CHAPTER 80: AMONG SURVIVORS
Kael walked along the main hallway of the second floor, his gait firm and steady. He drew the eyes of the few survivors loitering in the corridor.
The sight of a person wearing such neat earthly clothes stunned many on the spot. They almost couldn't believe there was someone willing to waste their coins on such unnecessary wants.
Donned in his black sweatpants and matching T-shirt, with two complementing earrings, a black one on the left ear and a crimson one adorned with phoenix patterns on his right, and finally a pair of white sneakers on his feet, Kael looked like someone who had just walked straight out of the old world untouched by the apocalypse.
Of course, the new earring on his right was Py in her dormant state. He found it neat… carrying a flaming chick around would only attract attention, and Kael didn't feel comfortable under such situations.
After taking his time to study the Archive fragment, Kael spent his coins on some miscellaneous items and food before he decided to take a step out and check the situation outside before engrossing himself in training.
His eyes lingered on the firearms held by each survivor. Just like he had thought, many had spent their perk points on such weapons Kael deemed useless for their survival.
Their greatest threat right now, after all, wasn't humans.
He reached a classroom entrance and threw a cursory look around. The wall usually partitioning both rooms seemed to have been brought down somehow, providing a massive space for the group to relax in without much congestion.
He saw his team, Alice, Nathan, Sophia, his sister, and a rugged-looking boy who seemed not to have caught a wink of sleep for ages following behind Natalie like a shadow, with the girl chatting away without a care.
The content of her words almost made him blanch as she recounted his deeds, if not for his eyes being trained on the figure of Alice.
This classmate of his was also wearing the Rookie Combat Suit, the suit clinging moderately to her form. Only now did Kael realize how well-endowed Alice was. Every asset was just perfect, with none lacking. And she was still developing. One could only imagine how many heads would swoon when she matured.
In fact, even now, Kael noticed some of the male survivors throwing glances at her. Though, to be honest, Iris, who was throwing a glare at him while being surrounded by an entourage of five boys with enhanced assault rifles strapped to their backs, received more attention.
Kael offered the pink-eyed girl an apologetic smile before ignoring her completely.
Alice and the others, together with an old man whom Kael instantly recognized as the principal, were distributing pieces of bread and water.
At the center of the room, Ms. Claire, together with another female teacher whose name Kael didn't know, were roasting strips of meat over a stove that must have been scavenged from what remained from the boy's dorm. The teachers expertly rotated the skewered meat above them. Fat dripped into the flames with faint sizzling sounds, and the rich smell of cooked meat slowly spread through the hall, momentarily easing the tension in the atmosphere.
Kael couldn't help but raise a brow at the sight and feel strange inwardly.
‘Why do they look carefree? Aren't they aware there is still a monster literally looming above our heads?’
He walked inside the massive room, which resembled more of a small hall at this point. Only then did the others notice his presence.
“Hey!” Natalie was like a cat who had caught sight of its owner after ages. She instantly rushed him, and Kael was almost scared the little girl would hug him.
“Are you okay? We all came to check on you several times, but you were unconscious.”
Before Kael could even respond, the little girl threw more questions at him.
“What happened to you? How did you fall into such a state? Also, where is that cute chick?”
“Alright, alright. He just woke up. Don't overwhelm him with questions now, give the poor man some breathing room first." Nathan patted the excited girl on the shoulder before flashing Kael his characteristic charming smile.
“Hey man, good to see you up and well.” The auburn-haired senior raised a fist to Kael, his emerald eyes flashing with genuine relief.
Kael fist-bumped him before speaking.
“Good to still be alive."
He still found Nathan's face irritating to his eyes, but ever since the charming senior came to check on him after his fight with the gigantic worm, they had become closer. In fact, Kael felt embarrassed to admit Nathan was his first real friend in the academy. Even his little sister, who wasn't much different from him, already had a friend in Sophia.
The survivors in the hall watched curiously as several people surrounded Kael, concern and smiles on their faces.
Sophia had long run to his side once she handed out the food in her hand, while incessantly asking where Py was.
Kael couldn't help but feel warm as he looked at the people surrounding him. He had expected to feel awkward under several stares, but what he felt instead was a rare sense of… he didn't know how to describe it.
‘Peace?’
He wasn't sure, but that was the closest word he could describe it with.
His gaze fell on a quiet figure at the back, his dark-as-night eyes locking with a pair of mesmerizing amethyst gems.
Alice gave a slight nod, while Kael smiled in return.
All of a sudden, he felt a feeling of animosity. He had expected it to come from the still glaring Iris some distance away, but he was surprised to find it coming from a boy, the same rugged-looking boy who had been following Natalie.
‘How peculiar? I almost forgot about him.’ The boy seemed to have a faint presence that could be easily overlooked.
But when he saw his droopy eyes shifting from the still excited Natalie before falling back on himself, his eyes couldn't help but twitch.
‘Hell no! I want nothing to do with this.’
Alas, matters of the heart couldn't be so easily resolved.
At the center of the room, Principal Martin suddenly approached Ms. Claire.
“Won't you go and greet him? Hand over the sticks. I will take over for you.”
Ms. Claire shook her head, her eyes still locked on the small group surrounding Kael.
“No need.”
A confused look surfaced on her face. She couldn't find those traces of coldness she had been worried about in Kael any longer. In fact, she had already spoken to the principal about this matter and had requested his help on how to resolve it.
But now, she wasn't so sure.
*****
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