The supreme meeting will have a great impact on the direction of humanity, but it currently has little effect on Malrik.
He was still sitting alone in his room, deep in thought, wondering what his next move should be.
'This world… something about it feels off. I should probably start preparing myself. Otherwise, I might end up at a huge disadvantage. As a deliveryman who can do the impossible, I must be ready to carry out my duties under any circumstances,' Malrik thought.
Honestly, no one could understand what was going on inside that head of his. Even after sensing the abnormality of the situation, all he could think about was his job.
"Thinking too much won't help anything. Might as well eat until I'm full and drink enough water. With good health, there's nothing to worry about," he muttered, opening the door and heading toward the cafeteria.
The hallway inside the hospital was cracked and broken, with debris scattered everywhere. If it weren't for the fact that people were still moving about inside, one would've thought the place had been abandoned long ago.
Malrik made his way down to the cafeteria. Though the place had clearly suffered damage, the food, thankfully, was still intact.
He glanced around but saw no one at the counter. The whole area was in a chaotic state—likely the staff had already begun evacuating.
"Well, if you're not going to sell it, I'll just help myself. It's going to waste anyway if you're not guarding it. Might as well let me eat it," Malrik muttered as he walked over to the food trays.
While most people were scrambling to flee the hospital and head to safer shelters in case more earthquakes followed, a young man stood calmly by the food counter, selecting his meal as if nothing had happened.
He picked only the most nutritious dishes, piling them up until his tray was full. Then, without a care, he grabbed a bottle of mineral water and sat down to eat.
"Why are you all running around like headless chickens? Wouldn't it be better to rest and stay calm? That blood-red rain seemed way more dangerous than any earthquake. If you keep running around and get caught in that, you might just meet your doom," he said to himself between bites.
Not long after, he finished eating. Looking out the cafeteria window, he noticed the rain had already stopped. The thick black clouds that once loomed over the sky had suddenly vanished, returning the heavens to their former, tranquil state.
Malrik walked over to the window, raising his gaze to the sky and then back down to the ground. His eyes narrowed, and a serious expression crept onto his face.
"Just as I thought... completely evaporated. Not a single drop of water left on the ground. But there's no sign of corrosion or damage either. Still, I'm certain that rain wasn't anything good," he murmured, his eyes slowly drifting toward the kitchen.
After a long glance, his gaze settled on a bone cleaver—one that looked exceptionally sharp. The corners of his lips curled into a crooked, devious smile.
"Hehe, didn't the doctors say I was mentally unstable? Well, isn't it normal for a mental patient to carry around a big, razor-sharp knife?"
As he spoke, he walked over, picked up the cleaver, and gave it a few experimental swings through the air. It was a good thing most people had already evacuated—if anyone had seen him grinning like that with a knife in hand, they would've fled in terror.
Knife secured, Malrik was about to leave—but suddenly paused. Instead, he dragged over a chair and sat down.
"If I already believe something's off, then I should stay put and wait. After all, there's food and water here, and plenty of knives too," he muttered, eyes narrowing as he scanned the outside world through the window.
But he hadn't been sitting for long when a sudden barrage of noises caught his attention.
"AAAAAAA!"
"AAAAAAA!"
"AAAAAAA!"
...
Screams erupted from all directions, echoing from every corner of the area. Something horrifying was clearly happening—and not just in one place, but everywhere at once.
Malrik turned to the window again—and this time, his pupils shrank.
What he saw was something he never thought he'd witness with his own eyes.
Outside, people were staggering across the ground, their skin pale with a sickly blue hue. Pulsating veins—bluish and swollen—ran all over their bodies. Some of them looked even more grotesque, with their flesh torn open to the bone.
"What the hell— Zombies?!" Malrik cursed aloud. "I knew this shit wasn't normal. Staying here was definitely the right choice."
He quickly turned to block the cafeteria doors—but then, he froze.
'Wait a second… Barricading the cafeteria might not be a smart move. Sooner or later someone's going to come banging on the door. Based on everything I've seen in movies and novels, zombies are drawn to loud noises. I'd basically be digging my own grave.' Malrik thought to himself, scanning the room with a calculating gaze.
Food and water might seem important—but not so much in the short term. After all, the supplies here weren't going to run off on their own.
Weapons, however—now that was a different story. He needed to pick the best one possible. Because if he died, then what good would food or water be?
He grabbed another knife—naturally, choosing the sharpest and sturdiest one he could find. Then he shoved a bottle of mineral water into his bag, ready to leave.
But just as he turned, he froze. Slowly, he drew his knife, eyes narrowing with intense caution as he stared at the figure that had just appeared before him.
It was a person—or something that looked human.
The figure wore a dark hooded cloak. Their face was obscured by a shroud of swirling black mist, concealing everything but two glowing dots where eyes should be.
The attire gave Malrik a strange sense of familiarity. The style was reminiscent of a… delivery worker?
The figure looked straight at him—but didn't make any sudden moves.
"I mean no harm," the figure said calmly. "I'm here on official business. No need to be so guarded. I'm a deliveryman—I've come to deliver a Mysterious Box to one of the lucky chosen. The number is limited. Each person may open only one. What lies inside might be a precious treasure… or instant death. Would you like to open one?"
The voice was friendly—warm, even—and it made Malrik drop his guard just a little. If the figure wasn't hostile, Malrik had no reason to provoke them. He wasn't confident he could win in a fight anyway.
But the only part that truly stuck in his mind was :deliveryman.
That single word made the figure instantly more trustworthy in his eyes.
"As a deliveryman, nothing is impossible," Malrik declared without hesitation. "Of course I want to open it."
His reply clearly pleased the hooded figure. A broad, cheerful smile spread across their concealed face.
"Hahaha! I didn't expect to meet a true deliveryman here of all places," the hooded figure laughed heartily. "I like you already. While I can't interfere too much, I can remove the instant death outcome from your draw."
As he spoke, a cube materialized in his palm—a six-sided box, each face marked with a glowing question mark symbol.
Malrik took the box without hesitation. Since the man had already said he'd removed the death condition, there was no reason to hold back. And even if he was lying and death was still on the table—Malrik wasn't afraid of it.
The moment he opened the box, a radiant light burst out from within.