Before following her, Gideon bent down and picked up the Black Wolf’s core, storing it in his inventory.

It was cracked, almost broken, but it would still sell for a good amount of coins, enough to buy plenty of things in Climber Rift, or at least that was what Elaine had told him before.

As he walked behind her, he used the chance to open the system notification and check what he had gained.

[Congratulations, you killed an SSR Rotten Canis!]

[Rewards:]

[1x SSR Ruby Core]

[10,000 EXP]

[5x Poison Bottle]

[10x Anti-poison Elixir]

[Rewards have been stored.]

[Level Up!]

[Level 29 → Level 30]

[Charisma: 750 → 810 | Strength: 715 → 775 | Endurance: 740 → 800 | Speed: 715 → 775 | Defense: 710 → 770]

—

[Barrier Activation Lv. 3: When a strong enemy approaches, the barrier can launch fireballs until the enemy is destroyed or the barrier collapses.]

[Banning limit increased to 10 people]

[Enemy marking increased by 20 targets]

—

[New building unlocked: Guard Tower]

[You can now control barrier fireball attacks from within. The structure also provides long-range enemy detection and an alarm system to warn all residents of incoming danger.]

—

[Agricultural Zone Level 2 → 3]

[New building blueprints unlocked: Barn, Growing Dome]

—

Gideon rubbed his chin as he went through the information, his thoughts starting to drift as he tried to connect everything together.

It seemed like the system was encouraging him to focus more on agriculture, whether it was farming crops or raising livestock, especially now that new blueprints had been unlocked.

The Infinite Shop could provide him with animals anyway, but the timing was far from ideal. Winter was getting closer, and starting something like a ranch now would only make things more complicated.

Another question lingered in his mind as he continued walking behind Elaine.

Would livestock even survive in this environment, or would they end up mutating like everything else?

Jade had managed to grow a small batch of radishes, and even the wheat had developed normally without any strange changes, so it was probably safe for now, or at least safe enough to try.

Even so, he could not ignore the possibility that things might turn out differently once he brought in living animals.

At the same time, the upgrade to the barrier stood out even more to him. It was undeniably useful, but it also felt like a warning rather than just a reward.

If the system was giving him something like this, it likely meant stronger enemies would start approaching the Safe Zone sooner or later.

The system had been doing everything it could to keep him alive and, by extension, protect the Safe Zone, and so far, it had worked.

He just hoped it would continue to work, even when they eventually faced something like the Scion of the Lord.

Sometimes, humans were far more terrifying than any monster.

Still, one problem remained, and it was something he could not ignore any longer.

Gideon let out a quiet sigh as he wiped the sweat from his temple, his voice low as he muttered to himself, "I still need more people... but where am I even supposed to find them?"

Elaine spoke without turning around, her tone sharp and almost accusing, as if she had been listening the whole time.

"You’re still thinking about that after agreeing to let them see their dead families?"

Her words made it clear that something had happened earlier, something that had left a bad impression on her.

Gideon’s expression hardened slightly, but his answer did not waver. "They still deserve a proper burial. They at least need closure and finally saw their family for the last time or the regret would eat them alive for the rest of their life."

Elaine scoffed at that, clearly unimpressed. "You’re too naive. Some things are better left alone. Regret is easier to live with than seeing the truth right in front of you."

He slowed his steps before eventually stopping, his gaze settling on her back as his voice lowered. "What happened?"

Elaine did not give him a direct answer. Instead, she simply said, "You’ll see when we get there," her tone cold as she continued walking, even picking up her pace as if she did not want to stay in that conversation any longer.

By the time they reached the area, the military truck was already waiting, with Piggy sitting in the passenger seat.

Leaving her alone like that was not exactly a careful decision, considering she could easily take control of the turret and start firing from a distance if she wanted to.

But she did not move. She did not even seem to notice that they had arrived.

Her eyes were distant, unfocused, as if she was staring at something shocking, something far beyond what was in front of her.

That was when Gideon realized that whatever had happened here was worse than he expected.

***

When they arrived, it was a mess. It was the first time Gideon had seen something like this up close, something that truly resembled a battlefield.

Destroyed vehicles were scattered everywhere, some overturned, some crushed, while dead aberrants lay across the sand, most of them still fresh, which made it obvious Elaine had dealt with them not long ago.

But that was not what shocked him the most. It was the bodies.

Human bodies, or what was left of them, were scattered around the area, torn apart to the point they no longer resembled humans. What remained were exposed organs, severed limbs, and halves of bodies that had been split open violently.

Some were missing their heads entirely, while others were reduced to nothing more than broken torsos.

The only thing that made it clear they had once been human was the shape of what remained, though even that was barely recognizable.

The smell followed right after. Rotting flesh left under the sun, thick and heavy in the air, making it hard to breathe without feeling it settle in his throat.

It was one of the most horrifying scenes Gideon had ever witnessed in his life, and for a moment, he simply stood there, taking it in without saying anything.

"They’re called Head Eaters," Elaine said as she pointed toward the dead aberrants nearby. "As you can see, the name fits."

Gideon looked at them more carefully. The creatures resembled birds–probably vultures–about the size of a teenager, with long, thin bodies and feathers that blended almost perfectly with the color of the sand.

Around their necks were dried, vine-like growths that looked like dried snapdragon flowers, circling tightly with shriveled shapes hanging from them that resembled screaming human skulls. Even in death, they looked unsettling. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Suddenly, Charlie’s voice cut through the silence. "Help me! Help me open this!"

He held a knife in his hand and turned one of the Head Eaters over, his movements rushed and unsteady.

Without hesitation, he stabbed into its stomach and began cutting it open, as if he already knew what he was looking for.

Gideon frowned slightly but did not stop him.

When the body split, something rolled out from inside. It was small, round, and unmistakable.

A child’s head.

For a brief second, everything felt frozen, until Percy let out a broken sound and rushed forward. He stumbled as he moved, nearly falling before dropping to his knees beside it, his hands shaking as he picked up the head and held it close.

"My daughter... this is my daughter...!"

His voice cracked completely as he broke into uncontrollable sobs, clutching it tightly as if refusing to let go.

Behind him, the body of a woman lay torn apart on the ground, her remains scattered just like the others.

The cries filled the air, raw and piercing, the kind that made it impossible to look away. It was the grief of a father who had lost everything, holding what remained of his child while the body of his wife lay nearby, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

No one spoke. Even Elaine, who probably had seen worse, remained silent. There were no words that could make any of this better.

All they could do was stand there and listen as Percy’s cries echoed across the desert, carried by the wind through a place that had never shown mercy to anyone.

For the second time, Gideon realized that this world was unforgiving. It was not a place to chase after harems or waste time on meaningless things.

The scene in front of him was proof enough. If he made the wrong choices, if he failed to protect what he had, this could easily become the fate of his own people.

With that thought in mind, he stepped forward and approached Percy. He placed a firm hand on the man’s shoulder, gripping it just enough to ground him before speaking.

"Let’s bury them," Gideon said quietly. "I’ll help you gather what’s left. If you want... I can even stitch them back together. It’s the least I can do."

There was no calculation behind his words this time. No benefit, no hidden motive. He meant it.

Percy slowly looked up at him, his eyes hollow and unfocused, yet there was still a trace of determination buried inside. He gave a weak nod.

"Thank you... just do what you can."

His gaze shifted toward what remained of his family, and his body began to tremble.

"...No. We can’t bury them," he said, his voice shaking.

"What if the aberrants come back and dig them up? I can’t let that happen." He swallowed hard before forcing the words out. "We’ll burn them instead."

Gideon nodded without hesitation.

Then, without another word, he began helping them gather what remained, carefully collecting every piece scattered across the ground.