But contrary to Ron's expectations, it didn't treat the baby as food.
The figure gently picked up the baby, swaying softly like a parent cradling their child. This tender scene left Ron momentarily stunned.
Park, nearby, let out a sigh of relief.
Ron tried to approach the person holding the baby but was met with rejection. It seemed the baby was quite fond of this figure, laughing joyfully. Fatigued from the excitement, the baby soon fell into a deep sleep.
Other Undead began to gather around. One by one, they pulled out items—food scavenged from the garbage mountain. It was a heartwarming sight.
Ron hadn't expected these people to have such a gentle side to them. Yet, even at this moment, their expressions remained indifferent, cold as machines.
"Sir, I have a request," Park said, looking at Zeno and Ron. "These people won't harm the child, but given the resources they can gather, raising him would be too difficult."
"Can I take the child with me? I want to save him."
Zeno glanced at Ron, clearly leaving the decision to him. Ron hesitated for a moment but then nodded.
"Thank you, sir." Park sought their opinions because he was currently working for Zeno and Ron.
Cautiously, Park approached the group of Undead. Based on previous experience, Ron assumed the Undead would ignore him. However, this time was different.
The Undead, realizing Park's intentions, crowded around, enclosing the baby in the centre and firmly blocking Park from reaching him.
Park hadn't anticipated this reaction. Once he realized what was happening, he attempted to persuade them, but it was utterly futile.
Glancing at the baby's position, Park contemplated whether he could forcibly snatch the child away. However, after observing for a while, he abandoned that idea. Doing so would greatly increase the risk of the baby getting hurt in the struggle.
Reluctantly, Park stepped back. The baby awoke, crying from hunger, and the Undead hurriedly presented the food they had collected, but it was all rejected. None of it was suitable for a baby.
Just then, a figure stepped forward, revealing a dull blade in hand. The figure raised a finger and made a small cut, allowing blood to drip down. Then, they shoved their finger into the baby's mouth.
The baby began to suckle.
Ron stood in shock. He hadn't expected these beings to save the baby, let alone use their own blood to feed him.
"How strange," he thought. "Cold as machines, treating corpses as food, yet willing to go to such lengths for a baby. And it's everyone."
After witnessing this, Park abandoned the idea of taking the baby away. "Perhaps this is the rule here."
Park returned to Zeno and Ron's side. "Sir, shall we continue moving forward?"
As they pressed on, Ron witnessed many different scenes. Some were gnawing on corpses, some ate while excreting, some collapsed to sleep in the filthy garbage, and some even consumed their own waste...
A corpse was being picked at by rats. Some small children survived under the care of many Undead. These children hadn't lost their humanity yet and were very curious about Ron and his companions.
Then, Ron saw another child. This one was much older than the previous children. The Undead were driving him away. The child, confused, tried to return, not understanding why those who had cared for him so deeply wanted to expel him.
But he was rejected and beaten, collapsing to the ground.
Ron pondered a possibility: perhaps these Undead hadn't truly lost their humanity but had given up on themselves to an extreme degree, yet hadn't abandoned these children. Thus, they would raise the children, nurturing them even at the cost of their own lives. Once the children grew up, they would be expelled, sent away from the Garbage Old Zone, from this place devoid of hope, to live a slightly more normal life.
"Sir?" Park looked at Ron.
Ron understood what Park meant and nodded. "Okay."
Park approached the little boy and extended his hand. The boy looked at Park, then glanced at Ron and Zeno.
"Come with us; you don't belong here anymore. You might not understand it now, but you will later. Take my hand," Park said.
The boy hesitated for a moment but ultimately reached out. Thus, the three became four.
The little boy did not have a name. Park decided to give him one: Peter. (T/n Peter and Park...)
Upon hearing this name, Ron instinctively raised an eyebrow. He couldn't help but think of someone. Combined, Park and Peter's names sounded like Peter Parker, that famous Spider-Man from the Marvel universe. Even though his strength wasn't particularly high, his fame was unparalleled, far surpassing many stronger characters. Yet his life was far from perfect; it was quite tumultuous.
Ten days later, Ron looked at the crystal ball. The absorption speed of its characteristics had slowed down, indicating that staying in this area was no longer meaningful. Ron needed to move to a different area for the Observer's Extreme Intent to continue its characteristic absorption.
"Park, let's go check out the Garbage New Zone."
Park turned away from the Garbage Old Zone, but just then—
Ahead on the road, a massive garbage mountain suddenly collapsed. Countless people were buried beneath it. The Undead didn't seem afraid; they allowed the falling garbage to crush them, one after another, as they were buried beneath the debris.
Ron narrowed his eyes, sensing an extremely strong aura within the collapsing garbage mountain. This aura was unusual, carrying a distinctly strong negative attribute.
Zeno noticed it before Ron did.
An incredibly massive creature emerged before everyone. It was a cockroach—but not just any cockroach.
This one was enormous, towering over ten meters tall, and stretching dozens of meters in length. Beneath its huge compound eyes was not a cockroach's face but a human face.
"What is that?" Ron furrowed his brow.
In this world, Ron had come to understand that there were humans, Nen users, and magical beasts... However, the creature before him was neither human nor a magical beast.
"This is a Calamity" Zeno declared. "In the human world, under certain extreme conditions, these things often appear. They possess the characteristics of multiple creatures and have an incredibly strong Nen."