Read Novel Full Chapter 518: Dazed Silas
Chapter 518: Chapter 518: Dazed Silas
Eric bowed respectfully to Silas.
Silas acknowledged him with a brief nod before Eric turned his gaze toward the other researchers, who stood in an uneasy cluster, whispering among themselves.
Eric’s expressions clearly conveyed that, now that they had obtained the answers they needed, they needed to leave.
The researchers didn’t want to leave, yet they couldn’t stay behind since Silas didn’t give them permission.
"We just wanted to act cautiously... don’t hold a grudge against us. General Silas."
Silas only gave them a perfunctory nod. Even though he didn’t state anything, he knew that recently some of the researchers seemed to have gained their perspective and are constantly thinking of going against him.
Finally, when the researchers left, Eric started.
The room fell into an oppressive silence, broken only by the strained, guttural growls of the restrained zombie.
Its body trembled against the restraints, the faint odor of decay mixing with antiseptic and making the atmosphere heavy enough to taste.
Eric stepped closer and looked directly at the creature, whose milky eyes flickered with confusion and hostility.
The zombie growled again, low and threatening, yet there was hesitation in it.
Eric spoke slowly, deliberately mimicking the guttural cadence of its language.
The zombie froze.
Its eyes widened.
’He... understands me?’ the creature seemed to realize, shock momentarily overpowering its feral instincts.
Eric continued, his tone calm but probing, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
The zombie responded with a series of harsh growls, its voice scraping like rusted metal dragged across stone. Yet there was meaning behind those sounds.
It declared that it was a subordinate of the Zombie King.
Unbeknownst to Isla, the one who had orchestrated its infiltration had been clever enough to implant memories, memories of pretending to be human, of entering the base, of gathering intelligence.
However, that same mastermind had not anticipated that someone inside the base would capture the half-zombie and communicate with it.
She had never imagined that the subordinate she sent would end up revealing everything, becoming an unwilling informant rather than a loyal spy.
Eric frowned slightly and relayed the message to Silas.
"The zombie says it’s the Zombie King’s subordinate."
Silas’s eyes narrowed, sharp and calculating.
"Ask him why he infiltrated this base," Silas replied, his voice steady yet edged with suspicion. "And how he even obtained the intelligence required to disguise himself as a human."
Eric turned back and questioned the zombie again.
The creature answered in rough, broken growls, explaining that it was not he who devised the plan.
Instead, it had been guided by a zombie leader, one far more intelligent and cunning, who had disguised it and ordered it to gather internal information.
Specifically, it had been tasked with identifying the individual capable of putting all the zombies away from the base and confirming the identity.
Eric translated every word carefully.
Silas listened in silence, then murmured under his breath,
"Strange... If the Zombie King truly possesses human-level intelligence, why didn’t he enter the base himself?"
He paced slowly, his boots echoing against the sterile floor.
"If he is capable of commanding zombies, he should also be capable of understanding negotiations. We would have provided him an antidote. He should know about the half-zombie cure stored here."
Silas paused, then added quietly, "Or... perhaps he didn’t knows."
He looked at Eric.
"Tell the half-zombie that there is an antidote available for him."
Eric nodded and conveyed the message.
The zombie’s reaction was immediate.
It growled dismissively, almost mockingly.
It had no interest in any antidote.
It claimed that, as a zombie, it possessed strength, real strength, and it did not wish to lose it.
Eric translated the statement.
Both he and Silas were stunned.
Until now, they had assumed that any half-zombie retaining fragments of humanity would desperately seek a cure, would long to reclaim their former life, their memories, their identity.
Yet this was the first time they had encountered one who rejected humanity altogether.
This creature wished to remain a zombie.
Because of the power it had gained.
Eric frowned, trying once more to reason with it.
"If you return to being human," he coaxed, "you can eat real food again. Taste things. Live normally. Have people care about you."
The zombie reacted as if he had uttered something absurd.
It growled sharply.
It did not remember its past, but it knew one thing with absolute certainty.
It had been abandoned.
And as long as it stayed far away from humans, it was content.
A faint chill crept along Eric’s spine.
’This isn’t just biology... this is trauma,’ he thought.
He turned to Silas.
"From what I’ve observed, this half-zombie may have experienced severe betrayal. It might not want to become human again because humanity represents pain. Or, psychologically speaking, it may cling to the power it has now, fearing that turning human would strip that away."
Silas rubbed his temple, exhaling slowly.
"This is both absurd... and extremely serious."
At that very moment, the door slid open.
Ivy entered.
The instant she stepped inside, Zuzu, the half-zombie, began twitching violently. Its entire body convulsed as if an invisible force were pushing it back, repelling it without contact.
Ivy froze.
Silas and Eric stared at her in shock.
Ivy quickly raised her hands. "I didn’t do anything!"
Silas blinked, realization dawning. "It might be your ability. Your superpower is reacting to him instinctively."
Ivy nodded uncertainly.
Eric glanced between them before speaking calmly. "I’ve already conveyed everything necessary. I’ll leave the rest to you."
’They need space to process this,’ he thought.
Without waiting for a reply, Eric exited the room.
Once he was gone, Ivy looked at Zuzu, then at Silas, before summoning several guards to secure the area.
After ensuring the room was contained, she stepped outside with Silas.
Silas walked beside her, still visibly dazed, explaining everything he had uncovered during the investigation.
Ivy listened quietly, nodding as they moved through the dim corridors until they reached her apartment.
Inside, Silas continued theorizing, pacing as he spoke, completely absorbed in analysis.
Ivy watched him for a moment.