They returned to the parking structure to find another kind of chaos.
Linda, the mother, was arguing with Mr. Chen about food rationing.
"We need to eat now. My kids are starving," she insisted.
"And if we eat everything we brought now, what do we eat tomorrow?" Mr. Chen encountered it.
Sophie was crying in the corner. One of Linda's kids, a boy around ten, on the contrary was trying to comfort her.
Marcus's face darkened to see his crying sister. "What happened?"
"Your sister's scared," Linda snapped, glaring at Mr. Chen. "Because someone told her we might run out of food."
"I was being realistic—"
"You were being an asshole!"
Eli dropped the duffel bag on the ground hard, creating a loud thud.
Everyone stopped and glanced at Eli.
"We have food," Eli said flatly. "And water. And medical supplies. Enough for three days if we're smart about it."
Linda blinked. "You… you actually bring stuff?"
"Yeah. Now all of you sit quietly and let me think."
All of them obeyed him, and sat on their own chosen spots.
The system suddenly reminded him about his 3rd quest.
[QUEST 3: MAINTAIN MORALE]
[INTERACT WITH SURVIVORS (0/3)]
Eli took a deep breath.
'Right. I had to talk to them.'
He started with Sophie. She was still crying when he knelt down to her.
"Hey," Eli said gently. "You okay?"
Sophie shook her head, wiping her tears.
"What's wrong?"
"Mr. Chen said we're gonna run out of food. And then we'll starve. Like in the movies."
Eli glanced at Mr. Chen, who had the decency to look guilty.
"We're not gonna starve," he said. "I just brought back a bunch of supplies. There's food. See?"
He showed her the duffel bag—canned goods, water bottles, and energy bars.
Her eyes widened. "That's a lot."
"Yup. And I'll get more tomorrow. And the day after. As long as you're here, I'll make sure you're fed. Okay?"
Sophie sniffled. "Promise?"
"Promise."
She hugged him tight suddenly.
Eli froze. He wasn't good with kids. Even with people, in fact.
But he hugged her back.
[SURVIVOR INTERACTION: SOPHIE - MORALE INCREASED]
[QUEST PROGRESS: (1/3)]
His next target was Linda.
She was sitting with her two kids, sorting through the supplies.
"Thank you," she said quietly when Eli approached her. "For this. For… everything."
"Just doing my job," he said carefully.
"Your job is to save people?"
"Apparently."
Linda looked at him, observing him. She looked at the glowing hands, and his exhaustion showed in his eyes.
"What's happening to you?" she asked.
Eli was considering lying, but once again, what was the point?
"I'm losing my humanity," he said simply. "Every time I use my power, I lose a little more. Eventually, I'll turn into one of them.'
Linda gasped, her face went pale. "How long?"
"I don't know. Depends on how much I use it."
"And if you stop using it?"
"Then we all die."
She went silent. Eli knew she was worried about him turning into one of the monsters, while he stayed around them.
But he said nothing.
"That's not fair," Linda finally whispered.
"No. It's not."
She reached out and squeezed his hand for a moment.
Eli twitched, but let her do it.
"Then we'll make sure it's worth it," she said.
[SURVIVOR INTERACTION: LINDA - LOYALTY INCREASED]
[QUEST PROGRESS: (2/3)]
Finally, he went to the last of the problem sources. Mr. Chen.
The old man was sitting alone, staring out at the city.
Eli sat down next to him, then just silent.
"I'm sorry. For scaring the girl." Mr. Chen said without looking over him.
"She'll be fine."
"Will she? Will any of us?"
Eli didn't answer.
"My son died yesterday, before all of these happened," Mr. Chen said quietly. "His name was David. He was an accountant. He had a heart attack at work."
Eli felt his throat dry.
David Chen.
The third soul he remembered he consumed yesterday.
"I'm sorry," he said, not knowing what else to say.
"He was a good boy. He just worked too hard. Stressed too much. But he was caring."
'I know… I felt it when I consumed him…'
"I'm sure he did," Eli managed to answer. His voice sounded distant.
Mr. Chen finally looked at him.
"You're a good kid too. Trying to save people. But remember, don't lose yourself doing it."
Eli almost laughed. The advice was too late for that.
"I'll try," he said, then bid him goodbye.
[SURVIVOR INTERACTION: MR. CHEN - TRUST INCREASED]
[QUEST PROGRESS: (3/3)]
[QUEST 3 COMPLETE: MAINTAIN MORALE]
[LOYALTY BONUS APPLIED]
*******
That night, Eli sat alone on the roof of the parking structure.
The city was dark, but now the fires were gone. Only the red sky remained above them.
[DAILY QUEST SUMMARY]
[QUESTS COMPLETED: (2/3)]
[QUEST 2: ESTABLISH PERIMETER - INCOMPLETE]
[CORRUPTED SOULS CLEARED: (1/8)]
[TOTAL EXP GAINED: 410]
[CURRENT EXP: 2060/3000 TO RANK D]
He was close to ranking up again. But it would cost more humanity for sure.
His Humanity Index was now 68%, so he had eighteen percent to work with.
Maybe nine more souls before the percentage dropped to 50%.
'Am I already a monster?'
Eli didn't know. It felt he was only consuming, and he ended the trapped souls out of mercy.
Then, he heard footsteps behind him.
It was Marcus, he climbed onto the roof, carrying two cans of soup.
"Thought you might be hungry," the kid said, handing out one can to him.
Eli took the can. "Thanks."
They are in silence.
"You think we'll make it?" Marcus asked eventually.
Eli looked at the charred city.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But we'll try."
Marcus nodded. "That's all we can do, I guess.'
They both sat there until the sun set, until the corrupted souls began to visibly glow brighter in the darkness below.
Tomorrow, Eli would clear the perimeter, and he wasn't sure he would be able to maintain his humanity.
But at least he saved six people.