After Allison finished preparing Zoey's bed, she called out to her. "Zoey!" However, there was no response. "Zoey!!" She called again.

She went downstairs to look for the child, searching every room of the house. When she couldn't find Zoey, she turned to Alwyn, asking, "Alwyn, have you seen Zoey?"

"Alwyn!!?"

The silence that followed was unsettling. She slowly made her way to his workplace, where the room was dimly lit, and a cold breeze seeped in through an open window. Her eyes landed on the weapon Alwyn had been working on for a long time. On another table, she noticed half-cooked chicken legs.

She inspected the weapon and realized it was still warm, indicating recent use.

She approached the window to close it, but her attention was quickly drawn to a small, makeshift entrance in the wall below. Curious, she stepped outside and opened it, unveiling a hidden path that led into the dark forest.

Just as she pondered who might have created this secret entrance, a passing guard patrolling the area caught her eye. "Hey," she called out to the patrolling guard.

He turned and recognized her, approaching respectfully. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Get some men to investigate this immediately, and tell them it's my order," she instructed while prying the secret door open with her foot.

The guard nodded and was about to leave, but she stopped him. "Wait. I have a question for you. Have you seen Alwyn anywhere?"

The guard shook his head, indicating he hadn't seen him. "No, Ma'am."

"What about a little girl, almost the same height as Alwyn, with shoulder-length raven black hair, wearing a black jacket with a high collar and black pants?" Allison inquired.

Again, the guard shook his head, signaling he hadn't seen anyone matching that description. "I see. Well, you can go now"

I wonder where those two went?

Allison spent an hour strolling around town in search of Alwyn and Zoey, particularly checking the places where Alwyn usually hung out. She was growing increasingly frustrated with his habit of leaving without notice, but she trusted that he wouldn't venture beyond the walls.

She questioned the residents, but none of them had seen Alwyn or Zoey. Disheartened, she returned home, hoping they would come back on their own. Allison decided to wait for them outside her door, sitting on a swing chair.

As time passed, there was still no sign of them, and her worry grew. Suddenly, Liam arrived with a nervous expression. "What's up?" Allison greeted the young boy. "What brings you here?"

Liam gasped for breath, finally explaining, "It's Alwyn. He's at the medic tent. They found him and Zoey outside the gate, and he's injured."

Allison's eyes widened in shock. "What?" She sprinted toward the medical tent, where she found Alwyn and a trembling Zoey. Tears welled up in her eyes, and anger filled her as she asked, "What happened?"

~One Hour Earlier

Outside the base, at the small campsite

Alwyn lay on the cold ground, recovering from his injuries. After an hour, he began to regain some of his strength, although his face had swelled and taken on a reddish hue from the punch.

Two of the cannibal people were resting soundly, sleeping in peace, while the other remained outside, guarding the campsite.

He slowly sat down and tries reaching for his stuff scattered across the desk.

He removed his jacket to use it to reach for the things that would help him free. He lightly throw the jacket across the table before pulling it back, hoping it could scoop something that would help his current situation, he was doing his best and being quiet as possible as he can. He was tensed, afraid of being caught.

After a few attempts, his jacket landed at his flashlight. With a slight pull. The flash light slowly rolled over, threatening to fall.

Oh no, please.. No no no no no noo

The flashlight fell hard, falling against the ground. Thankfully, it didn't woken the two.

But the person outside did hear it.

Noticing the person guarding was about to enter after hearing something fall, Alwyn acted quickly. He tossed his jacket and pulled it back as the flahlight rolled towards him, hiding it beneath his jacket as he sit next to it acting normally.

The guard walked in, finding Alwyn jacketless, and jokingly remarked, "Feeling hot?" He chuckled.

He looked at Alwyn and finds whatever had fallen object, exclaiming, "What the heck..." He picked up a metal lighter from the ground and glared at one of the sleeping guys as if he'd made a mistake. "I warned you to be careful with this thing." He raised his hand, ready to strike the man, but then a sudden movement in the forest caught his attention "Tch"

I didn't know what happened, but i guess i got lucky

Sensing the motion, he readied his crossbow and ventured into the woods, discovering two dead zombies. One had been fatally pierced through the eye, and the other had a rock embedded in its side.

 

"Lucky~," Zoey whispered to herself, spotting the guard out of position. She stealthily approached the hut, slipping inside. Inside the hut she saw Alwyn chained at his feet.

Alwyn's expression turned to one of shock as he noticed me.

"Al-," I began to call out, but he quickly silenced me with a finger to his lips, gesturing towards the two slumbering figures in the room.

I had momentarily forgotten about them. Alwyn motioned for me to retrieve something from the table, and I slowly placed the iron rod down without making a sound.

As I inched my way towards the table, my eyes fell upon a lifeless body on the far side of the room. A man was missing three limbs, and a chain mark on his left foot told a cruel story. Human flesh and limbs dangled, tethered by a hook, while bone fragments lay on plates nearby. The grim realization settled in as I pieced together the gruesome scene.

I turned pale at the scene, feeling a wave of nausea wash over me. Shaken to my core, Alwyn noticed my expression and urgently called out to me.

"Hey, Zoey!" he whispered, turning my attention toward him. "Wake up. I know it's scary, but please move if you don't want to be on their next course of meal."

Snapoing out of it, i quickly gathered every item scattered across the table, including the bag he brought from Allison's place. Handing everything to Alwyn.

"Thank you," he said as he picked up a small box containing iron needles and a hairpin.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps drew close, likely the guard returning to his post.

"Take that iron rod. Well launch a Surprise attack at him... When I say go, hit him as hard as you can right in the head."

"But I..." I began to protest, my mind racing with doubt and fear about taking a human life. I'm amazaed and scared at the same at this kid, he's easily talking about taking a life of other like it doesn't matter.

Well i mean, he's also right to kill these people. Their cannibals after all.

"No time for buts.. Look," Alwyn pointed at the dead man, compelling me to reluctantly follow his instructions. I moved to the side of the door entrance, preparing to strike, trembling and deeply conflicted.

As the footsteps drew closer, I raised the rod, my hand shaking with fear. I knew these guys were bad people, but the thought of killing a living human weighed heavily on me.

But in that moment, it was about survival so i had no choice. I waited, and as the guard entered, I closed my eyes and swung the rod at his head. When I opened my eyes, the rod was stained with blood, and the man lay on the floor, bleeding from the head.

"Good job," Alwyn praised me, but I couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling of taking a life. killing maybe has become one of the normal in this world, but not for me. I'm a modern person after all.

Alwyn quickly turned to me, noticing my shaken state. "You can worry about that later. Right now, we need to leave."

As he struggled with his lock pick, it broke, and he rummaged through the items for a replacement, finding nothing. Turning to me, who was still trembling from the recent act of killing, he asked me to find a key to unlock his chain.

I searched, but my focus was interrupted as one of the men slowly wokes up, it was the person who dragged alwyn inside. "Go, hide the body... ". Panicking, I dragged the lifeless body outside, leaving a trail of blood on the floor.

I couldn't let them discover our presence. In desperation, I grabbed the weapon of the man i killed and shoots the charged crossbow in the head, ending his life.

I rifled through his pockets and found a shriveled map and a silver key, which I quickly handed to Alwyn. He freed himself and gathered his belongings, and together, we left the hut.

Alwyn limped as we walked, and I noticed a bandage around his leg, which was now bleeding. As we reached the gate, he hesitated and suggested going into the forest.

"Why?" I asked, puzzled by his choice.

"Allison will kill me once she finds out I went outside."

I was firm in my response. "Well, I'm not risking our lives in that dark place. You're injured, and there are zombies roaming the forest."

He had no counterargument, and I helped him as we walked down the road, away from the dark forest.

As we approached the gate, we were met with several guns pointed at us.

"State your names... Who are you?" one of the guards demanded.

I was about to respond, but Alwyn slowly stepped forward. "It's me," he said, surprising the guards.

"Quick, open the gates..."

Once the gate was opened, we were swiftly escorted to the medic bay, where we were examined for our injuries. I was fine, but Alwyn wasn't as fortunate, with a gunshot wound in his leg and a swollen face.

Allison arrived, her face filled with worry. She looked exhausted, as if she had rushed to get here after hearing the news of their arrival.

"What happened!?" She said in anger.

Seeing no one is replying, she went to alwyn's side. Looking at the boy intently.

Alwyn averted her gaze, and without hesitation, Allison slapped him across the face.

"Argh! What the hell! Can't you see I'm hurt here?" Alwyn groaned in pain from the slap and his swollen face.

I was shocked by her actions, but what surprised me even more were her eyes. They didn't reflect anger anymore instead, they seemed filled with concern and weariness, as if she was on the verge of tears.

Allison couldn't hide her relief as she gave a faint smile and turned to me.

"Come with me," she said, leading me outside. "I need to hear the whole story."

Then i began telling her what happened. Starting at the point when alwyn showed me his Electric spear then jumping out the window. Heading in the dark forest where i lost track of him. So i kept running until i found a small ruined village. I couldn't find alwyn there. Just as i was about to go for another area. A gun shot rang through the air. I followed the sound and thats where i found a guy dragging him in a small hut.

As i continued, i began shaking. Fears and tears visible from my face.

I told her what happened, everything. About them being cannibal and how i killed them.

I stuttered, "I-it was... My first time... taking a human life." I couldn't help but look down, still deeply affected by the act of murder I had committed.

Allison hugged me tightly and whispered softly, "It's okay. You did what you had to do to survive." Her comforting words began to ease the heavy burden of guilt that weighed on me.

I tried holding back my tears, but it fell anyways. Her hugging me calms me down a little.

I hugged back at her.

Allison looked at zoey, almost pittying her.

And here i thought she's a strong girl, used to killing... I Guess there really is a big story behind on why she was in such dangerous place.

Allison thought recalling the first time she saw Zoey on the truck.

She wanted to ask about her past but seeing her current condition prevents her from doing so, and she also has some business with a certain child later.

After a short moment.

"I'm okay now" I said, letting go from her hug

Allson also removed her arm. Showing a Smile to ease my worries.

Then i felt something again in my mind. Opening up the system and going to the message box.

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Quest  -Fate from the Evil Arms- 

Duration: 13 Hours 

[ Due to his Stubborness and not listening to teaches about the danger of the night. Alwyn found himself in the arms of canniballistic humans, save alwyn and defeat or kill the cannibals. The choice of their fate lies in your hand ]

Reward: 30 Skill Points +Allison Favor and Loyal Ally -Alwyn

 

Penalty: Alwyn death +Anger of Allison

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I focuses my thought on claim as it collected the rewards

Then suddenly i felt it again

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Extra Reward for finishing a mission earlier with more than 70% time remaining on the given quest

Reward: +10 Skill Points

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