I'm trying to get back to this story so here I am. Enjoy.
===
Chills were sent to Zhao Li An and Edison Song's spines after hearing those words from the kid. Axel was certainly not in the right mind. Was he turning already?
Edison had to step back because he did not want to get near the boy. He did not want to get infected at all!
Aside from this, the decaying fishy smell of black blood from Axel was overwhelming. Edison could not help it but vomit.
Leaning towards a tree after feeling nauseous, he threw up the dinner meal he had earlier.
"You had to vomit next to me! How rude!" the young oak tree shouted in disgust. If the tree could only move, it would have smacked and strangled Edison for his indecency.
"I-I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean to," Edison said as he wiped his mouth with his hand.
"Hmph! Disgusting! Get away from me!" the young tree protested.
Edison was about to remove his hand from the tree, when he had another whiff of the rotting blood from the air. He leaned down again and vomitted to the tree itself.
"AAAAHHHHHHH!" the tree shouted in horror.
"I'm really sorry!" Edison finally removed his hands from the tree. Either he wanted not to disturb the tree anymore or that he did not want to hear its voice anymore.
"Are you okay?" Zhao Li An approached Edison who was sitting on the ground.
"I'm alright. It's just that the smell...," he said finally covering his nose with his hand.
"Here, use my handkerchief and cover your nose with it. It should help mask the smell of the blood," Zhao Li An said as he took out the white handkerchief from his pocket.
"Are you sure? It'll get dirty," Edison replied. Yet, the moment he had another faint whiff of that awful smell of the infected, he gagged. Immediately, grabbing the handkerchief, he covered his nose with it.
Edison's eyes widened. With a muffled sound, he looked at Zhao Li An and asked, "Mint?"
Jack heard him as he gave Edison a quick side-eye.
Zhao Li An did not hear him as he was facing and focusing on Axel who was still busying himself at licking the traces of black blood that was on his harm. There was no care to his surrounding. It was as if that the black was the only thing that mattered to him. The child was acting aggressively with his action towards tasting such filthy blood. Such inconsistent behavior could only be attributed to him turning into an infected.
Unfortunately, there was no way to cure an infected. Before one even turns into an infected after being bitten- they would be killed on the spot. It was logical and moralistic to do so. It was a favor. It was mercy. Besides, fewer infections, the better for humanity.
"Poor child," Zhao Li An thought. He curled his hand into fist due to his frustration. If only there was a way to help him. His grandfather would be devastated.
The questions still remain that have been bothering Zhao Li An... How did the infected get into the city without the military or the police knowing?
This was the same question that Jack was asking himself as he observed the child's behavior.
He has never seen a freshly infected individual to seek or have the appetite for infected blood itself. It was usually the other way around. A fresh infected would usually crave human blood instead.
Still, the fact that this child was acting abnormally was already considered a symptom of turning. Unable to communicate properly.
Jack was examining the outer appearance of the child from a distance to check if there were other symptoms of infection. There were no visible bite marks. He was not turning pale or his eyes turning into a cloudy yellow despite an estimated hour since the child's encounter with the two mysterious infected individuals.
What exactly was happening?
Jack felt uncertain. Since the Rain of Miracle, the world suddenly changed and it became somewhat unpredictable. There were hidden forces and variables at play that he could not identify or make calculations. It was like he was in a deep fog- blinded and unable to move. He hated feeling clueless and paralyzed in a position.
Despite this, for Jack, well, he was unfazed since he had seen worse when he joins military expeditions outside the walled city. He did admit that the case with this child was quite bizarre, unique, and interesting.
"Jack, my comrades are here," Zhao Li An answered with his phone glued to his ear.
"The military department is also here but they have barricaded the entrance. They're not letting anyone who's not part of the military department come in," he continued.
Jack only nodded. "I'll call the person in charge and let the police come in."
From his pocket, Jack swiftly took out his phone and dialed the number of his friend in charge of the military group in the park.
"What should we do with Axel?"
Jack faced Zhao Li An. He could tell that the little policeman was upset.
Usually, he would kill someone who was suspected of being infected on sight. There would be no hesitation on his part. Of course, he would receive raised eyebrows from his comrades for being too cold-blooded and cruel. He did not care since he was doing what he was ordered to do and that he was doing everyone else a favor. A moment of hesitation could mean life and death.
Yet, with this case, he would not apply his usual method. Perhaps after seeing that Zhao Zi was sad, he felt pity towards the child. Or perhaps, this was the first case of an ability user becoming infected. Although it was not confirmed what ability the child possessed, it would be crucial to know how infection affects an ability user. Would the infected still maintain its ability? Would it not? If it did, then to what extent could one utilize it? Does it deteriorate just like the physical body? In any case, if this is true, it would only mean bad news to humanity. The scenario would be much more horrifying compared to the pre-rain of miracle. Now, it only made him and the others present question whether this phenomenon was a miracle or a way for god to accelerate the damnation of the humans in this pathetic world.
"I'll have to take him with me, Zhao Zi," Jack said. There was a seriousness in his tone.
"What will you do to him?" he asked worriedly while looking at Axel.
"We'll have to continue to observe him. He's displaying unusual behavior we haven't seen with those who were infected. To be honest, we have no idea if he was bitten or not to begin with- we only made an assumption. There are still many things we don't know and not knowing would be something to our disadvantage."
He paused then faced the kid as well, "Besides, the military has better equipment, facilities, and other resources compared to the police department."
"It makes sense. The government treats the military better compared to the police."
Zhao Zi wanted to ask about Jack's role in the military but he found it inappropriate in this situation. If Jack wanted to reveal the truth, then he would.
"I was not trying to sound rude," Jack replied as he began talking to the captain in charge of barricading the park.
Jack was not trying to sound sarcastic with his statement. It was a fact.
The military would always be, in a sense, the pinnacle of hope for those within the walled cities. They were considered as liberators for that they attempt to reclaim what was lost to humans against the infected. Of course, this sounds pleasing to the ears but these praises from these ignorant civilians were nothing. It was nothing but propaganda. The military was a cruel place. Indeed, its members were treated better in terms of resources gained and prestige achieved, but the things that the military personnel have to sacrifice for such treatment were immense. Only those who were desperate for their lives to end in bliss would join. That was a known secret within the military.
The role of the military is quite crucial to supporting the lives of those who lived within the walled cities. They are mainly in charge of what happens outside the walls. With that responsibility, they are involved with the transportation of goods from other cities and within, defending the city from the infected and the living who attempt to destroy it, reclaiming lost lands, and annihilating the infected by any means.
"How will you take him?" Zhao Zi asked.
"I'll handle it. Wait here," Jack replied.
As soon as Zhao Zi nodded, Jack used his wind ability to take off and meet with his captain.
The wind blew hard that the trees nearby waved and the leaves that fell mixed with the dust on the ground.
Zhao Zi and Edison had to momentarily cover their eyes from the force.
After a few minutes, Jack came back.
He was holding a gun.
Without any warning, he raised his gun. With precision, he pointed it towards the neck of the boy.
"Jack?" Zhao Zi shouted.