Alharir was confused to say the least. He was just talking with his companion about the bunkers they stayed in, when Lich just turned around and went back to Ghanzi.

Since Lich wasn't trying to match speeds with him, Alharir arrived in Ghanzi a considerable time later. When he saw a “sack” with something in it, he relaxed.

This was the way Lich slept. His blanket would block most attacks from cold weapons. The only ways to kill him in sleep were sledgehammering his head with a heavy sledgehammer, or crossbowing his spine with a powerful crossbow.

Knowing that the human armadillo didn't like being woken up, Alharir just went to sleep. It's not like he could fight off any raiders or tribals without the help of his (now dead) guards.

When he woke up around six hours later, the moon was peaking through clouds, and Lich was nowhere to be seen.

After being woken up by the same dream the second time, the king was once again going north. He finally understood why everyone in the bunker went mad.

That explained why, despite being a calm person, he was sometimes very aggressive.

The disease also probably interacted with Kuru in some way, and that was why most animals avoided him.

'The only thing it doesn't explain, is why I'm so strong.'

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Lich didn't remember everything about the free for all in Cape City, but he was absolutely sure that no one there could rip someone's mandible out using a single hand.

But then, Lich realized something. He was the only person infected by the first, radiation-damaged pathogens. Other people probably caught it from him once the cells replicated many times.

His theory was improbable, but it was the only one he could come up with, and the only one he would most likely ever hear.

'But what was changed, to make me so strong?'

Lich's body was “overclocking” at all times of the day. His wounds healed a lot faster, and he could build muscles easier, at the price of needing much more energy. That explained why he could stuff himself with meat without getting fat.

Lich was getting overwhelmed by the continuous realizations. He had limited knowledge in biology, but nonetheless knew that only one aspect of an organism could explain it. Metabolism.

Viruses modify cells, and metabolism determines how fast cells function, their energy expenditure, and their oxidization. Certain types of ionizing radiation could change DNA, which determines how the virus works.

A chain reaction caused by a coincidence was the only scientific explanation he had, and if it was true, it meant that Lich would suffer consequences which would cause many to just give up.

'Hypothetical, if my oxidization rate would be three times higher than normal, I would normally die of old age at 85, and everything else would be ignored, that would mean will die in... 85 minus 14, and then by 3...almost 24 then that minus 12.'

Around 12 years. Maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less, but that was only an estimate.

He looked East and saw giant fireworks far off in the distance.

Midnight passed, and a new day started. It was the ninth of July, meaning that earth has started its 13th rotation around the sun after the war ended.

The year 12 of the new era was over.

Once the fireworks stopped flying around the air, Lich jumped back on his feet.

The show was over, but there was still a lot to do. Especially since it was never about the consequences. Just the goals.