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Having recounted his experience, Sparrow exhales a sigh of relief, acknowledging that his risky decision had paid off.

Despite enduring a heavy slap to the back of his head from Vulture, leaving him momentarily dizzy, he understood his friend’s concern—it stemmed from genuine worry for his well-being.

Reflecting on the encounter, he realizes just how close he had come to losing his life.

Faced with a zombie far stronger than himself, the challenge had seemed insurmountable, leaving him uncertain of his chances of survival at the moment.

Had Sparrow not been as fortunate as he was, had he not experienced such a phenomenon, he would undoubtedly have perished countless times over.

Upon hearing Sparrow’s detailed account of the events and the phenomenon he described, Kisha experienced a sudden realization. She suspected that Sparrow might have unlocked a new skill. To confirm her suspicion, she decided to employ her ’Eye of Truth’ gift.

[Code name: Sparrow]

Level 1 (Exp: 0/300)

Strength: 18

Stamina: 25

Defense: 16

Agility: 29

Mental Capacity: 19

Charm: 7

Leadership: 7

Title: None

Skills: Whirlwind Level 0, Windblade Level 0, Perception Level 0

Talent: Scouting

Gift: Hawk eyesight

Ability: Wind

Kisha’s suspicions were confirmed: Sparrow had indeed acquired the new skill ’Perception.

’ To her, it seemed that all the hardships Sparrow endured were justified by this remarkable gain.

’Perception’ proved invaluable in combat, granting Sparrow an almost uncanny ability to anticipate his opponent’s next move, providing a significant advantage.

However, the skill came with a cost: it drained mental capacity, akin to the abilities of a Mental awakened superhuman.

Fortunately, Sparrow possessed a high mental fortitude, allowing him to utilize the skill for a limited time.

Once depleted, he experienced only minor mental fatigue, a testament to his formidable willpower.

This resilience likely contributed to his ability to traverse a mile despite sustaining severe injuries and carrying a heavy load of weaponry, just like a tireless pack mule.

Acquiring such an ability was no small feat, even for Kisha, who had endured countless trials in the apocalypse.

Perhaps it was Sparrow’s unwavering will to survive or his remarkable focus that brought about this development.

Regardless, Kisha couldn’t help but feel a sense of elation; Sparrow had become an invaluable asset to their team.

With his newfound skill, he would undoubtedly play a pivotal role in future missions.

Reflecting on the past, Kisha couldn’t shake the regret of losing Sparrow in her previous life before meeting Duke.

She couldn’t help but wonder what heights they could have reached together.

Now, determined to fulfill that potential alongside Duke and their comrades, she set her sights on the future.

"Fully embracing your role as Duke’s wife now, Host?

Must be over the moon," 008’s teasing remark shattered Kisha’s reverie.

It seemed that 008 couldn’t resist the opportunity to poke fun at her, as if it found amusement in everything, its duties confined to monitoring and scouring the points mall for specific items.

Kisha responded with a disdainful snort. "You don’t want an upgrade?"

"I stand corrected, Host. I’ll return to overseeing your younger brother’s training," 008 conceded before retreating into the depths of Kisha’s consciousness, evading her potential anger.

Aware of Kisha’s hidden feelings for Duke from their previous life, 008 speculated that she may have regretted not confessing her affections, fearing rejection like many others, and dreading the potential strain on their relationship thereafter.

Before fully retreating, 008 remembered something and added, "Host, I’m still on the lookout for the pill that Bell mentioned, the one that accelerates leveling like Scarlet Honey.

Please bear with me for a bit; I’ll inform you as soon as I find it.

Also, your S-class mission is progressing smoothly, so it seems everything is in our favor.

I’ll keep you updated on any changes." With that, 008 made sure to leave Kisha with some positive news, hoping to mend any disdain before its departure.

Kisha chuckled softly at 008 before redirecting her focus to the group around her.

With the confirmation of a level 1 zombie, she felt the urgency to accelerate her team’s leveling up.

However, before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, Sparrow, who had just recalled something crucial, called out to her and approached, passing her what he had retrieved.

"Young madam, this is the level 1 crystal core I obtained from the zombie I killed." Sparrow’s voice exuded pride, his accomplishment evident in his tone. He had achieved something remarkable, especially considering Vulture’s recent revelation about the difficulty of defeating a level 1 zombie.

It typically required either two level 0 awakened ability users with exceptional offensive and defensive capabilities or a single level 1 awakened ability user with at least mid-level abilities.

[Zombie Core]

Level: 1

Attribute: None

Spirit: 25

Description: A white-colored zombie core that has recently formed, containing only a small amount of energy.

After examining the crystal core’s information, Kisha smiled happily and stored it away in her inventory.

This series of actions went unnoticed by Clyde’s group, as Kisha’s team was still forming a protective circle around her and Duke, further concealed by the office furniture.

Their conversation was exchanged discreetly to ensure Clyde and the others didn’t overhear.

It wasn’t that Kisha was withholding information to gain an advantage, but she understood that these details would naturally be released to the public when the leaders of each shelter and base decided.

If this information came out prematurely from someone else, it could draw unwanted attention and make them targets for those looking to seize control of the shelters.

Kisha’s discretion ensured that they wouldn’t step on someone else’s foot who wanted to maintain control over the flow of information among the other survivors.

If others threatened this equilibrium, they would become public enemy number one, especially since it was still unclear if any Colton survivors remained in the shelter.

With this concern in mind, Kisha began to disguise her people again, particularly Duke, Sparrow, Vulture, the Winters, and other key members recognizable to the Coltons.

By donning their previous disguises, they could return to the shelter without re-registering and continue their work undetected.

Only those within their group knew their true identities; even Clyde’s group had only seen their silhouettes and glimpses of their faces.

When Clyde’s group finally saw them in proper lighting, they would realize that their initial impressions were entirely different.

When Clyde and his group had glimpsed Kisha’s clean and beautiful appearance earlier, they were relying on the limited light available.

This allowed Kisha and her people to use the opportunity to their advantage.

This was why Kisha wasn’t too nervous about standing in front of the newcomers without a disguise earlier.

Kisha spent nearly the entire night completing disguises for herself and the remaining eight people in her group.

By the time she finished, it was almost dawn.

The Blood Rain had passed, and the first rays of sunlight began to filter through the office blinds.

For many, this signified new hope, especially for those in the shelter who had feared they wouldn’t survive the night.

However, it was also a time of mourning for those who had lost loved ones to the zombies while defending the shelter.