One month and two weeks had passed since Andrea left the confines of the Oriental, driven by a relentless quest to locate her parents. She had followed every available lead, determined to uncover the truth of their whereabouts. However, upon finally reaching the last known location of her parents, she was met with an unsettling silence and emptiness.

The house now stood eerily quiet, devoid of any signs of life. Andrea's heart sank as she surveyed the scene, grappling with the harsh realization that her parents were nowhere to be found. The pain of uncertainty gnawed at her, giving rise to a lingering fear that they might have perished in the catastrophic events of the apocalypse.

As she inspected the exterior of the house, she noticed that it remained remarkably intact. The windows were unbroken, and the doors securely fastened; there were no apparent signs of forced entry or any struggle. This absence of chaos and destruction only served to deepen the mystery of her parent's disappearance, leaving Andrea with more questions than answers. Like, where could they be?

An idea suddenly came to Andrea: maybe her parents had tried to reach her grandparents in Tarlac. It was a practical thought; if her parents were alive and on the move, seeking out family was a logical step.

With renewed purpose, Andrea quickly grabbed her belongings, ready to leave the silent house behind. She had a destination now, and no time to waste. The condition of the roads post-apocalypse was unpredictable at best, but that didn't deter her. 

Whenever she encountered zombies along the way, Andrea would cut them down so any human survivors living nearby could have a safer passage. She made a point to conserve her energy, knowing that the journey ahead could be long and arduous.

Andrea's mind was focused as she navigated through the damaged roads and deserted towns. She kept a vigilant eye out for any potential dangers, well aware that zombies weren't the only threat in this post-apocalyptic world. Bandits and other hostile survivors could pose just as much, if not more, of a threat, though not in the sense that they could pose a danger to her, but to the human survivors.

Whenever her body is tired, he would only need to consume the pill that he had harvested from the corpses of mutated zombies during the Wave at the Oriental. It's what keeps her energized and capable of continuing the journey without the need for extended rest. These pills, a strange byproduct of the apocalypse, had become a vital resource for Andrea, allowing her to push her physical limits and stay on the move.

She was cautious with her use of the pills, however, as she knew little about their long-term effects and didn't want to become overly reliant on them. She kept a strict count of her remaining supply, rationing them out for moments when she truly needed an extra boost.

Andrea maintained a steady pace as she moved closer to Tarlac. The landscape gradually began to change, with more signs of life appearing as she entered regions that were less affected by the apocalypse. It was a small but noticeable shift, and it gave Andrea a glimmer of hope that her grandparents' town might have fared better than others. 

Suddenly—she heard the wind rustling from behind.

"Who's there?" Andrea demanded as she snapped her head around, trying to identify the source of the noise. Her hand instinctively went to the weapon she carried, ready to defend herself if necessary. She had learned to trust her instincts in this new world, and they were telling her that she wasn't alone.

"So you are the woman that broke off from Big Brother huh?" 

It was a voice belonging to a child with a Chinese accent. The owner of the voice revealed herself. She's of small stature, wearing a gothic-lolita dress that seemed out of place in the post-apocalyptic setting. Her eyes were sharp, and she carried herself with a confidence that belied her young age. 

Then—another footstep sounded, this time from behind her. It was a woman in her twenties with bob-cut green hair wearing a faded black denim jacket and tight-fitting black jeans. She appeared more hostile than the gothic-lolita-dressed child, her eyes narrowed and a small hand clenched into a fist. 

Andrea quickly assessed the situation, realizing that she was now potentially facing two threats. Her grip on the hilt of the katana tightened, but she kept her voice steady as she addressed the new arrival.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her eyes flicking between the two figures. 

"You don't even know who we are huh? You know, every member of my big brother harem knows one another. So the fact that you don't know us means that you have escaped Big Brother's control. That means you are a danger that must be eliminated." 

"What are you talking about? Who's your big brother?" Andrea asked.

"Big brother, as in master…" The Gothic lolita revealed with a smirk. 

Upon hearing that, Andrea's eyes widened in realization. So this is what Richard was telling her, the one that mind-controlled her. 

"Where is he?" Andrea asked, growling as she unsheathed her katana. 

"Oh…that's scary," the Gothic lolita said with a tone of mock fear, taking a step back but her confident smirk never leaving her face. "Before we begin our fight, let me introduce myself. I am Violet, and that girl over there is master's property, Seo-Jun. We have covered a thousand kilometers just to exterminate you…and we won't fail!"

Violet extended her hands forward and began.

"Sonic Shockwave!"

Violet focused her energy, and the air around her hands began to vibrate intensely. A moment later, a shockwave of sound burst forth, racing toward Andrea with incredible speed and force. It was a raw display of power, fueled by Violet's determination to complete her mission.

Andrea, with her instincts honed from weeks of survival, reacted just in time. She swung her katana, creating a gust of wind that disrupted the shockwave, causing it to dissipate before it could reach her. She knew she couldn't afford to take that hit.

"You're quick," Violet remarked, her smirk widening. "But we're just getting started."

Andrea didn't waste a moment. She knew she had to act quickly. With a swift motion, she lunged forward, aiming her katana at Violet, but before she could make contact, Seo-Jun moved. She was fast, her movements almost a blur as she positioned herself between Andrea and Violet, taking a defensive stance. 

"Thorns…"

Seo-Jun muttered and one hundred thorns about the size of a hand floated around her. 

Andrea's katana struck the thorns, sparks flying as metal clashed with the hardened matter. 

Andrea jumped back, creating a distance between her and them. This is unusual, those two have magic? Is this part of the apocalypse? 

"What's the matter? Are you surprised? Do you really think that you are a unique case?" Violet taunted, her smirk still firmly in place. "Big brother is the one that gave you that gift. And we are going to take it by killing you." 

'This is bad,' Andrea muttered. This is a threat that she can't confidently triumph. She needs help. She reached into her pouch behind her, grabbed a radio, and pressed a button.

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