Chapter 451 - 390: Clearing the Airport Terminal
Without their leader, the zombies in the terminal scattered, wandering aimlessly in small groups through every gate and hallway.
The team’s arrival alerted them to the scent of fresh human flesh, and they surged toward them relentlessly.
Fortunately, the low-level zombies didn’t know how to break through obstacles. Many of them were tripped up by the rows of chairs as they lunged, tumbling to the floor.
By the time they staggered back to their feet, they were met with a killing blow.
Seeing how clumsy the low-level zombies were, the fifty ordinary people grew bolder after killing their first one. They formed groups of three or four, back-to-back, and coordinated with each other, managing to take down zombies one by one without a scratch.
And just like that, the four-hundred-plus people entered the airport, starting with Terminal 3, and began clearing out the zombies inside with brimming morale.
But in the end, they were only a group of four hundred-plus people. Even the Ability Users were exhausted after clearing Terminal 3, to say nothing of the fifty ordinary people.
Just as they reached the point of exhaustion, Flora Bloom arrived with Neal Wallace, Ethan Monroe, and the others.
Everyone checked each other to make sure no one was hurt. Once confirmed, the Ability Users sat down on the spot to absorb Crystal Cores, while the ordinary people drank the diluted spiritual water Flora had given them.
The Ability Users discovered that they leveled up much faster by absorbing Crystal Cores right after a battle that had completely drained their spiritual power, compared to how they used to do it.
From the zombies in Terminal 3 alone, they had each collected another two Crystal Cores.
Flora and her small group swept through Terminal 3 one last time. Once they confirmed that no zombies were left, they began to leisurely browse the terminal.
The restaurants in the terminal were mostly fast-food joints or places that cooked to order, so with their limited daily supplies, not many ingredients were left. Moreover, after so much time had passed since the apocalypse, the terminal’s power system had likely been destroyed, leaving the interior without any air conditioning or lights.
So, Flora, along with Jade and a few other women, browsed through the duty-free shops, feeling like Grandma Lowell entering the Grand View Garden.
Designer bags, brand-name watches, and even luggage were all swept into Flora’s space. Next were the imported food shops with items that had long shelf lives; she put chocolates, bread, and various pastries into her space as well.
As they moved along, Flora took practically everything she saw, especially clothes, shoes, and daily necessities, stashing them all in her space for the future.
When Flora and her group finished exploring Terminal 3 and returned to the resting area, they were surprised to see the five hundred-plus Ability Users crowded around the spot where the fifty ordinary people had been resting.
"What’s wrong? What’s going on?"
Caleb Bloom emerged from the crowd and said, "Flora, you’re back. Quick, come and see. This guy seems to have a fever."
Flora walked over, and the crowd automatically parted to make a path for her. Lex Cross had been following slowly behind her and the other women while they were gathering items, his arms folded across his chest.
He now stepped in front of Flora to examine the ordinary person, who was curled up and trembling on a row of seats.
"It’s fine. Just a fever."
Flora and her group breathed a sigh of relief, but the five hundred-plus Ability Users, including Sepherdine’s team members, looked as if they were facing a powerful foe. However, they were no longer the same thoughtless people from the early days of the apocalypse.
They knew that although a fever was dangerous, it also came with an opportunity. If he could endure this stage, this ordinary person would become just like them—no longer ordinary.
"But, we should still isolate him from everyone. What if he fails to awaken? We’ll all be in danger."
"Even though we aren’t afraid of newly turned zombies anymore, it’s best if these ordinary people keep their distance."
Flora was somewhat relieved to see that while their eyes held caution and a sense of crisis, they didn’t just mindlessly push away the man with the fever.
It made bringing them out to train, fight, and level up feel worthwhile.
She walked over to the man with the fever and sat down in the seat next to him.
"What are you all crowding around for? Those who need to rest, go rest! We have to continue clearing the terminal in a bit! Don’t think that just because we cleared Terminal 3, clearing the other two will be just as easy!
Don’t forget, the check-in hall is where the crowds were largest."
Instead of feeling tired, the crowd was invigorated by Flora’s words.
It was strange. In the past, when they went out in teams of a few dozen to clear out scattered zombies on the city’s outskirts, they would end up exhausted. Plus, people would get injured from time to time.
Although they had never personally witnessed an Ability User getting reinfected after an injury, the fear was always present.
But this time, not only was no one injured, but their proficiency with their superpowers had also improved significantly.
This Flora... she didn’t seem to exert much effort, yet they all felt an inexplicable sense of trust toward her.
"Um, Captain Bloom, why don’t we watch him instead? You’re pregnant, you should go get some proper rest!"
Flora smiled faintly. "I’m telling you to rest so you’ll be ready for the fight ahead, that’s all. Besides, I can tell you with absolute certainty that this man has a one-hundred-percent chance of awakening. There’s no need to worry."
"One hundred percent?" The Ability Users looked at Flora, skeptical. "Captain Bloom? Are you serious about that?"
"Yeah, Captain Bloom. With a fever this high, are you sure he’ll awaken and not turn?"
The ordinary people standing to one side looked on with faces full of hope.
"I’m sure. It’s not like he was scratched or bitten by a zombie. This phenomenon is a natural awakening. Think back. Were there any among you who suddenly developed superpowers right when the apocalypse began?"
Two Fire Ability Users stepped forward. "That was me," one said. "When the apocalypse began, a zombie tackled me, and a flame suddenly appeared in my palm. If it hadn’t, I would have died right then and there."
"Me too! But I just took a nap and almost burned down the house," the man said sheepishly. His experience was the same as Neal Wallace’s.
However, Neal Wallace had been scratched by a zombie back then and only developed a high fever after Flora healed him.
"Then think back. Did any of you have a fever before the apocalypse? You might have dismissed it as a simple cold, but did you feel much better after the fever broke?"
"Yes, yes, I remember now! I had a strange fever for a whole day back then. I didn’t take any medicine, just slept it off, and when I woke up, I was completely fine.
Oh, don’t tell me I awakened my superpower because of that fever?"
"Ah! Now that you mention it, me too! After that fever, I suddenly felt a special connection to plants. Later, when the apocalypse came, I awakened as a Plant-type."
As Flora listened to them excitedly trade stories about their own pre-awakening experiences, she decided to tell them about some of the more unique circumstances surrounding it.
"Developing a fever and awakening without being injured by an infected person is called a natural awakening. Then there’s developing a fever after being scratched or bitten by a zombie; that can also lead to an awakening. As long as you don’t give up and hold on with strong willpower for twenty-four hours, you can awaken.
However, this method of awakening is more dangerous and comes with the risk of turning into a zombie. But I also need to remind everyone that if an Ability User is injured by a zombie of a higher level than themselves, the probability of turning is also very high."
"What? Ability Users can turn too? That’s impossible, right? We’ve never encountered that before!"