Chapter 54: Chapter 54 - High Fever

“Uh, Zack… these things are alive!” Erza shouted, her voice laced with panic. “Do something! Burn them or something!” “Isn’t this an Armory? What if it explodes?” Erza hesitated.

“Shut up and burn them!” Zack snapped.

“Fine! But if we blow up, it’s on you!” Erza flicked the lighter. Instantly, the flame swelled unnaturally, growing into a blazing fire dragon nearly a meter in diameter.

The fire dragon roared down the tunnel, engulfing the vines in its fiery maw. The dark space lit up like midday as the flames consumed the plants. The crackling of burning vines echoed through the tunnel, accompanied by the acrid smell of smoke and scorched greenery. “Your powers seem stronger,” Zack remarked, pausing his gunfire to glance back at Erza.

“Maybe,” she replied, watching the flames with a mix of fear and pride. “I think my abilities are like muscles—the more I use them, the stronger they get.” As she spoke, the remaining vines recoiled, retreating deeper into the tunnel like a predator that had met its match.

The temperature in the tunnel rose sharply, beads of sweat forming on Erza’s forehead. “Maybe I’ll make you a heat-resistant suit when we’re done here,” Zack muttered.

“Really? You’d do that for me?” Erza’s eyes lit up, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten.

“Only if you keep your mouth shut and don’t annoy me,” Zack added, deadpan.

“Deal! I’ll be the quietest person you’ve ever met!” Erza promised eagerly.

Zack smirked but said nothing, clearly doubtful of her newfound silence.

The pair continued deeper into the tunnel, stepping over charred vines that still smoldered faintly. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke and an underlying metallic tang that made Zack’s nose wrinkle. “Ego, earlier you said the sap had traces of human tissue. What’s up with that?” Zack asked.

“Yes, Sir. The plant sap also contains corrosive properties,” Ego confirmed. “It’s highly likely these vines are part of a carnivorous plant. They kill anything that gets close, then use their sap to dissolve the bodies for nutrients.”

"You mean to tell me this thing is just a giant pitcher plant? Except instead of bugs, it eats humans?" Zack’s voice was cold as he spoke.

"Yes, sir," Ego affirmed.

Zack shook his head in disbelief. "No wonder we haven’t seen a single zombie since getting off the plane. Not even a mutated animal dares to come near this place."

His tone was laced with sarcasm as he muttered, "Okay, this world has officially gone insane."

Pushing the thought aside, he refocused and pressed on. Before long, the tunnel led them to the Armory. At the end of the dimly lit path, a massive gate loomed, partially blocked by a truck wedged in the opening. "Is that a zombie?" Erza asked, pointing to the truck’s cab.

Zack didn’t even glance at it before replying, "Skeleton."

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When they moved closer, his observation proved correct. Inside the cab sat a skeleton, its clothes corroded as if doused in acid. Even the truck’s leather seats bore deep marks of decay. The sight confirmed Ego’s earlier hypothesis. "Step aside," Zack commanded, effortlessly shoving the truck out of the way.

The pungent stench that greeted them inside hit like a physical blow. "Ugh, what is that smell?" Erza gagged, her face pale. "It’s… it’s awful!"

Zack calmly disabled his suit’s odor feedback system and turned to Erza. "If it’s too much, head back out. The smell’s bad now, but trust me—you might lose your lunch when we find what’s causing it."

Erza, defiant as ever, tore a piece of fabric from her shirt and covered her nose and mouth. "I’m not going back. It’s worse being alone in that creepy tunnel than dealing with this smell."

Zack shrugged, respecting her resolve. "Suit yourself. Let’s keep moving."

As they ventured deeper, the eerie silence of the Armory became even more unsettling. Other than the skeleton in the truck, the massive building was devoid of life—or death. No bodies, no zombies. Nothing. The emptiness felt wrong.

Meanwhile, back at the Mansion, little Annie was humming cheerfully as she busied herself in the kitchen, preparing dinner for Sophia. Her movements were smooth and practiced—clear proof she wasn’t bluffing about her cooking skills.

"Annie, you don’t need to do this," Sophia called down from upstairs. "I can manage. Your brother isn’t here to nag me, so I’ll be fine."

"No!" Annie snapped, waving a spatula in the air as if Sophia could see her. "If you dare come down here, I’ll tell Zack!"

"Fine, fine," Sophia replied with an exasperated chuckle. "I’ll stay put." Despite her compliance, Sophia wasn’t lounging. She didn’t want Annie overexerting herself and had been planning to help out. But before she could dwell on her thoughts, a faint burning smell wafted upstairs.

"Annie, do you smell that? Did something burn?" Sophia called, waiting for a reply.

Silence. "Annie?" Her voice grew sharper. "Annie!"

Alarmed, Sophia quickly threw on a coat and hurried downstairs. What she saw froze her in place. Annie was lying motionless on the floor, her small frame curled up near the stove. Whatever had been cooking in the pot was now a blackened mess, its smoke curling into the air. "Annie!" Sophia rushed to turn off the stove and knelt beside the little girl. Her heart sank as she touched Annie’s forehead—it was scorching hot. Grabbing a thermometer, she checked Annie’s temperature: 40.1°C.

Sophia’s face went pale. "Oh no," she whispered. "I can’t give her medicine without knowing what’s causing this fever." Panic began to claw at her. A fever this high could cause lasting damage if left untreated.

With trembling hands, she picked up the communicator. She hesitated, knowing Annie didn’t like Zack being disturbed over "small" matters. But just as she was about to press the call button, the device lit up with Zack’s incoming call. "Sophia, I already know," Zack’s voice came through the line before she could speak.

"You do?" she asked, stunned.

Ego’s monitoring system had alerted Zack about Annie fainting moments before Sophia discovered her. "Yes, don’t worry. Annie isn’t sick. This fever… it’s actually a good sign," Zack reassured her.

Sophia’s brow furrowed in confusion. "A good sign? Zack, she’s burning up and pale as a sheet!"

"Trust me," Zack said firmly. "The fever should break in an hour or two. Just take her upstairs to rest and use a cold towel if it gets too bad. She’ll be fine." His calm tone acted like a balm to Sophia’s frazzled nerves. "Alright," she murmured, cradling Annie’s fragile frame in her arms. Though Annie was light, carrying her upstairs was no easy task.

Back in the Armory, Zack hung up the call, his expression darkening as he turned to Erza. A suffocating, ominous aura rolled off him, freezing her in place. "If anything happens to Annie," Zack began, his voice icy, "I’ll make you regret it. I won’t just detonate the necklace you’re wearing. I’ll rip you apart with my bare hands."

His calm delivery only made the threat more terrifying. Erza swallowed hard. "I-I swear! Nothing will happen to her! This is where my abilities originate,” she explained, her tone firm. “She acted just like I did back then. The process will probably take over an hour… and then, nothing happened.”