Chapter 96: Zombie King x Ex-Girlfriend (18)

"System..." Lyra whispered frantically as she adjusted the oversized collar of the black shirt, her mind spinning in complete overdrive. "Why on earth would he keep a gift from the ex-girlfriend who treated him like garbage and dumped him?! Was this bizarre detail mentioned anywhere in the original novel timeline?!"

Ding!

[ NOPE, HOST! ] the System’s blue screen chimed back, displaying a sweating digital emoji. [ After their explosive breakup on campus, Kael’s personal belongings weren’t really detailed in the original script! The novel focused strictly on his rapid descent into dark zombie lord status! ]

"Hmm..." Lyra shook her head, trying to shake off the eerie, lingering chill that the discovery had sent down her spine. "Whatever... What about the main plot?! Why on earth did I end up witnessing his secret murder scene at the mall instead of the Female Lead?! What shall we do now?!"

[ Ahem... Since you aren’t the official Female Lead, it shouldn’t cause a fatal system error, Host! ] the System reassured her with a glowing green checkmark. [ The overarching narrative will still push forward naturally. Seraphina will inevitably stumble upon his true identity later on in the storyline anyway! ]

"I guess..." Lyra hummed softly under her breath, though a tiny knot of unease remained tight in her stomach.

THUMP!

Lyra’s forehead slammed right into Senior Sister Claire’s broad back as the tall woman suddenly stopped dead in her tracks outside a quiet residential door!

Claire turned around on her long frame, thrusting a neatly folded stack of clean, soft clothes directly into Lyra’s arms. Unlike the oversized vanguard uniforms, these clothes were tailored perfectly for a slim, delicate girl- a comfortable cream-colored knit sweater and a pair of fitted grey trousers.

Lyra blinked her eyes in surprise, looking down at the soft fabric. "This..."

Claire stayed completely silent for a long moment, her hazel eyes gazing at the ceiling before she spoke in a quiet register: "These were my little sister’s clothes. Wear them."

Lyra’s eyelashes fluttered with genuine curiosity. "Uh... what about her? Where is she now?"

Claire’s tall frame went rigid for a fraction of a second. She turned her head toward the dark hallway, her face carving into a cold mask.

"She... she’s dead," Claire said flatly. "Get changed, then meet me on the central training grounds immediately."

Without waiting for a response, Claire turned on her heel and stomped down the stairs, her combat boots echoing softly through the quiet corridor.

Lyra stood there awkwardly in the silent hallway, holding the soft cream sweater against her chest, her jaw slightly agape.

Yikes... I really shouldn’t have asked that, Lyra scolded herself internally, feeling a sudden pang of guilt.

Yet, as she looked down at the clean clothes, a warm realization washed over her. When Claire had first lent her clothes back in the infirmary, she hadn’t offered these personal items. The fact that Claire was willing to hand over her late sister’s belongings meant that Lyra had officially earned a genuine, special place in the fierce vanguard leader’s heart!

Lyra quickly stepped into her room and changed out of Kael’s oversized black shirt. The cream sweater and fitted trousers fit her slender frame like a charm, the long trousers completely hiding her porcelain-white legs from view.

System! Lyra called out as she pulled her dark hair into a neat ponytail. When are we going out to raid a clothing store for fresh outfits?!

Ding!

[ HOST, WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL MIDNIGHT! ] the System advised, golden radar lights pulsing on the screen. [ Sneaking out during daylight hours will draw too much attention from both the guards and roaming mutant packs! Midnight is our safest window! ]

Lyra nodded in agreement. "Got it."

Ten minutes later, Lyra trotted out onto the bustling central training grounds.

The moment she reached the front ranks, she froze completely!

Standing directly to her left was Kael Noctis, his dark coat draped over his broad shoulders, his piercing emerald eyes fixed straight ahead. Standing directly to her right was Evander, standing equally tall with his messy reddish hair and sharp, mischievous posture.

Lyra was squished directly into the tight middle space between both men!

EH?! Why am I standing right in the middle of these two towering skyscrapers again?!! Lyra wailed inside her soul, hopping slightly on her toes!

The surrounding recruits and vanguard members couldn’t help but cast wide-eyed, whispering glances over at the trio. Positioned between the cold Zombie King and the arrogant Vice Captain, Lyra looked like a delicate piece of tender white meat trapped between two monstrous, hungry apex predators!

Lyra gulped heavily, keeping her chin tucked down as the grueling physical conditioning drill commenced.

For two relentless hours, the recruits were put through high-intensity tactical drills, heavy sprint laps, and combat strikes. Despite her body aching from her recent gunshot recovery, Lyra gritted her teeth and pushed herself to keep up, her small chest heaving violently, sweat dripping down her flushed, rosy cheeks.

"DRILLS COMPLETE!" Claire’s command finally echoed across the courtyard!

The moment the order dropped, Lyra’s numb, exhausted legs completely gave out beneath her! Her knees buckled, her vision swimming with yellow spots as her small body tilted forward toward the hard gravel-

SWOOP!

Before her face could touch the ground, two strong, lightning-fast arms reached out simultaneously from both sides!

Kael’s broad hand wrapped firmly around her left wrist, while Evander’s long arm caught her right elbow, instantly hoisting her fragile frame back to a standing position!

Lyra blinked her blurry eyes, looking back and forth between the two men holding her up.

Kael’s cold emerald eyes flicked sideways, landing dead onto Evander’s hand gripping her right arm. The temperature around Kael instantly plunged into absolute, suffocating ice!

Without uttering a single word, Kael coldly released his grip on Lyra’s wrist, turned his broad shoulders, and walked away toward the command tower with long strides.

Lyra stood there panting, watching his dark, retreating back with furrowed eyebrows. Wait... did that crazy Zombie King just try to help me stand up before he walked off?!

She shook her head, a soft shiver running down her spine. She didn’t know why, but whenever Kael’s cold skin brushed against hers, an intense, electric shiver surged through her body- probably because he was a terrifying, half-dead mutated monster whose body was as cold as frozen steel!

Far across the training grounds, standing near the medical supply tent, Seraphina Gold watched the entire scene unfold.

The holy saintess bit down hard on her rosy lower lip, her wide hazel eyes trembling with a mix of hidden envy and deep bitterness. That girl has zero awakened abilities... she’s completely useless to the base... yet why are both the Captain and Vice Captain constantly treating her so specially?!

As night fell over the library base, the central dining hall was filled with the low clatter of metal trays and weary chatter.

Lyra sat at the long table, happily digging into her bowl of hot rice and stewed vegetables. She was seated comfortably between Senior Sister Claire and Evander.

Kael was nowhere to be seen in the dining hall.

Good thing he’s not here! Lyra cheered internally, munching happily on a piece of carrot. I definitely don’t want to see his scary, cold face while I’m enjoying my dinner!

Evander leaned his elbow on the table, looking down at Lyra’s small frame with a mockingly critical scowl. "Eat more, little assistant. You look like a thin wooden stick-easy to break in half with a single punch."

Lyra’s eyebrows instantly furrowed into an outraged glare! She slammed her spoon down onto her tray! "And YOU look like you ate everyone else’s food rations for the next three weeks!"

Evander’s eyebrows snapped up in utter, offended shock! "Did you just call me fat?! Are you seriously fat-shaming your own Vice Captain?!"

"And you are skinny-shaming ME!" Lyra shot right back, puffing out her rosy cheeks defensively!

"I’m pointing out your complete lack of muscle mass!"

"And I’m pointing out your complete lack of manners!"

The two of them began bickering at the top of their lungs, pointing their spoons at each other’s faces like tiny swords!

BANG!

A deafening metallic sound echoed across the long table!

Senior Sister Claire’s muscular fist slammed hard onto the steel table surface, causing both of their food trays to jump three inches into the air!

Claire looked up, her hazel eyes radiating a deathly chill that instantly froze the entire table. "Eat in peace... before I kick both of your loud mouths out to sleep on the courtyard gravel tonight."

Lyra and Evander both flinched violently! They clamped their lips shut, shooting one last vicious, synchronized glare at each other before quietly stuffing their faces with rice in absolute, submissive silence.

An hour later, midnight arrived.

The high-rise library base was swallowed by pitch-black darkness, save for the flickering patrol torches along the outer gates.

Dressed in her old sweater and trousers, Lyra quietly crept down the shadowy 1st-floor storage hallway. Keeping her footsteps entirely soundless, she reached an unguarded side window leading to the rear courtyard fence.

System! Is the perimeter clear? Lyra asked in a whisper.

Ding!

[ ALL CLEAR, HOST! THE PATROL GUARDS JUST ROTATED TO THE FRONT ENTRANCE! WE HAVE A FIVE-MINUTE WINDOW TO SNEAK OUT! ]

Lyra gave a sleek, triumphant smirk. She effortlessly vaulted over the low window sill, dropping onto the soft grass outside, and slipped through a loose gap in the iron fence like an agile, sneaky cat!

However... what Lyra had zero idea about...

Standing high up on the second-floor library balcony, leaning against a pillar, was a shadowy figure holding a supply lantern.

The person watched Lyra’s sleek, small figure stealthily sneak through the iron fence and sprint out toward the ruined city streets.

As the faint moonlight illuminated the person’s face, a slow amused smile spread across their lips...