Chương 16: New Allies

CH 16 - New Allies Sounds of birds overhead and bugs all around distracted the group from the terrors that lurked in this new world. They walked through the woods, chatting about their past lives, and their plans for the future. The relative safety provided by the absence of an alpha in the woods was refreshing. Raccy was particularly chatty, asking all sorts of questions about human activities and commodities.

"What is the point of a bathroom? Why can't you just use your business in the woods like us?" As they walked, the edge of the tree cover approached, marking the end of their temporary sanctuary. Ahead lay the boundary where the woods gave way to city outskirts. Beyond the once small park, buildings and trees became sparse, offering little cover as they stepped forward. After leaving the cover of trees, they'd have to walk out in the open for a while before finding another safe area.

This worried Grey, who was busy remembering the giant bird that roamed downtown. Luckily, the group only encountered the occasional mutated squirrel, but were otherwise unbothered as they continued their journey away from the heart of the city. Interrupting their cheery conversation, a woman's voice startled Grey as it entered his mind. We have rifles aimed at you and your friend. Put your sword on the floor and surrender. We're not bad people, but these are bad times. We just want to talk.

Jim and Raccy looked at Grey as if they had received the same telepathic message.

"Should we run? I don't like the idea of being shot, but what do they want? If they rob us, that would be pretty awful." Grey looked back at Jim and answered his question, "Honestly, I think I'd be okay taking a bullet or two if it missed my head, but I'm worried about you and Raccy. Let's see what they want. If they try and rob us, we can probably outrun them. I have a feeling we are pretty strong compared to other humans right now."

"Agreed." It was decided they'd meet the mysterious voice. Grey put his weapon on the ground, keeping in mind he could draw his bone sword if he needed to. Jim took off his gloves, but his fists were still basically weapons. Once disarmed, they heard the sound of an engine approaching. A green Jeep pulled up about twenty feet away from them, and a small group emerged. Three people came out of the car. Fear and desperation rested on their faces without grace.

The first was a bulky warrior type, likely using natural strength and aura, maybe Qi. He wielded a sword. The next stranger was a normal-looking guy; he had two pistol holsters at his sides and a rifle slung around his back. The final person was a woman, who Grey assumed was the one who spoke to him telepathically.

"Sorry, we have to take these precautions. We wanted to meet other humans, but everyone we've met so far has been hostile." The woman said nervously.

"We're not going to rob you, but we have some questions," she finished. A sigh of relief escaped Grey's breath when he heard what they had to say. He understood the dangers in this new world and was appreciative that these weren't bandits.

"We're headed south. Would it be okay if we passed through? We can answer some questions." Grey asked. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"We'll let you pass, but let me warn you. The zoo that was here before the integration housed exotic animals that evolved into very strong beasts. We don't go much further south from here ourselves. They have set up various territories all around," the warrior announced. Disappointment showed on Grey's face. They needed to keep heading south and escape the city. Taking a long detour would cost them valuable time, and they weren't certain that going another way would be any safer.

This meant that they'd have to find a way to deal with the zoo animals.

"I think we take our chances and continue," Grey told his new friends.

"I agree. We can't waste any more time in the city." Jim answered.

"Hey, what's up with the weird raccoon and the fox in your backpack?" the big guy interrupted, pointing at Red and Raccy.

"HEY A-HOLE I'M NOT WEIRD!" Raccy yelled as he tried to lunge at the group. Grey gripped him by the scruff and held him off the floor, stopping him from whatever violence he had planned for their new acquaintances.

"This is Raccy. He basically wished to be more human; he's pretty harmless, so we've brought him along as a mascot of sorts. As for the fox… we killed it's mom, and it wanted to come with us."

"Weird bunch," the lady whispered to her companions.

"Level 11 and 9. Pretty strong." The man with the pistols said.

"How do you know that?" Grey asked.

"Identify spell. Infuse mana into the eyes to see more about an object or person. I just told you a secret, so now it's your turn." With the world turned upside down, everyone was desperate for information and techniques to help their survival. I see why they stopped us. They want information. Grey couldn't believe he hadn't tried it before, but he infused mana into his eyes for the first time. [New Skill: Identify (F)] (Identify): Human (F): lvl. 7 (Identify): Magic human (E): lvl.

6 (Identify): Psychic human (E): lvl. 10] The woman was the highest level of the three. Grey knew little about psychic abilities; so he decided to be extra careful dealing with her for now.

"I've got a few books I've memorized that I'm willing to trade." Grey offered. After some cautious negotiation, the two groups relaxed around each other. They found shelter in a nearby restaurant, providing a change of setting from the tense encounter outdoors. Though all refrigerated items had begun to spoil, canned and dry goods in the back offered a welcome snack. Grey handed over most of his manuals. He already had memorized them. In return, he received a few spellbooks and a mental training exercise.

Jim received a cultivation manual as well as a sparring session with the big guy. Overall, the two groups traded what they could with each other to make all of them stronger. The mental training exercise came from the woman. Grey looked down at the book in his lap and read, "All humans were capable of awakening some sort of psychic ability, but what type emerged differed for each individual." Grey's high INT was well-suited for psychic powers, and so it wasn't unlikely that he could awaken some if he tried.

The new group explained they had holed up at a nearby fire station; the big guy, worked there before the integration, and it made for a pretty good stronghold. Friendly relations continued as they were invited back to the base. The magic gunman, Ike, kept giving sketchy looks at Raccy. Grey had to remind the little guy not to steal anything. The group finally introduced themselves. The big guy was Joe, the gunman was Ike, and the lady was named Sarah.

They all spent the night trading pointers and enjoying a barbecue dinner of mutated horse. Ike bragged about hunting it down; since apparently, he's a good shot. Grey worked on circulating his Qi, expelling more and more impurities, as well as practicing his new mental training exercise. The exercise he was given was called [Split Mind Mental Exercise (E)], it was meant to train the mind to split into two streams of consciousness. Grey considered it a good ability for him and hoped he could awaken it.

Being able to think of multiple things at once during battle could prove vital. In the morning, Sarah approached Grey with a proposal.

"We'd like to join you in venturing south. This area isn't safe. There aren't any more humans that we are aware of. To grow stronger and survive, we need to find a larger settlement." She reminded him of the Settlement Orb he received. Grey had forgotten about it while focusing on searching for his family. The three newcomers seemed trustworthy. Regardless, they all were safer as a group if they decided to challenge more alphas. For now, the only person Grey felt he had to keep an eye on was Raccy.

"You may join us for as long as you all need. Your car would be useful too." The new group of allies prepared for their upcoming journey. They took two vehicles; the Jeep had Jim, Raccy, and Ike, the rest of them rode in Joe's firetruck. After a big breakfast, the group left down the road towards the first danger zone they needed to cross. For some reason, it didn't come to mind that driving around in a giant red target might not be the best idea.