World Evolution Apocalypse: I Possess The Extraction Ability

Half an hour later, Marie and the others returned, looking even more drained. Leon looked over, his gaze softening at their condition.

After they freshened up and came back downstairs, Leon approached Marie and asked, "Are you guys perhaps pushing too hard?"

She shook her head with a smile, saying, "Not really, boss. We’ve just been hunting down solo zombies all around. There are some small groups around too, but we didn’t go after the horde Reymond mentioned."

He nodded, then saw Cassie approach them, carrying a small sack.

"Your rewards?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Alright, let’s change something," He said seriously, causing the two girls to pay attention to him.

"There is no need to show me the rewards and make me distribute them to you all. Whenever you’re out hunting without me, you might find a useful treasure or ability worth mastering. If there’s something like that, don’t hesitate to use it," He explained.

He understood that they were being transparent, but these were their rewards. He wouldn’t take anything out of it unless extremely necessary.

"Also," He continued. "Tell the others not to learn more than three abilities. Once they do, they might die from unbearable agony."

The two girls were surprised and glanced at each other.

"Understood, boss," Marie nodded with a faint smile. Although she was trying to hide it, he could tell that she was very tired.

He raised a hand to pat her head, but then froze midway, remembering Thyra’s words.

Besides, Marie was definitely older than him. There was no way she’d appreciate being petted, right?

So, he patted her shoulder instead, and said, "You’ve worked hard today. You should rest."

The lady smiled and gave him a salute, then went upstairs.

Then, Leon turned to Cassie, "You too, Cass. You’re very tired, aren’t you? You should get some rest."

The girl blinked, her blue eyes crystal clear. She adjusted a strand of her hair, placing it behind her ear, then asked with a calm but pleading tone.

"Can boss kindly pat my head?"

’Huh?’ Leon was surprised. He didn’t think she’d ask by herself. However, when he thought about how Clara used to ask him, he felt that it wasn’t strange.

So, he raised a hand and patted her head, brushing her hair gently.

Involuntarily, a smile appeared on his lips, and he said, "Good girl. You did well today."

Cassie stiffened briefly, a strange current coursing through her body.

’T-this...’

She felt her scalp tingle, and she couldn’t help but lean further into his touch.

After almost a minute, he removed his hand and said, "Alright, you should go now."

Her expression became calm and stoic again, and she replied, "I understand. Thanks, boss."

Leon looked around but couldn’t find Fel. Perhaps she was already upstairs. Gwen walked over to him, then said, "I’m going to go check how the preparation for dinner is going upstairs."

Leon nodded and watched her leave. Then, he approached Miguel and Richard who were discussing something.

They immediately shut up as soon as he came close, and he couldn’t help but ask teasingly, "Are you guys gossiping about me?"

Richard stiffened, but Miguel shook his head vigorously. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Of course not! You’re our boss. Why would we gossip about you?"

Leon’s eyes narrowed further, "Then what were you saying?"

The two guys glanced at each other, and Richard decided to answer.

"That... we were just asking each other about our ideal woman."

Leon was faintly astonished, then shrugged, "Is that right? Let’s grab a drink and cool off, instead of discussing all these."

Miguel laughed and immediately went to get the bottles of strong alcohol.

They sat at the bar section of the hotel, clinking glasses and chatting idly. As they spoke, they shared memories from their past—funny moments, sad moments, hilarious memories, and even embarrassing moments.

Richard was the first to get drunk. He grabbed his cup and downed it once, then slammed it against the table.

His face flushed, his cheeks turning rosy.

"Hey, boss. I have a crush on you~" He purred, then burst into laughter. "Bahahahahaha!"

Miguel smirked, already feeling tipsy, "You don’t actually mean that, do you? If you do, I might help you find some gay guys ready to penetrate you."

Instantly, Richard stiffened, his expression becoming horrified.

"No way! I’d rather become a zombie than become gay~!" He said angrily, though his words slurred at the end.

"You two are unserious." Leon smiled, barely tipsy. Whenever he was feeling the effects of the alcohol, he would sense his mana reacting instinctively, clearing his mind.

"I’m always serious!" Richard argued, pursing his lips. "But no one takes me seriously anyway."

He slumped on the table, his voice softer, "My aunt and uncle were the worst. Even when I got bullied by their daughter, they never took my complaints seriously."

Leon looked at him sympathetically as he continued.

"And every time I reported the girl, they merely warned her lightly. But she’d always come back to bully me. Damned girl."

Miguel shifted closer to him, patting his back, "You were bullied by a girl? Damn, bro. I feel sorry for you."

"Same here," Leon added, taking another sip of his drink.

He closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. The air was filled with the scent of alcohol and... Thyra?

He blinked his eyes open, then felt a pair of soft, slender hands rest on his shoulder, massaging him gently.

His body shook. He turned his head slightly, only for her lips to brush against his ear.

"Did you miss me, Leon?" She asked, still massaging his shoulders.

"Definitely not," He said in a low voice, keeping his expression neutral.

Richard and Miguel turned to him, their expressions groggy.

"Boss, did you say something?" Richard asked slowly.

Shaking his head, Leon kept his expression straight as he took another glass of alcohol.

"Nope."

Grinning, Miguel took another shot, then asked, "Boss, what’s your type? What kind of woman do you like? Petite? Milf? Tall and loaded? Come on, tell us!"

Richard also raised his head from the table, nodding, "That’s right! Tell us! We brothers will surely help you find your type of woman!"

Leon chuckled, then thought about it. He thought about the demon standing behind him—her great, desirable figure, then others like Selene, Gwen, Fel, Cassie, Marie, or Lieutenant Zhong, or even a few others he had admired in the past.

In the end, he couldn’t decide, so he shrugged. "I don’t really have a type. But as long as she’s cool, we’re playing it cool."

Richard and Miguel seemed disappointed, but then, the blonde guy clapped.

"In that case, we can do some matchmaking between you and Ice Queen Sele—"

He froze, feeling a wave of cold wash over him. He involuntarily glanced at the door, then saw Selene and Reymond stepping inside the hotel.

’I’m dead!’