They moved in silence. The faint call of crickets filled the distance, joined by the rustle of leaves as something small— maybe a rabbit, maybe not darted away through the brush. Sid's eyes scanned ahead, every sense alert for movement.

Thanks to his HUD awareness, the map projected a glowing path across his vision, marking the exact route toward the cabin. A pulsing pin hovered in the distance, guiding him through the maze of overgrown streets and shattered glass towers. Nexus Green was massive, an endless sprawl of wilderness and ruin but with the system's guidance, he no longer felt lost.

A few more turns through the twisting vines, and there it was.

The cabin sat half buried in the greenery, its roof sagging under a blanket of moss and ivy. Sid exhaled quietly, feeling some of the tension in his shoulders release. He whispered.

"We're here."

Evelise didn't respond. She still kept her head bowed, fingers tightening around his hand as though afraid to let go. He glanced at her briefly, watching the faint tremor in her lips, then sighed and pushed the door open.

The hinges groaned softly, the sound swallowed by the forest outside. Before stepping in, Sid paused and glanced around. He wanted to make sure everything was safe.

"Inventory: Flashlight."

A beam of light shimmered in the air before solidifying into a flashlight in his hand. Evelise's red eyes widened slightly, following the sudden materialization with quiet amazement. Sid noticed her reaction but said nothing. He just tightened his hold on her arm and slowly pushed the door open wider. The wood creaked, the noise sharp in the still night.

He swept the beam across the room— broken furniture, vines creeping through cracks, no movement. Satisfied for now, he moved his chin toward the doorway. Evelise obeyed without a word, stepping in behind him like a sleepwalker, her movements quiet but heavy, her eyes flicking nervously at every shadow.

Everything looked the same as when he left it but he still checked each spot carefully. A single noise outside could mean trouble, and he wasn't about to let ghouls sneak up on them.

"Still clear. Looks like no one's been here since I left."

He turned to Evelise, who stood by the door, still trembling slightly. Her hands were pressed together, clutching the edge of her tattered veil. She hadn't moved since they stepped inside. Her eyes were dull, glassy under the faint light. Sid sighed quietly and set his flashlight on the table.

"Hang tight for a second."

He said, not expecting a reply. He opened his inventory, the faint blue interface flickering before his eyes. His fingers moved through the air, scrolling past weapons and supplies until he found what he needed.

A lighter materialized in his hand with a faint hum of pixels. Evelise watched closely again, her expression caught somewhere between confusion and awe as she tried to make sense of what she had just seen.

Sid flipped the cap open and struck the wheel. A small flame flickered to life. He reached for an old oil lamp on a nearby table and lit it. The lamp's faint, amber glow began to spread through the cabin, chasing the shadows into the corners. Wooden beams, dust, and creeping ivy came into view, giving the place a quiet, lived-in warmth.

It wasn't much, but it was better than the dark. He turned to Evelise, watching how the soft light reflected off her pale green skin and ruby eyes.

"There. Better than sitting in the dark, right?"

No answer. Just silence. Sid rubbed the back of his neck.

"You're… not making this easy, you know that?"

Still nothing.

He sighed again and crouched by his bag, scrolling through his inventory.

"Alright, let's get some food going. Maybe that'll help you calm down a little. After all, you've been stuck in that zombie state for what a century, maybe?"

He gave a half smile, trying to sound casual, but his voice carried a trace of unease. The thought of how long she had been trapped between life and death made him glance at her with quiet pity. Evelise tilted her head slightly, her long ears twitching at the word "century."

She didn't respond, only stared at him with those calm, ruby-red eyes like she was still trying to make sense of the world she had awakened to.Sid sighed and looked away, opening his inventory again.

"Yeah… century or not, you still need to eat. Let's see if canned soup still counts as dinner in this world."

He pulled out a can of beans, a bottle of water, and one of the small tin spoons he found here. After heating the food with his lighter and disinfected knife tip, he set the tin on the table and pushed it gently toward her.

"Eat. You need to keep your strength up. We're not out of danger yet."

Evelise didn't move. She just stared at the tin, her lips trembling slightly. Sid frowned.

"Hey, it's food, not poison. Come on, take it. I know it doesn't look appetizing, but hey, don't expect fine dining in a zombie apocalypse. This is about as good as it gets… for now."

Still nothing. Evelise only stared at the bowl, her expression unreadable, her hands resting limply in her lap. He stared back for a long moment, then sighed.

"Sheesh, that attitude of yours needs fixing. Here, I'll taste it for you."

He scooped up a spoonful and made a show of eating it, smacking his lips exaggeratedly.

"Mmmm, that's yummy! After all that fighting just to revive you, this tastes like a chef's kiss. Uhm, yeah, sorry if I overreacted sometimes— it's kind of a habit, livestreamer trait, you know?"

He smiled awkwardly, then nudged the bowl toward her again.

"See? It's good. Come on, eat… Damn it, don't make me do this."

His tone softened, carrying a note of guilt.

"Ea—"

Before he could finish, Evelise's hand twitched. Trembling, she reached for the spoon. Slowly, she lifted the spoon, scooped a small portion, and brought it to her lips.

The moment it touched her tongue, her expression twisted in shock. She coughed violently, spitting the food into her hand. Sid froze for a second before blurting out,

"What the hell—?"

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