Chapter 55 - Like a Human

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Contribution Ranking

* Kang Karlot (30.8%)

* Jesse Helbrinn (29.4%)

* Chloe Helens (17.7%)

* Samantha Moon (16.0%)

* Lucas Kun (6.1%)

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“Kang! Jesse! Are you guys alright?” Chloe shouted right after severing the Dreaddrake’s neck. Seeing Jesse unconscious, she quickly approached and pulled out some bottles of potions.

Just as she was about to feed Jesse, Kang suddenly said, “Thanks, Lucas already gave us some potions.”

“Oh.” Momentarily stunned, Chloe coughed and stashed her potions back. She coughed again, “Of course, I knew that! I was just testing whether Lucas did well or not! And he barely passed.”

“Thanks?” Lucas muttered, shaking his head.

Samantha approached and asked, “How is she?” while glancing at Lucas.

Shrugging, Lucas answered, “Just exhausted. After some medicines and rest, she’ll be fine.”

“That’s good to hear,” Chloe sighed in relief before exclaiming, “You know how surprised we were when we saw that giant explosion earlier?! And you two were right next to it!”

Kang smiled sheepishly, ruffling his hair. “We didn’t expect that either.”

“But she did everything she could to protect me,” he added, gently stroking the unconscious Jesse’s head. “I wasn’t strong enough.”

Lucas noticed Kang clenching his jaw as he muttered those words. Just as Lucas was about to say something, Samantha interrupted, “Hello? Can we go back now? One couple is suffocating enough, two might send me to my maker.”

“Yeah, let’s go. I’m hungry!” Chloe pumped her fists. “Let’s go, Kang. Jesse can ride with me. You boys stick together.”

Taken aback, Kang hesitated. “Wait… where are we going?”

Chloe and Samantha turned to Lucas, raising their brows expectantly. On the other hand, Lucas flinched at the girls’ burning gaze and sighed, “Of course, to the Base. To the Continental. Not Iron Haven, Ebonspire, nor Aerie Forge”

“Continental, huh?” Samantha smiled. “Got a nice ring to it.”

“We are from the Continental! We are the Continental!” Chloe declared dramatically, striking a few poses. “Wow, Continental! Whoa! I can feel the chill.”

Once again, Kang was taken aback and blinked, “Continental…?”

Chloe eagerly nodded. “Yeah! It’s our base! Let’s go! You can tell us your story over some hot meals!”

***

21st November 2023, the Continental.

The moment they arrived, Kang was so shocked his jaw nearly hit the floor.

Machinery operated non-stop, some drilled into the rock, others installed beams, while welding sparks flashed in the distance. Drones and robots bustled across the site, seamlessly coordinating tasks.

Moreover, before reaching the base’s main entrance, Kang noticed multiple squads of rifle-wielding robots patrolling the perimeter. When they spotted Lucas and the others, they even saluted.

Other than the drones and robots, Kang also noticed some metal structures lodged onto the cliffside. If his eyes weren’t deceiving him, he realized that those structures were some kind of turrets.

“Awesome, right?” Chloe chuckled, raising her chin proudly.

Still dumbfounded, Kang could only nod absentmindedly, his mouth slightly open.

Seeing his reaction, Chloe grinned, “Yeah! That’s our base, alright! Our Continental!”

Then, she clapped her hands together and said, “Alright! Let me give you a grand tour! You’re gonna love it! Kang-”

Before she could take a step, Samantha grabbed her by the shoulder and yanked her back. “Hold it. They need rest first. The tour can wait.”

Stolen novel; please report.

Chloe pouted, “But-”

“No ‘but.’ Both of them nearly died,” Samantha cut her off. “Jesse’s already fainted, and Kang…” She eyed him up and down. “He’s basically running out of gas. Just look at him!”

Before Chloe could protest again, Kang suddenly raised a hand, “Actually, I wouldn’t mind looking around a bit more.” His eyes gleamed with excitement, like a kid stepping into a toy store for the first time.

Samantha narrowed her eyes and spat out, “You wouldn’t want no one to look after your dear, right?”

“I, um…” Kang stuttered, “But I-”

“Right?” Samantha repeated.

Kang shut his mouth, a defeated sigh escaping his lips as he nodded.

Watching the exchange, Lucas shook his head with a small smile. It felt like he was watching a nanny scolding her children. Thus, by that logic, he concluded that he was clearly the most mature one among them. He should get a cookie and a star sticker for it!

Then, Samantha turned to him and saw the smug smile hanging on Lucas’s lips. She glared at him, “You. Go cook some food for them.”

Lucas shrugged, exhaling through his nose. “Sure, why not?” he sighed, trudging off toward the kitchen.

***

When Kang saw the table brimming with all sorts of dishes, he couldn’t resist gulping hard.

One should know that the world had entered an apocalyptic state. The Internet was down. Power grids were dead. Food and water had become scarce resources. People fought and killed each other over a single can of food.

He himself had fought. Had murdered. Had done whatever was necessary to protect what little he and Jesse had. Although they managed to survive, they had to ration their supplies carefully, never knowing when they would find more.

Hunger had become a familiar companion.

As for cooking the monsters' meat? They had thought of it, but the taste was too horrendous. Without any seasoning or condiments, it was truly too difficult to eat.

But right now, right here, before his very eyes, an entire feast was laid out. Braised chicken, stir-fried vegetables, roasted meat, steaming rice, thick soup, fresh fruits, and even aromatic tea whose rich scent made his stomach tighten painfully in longing.

He was still reeling in astonishment when Lucas casually slid a plate and utensils in front of him.

“Eat,” Lucas said simply.

Kang took them absentmindedly, and the moment he grabbed a piece of meat and tasted the savory, tender bite, his mind blanked. His body moved on instinct, shoveling food into his mouth as if afraid it would disappear if he hesitated even for a second.

He ate like a starving man because he was one.

Still, he wasn’t too far gone, he made sure to save some food for Jesse. But just as he was about to set some aside, Lucas nudged his elbow, saying, “Don’t worry, buddy. She will have enough to eat. I already saved a portion for her. Fill yourself up first.”

Kang’s hands trembled slightly. His vision blurred for a moment. It had been so long since he had been able to eat freely, without worrying about tomorrow. The emotions clogged his throat, and in his rush to eat, he choked.

Lucas sighed, patting his back and handing him a glass of tea. Taking it, Kang chugged it down as the warmth soothed his throat. Then, without missing a beat, he continued devouring his meal.

Moments later, the table was cleared. Not a single scrap remained.

Two mechanical soldiers, wearing butler outfits, approached. One swiftly cleaned and wiped the table before carrying the dirty dishes away, while the other gracefully refilled their glasses with tea.

Kang exhaled, leaning back in his chair. His stomach was full for the first time in what felt like forever.

For the first time in a long time… he felt human.

Samantha leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and turning to Kang, “So, why were you two alone facing the Dungeon Break earlier?”

At her question, Kang’s expression darkened. His fingers curled into tight fists, his knuckles turning white. The memories of what happened resurfaced like a festering wound. He exhaled, forcing himself to answer, “We were abandoned.”

“Abandoned?” Chloe repeated, her brows furrowing in confusion.

“Yes,” Kang nodded grimly. “We were in a group, or at least, we were. After separating from you guys back at the university, Jesse and I traveled alone for a while. But during a dungeon crawl, we ran into a group of survivors. That dungeon required a party of ten to enter, so we joined forces with them. After clearing it, we somehow stuck together, traveling from place to place, killing monsters, and scavenging supplies.”

“Over time, our group kept growing as we accepted more people. Before long, we had nearly fifty members, a small community of our own. Things were going well… or so I thought.” Kang’s voice tightened as he continued.

Letting out a bitter laugh, he said, “Then, a few hours ago, everything changed. A red gate formed right in front of us. Jesse suggested we leave immediately, but our leader wanted to stay and clear it. He thought we could handle it and the others agreed too.”

“But the monsters that poured out of that gate were too strong. We weren’t prepared. Half of our group was slaughtered in mere minutes. The rest panicked. And then, just like that, the leader ordered everyone to retreat.”

Chloe frowned, “So what happened?”

Kang’s jaw tightened, “Jesse and I tried to escape, but then-” He let out another bitter laugh. “That bastard turned on me. He said I was the strongest and that I should stay behind to ensure the others got away safely. A couple of them even said we were selfish for trying to escape.”

“What?!” Chloe slammed her hand on the table.

His lips curled into a snarl, “Yes, it was suicidal. So, Jesse immediately rejected it. But before we could argue, the bastard ripped off a talisman, one we never even knew he had, and suddenly, I was bound to the spot. Paralyzed.”

“The moment that happened, the surrounding monsters were instantly drawn to me. Jesse had no choice but to stay behind and shield me. But when we turned back…” Kang’s voice trembled in fury. “He ran away. That coward left us there to die.”

“If it weren’t for you guys…” Kang’s words trailed off as silence filled the room.

Samantha folded her arms, fury evident on her face. “I’ll rip that bastard apart myself if I ever see him!” she growled.

Chloe murmured, “So, who was your ex-leader?”

Kang’s eyes burned with hatred as he uttered the name.

“Laurim. Laurim Foster.”