Global Evolution: I Became A Zombie!-Chapter 213 - 209: Salvation or Damnation? (1)

A few minutes ago...

Timo was running towards the ship. His chest was burning, but he didn’t care about that. His mind was filled with Bron’s final words. Soon, the massive vessel came into view.

However, just as he was about to break through the forest, he heard a voice.

[It’s a pity.]

Timo froze in place, his eyes darting around, but there was no one there apart from the ship’s crew in the distance. But the voice he heard sounded like someone was standing right next to him.

[Why do you bother looking so serious? In the end, you will abandon anyone to save yourself. So why act as if you care?]

Timo waved his hands wildly, trying to swat away the voice, but the more he tried, the louder it got. Even clutching his ears didn’t help.

Deep down, Timo knew it had to be the enemy’s trick, but his mind was in too much turmoil to fight back.

"Who are you?" Timo screamed, his voice hoarse from not speaking in years.

[You came to find me, and don’t even know who I am?]

"...heretic."

[Am I? You brand me a heretic, then where are you overlords?]

"..."

[Shouldn’t they be here to cast me out? To kill me? Exile me into the ever-frozen space?]

"Why use a sword to trim one’s nails?"

[What a strange thing to say when I’m using cannons to kill ants.]

A vein bulged on Timo’s forehead. They were already aware that Blaze wasn’t an ordinary foe, yet they kept fighting, thinking he’d be weak, considering their environment.

However, the report from the higher civilization regarding Blaze seemed outdated. The one mentioned in the report was still killable, but the one Timo was conversing with wasn’t.

Although he knew Blaze wasn’t a real god, from his demeanor, strategic mind, boundless strength, and situational awareness, he was already one.

No wonder the Deca readily devoted their lives to him. This charm of his... is deadly.

They had merely exchanged a few words, and Timo was already sweating bullets. Not because he was afraid of Blaze, but because he could feel his heart swaying towards him.

If it hadn’t been for the severe psychological training he underwent in Pagona, he would probably be spreading the tales of Blaze’s glory by now.

Whether it was a blessing or merely Blaze’s way with words, Timo didn’t know. But he knew he couldn’t afford to converse with Blaze any longer, or else he might actually submit to him... willingly.

Timo put all his strength into shutting his mind. It was the isolation method he had used countless times to stop his heart from questioning the way of Pagona and the injustice others suffered because of him. This time wasn’t any different.

Just like that, he turned into a robot, walking towards the ship without a thought. The captain and the crew saw him and immediately began preparing for departure.

But the next moment, everything changed.

Thousands of small rodent-like creatures appeared out of nowhere and struck the ship. Before the Pagonans could react, the rats chewed through the metal frame of the ship.

The crewmates rushed to attack them, but against a swarm, they stood no chance. Within seconds, only their bones remained as the rats chewed through it all. Wood, metal, flesh... nothing was spared.

Timo just stood there, his eyes widened in fear and shock. Everything before him had disappeared in a moment.

The rats rushed to the edge of the forest, staring at Timo. They didn’t move to kill him, as if they were waiting for him to make a decision.

Timo looked down and then back to where the ship had been mere moments ago. It was at that moment that he realized that Blaze wasn’t playing around.

Every move the Pagonans thought they had executed in absolute secrecy lay bare before Blaze as obvious ploys.

Even the fact that they were still alive had something to do with his plan. After all, he could have had them killed the moment they stepped into the fog, but he didn’t.

As for why, Timo had a good idea.

Pagona was a foreign land to Blaze. If he wanted to conquer it, he needed information about the place, its culture, its defenses, and most importantly, its connection with the Collective.

As long as he got his hands on Pagona, no one on Sadarla would dare to lift their head against him. As much as Timo didn’t want that to happen, he couldn’t deny the truth laid bare before him. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"What do you want?" he asked, facing the rats.

At his words, the rats jumped onto one another, forming a humanoid form. Within seconds, the ’heretic’ stood before Timo, staring right back at him.

"It’s not what I want, but what I can give you," Blaze mumbled, extending his hands towards Timo. "Make your choice, Little Abbot. Will it be salvation, or... damnation?"

***

Back to the present...

Bron was shocked to see Timo standing there. Soon, the shock was replaced with anger.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" he yelled. "Everyone is sacrificing their lives for you, and you..."

The words in his mouth froze as all twelve of the Pagonan squad walked behind Timo. They looked normal at a glance, but as someone who had spent years with them, Bron knew something was seriously wrong.

Throughout their indoctrination, they had been trained to have absolute control over their will. It didn’t matter how tense the situation became, they always pushed through.

However, their expressions told an entirely different story.

They had given up. No... they had submitted to someone. And the only one who could have done it was the very man they were supposed to kill.

"So... it has come to this," Bron sighed, looking at his comrades, who weren’t his comrades anymore. "Don’t hold this against me!"

With a roar, he lunged at Timo. For the sake of Pagona, he couldn’t let Timo fall into the enemy’s hands, as he knew too much about Sadarla’s history. Unfortunately, there was only one way to ensure that.

Just as the war hammer was about to crush Timo’s head, a thick tentacle wrapped around the hammer. Bron put all his strength into yanking it free, but the tentacle didn’t budge.

How did the creature gain more strength?

"It’s not the creature," Timo mumbled, pointing behind Bron. "It’s our savior."