. "So, what? They're kidnapping people and using them as lab rats?"

"That's what it looks like," Rade said grimly.

The revelation sent a ripple of unease through the group. Mina, usually cheerful, looked pale, while Clare clenched her fists, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Preparing for the Worst

Rade knew he needed to act quickly. If the cult was on the brink of a breakthrough, it could spell disaster for everyone.

"I'm heading out again," he announced later that afternoon, strapping on his gear.

"You can't keep doing this alone," Elina protested.

"I have to," Rade said firmly. "I need to find more information. Ignis will be with me, and I'll move fast."

Elina scowled but didn't argue further.

"Be careful," Clare said softly, her concern evident.

"I always am," Rade replied with a small smile.

A Hidden Laboratory

Rade's destination was marked on the map he had taken from the cult's outpost. It was an abandoned hospital on the edge of the city, a place that sent chills down his spine as he approached.

The building was decrepit, its windows shattered and its walls covered in graffiti. Inside, the air was stale, and the faint sound of dripping water echoed through the halls.

Ignis growled softly, its orange eyes glowing in the dim light.

Rade moved cautiously, his rifle at the ready. He came across a set of double doors labeled "Research Wing" and pushed them open.

What he found inside made his stomach churn.

The Horrors Within

The room was filled with rows of metal tables, each one holding a lifeless body. Strange machines surrounded the tables, their screens flickering with indecipherable data. Vials of blood and other fluids lined the shelves, their contents glowing faintly.

Rade approached one of the tables, his heart pounding. The body on it was emaciated, its skin pale and marked with strange symbols.

"What were they doing here?" he whispered.

He found a journal on one of the desks and flipped through it, the scribbled notes revealing horrifying details.

"The liquid we seek lies dormant within the human body. By extracting and refining it, we believe we can unlock a new level of evolution. Subjects have shown increased strength and speed, but all trials so far have ended in failure. The process is unstable, and the subjects…"

Rade didn't need to read further. The cult was trying to create superhumans, and they were willing to sacrifice countless lives to achieve their goal.

An Unexpected Attack

As Rade processed what he had learned, a low growl echoed through the room. He spun around to see a group of mutated creatures emerging from the shadows. Their twisted forms were humanoid but grotesque, their eyes glowing red with rage.

"Failed experiments," Rade muttered, raising his rifle.

The creatures charged at him, their movements erratic but terrifyingly fast. Rade fired, each shot finding its mark, but the creatures didn't go down easily.

Ignis joined the fight, unleashing streams of fire that lit up the room. The dragon's flames were powerful, but the creatures seemed to resist the heat, their charred flesh regenerating almost instantly.

"This isn't good," Rade thought, his mind racing.

He activated his camp ability, setting up a temporary safe zone around himself and Ignis. The creatures stopped at the edge of the barrier, snarling and clawing at the invisible wall.

A Narrow Escape

Rade used the moment of reprieve to plan his escape. He grabbed as many documents and vials as he could carry, shoving them into his inventory.

"Let's go, Ignis," he said, deactivating the camp and making a run for it.

The creatures pursued them through the hospital, their guttural cries echoing off the walls. Rade fired behind him as he ran, trying to slow them down.

They burst out into the open air, and Ignis took flight, grabbing Rade with its claws and lifting him to safety.

The creatures howled in frustration as they watched their prey escape.

Back at Camp

When Rade returned to the camp, he immediately called a meeting.

"I found more information," he began, laying out the journal and the vials he had retrieved. "The cult is experimenting with this liquid to create superhumans. They haven't succeeded yet, but they're close."

The group listened in silence, the weight of the revelation settling over them.

"We need to stop them," Elina said firmly. "Whatever it takes."

Rade nodded. "Agreed. But we need to be smart about this. We can't rush in unprepared."

He glanced at Ignis, who was resting near the fire. The dragon's rapid growth and newfound abilities gave him hope. If they could keep growing stronger, they might stand a chance.

A New Objective

As the camp settled down for the night, Rade sat by the fire, staring at the documents he had retrieved. The Demon Cult's experiments were horrifying, but they also presented an opportunity.

"If they're trying to unlock evolution, maybe there's a way to use this for good," he thought.

For now, his focus was clear: gather more Void Tokens, uncover the cult's secrets, and stop their plans before it was too late.

The apocalypse was a battlefield, and Rade was determined to come out on top.