Chapter 51

A golden retriever scurried along the road verge, its pale beige fur brushing past the withering strips of grass blades. It sniffed the pavement attentively, memorizing the terrain of the military outpost under the veil of moonlight.

"In normal circumstances, slipping past our guards would be impossible. But the sudden depletion in manpower and other unforeseen circumstances have caused our defenses to spread thin…" Leading the way, Sheridan put on his domineering demeanor as passing soldiers halted to salute before taking off. "I tried my best to minimize casualties, but it was impossible to predict who was going to turn. The harm had already been done before viable measures were taken."

"Yeah… you can never know who the apocalypse targeted," PQ muttered sheepishly, the imagery of John's zombified corpse haunting his brain. Throwing a discreet glance at Mary, PQ decided it would be best to delay the horrible news — her older brother's death.

Soon, the scenery shifted as they approached the obelisk. Many deflated tents idled along the pathways while torn sandbags leaked grains of compacted sand and soil. Silently, the inconsistent lighting around the perimeter flickered. Empty cartridges of fired bullets weighed down on languishing blades of grass, depicting a fierce battle that had occurred.

Raphael crouched down and picked up a fired bullet that had already cooled down. The bullet head was blown open, shaped like a blossoming flower that gleamed under the dim lights. Incessant gunfire and suffocating smoke filled the air, drenching the world with gloom.

"Would it be rude if I ask, what are the other unforeseen incidents that happened? Was it an invasion of a powerful creature? Because I don't know what else could have incited so much damage." Stroking his beard and examining the surrounding destruction, Raphael said.

"Since we are on the same boat now, I might as well spill the beans." Sheridan bit down on his lower lip and sighed. "It would have been much more favorable if a zombie caused the mess. But no. All this destruction, was the work of a human."

"A human?!"

Sheridan exhaled. "Yes, a human like me and you. Yesterday, an unidentified man breached the facility, accessed the obelisk, and escaped our pursuit. All within minutes. Till now, our dispatched forces have yet to report back…"

He paused, pointing toward the sky where the obelisk pierced. "The perpetrator committed his act, just to get his name engraved up there."

"And his name being up there is like a rude slap to the face. Lucky for Sheridan, he wasn't in charge of this region. So it wasn't his fault at all." Mary laughed, palming her small hands above her eyes in the shape of a binocular.

Munching on a granola bar previously taken from the 9-fourteen storefront, Teresa muttered with a full mouth while walking Charlie's golden retriever with her free hand. "Now that explains why you trusted my analysis so easily, you've been through enough bizarre cases to make my claim sound fairly tame."

"Tame is a severe understatement," Sheridan replied meekly, advancing towards a barricade heavily guarded by armed soldiers.

As the others followed, PQ lagged behind halfheartedly, trying to figure out what name Sheridan and Mary were referring to. But no matter how hard he squinted his eyes, he witnessed not out of place other than the drifting clouds and spectacular glow of the obelisk.

"PQ! No time to daze off, we gotta make it through a security check." Charlie ushered from behind, snapping PQ out of his trance.

Nodding in response, PQ picked up his pace and strode toward Charlie's direction.

With Sheridan's ultimate authority as a general, they quickly steamed through the security checkpoint without much hassle.

Crossing the interior barricades, they have reached the vicinity of the obelisk.

The luxury hotel where the obelisk had been hiding behind was brimming with activity and life, its contemporary facade ornamented with smashed, blooded, and clean window panes. In contrast, the impeccable tower of snow white in PQ's eyes bridged the earth and sky, a pillar of hope that blessed the corrupted land with light.

Researchers in white lab coats and aprons hurried in and out of facilities, engrossed in their tasks despite the obstreperous atmosphere.

"To fill you in on some information, the official name for the obelisk is 'centrepiece'," Sheridan said as he directed the group towards the obelisk while tapping his wristwatch. "In about 5 minutes, I have to attend an assembly, so I'll let Mary and Kansan manage you after you finish…"

His words were futile as they bounced off PQ, Teresa, Raphael, and Charlie, who have already begun ambling towards the obelisk with dreamy eyes, enchanted and spellbound. Unfazed by the irresistible force, Chloe the golden retriever laid down, coiling into a ball as she patiently waited for her owner's return.

"Lucky kids, they came right on time to avoid talking to a brick wall! Anyway, I'll be taking my leave, and hopefully, track down this 'Zombie mastermind'." Sheridan chuckled, departing only after they disappeared from his sight. His hard boots clicked against the cement roads, slowly fading, deserting Mary and Kansan.

"There they go…" Leaning her small stature against a low pile of sandbags, Mary murmured. She stared longingly at PQ's silhouette before he vanished, mouthing almost inaudible words.

"There's something very familiar about PQ."

Petting Chloe's fluffy fur gently, she whispered under her breath.

"I might be crazy… but why do I see traces of John in him?"

PQ felt his body assimilating into a goo-like substance as he melted into the pillar of white. It was a light massage, soothing his tired body after days of intense battling.

As his feet touched the ground, PQ opened his eyelids.

A frenzy of white blinded him, contrasting drastically with the dark night outside. His eyes gradually adjusted to the environment, comfortably and smoothly.

"Where am I? Why did I lose control of myself?"

Despite being entranced by the tower's striking attraction, losing control of his body was a scary feeling.

Just as PQ began to process the new world around him, a cheerful voice grabbed his full attention. "Hello! Welcome, kid!"

"Ahhh!" Flinching in surprise, PQ jolted towards the noise, his stiff arms instinctively positioned in a combat position, courtesy of his last few days of fighting.

"Did I scare you? My apologies then." A ghostly entity floated a few meters before him, dispersing some drifting particles as it bowed down.

Trapped within an enclosed space of eternal white, PQ had no clue where it had emerged from.

"Woah…! What are you? Are you… are you the ghost of this centrepiece?" PQ said. Swiping his arms across the entity, its transparent body split open in half, vibrant particles spraying in all directions before assembling in a flash.

"No."

"Um… are you the soul of this centrepiece?"

"Maybe." The entity gave an ambiguous answer, carrying a hint of mischievousness.

PQ frowned in bewilderment. "Maybe?"

"You are asking questions beyond my current knowledge. My database is still processing new information." The entity tapped its formless brain, its humanoid fingers latching onto drifting particles. "It seems that I am one of the earlier ones. I sincerely apologize but there seems to be a problem. Please wait a short moment. Thank you for your understanding! "

"Earlier ones? Wha…? I am completely lost right now…"

Plopping onto the dimensionless floor, PQ sighed resignedly. "This is not what I expected at all. Could I have a refund or something for the time wasted?"

"A re— refund? Is this hu— human tradition?"

For a quick second, its human-like tone glitched, turning into a robotic voice. Pondering briskly, the entity raised its featureless head and expressive emotions returned to its soothing voice.

"I understand. To repay for your loss of time, a free reward will be distributed shortly after the update completes."