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Those who hadn't turned into zombies still had decent physical resilience. They could withstand the virus entering their stomachs directly.
But if they wanted to awaken… they'd probably need a bit more stimulation.
As for how to stimulate them…
Keep eating zombie meat? Or try something else?
Julian had no idea.
Under Liza's lead, everyone headed back down to the first floor.
Next up, it was time for the earlier members of the camp to eat.
They'd already witnessed what happened in the dining hall just now.
So when it came to the meal, every single one of them looked eager.
After all… it was meat.
Just as Julian was about to enter the first-floor exhibition hall with the group, someone staggered in through the main entrance.
The man was gaunt, covered in wounds, and one of his arms looked broken.
"Tatsumi, what happened to you?" Liza asked in surprise.
This skinny guy, nicknamed "Bone Dragon," was the captain of an awakened squad that went out scavenging. He had some status in the camp.
So why did he look like he'd been through hell?
Where were the rest of his team?
"Damn it…"
"We ran into another awakened squad while scavenging. They tried to take our supplies…"
"They killed three of our guys."
"Then on the way back, the brakes failed and I went straight off an overpass…"
"I only just woke up not long ago… the other two brothers, they…"
"And that Nanami Kento—if I ever see him again, I'll kill him!"
Bone Dragon ground his teeth as he spoke.
It was mostly bluster, something to save face after crawling back alive.
If he actually ran into Kento again… chances were he'd turn and run.
"Kento!"
Liza and the people beside Julian stiffened at the name.
Kento… wasn't that—
They all turned to look at Julian.
Bone Dragon noticed the shift in Liza's gaze.
"What? Is Kento here?"
"Get your ass out here!"
He had just been sounding fierce, but now that there was a chance Kento was actually present, his voice started to tremble.
Still, this was Blood Fang Camp. That gave him just enough courage to keep up the act.
"What, you looking for me?"
Julian stepped forward with a smile.
From what Bone Dragon said, Julian immediately recognized him—this was the guy who forced Ryuji to cut off his own arm, then got beaten into a panicked retreat by "Kento."
Sure, let's play nice for now.
Later… I'll kill you.
Oh right—he said the car's brakes failed and it went off an overpass?
Nicely done, Shiro.
Definitely need to reward him when I get back.
"Huh? You're Kento?" Bone Dragon froze.
Don't recognize him… good, good.
He let out a quiet sigh of relief.
If this really were that Kento who beat him senseless, he wouldn't even know how to handle it.
"Yep. Not exactly a common name, right?" Julian said calmly.
"If it's just the same name, then it's none of your business. Move along."
Bone Dragon waved him off.
He had somewhere more important to be—the Madman, the camp's second-in-command and strategist.
He had to get his revenge.
After giving Liza a quick nod, Bone Dragon hurried upstairs.
The Madman's real name was Kano.
According to him, he used to be a doctor at the city psychiatric hospital.
But to Bone Dragon, he looked more like a patient who'd escaped.
Still, crazy or not, the guy had brains and strength.
Blood Fang Camp wouldn't have grown this big without him.
Bone Dragon had to stop every couple of steps as he climbed.
Too many injuries. The pain was unbearable.
All because of that Kento…
Once he got his hands on him, he'd skin him alive.
After what felt like forever, Bone Dragon finally made it to the fourth floor.
The guards on the stairs recognized him and didn't stop him.
In that condition, something serious must've happened.
The fourth floor had two exhibition halls, one on each side—one for the Madman, the other for the boss.
Bone Dragon went straight into the Madman's hall.
Inside, an intricately carved wooden bed, over a century old, was shaking rhythmically.
Bone Dragon stopped in front of it, awkwardly.
"Brother Madman… you're busy, huh…"
"I'll wait outside?"
He forced a smile.
"No need…"
"If you've got something, say it."
The Madman sat up and adjusted his glasses.
As the camp's strategist, one look at Bone Dragon told him something had gone wrong.
"Brother Madman, don't stop…"
A curvy, big-haired woman wrapped herself around him from the side.
The Madman's expression turned cold.
"Since when do you get to talk here?"
"Head down."
His voice was icy.
The woman shivered and obediently lowered her head.
She was the same woman with the big waves—exiled by Kento.
After joining Blood Fang Camp, she caught the Madman's eye, since he had a thing for mature women.
In her current position, she was making full use of her "talents."
Food, safety, and attached to the camp's number two—she couldn't believe her luck.
"Bone Dragon, tell me what happened," the Madman said flatly.
"Brother Madman, here's the deal."
"I took Takeo and the others to Wanda to gather supplies. Ran into another survivor squad."
"At first, it was just two of them, so we had the upper hand."
"Then this guy Kento showed up."
"That bastard's a monster… took on three of us alone and killed all three."
"We barely managed to escape."
"Then someone messed with our brakes…"
"In the end… I'm the only one who made it back."
"That damn Kento—next time I see him, I swear I'll kill him!"
Bone Dragon fumed.
"Ke—Kento?!"
The big-haired woman froze, nearly choking.
"You know him?" the Madman asked coldly.
"Of course I do!"
"I used to live in the Donghu Villa District!"
"That Kento exiled me just because I ate a few cherry tomatoes!"
"Brother Madman, you have to avenge me!"
"I can lead you to him!"
"Mmph—"
Before she could finish, she was pushed back down.
"Kento…"
"Someone who can kill three awakened on his own…"
"He's not ordinary."
"Unless a few of us top dogs go personally, no one in this camp can handle him."
As he spoke, the Madman picked up a cup beside him and took a sip of the bubbling green liquid inside.
A fierce burning sensation spread through him, and his face twisted into a mix of pain and exhilaration.
"Bone Dragon… want to give it a try?"
He smiled, sliding the cup forward.
The green liquid in it radiated danger…
"....."