Trailing through the dense forests of tall trees, Lucasth and Lauren moved cautiously, their footsteps muffled by a thick carpet of moss and fallen leaves. Emily, still unconscious and still unaware of her surroundings, lay serene in Lucasth's arms, her breathing gentle but shallow.
They had been walking for hours, the landscape unchanged—merely more towering trees with gnarled branches, jagged boulders scattered like forgotten relics from a bygone era, and the faint rustle of unseen creatures in the undergrowth.
"Can I ask where we're going? At least I have known something," Lauren asked, her voice barely above a whisper, eyes scanning the endless green for any sign of progress.
"Mountains," Lucasth replied, his voice steadfast, "specifically, areas where cliffs and swift rivers cut through the landscape."
"Why?" Lauren pressed, her brow furrowed.
"We need a secure base—a place to store supplies, especially food, and rest without constantly looking over our shoulders. We can't just wander around aimlessly and hope for the best after all."
Recalling the survival tips he'd read from an old guidebook after recalling some of his memories.
Those mountains offered higher ground for safety, caves for shelter from the elements and predators, and spring water that's clear and drinkable.
"Thankfully, these large boulders tend to be visible only beneath mountain ranges, which means we're heading in the right direction."
"Hmm~ you know your stuff, huh?"
"So-so."
Suddenly, Emily groaned softly and stirred, her eyes opening. She looked up sluggishly and saw Lucasth's face close to hers.
"Big brother..."
"Emily," Lucasth responded gently, relief washing over him.
Embarrassed, Emily attempted to stand on her own but her limbs wavered, causing her to trip forward. Lucasth was quick to catch her before she hit the ground.
"Be careful, you're still weak."
"I-I'm fine, I can..."
"No," Lucasth interrupted firmly, lifting her into his arms again, his face showing a protective concern. Emily couldn't help but blush at the closeness.
"D-Don't worry, big brother Lu, my feet w-we're just tired," she stammered, trying to hide her embarrassment, but her stomach betrayed her now with a loud growl of hunger, deepening her blush.
"...I'm sorry," she whispered, cheeks flushing brighter.
"It's okay. I think it's already noon," Lucasth said, glancing up at the sun's position, its light filtering through the canopy.
He gently set her down near the base of a sturdy, broad-trunked tree with thick foliage providing ample shade to shield her from the scorching sun.
"Lauren, you hunt something while we rest here."
"Me?"
"Yes. You're swift, and I can't leave Emily alone here with you."
"...Got it," Lauren nodded reluctantly and darted off into the woods.
Lucasth watched her disappear into the dense trees, then started gathering dry twigs. He tested each rock with his knife, seeking one that would produce sparks, specifically a flint. After a few tense moments, he found a good-sized flint. He piled dry branches and struck the knife against the flint, sparks flying and igniting the tinder into a small, steady flame.
"Wow!" Emily exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Cool, right?" Lucasth asked, a gentle smile on his face.
She nodded enthusiastically, her expression innocent and filled with pure joy.
Seeing her unguarded, innocent look, devoid of malice, Lucasth felt a warm surge of protectiveness and hope that he would keep her safe from harmful threats.
But first, he needed to explain their situation. His expression turned serious.
"You see, Emily..."
After a few minutes, he recounted everything: where they currently were, what had happened after she lost consciousness, and their current circumstances. Once finished, he added another dry piece of wood to the fire.
"I see… we're not on Earth anymore..."
"You took it so casually."
"Because, as long as we're together and not separated, everywhere we go, it's more than enough for me," she replied casually, a relaxed smile on her face.
"Although we escaped from the facility, I'm sure the organization that funded it will pursue us everywhere."
"Additionally, this is our opportunity—to stop running and become strong enough to fight back"
Seeing determination shining in her cute eyes, Lucasth couldn't help but gently pat her head, a genuine smile on his face.
"I see, you're a genius."
"Stop it! I'm not a child anymore!"
"Yes, yes, you are."
"You're not listening... hmph."
He chuckled softly, even though she protested, she didn't take his hand from her head. The warmth of their moment was clear amidst the rugged wilderness.
"Ah, I almost forgot—Emily, spoke Status Open."
"Status Open?"
___________________________________________________
Name: Emily Vladmorne
Age: 16
Race: Human
Level: 1
Class: None
Bloodline: None
Health: 100%
Energy: 100%
Status: Cancer, Malnourished
Strength: 0.40(0.90)
Vitality: 0.60(1.10)
Constitution: 0.40(0.90)
Intelligence: 8.82
Agility: 1.02(1.52)
Mana: 21.91
[Unique Skill]
None
[Active Skill]
Level 5: Analysis
[Passive Skill]
Level 8: Cyber Mastery
Level 1: Etiquette
[Trait]
Cyborg I
Artificial Intelligence Symbiote X
Mana borne VII
________________________________________________________
Big Brother Lu, what is this?" Emily asked in a shocked tone, pointing at the status display floating in front of her face.
"I knew it. You doubt what I said," he replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Ugh... I don't know what you're talking about," she murmured embarrassedly, quickly looking away from him.
"Yes, yes, you are," he teased, a playful smirk on his lips.
She grumbled at being caught off guard.
"B-But I mean what I said," she blushed, her eyes returning to his face.
Suddenly, her expression shifted to one of sadness and despair. "If what that Goddess you mentioned promised is true, then maybe it's our only chance," she whispered, a hint of hope flickering in her voice.
"Are you conscious of your cancer?" he asked softly, his tone filled with empathy as he observed her distress.
She nodded gently, her hand trembling slightly.
From what Lucasth remembered, Emily was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma during childhood—a primary bone cancer that often affects young children. It had spread from her cervical vertebrae down to her coccyx, causing her severe back pain, frequent bone fractures, persistent fever, overwhelming fatigue, and numbness in her limbs.
Before the nuclear war, she was treated at one of the specialized hospitals operated by the organization. When her parents began not visiting, they took her to an underground facility. There, her entire backbone was replaced with a supercomputer array—a cybernetic spine. They also injected her with a small, controlled dose of nuclear infection to attempt an experimental treatment.
The operation was successful enough to allow her to move normally, but the cancer lingered, still causing her suffering—fever, fatigue, and numbness persisted. The project was deemed only half-successful, as the cancer remained incurable.
As part of the ongoing experimental procedure, her facility was relocated, and it was during this period that she met Lucasth.
Lucasth approached her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders in a comforting hug. "Then at least we fight, if curing you was part of those promises," he said reassuringly.
Emily trembled as she pressed her face against his chest, her sobs muffled but heartfelt.
In that silent moment, she felt a sense of care from someone who truly understood her struggles.
She silently prayed in her mind that she wouldn't be a burden to him.
After a brief silence, Emily took a deep breath and calmed down. They talk about their past and reminisce about their shared experiences at the facility. Most memories were painful, but somehow, their bond strengthened.
An hour later, Lauren returned, sweaty and tired from the effort.
"I'm back."
"Oh, you took some time—Why did you choose to hunt a deer?" Lucasth asked curiously, noticing Lauren dragging a freshly hunted deer behind him.
"I didn't have many options. I looked around and saw some rabbits, tried to catch them, but they were too quick and kept hiding. Then I saw this deer, chased it for a while, and finally caught it. It took a long time to outpace it," Lauren explained, panting.
"Geez... so much effort for what should be a simple hunt," Lucasth said, shaking his head in disbelief.
He sighed and set to work dismantling the deer, carefully separating the meat, bones, and hide.
Minutes later...
[Acquired a Level 1: Dismantle passive skill]
"Huh?" Lucasth exclaimed, stunned by the unexpected announcement of his status, indicated by a sudden system notification.
"What happened? Have you finished?" he asked, noticing his hands had stopped moving.
"Yeah, just stabbed the meat with the stick I prepared earlier and placed it close to the fire," Lauren replied.
Emily looked at Lucasth with concern. "Big Brother..."
"I'm okay. I'm just surprised I learned a new skill like this"
"What?! Really? What kind?" Lauren asked excitedly.
"Dismantle."
"What does it do?"
"It's—
"It increases efficiency when dismembering a corpse."
Before he could finish, Emily interjected, providing her own explanation, and both men looked at her in astonishment.
"My Skill Analysis can search for information about anything, depending on its level and my intelligence stats,"
"Hee~, that's quite convenient," Lauren murmured.
"And big brother... that hide is level 2 and of poor quality."
"Really? This thing has a level and stats too?" Lucasth muttered, inspecting the uneven cut on the deer's hide in his hand in disbelief.
After recovering from his initial disbelief upon discovering that many have status, he, Lauren, and Emily carefully cooked a chunk of meat on a makeshift twig skewer over the campfire. They relaxed around the flames, engaging in casual conversations while waiting for the meat to be thoroughly cooked.
An hour slipped by; they each took a tentative bite of the meat. Immediately, Lauren and Emily's faces twisted in disgust, and they exclaimed that it was stinky. Lucasth explained that the unpleasant smell resulted from the absence of any seasonings or spices to mask the natural aroma of the meat.
Understanding this, they didn't argue further; instead, they pushed aside their initial reactions and resumed eating silently, attempting to tolerate the taste.
"Ugh! Ha... hah... that was harsh," Lauren said, his face grimacing as he forced himself not to vomit.
Emily also covered her mouth with her hand, clearly disgusted but trying to endure the flavor.
After finishing the meat they had eaten, they began inspecting their belongings to prepare for continuing their journey.
"No, I worked hard to hunt it, so I'll eat it," Lauren replied earnestly, trying to reassure himself.
"Now, my main goal is to find some seasonings on this goddammit planet."
Hearing Lauren's stupid declaration, Lacasth shook his head sarcastically.
Suddenly, his instincts heightened, warning him that danger was imminent.
Growl!* Roar!* Roar!*
"This sound..." Lauren whispered in an unexpectedly calm tone.
"It's zombies," Lucasth said with conviction. "Emily, take out your guns."
She hurriedly retrieved an SMG from her backpack, strapping it over her shoulder with trembling hands.
"Lauren, be careful of bites," Lucasth warned, checking his own gear and weapons.
"You don't have to tell me that," Lauren replied calmly, gripping his combat knives tightly.