Owen stared at the notification hovering before him, his mind struggling to make sense of the words.[ King of the Infected System Activated ][ Host: Owen Carter ][ Ability: Dominion ][ Current Control Capacity: 20 Infected ][ Increase your influence and earn the trust of others to expand your Dominion. ]It was strange enough that a hologram had appeared before him, but what bothered Owen even more was the sight of the zombies standing motionless around him.The same creatures that had been tearing into his body only moments ago now looked like obedient servants waiting for instructions.He remained on the ground for a while, watching them closely. Even when he shifted his injured arm, none of the creatures made an attempt to attack.'What exactly is going on?'A low groan came from one of the zombies, followed by another from somewhere behind him. Owen had heard those sounds countless times since the outbreak, but this time, they seemed different. He could almost understand them

"There are zombies inside," the lady explained, her voice still shaky from the sudden outburst. "A lot of them. The entire place is a nest."Owen turned his attention towards the store, examining the dark entrance with renewed interest. From where he stood, there was hardly anything unusual about the building, except for the overturned shelves and the broken glass scattered around the doorway."How many?" he inquired."At least fifty, probably more. I couldn't count all of them before I got out."That explained the injury on her leg.Zombie nests were among the most dangerous places anyone could encounter during the apocalypse. Unlike the infected wandering through the streets, those gathered in nests occupied buildings in large numbers, making it almost impossible for ordinary survivors to enter without attracting the entire group.A nest containing fifty zombies would require a properly equipped squad of at least ten men to clear. And even then, there was no guarantee that everyone

Evelyn rubbed her eyes repeatedly, hoping that the sight before her would disappear.However, even after the third attempt, the zombies were still fighting one another, while Owen stood in the middle of the store, looking completely unbothered by the chaos surrounding him.She had encountered several Awakened since the beginning of the apocalypse, but never had she witnessed one who could control the infected.The thought of what such an ability could accomplish made her heart race, and almost immediately, her earlier embarrassment was replaced by excitement.'I have to tell the others about him and get him on our team,' she thought.Their guild would certainly be interested in someone like Owen. With the growing number of infected around the city, finding an Awakened who could command the very creatures they were struggling to eliminate was an opportunity they couldn't afford to lose.Evelyn was already imagining how she would convince her squad leader to recruit him. The only proble

Owen followed the road towards Haven 3, occasionally moving aside for the people hurrying past him with bags and cartons in their arms.The closer he got, the more crowded the street became. Small groups stood beside the buildings, arguing over supplies or searching through the things they had brought back from the city. A few people glanced at him as he passed, but most quickly returned to whatever they were doing.By the time he reached the registration building, his injured thigh had begun aching again. He slowed his steps, allowing a woman carrying a basket to pass before making his way through the entrance.Several rows of benches occupied the hall, with counters arranged along the opposite wall. People sat with bags between their feet, while others stood together, speaking loudly enough that Owen could barely hear the worker addressing someone at the far end.He glanced across the counters until he found the one marked for territory registration.Fortunately, there was nobody st

Rebecca stared at Owen for a few moments, her fingers tightening around Jerry's arm. Beside her, Jerry slowly closed his mouth, his expression hardening as he looked over Owen's bloodstained clothes.Rebecca's lips pressed together, her eyes narrowing. She took a step towards the counter, but when she noticed the people watching them, she stopped and loosened her grip on Jerry."What are you doing here?" she asked, managing a small smile.Owen met her gaze without moving from the counter."Surprised, considering the fact that you left me to die?"His voice remained level, and the smile on Rebecca's face disappeared.Murmurs immediately spread through the hall. A woman near the entrance leaned towards her companion, her eyes moving from Owen to Rebecca."That's him, the man she dumped.""That man standing at the counter?""Who else could it be? Didn't you hear what he just said?"The man who had mocked Owen earlier leaned forward on his bench, studying him with renewed interest. A few