Kapitel 67: Chapter 67: Meadows
No one could have predicted such a sudden and violent turn of events.
The girl, who had been the most timid and inconspicuous among the group, suddenly acted with shocking ferocity. Though she appeared frail, her strength was terrifying—one swing nearly severed the man's neck.
Immediately afterward, the woman caught off guard, was hacked to the ground. Even Logan, who had seen his fair share of brutality, was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected outburst.
Max Knight, having finished off the mutated tabby cat, quickly returned to Logan's side. Logan patted Max Knight's head approvingly and began tending to his wounds with medical supplies from his backpack, all while keeping an eye on the unfolding situation.
On the other side, the man, his carotid artery severed, convulsed and quickly succumbed to blood loss, his eyes rolling back. The woman, however, was still struggling. Clutching a fruit knife, she lunged at the girl. The girl dodged, but the knife grazed her arm. Undeterred, she swung again, this time striking the woman's head.
Even after the woman stopped moving, the girl continued hacking, her expression eerily calm, as if she were chopping meat rather than her own parents. Blood splattered everywhere, but she didn't stop until the bodies were unrecognizable. She then stood up, her face blank, and walked over to her unconscious brother. In a low voice, she muttered,
"Let's go to hell together, little brother."
Without hesitation, she swung her knife down, beheading the boy with a few strikes. After completing the gruesome act, the girl, still holding the knife, walked toward Logan. But halfway there, she dropped the blade, her expression hollow. Looking at Logan, she said,
"Kill me."
"Why should I kill you?" Logan asked, confused.
He only killed to protect himself or his interests. The girl hadn't attacked or insulted him; in fact, she had even warned him of the danger behind him. Though he had already sensed it, her warning showed she bore him no ill will. In fact, she had solved a problem for him. He had no reason to kill her.
The girl's eyes dimmed.
"I killed my own parents and family. Scum like me deserves to die, don't I?"
Logan found her statement almost amusing.
"You killing your family has nothing to do with me. Besides, some people don't deserve to be parents."
At that moment, Logan thought of someone from his past, and his gaze darkened. He patted Max Knight and said,
"Let's go."
When Logan and Max Knight returned to the tabby cat's corpse, a few people who had fled earlier were watching from a distance, too afraid to approach. Though the cat was dead, the dog that killed it was still very much alive. Ignoring the onlookers, Logan had Max Knight carry the cat's body and leave. Disappointment was clear on the faces of those who had hoped Logan would leave the cat's corpse behind. They had been hoping to scavenge the meat, but all they were left with was a single severed leg, which quickly became the subject of a frenzied fight. Meat was meat, after all.
After walking for a while, Logan suddenly stopped and shouted,
"Come out!"
From behind a corner, the blood-soaked girl cautiously stepped out, carrying a large bag. It was the same girl who had just killed her entire family.
"Why are you following me?" Logan asked, frowning.
The girl took a few steps closer but stopped when Max Knight growled at her.
"Can I follow you?" she asked.
"No," Logan replied without hesitation.
Not killing her didn't mean he wanted her around.
"I can do anything," the girl insisted. "Don't be fooled by my size—I'm strong and hardworking. I don't eat much either!"
"I already have a companion," Logan replied coldly, his gaze sharp.
"Don't follow me anymore. I won't hesitate to kill you."
He had no intention of forming partnerships, nor would he trust anyone enough to keep them around as a servant.
"My name is Meadows!" the girl shouted after him as he walked away.
Seeing that Logan didn't even look back, Meadows steeled herself and walked in the opposite direction.
...
Once the feeling of being watched faded, Logan found a secluded spot and stored the tabby cat's corpse in his space. That afternoon, he resumed raiding jewelry stores, using a map he had previously marked. After clearing out several more shops, Logan encountered someone unexpected at the entrance of yet another jewelry store.
"You're following me?"
There was a flash of killing intent in Logan's eyes as he saw Meadows again.
"I'm not following you!" Meadows quickly defended herself. "I came to this jewelry store to find supplies."
Logan noticed she was holding a firefighter's axe. It seemed she was also looking for gold. He raised an eyebrow.
Having run into her twice in one day, Logan couldn't help but assume she was trying to cling to him. He moved to walk past her, but Meadows called out,
"Wait!"
Irritated, Logan turned to face her.
Meadows set down her heavy bag, now much fuller than it had been earlier in the day. She opened it, revealing a pile of assorted gold jewelry. Her eyes bright, she grabbed a handful of gold and held it out to Logan.
"These are for you."
Logan's irritation was replaced by mild surprise.
"Why are you giving me this?"
"You need gold, right? I found four jewelry stores today, and this is all the gold I collected."
Logan's expression turned cold again.
"I can gather what I need on my own. Just because you're wasting time finding this doesn't mean I'll take you in."
"I know," Meadows replied, lowering her hand as she clutched the gold. Her voice softened.
"I know my life is worthless, but I wanted to thank you for not pushing me when I was at my lowest."
"Thanks aren't necessary. I didn't do anything," Logan said matter-of-factly.
Meadows, however, looked at him with unwavering determination.
"To me, you did. And since this gold is useless to me, you should take it."
Though Logan wanted the gold, he wasn't about to owe anyone a favor for it.
"If you insist on giving it to me, I'll trade you something for it."
He pulled out a blister pack of antibiotics, a bottle of iodine, and a roll of bandages from his bag. In a world before the apocalypse, trading such a large amount of gold for a few basic medical supplies would have been laughable. But now, with pharmacies and hospitals looted clean, medicine was far more valuable than gold.
Meadows's arm had been injured during the fight with her family, and without treatment, the wound could become infected. In these conditions, an infection could easily prove fatal. To her, the medicine was priceless. And to Logan, trading a bit of medicine for 30 to 40 pounds of gold was a bargain.
Plus, he would gain the girl's gratitude.
A flicker of light crossed Logan's eyes. He was beginning to realize that this girl might be more than she seemed.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein