Crazy?

-I wonder who designed that blade.

Ralph thought astonished.

Blood spurting from the goat covered the entire blade and soiled Ralph's clothes.

"Shit!" Ralph cursed as he walked away from the goat's body, he didn't know if her blood was poisonous either.

"... You." The man, who was lying next to Ralph, murmured.

Ralph looked at the man indifferently and said:

"Enjoy your last moments."

The man's veins were black, his eyes were swelling and completely red, and he was also bleeding non-stop.

Ralph blew out a breath and said:

"If you have a message for someone, you better tell me quickly."

After all, Ralph couldn't look at the man dying in despair without doing anything.

"...I do not have a family." The man spoke the last words and stopped breathing.

Ralph blew out a light breath, the man was dead.

A silence took over the environment, it seemed that the world had stopped while Ralph looked at the man's body.

"..." Ralph woke up from the trance and smiled bitterly, he couldn't stand there for long.

After putting the sword in his back, Ralph decided to take the man's body out of the woods, he at least deserved a decent burial since he helped Ralph in a way.

After arriving in a flash, Ralph took advantage of a hole next to a dry log.

After throwing the man's body into the hole, Ralph covered it with earth and put some stones on top, creating a kind of circle and cross with them.

"... I don't know you, but you helped me. Here I return this favor." Ralph spoke slowly.

The inner city was not close and Ralph did not want to have to go to the city while carrying a body on his back.

Suddenly it started to rain lightly, it made Ralph wake up and start walking back to the highway.

Upon arriving on the highway, Ralph called an Taxi again.

Just after sitting in the car seat, he sighed and checked his achievement.

"My status."

He hadn't gained a skill, but the status point was there, he didn't hesitate much and applied it to intelligence.

Although Ralph could spend more time in the forest, he decided to stop for the day, and would come back at another time.

"... Are you one of those Walkers?" The driver suddenly asked.

Ralph was surprised for a moment but soon realized the reason for the question, he had forgotten to camouflage the blood on his clothes and the sword, what was happening to his head?

"...Yes." Ralph replied after sighing slightly and asked:

"Aren't you afraid?"

"It's really interesting ... I think you were fighting a beast, right?" The driver did not answer and asked.

Ralph smiled weakly and said nothing.

"I sometimes wonder how some of the Walkers got a skill. I mean, you need to kill a beast for that, right?" The driver started talking.

"But I heard that the beasts are all extremely dangerous ... I heard about a Walker who was less than 10 years old, believe me? How can a child have a skill?"

Ralph frowned and did not answer.

He knew that there were several types of beasts, but the vast majority were extremely dangerous. But there are exceptions. He had heard of a beast the size of an insect, very easy to kill, and who knows to get a skill.

"It seems like you don't even know how to explain, huh?" The driver smiled and suddenly looked at Ralph with a sharp look in the rearview mirror.

"What kind of beast did you kill to get your skill?" He asked slowly.

"..." Ralph didn't answer, he wasn't in the mood for that.

The driver noticed and did not insist, he did not want to provoke someone so strange and dangerous.

Ralph didn't bother to hide the blood on his clothes, as he had a Walker certificate and was officially a military man.

Even if his relatives saw this, he thought he could use it as a chance to gain more confidence from them, showing that he could take care of himself against beasts. He knew his parents were very concerned.

After entering the house, however, Ralph was shocked, there was a familiar person in the living room, talking to his countries.

After regaining his composure, Ralph asked in astonishment:

"Briella? What are you doing here?"

"..." The three looked at Ralph in astonishment. Tom and Ingrid mostly.

Ralph realized that their reaction was due to the blood, but he didn't care and said while looking at Briella with a sharp look:

"But what a great sincerity you have."

Briella blinked a few times and then said:

"I hope you appreciate it and take advantage of my sincerity."

Ralph laughed darkly and went up to the bathroom, his mood had gone to the bottom. He was trying to look more manly in front of his parents, not to see the neurotic woman's face.

After taking a shower, taking care to stay as normal as possible, he dressed and went down to the living room.

Ralph sighed slightly, Briella was still there.

"It looks like you're not happy to see your colleague." Ingrid pinched Ralph slowly.

"Thanks for understand me." Ralph laughed.

Ingrid's expression went dark and she pinched Ralph aggressively.

A silence came over the room, and only Ralph and Briella acted "naturally".

"... So, you don't want to know why your colleague visited?" Tom asked suddenly.

"I already know the reason." Ralph responded casually while looking coldly at Briella, who was drinking tea.

-Do they hate each other or something?

Tom and Ingrid wondered.

"The door is open and waiting for you." Ralph decided to be more direct.

Briella looked at Ralph and then at Tom and Ingrid.

"Whose house is it? I believe that only the owner of that house can kick out me." Briella spoke calmly.

Ralph was surprised by Briella's tick facial skin and opened his eyes wide, didn't she have any shame?

Tom and Ingrid didn't know what to say.

"... You didn't even let me explain the benefits of you joining my squad." Briella said suddenly as she looked at Ralph.

"I already have enough money." Ralph scoffed.

"It's not about money." Briella shook her head and continued:

"... It can benefit your growth as a Walker."

Ralph frowned slightly and said:

"As you saw yourself, I am able to hunt beasts alone."

Briella smiled suddenly, as if mocking Ralph.

"At one time or another you will die if you continue to hunt alone, the... We are not the only ones to evolve over time." Briella spoke slowly, watching Ralph's expression.

Ralph suddenly felt interested and said:

"It is not difficult to imagine that beasts can become more powerful, but I can overcome this alone."

"Right? But why take so many unnecessary risks?" Briella spoke with a slight smile.

Ralph suddenly smiled coldly and said:

"You speak as if there are no risks within a squad."

Briella narrowed her eyes and said:

"It is true that there are risks, but they are lower... In addition, our growth will be much faster, since it is easier to kill beasts in groups."

Ralph could not disagree with this argument, but he thought of something else:

"I believe that being in a group, we will be fighting beasts much more powerful than normal."

"It's true ... But big risks also have greater potential benefits." Briella said with a meaningful look.

Ralph narrowed his eyes and looked coldly at Briella.

Tom and Ingrid, who were not understanding anything, decided to leave the two talking alone in the room.

After talking for several minutes, Ralph and Briella remained at an impasse, no one seemed to want to give in.

Briella tried to convince Ralph and he on the other hand tried to find errors in Briella's proposal.

-Nothing comes for free.

Ralph thought, everything seemed too colorful and beautiful to be true, he was suspecting that Briella was hiding something, especially the reason for her insistence on recruiting Ralph.

Briella explained the difference between betas and alphas beasts to Ralph, who was surprised to learn that alphas beasts give three stats points when they are killed. But the difference in power between the two characteristics was enormous.

A group of Walkers was needed to contain an alpha beast, and only more experienced Walkers had the opportunity to kill an alpha.

Walkers are also divided into two categories, the first category is called B, and this is where most Walkers meet. The second category is called A, and this is where Walkers capable of fighting alphas and killing them meet.

There is not a big difference in raw power between the two categories of Walkers, the real difference is the efficiency in the use of skills and greater experience. The Walkers of the A category were all basically veterans of fighting beasts.

"And does your squad aim to fight alphas or betas?" Ralph asked.

"One of our objectives is to kill betas, but it is also our duty to fight alphas if necessary." Briella replied.

Ralph considered for a moment. He was able to fight alone against a beta beast that is not very strong, but is unable to do anything against stronger beta beasts.

Joining a group can be beneficial in helping you gain experience against strong beasts.

Although Ralph did not like Briella or the military at all, especially senior officers, he should think carefully.

"I understand and I don't disagree with almost everything you said to me, but there's something that gets on my nerves ..." Ralph looked seriously and with a little hostility at Briella, who was a little surprised by this.

"If you're hiding something from me, you better tell me now... You don't want to know why afterwards." Ralph spoke coolly, he didn't want to be fooled so stupidly.

Briella felt a chill down her spine but kept her composure.

"... So you really realized, didn't you?" Briella spoke slowly.

Until now, Briella always avoided talking about the missions that the squadron was in charge of, just said that they had to fight against beasts, but not that they just had to do that.

"And then?" Ralph looked directly into Briella's eyes.

Briella took a sip of tea and said in a low voice after sighing:

"... We can also be assigned to eliminate ... human targets."

A strange gleam came into Ralph's eyes, he kind of expected something like that.

"... Don't you look surprised?" Briella asked when she saw Ralph's expression.

Ralph smiled coldly and didn't explain. That "contract" was vivid in his head. For José to allow him to join a squad, that could only mean one thing.

"So, do you want to recruit me because of my ability to kill people?" Ralph spoke in a genial tone, with a happy expression.

Briella smiled bitterly and nodded.

"Wonderful!" Ralph laughed and held out his hand to Briella.

Briella studied Ralph for a moment and wondered if she should really do that.

"What's the matter? Isn't that what you wanted?" Ralph asked with a smile as he narrowed his eyes.

Briella hesitated for a moment and also reached out, and shook hands with Ralph.

Ralph then looked somber, but he quickly returned to normal.

"So, do I think I should call you a leader or something?" Ralph asked.

Briella looked at Ralph strangely for a moment and said:

"... Call me Sergeant Briella."

Ralph smiled and stood up.

"I believe that you will finally leave my house now, right?" He asked.

Briella smiled weakly and stood up too.

"Our squad needs to be a unit, do you understand me? I don't care if you don't like me, but at least don't act so ..." Briella was speaking but was interrupted by Ralph, who put his hand on her shoulders .

"It's not that I really hate you, try to understand. But I'm closer to that than to like you... Don't worry, I know how to be disciplined... when I want to." Ralph spoke with a smile and a meaningful look.

Briella sighed bitterly and said:

"The squadron is going to go through an official commissioning ceremony a week from now, on the same base that you went crazy."

Ralph nodded and accompanied Briella to the exit.

After she left, Ralph blew out a breath and put his hands on his head.

His thoughts were getting out of control more and more, that was the real reason he lost control over his own mood so easily, it should be a side effect of repeatedly applying stats points to intelligence.

-Maybe ... Am I really going crazy?

Ralph pondered but then shook his head, it was useless to worry about it at the moment.

He suddenly remembered that José was going to recommend a psychologist to him, but then he sneered internally.

"Are you alright?" Ingrid asked when she saw Ralph's twisted expression.

Ralph then regained his composure and said:

"I'm fine, but I'm going to need to go out for a while."

Ingrid nodded and said nothing more.

After calling Lucas, Sieg and Jord, they agreed to meet at the whorehouse before.

Ralph wanted to discharge the negative feelings that had accumulated inside him, and nothing better than booze and women for that.

At least, that's what he thought.

Even after spending the night with a prostitute and drinking a lot, the thoughts kept coming out of Ralph's head, it was like he was really going crazy.

"What happened? Don't tell me that you didn't get hard?" Lucas asked with a fake smile when he saw Ralph's twisted expression.

It was already morning, and they were finishing paying for services.

Ralph has had a somber expression since they arrived at the whorehouse.

"Sigh ..." Ralph sighed and tried to eliminate distracting thoughts.

"I'm fine ..." Ralph spoke lightly.

"Yes, but our girl is not here, don't come here if you want to take out anger..." The place manager complained.

"Did you hit her?" Sieg asked Ralph coldly.

Ralph shook his head bitterly, he wasn't the type to hit just to take out anger.

"It's just... We did this all night, even when she was tired and wanted to stop." Ralph explained, astonishing everyone.

"Shit ..." Jord murmured.

"Your luck is that she doesn't want revenge, she could accuse you of rape!" Lucas murmured.

"Sigh ... I apologize, here, I'll pay triple for that, but I want you to pass the surplus on to her!"

The manager didn't like Ralph's attitude, but he accepted the money anyway.

"I will apologize to her next time." Ralph spoke candidly to the manager.

"It better be ..." The manager seems to have noticed Ralph's sincerity and let it go, anyway, the girl didn't look hurt.

After the four left the establishment, Ralph suggested they go to a brewery.

"Sorry man, but I have an appointment, leave it for the next one!" Lucas refused, and so did the rest.

Ralph thought they were irritated by Ralph's act, but he wasn't irritated by it, he was wrong in the story.

With nothing to do, Ralph sat on a bench in a square.

-Shit, it's like I'm suffering from a panic and anxiety attack every moment!

Ralph thought as he ground his teeth.

He tried to take a deep breath and empty his thoughts but to no avail.

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, he was an old beggar.

"Okay? You seem to be suffering from something." The old man said.

Ralph looked at the beggar for a moment and said:

"I'm fine, thanks for the concern."

The old man nodded and said:

"If you're confused and stressed, try meditating, it worked for me when I lost my job and I was stripped."

Ralph was a little surprised and said:

"Meditate? Do you really think I didn't try something like that?"

"Hehe, I don't think you even know how to really meditate ... Here, go to that place." The old man handed Ralph a piece of paper.

"The owner of this place helped me when I thought of throwing myself off a viaduct and killing myself, he can also help you." The beggar spoke and left.

Ralph looked a little suspiciously at the old man and the paper. There was an address written on it.