**Chapter 8 - Sunshine** The girl’s fox-like eyes were locked onto him, unblinking, glimmering with a mischievous glint that sent shivers down Theo’s spine. Her shoulder-length pink hair, cut into a sharp bob with straight bangs, framed her delicate features—tantalizingly adorable yet perilously intimidating, a duality that kept him on edge. “So, what’s your power, huh, Chubby?” she mused, tilting her head slightly, the lollipop she had been sucking on now dangling from her fingertips. Theo’s brow furrowed in annoyance. “My name is Theo. Use it.” “Oh, and I’m Sunshine! But most people just call me Shine!” she chirped, her enthusiasm almost contagious. Yet, just as swiftly, her bright smile dimmed, morphing into an unreadable mask that hinted at danger underneath. Before he could process what was happening, Theo’s eyes widened in shock as her arm stretched out towards him, fingers elongating unnaturally as if reaching for his head. Instinct kicked in. He summoned his energy shield, but Shine's hand sliced through the air past his ear with an eerie swiftness. A sickening splatter noise echoed behind him. Turning around, dread pooled in his stomach at the gruesome sight: the head of an MB Infectee was crushed, its body twitching grotesquely on the cold floor. Shine, seemingly unfazed, winked at him. “Oh, sorry about that. My powers are a bit unpredictable.” Powers? Theo swallowed hard, his throat feeling dry. “Do you... also have a system?” he inquired, his voice shaky as she casually wiped the blood spattering her hospital gown. “A system? What do you mean?” Shine frowned, confusion flickering across her face. “Your power?” he murmured, trying to gather his thoughts. She rolled her eyes. “Are you blind, Chubby? Can’t you see? I’m elastic! What system are you babbling about?” With an exaggerated huff, she crossed her arms defiantly. “These zombies tried to munch on me while I was trying to sleep in my room. They practically crashed my nap! But their bites didn’t even scratch me. Out of pure instinct, I started stretching my limbs to swat them away. The things just don’t die, but I figured out that smashing their heads seems to do the trick.” She pouted, her expression that of a child complaining about a broken toy. Theo’s brows knitted together. “So, you were also hit by a meteorite?” “Yep! I guess that meteorite made me all rubbery,” she replied, still pouting before her eyes glimmered with curiosity. “I saw you battling that grotesque creature. You seem to have immense strength. No normal human could shatter a wall and the ground like that while taking down a monster.” She gestured towards the damaged wall and the fractured floor beneath them, a look of admiration brightening her gaze. “I’m not entirely certain which power I acquired, but you’re right. I definitely gained some strength,” he admitted with a heavy sigh. Then, turning serious, he fixed his gaze on her. “What?” she scoffed, her brow arching incredulously. “I know I’m pretty, but staring like that in this situation—” “How old are you?” he cut in, urgency underlying his voice. “Seventeen,” she replied, her frown deepening. Theo crossed his arms resolutely. “I’m older than you, young lady. Consider me your older brother and show me some respect! My name is Theo!” A smirk danced on her lips. “You’re not my brother, so don’t boss me around. I’ll call you what I want. To me, you’re still Chubby.” Before he could retort, she turned on her heel with a flourish. “Where are you going?” he called after her, a hint of desperation in his tone. “Getting changed! I reek of blood,” she tossed back over her shoulder. Theo turned his attention to the other side of the floor, an area he hadn’t explored yet. An eerie silence hung in the air, a silence that suggested everyone was hiding in fear. ‘Should I clear out the whole floor of MB Infectees?’ he wondered. Yet the thought of encountering another Meteorborn made him hesitate. 'I need more money,' he mused. He had to secure a safe haven for his family, particularly for his mother. Besides, eliminating more MB Infectees could prevent the infection from spreading further. Not to mention he needed to enhance his capabilities, especially acquiring new powers and abilities for whatever challenges lay ahead. Just as he made a move towards the unexplored area, a hand gripped his wrist firmly. “What do you think you’re doing?!” Theo yanked his hand free and faced the security guard. “I’m trying to help others by taking down more infectees. What else would I be doing?” The urgency pressed against him; he needed to act before the military reached their floor. They would surely be eliminating infectees, and he wanted to assist them to earn more gold coins. “Are you out of your mind?! Just stay in the safe room and reinforce it with the others. Come with me!” the guard commanded, tugging on his arm. But Theo brushed the guard’s hand away with irritation. “Please, just rescue more survivors. I need to do this.” “Listen, young man—” Before the guard could finish, a pair of limbs suddenly circled around him, pulling him into a room and toppling him to the ground. It was Shine, her smile wide and playful as she approached Theo. “He talks too much, doesn’t he? Let’s go kill more zombies.” Theo’s expression crumpled. Having her along would cost him points. “What?!” she exclaimed, noticing the uncertainty in his eyes. “How about you hold this wing down instead, Shine? You see, my sister’s at the other end… Can you make sure no MB Infectees cross over and take the elevator like that Meteorborn from earlier?” he proposed, urgency lacing his words. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him. “So I guess your special power is a system, huh? How come you know their names, like MB Infectees and Meteorborn? Wow… the powers you obtained seem way better!” Her eyes gleamed, awestruck. “You have a system guiding you!” ‘This girl seems much more astute than her playful demeanor suggests,’ Theo thought to himself. With a half-smile, he replied, “I’m still figuring out my abilities. Just hold this area down. I promise I’ll be back soon.” “Alright, Chubby,” she said with a mischievous grin. She glanced at her wristwatch, adding, “I’ll give you fifteen minutes to clear the other side. If you’re not back by then, I’m coming to save you.” He offered a simple nod, the weight of the unspoken promise hanging in the air. “Good luck, Chubby! Timer starts now!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the corridor. Shaking his head, Theo steeled himself and moved towards the unexplored side of the floor. His gaze scanned the dimly lit hallway until it landed on a mounted emergency box against the wall, a firefighter's axe resting on its hooks. Without a moment's hesitation, he strode towards it and smashed the glass with his elbow. “This’ll do,” he muttered, gripping the axe handle tightly. Just as he turned, a group of four MB Infectees stumbled out of an open patient room, their bloodshot eyes locking onto him as one screeched a chilling, guttural cry before charging forward. Theo barely had time to think. With a swift step forward, he swung the axe, the blade slicing through the Infectee’s head with primal efficiency. [Ding! +10 EXP, +1 Gold Coin] Fueled by adrenaline, he moved fluidly against the remaining three, methodically dispatching each one with a precision that felt almost instinctual. [Ding! +10 EXP, +1 Gold Coin] [Ding! +10 EXP, +1 Gold Coin] [Ding! +10 EXP, +1 Gold Coin] It had become almost too easy, emboldened by the energy shield that wrapped protectively around him, allowing him to face multiple foes with unyielding confidence. After felling more than ten MB Infectees, a new notification burst to life before his eyes. [Ding! Basic Mutation Power Unlocked: Instinctive Evasion: Reaction speed improved.] A breath of relief escaped him. Time had flown—fifteen minutes were already up, and he was sure he had cleared this segment of the floor. Turning to head back to his sister, the sound of boots thudding against the floor abruptly halted him. Spinning around, he found himself face-to-face with a line of soldiers storming in through the fire exit, rifles raised, aimed directly at him. “Don’t move!” one shouted, his voice crisp and authoritative. “Hands up, now!” Theo’s heart raced, the stakes higher than ever.