Chapter 37: Chapter 34: Meeting the Leader

“Our Leader, Tyler, should be on the third floor at the moment,” Conner explained while guiding Vlad and Flint through the fortified Mall. “That’s where he set up his office and meeting room for players that work directly under him like me.”

“Right…” Vlad nodded while scanning his surroundings, amazed at how much progress the players made in preparations for the Blood Moon Event.

This mall possessed a variety of shops inside, and the players appeared to be renovating a few of them, turning them into something else. In one of the numerous clothing stores, they were turning it into some armor clothing sector. Vlad noticed that one of the players was currently sewing leather pieces to jackets and shirts on a table. Maybe that specific player had a Tailor class? If there was a Blacksmith class, then that wouldn't sound so far-fetched.

The trio made their way to the mall stairs and climbed up to the second floor. Much like the first floor, there were a lot of players scurrying around like mad. And there were even more players renovating the stores to turn them into something more beneficial. While traversing through the floor to find the stairs leading to the third floor, the group ran into a group of children running past them as they giggled and laughed.

Vlad spun his head around to watch as the kids ran off to continue playing. Then he was reminded that those kids were likely players as well. They were able to survive the hell of the apocalypse. Who knows what they’ve gone through during that time?

“The kids were lucky to survive long enough to become players,” Conner, who noticed Vlad’s lingering gaze, explained the children’s situation. “Those who lost their families during the initial apocalypse had nowhere else to go after becoming players, so Tyler took them in to shelter them. As for those who still had parents, they were still separated from them, so they’re only staying here until their families eventually find them.”

Considering how bad things are out there, the chances of those kids finding their parents are…Vlad shook his head, pushing those morbid thoughts aside. He couldn’t afford to think like that. He had to stay focused.

“You guys have been pretty busy,” Vlad muttered in admiration. “The wall of cars, the barricades, and even the mall itself. I guess Tyler got through to everyone to work together.”

“Our only chance of survival is working together,” Conner answered. “This Blood Moon is no joke. Tyler told us that we’re likely going to experience what happened during the beginning of the apocalypse again, but on a much bigger scale. Sure, there were going to be quests to help us mitigate the damage, but we haven’t received one yet. So, either we’re not near a monster nest or…”

“The system is waiting for the last minute to give out those quests, making it even more dire than before.”

Upon Vlad finishing his explanation, all Conner could do was nod his head, acknowledging his statement. “Pretty much. That’s why Tyler told us to fortify our base as much as possible. Every player here is doing their part in preparing for the Blood Moon. It’s either that or we die, so there you go on that.”

Vlad could understand that perspective. Either work together or die together. Obviously, as humans, they would rather team up to survive rather than face a gruesome death like getting torn to shreds by monsters; inevitably becoming their food. However, he was also aware that it’s never that easy no matter the situation. Even if the majority of humanity put aside their differences to work together, there are still individuals who wish to do things their way. Even if it meant going against everything.

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So, where were the rebels? The vampire carefully eyed his surroundings, wondering how many players in this mall were currently plotting against their leader; the very man that banded everyone together to try and survive the apocalypse. He had no doubts that there were at least a few among them. It was who they were, that was going to be a bit difficult to figure out.

The group found their way to the next set of stairs and climbed up to the third floor where Tyler was located. Unlike the previous floors, there weren’t a lot of players around. Not only that, but the stores on the third floor looked the same as before. No renovations whatsoever. This meant either no one was allowed on this floor except a few people, or they had just gotten to it yet. Either way, it was a bit bizarre seeing how ordinary everything looked compared to the last two levels.

Conner led the pair down a path as they made their way toward the center of the floor. Up ahead, Vlad noticed that the center path that connected the two ends of the floor was filled with boxes, containers, and various objects scattered all over the path. Upon closer inspection, the vampire could see a lone figure, standing in front of some kind of collage board, the kind you see in thriller or crime dramas.

The group soon makes it to the center, prepared to meet the leader, Tyler.

“Hey, Tyler!” Conner called out, still walking toward his leader. “I have two newcomers for you to meet.”

Tyler was currently facing the board, his back facing the group. His outfit was a combination of medieval armor and modern-day clothing. He wore a black and blue hoodie under a metal chest piece along with arm bracers and greaves over his dark blue jean pants. The black and blue color scheme didn’t mix well with the glittering silver, so it made his entire appearance look a little off. However, considering that this was the apocalypse, fashion was naturally not a necessity for survival.

Upon hearing Conner, Tyler turned around, looking curious at first before a slight grin crept up on his face. He was a young man, likely the same age as Vlad or slightly older, and had short brown hair along with hazel-colored eyes as if his pupils were trapped in a pair of ambers. He had a very charismatic aura that went well with that smile. Vlad wouldn’t have been surprised if he had a few female admirers, considering how charming he looked.

“Ah, Conner, it’s good to see you.” He then briefly glanced at Vlad and Flint. “I see you managed to find more survivors, huh?”

Conner nodded. “Yep. Let me introduce you. This is Vlad and Flint.” He turned to the pair next. “You two, this is Tyler, our leader of the base.”

Upon being introduced, Tyler approached them and raised a hand. “Pleasure to meet you. I’m glad that there are more survivors. We need all the help we can get.”

Vlad stared at the leader’s hand for a moment, contemplating whether he should shake hands with him. However, a moment passed by and the vampire returned the gesture, a kind smile plastered on his face.

“My name is Vlad Stoker. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well…”

Hearing Vlad’s full name, Tyler’s eyes shot up in surprise. The vampire was confused by this, but what he heard next only shocked him more.

“Vlad Stoker…? Could you be the same person that Chloe talked about?”

Vlad wasn’t surprised by Tyler’s question as he nodded his head, confirming his suspicions. While in front of Tyler, the vampire took a glance at his panel that showed his friends' location, only to frown when he realized that they were still a couple of miles away from him.

How come they weren’t in the mall? Where the hell were they?

Vlad turned his attention back to Tyler, the only person he figured knew where his friends were. “Where are Chloe and the others right now.”

Tyler looked a bit intimidated by his gaze but answered nonetheless. “They’re currently looking for more supplies to help with the base’s defenses. But…they’ve been gone for quite a while. And it’s a bit concerning at the moment.”

Deep down, Vlad felt a mixture of emotions before they morphed into two single feelings; anger and desperation. They’ve been gone for a while? What the hell did this guy send them?

The vampire wore a stern expression while keeping his crimson eyes trained on the leader. “Tell me everything regarding their departure.”