Back with the group, Veronica looks at Steven with a suprised expression. Wondering why he'll even consider standing up for someone as strong as Brant. If a fight really did break out, there no way Brant will lose to such a weakling, even before he took the serum.
Steven, notices her suprised expression but ignores her. His mind still occupied with the power given by the mysterious serum. His thoughts had become increasingly chaotic ever since he witnessed the miraculous change in Brant. His elevated physical strength, speed, power control and even emotionally control. What would've happened if he got more of those serums. Let's say he stacked and injected 5, 10 or maybe 50, how strong will he become. More powerful than Marcus?. He imagined himself getting his hands on the formula. He might as well just own his own sanctuary, becoming a king to be worshiped. He glanced subtly at One from time to time. His thoughts unknown. He sighs and forcefully suppresed his greedy thoughts while managing his expression, making sure none of the group members noticed his strange behaviour.
The group moved toward the center of the settlement, looking here and there while also hinting subtly at the mutant civilians about their plan to settle here. They couldn't just stroll in arrogantly with force and think they would be accepted and given accommodation. No, there must be a certain procedure to follow before they would be allowed by the leaders here to own any property.
The deeper they went, the heavier the air felt.
The settlement was alive, but not in a good way.
It pulsed with tension.
Mutants moved quickly, shoulders hunched, eyes sharp. Some bore animalistic features, elongated ears twitching at every loud sound, tails swaying low in agitation, claws clicking faintly against stone. Others had harsher mutations. Exposed bone ridges, glowing pupils, uneven limbs that dragged against the ground.
Bartering voices overlapped in rough tones.
Metal scraped against metal.
A child coughed violently somewhere nearby.
A pot clanged to the ground.
The smell of smoke thickened.
Then—
A loud wail cut through everything.
High, broken and raw.
The sound sliced through the settlement like a blade.
Nearby mutants instinctively shifted toward it, curiosity pulling them closer. Not concerned, just curious.
Steven's group exchanged a brief look before following the sound.
At the center of the settlement, a small crowd had formed.
A family of two stood at its center.
A father and his daughter.
The father's face was clouded with despair and fear, his shoulders shaking as if the weight of the world was pressed directly onto his spine. Dirt streaked across his cheeks. His lips trembled in agitation and desperation.
The daughter, around fourteen to sixteen years old, had fox-like ears and a tail.
In the early days before the pollution, such exotic features would have drawn envious eyes from other women and hot, love obsessed expressions from men everywhere.
She would have gotten enough media attention and recognition, enough for her to become an internet celebrity or movie star.
But now, those features are now a source for trouble. Always living on edge, the fear of not knowing when she'll get captured by a sick and deranged mutant. Her fate will be worse than death if successfully captured.
Her fur was matted.
Her clothes hung loosely from her thin frame.
Tears carved clean lines through the dirt on her face as she wailed, voice cracking from hours of crying.
Steven's group overheard nearby whispers.
"It's the Peters family…"
"What a poor family. Especially the girl"
Sigh
"I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse to have such a beautiful daughter at a time like this"
A nearby mutant spoke in a detached tone.
"They've finally struggled to get the head of an abomination earlier today from scavengers. Used blood coins. Took them the whole of the week to gather enough for payment."
Another shook his head.
"And now it's missing."
The father had been searching for hours.
Under crates.
Inside broken shacks.
Even digging through refuse piles with bare hands.
Nothing.
Tomorrow was collection day.
The Heat Emperor's generals would arrive.
No head meant punishment.
And punishment from the Heat Emperor's faction was never symbolic.
It was final.
The surrounding mutants quickly understood the situation.
Pity flickered across a few faces.
Amusement appeared on others — faint smiles tugging at cracked lips as if this were simply another performance in the wasteland's endless theater of suffering.
Then, gradually, they began to leave.
Even with the constant crying.
Even with the father's shaking pleas.
There was nothing they could do.
They couldn't hand over their own heads out of kindness, especially when tomorrow was the day of collection. Some would've considered it if there was more time. But of course, the price for such a head can be negotiated further. If there were not enough coins, taking away the daughter should be enough for the payment. Especially such an exotic beauty. You won't get tired even after having fun with her for 3 days straight.
Each head represented survival, time and protection.
Anyone with a shred of conscience left has already been swallowed by the chaotic world.
The wasteland did not tolerate any form of weakness. Whether emotional or physical.
It consumed it.
The father watched the crowd thin.
Watched backs turn.
Watched hope dissolve.
Something inside him finally snapped.
His despair twisted violently into madness.
Before anyone could react, he lunged toward his daughter and grabbed her by the neck.
Gasps rippled briefly through those still watching.
The daughter's wail cut off mid-breath.
Her eyes widened.
Disbelief.
Then terror.
Her small hands instinctively clawed at his wrist.
"I'll trade her!" the father shouted, voice cracking, spit flying from his lips. "I'll trade my daughter for an abomination head!"
His fingers tightened.
The daughter's tail trembled weakly behind her.
The mutants looked.
Some measured and calculated.
Others turned away.
Even if she was a delicate beauty,
She offered no survival advantage.
Pleasure?
Most of them were numb to it.
Such exotic beauties were everywhere nowadays, they've even forgotten how many they've had sex with, especially since such animal-type mutants only gained slight enhancements in speed, reaction and senses.
Minor boosts.
Nothing that could stand against stronger mutants in the area. So, they weren't really interested. Especially if it involved going outside to hunt dangerous beings like abominations.
No one wanted to risk their own life for some pleasure.
No one wanted to be a hero.
Not today.
Not in this place.
The daughter's breathing grew shallow.
Her tears fell silently now.
The betrayal hurt more than the choking.
Just as the crushing weight of despair threatened to swallow her whole—
An indifferent young voice cut through the air.
"I'll make the trade."
Silence descended instantly.
Even the wind seemed to hesitate.