"Wake? Awakened?" Elijah scratched his head in confusion.
"Awakened are people who developed special abilities after the zombie virus outbreak, like becoming unusually strong, fast, controlling fire, and so on," Wendy explained.
"Oh, I see..." Elijah exclaimed in surprise and realization. "Sis, now that you mention it, I think I might be one of those awakened!"
"You..." Wendy looked at Elijah in astonishment. It was then she noticed he didn't resemble the usual frail individuals seeking refuge with them. His body was strong and sturdy, looking robust and powerful.
"What ability have you awakened?" Wendy asked.
"My skin has become very tough. Once a zombie grabbed me, but couldn't break through my skin, which allowed me to survive," Elijah said, extending his arm.
He wasn't mimicking a defense ability, but with the passive enhancement from his third-tier defense ability, it was already comparable to a first-tier defense ability.
"I don't need a knife to test that; I believe you!" Wendy smiled faintly. "In that case, I can arrange for you to meet the boss after we settle you into a room and you've had dinner."
"Alright!" Elijah exclaimed with delight. "Wow, I'm surprised!"
"Alright, let me continue the introduction," Wendy said, pointing to a floor plan on the wall.
"We have a total of seven floors above ground and two below. The two basement levels are a parking lot and a warehouse. The first floor houses the kitchen, dining hall, and some rooms for new recruits like yourself. Once you pass the test, you can move to the second floor."
"Test?" Elijah couldn't help interrupting. "You don't think just anyone can join us and earn our trust, right?"
"Well... there should be some screening, but you'll find out about the test when the time comes," Wendy replied, steering the conversation away from that topic.
"Moving on, the third and fourth floors are where the awakened reside. Once you pass the test, you'll move directly to the third floor. The fourth floor is where some of the group's leaders live, and I reside there too. After you pass the test, you can come find me at night..."
Wendy bit her lip lightly, giving Elijah a flirtatious look.
"I... I promise I'll pass the test!" Elijah responded energetically, as if infused with enthusiasm.
Then the door closed shut. Left alone in the room, Elijah refrained from making any sudden moves, acting like a newcomer exploring his surroundings, then eventually settling down on the bed to rest.
"I have to be careful; they might have cameras or some kind of surveillance that can see through walls," he thought to himself. "There's definitely something unusual here. With so many Awakened, they must have unconventional methods for awakening."
"And about their leader, Matthew, he's likely on a floor above the fifth, but I'll need Wendy to lead me to the exact floor," Elijah pondered.
As for the test, Elijah had no idea what to expect and decided to take things one step at a time. If worse came to worst, he could abandon this infiltration game altogether, but that would risk upsetting Matthew.
Meanwhile, outside, Wendy's expression faded as soon as she left the room.
"He's not bad looking. I hope he passes the test," she murmured, licking her lips involuntarily. "Otherwise, it would be a shame."
A chilling smile appeared on Wendy's face as she headed towards the cafeteria.
Back in the room, Elijah lay on the bed for a while, contemplating his next move, when suddenly he heard a knock at the door.
Opening it, he found a middle-aged chubby man he didn't recognize, with a slick, oily grin on his face. "Hey buddy, new here? Want a smoke?"
Gavin offered Elijah a cigarette, but Elijah declined. Explore more at m,v l'e-novelhall.net
"You are..." Elijah started.
"Hey, sorry about that! I forgot to introduce myself," Gavin interrupted with a wide grin. "I'm Gavin, also new here, but I've been around a day longer than you. What should I call you, buddy?"
"I'm Quentin. Nice to meet you. So, do you know about the test?" Elijah continued, maintaining his act.
"I've heard of it, but haven't participated yet. They say they gather a group of people to take it together, and it should be today because I saw a bunch more people arriving this morning," Gavin replied, gesturing towards a few rooms nearby.
Leaning closer to Elijah, Gavin's expression turned mysterious. "Although I'm not sure what the test entails, I've heard that if you pass, they can help unlock our potential and turn us into Awakened individuals. You know about Awakened, Quentin? Once you become Awakened, your strength and treatment are on a whole different level! Outside, you can handle zombies like it's nothing.
Inside the group, the treatment is top-notch. They say you can go to the third floor, have wine, eat steak—it's all just a bonus. Have you met Wendy? She's something else! Once you're Awakened, you can do whatever you want..."
Gavin's voice trailed off as he swallowed hard, his expression filled with longing.