Dead Man Walking: Living By Day, Dead By Night
Chapter 86: Saying Farewell

The sun rose on the next day, and like usual, when the girls leveled up, they were quick to ask Zane about what they should invest their points in. Knowing that intelligence, wisdom, and charisma were more useful than he first realized. And perhaps even more useful than he understood at this moment, Zane was quick to advise in investing points in intelligence.

Because the girls were lower levels than Zane, and thus required less XP per level up, they actually received two level ups each from the achievement, plus the looted blood crystals they consumed. Thus, they were now level seven and had a full 4 attribute points to spend.

Using these points to achieve a good balance of mental and physical skills was important, and because of this, Zane spoke with Elena and Olivia individually about what they should invest their stats into.

Previously, Elena had invested her five skill points from her previous level ups on strength and Dexterity. Raising her strength to 15, and her Dexterity to 13. Because of this, Zane advised her to invest her 4 current attribute points with 2 into constitution, and 2 into intelligence, ultimately raising her attributes to as follows.

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[User: Elena Pryce]

[Race: Human]

[Level: 7]

[XP: 0/7,000]

[HP: 130/130]

[Attributes]

[Strength: 15]

[Dexterity: 13]

[Constitution: 13]

[Intelligence: 12]

[Wisdom: 10]

[Charisma: 10]

[Skills]

[Time Distortion – Tier II]

---

Naturally, Elena felt the significant increase in strength, endurance, and stamina after raising her points to such a degree. But she also felt a moderate increase in intelligence, one that was now on par with Zane's.

It was a strange feeling for your mind to suddenly expand its capabilities, whether it was processing power, storage, et cetera. Every possible aspect of her mind was increased. Giving her a new outlook on life.

As for Zane, he silently nodded his head in approval to the young woman's choices before moving onto Olivia, who was waiting patiently for Zane's guidance. Unlike Elena, Olivia started off with an increased stat in intelligence rather than strength. And because of this, she had an advantage that Zane had never recognized until now.

Thus, Zane encouraged the woman to continue increasing her physical attributes with three of the four points, while reserving one to increase her intelligence. Which is exactly what she did.

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[User: Olivia Bennett]

[Race: Human]

[Level: 7]

[XP: 0/7000]

[HP: 120/120]

[Attributes]

[Strength: 13]

[Dexterity: 12]

[Constitution: 12]

[Intelligence: 13]

[Wisdom: 10]

[Charisma: 10]

[Skills]

[Electric Discharge – Tier II]

---

Though Olivia was less physically capable than Zane and Elena, she was slightly more intelligent, which Zane was starting to realize would be an enormous factor in the long-term survival of their little group. Because of this, Zane realized he would start having to rely on Olivia's input more often on their plans.

Once Olivia and Elena took a few moments to become more accustomed to their newfound capabilities, Zane announced the plans for the day. As much as he enjoyed spending his time with Elena and Olivia in this relatively secluded area of the city, which they had continuously purged of undead.

Zane also knew that staying in one place too long would invite disaster, and because of this, he urged Elean and Olivia to give up on this location, and once more strike out on their own towards a new location to make temporary camp.

After all, although Zane did not know why, he kept having foreboding thoughts about something terrifying, searching for him. This paranoia was not unusual for him, but the accompanying dread that came with it was definitely new.

In the past, Zane had always trusted his instincts, and it had saved him on more than one occasion. Because of this, he was quite stern when he stated that they would forever be leaving behind Elena's childhood home.

Elena, of course, needed some time to process this information, as she stepped outside into the backyard to say her final farewell to her family. Whose graves were dug just a week ago. This was no doubt a tearful goodbye, one that Zane suspected she would not want him to be a part of, considering the fact that he was the one who dealt with the final death to the girl's family after they had turned.

But surprisingly, as Zane started to turn away and give the girl some space, she grabbed hold of his leather jacket's sleeve and tugged on it. With a near tearful expression on her face, she asked Zane a question he never thought she would ask of him.

"Zane… Won't you say some final words? I know that after what happened all those years ago, my parents abandoned you, and it was wrong of them to do that. But… Won't you at least say goodbye to them?"

Zane turned around and looked Elena in her deep blue eyes. Normally, he would not bother himself with such trivial matters. After all, he in a way had a grudge against Elena's parents, who kept the girl away from him after what happened all those years ago. Then again, when he thought about it for just the briefest of moments, Zane realized past grudges from a bygone era were meaningless.

It was the end of the world. What point was there to hold such anger and hatred in your heart?

Thus, with a silent nod, Zane followed Elena out to the backyard where the two of them would say their final farewells to the girl's family, all while Olivia watched from afar. He had never known Elena's parents or her brother, and he felt it wasn't her place to budge in during this moment of sentiment.

Instead, she waited for the two of them to return from their little memorial service, where they would then pile whatever they could carry with them into the HuNovelFireee they looted from the Soldiers they fought, before driving off down the road, not even looking back once on Elena's childhood home which they would never again return to.