The crow led them to the second floor, then stopped before Room 24.

Caw! Caw!

Leon immediately understood. He could also feel the presence of humans inside the room.

"Women?"

Sylvia asked, tilting her head. Then, she gasped softly. "Elena Holmes…"

It seemed she had remembered why she was here in the first place.

"Don't worry, we already found her."

Leon explained, then stepped into the room. The women were huddled together, their ages varying. Still, there were no children or old women among them. In fact, they were all beautiful and desirable. Even evolved men had good taste. As expected, they had overheard the carnage that happened last night and weren't keen on leaving the room even though their enslavers were dead.

Leon's cold eyes surveyed them, noting their hollow expressions. Still, the faint trembling of their bodies betrayed their will to live.

'Since I already cleared the shelter, I should send them away too.'

He raised a hand, his claws sharpening—then froze.

His lips curled downwards, a frown. Something about what he was about to do felt wrong, though he couldn't place a finger on it.

'Guilty conscience? No. That's human.'

He quickly dismissed the thought. He had already slaughtered over a hundred humans, why would he feel guilty by killing a few tens?

'Ah! Efficiency!'

His eyes widened. He finally realized what was gnawing at his conscience. He didn't need to kill them. They could be useful in other ways.

His hand lowered, surprising Sylvia. "Not killing?"

He nodded, "Hm."

Then he snapped his fingers. The sound made the females turn to him with their lifeless eyes.

"I'll be taking you all with me. You'll be useful when trained."

Initially hollow, a small spark ignited in the depths of their hollow eyes. One of them spoke, her expression weary.

"Train us? To?"

Leon waved his hand lightly. "What else? Become evolved. Although I don't expect much, you should produce some good results."

He didn't entertain any other questions and stepped out. "Sylvia, stay with them. No eating."

He then proceeded to search the whole hotel for signs of loot. Outside, the sun had risen, casting its light on the flock of crows that feasted on the corpses.

Finally, Leon spotted a familiar rectangular disc hidden in a drawer in Hurata's room.

"They've cleared a dungeon?"

He was a bit astonished, but then nodded. That explained how Hurata had become a third-level evolved.

Using his system interface, he checked the items inside.

[Third Level Evolution Potion - x1 (used)]

[Second Level Evolution Potion - x3 (used)]

[Sharpshooter Class Card - x1]

[One-Star Shield Blueprint - x1]

[First Level Evolution Potion - x23]

[Second Level Essence Crystal - x14]

[Almerium Metal - x4 kg]

[Calvary Beast Egg - x2]

'They didn't touch the rest?' Leon couldn't help but feel… lucky. Holding the disc, he returned to the room downstairs and spoke to the ladies.

They didn't ask questions and quietly followed him like obedient slaves. It seemed their will had been repeatedly broken to never resist.

He loaded the twenty women into a truck, secured the reward crucible, then drove out of the shelter.

The third-level crow perched on the roof of the vehicle, while its flock dealt with the attracted zombies. Like that, Leon returned to the Red Wings shelter with… company.

...…

Looking at the rows of beautiful women, both Anna and Cassie had dark expressions.

"Why the hell did brother return with a legion of females? And here I thought he needed to cool off, tch."

Cassie scowled in a low voice only audible to Anna.

"How do you expect me to know?" Anna replied calmly, though her twitching face betrayed her thoughts.

They both shared the same feeling. It was like seeing your husband or son suddenly bring home twenty ladies. It was irritating.

"Why are you frowning?"

Leon said as he approached them, oblivious to their thoughts.

"Nothing." Cassie huffed, folding her arms. "So? What did you bring them for?"

"I'm making them evolved."

His answer somewhat surprised them. So he didn't bring them solely because they were beautiful?

'He's not as lecherous as I thought.'

They thought collectively, then shook their heads.

"But why are they all females?" Anna asked, her gaze drawn to those women.

Leon simply shrugged. "Circumstances."

This made them both curse inwardly, but they didn't bother pestering him anymore. Since he said he only wanted to make them evolved, they chose to believe him.

With that case settled, Leon sent Little Tiger to get the potions from the disc, and handed each to the women.

Amelia led them to their assigned rooms where they were supposed to rest after consuming the potion.

"Is that… Sylvia?"

Suddenly, Jayden appeared, his eyes widened. He rubbed his eyes again to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Seeing her still there and alive, he shouted.

"Sylvia! You're alive!"

Dropping the crate he was carrying, he rushed towards her and hugged her. At least he wanted to.

Thud!

Sylvia sidestepped his lunge, letting him fall flat to the ground. She cast a confused look at him, then slowly, recognized him.

"Jay?"

Jayden, still in the ground, smiled widely. "You finally recognized me. Sylvia, you're actually alive. I thought that guy had killed you."

Sylvia glanced at Leon, then back at him.

"Oh."

Her reply stunned him, as he finally noticed the anomaly in her. The Sylvia he knew would have welcomed him with a hug, but this one… felt wrong. Leon's next words confirmed his doubts.

"She's a zombie now."

"What?!" His eyes widened and he sat up, startled. His mind tried to understand why as he desperately scrambled for explanations. Soon he came to a conclusion. Leon must have resurrected her to be a zombie.

"I see…"

His expression cooled, and he exhaled. "Thank you for granting her this opportunity, boss."

He bowed to Leon, then stood up. Turning to Sylvia, he smiled faintly.

"I hope we get to talk like before in the future."

Carrying the crates he had dropped, he walked away.

Beside Leon, Cassie whispered, "So you turned her, huh?"

He nodded.

"Why don't you turn me too?" She smirked, making Anna's eyes widen.

In contrast, Leon was calm. He flicked her head and asked, "Are you almost dead?"

"Meanie!"

Pouting, the girl turned away from him. Leon smiled faintly, then walked into the tower.

"Let's go. We need to begin Phase Two."

"Phase Two?"

Leon didn't answer, making them follow him, curious. What exactly did he mean by Phase Two?

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