"I agree," Dylan chimed in. "When I awakened my strength ability, I desperately wanted strength in that moment. It's like the situation itself shapes the ability we receive."
Sylas nodded thoughtfully, recalling the moment of his awakening. Thinking back, the one thing he had been obsessed with was taking away the things he desired.
To take away things he wanted, to be able to carry or store things with him—Sylas had thought about these desires at his awakening.
Is it because of those thoughts that I awakened a space ability? Now I can store anything I want in my space, Sylas thought.
"Serena is awake," Dylan's voice drew Sylas back from his thoughts.
They entered the special ward and saw Serena waking up, looking confused in an unfamiliar environment. Seeing Dylan and Sylas—familiar faces—Serena seemed to lower her guard.
"Congratulations, young miss," Dylan said, clapping his hands with a silly smile.
Serena raised a brow, her face as cold as ice. She snorted and muttered, "Childish."
Sylas chuckled. "Congratulations!"
Serena looked puzzled and responded coldly, "What are you congratulating me for?"
The room fell into silence. The three men exchanged confused glances.
Leo was the first to speak. "Uh, miss, the nurse brought you here a few hours ago. You were unconscious at the time. Do you remember what happened before you collapsed?"
Serena frowned, trying to recall. "I think I was standing near the apple tree… I don't know why I fainted."
"You awakened an ability, and it's related to plants," a voice interjected.
Doctor Farlo entered the ward, followed by the nurse who had brought Serena earlier.
"Miss Bale, the apple tree that was dying is now full of vitality, with tiny leaves sprouting on its branches—even though it's winter," the nurse informed her.
Serena's cold expression flickered with emotion. "What? I… I saved the tree?"
"Yes, you did. Congratulations on awakening a plant-type ability. Your ability is amazing," the nurse said enviously.
This was the first time Serena had heard about abilities, and she was bewildered.
Doctor Farlo explained how some people had begun awakening abilities. To maintain law and order—and to prevent unnecessary chaos inside the safe zone—the authorities had kept this information secret, sharing it only with key personnel and the medical team. The medical team was responsible for immediately transporting anyone exhibiting signs of awakening to the special ward.
"Then, you guys..." Serena lifted her gaze to Sylas, Dylan, and Leo.
Dylan flashed a toothy grin. "Yes, you're right. We've also awakened abilities. Mine is strength-type."
"I'm Leo, and my ability is healing," Leo introduced himself.
"Mine is space," Sylas added.
"Alright, now there are five of you with abilities," Doctor Farlo said. "Don't forget to come to Hall Number 16 tomorrow after breakfast. Leo, show Serena her room and the living areas for ability users."
After ensuring Serena was in good condition, Doctor Farlo left.
"Who is the fifth person who awakened an ability?" Serena suddenly asked.
Dylan smirked mischievously. "Oh, you'll find out tomorrow."
Serena rolled her eyes, losing interest.
---
January 19, 2025
The next day, all five gathered in the dining hall for breakfast. Serena stared in disbelief at the little boy happily drinking a cup of milk.
"He's the youngest ability user so far," Leo said.
Dudu finished his breakfast and raised his arms toward Sylas. Sylas picked him up and said, "Everyone, let's head to Hall Number 16."
When they arrived, Doctor Farlo and Major Kyle were already inside.
"Good morning, everyone," Doctor Farlo greeted. "I gathered you here so we can better understand your abilities. You are well aware that not everyone can awaken abilities, and being able to do so in this apocalypse is a blessing. Those with abilities will stand at the top of the food chain. The survival of humanity will depend on ability users."
His gaze swept over them. "There's still much we don't know about your abilities. Can you use them continuously? Will ability users lose consciousness after using them? Is there a limit? Does energy drain faster with use? How long does it take to recover? And many other things. Starting today, we will work to answer these questions—and train you to adapt more quickly."
Major Kyle stepped forward, his tone serious. "I hope you all understand the situation we're in. Supplies won't last forever. Every day, we have thousands of mouths to feed. With no production and only consumption, how long can we survive in Pinewood Town's safe zone? One day, supplies will run out. Before that happens, we need to gather as much as possible. Your abilities will make it easier for us to do so.
"Furthermore, Doctor Farlo and I have already planned to leave Pinewood Town. We need to return to the capital. Without ability users, the journey will be difficult. I want to take the survivors with us."
Doctor Farlo nodded. "To continue researching abilities—and the zombie virus—I must return to the capital. I know the journey will be dangerous, which is why I ask for your help."
Everyone understood their concerns.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's begin the experiments and training!" Dylan raised his fist enthusiastically.
The others nodded in agreement.
"First, we will test your abilities," Major Kyle said. "Then, based on the results, we will tailor your training."
He grabbed a bag of sunflower seeds and tossed it to Serena. "Miss Bale, I want to see how long your ability lasts. Try growing as many sunflower seeds as you can. We'll track everything."
Serena caught the bag deftly, took a handful of seeds, and scattered them on the ground.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, green sprouts immediately emerged, growing at an unbelievable speed. Within seconds, the plants matured, and bright yellow sunflowers bloomed before them.
The sunflower bloomed and withered, producing another batch of sunflower seeds. This process continued until Serena suddenly stopped, panting.
"115 seeds, 25 minutes," one of the soldiers responsible for tracking reported.
"Rest for a while. We'll see how long it takes for you to recover," Major Kyle said.
Then he turned to Dylan. "Dylan, lift that military car for as long as you can."