The night around the villa felt heavy, as if the darkness itself was holding its breath.
Smoke drifted between the trees. Broken bodies—both human and undead—littered the ground outside the reinforced walls. The White Hand had retreated again, but Luo knew better than to relax. They never attacked without purpose.
And this time, they had sent him.
A tall figure stepped out from the shadows beyond the shattered gate. He wore the familiar white armband, but unlike the others, his posture was calm. Confident. Dangerous.
Luo's instincts screamed.
"Stay back," he said quietly, stepping forward.
Mia grabbed his sleeve. "Luo, don't—"
"It's fine," he replied, gently pulling free. "This one's different."
The man removed his helmet, revealing a scarred face and cold, calculating eyes. His presence alone pressed down on the air like gravity.
"So," the scout leader said calmly, rolling his neck. "You're Subject L."
Luo frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."
The man smirked. "You will."
Without warning, he lunged.
The ground cracked where his foot landed.
Luo barely raised his arms in time to block the blow—but the force sent him skidding backward across the dirt. His boots dug deep trenches before he managed to stop.
Mia gasped. "That wasn't human…"
Lily clenched her fists, water trembling around her ankles. "Luo!"
The scout leader moved again, faster this time. His strikes were brutal, precise—trained to kill enhanced targets. Luo dodged, barely. A punch grazed his cheek, splitting skin.
Pain flared.
And with it… something else.
A pulse.
A memory that wasn't a memory.
Protect.
Luo's heart thundered. The world seemed to slow—not fully, not clearly—but enough for him to move before thinking. He caught the next strike mid-air.
The scout leader's eyes widened.
"Oh?" he muttered. "There it is."
Luo didn't understand what he was doing—but his body did. He twisted, throwing the man aside with a strength that shocked even himself. The scout leader crashed into a concrete barrier, cracking it.
Luo stood there, breathing hard, fists trembling.
What… was that?
The scout leader laughed as he rose, wiping blood from his mouth. "You're awakening. Just a little. You don't even realize it yet."
"Shut up," Luo growled.
They clashed again—fist against fist, impact after impact shaking the ground. Trees snapped. Stones shattered. Luo felt something burn inside his chest, like a sealed door cracking open just enough to let heat leak through.
Not power.
Not control.
Just instinct.
Just enough.
With a final surge, Luo struck—not with technique, but raw will. The blow sent the scout leader flying, slamming him into the villa wall hard enough to leave a crater.
The man slid down, unconscious.
Silence fell.
Luo staggered, nearly collapsing.
Lily ran to him, catching him before he hit the ground. "You idiot," she whispered, voice shaking. "You scared me."
Mia stood frozen, staring at him with wide eyes. "Luo… what did you just do?"
"I don't know," he admitted quietly. "I really don't."
Lily didn't wait.
She grabbed his collar and kissed him.
Hard.
The world seemed to stop for half a second.
Mia's breath caught.
Luo froze in shock—but didn't pull away.
When Lily finally stepped back, her face was flushed, eyes wet. "Don't ever do that again," she said softly. "Don't fight alone."
Mia turned away, heart pounding painfully in her chest.
---
Two days passed.
Two long, loud, chaotic days.
The villa became a strange mix of safety and madness.
Mia and Lily fought constantly.
"You took my spot."
"You weren't sitting there."
"You did it on purpose!"
"Oh please, you're just mad he trained with me!"
Luo sat between them, exhausted, rubbing his temples. "I'm begging you. Zombies are less stressful than this."
At one point, Mia threw a pillow. Lily dodged. The pillow hit Luo square in the face.
"…I hate you both," he muttered.
Despite everything, the tension eased slightly. Laughter still existed. Life still stubbornly refused to die.
But elsewhere in the city—
---
Aria stood in the middle of a ruined courtyard, her breath steady, eyes glowing faintly.
Her team of three surrounded her—half-human survivors from the lab, each carrying abilities warped by the experiments.
"Again," Aria commanded.
They moved as one.
Speed. Strength. Coordination far beyond normal humans.
Aria watched closely, correcting movements, pushing them harder. She had grown stronger—faster, sharper—but also colder. Loss had carved something permanent into her soul.
Suddenly, the air shifted.
Three figures appeared at the edge of the courtyard.
They wore long cloaks, their faces hidden. The moment they arrived, the ground cracked beneath their feet.
Power poured off them in waves.
Aria's team froze.
"…Who are you?" Aria asked, her voice calm—but her instincts screamed danger.
One of the figures tilted his head. "We are observers."
Another chuckled softly. "And you… are interesting."
Aria's eyes narrowed. "Leave."
The third figure laughed.
"Oh," he said, stepping forward. "We're not here to fight."
A pause.
"We're here to measure."
The air vibrated.
Aria raised her hand—and the concrete beneath her feet shattered.
---
Back near the villa, Mia stood watch alone at dusk.
Movement near the treeline caught her eye.
She raised her weapon—then froze.
"…No way."
A girl stepped into view, dirty, exhausted, but unmistakably familiar.
"Mia?" the girl whispered.
Mia's hands shook.
"Cousin…?"
Anger surged just as fast as shock.
Where were you back then?
Where was your family when my mother begged for help?
Her grip tightened on the weapon.
The girl looked away, guilt written all over her face.
"Mia… I know you hate us."
The wind howled.
Mia said nothing.
Her heart cracked open with memories she thought she had buried.
---
END OF CHAPTER 10