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"Mei Gui, we'll split up here...you know who to look for," I said once we were inside the building. "If you do find one of them...give me a call."

"Understood, Master...but didn't you cut all ties with them already?"

I averted my gaze. "I did...t-this is an exception. Once this disaster is over, we'll each go our separate ways."

Mei Gui stared uncomfortably at me for a while more, then finally sighed and began walking away. "As you wish, Master."

*****

- 30 Minutes Later -

No...none of them are here. I've searched an entire half of the mall, and Mei Gui searched the other half. Neither of us found any of the four girls.

Damn it...why am I doing this? I've already severed all ties with them...so then why do I still care so much?! Was this...what they called 'affection'? No...impossible. I do not understand what love is...so I shouldn't be capable of it, either. But if so...then what is this feeling of dread and worry within my heart that is growing by the second?

Suddenly, my phone rang, bringing me back to reality. I immediately picked it up after seeing it was from Mei Gui, hope in my heart.

"So? Mei Gui, did you find them?"

"...Unfortunately not, Master."

I gritted my teeth. "...I understand. Rendezvous with me at the main gates."

"Understood, Master."

I hung up the call, and headed for the main gates. Mei Gui came along soon after, and I told her my plan.

"Mei Gui, we're leaving here."

"Leaving...the safe zone, Master?"

I nodded. "The girls aren't here...there's a good chance they are trapped outside, somewhere. Knowing those idiots, it wouldn't be a surprise if they jumped in to help out someone else in danger..."

Mei Gui sighed. "Aren't you doing the exact same thing as them right now, Master?"

I was caught off guard for a moment, but quickly recomposed myself. "N-No, this is different. I'm just pulling some fools out of harm's way."

Mei Gui stared at me with a deadpan expression that said, 'isn't that just the same thing'?

I looked away. "A-Anyway...the guards at the front gates where we came in weren't that strong. We should be able to get by easily with some Shadow Magic. The barrier shouldn't have any effect on us either, as it was meant to keep things out, not prevent anyone already inside from leaving."

Who else apart from us would want to go out into that monster-infested sorry excuse of a city now, anyway?

"Understood, Master."

"Hold up you two!" a sudden voice came out of nowhere.

I looked around to see who it was, but found no one. "Hey, Mei Gui, is it just me, or did someone just yell out something to us?"

Mei Gui tilted her head. "Yes, I thought I heard something as well...but I don't see anyone..."

"..." I glanced left and right at my surroundings, but still couldn't see anyone close enough to us to have such a loud voice.

"I'm down here, you idiots!" the loud voice shrieked once more, and the two of us both looked down.

A tiny fluffy orange bird stood there, arms on her waist and cheeks puffed out. I was very familiar with this adorable animal, and I also knew full well her true form wasn't adorable in the least.

"Flaria...?"

"Yeah, that's my name, you turd!"

"Did I not tell you to call me Master?" I said, frowning.

"Huh?! How am I supposed to call a shitbag who literally just abandoned me 'Master'?" she shot back.

"What...? When did I ever do that...oh."

Right...I may or may not have completely forgotten about her existence. I had left her in the house after taking off with Mei Gui at 11 AM today, and haven't seen her since. W-Well, how was I supposed to know this disaster would happen today?

"About that...sorry," I muttered. "But more importantly, how did you even get here on your own?"

"Hmph! Of course I, as a great phoenix, was able to make it in here with ease." Flaria declared, puffing out her chest in triumph.

"...Sure, but how exactly did you do it?" I asked, still skeptical.

"T-That's not important!"

"That's very important! You didn't go showing your real form or any-"

"Master...there's people staring at us," Mei Gui cut in, and I quickly stopped talking. Glancing at my surroundings, I picked up Flaria and the three of us headed for somewhere more isolated.

*****

"...So in other words, you hitchhiked your way in here," I concluded, a less-than-impressed expression on my face."

"W-What else was I supposed to do?! You forbid me from showing my real form, so I have no other way but to do this!" Flaria cried.

Basically, what happened was Flaria had latched onto a survivor's backpack, and hidden herself within it without the owner (or any of the city guards at the entrances, for that matter) noticing. Then, after successfully getting in the mall, she had leapt off the backpack and came looking for me.

I facepalmed. "Honestly, it's a miracle you didn't get accidentally stepped on or something." I gave her a smile, which felt a bit forced. "But never mind that, I'm glad you're safe."

"Hmph! I don't care one bit about you!" Flaria pouted, then looked away. "But since I did lose that fight...as a proud phoenix, I will naturally honor my promise. That's why I'm going to start calling you 'Master' from now on. But that doesn't mean I've forgiven you or anything, got it?!"

I was a little taken aback by her sudden outburst, but that surprise soon turned to relief as I realized this was just her way of showing thanks for my concern. I then turned to Mei Gui.

"Uh, Mei Gui?"

"Yes, Master?"

"D-Do you still have the girls saved on the contacts list of your phone?

"Yes, I do...why?"

"Er...could you give one of them a call or something? Ask them where they are, whether or not they are safe..." I trailed off.

"...Master, is there some reason you cannot call them on your own?"

"No, not really, but I mean...it would be awkward, you know? So let's just have you do it instead."

"...The moment they see my name on the caller ID, they will know it was Master that instructed me."

"S-Still! Better than talking to them directly," I coughed, desperate for Mei Gui to accept my request.

She stared at me for a while more, then finally gave in with a sigh. "Very well, Master."

Then I remembered something, and turned to Flaria. "Oh, by the way, Flaria...did you touch the rainwater, by any chance?"

"The rain? Yeah, I did. It's all dried off by now though," she replied nonchalantly.

I looked at Mei Gui, who had her hand at her chin, deep in thought. "Flaria is a phoenix, making her automatically immune to the poison, which was originally meant to target humans only."

Hearing this, I sighed in relief. "It's true, I haven't seen any animal or Magic Beast-shaped monsters..."

"Huh? What poison?" Flaria asked.

"The humans outside getting turned into monsters...it's because of the rainwater," I explained. "The Midnight Syndicate mixed in some dangerous substance into the rain, thus causing any humans who came into contact with the rain to transform into these mindless zombies."

Mei Gui nodded along. "Correct. And I believe that it takes a certain amount of time for the transformation to take place, since I recall it had started raining far before the transformations actually began."

"Wait...if that's the case, then what if people who were hit with the rainwater but have yet to transform, enter this safe zone?!" Flaria cried in alarm, and I narrowed my eyes.

"That's certainly a possibility, but-"

Flaria shook her head. "No! It's not just a possibility...the person I hitchhiked onto...she was definitely hit by some rain since she didn't have a hoodie, hat, or umbrella, but at the time of passing the guards, she was still human..."

My eyes widened. "No way..."

Mei Gui and I looked at one another, then turned back to Flaria. "Do you know where that person is now?" I asked urgently.

"No...I leapt off right after we passed the guards...but I think she was heading to the bathroom or something, her behaviour was a bit off..."

I gritted my teeth. "Damn it...she's probably already transformed by now. Mei Gui, let's go. Flaria, lead the way to that bathroom."

*****

- A Certain Abandoned Building, Shenzhen -

"My lady, phase one of the plan is complete," a robotic-like man said, kneeling on one knee.

"Good, good..." the seductive woman sitting on a chair mused. She was, once again, eating an apple. "I can tell, my cute little servants are slowly but surely obliterating this city...ehehehe~oh, wait. What's this? There's still a portion of the city my servants haven't destroyed yet...?"

"...It seems the humans have set up a safe zone," the man continued, remaining in the kneeling position like a loyal slave.

The woman chuckled. "Yes, indeed they have...how adorable. Puny little rats trying their best to delay the inevitable."

"My lady, shall we begin phase two?"

The woman shook her head gently. "No, not yet. Let's let these rats play around with the insects for a little longer, giving them a false sense of hope. Then, just when they are feeling victorious...we'll send in the cats."

"A cunning plan, my lady. As expected."

"Yes, indeed...hm?" the woman suddenly sat up straight in her chair, as if suddenly receiving some shocking news. "Oho...what's this?"

"What is it, my lady?"

The woman gave a evil cackle. "Ohoho...it seems that the safe zone these adorable mice have so cutely set up, isn't that safe anymore."