Mutagen

Codon Settlement was no more.

The Military Settlement of Codon, thriving a few months ago under the leadership of Major General Bautista, steadily fell after he was assassinated. It was taken into the hands of the dirty politicians, but it did not take long before it was reduced to ruins. The leadership was passed once more into the hands of the betrayed mercenaries and private soldiers, turning the settlement into a place ruled by tyranny. And now, finally, it ceased to exist.

All that was left of the Codon Military Settlement of the past was the empty ruins near the western coast. All one could see were ruins of its destroyed walls, abandoned tents and huts, and pieces of corpses of both humans and [Infected].

No dead remains were left intact, and most were bones that were cracked and destroyed to pieces.

And even now, while no living was left within the ruins of Codon Settlement, humanoid silhouettes could be seen wandering about. Some looked human, while many looked-like something else.

The [Mutated Infected] that came ashore from the sea.

Codon Settlement did not fall in one day, however.

​ The commotion during the night the [Mechids] attacked Codon Settlement had already attracted the attention of many things in the surrounding areas. And the worst example was the [Infected].

Due to the increased attacks of the [Infected], the repairs and reinforcement of the walls were delayed even more.

And when after that phenomenon, now dubbed as [Fear Phenomenon] happened, things went downhill even more for Codon Settlement. That phenomenon was followed by the explosion of light witnessed from miles away. Those two events paired seemed to have attracted the [Infected] to the island.

The [Infected] that came ashore passing by, becoming attracted to the presence of humans, started attacking the settlements.

Both the Napo Settlement northwest and the Military Outpost south also faced the same situation.

Since the province was an island surrounded by beaches, there were many places where the [Infected] from the waters could come ashore. Those that came ashore near the settlements immediately set their sights on those places and attacked.

Casualties were inevitable. However, the north and south settlements were still managing to hold on with their current defenses.

It was not the same for Codon, of course.

They only lasted for another three days before their weak walls finally fell. Chaos immediately ensued among the remaining survivors living in Codon Settlement.

Knowing it was a lost cause, the mercenaries and most private soldiers decided to leave the settlement. They abandoned the people living there without any hesitation. Most of the food and water within the settlement was taken by them. Worse, these people left while the survivors watched in dismay, not paying attention to objections and pleas. Not wanting any baggage, they did not hesitate to shoot those who tried to follow them without permission.

A few poor people fell dead from these heartless people\'s guns. Only then did those left behind stop in fear, watching the bastards escape into the forest.

Some private soldiers and those military soldiers that stayed after the collapse of the previous reign stayed behind. They tried to help the non-combatants as much as possible and evacuate the place in a hurry.

Unfortunately, the number of those that stayed to help was too small to protect everyone. Worse, due to the mercenaries and private soldiers abandoning the defense line, the [Infected] met little to no resistance before they started to destroy what remained of the settlement.

Many more people died. Only a small number managed to leave Codon Settlement amidst its destruction.

And right now, those poor people clearly took a gamble with their lives on the line. Making their way through the dangerous forests and hills, trying to reach the Military Outpost in the south was not easy. Not to mention all communications were cut off after the world changed. There was no way for them to know if the Military Outpost still existed. However, they had no choice.

After all, their only choices were either to gamble or to die.

***

"That\'s a big one."

Mark murmured as he watched the ruins of Codon Settlement several days after it was abandoned.

Within the ruins, a [Infected] slug-like creature was moving about, seemingly trying to devour the remaining pieces of corpses scattered in the area. Its fat body was about three meters thick, having a length of around five meters. Its clear pink color did not make it look cute, as anyone could see everything it had eaten while slowly getting digested inside its acidic stomach.

It was a rather gross sight.

Many [Infected] of various shapes, sizes, and mutation stages wandered about within the ruins of Codon Settlement. It was not surprising since the strong stench of blood still permeated the area. Unless it rained sometime soon, it would take a few more days before the stench would vanish on its own. It did not mean that the rotting smell would vanish along with it, however.

Mark shrugged. He had no ties to the people of this settlement. There was not much he could care about the people that left this place.

Well, that was how it was supposed to be.

However, the mercenaries and private soldiers who abandoned Codon Settlement were trying to make their way north. With their status, background, and involvement with what happened in Codon Settlement, there was no way they would be welcomed in the Military Outpost in the south. Thus, they only had one place they could try to go.

The Napo Settlement, where the members of the NPA settled. Of course, it was also a gamble to them, like those people trying to reach the Military Outpost. However, they knew the circumstances of the Napo Settlement before the world changed. As such, there was a huge possibility that Napo Settlement still stood tall, unlike Codon.

Mark stared towards the north.

Back before the outbreak, it would only take a few hours to travel through the island from Codon to Napo. However, with how the world changed, it became hard to traverse the island, especially since people could only travel on foot. They also needed to travel cautiously, which slowed them down significantly. Most of all, the dangers along the way would hinder the travel even more. Furthermore, since there were no roads to follow or even other landmarks, people could only travel near the coast to avoid getting lost. This caused more hostile encounters with the [Infected], the [Evolved Animals], and the remaining [Mechids] on the island.

Right now, Mark knew that the mercenaries and private soldiers were still midway through the distance between Codon and Napo. They were currently camping to recuperate the injuries they accumulated from the previous battles.

Actually, Mark had been paying attention to that group of people. His family, after all, was staying in Napo Settlement. They already established their status in that place, ensuring their safety. However, it was different with these armed people. They had already tasted how it was to have authority. There was a huge chance they would ruin the environment of Napo Settlement and scheme things in the dark.

With those in mind, Mark monitored those people for a few days with the help of a [Yasaw] under Diwata Iraya\'s command. It was all while Mark and his group were dealing with the aftermath of the battle a week ago.

And there was one thing Mark had realized while observing those people.

The first [Fighter Mechid] Mark fought had the same fighting style as the leader of the mercenaries during the first phase of the fight. Mark now knew who that [Fighter Mechid] copied with that wild style of close-quarters combat.

And while Mark observed the group, he had yet to decide whether to eliminate them or let them reach Napo. After all, what Mark had in mind were all speculations. If he ended up wrong with what he had in mind, it would not hurt to have more workforce for Napo Settlement to have. Furthermore, there were several [Mutators] among the mercenaries. If these people could reign in their greed, they could become great assets.

Mark put those things in his mind aside as he came out of hiding and approached the ruins of Codon. It was the time for him to deal with the [Infected] in this area.

During this past week, Mark explored his new powers. He already had some knowledge of his new abilities, especially their limits.

Mark could only make full use of the [Aura of Death] while transformed as a Demon. It was not surprising, however. A mortal body had restrictions in terms of magic, while a demonic body had fewer. It was not like he could not use it, but it was not cost-efficient.

Furthermore, like his [Miasma], the [Aura of Death] could not regenerate on its own. It was a different power, unlike [Magical Energy], which would recover over time.

Moreover, it also had a difference compared to [Miasma]. Mark could use [Miasma], create a wall or attack with it, and then retrieve it back into his body. The [Aura of Death] could not do that. If Mark infused the aura into his attacks, it was used up for good.

However, there was one way to recover the used-up [Aura of Death]. It was by killing.

Mark could use the resentment of the dead to "recharge" his blessing. If he killed a living being, he could recover the aura as long as the being had consciousness or sentience. It did not matter whether it was a human or an animal, even a magical creature, as long as it had a certain level of consciousness. Even some intelligent [Infected] worked as an energy resource.

There was also another way to recharge the [Aura of Death], according to Magwayen. It was by absorbing the lingering energy of death in places where many living beings perished.

For example...

The current Codon Settlement, or at least its ruins.

Many people died here a few days ago, and the lingering energy of death was still thick. It was why Mark was here to finally absorb the lingering energy in the surroundings.

It was rather unfortunate that Mark could only do this right now. After all, if he had come here the day it was abandoned, the lingering energy in the surroundings would definitely be thicker due to the deaths being fresh. However, Mark was busy in many ways after the battle. As such, he only had the time now to come here.

Mark stared at the [Infected] roaming the ruins. They had yet to notice him at all. It was one of the benefits of the [Blessing of Death\'s Aura]. Mark had very little presence now, similar to a dead person. It helped him hide his aura, even his magical energy. As such, if Mark wanted to, barely anyone would be able to notice him as long as they could not see him.

Being able to hide his presence and aura was extremely helpful for Mark. After all, many beings on Earth right now could detect that he was a Demon despite having the appearance of a below-average-looking human. It was all because of his natural [Demonic Aura].

Mark approached the ruins close enough. The [Infected] finally saw him. Without hesitation, they charged at him like crazed madmen.

SHING!

The moment the [Infected] reached a certain distance from him, Mark\'s whip-blades began moving, beheading the enemies before him.

Mark sure had grown stronger. In five minutes, he cleared the ruins of all the [Infected] present.

The giant sea slug took a bit more effort due to it being big and capable of spitting acid. It was the same for the [Mutated Infected], having troublesome abilities at their disposal.

Even so, they were all killed, leaving bodies lying on the ground all over the ruins.

With no interference left, Mark closed his eyes and moved the [Aura of Death] inside his body. He began absorbing the lingering energy of death in the surroundings. It was not a pleasant experience since the lingering fear of those that perished was also entering his head. However, absorbing the remaining intent and separating the [Aura of Death] was something he had already experienced.

It only needed a bit of endurance, effort, and time.

And while absorbing the energy of death left in the ruins of Codon Settlement, Mark began thinking deeply.

"Should I let those mercenaries live or not?"

Mark murmured.