“The ability to extract life essence from corpses?” Axel thought, his mind racing.

Awakener abilities were diverse, with combat powers being the most common. But there were also those with life-related powers, which, though rarer, could be just as valuable. For example, some people could accelerate plant growth—an ability that was incredibly precious in a world where land was scarce.

Axel looked down at the last crystal in his hand. It was slightly larger than the others, and he recognized it as the one he had taken from the "scar-faced" man.

“Hm?”

He felt a distinct difference as he held the crystal. This one provided much more force than the previous ones.

“It seems... the strength of the crystal depends on the strength of the person who died.”

The stronger the individual, the more potent the energy stored in the crystal. Axel could feel the power pulsing in his fingers, but a new question gnawed at him. Was this ability only effective for people he’d killed himself? Or could it work with any dead body?

For now, though, there was no time to test it. The sound of something scraping the earth outside suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

A low, wheezing breath echoed through the cracks in the walls. Along with it, a thick, suffocating stench of blood flooded through the open window.

Axel’s senses went on high alert. He and Annabelle both stood up in unison.

“Infected.”

He motioned for Annabelle to be quiet. He had absorbed the force from the crystals, but he still wasn’t sure if he could handle an infected, especially one that had been transformed from an awakened individual.

The breathing grew louder. The infected was getting closer.

“The smell of blood...” The words were almost a growl, coming from somewhere deep in the chest of the creature.

Axel and Annabelle’s eyes locked, both aware that the infected was now at their door.

*Knock knock.*

It was faint at first—almost like a drumbeat against the door—but the sound made their hearts race. Axel’s eyes quickly flicked to Annabelle’s face, where the red in her pupils had deepened.

He pulled the dagger from his boot, feeling the cold metal in his grip as the seconds dragged on like an eternity.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the sounds stopped. The heavy footsteps began to fade away, retreating into the distance.

Axel and Annabelle let out breaths they hadn’t realized they were holding.

But their relief was short-lived. A voice suddenly came from the outside.

“It’s been here, but now I don’t know where it went.”

Axel froze. He recognized the voice. It was the man from the Law Enforcement Bureau—the one who had warned him to stay inside after dark.

In the major cities, the law enforcement bureau employed many awakened individuals to handle infected people and monsters. Axel had hoped to avoid them for now, but it seemed they were getting closer.

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Another voice—this time a woman’s—spoke up. “It’s been fatally injured. It shouldn’t be able to run far. We’ll search the area.”

Axel’s heart skipped a beat. They were looking for the infected... but what about them? The strange and dangerous things in their house—the blood, the syringes, the covered bodies on the floor—none of it could be explained away easily.

"Okay, I’ll check on this house," the woman’s voice said.

Axel acted quickly, stepping up to the door and yanking it open.

"Is it... is the infected gone?"

The two law enforcement officers standing outside froze when they saw the terrified boy before them. Their eyes moved from Axel to the small, trembling girl standing just inside the door, her wide eyes peeking through the crack.

The room behind them was dimly lit, with no other figures in sight.

Skye, the taller of the two, smiled warmly, clearly trying to put Axel at ease. "It’s okay. You’re safe now. Don’t worry, we’re here to protect you."

He reached out to pat Annabelle’s head, but the little girl flinched away, she quickly closed the door, leaving just a tiny gap between it and the wall. She watched them cautiously, her eyes full of uncertainty.

Skye chuckled, her tone light. "She’s a smart one, isn’t she?"

Freya, standing beside Skye, smiled softly. "She’s probably been through a lot."

"Annabelle, don’t be afraid. These two are from the law enforcement. They’ll keep us safe."

Annabelle didn’t seem fully convinced, but the mention of the law enforcement seemed to calm her a little, and she nodded, though she kept her distance. Axel turned back to Skye, who seemed satisfied by the response.

Skye then nodded to Axel, a small grin on her face. "You did good, kid. Staying quiet and keeping your head in the middle of all this... I’m impressed." He paused for a moment. "Are you two the only ones here? Where are your parents?"

Axel’s face darkened slightly, his gaze dropping to the floor. He didn’t need to answer—Skye and Freya saw it in his eyes.

There were too many orphans in the slums, far too many. Parents who went into the wilderness, hoping to make a living, never returned. They were taken by mutated beasts, or worse, and left their children behind to fend for themselves.

Skye placed a hand on Axel's shoulder, her expression softening.

Just then, the radio on Skye’s belt crackled to life, the voice coming through sharp and urgent.

“Captain, I searched the area. There’s no sign of infected #2. It looks like it’s fled far.”

Skye frowned, glancing over at Freya, who shared her confusion.

“What do you mean it fled? It should’ve been seriously injured,” Freya remarked, her brow furrowing. “It couldn’t have gotten far.”

Axel, standing near the door, looked out into the distance, his ability kicking in. From the sounds of the retreating steps, he knew the direction the infected had taken. But it was something else that caught his eye.

Out beyond the dilapidated church, a flash of green light flickered. Axel’s pulse quickened as he recognized it—the same eerie green glow that had appeared after the death of the scar-faced man.

Skye and Freya didn’t see the light. They couldn’t.

Axel looked at the green ball and felt a little moved. The scar-faced man was not an awakener, but a thug stronger than ordinary people. The crystals provided were enough to increase his force.

If it is the life crystal produced after the death of the infected... Let's not talk about the distant future. If he can become an awakener, then he has the capital to move to a safer city with Annabelle.

"Where will it be?" Skye frowned. There were two infected people in total. If they killed one, they would not need to act separately, and things would be much easier.

Axel turned to them, his voice calm but firm. “I know where it went. I can take you there.”

Skye looked at him, surprised. “You saw it? Where?”

Axel nodded. “I saw it when it fled. I was scared, but when it passed by, I peeked out through the window. I can show you the way.”

Skye and Freya exchanged a look of disbelief.

Most people, especially children, would have been too afraid to even think about tracking the infected, let alone keeping an eye on it as it ran. But Axel had done just that, showing more courage than they had expected.

“Well, I’m impressed,” Skye said, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “Alright, lead the way. Just keep within three meters of me. If we don’t find it, I’ll get you back here safe.”

Freya raised an eyebrow, her concern still evident. “Captain, is it really a good idea to bring a child along? It’s dangerous.”

Skye waved her hand dismissively. “It's okay. The other infected is still unaccounted for, and this one’s injured and is under control. We’ll handle it.”

He turned to Axel again. “By the way, I’m Skye, captain of the law enforcement detachment. This is Freya, my deputy.”

Axel nodded, his eyes drifting back to the distant green glow. “Axel,” he said quietly.