CHAPTER 55: INTERACTIONS WITH THE NIGHT PART 14

"System, what’s the maximum kill points a human can have?"

[The average kill points for a human is 10. However, this value can be exceeded depending on genetic potential and individual traits.]

’So that explains it... Still, this was a real shock.’

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Kana

Martial Arts: 15/30

Shooting : 10/10

Assassination: 10/15

First Aid : 8/10

Acting 10/10

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Forget genetics. Her stats weren’t just all natural—they were built, trained, and sharpened to kill.

Kana stood there, blending in with the crowd, fiddling with a bow like it was her first day at archery camp.

But let’s be real, she could probably hit a bullseye while blindfolded and doing the Macarena.

’She might actually be better than me.’

Bows weren’t his forte, anyway. His knack for hitting targets was more about his general combat prowess. Archery was just a side gig in his arsenal of awesomeness.

’She’s dangerous... I’ll need to keep an eye on her.’

The real kicker? Her Assassination skill.

That could mean anything from sneaky poison to booby-trapped pins. And heaven forbid she inherited skills from a bald hitman dad who made fatal accidents look like a comedy—banana peels and choking to death, anyone?

Now that was a different level of scary.

’It’s not like I can just kick her out. Her friends wouldn’t go for that, and honestly, I could use more skilled people around.’

He made a mental note to double-check Jun’s stats, just in case he got some hidden bloodline too.

As for the other four, their skills were all within normal human limits.

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Jun

Martial Arts: 10/12

First Aid : 8/10

Melee Weapon : 8/10

Tactical Planning: 6/10

Shooting: 8/10

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’The quiet ones... always the ones to watch.’

Although Jun’s statistics were below her, possessing potential beyond human limitations was more than sufficient.

An idea suddenly came to him.

He briefly went back into the motel, then reemerged with something in his hand.

"Kana, come here."

"Me...?" she responded, pointing at herself, her eyes a mix of confusion and concern.

Her performance was impeccable.

"Yes, you. Don’t make me say it again. Or have you forgotten the rule already?"

She approached slowly, her hands trembling just enough to appear anxious, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

If he hadn’t seen her acting talent in the stats, he might have already thought she got a crush on him.

However, he could use this situation to his benefit. If she wanted to pretend she had feelings for him, he would go along with it—just enough to keep her nearby.

He would let her believe she was in control, so she would lower her defenses first.

"Do you need anything... Big Boss?" she mumbled, eyes low, voice soft enough to pass as shy.

"Write your full name here,"

She looked confused but still wrote it down.

[Skill Earned: Vital Strike]

[Owner now has a 10% chance to deal additional 10% damage when striking the groin, neck, or head.]

[Targeting these weak points may interrupt enemy actions or cause bonus effects, depending on the opponent defense.]

"Sweet."

The effect wasn’t as flashy as Ice Control, but it was still useful in the long run—especially since it was percentage-based.

Feeling lucky, he asked Jun next and earned a skill—Pain Resistance.

Another solid gain.

However, after a while, the system notified him that everyone who wrote their name had to stay inside the motel.

"Shit, why didn’t you tell me sooner?" he grumbled.

Sleeping next to an assassin wasn’t exactly the most relaxing idea.

[System Notice: It is only logical that registered guests can stay inside. Otherwise, this would not be classified as a motel.]

Luck rolled his eyes. The system was messing with him again.

If he was right—and he probably was—it had delayed that message on purpose, just to make things harder for him.

Typical.

’I can’t do anything about it now... but I also can’t just hand out a spot and pick two people. That’ll make the others think I’m playing favorites.’

That kind of thing could ruin the balance. These people didn’t know each other well.

Trust was delicate, and respect even more fragile. If they began to suspect the place was rigged—or, even worse, that he was unfair—it wouldn’t be long before tension erupted.

In some ways, managing a group like this was more challenging than handling zombies.

People? They had egos, fears, tempers. One bad decision could turn them against each other—or him.

"Everyone, listen up!" he called out.

One by one, they turned and made their way to him.

"Starting now, I’ll be holding a competition to decide who gets to stay inside the motel."

"All you need to do is block or evade one of my attacks. I won’t actually hit you—it’s just a way to evaluate your reaction time."

They immediately understood how skewed the game was. Jun was guaranteed to secure a spot because of his fighting abilities.

However, if they could manage to avoid being hit, they would enjoy a more restful sleep and better meals. This was more than enough incentive for most of them.

With that in mind, some of them began to stretch, hoping that loosening their muscles might somehow improve their odds.

Luck didn’t fault them for this approach. In fact, it was logical. Stretching and improving circulation would enhance their alertness, even if only slightly.

Sadly for them, the outcome was decided before the game began; the rest stood no chance.

"First up—Fernando, step forward."

The ex-policeman nodded, but before he could get close, an attack was already flying at his neck—a high kick, too fast to track.

"You failed. Get back in line," Luck declared in a flat voice that allowed no room for debate.

Fernando blinked in surprise but quietly returned to his place without protest.

The same scenario played out for the others. Luck varied his attacks—sometimes a jab, sometimes an unexpected kick. Nobody was quick enough to respond.

Even Geo and Peter couldn’t evade the surprise attacks, both caught off guard before they could react.

Finally, it was Jun’s turn.

He stepped forward without a word, eyes locked on Luck, body relaxed—but focused.

Luck lifted his arm, probing him with a slight twitch of his shoulder.

Jun remained unfazed.

Then the attack came.

Luck’s foot cut through the air in a low sweep, sharp and fast. But Jun reacted.

Not by much—just a subtle shift of his leg and a tilt of his body. Enough to avoid it.

Luck dropped his leg and took a step back, nodding once. "Passed."

Jun neither grinned nor boasted. He simply turned around and rejoined the group.

Whispers began to circulate once more. Some appeared impressed, while others seemed annoyed.

Luck glanced over the crowd. "Does anyone have an issue with the outcome?"

No one answered.

"Good. Now come here, Kana."

Everyone thought it was pointless. There was no way she could pull it off.

When Luck suddenly launched a lightning-quick jab, most assumed it was over for her.

But just as it was about to connect, she subtly tilted her head, dodging it by a hair’s breadth.

Kana stood there, eyes wide, stunned.

She expected him to stop at the last moment, to feint as he did with others before.

But he didn’t; he followed through without hesitation. Her body responded automatically to preserved her life.

"Oh, you actually got lucky. I misjudged the distance," he chuckled, sparing her from having to explain how she managed to pull it off.

Thanks to his words, the survivors believed it was just a fluke—everyone except Jun.

At that exact moment, even he was caught off guard by the speed of the jab. But what shocked him more was Kana’s movement.

She didn’t just dodge—she moved in a way that left only a few millimeters gap between the attack and her face. It wasn’t luck. It was the kind of reaction only a trained fighter could pull off.

He already got suspicions about her, but now they were confirmed.

She was like him—someone hiding a deeper secret.

Then there was Luck. It was clear he tried to hit her for real, so he must have known about her true skill too.

Luck nodded, the faintest smirk hinting beneath his eyes. "Alright, you two are in. Let’s head in."

The two followed without question. It was only when the door closed behind them that they paused, taking in the counter and the long hallway.

Kana reached out and ran her finger along the walls.

"You got power running in here?" she asked, not bothering to hide either her suspicion or her awe.

"Military tech. Don’t worry about it."

She looked around, calculating. "You got enough space for all of us, you know. Why not just let everyone in?"

He shrugged and slumped over the counter.

"It’s called being efficient. If I let everyone in, the supplies here would run out way faster. I picked you two because you passed my test. That means you’re skilled enough—and with some training, you could become real assets . You deserve special treatment."

He placed two cans of corned beef on the counter, along with a couple of lemon sodas. They were still cold.

"Enjoy the food. And don’t go telling everyone you had a good meal."

They eagerly nodded, quickly opened the cans, and started munching. The taste felt like luxury in their mouths.

Meanwhile, he watched them as they slowly succumbed to his bait.

Staring ahead, he watched their relationship meters start to rise. Jun went from five to six, while Kana moved from three to four.

It wasn’t much, but it was progress. Numbers don’t lie.