Supremacy In Apocalypse

Chapter 6

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 problem was that she had spent their entire encounter insulting him and treating him like some unfortunate scavenger.

'Maybe I should apologize first,' she concluded, although the thought wasn't particularly pleasant.

Meanwhile, Owen had already finished dealing with the nest. The remaining zombies were under his control, and he had wasted no time searching through the store for the supplies he needed.

Fortunately, the infected hadn't developed an appetite for canned food and bottled water. Most of the items were still intact, although a considerable number had been scattered across the floor during the fight.

Owen picked out several cartons of food, bottled water, and a few medical supplies before ordering his zombies to carry them. He also took a moment to eat some biscuits, having spent most of the day without a proper meal.

It wasn't exactly the sort of feast he would have enjoyed before the apocalypse, but his stomach wasn't in any position to complain.

By the time he finished gathering everything, the zombies had already taken up the loads, and Owen made his way towards the entrance.

Evelyn was still engrossed in her thoughts when a familiar voice suddenly interrupted her.

"Are you planning to stand there all day?"

She jolted, almost losing her balance as she turned towards the voice.

Owen was standing a few steps away, with several zombies behind him carrying cartons and bags of supplies. The sight of infected creatures behaving like ordinary seevant was enough to leave her staring with her mouth slightly open.

For a moment, she couldn't even remember what she had intended to say.

"You... how did you..."

Her words trailed off as her eyes moved from Owen to the zombies and back again.

"I told you, you didn't have to worry about me," Owen replied.

He reached into one of the bags and brought out a small packet containing bandages, antiseptic, and a few other medical supplies.

"Here."

Evelyn barely managed to raise her hands before he tossed the packet towards her. She caught it awkwardly, her gaze falling on the medicine before returning to his face.

She had almost forgotten about her injured leg.

For someone she had mocked and practically called a liar, he had still remembered his promise to get her medicine.

Evelyn face burned red, especially when she recalled how confidently she had offered to beg her squad for scraps on his behalf.

"Thank you," she muttered, her voice considerably softer than before.

Owen gave a slight nod.

However, before he could turn away, a familiar notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.

[ Congratulations, Host! ]

[ You have successfully gained the trust of another human. ]

[ Additional Zombie Control Slots: +30 ]

[ Total Zombie Control Capacity: 50 ]

[ Bond Strength With Controlled Infected Has Increased ].

Owen's eyes lingered on the notification, and before he could help himself, a smile appeared on his face.

Thirty additional slots from a single person. He had expected his ability to grow eventually, but he hadn't imagined the injured lady standing before him would be responsible for such a generous reward.

Evelyn, who was still holding the medicine he had tossed to her, noticed the change in his expression.

She glanced behind herself, wondering what had caught his attention, but there was nothing except the ruined store and the infected carrying his supplies. When she turned back, he was still smiling.

'Oh. So that's what it is.'

She had almost forgotten what she looked like after the struggle inside the store.

Evelyn straightened her shoulders and brushed the dust from her clothes, careful not to put pressure on her injured leg.

If he had finally taken an interest in her, perhaps their conversation would be easier than she expected.

Owen did notice her properly this time. The lady was beautiful, with smooth skin that had somehow escaped most of the scratches covering her clothes, little dimples at the corners of her cheeks, and a figure that the loose jacket around her waist did very little to conceal. Even with an injured leg, she carried herself with an almost unreasonable amount of confidence.

He couldn't deny any of that. But neither could he find a reason to remain there admiring her.

Evelyn took his silence for encouragement. She tucked the medicine beneath one arm and moved closer, wearing a smile that revealed her dimples more clearly.

"Well, I suppose I owe you an apology," she began. "I was a little rude earlier."

"A little?" Owen returned.

She laughed softly. "Fine. More than a little. But you have to admit, you didn't exactly look like someone who could clear an entire nest."

Owen glanced at the blood on his sleeve. "Fair enough."

That was promising. Evelyn had expected him to remain as cold as he had been inside, but he was answering her without much difficulty. She shifted her weight onto her uninjured leg and tried again.

"I'm Evelyn, by the way. You didn't tell me your name."

"Owen."

"Owen," she repeated, as though trying out the sound of it. "Listen, there are some people I'd like you to meet. My team is—"

The smile disappeared from Owen's face.

"In future, avoid my path," he said.