4 Chapter 4

It was dawn, and the night was leaving and the sun was creeping out. I sat on the top of the hill, that was formed with about ninety zombies, most of them were level two zombies or lower.

"Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, and twenty-eight gems," I counted before I asked my system to scan the area in case I missed one.

[Energy Level is 7.8% full, scanning]

[No injuries found. Scanning area around No. 785....]

[Energy gems found, processing...]

[System advice, 'consume twenty energy gems for 100% refill']

[System advice. `Upgrade the system for better bionic access, after the 100% refill']

[Do you want to upgrade system, No. 785? Upgrading will result in movement of the base chip, in result pain]

"Yes, but do it while I'm asleep," I answered while devouring the gems.

[...]

[System upgrading will happen while No. 785 is unconscious, to lessen the pain received.]

Now with some sunlight, I noticed that the white substance had turned blue. Tilting my head, I pondered what this white substance was and how it could change blue.

Looking at the leftover eight gems that I held in my hands, I looked around the hill for any kind of container to put them. I couldn't put them in my hoodie pocket because the pocket had been destroyed during my fights.

"Ah," I murmured discovering a little bag that rested on a female zombie body. The body was the bottom of the hill. Dropping the gems on top, I sled down the hill and seized the bag by the strap. Hauling the bag off the zombie's body, I looked slowly at its design. The small bag was black with some gold threads that traced the edges.

Swinging the bag over my shoulder I stabbed my hand into the pile and utilized it to boost myself up. Landing on the top, I quickly grabbed the gems and placed them in the bag. My hunt was finished.

Sniffing the air, I tried finding the scent of the past building. However, all I could smell was blood.

[No. 785 did not save past location so the system cannot assist in direction]

Frowning I sniffed my hoodie, Qihn aroma was almost nonexistent, and only the smell of blood remained. I sniffed the air again this time I had an objective, Qihn's honey scent, a scent that my nose could recall. Shifting my head around, I finally caught the scent, though it was faint.

Sliding down the hill again I followed the smell and closed my eyes, concentrating only his smell. Suddenly his smell becomes more prevalent. Opening my eyes I was a little surprised at the size of the building. The structure was so gigantic, that I wondered if it reached the skies. Walking around the lot I finally saw the window I had jumped out from. The window was still opened so I could focus my power into my feet, before letting go. Flying upwards, I gripped the top of the window and slide myself inside. Because of the sudden change of movement and force, I crashed under the desk and into the wall marking it.

Seconds after I could hear footstep nearing the room. Striking the door open, there stood Qihn. Seeing that I wasn't in the bed he frantically examined the room before setting his eyes on under the desk, where I was, looking straight back at him.

He flinched at my gaze.

"You're ok." He mumbled, still holding my gaze, though I could see he wanted to look away. Holding his stare,I crawled out from under the desk and dusted off the particles of the wall.

"Your h-hoodie is blue," Qihn visibly gulped. It was cute on how fast his expression changed from worried to fear to amazement. "D-Do you want me to get you new c-clothes? H-Hotel has many clothes in their gift shop. I can get you a new hoodie. He paused "This time in b-black."

"Yeah," I nodded. The smell of blood had taken over the honey smell and as much as I loved the sense of bathing in blood, I loved the honey smell more.

Observing him leaving, I stopped him. "What is that white substance outside?" I asked pointing at the window.

Confused at what I was stating, Qihn looked outside. "Y-You mean snow, are you from down south?" Qihn asked.

Nodding my head, I went along with what his misunderstanding.

"That e-explains many things." He said. "So do you have anymore q-questions or s-should I go get your new hoodie. That r-reminds me you never asked, b-but I wasn't the one to change your c-clothes when you were asleep. It was Miss Rherassa."

"No.." I paused. I had many questions actually, but asking them would expose the fact that I'm not from here. "Go get the clothes," I commanded.

Qihn flashed a swift adorable smile before scurrying out of the room.

[System advice- Snow is precipitation in the form of small white ice crystals formed directly from the water vapor of the air at a temperature of less than 32°F (0°C)]

"Ah, so you can do that," I said. Walking over to the bed, I sat down in thought before speaking again. The fighting had cleared my mind and allowed my worries to come back.

[System is made for No. 785 usage]

"Usage is it..." I hesitated before asking. "Where is this? What is the lab? What am I? Why is the world like this? Why does Qihn smell so good?" I bombarded it with questions.

[Answer available. This is Gus city in the north, where snow and hail are regularly expected. The formal name is 'Eal' pronounced eel, a company made to save lives and better the future, informally called the lab by testees.]

[You are No. 785; updating info]

[Or informally name Onyx the Fifth by Tess the Fourth.]

"Have you been watching me?" I paused, my body trembled. "Is the lab watching me too?"

[Answering questions asked first; Answers about the current world are unavailable, info about the current world has not been updated for ten years. Qihn 'No. 785 possession' smells desirable because of the energy gem that he ate. The energy gem was from a high-level zombie.]

[Answering No.785, System has been watching No. 785 since installed and has never gone offline. The lab can no longer watch No. 785. You have escaped the range of surveillance. Following in accordance with No. 785 desire, the lab's database has been damaged by me]

My eye widened at the statement. This thing installed in me was acting differently than when I was in the lab. Laying down on the bed I closed my eyes.

[Energy level is 100%. is No. 785 entering an unconscious state?]

"Yes," I whispered. I was tired and confused by the sudden information. This new world held things that never appeared in the lab. Humans that were not like the guards and even this system thing that was installed inside me was acting differently. I was tired because I didn't know what to do. I was always told want to do, by the lab.

'Should I have never left the lab?' Was my last thought before I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up to the smell of honey beside me. Opening my eyes a little, I could see Qihn standing above me, carefully putting a folded hoodie with black shoes on the bed. Turning around, he tried to tiptoe out of the room but horribly failed.

"Cute," I said sitting up. He froze hearing me before turning around, his ears and neck red.

"You're a-awake, Miss Rherassa and Mister Cied said I should lead you downstairs to the lobby when you wake up" Qihn mumbled, his eyes down and his hands wrestling with themselves. "D-Do you actually mean that?"

"What?" I replied, stretching my neck. I could feel something in there, probably the chip.

"C-Cute, I mean," Qihn asked.

I smirked. "Yes, now take me down to wherever Rassa is."

"You're not going to c-change?"

"No. Later."

"Ok, follow m-me." Qihn turned around but before he could walk away I slipped my hands into his. Walking with him, I slowly slipped back to my normal persona. We walk through different twists and turns before entering a compartment that took us to a different floor.

[System advice- Name of compartment: Elevator]

This floor was somewhat empty and spacious. In the center was a long table, sitting there a group of humans numbering a six and stand behind them a larger group.

Hearing the elevator ding, they all turned around meeting my eyes and Qihn. I could feel Qihn trembling in my hands. Frowning I squeezed his hand before glaring back at the group.

I didn't like them.

I walked out of the elevator, dragging Qihn with me.

"Now now, this isn't a way to welcome, Rassa, Cied and Qihn's savior now is it." A man with blond hair spoke up. He sat at the end of the table, and his sides were Rassa and a man I didn't know. "I have heard a lot about you from Rassa, it so nice to meet you, so why don't you sit down." He pointed to the chair opposite him and next to me.

Putting one hand on the chair, I pulled it out and sat down.

"Qihn, I appreciate your service, now go stand with the rest." The blond ordered.

Qihn quivered and tried to shake my hand off, but I held him tight.

"Stand up," I growled at the person sitting next to me. The man instantly scrambled to stand.

"Sit," I ordered Qihn. I wasn't going to have honey-boy anywhere far from me. Qihn obeyed sitting down, his eye widened.

Turning back to the blond, I growled. I didn't like the way he talked to Qihn, and I might have to fix that.