Few of the windows in the temporary hospital were open. The ones that were, left ajar for ventilation, were sliding windows that could only be opened halfway.
Flora Bloom strolled toward the operating room at the far end of the hall. The few consultation rooms she passed with open doors were all empty. The faint scent of blood grew stronger the closer she got, until it became overpowering as she approached the very operating room she had left just a short while ago.
Flora Bloom pressed the sensor for the operating room door, but it was locked from the inside. A strange voice called out from within.
"Who’s there?"
"The Adler family sent me."
"Is the mutated zombie dealt with?"
"..." ’The person inside is warier than I expected.’ Flora Bloom didn’t answer, listening closely. It sounded like there was some other commotion inside.
"Mmmph! Mmmph!"
"Behave! Don’t even think about calling for help!"
Flora Bloom frowned. ’That’s Cynthia.’
’The only people in this temporary hospital are the patients, Cynthia Grant, and the other two. What is going on?!’
"Flora, save—!"
"Shut up!"
Flora Bloom heard a sharp SLAP, and then silence from within the room.
"To the people inside, the Adler Family Head has his men stationed outside. You can come out now. Someone will be there to meet you!"
"I asked you if that monster’s been eliminated! Cut the crap! This operating room is perfectly safe, and I’m not setting foot outside until that monster is gone!"
Flora Bloom spread out her spiritual power. She could clearly sense nine people behind the door. One was a Middle-Level Plant Element user—obviously Cynthia Grant. However, Cynthia’s superpower seemed to be completely drained, and her Plant Element energy was incredibly weak.
The others consisted of three Fire Element, one Wind Element, three Earth Element, and one Metal Element user. These eight were all Second or Level 3 superpower users. It was clear that neither Neal Wallace nor Robin Grant were inside.
’Then where did they go? Mr. Wallace and Grandpa Grant would never stand by and let Cynthia be captured by the people inside. Not unless a greater danger drew them away.’
"If you don’t want to come out, then at least let the person who does want to come out leave! If you’re afraid of the danger, you can stay in there. No one’s forcing you!"
"Piss off! One more word out of you and I’ll slaughter that brat, Cynthia Grant!"
"SQUEAK SQUEAK!"
Suddenly, a faint sound came from by her feet. Flora Bloom looked down to see it was the young piranha plant that Cynthia Grant always carried with her.
The little piranha plant’s fist-sized flower head was half-shattered, its leaves were withered, and only a single, broken tendril of its root system remained.
Flora Bloom picked it up and poured a handful of spiritual water over it. The piranha plant’s flower immediately brightened, its withered leaves rapidly returning to a vibrant green. As chlorophyll filled its now-plump stalk, the root tendril grew thicker, and within minutes, it had sprouted entirely new roots.
The little piranha plant had a spiritual link with Cynthia Grant. As long as it was alive, it could communicate with her.
"Is your master hurt?"
The little piranha plant shook its newly repaired flower head.
’It seems the superpower users inside haven’t completely lost their minds yet. Their constant harping on about this "monster," repeatedly asking if it’s been eliminated... it’s clear the mutated zombie has traumatized them.’
Knowing Cynthia Grant wasn’t hurt, Flora Bloom breathed a small sigh of relief. The reason she had entered in the first place was because of the seven superpower users injured by the black scorpion.
The smell of blood filled the temporary hospital. Flora Bloom was certain at least one of the seven had already mutated, and that a confrontation had occurred. Of the nine people in the room, besides Cynthia Grant, it was highly likely that several of the seven injured were also inside.
Superpower users cherished their lives even more than ordinary people and would do insane things to preserve them. For them to go to such an extreme as dragging Cynthia Grant into the operating room and taking her hostage, there had to be a specific reason.
’The only thing I can think of is that one of the injured people saw a comrade mutate and is now terrified they’ll turn into a zombie, too. If they go outside, they’ll be quarantined—and that’s putting it nicely. The moment they mutate, they’ll be killed. They might even be put down beforehand, just out of fear they *could* turn.’
A person’s will to survive often drives them to extreme measures in situations like these.
Suddenly, a bizarre, piercing cry echoed from the second floor. It sounded like a cross between an animal’s roar and a zombie’s hiss.
"Grandpa Grant!" Flora Bloom was startled. It was Mr. Wallace’s voice. ’Something’s happened on the second floor! Neal Wallace and Robin Grant are in danger up there!’