Chapter 4: Behind their Back - R`18+
"Are you alone or is there someone else with you?" Boss Chen asked, his gaze sharp as he tossed a spare shawl towards Ruel. "Here, cover yourself."
Ruel caught the shawl, his expression carefully neutral. "Nah, just me. Looking for the usual – food, water. This place looks picked clean, though." He'd already mentally stashed his weapons; they just saw a seemingly unarmed man.
Chen's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Ruel. "So you haven't seen anyone else around? My scout swore he saw someone taking down a bunch of zombies this morning."
Ruel draped the shawl around his shoulders, feigning confusion. "To be honest, I'm not from around here. Some thugs grabbed me, knocked me out. Couldn't tell you how long I was out." He offered a weak shrug.
"They must've cleared the building of the dead," Ruel continued, his voice laced with a fabricated bewilderment. "Woke up stark naked in one of the rooms. A Lovely welcome."
Chen's eyes flickered down Ruel's covered form, a hint of suspicion in their depths. "Uh-huh. We're bunking here for the night. You see any stragglers, any zombies left?"
"Nope," Ruel replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "Searched the place looking for my... uh... clothes. Just dead zombies and rotting corpses. Place stinks."
"Alright then," Chen declared, his gaze sweeping over the group. "We'll rest here. Dusk's coming, and they get nasty out there." He started to move deeper into the building.
"Haah, no issues," Ruel agreed easily, his eyes flicking towards the curvaceous woman.
"Oh, by the way," Ruel called out, affecting a friendly tone. "Mind putting names to faces? Haven't had much conversation lately."
A sharp voice cut through the air. "Hmph. I'm Nina. Keep your distance, pervert." She crossed her arms tightly over her chest and stalked into a nearby room.