《Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday》


 Chapter 1: The World Before Apocalypse

    Chapter 1: The World Before ApocalypsePain.


    Blood.


    Death!


    The sound of a sharp gasp filled the silent room right before Grace''s deep green eyes flew open.


    She heaved as panic surged through her chest. Her breathing was sharp as she struggled to inhale some much needed oxygen. Her hands instinctively gripped the surface beneath her as she struggled to get a hold on herself.


    She just died. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was still able to feel the coldness of the blade that pierced her skin - again and again - each strike came from the very people she once called her own. Yet, they betrayed her and left her bleeding out on the cold bunker floor, covered in her blood and their lies.


    She had died. She was certain of it.


    But then where was she now?


    Still out of her breath, she looked around. She was expecting to see the gloomy bunker walls, to smell the stench of decay, and the suffocating darkness she had grown used to over the years. Instead, she found bright sunlight streaming through the wide glass windows that were left open.


    Grace blinked a few times, as if doing so would have changed the view in front of her eyes. But nothing of that sort happened. As she allowed herself to take a proper look at the room, her breath got caught in her throat as she immediately recognized her surroundings. This wasn''t the bunker she had been living in for years. No. This was her office. Her old office.


    The sight left her frozen... and confused. The polished mahogany desk stood in front of her, with a huge computer set up in one corner along with a laptop and some neatly stacked files. A vase of fresh lavenders also sat on the other corner, filling the room with its light and soothing fragrance.


    The air was fresh... too fresh. Not the damp, metallic air she had grown used to. And her clothes - she let her fingers brush against the soft, luxurious fabric of the elegant beige colored two-piece dress she was wearing. The fabric felt so delicate and expensive, nothing like the rough leather she had worn for years in the apocalypse.


    Her gaze then shifted to her left wrist and she half expected to see the scars from the past, but there was none. Instead, a very familiar white jade bracelet adorned her fair wrist.


    The jade bracelet.


    Her mind reeled. This wasn''t the apocalypse. This was nothing like the world where she fought for her survival for five long years, nor was it the world she had died in.


    She ran her hands over her body while her heart raced with disbelief. There were no wounds, no scars from years of surviving in a wasteland. Not even the aching deep cuts she just received only moments before were there. They were all gone.


    Every mark of her suffering had vanished as if those horrors of the apocalypse never touched her in the first place. She looked like the woman she once used to be - the powerful mafia queen who once lived in riches and luxury.


    Confusion filled her mind as she struggled to understand exactly what was going on. Was this a dream? Or was the apocalypse a dream? The questions overwhelmed her.


    She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a buzzing sound. Her gaze darted to the desk in front of her and she finally noticed a very familiar looking smart phone sitting next to the laptop. It was her phone, one she bought about half a year before the apocalypse.


    She just stared at it for a moment as disbelief clouded her senses. She hadn''t seen a smartphone or a laptop in years, at least a functioning one. The apocalypse wiped out all communication, all technology that humans worked so hard to build over the centuries.


    She hesitated for another moment before she reached out to pick up the phone. Her fingers were even trembling a little as she watched the screen light up. The moment she saw the date on the screen, she was left completely dazed.


    It was 9:22:2024. Exactly a hundred days before the Doomsday.


    Her heart raced wildly as she stared at the phone. She struggled to accept that she had returned to the past. That she wasn''t just dreaming.


    Her mind suddenly flooded with memories of her final moments in the bunker, the betrayal, the pain, and the suffocating despair. She could still see their faces - those who had followed her loyally for years only to turn on her in the end. She still remembered the anger in their eyes and the cruelty with which they struck her down.


    She still couldn''t understand what she did wrong to deserve such a fate? Was she too lenient? Too soft and forgiving? Was that her fault?


    Her fingers tightened around the phone and she let out a shaky breath. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. She was alive again. She didn''t know why or how, but she had been given a second chance. A chance to do things differently. A chance to change her fate.


    Her gaze once again returned to the beautiful jade bracelet wrapped around her wrist, and she found herself wondering if her rebirth had anything to do with it.


    Right at that moment, she heard a soft knocking on the door. She immediately turned around while her body went tense. She stared at the door, half expecting to see the face of someone among those who betrayed her.


    But instead, someone else stepped inside - someone familiar, someone who died protecting her in her previous life. Someone who stayed loyal to her till their very last breath.

 Chapter 2: The 2 Billion Deal

    Chapter 2: The 2 Billion Deal"Boss, Shipment number 9 has arrived safely to our warehouse. Do you want me to notify Party B?" The young man, who just entered the office, asked while his dark brown eyes were fixed on the tablet he held in his hand.


    When he received no response, he finally looked up, fixing his gaze on the woman who was standing next to the desk with a stunned expression decorating her angelic face.


    Grace Blackwood deserved the title of the nation''s beauty in every way possible. With dazzling emerald eyes, beautiful long auburn hair, perfect face and curvaceous body, she looked beautiful and elegant even as she breathed like a normal human.


    But Kevin knew better than to fall for her beauty and elegance as she was a real devil in disguise. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Boss, are you alright?" He asked quickly, getting worried about the weird expression that the woman held on her face. It seemed like a mix of guilt, pain, relief, and disbelief.


    Since when his boss started having any expression other than the usual cold and calm ones? He wondered as he stared at her in shock.


    It was like the question finally jerked Grace out of her trance and she quickly turned away from Kevin. Putting her back toward him, she hurriedly schooled her overwhelming emotions and tried to get herself together.


    She had no time to delve into these feelings. No one had that sort of time. The clock was ticking and if she wanted to save herself and the people who died protecting her, then she needed to plan accordingly... and quickly.


    Once again she looked at her phone''s screen, staring at the date.


    "Boss?"


    Kevin called once again, his voice getting more worried the longer she stayed silent and behaved nothing like her usual self.


    Grace closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again seconds later, she was back in control. Finally turning to look at the handsome young man who was in his mid-twenties, she fixed her gaze on him.


    "Gosh!" Kevin almost covered his eyes when he found her cold eyes looking at him. "You are finally back to normal. That''s much better. Please don''t go around scaring people by looking like what you were moments ago!"


    Grace just shook her head before she immediately went down to business. "Stop talking nonsense, Kevin. You were saying something about a shipment."


    Since she just returned five years back in the past, it wasn''t that easy to recall exactly which shipment he was talking about.


    "Oh, right. This one. Shipment number 9. The two billion deal we made last month. It''s been safely transferred to our warehouse. Now, all we need to do is to hand it over to Party B." Kevin explained as he handed over the tablet to Grace.


    She took a look at the pictures of the shipped items before she decided to take a look at the information about the deal and the buyers. "It''s the weapons. The ones that got customized overseas."


    Kevin nodded his head in response, his sharp eyes studying his boss as he still couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was slightly different about her this particular morning.


    "How many weapons are there? Give me a full detail." Grace told him while she opened a folder on the tablet to take a look at the other on-going deals.


    "There are 1000 Assault Rifles, 1000 Machine Guns, 1000 Sniper Rifles, 500 Handguns, 500 Shotguns, 500 Field Guns, 500 Silenced Pistols, 500 Grenades, 500 Rocket-Propelled Grenades, 100 Tactical Knives, 100 Pen Guns, 100 Poison Darts, and 100 Shurikens."


    Grace nodded her head, making analysis silently in her mind. After a minute of silence, she finally spoke, "Inform Party B that we are no longer interested in this deal. Think of a good enough reason and also compensate them to make sure we don''t get on their bad side. I don''t need any drama right now."


    "What? Why are we canceling the deal all of a sudden?" Kevin asked as he struggled to accept what his boss had just said.


    "Because we don''t need it anymore." Grace answered plainly. Though this batch of weapons was a small one, it was still a customized one.


    "Then... what are we going to do with the shipment?" He asked.


    "We will be keeping it for ourselves." Grace answered as she closed the tablet and handed it back to Kevin who still looked taken aback by the sudden turn in events.


    Turning her full attention to the man, she asked, "How much do you trust me, Kevin?"


    Her question was abrupt, but serious. Hence, even though he was startled by it, he still answered seriously and honestly. "I trust you with my life, Boss."


    Grace nodded her head before she asked another question. "And how much do you trust my decisions? No matter how abrupt or wrong they might seem?"


    This time, Kevin appeared a little bit thoughtful. After a few moments of silence, he finally answered, "Though you don''t usually make any abrupt decisions, there are still a few exceptions. But... you have never made any wrong decision till today. Of course we aren''t talking about you not giving me my last year''s bonus."


    Grace ignored the last part of his response and spoke, "So, I want you to trust my decisions from now on as well, no matter how unusual or wrong they might seem. Cancel this deal and inform the Inner circle for an immediate secret meeting."


    Kevin''s gaze became serious the moment he heard the last part. If the boss was calling a secret meeting of Blackwood''s inner circle, then something huge was going to happen.


    He didn''t ask any more questions and gave a quick nod of his head before leaving the office to carry out the orders.


    Left alone in her office once again, Grace turned her attention toward the jade bracelet on her wrist. She locked the office door and settled down in the office chair.


    She traced the bracelet with her finger, recalling the last memory right before her death - the jade bracelet getting covered in her blood and the bright golden light that surrounded it.


    Also recalling something important that a certain person told her in her previous life, she closed her eyes while still holding the bracelet. And then... she was inside.

 Chapter 3: System 2025

    Chapter 3: System 2025When Grace opened her eyes, she was standing in front of a beautiful villa. It had four storeys in total, including a huge basement. The villa itself was built on a 10,000 square feet land area while surrounded by an open land area of 5000 square feet.


    Past these 15,000 square feet of land area, the only thing that could be seen was a heavy and thick fog. The presence of the fog meant that area of the space was still locked.


    "So... this place is indeed real."


    Grace muttered to herself in shock as she took in the hidden world that existed inside the jade bracelet. She still remembered how she didn''t trust that man''s words in her past life when he told her about the bracelet''s secrets.


    "Welcome to the Infinite Realm. System 2025 is ready to help host on this new journey!"


    A cheerful child-like voice suddenly spoke right before a little creature emerged from thin air, surpising Grace who almost went into combat mode and kicked it. It wasn''t until she got a proper look at the creature did she relax.


    She stared at it for a while, trying to understand exactly what it was. It was bright red in color with little wings on its back. It was also small, barely the size of half her arm. It was cute though, with small doe-like eyes and a small round face. It appeared as if someone had set in on fire.


    "Woman, why are you staring at me?" System 2025 demanded when it found her staring at it like she had found something really interesting, its demeanor immediately took a 180¡ã turn.


    "You are the system Dr. Kian mentioned about, aren''t you?" Grace asked as she stared at the little creature with interest filled eyes. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once again, she witnessed how its eyes sparkled and it''s entire demeanor changed once again within a mere second. "Do you know Dr. Kian?" It asked excitedly.


    Grace opened her mouth but no word came out. When she met Dr. Kian in her previous life, it was for a brief time where he came looking for her and handed over the jade bracelet with some information about its secrets that she refused to believe. A few days later, she heard the news of his death. It happened about two months before she met her own end.


    Grace let out a deep sigh as she recalled the unhappy memories. Slowly, she shook her head in response to the question before she spoke, "2025, tell me more about this place and the bracelet." She was curious to know about the secrets of the jade bracelet.


    "Yes, host." The creature went into a serious business mode immediately and started providing the secret information stored in its data bank.


    "The Jade bracelet originally belonged to your maternal grandmother. According to the sources, your grandmother left behind a diary with the jade bracelet. There was only one page filled in that diary, stating that your grandmother came from an entirely different realm and used to be a cultivator. This Jade bracelet is know as a spatial realm where time, spiritual energy, and the nature is entirely different from the outside world. You can consider it as a magical realm where everything is of superior quality."


    Grace listened closely. Though Dr. Kian told her a little bit about the world inside the bracelet, he didn''t give her any information about why and how it was her family''s heirloom when she had never seen it before. But she finally had that answer now.


    "Your mother didn''t think much of the content of the diary, but someone else did." 2025 continued with the intriguing story.


    "Who was it?" Grace asked.


    "Dr. Hao. He got curious about the jade bracelet when your mother auctioned it and revealed your grandmother''s words. He bought it from your mother for a whopping price of 50 million. After that he tried to find out the secrets of the bracelet with his team. It happened 20 years ago and with time, this bracelet and its unseen abilities became the biggest secret project of Hao Corporation."


    Grace was left shocked the more 2025 revealed.


    "They ran thousands of tests to change and enhance the abilities of this realm, as well as to find a way to enter it. Their plan was to make this jade bracelet the biggest soft weapon to exist in this world before selling it to the government. But they kept failing with their programmes. It wasn''t until Dr. Kian got hold of the project that the miracle finally happened. He did the unthinkable and enhanced this space''s abilities double-fold, merging this magical realm with the most advanced system ever created in human history."


    Grace looked around, taking in the villa and the surroundings. "If Dr. Kian worked for Hao Corporation, why did he give the bracelet to me?" She asked while returning her confused gaze to 2025.


    "Because he found out about Hao Corporation''s dangerous plans. He first believed that the bracelet was a new breakthrough of science to help the mankind survive the apocalypse, or that''s what he was told. But then he found out the truth and fled with the bracelet. He handed it to you secretly before he jumped off a cliff with a fake bracelet in front of the people who were hunting him down."


    Silence filled the air for a few minutes as 2025 finished speaking and Grace took her time to digest everything. It wasn''t until certain long moments had passed, did she finally spoke. "We are back in the past, but this time the bracelet is in my possession. It means..."


    She didn''t finish her words, so 2025 did. Its voice carried the same weight that its words did.


    "It means the Butterfly effect has taken place. In this time frame, your mother never auctioned the bracelet and thus Dr. Hao never got his hands on it. It also means that Dr. Kian is living his normal life at the moment. But you... you are carrying the biggest miracle of science and magic that has ever existed together in this world."

 Chapter 4: Infinite Realm

    Chapter 4: Infinite RealmAfter finding out that one day in the Infinite Realm was equal to one hour in the outside world, Grace decided to check the villa from the inside. But what she didn''t expect was to find the building completely empty.


    "Why is there nothing here?" She asked, turning her questioning gaze toward 2025 as it followed her inside the villa.


    "So that you can arrange or decorate this place as per your liking. The original infinite realm had lands, forests, mountains, and rivers, but nothing else. This villa is a part of Dr. Kian''s system programme." 2025 explained.


    Grace nodded her head in understanding. After thinking about the current situation, she actually liked the idea of the villa being empty so that she could arrange things without any bother.


    The basement was huge and it could easily be used to store a lot of supplies. She decided to use the ground floor as living space and the rest of its two floors for storage purpose as well.


    "How big is this Realm?" She asked after a while, wondering if the name of the place had anything to do with reality.


    "It''s infinite, or at least is believed to be infinite because none of the scientists who worked on the jade bracelet''s project ever saw the end of this realm. That''s why this place was named as Infinite Realm." 2025 answered.


    "And how am I going to unlock other areas?" Grace continued with her questions as she tried to learn as much about the system and the realm as possible.


    "By leveling up." 2025 replied before it pulled up the transparent screen once again, showing Grace some stats written on it. "You can level up by completing certain tasks that are shown on the screen here. The higher your level will get, the more areas you will be able to unlock."


    Grace settled down on the stairs and pulled the screen in front of her before she started looking at the displayed tasks and then moved on to see other features of the system. The more she read, the brighter the spark in her eyes became.


    "Can I add my own tasks?" She asked 2025 when she noticed a particular task section.


    "You can, but it should be a good one. You can''t go around adding any random useless tasks." 2025 warned.


    Grace fixed her icy gaze on the little creature before she asked, "How about a revenge task?"


    2025 had to do a double take. It stared at her face for a moment and only when it was sure that she wasn''t joking around, did it answer. "That''s acceptable and you will receive points based on the level of punishment you will use in your revenge. Still, the minimum points for a revenge task is 5000. So, you will get that much for sure."


    A smile curled the corners of Grace''s lips as she returned the screen to 2025 and stood up. "That''s good to know." She murmured much to herself before she once again turned her attention toward 2025. "I have already collected a batch of weapons, I will store it here soon. So you can consider another task done."


    2025 got a little impressed with the woman as it had been merely over an hour since she returned to the past and had already started working so efficiently. "How many weapons though?" It asked while adding the task in the system.


    "Six thousand and four hundred. Especially customized." Grace answered and watched as 2025 turned its shocked gaze toward her for a moment before it continued with its work.


    A moment later, it finally spoke, "All done. You will get 10,000 points when you will store the weapons in here. Also, these 10,000 points will help you level up. You can then either unlock another area or keep these points for other uses."


    Grace nodded her head in understanding before she took her leave and exited the Infinte Realm. Seconds later, she was back in the office and realized that merely twenty minutes had passed since Kevin left her.


    Not wanting to waste any time, she decided to do some quick research and calculations. First, she looked up Dr. Kian on the web only to come across pages after pages related to him. The man was really popular... and handsome, based on the pictures that were flooding the internet.


    She quickly found what she was looking for and closed the internet and her web searches. Next, she opened up a secret folder and started looking through the assets, properties, and everything else she owned... and she owned a lot of those.


    Lastly, she checked her bank balance and was very much satisfied with the numbers she saw there. She had several accounts, some in different countries as well, and every single one of them was loaded from the years of hardwork she had put into Blackwood''s business empire.


    Just as she finished looking up everything that she planned, her phone buzzed with an upcoming call. She immediately picked it up when she saw the caller ID.


    "Boss, everyone''s waiting for you at the meeting room. I have also made sure to distract the outer circle so no one will find out about this meeting." Kevin spoke from the other end of the call.


    "Good. I will be there in five." Grace replied before she ended the call and closed her laptop and computer. She didn''t forget to lock her office before she headed to the secret meeting room.


    Just like she told Kevin, she was there within five minutes. When she entered the room, she was met with several familiar faces. They all greeted her politely, their expressions serious as they knew that since such a meeting was being held, the situation was serious.


    Grace fixed her gaze on the seven people who were standing around the long meeting table. She signaled them to take their seats before she too settled down.


    "Boss, what is going on?" Kevin asked when he noticed her serious expression. He had been wondering about the reason behind this secret meeting, but he didn''t dare to ask up until now.


    Grace looked around the room at the only people she was daring to trust in her rebirth after the betrayal she had received in her previous life. She took in a deep breath and then finally dropped the bomb - "We are closing our base... tonight." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 5: The Secret Meeting (I)

    Chapter 5: The Secret Meeting (I)Silence.


    No one dared to even breathe loudly after Grace announced the most unexpected news. Everyone just sat there in complete silence, staring at her as if she was suddenly talking in a language they couldn''t understand, or maybe they were just waiting for her to announce that it was just a joke.


    "I''m being serious." Grace confirmed their worst nightmare without showing an ounce of hesitation. "We are closing our base tonight, and the seven of you will make sure that we will be leaving behind nothing. There should be no trace left for anyone to ever find us once the daylight breaks tomorrow morning."


    This time, she waited patiently for them to absorb her words. She just sat there and watched them process the news. She wasn''t sure how long it took before finally one of them decided to speak.


    "But Boss... why are we closing our base all of a sudden?" It was Valeska who asked the question. The twenty-seven year old''s dark orbs were fixed on Grace as she waited for the answer along with the rest of the six members of the inner circle.


    Grace looked around at the table, taking in the anxious expressions of each one of them. Each seven of these had been with her since her childhood. She had trained with them, fought with them, and even killed with them. They had spent more than fifteen years together.


    All these seven people were highly skilled in keeping their faces expressionless no matter the situation, and yet, they were failing badly in it as they heard her sudden announcement of closing the base that had existed for nearly a century.


    "I know that you all have questions. But before I answer them, there''s something I want to ask you all. It''s a question I asked Kevin earlier today." She spoke while looking at her team members. "Do you all trust me?"


    "Yes!"


    No hesitation. No second-thoughts. No regrets. They all answered in unison without missing even a second.


    Grace felt some kind of weight immediately lifting off from her shoulders once she heard their answer. With a little nod of her head, she continued, "Then I want all seven of you to trust my decision of closing our base. If we all want to survive, we need to end things before it''s too late for us."


    Her words made the seven exchange worried glances among them. "Boss, is something bad going to happen?" Jasper asked.


    Grace let out a small sigh and nodded her head in response. "We will have to get ready for a dangerous upcoming disaster. It''s a top secret in the government and I only found out about it this morning through my secret sources. So make sure not to talk about it in front of anyone else."


    After she saw all seven of them nodding their heads in understanding, she continued, "But the main reason for closing our base are our own people."


    The shock and confusion of the seven was evident on their faces as they exchanged more glances among themselves, wondering what she really meant by her statement.


    "Is something wrong with our people?" Maven asked, focusing his full attention toward her. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The outer circle has rebellious intentions." Grace revealed, taking everyone by surprise even though they all had questioned the outer circle''s loyalty toward her at least once in the past. "They want to replace me, and if I don''t stop them, they might succeed sooner or later."


    "How dare they! I knew Daniel and his men are up to no good." Kevin growled in anger. He had never been a fan of the outer circle and their leader Daniel.


    "What''s your plan, Boss?" Aleena asked from where she sat next to Kevin. Despite her charming face and kind appearance, the coldness and killing intent in her eyes were shining brightly - a sharp contrast that always left everyone stunned.


    At the question, Grace shifted her attention toward Ryan. "You have more than enough evidence to prove Daniel''s disloyalty toward the Blackwoods, right?" She asked the man who had been secretly following Daniel for the past three years and had collected all information about his plans against Grace.


    In her previous life, she knew about Daniel''s plans but always ignored them. After the apocalypse hit the Earth, she didn''t want to throw him out thinking that it would be very inhumane of her. Little did she knew how foolish she was for thinking like that.


    But in this life, she was determined to not repeat another such stupid mistake. She would never allow someone like Daniel to become a threat to her.


    "I have more than enough to erase his very existence." Ryan answered with a proud grin that had the rest of the six members staring at him in shock. They clearly had no idea about his secret task.


    "Wait. Even if Daniel is at fault, there are hundreds of people in the outer circle. What will happen to them if we will close the base?" Maven asked. He wasn''t really questioning Grace''s decision but was actually trying to know her detailed plan.


    "It''s because of those people that we need to close the base. Most of the men in the outer circle are more loyal to Daniel than they are to me. As for those who aren''t yet, they will in a matter of time. Since we can''t go around killing hundreds of people overnight, closing the base and leaving them with nothing would be the best solution." Grace explained.


    The seven nodded their heads in understanding as they finally knew the reason behind her sudden decision.


    "And what about Daniel? How are you going to handle him? Do you want to hand him over to the authorities?" Kevin asked only for Grace to shake her head in denial.


    Her eyes held a deadly intent as she answered, "We can''t risk attracting authorities'' attention toward us when we are trying to erase our traces. I have a perfect plan for Daniel, one that he deserves for betraying me. I must seek my revenge tonight."

 Chapter 6: The Secret Meeting (II)

    Chapter 6: The Secret Meeting (II)"But there are important matters that I want you all to handle before we take care of Daniel and the rest of the outer circle." Grace announced before anyone could have voiced another question.


    She watched as all seven visibly straightened in their seats, ready to take her orders. Feeling satisfied, she started with Kevin.


    "I need you to sell away all our assets, properties, my collections of luxury cars, bikes, clothes, jewelry, and all the other nonsense possessions I have piled up over the years." She said while sharing a list with him through phone that she previously prepared. "I have marked a couple of things that I want to keep. Sell everything else."


    Kevin took a look at the list before he shifted his shocked gaze toward her. He struggled for a moment or two to speak as words seemed to have just disappeared somewhere. Finally, he asked, "Are... are you sure? You want me to sell EVERYTHING?"


    "That''s right." Grace answered while staring at his dumbfounded face. "I want you to sell EVERYTHING... and you need to sell them as quickly as possible."


    Though he was still struggling to believe the task he had just received, Kevin still nodded his head in understanding. After all, the boss was being nothing like her usual self this morning. "I will do my best to not disappoint you."


    "I know." Grace''s voice softened for a moment before she shifted her attention toward the next two people sitting beside Kevin. "Aleena and Seth, you two will also help Kevin."


    She stopped to take in a deep breath before she revealed her plan. "After taking care of the base and selling away everything, we will be spending all our time in acquiring supplies for the upcoming disaster. We will be needing a lot of money for that. I''m talking about hundreds of billions here. But we can''t go around buying things in such large quantity. Sooner or later, it would bring unwanted attention towards us."


    All seven nodded their heads, seemingly agreeing with her foresight. "Do you want to sell everything in cash?" Kevin asked as he caught up with her plan. "But we are talking about hundreds of billions here. It''s impossible to get that much cash without alerting the authorities."


    He was right too. They were in trouble either way - whether they used cash or bank accounts.


    "That''s why we are going to split it. Keep thirty percent of the money in cash. As for the remaining seventy percent, transfer them into several bank accounts. That''s where you will need Seth''s help. Open the accounts in different countries and make sure that they can never be traced back to us."


    "As expected, you always have solutions for these troubles." Kevin whispered much to himself as he got to hear the full plan.


    Grace refrained from smiling before she turned her attention toward Jasper. "Head to Country S immediately. I''m sending you two lists - one is of my connections there and the other about the deals you will be making there. Get the job done as soon as possible and let me know."


    Jasper immediately opened the lists on his phone and while the list of top officials of the military of Country S didn''t really surprise him, he was left stunned when he got a look at the second list.


    1 Commercial Aircraft, 1 Cargo Aircraft, 10 Fighter Aircrafts, 10 Bomber Aircrafts, 5 Transport Aircrafts, 2 customized private jets, 10 Military Helicopters, 20 Agricultural Aircrafts, and 10 Utility Aircrafts.


    "Fuck!" He cursed out loud the moment he finished reading the list, taking everyone around him by complete surprise. When he looked up at Grace again, his eyes were filled with shock. "We seriously can''t let the authorities track us, or we will be done for."


    His words made others curious and they were already hovering over his shoulders to take a look at the list in his phone. Once they were done, they carried similar expressions as that of Jasper.


    "Which country are you planning to attack with these Boss?" Valeska asked as she settled down in her seat once again.


    Grace let out a small sigh before replying, "Stop talking nonsense. These are for surviving the upcoming disaster, not for attacking anyone." She then turned her attention back to Jasper and asked, "You can do it, right?"


    The man nodded his head in a positive response before he spoke, "We have dealed with Country S'' military before for a much bigger deal. They are a reliable source as long as they will get what they want. But this is going to cost us a lot of money, somewhere up to 20 billion."


    "Besides, if we are going to close our base, how are we going to transport all these things into the country?" Ryan posed another big issue.


    "Don''t worry." Grace spoke in a calm voice, her gaze shifting between the seven. "I will take care of the expenses. As for the second issue, we don''t have to transport them into the country. Once Jasper have them ready, he will let me know and I will head to Country S to take care of the rest."


    There was silence in the room as the seven exchanged more glances, but no one tried to pry any further since she didn''t reveal much on her own. They just decided to trust her like she asked them to. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Consider it done, Boss. I''ll be on my way now." Jasper announced as he stood up from his seat, and with Grace''s nod of approval, headed out.


    Kevin, Aleena, and Seth too left soon after, leaving the remaining three with Grace.


    "What orders do you have for us, Boss?" Ryan asked.

 Chapter 7: The Secret Meeting (III)

    Chapter 7: The Secret Meeting (III)Grace''s attention shifted to Ryan at his question. She relaxed in her chair and let out a small sigh before she answered, "I want you to head to Skylane immediately. Use our connections there to make deals for weapons. We will be needing a lot of those. I''m sending you the lists."


    "Aren''t we closing our base? Then why look for new weapons?" Valeska asked as a small frown took over her face.


    "Because the weapons will be one of the things that will keep us safe in the coming disaster." Grace answered and while Valeska felt the urge to ask more about what kind of disaster was coming, she refrained herself and just nodded her head in understanding.


    "Boss," Ryan''s voice pulled everyone''s attention toward his shocked face, "are you sure we need these many?"


    "We will need even more. This is just the first batch. If things went according to my plans, we will soon be purchasing a second batch." Grace corrected while Valeska and Maven took a look at the list of weapons on Ryan''s phone.


    100,000 Handguns, 100,000 Assault Rifles, 100,000 Sniper Rifles, 100,000 Submachine Guns, 100,000 Machine Guns, 100,000 Shotguns, 100,000 Combat Knives, 100,000 Grenades, 50,000 Mines, 50,000 C4 Plastic Explosives, 50,000 Anti-Material Rifles, 50,000 Rocket-Propelled Grenades, 10,000 Grenade Launchers, 5000 Armed Drones, 5000 Autonomous Ground Vehicle, and 5000 Robot Sentries.


    There was a long silence once the two finished reading through the list. Even as a mafia clan, they hadn''t used most of these weapons themselves. Besides, what surprised them was the quantity in which they were about to buy these weapons.


    As if Grace read their unasked question, she explained, "Weapons will be one of those things that will be high in demand other than food and medicines once the disaster will hit the earth. Not only they will become too expensive, but also scarce as their production would be heavily affected for a long time. That''s why we need to prepare enough for our survival."


    The three nodded their heads in understanding. "Boss, do you think it''s a good idea to buy the entire batch from one place?" Ryan asked as he felt a little worried about the matter.


    "Don''t worry. I have close connections in Skylane City. The list of names I have sent you will help you in keeping everything under control. You will finalize the deal and see the batch transported to our secret warehouse there. I will send you information of three different bank accounts to make the payment." Grace informed and Ryan finally felt a bit relieved.


    "I will do my best, Boss. Leave the matter to me." He promised as he braced himself for the task entrusted upon him. He didn''t waste any time and immediately took his leave.


    "What about us?" Maven asked, eager to know what kind of task he was about to receive.


    "I want you to make some arrangements for vehicles. We need to buy some customized armed vehicles. I''m sending you the list, but I don''t have any contacts as we''ve never had much business in this particular sector. You will need to work a little harder than the others." Grace informed the man who didn''t appear the least bit fazed about the extra work part.


    "Don''t worry, Boss. I might know exactly where to find these." Maven said once he had taken a good look at the small list he had received.


    5 Transportation Trucks, 5 Customized Armored Limousine, 20 Secret Service SUVs, 10 Customized Motorcycles, 10 Customized-Assault Team Vehicles, and 5 Armored Buses.


    Grace nodded her head in approval, praising herself silently for choosing the right person for the task. She knew that Maven had a thing for bikes and cars, and based on that knowledge, she decided to appoint the task to him.


    Finally, she turned her attention to Valeska who had been patiently waiting for her turn. "I''m giving you a really important task. Head to the biggest nursery in the country. We will need plants or seeds of every kind of vegetables, fruits, herbs, medicines, flowers, and trees. Finalize the deal and inform me. I will meet you there once I''m done here." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The surprise and confusion was evident on the young woman''s face as she accepted the task that just got assigned to her. "We will need even that to survive the world?" She asked, no longer being able to hide her building curiosity.


    Grace nodded her head and stood up from her seat, Valeska and Maven following her lead. "I need to head to somewhere. You two can start with your work. Inform the others, who haven''t left for other cities or countries, to meet me at the base tonight at nine with the entire Outer circle."


    "Are you going to deal with Daniel tonight?" Maven asked.


    "The quicker we get rid of him, the better." Grace answered as her thoughts returned to the moment of her death. She felt a strong shiver running down her body and she had to grab the chair to keep herself steady.


    "Boss, some of us will not be able to join you tonight. Don''t you think it will be a bit dangerous for you to face Daniel and the entire Outer circle on your own?" Valeska''s voice was filled with worry and Maven seemed to agree with her.


    Grace smiled softly at the two as she said, "I will be alright."


    Her words did little to dismiss their worries but neither of the two tried to argue. They just nodded their heads in understanding and watched as Grace turned to leave the room. But right before she could have walked out, Valeska decided to ask one last question.


    "Boss, how long that disaster is going to last?"


    Grace immediately stopped as she heard the question, but she didn''t turn back to face the two. Her voice was very calm as she answered, "Probabaly... forever."


    And then, she stepped out of the meeting room and headed toward her next destination.

 Chapter 8: Leveling Up!

    Chapter 8: Leveling Up!Leaving her office, Grace drove straight to Warehouse 7 that was located on the outskirts of the city. It was over an hour ride that she spent listening to music and just enjoying the beautiful scenery.


    All of a sudden, she found herself admiring everything around her - whether it were the vehicles passing by, the tall skyscrapers, the restaurants or cafes, or the tall, luscious green trees and beautiful parks.


    As she watched people going around with their daily lives, enjoying the crisp late morning as any other usual day, she wondered exactly who was more lucky - those people who were able to enjoy their present without the fear of the future, or her who was about to sacrifice her present to buy a chance of surviving the future.


    An hour later, she parked the car in front of the warehouse and climbed out, heading inside the building to complete the task for which she had made this trip.


    The men who were employed at the warehouse, to keep the goods safe, were clearly not expecting her sudden visit. Most of them didn''t even recognize her since they had never been so lucky to meet the head of Blackwood House.


    But even though they didn''t recognize her, no one moved to immediately stop her. It was because her aura screamed that she owned the damn place and it made them hesitate. Thus, they waited for Sylas, the incharge of warehouse 7, to confront the woman.


    "Boss!"


    Sylas quickly came to find the person who had arrived at the warehouse when his subordinates informed him about it, but nothing prepared him to see the head of the Blackwood House.


    The moment his voice reached the ears of his subordinates, everyone bowed their heads to formally greet Grace.


    "Take your men and leave this place. I''m going to handle the goods." Grace informed Sylas while she took a look around the place. When her attention returned to Sylas, she found him still standing there with a surprised look on his face.


    "L-leave? How can you manage so many goods on your own? Let me..."


    The rest of the words never made their way out of his mouth as he was left completely stunned and terrified when Grace''s warm emerald gaze suddenly turned icy. He dared to question her order, and she definitely didn''t like it.


    Not wanting to lose his head, he quickly decided to scram from the place. "I w-will leave immediately."


    Grace watched as the man signaled his underlings and almost ran out of the gates as if he was being chased by the devil herself. A soft sigh escaped her lips before she turned her attention toward the building standing in front of her and stepped inside.


    "2025, can you take care of the CCTV?" She asked the system upon entering the warehouse.


    "It''s done." 2025 answered merely five seconds later.


    Finally having the privacy she needed, Grace immediately started the work of shifting the goods inside the space. Once she had safely shifted all the weapon crates inside the basement of the villa in the Infinite Realm, she entered the space to place everything accordingly in the basement.


    The best part she found through 2025 was that she didn''t need to move things physically inside the space, as long as she would give a mental command, those things would move around on their own.


    Hence, it barely took her ten minutes of the space''s time to organize all the weapon crates in order. The moment she was done, she heard an electronic voice speaking.


    TASK COMPLETED!


    REWARD: 10,000 Points


    CONGRATULATIONS ON LEVELING UP!


    Current Level: 4


    Total Points: 10,000


    There was a small satisfactory smile playing on her lips when she finally stepped out of the space and returned to the real world. It felt really nice to earn those points and level up.


    She climbed into the car and drove back to the bustling city. By the time she arrived at the downtown area, it was already past noon. She decided to have a quick lunch at a restaurant.


    Recalling how scarce food was in the apocalypse, she decided to have a proper meal while she still could. She ordered - Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, Salad, Herb-Crusted Grilled Salmon, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Saut¨¦ed Asparagus, Chocolate Mousse, and Freshly Squeezed Lemonade.


    While eating, she made sure to enjoy each dish and its rich flavor. After not eating such fresh, delicious, and variety-filled dishes in ages, she felt so grateful for getting a second chance at life.


    She just finished the starters when she thought of something and picked up her phone. Scrolling through her contacts for a few seconds, she finally dialed a number. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All it took were two rings before the receiver picked up the call.


    [Hello, Boss.]


    "I want you to arrange me an appointment with Dr. Kian this afternoon. And before you ask, nothing is wrong with me. I just want to meet him." Grace told the person on the other side of the call.


    There was silence for the next few moments as that person possibly looked through Dr. Kian''s schedule.


    [He has a slot empty at 3:15 this afternoon. Will that be alright?]


    "It''s alright with me. Arrange it immediately and I''ll be there on time." Grace informed the person and was about to end the call when she heard -


    [Just wanted to tell you that Dr. Kian isn''t working in the neurosurgeon department today. He''s on duty in the-]


    "It doesn''t matter." Grace informed the person on the other end of the call. "Arrange the appointment." And then she ended the call. She didn''t care in which department Dr. Kian was working that afternoon, she just wanted to meet him briefly.


    Little did she know just how much she was about to regert her decision...!

 Chapter 9: Meeting Dr. Kian (I)

    Chapter 9: Meeting Dr. Kian (I)Two hours later, Grace stepped into the bustling hospital. The sterile scent of antiseptic greeted her immediately as the automatic doors closed behind her.


    She heard the soft hum of machines that was mixed with the faint murmurs of conversations as nurses in scrubs hurried past with clipboards. She also spotted doctors moving between hallways with purpose.


    She paused for a moment, her deep green eyes taking in the view of the biggest hospital in the Starship Country. With a deep breath, she approached the reception desk, where one of the young nurses greeted her with a kind smile.


    "Good morning, how can I help you?" the nurse asked, her eyes scanning the appointment list in front of her.


    "Hi, I''m Grace Blackwood and here for my appointment with Dr. Kian," Grace said, her voice quiet but steady. For some weird reason, she was able to feel her heart rate picking up slightly at the thought of finally meeting Dr. Kian.


    The nurse typed something into the computer and nodded. "Of course, Ms. Blackwood. Just take a seat, and we will call you in shortly."


    Grace nodded in return and made her way to the row of chairs by the window. There were several people sitting around her, some were patients while others were family members. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She used the time to check on her team. Jasper had already boarded the plane for Country S, Ryan was on his way to Skylane City, and Valeska just sent a message that she was heading to Mapleton City.


    Kevin had also sent her a message with updates on his work progress so far. She knew that the tasks she had assigned to her team weren''t easy and would take time. Besides, she trusted them and knew that they would handle everything perfectly.


    It was the sound of her name being called that jolted her out from her thoughts.


    "Grace Blackwood?"


    She looked up to see a nurse standing in front of her with a clipboard in hand. "Please, this way."


    Grace stood up and followed the nurse toward the elevators. They headed to the seventh floor before walking down a long hallway. The sterile smell grew stronger, and she felt her nerves tightening with each step.


    They stopped outside an examination hall and the nurse turned to face her. "Dr. Kian is waiting inside. Please head in for your examination."


    Grace nodded her head and stepped inside while the nurse closed the door behind her. As her eyes took in the view of the place, her mind raced to think of what she was going to do next.


    She just wanted to meet Dr. Kian at least once, but she had no idea what she wanted to say to him. It wasn''t like he knew her or anything about the jade bracelet in this lifetime.


    "Ms. Blackwood, you can take off your upper clothes behind the screen."


    The deep voice, that suddenly spoke in the silent room, took Grace by surprise. Her head turned to look in the direction from where the voice came and she found herself looking at a man who walked out from behind the dark green hospital screens.


    He was dressed in the green hospital uniform and the white coat. A mask was covering his face, but what really caught her breath were his icy blue eyes. When they met in the apocalypse, they both had lost the charm of their beauty after surviving for years in that world. But even then, his eyes looked pure and dazzling... just like they were looking right now.


    "Ms. Blackwood?"


    Grace was jerked out of her trance when she heard him calling her. For some reason, even his voice sounded so pleasing to her ears. She suddenly recalled his instructions from before and her eyes immediately darted around the room as confusion took over her.


    He asked her to take off her upper clothes? Why? It didn''t take her too long to find the answer as her gaze took in the details of the posters placed around the room.


    She was in an oncology examination hall, more specifically... breast oncology. She was left so stunned by the realization that she barely heard Dr. Kian calling her name again.


    "Are you alright, Ms. Blackwood?"


    Grace gasped as she heard his voice so close to her. She turned around and found him standing right behind her. With him standing so close, she found herself realizing just how tall he was even though she was wearing five-inches high heels.


    His eyes looked even more mesmerizing from up close, and they easily succeeded in pulling her into another trance. A small part of her brain was very aware of the effect the man was having over her, it was like meeting someone who took her breath away at first sight.


    She shook her head and cleared her throat, trying to get a hold on herself. Fixing her gaze on him once again, she tried to speak, "I... I''m alright."


    Dr. Kian gave a small nod of his head in understanding before he signaled her to head toward the screens that were separating the office area from the examination area. "Please get ready for the examination."


    Even Grace had no idea how she made her legs move. Her mind was almost blank as she headed toward the screens and stood there once she was hidden from Dr. Kian''s sight.


    The thought of running away was right there, tempting her. But she couldn''t do it if she wanted to save her face. A sigh escaped her lips as she failed to think of a solution to get herself out of her current misery.


    "Ms. Blackwood, are you ready?" Dr. Kian asked from the other side of the screen.


    "J-just a moment please." She called out in return, her voice faltering despite her attempt at appearing calm and normal.


    It was just an examination, and he was just a doctor... any normal doctor. Why was she behaving so awkwardly then? She wondered as she started unbuttoning her blouse and took it off before taking off her bra as well.


    "I''m ready." She told the man as she settled down on the examination table and took in a deep breath.

 Chapter 10: Meeting Dr. Kian (II)

    Chapter 10: Meeting Dr. Kian (II)Grace was nearly digging holes in the sheets of the examination table with her nails while Dr. Kian took a seat in front of her, ready to examine her... breasts.


    Now she wasn''t feeling self-conscious about her body since she had a perfect figure with all the right curves in all the right places. She was also not someone who had never been with a man before, and yet, she found her heart on the verge of jumping out of her chest.


    Dr. Kian didn''t seem to notice her discomfort - or if he did, he was too professional to mention it. He moved with practiced ease, setting up his tools and making notes on her file. His calmness should have put her at ease, but instead, it only made her more aware of her own awkwardness.


    She knew she was being ridiculous. She had been to doctors before, had gone through similar examinations with male gynecologists. But there was something different about Dr. Kian. She couldn''t pinpoint it. Maybe it was the way his hair fell slightly over his forehead, or how his eyes seemed to linger just a fraction too long on hers? Whatever it was, it set her on the edge.


    "We will start the examination now," he said, pulling on a pair of gloves. "This won''t take long."


    Grace nodded, not trusting her voice. She lay back on the table as instructed and tried to distract herself by focusing on the ceiling, but her body refused to relax.


    She didn''t even realize that she was holding her breath as she felt his hands moving over her breasts. The only sound she could hear was that of her rapidly beating heart, and at one point, she even started feeling light-headed.


    "Ms. Blackwood, you are too tensed. Please try to relax."


    She heard him speaking, and this time, his voice was soft, almost soothing. He didn''t use that professional tone from before as he tried to help her relax, but she wasn''t sure if it was working on her at all.


    "Is this your first time coming in for an examination, or have you had one before?" He continued to ask her questions as if to keep her engaged in a conversation.


    "First," Grace whispered, her voice barely audible.


    She heard him hum in response. He also gave a nod of his head as he moved his hands gently over her skin. His touch was clinical and professional, and yet her nerves buzzed under his fingertips.


    "Are you here because of any discomfort, or just a routine check-up?"


    "Routine," she croaked, her voice failing her again.


    He nodded again. There was silence for next few moments before he started explaining as he continued with the examination, his words were a gentle murmur in the quiet room. "I don''t see anything unusual so far. Everything feels normal."


    But she barely heard him as her mind was too busy racing. Why was she feeling like this? Why was her body reacting as if this was something more than a simple examination? She found herself thinking about these questions.


    She knew he was just doing his job, but her body didn''t seem to get the message. Her eyes returned to him again and she found her gaze tracing the outline of his face. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though the mask was covering the lower half of it, she could still see enough. His jawline was sharp, his skin smooth. And those eyes - those deep, piercing blue eyes seemed to hold a storm behind them. She was unable to tear her gaze away.


    As if sensing her stare, Dr. Kian looked up and their eyes met for a brief second. Grace''s breath hitched in her throat and she immediately looked away. She felt her cheeks burning and her heart was pounding so loudly that she knew for sure he could hear it too.


    "Okay, take a deep breath for me," he said, his voice calm as ever.


    She did as he asked, filling her lungs with air, her chest rising under his touch. The moment stretched on, the silence in the room feeling almost too loud. She exhaled shakily, her eyes fluttering shut, willing herself to just get through this.


    She wasn''t sure how long it was, probably only a few moments later when he finally stepped back. "You are all set, Ms. Blackwood. You can get dressed now."


    She opened her eyes and watched him walking out of the examination area. Once she had the privacy, she wasted no time in sitting up and reaching for her clothes.


    Her hands were shaking as she fumbled with the buttons on her blouse, her heart was still racing. She felt like she had just run a marathon and her body felt exhausted from the tension.


    When she stepped out from behind the screen, Dr. Kian was seated at his desk, typing something into his computer. He looked up as she approached. "Everything seems normal. There''s nothing to worry about, but if you have any concerns in the future, don''t hesitate to come back."


    Grace nodded, but her brain was barely functioning. The room felt too small, the air too thick. She needed to get out of there - away from him. She couldn''t understand why she was reacting this way, why the simple act of being in his presence was throwing her off balance.


    "I... I have to go," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.


    She didn''t wait for his response and practically ran out of the office even though she heard him calling her name. She didn''t stop until she was outside, standing beside her car in the parking lot. The cool air hit her face, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside her.


    She leaned against her car and closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. She didn''t understand what had just happened. It was supposed to be a routine appointment, nothing more. But now her heart was pounding, her thoughts racing, all because of him. Because of Dr. Kian.


    What was it about him that made her feel this way?

 Chapter 11: A Prodigy

    Chapter 11: A Prodigy"Why are you behaving like a teenager who just saw her crush?" 2025 demanded the moment Grace climbed into her car.


    Grace''s hands stilled on their way to secure her seatbelt and she stared at her reflection in the rearview mirror. What she saw there didn''t sit right with her at all. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes looked wild, and her expression was that of someone who just got caught red-handed.


    She quickly shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "What nonsense are you spouting?" She threw at 2025 in a futile attempt, but soon realized that it had already seen through her.


    "Don''t even try to lie. The way you behaved in that examination room was so embarrassing. I thought you met him briefly in your last life. Was that really enough for you to fall for him?" 2025 asked, actually sounding curious.


    "I..." Grace wanted to deny, but she stopped when she failed to find an excuse for her reaction toward Dr. Kian. She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, trying hard to calm herself down.


    When she opened her eyes moments later, she directed a question toward 2025. "Isn''t he a neurosurgeon? How come he''s in the oncology department today?" The only reason she asked the questions was because she expected 2025 to know the answer and she was soon proved right.


    "He''s indeed a neurosurgeon. But he has double degrees in medicine, the other one being breast oncology. He started pursuing the second degree when he was doing his residency in neurosurgery. Now, he''s the only doctor in the country with double degrees in two greatest medical fields."


    Grace was left stunned by what she learned from 2025 about Dr. Kian. The only words that left her mouth moments later were - "Is that even possible? How can someone pursue both neurosurgery and oncology at the same time? Is he even human?"


    "He''s a prodigy." 2025 answered in a tone that stated clearly just how much it worshiped Dr. Kian. "You should have seen it coming ever since you learnt that he was the only person in the country who succeeded in merging the system and the magical realm of your jade bracelet."


    That''s right. She should have known that he was no ordinary person since he could achieve the impossible. Just as she was digesting everything, another question struck her.


    "Wait! He''s a doctor. How... how did he even get on the jade bracelet''s project let alone succeeding in completing the project? A doctor working on a technical project - doesn''t make any sense to me."


    2025''s voice was filled with admiration as it cleared her confusion. "He had computer science as a second degree during his undergraduate. Though he didn''t pursue it after that, he''s still very good in it. The Infinte Programme wasn''t the only one where he worked using his computer science knowledge. He''s been involved in several such projects over the years."


    The more Grace listened, the less she wanted to believe. In the end, she just shook her head and let out a deep sigh.


    "Don''t you think he''s amazing?" 2025 demanded when it noticed her long silence.


    "No. I don''t." Grace replied as she prepared to start the car and head away from that hospital and Dr. Kian. But at that very moment, her phone started buzzing with an incoming call.


    Not recognizing the number or the caller ID, she picked up the call and spoke, "Hello?"


    [Hello, Ms. Blackwood. I''m speaking from Outpatient Hospital. We wanted to inform you that you forgot your examination report here when you left the Hospital a while ago.] S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A woman, probabaly a nurse, spoke politely from the other end of the call.


    "Oh... I... Can I send someone to pick up the report later?" Grace asked as she didn''t want to step into that hospital again.


    There was silence for a few seconds before the woman asked - [Have you already left the hospital grounds? If not, someone from the hospital can take the reports to you right now so you will not need to make another visit to pick them up.]


    Grace hesitated for a second before she decided to just get the report and leave quickly. "I''m in the parking lot in front of the hospital. I will wait here."


    [Alright. You will need to wait for a few minutes.]


    Ending the call, Grace removed her seatbelt and climbed out of the car. The sun was slowly moving west, ready to end the day within next two hours. The sky was clear, the clearest she had seen in a long while.


    When the end of the world came, it didn''t happen within a day. Instead, it started slowly before completely taking over. Currently, it was the beautiful beginning of autumn, but soon unexpected rain would arrive to ruin everything.


    There would be heavy rainfall, storms, floods and hurricanes. Then winter would arrive to cover the entire world in snow, something that never happened before.


    There would be mega earthquakes, supervolcano eruptions, tsunamis, solar flare, ice age, global pandemic, and then... finally the worst would come as a virus would start turning humans into zombies and demonic beasts would appear on earth out of nowhere.


    Grace let out a sigh as she took in the beauty of nature around her. Very soon, all of this would be gone. She took a look at the timer set in the system.


    99 Days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes.


    From what she could recall, the first rainfall wouldn''t happen until two more weeks. That was the most time she had to make quick preparations because hoarding supplies would get harder once the government would realize that the weather was changing for the worst.


    She was still lost in her thoughts when she heard a very familiar voice calling her name from behind.


    "Ms. Blackwood, your report."


    She immediately turned around and came face-to-face with the last person she wanted to talk to at that moment.


    "Why are you here?"

 Chapter 12: Curious About You

    Chapter 12: Curious About YouDr. Kian showed her the report he was holding in his hand in response to her question, but Grace was barely able to focus.


    Since he was no longer wearing the mask, she finally got her first look at his face in this lifetime. He was nothing like what she recalled. Back when they met in her previous life, they both were survivors who hadn''t fed properly for a while, hadn''t bathed for several days. They were anything but beautiful or handsome, graceful or elegant.


    But in this lifetime... everything was different. They were meeting each other during a period where they both were at the very peak of their lives and their youth. They were untouched by the horrors of apocalypse.


    She found herself taking her time to admire his looks. He was striking with a sharp jawline, icy blue eyes, and a hint of smile tugging at his lips. His thick, dark hair framed his face perfectly, and she couldn''t help but notice how his skin looked smooth, flawless.


    Her heart skipped a beat while her pulse quickened as she stared at him, unable to tear her eyes away. He was the kind of handsome that made everything around him fade, leaving only him in sharp focus. It was like seeing him for the first time, as if the man behind the mask had been hiding a secret all along.


    Then... he caught her gaze and the smile playing on his lips became slightly bigger as if he was amused by what he saw. "Ms. Blackwood, are you okay?"


    Grace quickly shook her head and then nodded, eventually getting confused by her own response. She tried her best to not blush as she stepped forward and stretched her hand out to take the report from him. There was only one thing she wanted desperately at that moment - to get as far away from him as possible.


    Dr. Kian was a very dangerous man... for her sanity.


    "Though you keep saying otherwise, I believe that you aren''t alright. There''s something affecting you very strongly and it''s quite visible from your expression and breathing." He countered but didn''t sound accusing.


    Grace watched him in silence for a few moments before she finally spoke, "I''m sure you didn''t have to personally send these reports to me. Is there something you need from me?"


    Much to her surprise, she saw his smile growing even bigger while he gave a slight nod of his head in response. Fixing his gaze on hers, he answered, "No, I didn''t need to do it personally, and yet I did. I''m not sure why but I felt like coming here and seeing you again."


    He was too straightforward and his honesty left her stunned as she wasn''t expecting him to say something like that.


    By appearance, he appeared cold and aloof, the kind of person who would never spare her a second glance. And yet, here he was... showing too much interest in her.


    He suddenly took a step forward, almost forcing her to take a step back... almost


    . But somehow, she succeeded in standing her ground despite the weakness she was suddenly feeling in her knees.


    Her gaze was fixed on his face as he came to stand so close to her that there were merely a few centimeters of space separating them. He inched his face closer, hovering over her as he spoke in that low, deep voice of his. Every word sending a chill running down her spine.


    "You look at me in a way no one ever has. I can''t tell what kind of look it is exactly, and that alone... is making me curious about you." His gaze was sharp and promising as he stared straight into her soul.


    She felt him sliding the report in her hand as he added, "Until we meet again, Ms. Blackwood."


    And then... he pulled away, stepping back and exiting her personal space that finally allowed Grace to let go of the breath she didn''t even knew she had been holding. Without another word or even a glance, he left.


    She kept watching him until he disappeared from her sight, leaving her flustered and shocked in the parking lot. She no longer wasted any time and climbed into the car. Barely a minute later, she was making her way out of the parking lot and away from the hospital and the dangerous doctor working in there. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She didn''t stop until she reached the base. Instead of climbing out of the car immediately, she kept sitting inside and allowed herself to calm down first as she needed to take care of a very important matter soon.


    Once she was feeling much calmer, she finally climbed out of the car and headed toward her office. There were still a few hours left before the grand plan, and she wanted to use this time to make some further preparations for her future plans.


    For next two and a half hours, she remained locked inside her office and busied herself with work, eventually forcing herself to forget about Dr. Kian and everything that happened at Outpatient Hospital.


    Evening finally arrived and the world outside the windows turned dark as the night took over its shift. She just finished her work when she received a message from Kevin, stating that he and the others from Inner circle had arrived at the base.


    Grace stood up from the chair and grabbed the flash drive that Ryan left for her before she made her way out of the office. It was finally the moment for which she had been waiting since she woke up in this lifetime hours ago.


    She was ready for her revenge...!

 Chapter 13: The Night of Revenge (I)

    Chapter 13: The Night of Revenge (I)Grace''s heels clicked against the concrete floor of the basement as she descended the stairs. She immediately noticed how the air was heavy with tension as everyone watched her making her way down.


    The basement was lit brightly, granting every person present there to have a clear view of what was about to happen. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the seven members of the Inner circle, four were present there - Kevin, Seth, Aleena, and Maven. They stood in position, ready for action while their eyes followed her every step.


    But what really pulled her attention was something else. In the center of the room, there were six people tied to chairs. They were none other than Daniel and the five other members of the outer circle who betrayed her in her previous life. They were the ones who took pleasure in ending her life.


    While the other five carried at least a hint of fear in their gazes, all that she saw in Daniel''s eyes was anger and confusion. He glared at her as she reached the bottom of the stairs.


    "What nonsense is this, Grace? How dare you tie us up like this?" He demanded in an angry tone, not even trying to hide his contempt toward her.


    Grace felt all five members of the inner circle tensing at Daniel''s outrageous words, but none of them moved from their positions or even spoke, waiting for her instructions. She knew that it would take only one word from her for the four of them to end Daniel and his minions.


    Shifting her full attention to Daniel, she smiled - a smile that was full of mockery. She started walking toward him, keeping her icy gaze fixed on his as she spoke, "It''s Boss, Daniel. Either that or Ms. Blackwood. But I have noticed that you love forgetting exactly who''s the boss and who''s the follower here."


    She watched as his eyes flickered with unease as she approached, but he quickly masked it with a smirk. He still had no idea of what was going on... or what was about to happen.


    "You always were dramatic, Grace," he sneered, still refusing to change his way of addressing her. His voice was dripping with mockery as he continued, "But this? Tying us up in the basement? Really? What''s next, a monologue?"


    Grace stopped in front of him, her eyes cold and unreadable. She had waited for this moment since the moment she returned to the past that morning, and now it was finally here. The hatred she carried toward him bubbled just beneath the surface, but she kept her voice steady.


    "No monologues, Daniel. Just the truth."


    She pulled the flash drive from her skirt''s pocket, holding it up for everyone to see. The room grew even quieter as the men and women of the outer circle, who had once believed they could join Daniel, shifted nervously. They could sense the shift in power and the realization of their mistakes was hitting them hard.


    Grace plugged the drive into the laptop Kevin had set up and gestured for him to start the video.


    As the screen flickered to life, Daniel''s face paled. Grainy footage of his most recent meetings with rival gangs, the illicit deals he had made behind Grace''s back, flashed on the screen. Conversations that proved his betrayal, his plot to take control of the Blackwood house by eliminating her, filled the room.


    "Wait¡ª" Daniel began, struggling against his restraints. "This is doctored! You can''t trust this¡ª"


    "Shut up," Grace cut in coldly. "I have spent years gathering this. You thought you covered your tracks well, didn''t you? You thought no one would ever find out how you undermined me, sold out our people, and eventually had me killed."


    Her voice was ice, and the room seemed to grow colder with each word. But what really left everyone stunned was the last sentence.


    Despite being aware of everyone''s confusion, Grace made no effort to elaborate, not like there was anything she could explain to them... or even wanted to.


    Aleena stepped forward, her expression hard as she addressed the outer circle. "This footage, along with all the evidence on this drive, will be sent to every major house around the world. Everyone will know what Daniel has done, how he betrayed the Blackwood house, and how all of you supported him. Your names are already on the list."


    Panic set in among the outer circle members. They had always thrived in the shadows where their crimes remained hidden. Now, everything was about to be exposed, and they had no way out.


    Grace''s gaze never left Daniel. She could see the desperation in his eyes, the fear that he was losing everything. He had always believed he could control her, manipulate her, but now, he was the one who was powerless.


    "I should thank you, Daniel," she said, her voice calm despite the fire burning in her chest. "You taught me a valuable lesson. Never trust anyone fully, not even those closest to you. I trusted you once, and you drove a knife into my back - literally."


    Daniel flinched at her words, but his gaze was filled with confusion as he stared at her and demanded, "Why are you talking like i have ever tried to harm or kill you? I have never done anything of that sort."


    "And that''s because you never got the chance. I''m sure the thought was always here." She returned coldly as she pointed her fingers at his head.


    This time, he failed to find his voice to even deny her accusation. Grace felt so foolish for never seeing his true intentions in her past life. She wondered exactly what made her so blind toward the obvious.


    "A-are you going to kill me?" Daniel asked when he finally started realizing just how bad the situation was for him. He was now clearly seeing the killing intent in her eyes.


    Grace smiled in response, but it was a cold, distant smile, one that never reached her eyes. "Oh, Daniel. You killed me once already. It''s only fair I return the favor."

 Chapter 14: The Night of Revenge (II)

    Chapter 14: The Night of Revenge (II)Without another word, Grace pulled a dagger from the harness secured around her thigh under the long skirt she was wearing. It was the very same kind that Daniel and the others had used to end her life in her previous life.


    The metallic glint of the sharp blade under the light finally made the reality of what was about to happen sink in for everyone in the room.


    She took her time, savoring each moment as she closed the ramaining few steps between them. With her every step, she witnessed as Daniel''s bravado faded only to get replaced with raw fear.


    "You don''t have to do this, Ms. Blackwood. Not to all of us," one of the other five men stammered. "We were just following orders. It was Daniel! He made us do everything!"


    Grace''s eyes snapped toward the man, cold and merciless. "You enjoyed it, didn''t you? Laughing as you stabbed me again and again. I remember every single one of your faces."


    She watched as horror covered his face, not because he knew what she was talking about, but because he couldn''t understand why she was speaking as if he had ever tried to harm her physically.


    Her accusations were confusing them, but she felt no obligation to explain anything to anyone.


    Maven stepped forward, coming to stand by her side. "We are ready, boss."


    Grace nodded while her grip on the dagger tightened. This was the moment she had been waiting for. The satisfaction of seeing Daniel''s fear, the panic in the eyes of the five who had participated in her murder, it was everything she had imagined.


    "Kevin, Seth, Aleena, Maven," she said quietly, "deal with the rest."


    She watched as her team sprang into action immediately. They headed in the direction of the men of outer circle who had been silently witnessing everything.


    "I know that you all have been forced to betray me by Daniel and his supporters. And while I want to understand you, I still can''t forget the plain fact that almost all of you had been helping someone to plot against me and the Blackwood House." Grace spoke while addressing the outer circle.


    She could smell their fear in the air and it made her feel very satisfied. She kept her tone neutral as she continued, "But don''t worry, I''m not going to kill you all. I have planned another punishment for your betrayal."


    Kevin, Maven, Aleena, and Seth opened the four wooden boxes that were sitting on a table, all four boxes containing blue pills in them. They picked up the boxes and moved toward the four long lines of people.


    "I will let you all leave the Blackwood House after two weeks, free from your crimes of backstabbing. But for that freedom, you all will need to eat these pills to suffer from pain for these two weeks. A little pain for your freedom, or..." she didn''t finish her sentence, she didn''t need to.


    She watched as every single person among those in the outer circle hurriedly picked up the pills and gulped them down, eager to suffer pain if it meant their lives would be saved. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were so foolish to believe that they would be saved. Though she would keep her word and let them leave two weeks later, the upcoming disaster wouldn''t promise the same.


    It was much better to leave them to fend for themselves during the coming disaster than to give them an easy death now. She wanted them to suffer, and for that, she was going to grant them their freedom.


    Feeling satisfied, she once again returned her attention to Daniel, who was now visibly shaking. "You took everything from me," she said softly, almost as if speaking to herself. "But now, I take it all back."


    With one swift, practiced motion, she plunged the dagger into his chest, watching as his eyes widened in shock and his mouth opened in a silent scream. He indeed wasn''t expecting her to actually kill him, probabaly expecting to get away just like the others did. But there was no mercy in Grace''s heart, nor any forgiveness for those who betrayed her.


    She watched with satisfaction as his life drained from his eyes. When it was finally over, she stepped back. Despite what she had just done, her breathing was steady and her heart finally felt at peace.


    Daniel was dead.


    Instead of screams from those who just witnessed the scene, the basement was eerily silent now. No one dared to speak, or even breath loudly.


    Her cold eyes darted to the other five who had started trembling after witnessing Daniel''s end. She pulled out the dagger from Daniel''s chest and moved for her next kill.


    "Ms. B-blackwood... p-lease..."


    They pleaded, but she heard none of that. None of these five showed even an ounce of mercy or guilt when they killed her, and yet, they had the audacity to expect some from her. She was no saint.


    The next scene was both horrifying and impressive as she killed those remaining five in such swift motions that barely anyone caught the moment when the dagger struck them. Before anyone could have even blinked properly, all five of them were dead.


    Grace turned her attention to her team, wiping the blood from her hands. "Dispose of the bodies. Make sure there''s nothing left to trace back to us. Take care of the rest as well."


    Her team nodded their heads in understanding before they moved to carry out her orders.


    Not having anything else to do there, she walked toward the stairs but then paused for a moment and glanced back at the scene. The vengeance she had sought for since the moment of her death was finally complete, but she realized that there was no joy in it - only a cold, hollow satisfaction.


    Her enemies were dead. But now, the real work began.


    She stepped out of the basement, leaving behind the remnants of her past and embracing the future, where she would rebuild the Blackwood house stronger than ever before, without the traitors who had sought to destroy her.

 Chapter 15: Constructing a Warehouse

    Chapter 15: Constructing a Warehouse[CONGRATULATIONS!]


    [Revenge Task Completed]


    [Points earned: 500,000]


    Grace heard the notification from the system in her head the moment she stepped out of the basement. She had a feeling that killing her enemies would earn her a good amount of points, but she wasn''t prepared for such a big number.


    Feeling extremely satisfied, she returned to her office and washed her hands to get rid of the blood that was covering her. Once she had cleaned her hands, she stepped inside the Infinte Realm.


    As if the system already knew what she wanted, the digital screen appeared in front of her, showing her the latest update of her profile.


    -


    Name: Grace Blackwood


    Age: 28


    Level: 10


    Points: 510,000


    Combat Skills: 5+


    Superpowers: None


    Elements: None


    -


    Tasks completed: 2


    Supplies Collected: 1


    Space Expansion: 0


    -


    Closing the data shown on the screen, Grace opened the map of the Infinite Realm. The villa was surrounded by forests, fields, lakes, streams, and mountains.


    "You were really swift with your revenge."


    She heard 2025 speaking as she finished studying the map. She lifted her head and found it hovering right in front of her. "I will take that as a compliment." She told the little creature before returning her attention to the map.


    "It was meant to be a compliment. But I''m surprised that you ended their lives so quickly and didn''t went for a long, torturous planned revenge." 2025 confessed.


    Grace understood what 2025 was trying to ask, thus she answered honestly, "A long-term revenge does sound good, but it''s not a thought I can entertain in my current situation."


    She let out a small sigh before adding, "There''s no guarantee that Daniel wouldn''t have found a way to turn the tides if I had kept him alive just in the hopes of killing him in the future after giving him a little bit of more pain. I can''t take such a risk. It''s better to end this matter as quickly as possible so that I can focus on the bigger picture."


    She watched as 2025 started nodding its head, clearly approving her decision. "You indeed made the right decision. Never underestimate your enemies, especially when they have killed you once. After all, there''s a reason they are your enemies in the first place."


    A small smile appeared on Grace''s lips and she gave a slight nod of her head in understanding.


    "What are you doing now?" 2025 asked as it turned its gaze toward the screen.


    "I need a customized warehouse to store the supplies. I also need fields and water. I can open the fields and lakes within this Realm. But how am I going to build a warehouse here?" Grace voiced out the trouble she was facing at the moment.


    "You don''t have to worry about building a warehouse. Just buy one from the system and it will construct the warehouse for you." 2025 stated much to Grace''s shock.


    Staring at the little creature, she asked, "I can buy even buildings from the system?"


    2025 quickly nodded its head, a bright smile spilling on its face as it looked absolutely proud while announcing, "You can customize any kind of building in the system and then can purchase it with the Points you have earned. But you need to keep in mind that the bigger and more refined a building you will draw, the more expensive it will be." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace nodded her head in understanding. The only building she needed for the time being was a warehouse. But if she had the option of creating as many buildings as she needed, then she might go ahead and create a garage too in order to store all the aircrafts and vehicles that she was about to buy. Except for these, she had no other requirement for buildings for the time being.


    "Let me design the warehouse." She told 2025 and it immediately opened the tab on the screen for her to start drawing with a digital pen that the system offered.


    Though she was not that great in drawing, especially when it came to creating the designs of buildings, she still did a pretty decent job as she drew the type of warehouse she needed to store all her supplies. There were two floors in the basement and four above the ground.


    She even added information about the kind of shelves she wanted on each floor or sections of the warehouse to store different sort of supplies. Just as she was going to save the draft, a question popped up in her brain.


    Turning her attention to 2025, she asked, "Can I add additional requirements like temperature, humidity, and all?"


    2025 gave a little nod of its head and Grace immediately started working on her draft, adding more information about what special requirements she had for each section of the warehouse.


    It took her nearly an hour before the draft was finally completed and she was beyond satisfied with what she had designed. If not for the fact that the system was within a magical realm, she wondered just how many tens of billions she would have needed to spend for the construction of such a building.


    "How much is this gonna cost?" She asked 2025 once she was done saving the design and chose the location of the warehouse on the map.


    2025 did some quick calculations before it finally answered, "Opening the location will cost you 10,000 points and the creation of the warehouse will cost you about 250,000 points."


    Grace found the deal pretty fair and decided to go ahead with it, not like she had another option at all. "Do it." She told 2025.


    As soon as she said the words, 2025 clicked on the ''yes'' icon that the screen was displaying, starting the construction of the warehouse.


    [Ends in 1 Day]

 Chapter 16: Blackwood Mansion

    Chapter 16: Blackwood MansionThe screen showed the time that the system needed to construct the warehouse.


    [Ends in 1 Day]


    [Remaining Points: 250,000]


    Though Grace needed to open fields and a water source for agriculture purpose, there was no need to do it immediately. Hence, she decided to keep her hard-earned points safe for the time being just in case she might need them for some sort of urgency.


    Once her work was done in the Infinite Realm, she returned to the real world. It was already past nine and the world outside was illuminated by the city lights instead of the bright sun.


    As she walked out of the office, she found Kevin heading in her direction. "Boss, they all have been sent to the cruise. The ship will make a trip to Newland before returning here in exactly two weeks from now. They will be sent on their way from there. Now, we are ready to close the base." He informed once he was standing in front of her.


    "Great. Go ahead and finish the remaining work. I will send you an address, meet me there tomorrow afternoon with the others." She told him, feeling a little relieved as things were going smoothly so far.


    "Yes, boss." Kevin nodded before he took his leave and headed downstairs. Grace too made her way down the stairs and headed outside to find her car.


    Leaving the base, she headed straight toward Balckwood Mansion, a place she hadn''t visited in years. She would have loved to keep the family house, but she knew that there was no saving it once the disaster would hit. Hence, she planned to see if there was anything she wanted to keep from the mansion before putting an end to everything.


    On her way, she stopped by a small restaurant and ate a quick dinner. Twenty minutes later, she was making her way through the high-profile residential area on the south end of the city.


    Blackwood was a huge name in the Starship Country. They were known as one of the biggest name in the business world as well as for their connections with the underworld. What no one knew was that the Blackwood didn''t have just any connections with the underworld, but they actually ruled the underworld.


    It was Grace''s grandfather who stepped into the business of underworld first, followed by her father, her older brother and then finally her - the last living heir of the Balckwood Empire.


    Parking her car in the driveway, she climbed out and headed inside, switching on the lights on her way. As she arrived in the grand hall and felt the echoes of her footsteps getting lost in the vast, empty space.


    The air inside the mansion felt thick with memories, many of which she''d rather forget. But she had no time to reminisce her past. She needed to prepare for her survival as the apocalypse was coming. And even though she had the advantage of knowing what was to come, there was still so much to prepare for.


    She walked through the familiar corridors and her eyes sweeped over the ornate furniture, the intricate tapestries, and the gilded mirrors that had once reflected a different version of her life.


    She paused at the family portrait in the living room. Her eyes took in the smiling faces of her father, mother, and older brother. And then there was her - young, wide-eyed, and innocent. That girl no longer existed.


    Letting out a sigh, she continued her silent tour of the mansion. There was something final about her footsteps echoing off the marble floors tonight. She knew it wasn''t just the house she was walking away from. It was the life that had shaped her into the woman she had become.


    She was walking away from the Blackwood Empire, the underground power that had been ruling the country. It was the legacy of her family that she was now putting to rest. She was dismantling it piece by piece, ensuring that when the apocalypse came, she would be ready for something new.


    She took her time to look into each room on all four floors, shifting only those decorative pieces, furniture, and other items that her grandmother and mother personally picked over the years.


    When she arrived at her bedroom, she finally felt the weight of her decision. But she needed to do it if she wanted to remove every trace that could lead to her. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, she reached her father''s study. She pushed open the heavy oak door and found the room smelling of old books and leather, just as it always had. Her father''s desk stood in the center, immaculate as though he might walk in at any moment. But she knew he wouldn''t. He had been dead for years, leaving her to carry the weight of the Blackwood name alone.


    She ran her fingers across the surface of the desk, pausing when she reached the drawer on the right. She hadn''t opened it in years. With a small sigh, she knelt down, unlocked it, and pulled it open.


    Inside, she found the collection of ledgers, documents, and records that detailed the Blackwood family''s dealings with the underworld. Everything was there - secrets, alliances, betrayals, debts. Her family''s entire shadowy empire was contained in these papers.


    She stared at them for a moment before she grabbed a lighter from her pocket. She struck the flint and held the small flame to the corner of the top ledger. The paper caught quickly, the fire eating away at the edges before engulfing the entire page. She watched the flames rise higher, consuming the past as the heat warmed her skin.


    Soon, nothing would remain.

 Chapter 17: The Power Shift

    Chapter 17: The Power ShiftThe next morning arrived with a huge wave of shock for the entire Starship Country. A particular news spread like fire, leaving everyone shocked.


    [Breaking News: Blackwood Mansion Engulfed in Flames- A Legacy Reduced to Ashes]


    [In a shocking turn of events, a devastating fire has destroyed the legendary Blackwood Mansion. Blackwoods are among the most powerful names in Starship Country''s business world. Authorities are investigating the cause as the fire swept through the estate late last night, leaving nothing but rubble and a stunned community.]


    [The Queen of the Blackwood Empire is rumored to have gotten heavily injured in the fire. Firefighters were seen rescuing her from the mansion before she was taken to the Outpatient hospital. There has been no news about her ever since.]


    [Statement from Authorities: "Fire officials have yet to determine the cause of the fire, but investigations are ongoing. Only one injury has been reported so far."]


    [The Blackwood family has been a cornerstone of the Starship Country''s economy for decades. Known for their extensive influence in finance, real estate, and energy, this tragedy marks a significant blow to both the family and their associates.]


    [Locals and business insiders are expressing grief and disbelief. "This is the end of an era," remarked a close associate of the Blackwood family.]


    [Potential Causes: Early speculation suggests the possibility of arson, though fire investigators have not confirmed any details. Electrical faults and other accidental causes are also being explored.]


    Kevin let out a deep sigh as he listened to the never-ending reports about the fire in the news. "They sure are enjoying this." He murmured as the reporter spoke his dramatic closing lines.


    [As the ashes of the Blackwood legacy settle, the business world watches closely, waiting to see how the family will recover from this disaster.]


    Right at that moment, the TV was switched off, pulling everyone''s attention toward the man who just entered the private room.


    "The patient needs to rest right now. Please don''t disturb her." He spoke politely but in a firm tone while looking through Grace''s reports that he was holding in his hands.


    Before Kevin could have responded, Grace shook her head, stopping him. "I''ll be discharged soon. Wait for me at the address I have sent you all. In the meantime... make sure everything goes smoothly about the plan." She lowered her voice as she spoke the last line.


    Kevin nodded his head in understanding, and with a quick look in the doctor''s direction, he exited the room. If the task of closing the base was a serious and big one, then his current task was even a level higher than that. None of them could afford to make any sort of mistake this time.


    Once both Kevin and the nurse left the room, Grace turned her attention toward the man who was still checking her reports. "Dr. Kian, it''s good to see you again." She spoke, not even trying to hide the teasing note in her tone.


    He finally looked, fixing his gaze on her face. He cleared his throat, an attempt to hide his nervousness but Grace saw through it very clearly. "I was free... so I decided to check on you."


    A smile formed on her lips as Grace spoke, "I''m surprised to know that as a neurosurgeon and an oncologist, you still have that much free time. It''s been four hours since I got admitted here, and this is already your fourth visit. If I''m not wrong, that''s even more than my attending doctor''s."


    All of a sudden, Dr. Kian found himself at a complete loss for words and such a thing had never happened to him before. Even if he wanted to say something, he had no idea what to say. "I... I''m just concerned as we met just yesterday. I... that''s all."


    "Right." Grace replied. "Because if I didn''t know better, I might have thought that you are one of my admirers."


    "Huh? Admirer?" Dr. Kian stared at her with wide eyes. He almost looked like a deer caught in headlights.


    "Mmm. Admirer. You do know that a beautiful, hot, rich, and successful businesswoman like me has a lot of admirers, right?" She was absolutely enjoying the power shift that somehow happened between them.


    Their current situation was completely opposite of the day before. Back then, she was the one who felt flustered and he had the power, but today, she was the one in power and he was the one left flustered.


    She wasn''t sure how long this power was going to remain in her hands but she wanted to make the most out of it. Besides, it was fun to see someone like Dr. Kian appearing so flustered because of her teasing. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It took him a few moments to pull himself together. He was looking everywhere but at her as he quickly replied, "Right. You... should have those. But I just came to check on your health. You are indeed good to go. I will take my leave then."


    He didn''t wait to even hear her response and quickly walked out of the room. As for Grace, she stared at the door with a smile playing on her lips. She shook her head while trying to control her smile.


    "You seem to be enjoying this." 2025 commented the moment they were alone.


    Grace immediately became normal and cleared her throat before replying, "I was just seeking revenge for yesterday."


    "Oh? Then you should have added this to your tasks list. You lost the chance for earning 10 more points." 2025 returned sarcastically, clearly not buying her lie.


    Before Grace could have responded, she heard someone knocking on the door. A moment later, a nurse opened the door. "Ms. Blackwood, the police is here. They want to take your statement."


    "Please let them in."

 Chapter 18: The Shocking News

    Chapter 18: The Shocking NewsFifteen minutes later ~


    "Ms. Blackwood, thank you for your cooperation. We will notify you as soon as the results will come out. Please have a good rest."


    Grace smiled softly as she bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your hardwork." She said to the two police officers who then took their leave and walked out of the room.


    "Why did you plan the fire?" 2025 asked the moment they were alone in the room once again. It had been curious about Grace''s decision of destroying the Blackwood Mansion but only now could it finally ask.


    A small smile curved the corners of Grace''s lips while an icy glow took over her eyes. "You will find out the answer soon."


    Just like that, the topic ended there and Grace spent next two hours catching up on some sleep. Meanwhile, the buzz around the Blackwood Mansion''s fire grew even more intense.


    She got discharged from the hospital by noon and headed to the condo she rented the day before. There, she met with Kevin, Aleena, Seth, and Maven to make preparations for her next big step.


    Two hours later, she climbed out of a black SUV and headed inside a building located in the city''s busiest square with Kevin and Maven following right behind her. She made her way through the long hallways and finally entered the grand hall where the press was awaiting her.


    She was dressed in a dark red office suit that clung to her frame, carrying a perfect balance of elegance and power. Her expression was one of calm determination. At the same time, most of the bruises and bandages on her body were left on display to hint at the tragedy she had just endured.


    As she made her way to the podium, flashes from cameras illuminated the room, capturing every detail of her appearance.


    She took a deep breath before fixing her gaze on the sea of journalists as she addressed them. Her voice was steady but soft enough to evoke sympathy.


    "Good afternoon, everyone. First, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the brave firefighters, medical professionals, and authorities who worked tirelessly through this difficult time. The Blackwood Mansion was not just my home, it was a symbol of my family''s legacy and a place filled with memories. Watching it go up in flames... it''s a loss I cannot put into words."


    Her voice trembled just slightly as she paused and her eyes briefly cast down. It was a perfect touch of vulnerability that tugged at the emotions of everyone present in the room. Then, she straightened up again and resumed her composed stance.


    "I understand many of you have questions about the fire," she continued. "At this moment, the authorities are still investigating, and I will let them do their work. I trust they will find the cause in due time. My main priority now is to recover and plan for the future."


    The first round of questions came almost immediately.


    "Ms. Blackwood, are you sure the fire wasn''t the result of foul play?"


    "What are your plans for the future now that the mansion is destroyed?"


    Grace answered the questions with careful precision, giving away just enough information to satisfy their immediate curiosity without revealing too much. She kept her tone composed, but the weight of the situation was still clear in every word. Finally, after several rounds of questioning, she took a deep breath to signal she was about to make a major statement. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There''s something I would like to announce today." The room fell into a heavy silence as all eyes locked on her. "After much reflection on this matter, I have decided to sell the Blackwood Corporation."


    A gasp rippled through the crowd and the journalists quickly scribbled down notes, shock evident on their faces. The Blackwood Corporation was an empire, one of the largest and most influential in the country. Selling it was unthinkable, especially for someone like Grace who had been its face since she was a teenager.


    Hands shot up as reporters were eager to ask the burning questions. One finally spoke, "Ms. Blackwood, why would you make such a sudden decision? You have led the company for so long. What has prompted this?"


    Grace''s expression softened and a look of weariness settled in her eyes as she spoke. "For the past twelve years, I have dedicated my every waking moment to this company. Since I was fourteen, I have carried the weight of my family''s legacy, working tirelessly to ensure its success. But in doing so, I have lost myself. I have sacrificed my time, my peace, my well-being. I gave it everything I had. But... I''m tired now. I have reached a point where I need to take care of myself, to finally breathe without the pressure of carrying such a heavy responsibility."


    The room was silent, stunned by her revelation. Grace continued in a voice laced with emotion. "This isn''t an easy decision, but it''s the right one for me. I know my family would want me to find peace, not burn out under the weight of their legacy. It''s time for me to step away."


    More questions began to fly, but Kevin and Maven swiftly stepped forward and gently ushered Grace away from the podium. "No more questions today, thank you," Kevin said firmly as they escorted her out of the room.


    The reporters surged forward, trying to get a final word, but Grace ignored the chaos behind her. She gracefully slid into the waiting car while Kevin and Maven followed closely behind bedore the doors closed swiftly.


    As the car pulled away, Grace glanced out of the window, watching the world continue as if it hadn''t just been rocked by her announcement. She knew the news would spread like wildfire. The Blackwood Corporation - her life''s work and her family''s empire - was about to change hands.


    The headlines would soon be everywhere, and the country would be left in disbelief.


    But for her, this was only the beginning of a much larger plan. A small, satisfied smile played on her lips as the car sped away from the building.

 Chapter 19: Water Supplies (I)

    Chapter 19: Water Supplies (I)Two Days Later~


    [Amount credited to your account 321456******0 - 2,000,000,000,000]


    [Points earned: 1,000,000]


    The notifications made a bright smile appear on Grace''s lips. While the actual worth of Blackwood Corporation was 2.6 trillion, the stocks ended up taking a toll because of the fire controversy and then her abrupt decision of selling the company.


    If it had been a normal situation, this could be considered a huge loss for her, but considering what the future held, Grace wasn''t the least bit sad about the loss.


    Though she would have loved to get the remaining amount as well, 2 trillion was still a huge amount and more than enough for her to purchase everything she was about to buy.


    Not only that but she had around another trillion saved up in different bank accounts or in the form of cash. This took her total saving up to 3 trillion, and it didn''t include the billions of expenses she had already made to stockpile the items she asked her team to buy.


    "Unfortunately, I didn''t get the money in either cash or in my other accounts. I will have to worry Seth for taking care of it." She spoke with a small sigh as she closed her phone and returned her focus on getting ready. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because she needed to put on a show as a victim who just saw her family house burning, suffered injuries, and was giving up on the huge business empire because she was tired, she remained at the condo for two days and refrained from going out in case paparazzi would catch her shopping around.


    But now that the matter had calmed down a little bit and the company was already sold, she decided to no longer waste the precious time.


    She glanced at the timer within the system and saw the big digital letters glaring back at her.


    96 Days, 14 Hours, and 49 Minutes


    Letting out a small sigh, she grabbed the car keys and headed downstairs. She quickly ate the breakfast that Aleena delivered half an hour ago before finally heading out.


    Merely ten minutes might have passed since she set out when her phone started ringing. Noticing the caller ID, she immediately put the call on speaker.


    "Hello."


    [Good morning, Boss. I have finalized the deal and I''m on my way to personally overlook the customization process. This might take around a week. I will let you know as soon as there''s some progress.]


    Jasper''s voice was heard from the other end of the call. "Great work, Jasper. Make sure the goods are ready by the end of the period of one week." Grace replied, and with that, she ended the call.


    Her current plan was to spend next few days stocking up some necessary supplies before heading to Mapleton City four days later to meet Valeska who too had finalized the deal of plants and seeds. There, she would spend a day or two to stockpile before heading to Skylane City to meet Ryan.


    Once her work in Skylane would be over, it might already be time for her to head to Country S to pick up the batch of weapons. She was sure that by the time she would finish her work in these three places, it might be the time for the arrival of the very first signal of the upcoming disaster - a heavy rainfall that would last for over a week and would be accompanied by a heavy storm.


    Among the necessary supplies she needed to stockpile, water was on the very top of her list. But she didn''t need to worry about stockpiling it anymore as 2025 informed her that the lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and streams inside the Infinte Realm were also infinte and their water would never empty.


    But while she didn''t need to stockpile water, she needed other items related to water. Ten minutes later, she parked her car outside a Wholesale Retail building and climbed out before heading inside.


    She was dressed in a pair of jeans and white shirt. Her auburn hair was nowhere in sight as she was wearing a black wig as well as contact lenses. The last piece of disguise was the face mask that made it almost impossible for anyone to recognize her.


    The worst thing she got from the entire ''fire and sale of her company'' matter, was that her face had been shown in the news way too much that almost anyone could recognize her in one glance. Thus, she had to put on this disguise to hide her identity.


    Upon entering the building, she was greeted by the staff there. Without wasting any time, she went straight to business. "I''m here to buy 100,000 Portable Water filters, 50,000 Solar UV water purifier, 10,000 Gravity water filter systems, and enough repairing kits."


    "Do you have any specific models or companies in mind?" The employee asked politely and Grace told him the brands she wanted.


    "These are good models. One portable water filter will cost you around 53. In this case, a 100,000 filters will cost you a total of 5,300,000. The Solar purifiers will cost you 2,500,000, and the total for Gravity water filters is 500,000. Since you have placed a big order, we can offer the repairing kits for free and seal the deal at 8,000,000 if you are satisfied." The employee was professional with his work as he made the offer.


    "How long will you need to provide me the goods?" She asked.


    "We can deliver it by tomorrow afternoon at the earliest." The employee answered.


    "Great. I will make the down payment right now and the rest when the goods will be delivered. Here is the address and my number." Grace said as she handed a name card to the employee with a fake name, one of her phone numbers, and the address of the warehouse.


    She then made the down payment, and once she was done there, she immediately headed to her next stop.

 Chapter 20: Water Supplies (II)

    Chapter 20: Water Supplies (II)Arriving at the next Retail shop, Grace took her time to look around to examine the products on display. Once she was done, she approached the employee awaiting her.


    "Hello. I want to place a big order." She told him and watched as he immediately grabbed a notepad and a pen from the counter, ready to note down her order.


    "I want 100 Barrels with 200 Gallon water storage capacity, 500 barrels with 100 Gallon water storage capacity, 1000 Portable Water Containers of 1-5 Gallon capacity, and 1000 Collapsible water containers."


    The employee swiftly noted down the orders while Grace continued. "Also 100 home water testing kits and 100 TDS meters. As well as 10,000 water bladder packs." Lastly, she added Hoses, clamps, and other fittings to complete the order.


    Ten minutes later, she was walking out of the shop after making the down payment and leaving the address of the warehouse and her phone number behind with the employee.


    Her next shop was a mega mart where she placed the order for the remaining items she needed to finish her stockpile of water. The items she ordered there were - water purification tablets, unscented bleach, electrolyte tablets and powders, and moisturizing wipes. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By the time she finished, it was already past noon. She drove to a small restaurant and had a delicious lunch. During the past two days when she was locked inside her condo, she spent most of her time learning more about the Infinite Realm and the system.


    One interesting thing that she found out about the system was that it had a feature to store downloaded contents. Thus, as she enjoyed her lunch in a cozy corner of the restaurant, she decided to download her all-time favorite movies that she always used to rewatch.


    She was also planning to download series, dramas, songs, podcasts, audio books, funny videos, informational materials, books, comics, and more whenever she would find enough free times.


    Though she initially planned to download a lot of research materials, information on different topics, and such, 2025 informed her that the system already had information stored in it about pretty much everything out there that humans could do or had found about.


    The reason such a function was made in the system in the first place was because Dr. Kian created the system during the years of apocalypse and he knew the possibility of the world losing all sources of information if the apocalypse continued for several decades or even centuries. Hence, he decided to store all the data within the system to leave a hope for the future.


    The more Grace got to explore the system and its features, the more impressed she felt with Dr. Kian. As her thoughts drifted to the handsome doctor, she found a smile forming on her lips at the recollection of their last meeting.


    But as soon as she realized what she was doing, she straightened up and stopped smiling, returning to her serious self. She quickly finished her lunch and had a cup of herbal tea before once again heading to buy supplies.


    After water supplies, her next mission was to stock up food supplies and she was starting with canned foods as they were the best considering there was no one to tell how long the apocalypse was going to last.


    She drove straight to the biggest warehouse club in the city. She parked her car in the parking and climbed out before heading inside. Once the employees there got to know that she was there with a big order, they immediately led her to meet the Manager.


    "A very good afternoon, Ms Brown. Please have a seat." The manager, a man in his late thirties, greeted Grace politely before offering her a seat on the couch placed next to the big glass windows. "I heard you want to place a big order for canned foods."


    "That''s right." Grace replied and saw a big smile blooming on the manager''s face. "Please go ahead and tell us what you want." He said while signaling an employee to note down the order.


    "100,000 cans of all these vegetables - Corn, Green beans, Peas, Carrots, Tomatoes, Spinach, Mixed Vegetables, Potatoes, Mushrooms, Asparagus, Beets, Pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes/Yams, Artichoke hearts, Bamboo shoots, Water chestnuts, Okra, Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Chickpeas, Lentils, Pimento, Bell pepper, Fermented Cabbage."


    Both the manager and the employee were staring at her with shock written all over their faces. It was the manager who pulled himself together first and asked just to verify, "Ms. Brown, you want 100,000 cans of each of these vegetables?"


    "That''s right." Grace answered calmly and then added, "I''m actually planning to open the biggest supermarket this city has ever seen. If things went right with this order, I might end up becoming your regular customer."


    And that was more than enough to make the manager forget all about his shock and focus on fulfilling her order to make sure that she would pick his warehouse for the long-term business.


    "Shall I continue with my orders?" Grace asked and noticed how her question surprised the manager who wasn''t expecting for her to order more. But he quickly returned to his professional mode and nodded his head. "Please go ahead, Ms. Brown."


    "100,000 cans for each of these fruits - Peaches, Pineapple, Pears, Tangerines, Cherries, Lychee, Apples, Mangoes, Grapefruit, Papaya, Coconut, Guava, Cranberries, Apricots, Plums, Oranges, Jackfruit, Nectarines, Dragon fruit, Fig, Bananas, Strawberries, Blueberries, Gooseberries, Mulberries, Elderberries, Blackberries, Quince, Prunes, and Fruit Cocktail."

 Chapter 21: Food Supplies

    Chapter 21: Food SuppliesOnce Grace had made orders for canned vegetables and fruits, she made another order, this time for food that were rich in protein.


    100,000 cans of each of the following - Tuna, Salmon, Chicken, Sardines, Beans, Pork, Tofu, Turkey, Ham, Clams, Crab meat, Sausages, Meatballs, Corned beef, and Shrimp.


    The next order was for canned soups and stews. And just like the other orders, she went with 100,000 cans each for - Chicken Soup, Tomato Soup, Vegetable Soup, Broccoli Cheddar, French Onion Soup, Beef Stew, Chicken and Dumplings Stew, and Chili Chicken Stew.


    Then she added sauces and condiments like - Tomato Sauce, Pasta Sauce, Gravy, and Coconut Milk. There were also ready-to-eat meals canned food, broths and stocks, and Pickled Vegetables.


    By the time she finished telling them all the canned food she needed, nearly half an hour had passed. Once she was done, it was the manager''s turn to do the hardwork and calculate the total cost of all the food.


    Fifteen minutes later, he presented big numbers in front of Grace who immediately made the down payment through one of her many bank accounts and made deal to make the rest of the payment in cash upon receiving the goods at her warehouse.


    Before leaving the warehouse club, she handed the manager her business card with the address of the warehouse and her phone number.


    It was around half past three when she drove out of the warehouse''s parking lot and headed toward her next destination. This one was also a warehouse club and the only reason she came here was because she didn''t want to spend billions of money in just one place.


    Just like what happened at the previous warehouse club, the employee called the manager as soon as Grace stated that she was there with a big order.


    This time, she started with dried goods such as - Rice, Pasta and noodles, Beans, Lentils, Peas, Rolled oats and Instant oats. Grains like quinoa, couscous, and barley. Powdered potatoes and dried vegetables.


    Then she moved ahead to Staples and Baking Supplies - All-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cornmeal and baking mixes. Granulated, brown, and powdered sugar. Salt, baking powder, baking soda, yeast, vinegar, apple cider, cooking oil, honey, maple syrup, nut butters, egg powder, condensed and powdered milk.


    After that, she moved on to cooking tools and equipment - knives, cutting board, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, peeler, grater, can opener, heat-resistant spatula, tongs, ladle, whisk, stirring spoon, colander, cast iron skillet, medium and large pots with lids, oven, baking sheets and muffin tins, instant pots, portable stoves, firestarter kits, airtight storage containers, zip lock bags, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, heat-safe bowls, plates, mugs, and cutlery.


    She also added seasonings and flavor enhancers in the list - salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, dried rosemary, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili paste, powdered broth, dried lemon/lime powder, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, dehydrated butter powder, and cheese powder. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lastly, she added some miscellaneous items - waterproof matches, lighters, flint, steel, charcoal briquettes, wood logs, kindling, snacks, high-calorie meal replacement bars or energy bars, protein powder, towels, wipes, soap, hand sanitizer, and trash bags.


    Once again, she was given a big number since she bought a lot. She quickly made the down payment and headed out of the warehouse. It was late in the afternoon and she was tired after driving around the city since morning, hence she decided to return to her condo and rest for the remaining of the day.


    But she soon realized that even if her mind signaled her to rest, her body was ready for more work. After having a cup of coffee upon her return to the condo, she once again started working.


    First, she marked down the supplies she had already ordered and added more items in the lists of supplies she still had to buy... and there were a lot of the latter.


    After finishing that work, she opened the tablet and started searching for some residential areas in Sunspire City that was located on an elevation. Not only that, but it was also at a safe distance from water bodies.


    After looking for a while, she finally found the perfect residential area to keep herself safe for the coming disasters... at least for the time being. It was hard to find such a perfect place that was safe from bothering the upcoming flood and the earthquakes.


    It was at a safe distance from fault lines. It had rocky, stable ground, which could handle seismic waves better than loose or soft soils. Most importantly, the residential area she had chosen claimed that it was built with earthquake-resistant designs.


    After considering all these factors, her chosen residential area within Sunspire City was indeed the best place for her to stay for the coming eighteen months that would be filled with heavy rainfall, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and eventually the first Shadow Rain.


    She took her time to look through the photos and videos of the apartments available for rent or sale. After a while, she finally picked the apartment she wanted to rent and filled up all the required details.


    The rent for the apartment was 10,000 per month which was a really big amount. Yet, Grace was planning to pay the rent for whole of eighteen months so that no one could snatch the apartment away from her by paying higher rent in future.


    It took around ten minutes for the real estate company to call her.

 Chapter 22: The Accident (l)

    Chapter 22: The Accident (l)[Am I speaking to Ms. Blackwood?]


    A female voice spoke from the other end of the call. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, that''s me." Grace answered as she closed her laptop and stood from the couch, heading toward the floor-to-ceiling windows that were offering her a beautiful view of the sunset.


    [Ms. Blackwood, you seem to have just applied to rent an apartment in Greenstone Residential Area, Zone seven of Sunspire City. Am I right?]


    "That''s right. I will like to rent an apartment there for next eighteen months starting from 10:06:2024."


    [We are pleased to have you as a new member of our community. May I ask if you will be making the payment and signing the contract online, or if you will be coming here personally?]


    "I will make a down payment for now. Please book the apartment in my name. I will be there on the 6th of next month." Grace informed the lady and they talked for a little bit longer as she made the down payment to reserve the apartment.


    Few minutes later, she ended the call and headed to take a shower. After spending the entire day in disguise, she finally allowed herself to be her real self.


    She dressed up and grabbed her car keys before once again heading out. This time, her destination was one of her favorite restaurants in the city.


    * * *


    Grace woke up from the alarm that she had set before going to sleep around ten the previous night. It was six in the morning as she climbed out from under the warm blanket and made her bed.


    She then headed to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee and enjoyed it while listening to some songs to start her morning. Finishing the coffee, she did some stretching and light exercises before showering to get ready for the day.


    She walked out of her bedroom an hour later, dressed in a long black dress that reached her ankle. Her long auburn hair was pulled up in a high bun and her heels clicked on the floor as she descended the stairs.


    Once apocalypse would arrive, she would probably not get to enjoy such luxurious dresses, makeup, and heels. Thus, she was using the time she had before the arrival of doom to enjoy these things.


    When she arrived downstairs, she was greeted with the scene of Kevin and Aleena setting up the dining table while Maven and Seth were preparing breakfast. The air was filled with the delicious aroma of roasted chicken that made her mouth water.


    "Good morning, Boss!"


    The four of them greeted her in unison as they noticed her walking into the dining area.


    "Morning, guys." She returned as she took a seat at the table.


    "I have a good news for you." Seth said as he walked up to the table to place the dishes he had prepared along with Maven. He then turned to face her and pulled out something from the pockets of his suit before placing it in front of her on the table.


    Five Debit Cards.


    "Everything has been successfully sold, bringing you a whopping 82 billion. We have 30 percent of that money saved as cash in one of our secret bases and the remaining 70 percent is right here. All these five cards can''t be traced back to you." He explained while taking a seat for himself.


    Grace picked up the cards and nodded her head in approval. Right at that moment, the other three also arrived at the table with dishes and took their seats.


    "The fire case of Blackwood Mansion has also wrapped up with the conclusion of a short-circuit just like you planned. You no longer need to worry about that." Kevin provided the update on the fire case.


    Everything had went according to their plan so far.


    "Great work you all. We have successfully removed our links to our past. Now, all we need is to prepare for the future." Grace felt relieved as the last Chapter of her past story finally ended with the conclusion of the fire case and the successful sale of all her assets and properties.


    As they dived into the delicious breakfast, she updated them on the supplies she had already ordered.


    "Will we need that much supplies for only the eight of us?" Aleena asked once she learned of the numbers of the orders.


    "They aren''t only for us." Grace confessed, surpising the four.


    "Are you planning to save others?" Kevin asked with no judgment in his voice. He just wanted to know what she was planning to do.


    Grace let out a deep sigh before replying, "I will not lie and say that I want to save the entire world. What I really want is to stay safe and keep you all safe with me. And this will forever be my priority. Still, I will try to help others on our way to survival if I could. Besides, we have too much money that will soon become a waste if we don''t utilize it right now."


    All four of them nodded their heads in understanding. Though they didn''t seem to understand the depth of the calamity the world would be facing soon, they trusted their Boss and were ready to follow her lead.


    "Then let''s do our best to stockpile everything we might need to save the world and ourselves." Maven said as he raised his glass of orange juice.


    Grace smiled as she looked around at her team. She did make the right choice by trusting them all over again.


    "By the way, Boss. Here''s the address of the warehouse where all the delivered vehicles are. You should take a look at it." Maven said while sending her the location of the warehouse.


    "Alright. Let''s head there after breakfast."


    After finishing the food, all five of them set out for the warehouse located on the outskirts of the city. Grace was driving through a narrow street when something... or someone... suddenly walked out of an alley and bumped into her car.


    Everything was too sudden for her to even register exactly what happened. But her brain knew it... she had hit someone.


    "Shit!"

 Chapter 23: The Accident (II)

    Grace¡¯s heart was beating wildly as she quickly climbed out of the car and walked to the front, finally getting her first look at the person whom she just hit.


    "Oh my... are you alright?"


    She quickly moved forward to stand next to the man sitting on the street while dusting his leather jacket. Her eyes then moved to the bicycle that was lying on the side of the street and she realized that he was riding it and got hit by her car when he came out of the alley.


    "Excuse me! Are you-"


    The rest of the words never made it out of her mouth as the man suddenly turned his head to look at her and she got her very first look at his face... devilishly handsome face.


    He had silky black hair, icy-blue eyes, and that perfect handsome It-boy face of a young man. It was clear that he was young, probably in his early twenties. The shirt he was wearing under his jacket was doing little to hide his collarbone and it allowed her a sneak peak at the tattoo there.


    Once her eyes were done shamelessly taking him in, they returned to his face only to find him looking straight back at her. Realizing that she just got caught red-handed, she felt warmth taking over her cheeks as embarrassment hit her strong.


    "I... I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to hit you. I... I didn¡¯t know you will be coming out of the alley all of a sudden." She tried to explain while apologizing.


    "It¡¯s alright." He replied in a deep voice that took Grace¡¯s breath away. She hadn¡¯t heard such a deep and alluring voice ever before. She felt her heartbeats picking up their speed all over again but the reason was entirely different this time.


    She watched as he slightly tilted his head as if he was trying to understand why she was staring at him way too much. The move caused some of the locks of his hair to fall over his face and she suddenly felt a strong urge to brush them away.


    Get a grip on yourself Grace! S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A voice shouted in her mind, trying to pull her out of the fantasy zone she had suddenly traveled to. She thought she was completely unprepared to meet someone like Dr. Kian, but it was turning out that she was unprepared to meet any men who looked as hot and handsome as these two.


    She inhaled deeply and quickly looked away, buying herself some precious moments to get her mind straight. She cleared her throat and once again turned her attention back to the young man.


    "Are you hurt anywhere? Do I need to take you to the hospital?" She asked and was thankful that her voice came out more calm and in control than she was actually feeling at that moment.


    She watched as he finally stood up and dusted his jeans before returning his gaze back to her. Once again, she got to hear that deep, raspy voice of his as he answered, "I¡¯m alright. You don¡¯t have to worry. And it wasn¡¯t your fault that we ended up hitting each other. I should have been more careful."


    She nodded her head, relieved that he wasn¡¯t one of those unreasonable people who would have used this chance to blame her even though she was barely at fault.


    "Is your... bike alright?" She asked while pointing to bicycle that was still on the ground.


    He walked toward the bicycle and pulled it up. He inspected it for a moment before answering, "I think it¡¯s fine."


    "That¡¯s good to hear-" Grace was speaking but got disturbed when her phone started ringing with an upcoming call. She quickly picked up the call as it was Kevin calling her.


    [Boss, where are you? Weren¡¯t you right behind us?]


    "I... I just got caught up with something. I will be there soon." Grace replied before she ended the call and walked toward the driver¡¯s side of her car. She grabbed her purse and took out one of her business cards before returning to where the man was standing.


    "Here is my card. You can call me if you feel uncomfortable or realize that there¡¯s something wrong with your bike. I need to be somewhere right now. If you don¡¯t mind, can I go ahead?" She requested while offering him the card.


    He took the card and looked over it before nodding his head. "Please go ahead."


    Grace wasted no time as she quickly returned to her car and climbed in. As she drove past him, her gaze met his once again and she felt her heart fluttering deep in her chest.


    Returning her gaze to the front, she continues on her way. And yet, she was unable to stop herself from sneaking another glance at him through the rearview mirror.


    "Maybe I should have asked his name." She muttered to herself as she took the turn that made the man disappear from her sight.


    A long sigh escaped her lips and she shook her head, wondering exactly what was suddenly so wrong with her. Had she always been this interested in handsome looking men? She wondered.


    "He looked really nice." 2025 stated from inside the Infinte Space.


    "Don¡¯t you find every men handsome?" Grace asked with a little shake of her head.


    "Don¡¯t be ridiculous! Not every men can catch my interest. At first, it was only Dr. Kian, but it seems like I have a good competition for him." 2025 returned and as soon it talked about the guy Grace just encountered, its voice became dreamy.


    Grace was at a loss for words, not only because of how 2025 was acting but also because a part of her could understand the little creature. After all, she too had been taken aback by these two men.


    "Stop overthinking. We probabaly will never meet this guy again, and once we have shifted to Sunspire City, we will not see Dr. Kian either." This was a reminder for 2025... as well as for herself.

 Chapter 24: Collecting Vehicles

    Grace parked her car outside the warehouse before climbing out and joining her team who had been standing outside to wait for her.


    "Did something happen?" Aleena asked, not hiding the worry she was feeling for Grace.


    "An accident happened-"


    "Accident!"


    Before Grace could have finished the sentence, she heard all four of them screaming the word out loud in alarm. The very next second, Kevin was in front of her, inspecting for any sort of injury on her.


    "Did you get hurt? Are you alright? Do you need to go to hospital?" He asked while the others also surrounded her.


    Grace shook her head at their reactions, but there was a smile playing on her lips. "Shouldn¡¯t you all be asking if the other party is alright or not?"


    "There was a second party? Did you hit someone?"


    "Is that person dead or what?"


    Grace knocked her knuckle on Seth¡¯s forehead at his stupid question. "Do you think I would have come here if I had injured or killed someone?"


    "Right. Right." Seth murmured while rubbing his forehead. "So...?"


    "It was a minor accident. No one got hurt and we have already sorted it out. Don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s go and get a look at the vehicles." She didn¡¯t wait for their response and immediately started walking toward the entrance of the warehouse.


    For next several minutes, the five of them tested each of the vehicles before Grace spoke while addressing Maven. "You have done such a great job with your task. I¡¯m impressed, Maven."


    "Thank you, Boss." He replied with a proud smile while receiving approved shoulder taps from his teammates.


    It was Kevin who decided to shift their attention toward a serious matter. "Boss, since we have already purchased a lot and will continue buying more in the future, we will need a huge storage space. Do you need me to arrange such a place?"


    Grace shook her head in denial before replying, "We aren¡¯t going to stay in this city for so long. We will be moving to Sunspire City soon and I have already arranged a perfect place to stock all these supplies. You all also don¡¯t have to worry about the transportation of these goods to Sunspire City. I will take care of it. I need you guys to handle much more important matters for me."


    Even if she wanted to tell them about the Jade bracelet and its secrets, she held it back because she didn¡¯t want to put them in danger. The fewer people knew about the secret of the bracelet, the better it was. Hence, she decided to keep it a secret from them for the time being.


    "Why are we moving to Sunspire City all of a sudden?" Seth asked and the other three also had their gazes fixed on Grace as they waited for her response.


    "There will be heavy rainfall and storms coming within weeks. We will need to shift to a safe location before that. Sunspire City is built on elevation. I have already reserved my apartment there. Now, I want you to go there and rent the remaining three empty apartments on the same floor as mine." Grace directed the new task toward Seth while sending him all the needed information about the apartments he needed to book.


    Seth opened his phone and took a look at the information he just received before returning his attention back to Grace and nodding his head in understanding. "Consider it done, Boss."


    Grace nodded her head in approval before she turned her attention toward Kevin and spoke, "You will be accompanying Seth to Sunspire City. There¡¯s a lot you both need to prepare before my arrival there."


    Kevin too gave a nod of his head in understanding. Finally, Grace shifted her attention toward Maven and Aleena. "I have sent you both some lists of supplies. Head to nearby cities to place orders for those supplies and safely transport them to our warehouses. Let me know once you are done collecting all those supplies."


    The moment she finished speaking, Grace noticed the four of them sharing a concerned look among the four of them. Before the could have asked the reason, Kevin was already speaking. "If we all leave, you will be all alone here. What if you might end up running into some trouble, or anything else? At least one of us should stay here with you."


    "I will be completely fine on my own here. The Blackwood House is gone from the Mafia world. The Blackwood Empire is gone from the business world. There¡¯s no one out there right now who wants to waste their time on someone as unimportant as me. Besides, I can take care of myself." Grace stated while shifting her gaze between the four of them.


    "But-"


    "There¡¯s no but." She stated when Maven tried to defend Kevin¡¯s suggestion. "I would have loved to keep all seven of you beside me if the situation has been different. However, we all know that we don¡¯t have that much time to waste. We all need to work simultaneously to earn our chance for survival during the upcoming calamity, and we can¡¯t do that by sticking to each other."


    She could see it on their faces that all four of them weren¡¯t too happy about leaving her alone, but at the same time, they understood clearly what she was trying to say. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eventually, Kevin let out a deep sigh and nodded his head before the other three too accepted her decision. "You should let us know if anything goes wrong here. Okay?" Aleena reminded and Grace nodded her head in understanding.


    She watched all the four finally took their leave, heading to carry out their assigned tasks while she was left alone in the warehouse to transfer the goods inside the Infinte Realm.


    She spent the next ten minutes transferring the vehicles inside the space and then organizing them in the garage that she had bought from the system. After that, she was on her way to carry out the next task.

 Chapter 25: Goods Received

    It was only half past nine in the morning when Grace parked her car outside a retail store and headed inside.


    "Good morning, mam. How can I help you?" A young woman greeted her as she stepped inside the store.


    Since it was still so early in the morning, there was no other customer in the store. Only some employees were seen inspecting the goods and preparing to start their day at work.


    "Good morning. I¡¯m here to place a bulk order for Nuts and Seeds." Grace informed the woman with a polite smile.


    "Sure, ma¡¯am. Do you already have a list in mind or do you want to take a look around the store to decide what you want to buy?" The woman asked.


    Grace scanned the nearby shelves for a second or two before replying, "I¡¯ll love to take a look first and then place my order." Though she did have a short list, she wanted to see if there were some other options that she might like to add in her list.


    "Then please this way, ma¡¯am." The woman said while pointing toward the shelves standing nearby before she picked up a tablet from the counter and followed behind her.


    As Grace walked through the store, assessing the shelves loaded with all sorts of nuts and seeds, she started placing her order. "I want 10,000 packets of 1kg of all these nuts - Almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, hazelnuts, pili nuts, chestnuts, coconut, beech nuts, and acorns."


    She noticed the woman scribbling words on the tablet with a stylus, writing down her order. Once they were done in the nuts section, they headed toward the seeds section.


    Grace took her time to study the different kinds of seeds available there before she finally placed her order. "10,000 packets of 1kg of these seeds as well - Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, amaranth, millet, buckwheat, watermelon seeds, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, and fennel seeds."


    Once the woman had noted down the orders, they returned to the counter at the front desk where she calculated the total cost of the order and offered Grace a discount of ten percent since it was a bulk order.


    "Your order will be delivered by tomorrow afternoon." The employee informed as she accepted the business card from Grace.


    "That¡¯s great." Grace replied while she made the downpayment. Once she was done with her work in the store, she stepped outside and headed toward her car, ready to head to her next destination.


    She was almost done buying the food and cooking related supplies, so she decided to focus on the next important necessity - Medicine and First Aid. However, buying medicines in bulk was far more difficult and attention grabbing than buying even the weapons.


    After climbing into the car, she surfed through her contacts before finding a certain number she was looking for. She dialed the number and waited for the other person to pick up the call.


    On the second ring, the person picked up the call and Grace heard an old, but strong, voice speaking from the other side.


    [Ms. Blackwood, it¡¯s been a while. How have you been doing since your discharge?]


    "Dr. Shen, I¡¯m all good thanks to your staff¡¯s great care. I have mostly recovered. Thank you for your kindness." Grace replied warmly before getting straight to the point. "Dr. Shen, I called you today because of an important matter. Do you think we can meet today?"


    [Sure. We can meet for lunch at a restaurant near the hospital. I¡¯ll text you the location and time.]


    "Then I¡¯ll see you there on time. Bye, Dr. Shen." Grace ended the call after that, only to receive a call almost immediately from the Retail store where she placed order for water barrels and containers. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Hello, Ms. Brown. We have arrived at the warehouse with the goods.]


    "You can start unloading the goods. I¡¯ll there in twenty minutes." She told the employee before ending the call. She then started the car and headed toward her warehouse.


    Twenty minutes later, she stopped the car outside the warehouse and noticed that almost all the goods had been unloaded and placed inside the warehouse which she left open on purpose to avoid wastage of time. Besides, there was nothing inside the empty warehouse that could be stolen.


    Using a detection feature in her system, she quickly assessed all the goods to make sure that there wasn¡¯t any damaged goods. Fortunately, the store was diligent in handling the order.


    "You have done a wonderful job. It was nice working with you." Grace said politely to the employee who came to transport the goods.


    "We are happy to hear that. Please contact us again if you want to buy more goods." The employee said while shaking Grace¡¯s hand.


    Since all the goods were now safely sitting inside the warehouse, Grace made the remaining payment and watched as all the big trucks drove away from the warehouse, leaving her alone with her goods.


    She then walked inside the warehouse and closed the door. Her next task was to shift all the goods inside her space and it merely took her a minute. Then she entered the Infinite Realm and opened the warehouse she had bought from the system. For the next ten minutes, she arranged the goods inside one of the rooms in the warehouse, and as soon as she was done, she got up hear the familiar electronic voice.


    [CONGRATULATIONS]


    [Points earned: 50,000]


    [New Level: 15]


    Grace came out of the space only to receive another call, and this one was from the Megamart where she placed order for some miscellaneous items related to water supplies.


    Merely five minutes later, several trucks arrived at the warehouse with the goods. This time, the system detected one defected packet of moisturizing wipes that got immediately replaced and earned her a 2% extra discount on the entire order of moisturizing wipes.


    By the time she finished arranging the goods inside the warehouse, she had earned another 20,000 Points.

 Chapter 26: Medicinal Supplies

    Grace walked into the 7-Star restaurant, matching the vibe of the expensive place with how well she was dressed and carried herself.


    Because she had to meet Dr. Shen, she dropped by a boutique on her way to the restaurant and changed out of her disguise, returning to her real self so that she wouldn¡¯t catch him off-guard with the way she looked in her perfect disguise.


    "I¡¯m Dr. Shen¡¯s guest." She informed the employee who greeted her at the entrance.


    "This way please, mam."


    Grace followed behind the woman, heading deeper into the restaurant and eventually entering one of the private rooms that was booked by Dr. Shen for their lunch together.


    "Sir, your guest is here." The employee informed Dr. Shen before stepping aside to let Grace join the man at the table.


    "Ms. Blackwood, it¡¯s so good to see you." Dr. Shen said with a warm smile as he stood up and approached Grace to shake her hand. Even in his late forties, the man looked as young as if he was still in his early thirties. As usual, he was dressed neatly in a business suit.


    This man, he was the CEO of Outpatient Hospital and one of her close social acquaintances. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For years, Grace had been donating to the hospital and funding several of its researches, resulting in the formation of her close business friendship with Dr. Shen.


    The two of them settled down at the table and spent the next few minutes looking through the menus before finally placing their orders. Grace chose an appetizing meal for herself as she was feeling really hungry - a plate of lobster carpaccio, truffle mushroom soup, lemon-basil sorbet, and finally chocolate sphere with vanilla ice cream inside.


    "So, how¡¯s your life going now that you are no longer leading an entire business empire?" Dr. Shen asked once they both were free to talk after placing their orders.


    A waiter entered the room to serve them water before leaving. Once they were alone again, Grace answered, "I¡¯m feeling much more relaxed. Now that I don¡¯t have to work day and night, don¡¯t have to be on edge all the time... I¡¯m feeling really better."


    The lies spilled from her lips without any problem, making her realize just how professional she had become at lying without even realizing it.


    Dr. Shen nodded his head in approval. "That¡¯s good to hear. I have always been telling you to take a break for your mental and physical well-being. But you never listened to me. I¡¯m happy to see that you are finally thinking about your own well-being now."


    They continued to chat for a while as their food finally arrived. The smell alone was enough to make Grace forget about everything else but the food. She quickly tasted the lobster and was pleased with how good it tasted.


    "Are you enjoying the food?" Dr. Shen asked when he noticed the smile on her lips while she tasted the soup.


    Grace looked up at the man and nodded her head in a positive response while adding, "The food here is just as good as I remember."


    The two of them enjoyed the food for a while before Dr. Shen decided to break the silence. "So, what is the important matter you wanted to talk about?" He asked before looking up and fixing his gaze on Grace.


    As she finally had the chance to talk about the matter for which she sought his help in the first place, Grace stopped eating and focused her full attention on Dr. Shen while answering. "I want to buy some medicines and First-aid kit Supplies in bulk. I was wondering if you can help me with this matter."


    Buying serious medicines in bulk wasn¡¯t easy, and doing so would bring her unnecessary attention. It might also alert the authorities and she would end up in big trouble. Hence, she decided to bulk buy first-aid kits and common medicines first.


    "First-aid kits and medicines?" Dr. Shen asked with a look of half surprise and half confusion covering his face.


    Once again, Grace found herself voicing another lie, and this was the one she had used before to hoard other supplies. It might not be the best one, but it surely helped with keeping the suspicions to minimum.


    "As you already know, I have sold my company and the Blackwood Mansion is also no longer there. Though I have more than enough money right now, I still need to figure out a way to find a regular and fixed income source for my future. After thinking about it, I have decided to open a few supermarkets here and in the nearby cities. I decided to start collecting the supplies from medicines."


    She knew her lie worked when Dr. Shen spoke with a hint of worry in his tone. "It¡¯s been merely a few days since the fire incident. Even if you want to make plans for future, shouldn¡¯t you do it after resting properly?"


    She smiled and resumed eating as she replied to his question, "Dr. Shen, it¡¯s impossible for me to sit around and do nothing. Besides, I have been feeling super excited ever since the idea of opening supermarkets entered my brain. But you don¡¯t have to worry, I¡¯ll take my time in collecting the supplies and will not rush this project."


    Dr. Shen just shook his head as he too resumed eating. "Young kids these days are just..." Though he didn¡¯t finish the sentence, Grace knew that he was just appalled at the thought of her opening supermarkets after selling a company worth trillions.


    "Do you have a list of the supplies you want?" He asked a few moments later and Grace quickly nodded her head.


    "Let me send it to you right now." She said while taking out her phone to send him the list of the medical supplies she wanted to buy through his contacts.


    The private dining room was filled with deep silence for next few moments as Dr. Shen opened his phone to take a look at the list of supplies, and then... he was choking on the roasted chicken he just put into his mouth.

 Chapter 27: Task Accomplished

    What made Dr. Shen choke on the piece of roasted chicken was the first sentence that was written on top of the list of medicinal items.


    Each of the following products should be prepared in an equal quantity of 100,000 pieces.


    He didn¡¯t even got to read any further as just the six-digits number written there made him forgot about everything else.


    Seeing him choking up and coughing so badly, Grace quickly offered him water that he immediately gulped down. It took a few minutes before he was able to return to normal.


    The private dining room was filled with silence as Dr. Shen stared at his phone while Grace sat opposite him, waiting for him to speak. Then, all of a sudden, he started reading the list out loud.


    "Each of the following products should be prepared in an equal quantity of..." he stopped to inhale deeply before continuing, "... 100,000 pieces."


    He spared her a quick glance before once again returning his attention to his phone.


    "Basic First Aid Supplies - Adhesive bandages, Gauze pads and rolled gauze, Medical tape, Elastic bandages, Butterfly closures or steri-strips, Cotton balls and cotton swabs, Alcohol prep pads or antiseptic wipes, Scissors, Tweezers, Safety pins."


    "Wound Cleaning and Care supplies - Saline solution, Hydrogen peroxide, Antiseptic solution, Antibiotic ointment, Burn ointment, Hydrogel pads, Sterile wound dressings, Hemostatic agents, and Sterile saline eye drops."


    The list seemed never-ending as Dr. Shen kept reading.


    "Instruments and Tools - Thermometer, CPR face shield, Splints, Sling, Instant cold packs and heat packs, Nitrile or Latex Gloves, Rescue blankets, and Finger splints."


    "Medications and Pain Relief supplies - Pain relievers, Antihistamines, Hydrocortisone cream, Antacids, Oral rehydration salts, and Antidiarrheal medications."


    "Burn Treatment Supplies - Burn cream, Aloe vera gel, Hydrogel dressings, and Non-stick dressings."


    Dr. Shen stopped to let out a deep breath and without wasting any time, he once again continued, "Breathing and Circulation Supplies - Tourniquet, Epinephrine auto-injector, Blood pressure cuffs and stethoscope."


    "Mobility and Comfort Supplies - Crutches and canes. Sanitation and Hygiene Supplies - Hand sanitizer (alcohol-based), Soap, Wipes, Face masks, Disinfectant spray, and Bleach wipes."


    "And finally... First Aid Manual - only 100 copies."


    Dr. Shen put down his phone on the table and finally turned his full attention toward Grace. All of a sudden, his expression was unreadable that made it hard for Grace to predict what he was thinking about after reading the list of supplies.


    Is he suspecting me? Has he seen through my lies? She found herself wondering as the silence stretched on for way too long.


    Finally after five long minutes of silence, he asked her his very first question - one that she wasn¡¯t expecting at all. "Don¡¯t you think 100 manuals is way too less for such a huge bulk of supplies?"


    "Huh?" Grace stared at him in confusion, feeling slightly lost as she had no idea where this question came from. "Well... not many people need an entire manual just for first-aid, right? Or do you think I should get 100,000 copies of it as well?"


    She probably had asked the wrong question because it resulted in him throwing his hands up as if he was ready to give up on her.


    There was another long minute of silence before Dr. Shen asked his second question. "Don¡¯t you think buying 100,000 pieces of each of these items is just... too much? It¡¯s not like you are planning to sell them to each person living in the city."


    His question finally made Grace feel relieved. He was indeed questioning her list of supplies, but it wasn¡¯t because he had started suspecting her, but because he believed that she was buying way too much just for a supermarket.


    "Dr. Shen, didn¡¯t I just told you that I¡¯m going to open multiple supermarkets?" She asked.


    In response, Dr. Shen nodded his head but asked another question in return. "How many supermarkets are you planning to open?"


    Grace pretended to appear excited while answering, "For now, I¡¯m planning around twenty-"


    "Twenty?"


    Dr. Shen appeared at a complete loss for words. He just sat there staring at Grace as if he was seeing her for the very first time.


    Continuing her act, Grace asked innocently. "You too think that twenty is too few, right? Should I increase it to fifty for now?" Once again her voice was filled with excitement as she asked the question. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She watched as Dr. Shen stood up from his seat and walked away to the other side of the room. His back was facing her which didn¡¯t allow her to see his expression, but she already knew that her plan had succeeded.


    "Dr. Shen?"


    She called him and he did turn to face her. Slowly, he returned to his seat and settled down. "I will take care of this. I¡¯m sure you will receive your order within next two working days. I¡¯ll let you know for sure once I have talked to my contact."


    "Thank you, Dr. Shen." Grace quickly thanked the man, internally feeling happy that the task was successfully accomplished.


    In response, Dr. Shen nodded his head before adding, "I wish you all the best for your next adventure. Though I did question your ideas just right now, but I can feel that I was wrong to judge you. After all, you have successfully led the Blackwood empire for more than twelve years. Handling just a bunch of supermarkets can¡¯t be that hard for you."


    Grace smiled gratefully at the man. "Thank you, Dr. Shen, for believing in me."


    The two continued to chat while enjoying the food. Half an hour later, they finally bid farewell to each other and headed to their respective destination. Just as Grace was about to climb into her car, her gaze landed on a certain person.


    "I didn¡¯t know Ms. Blackwood is so close with CEO Shen." Dr. Kian commented as he made his way to where Grace was standing next to her car.


    "Nice to meet you too, Dr. Kian." Grace greeted in response, fixing her gaze on the man who was suddenly everywhere in her life.

 Chapter 28: Collecting Supplies

    Dr. Kian stopped merely a few feet away from Grace with his icy blue eyes fixed on her face. It was hard for her to guess what he was thinking as his expression appeared too blank and professional to give away anything at all.


    For a moment, neither of them spoke and they just stood there in silence. Yet, the moment wasn¡¯t awkward as Grace was expecting it to be. Instead, there was some sort of warmth that his unexpected appearance brought. It was a weird feeling, but it was there.


    Grace tried to think of something to say, but right at that moment, her phone started ringing. The call broke the silence and she quickly muted it before turning her attention back to the man.


    But before she could have said anything, he was already speaking, "You seem busy right now, Ms. Blackwood. So I¡¯ll not keep you occupied here. How about we catch up over coffee next time?"


    Grace was too stunned with his offer that she took a little bit too long to respond. Thus, Dr. Kian gave her a polite smile and started walking away.


    "Dr. Kian."


    She was calling him even before she realized it. He stopped immediately and turned to face her, his expression still neutral as he waited for her to say whatever she was going to.


    Grace inhaled deeply before she finally spoke, "I¡¯m leaving the city within a few days. And I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll ever return. I¡¯m sorry but I won¡¯t be able to accept your offer for coffee." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still nothing. He didn¡¯t seem surprised, let alone unhappy after learning about her plan, and for some weird reason, it bothered her. But she too was a professional when it came to keeping one¡¯s expression neutral.


    Since he was someone she had known in her previous life and also the person who created System 2025, she decided to make an exception for him.


    "I heard from my close contacts in higher authorities that heavy rain is coming our way within next ten days. It¡¯s going to last for weeks. There will be a lot of flooding, continuous storms, and power outage. You should prepare enough supplies to last you for a few months and find a safe place to stay."


    Still nothing. He just stood there looking at her with the same expression he held when they first met in this lifetime - complete strangers.


    She didn¡¯t wait to witness if he was finally planning to speak or not, and climbed into her car. She had already informed him about the first glimpse of coming disaster, now it was up to him to decide what he wanted to do with that information.


    A very small, but strong, part of her wanted him to believe her words, but she decided not to waste any further time thinking about this matter. Her phone started ringing again as she drove her car out of the parking lot of the restaurant, and this time, she picked up the call.


    [Ms. Brown, we have arrived at your given address. Should we start unloading?]


    "Yes, sure. You can go ahead and start unloading, I¡¯ll be there as soon as possible." She replied before ending the call. She then asked 2025 to find a quiet, empty alley nearby and drove there. Five minutes later, she was parking her car in that narrow alley before entering the space.


    She quickly changed back into the disguise of Ms. Brown and returned to the real world. It was indeed a pain to change between Ms. Blackwood and Ms. Brown like this, but it was also the most convenient way for her to hoard supplies without bringing too much attention to Grace Blackwood.


    She was trying her best to not get noticed by the authorities and she was confident that she had done a wonderful job so far. But if by any chance she ended up getting noticed, the authorities would never be able to find anything relevant about Ms. Brown.


    Half an hour later, she was once again parking in front of the warehouse where the trucks from the Wholesale retail store were parked. All the goods had been already unloaded and the person incharge of the delivery was waiting for her to check the goods and handle the remaining payment.


    Grace quickly took care of it and got two more calls. The two Warehouse Clubs, where she placed orders related to canned foods, were delivering her goods to the warehouse.


    For next two hours, she collected all the ordered goods and made the remaining payments. Once she was alone, she shifted everything inside the space snd then arranged the goods in their respective areas within the warehouse.


    It was nearing sunset in the outside world by the time Grace finished all the work. As a result of her hardwork, she earned a total of 500,000 points.


    Coming out of the Infinite Realm, she climbed into her car and returned to her condo. Once she was inside her house, she took a quick shower and changed into comfortable pajamas. She was on her way to cook herself dinner when Kevin called her.


    "Hello."


    [Boss, there¡¯s an issue. The apartment next to yours has been rented by someone early this morning. Now, there¡¯s only one other apartment left on that floor.]


    Kevin informed immediately, taking Grace by surprise. When she checked yesterday, all three apartments on that floor were empty, but now one of those apartments had been suddenly rented.


    "Can you negotiate with the person who¡¯s renting the apartment?" She asked, only to receive a negative response from Kevin.


    [I did try, but the person isn¡¯t interested.]


    Grace thought for a moment before she finally answered, "If you think we can¡¯t convince that person by promising some benefits, you can go ahead and rent an apartment on the 20th floor."


    [Yes, boss.]


    And with that, Grace disconnected the call. Letting out a small sigh, she returned her attention to cooking. Half an hour later, she was enjoying a delicious bowl of fried rice while downloading more series and dramas.

 Chapter 29: Mrs. Parker (I)

    It was five in the early morning when Grace stepped inside the villa in the Infinite Realm. Somehow, she woke up an hour earlier than her set time and failed to go back to sleep. Hence, she decided to utilize the time.


    The previously spacious and empty living room on the ground floor of the villa was now filled with dozens and dozens of furniture, kitchenware, antiques, and what not. And all these items came from one place - the now destroyed Blackwood Mansion.


    Grace let out a deep sigh as she looked at the mess she ended up creating the night she was shifting the items from the Mansion inside the villa. Since she was in a hurry that night, she just randomly threw everything inside.


    "Finally you are planning to clean all this mess. I have been getting dizzy every time I saw the situation of this place." 2025 commented as it suddenly appeared there in the living room.


    Grace totally ignored the creature and its comment while stepping forward to start fixing the place. Since she was going to spend a lot of time in that villa, she needed to furnish it properly and prepare everything in advance for herself.


    She started with shifting the bed, bedside tables, couches, bean bags, and a small coffee table in the bedroom. Then she shifted all the kitchen related items in the kitchen. She used one of the decent size rooms on the ground floor as her future study and shifted the big mahogany desk, several wooden shelves and a chair in that room.


    Finally, she set up the living room before shifting her attention to the items that were for decor. The first one was the family portrait, followed by the items that once used to belong to her family.


    She tried to save as much as possible before she set the mansion on fire, but she couldn¡¯t save everything in there to avoid attracting attention from the authorities and media.


    By the time she finished setting up the ground floor, the place looked way more decent for living compared to before. Yet, there was still way too much that she needed to prepare in order to make the place comfortable enough for living.


    Once she was done with the work, she returned to the real world and progressed with her daily activities. At eight in the morning, she finally drove her car out of the community and headed toward her destination.


    Twenty minutes later, she was entering a retail shop to place another big order under the disguise of Ms. Brown.


    A young male employee greeted her politely before asking her what she was looking to buy.


    "I want to place a bulk order, about 100,000 pieces of each product." Grace informed him only for the employee to stare at her with a dumbfounded expression on his face.


    "Is something wrong?" She asked and watched as her question finally pulled him out of his trance. He quickly pulled himself together and shook his head while replying, "No. There¡¯s nothing wrong. Let me call my manger since you are going to place such a big order."


    Merely three minutes later, a woman in her mid-thirties joined Grace with a bright smile plastered on her face. "I heard you are here with a big order. May I know what you want to buy and how much?"


    Grace wasted no further time and answered. "I want to buy 100,000 pieces of each of these products - toilet paper, soap bars, dry shampoo, shampoo and conditioner, hair oil and serum, hairbrush and combs, hairties and bands, toothbrush and toothpaste, dental floss, face cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, lip balm, facial wipes, face mist or hydration spray, body wipes, body lotion, body powder, petroleum jelly, deodorant, antifungal powder, insect repellent, coconut oil, Shea butter, tea tree oil, beeswax balm, nail clippers and nail file, exfoliating gloves, Cotton rounds."


    The young employee was scribbling the order in a notebook while Grace continued to tell the manager her remaining order.


    "Tampons, sanitary pads, menstrual cups, razors and shaving creams, microfiber towels, paper towels, ziplog bags, Cotton balls and Q-tips."


    She added a few more items on the list before finishing the order and spent next ten minutes taking care of the downpayment and other matters. Once she was done, she left the store and headed to another one to hoard more supplies. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the next store, she made following order - powdered laundry detergent, laundry soap bars, portable washboard, scrub brush, clothesline, clothespins, stain remover, bucket, portable wash basins, bleach, dish soap, scrub brushes, sponges, steel wool, scouring pads, reusable dish gloves, portable dishpan, collapsible sink, drying racks, collapsible dish rack, and reusable spray water bottles.


    She stepped out of the second store around ten in the morning and received a call from Kevin who informed her that he had rented one of the apartments on the 20th floor.


    She spent next few minutes telling him all the necessary plans he needed to carry out to secure their apartments for future use before she ended the call.


    The day was just beginning and so was her mission of hoarding as many supplies as possible. While she had spent the past two days collecting simple supplies, there were a lot of serious supplies that she needed to take care of as well. For example - fuel, clothing, ships, more medicines, and such.


    But before all this, there was even a more important matter she needed to take care of. She once again entered her space and put on a new disguise - a really iconic one. This was one of her favorite disguises and she was looking forward to using it to secure one of the biggest security of her survival in the upcoming apocalypse.


    Half an hour later, she stepped into the building of the biggest real estate company of the Starship Country. The young ladies at the reception desk failed to recognize her, but not the assistant of the chairman of the company who was passing by the lobby at that very moment.


    He immediately appeared in front of her and shooed away the receptionists. "Mrs. Parker, it¡¯s an honor to have you here."

 Chapter 30: Mrs. Parker (II)

    "I¡¯m here to buy an island." Grace announced without missing a single beat.


    All of sudden, the lobby got filled with silence as she left everyone stunned with her announcement. The only person who was quick enough to pull himself together was Assistant He.


    "Sure, Mrs. Parker. This way please, mam." Assistant He quickly guided Grace toward the elevator, taking her to the eighth floor where the Chairman¡¯s office was located.


    "Please let me inform the Chairman first. You can wait here for the time being." Assistant He guided her to a cozy sitting area before he knocked on the Chairman¡¯s office door and slipped inside.


    Grace didn¡¯t have to wait even for two minutes before both Chairman Wright and Assistant He stepped out of the office and headed toward her.


    Even in his late sixties, Chairman Wright still looked pretty healthy. Not only that but he was successfully leading the biggest real estate company of the country.


    "It¡¯s so good to see you again, Mrs. Parker. It¡¯s been almost a year since you last visited our company." Chairman Wright said in a cheerful voice as he approached Grace to shake her hand.


    "It¡¯s good to see you again too, Chairman Wright." Grace greeted the man politely before following him into his spacious office. They settled down on the expensive couches and she couldn¡¯t help but wish to have the set inside her villa because of how comfy it was.


    Chairman Wright didn¡¯t miss the way she looked while her fingers ran over the soft material of the couch. With a proud smile, he spoke, "I see you like my couch. It¡¯s imported and cost me quite a fortune."


    Grace turned her full attention toward the old man as she replied with a smile, "I see that you have a rich taste, Chairman Wright."


    The man chuckled softly before speaking, "Not as rich as you though. I heard you are here to buy an island this time."


    "That¡¯s right. I want to buy Starfall Isle." Grace announced, taking Chairman Wright by complete surprise. Even Assistant He, who just returned with two cups of coffee, stopped in his tracks as his ears registered the name of island she just mentioned.


    "This..." Chairman Wright struggled to form words for a moment but then he finally pulled himself together and continued, "Starfall Isle is-"


    "Is the biggest island of our country. It¡¯s located deep in the ocean and hundreds of kilometers away from the coast. It¡¯s completely barren with just some forests and wilderness." Grace finished exactly what Chairman Wright was about to tell her. "I know everything about it. And it¡¯s exactly because of the lack of... everything... there, that I want to buy it."


    Her words confused Chairman Wright and he immediately asked, "Why such a place seems good to you? Even the government has abandoned it for how useless and remote it is."


    Grace clicked her fingers as if Chairman Wright just answered his own question. "There. Such a big piece of land that no one wants, not even the government, and located so far away from the daily hustle bustle lives of humans. Don¡¯t you think living there in a grand mansion will be perfect?"


    Chairman Wright shared a quick look with Assistant He before returning his attention back to Grace. "Does Mr. Parker want to buy it too?"


    "He has no idea about this matter. I¡¯m planning to gift him the island and our new home there on our fifth wedding anniversary." Grace replied, forcing the two men to share another quick look.


    Chairman Wright straightened and decided to look at the matter from professional point of view instead of personal. "I¡¯m sure he will like it since it¡¯s a gift from you. Since you have already made up your mind to buy Starfall Isle despite being aware of its lack of resources, we can progress with this deal."


    With that said, Chairman Wright immediately summoned his top team to handle the deal, especially because Grace wanted to complete the purchase almost immediately.


    The team was assigned with their respective works and within an hour, all the necessary procedures were completed. They got approval from Government authorities, secured legal permits and tax registration, and worked with a Real Estate Lawyer to seal the contract.


    It was exactly 12:35 in the noon when Grace stepped out of the company with a contract in hand that declared Grace Parker as the new owner of Starfall Isle.


    She would have barely finished celebrating this small achievement when her phone started ringing. She already knew who was calling even before she took a look at the caller ID.


    She let out a deep breath as she stared at the name displayed on her phone¡¯s screen for a few moments before finally picking up the call.


    "Hello."


    [Did you just use the identity of my wife to buy a useless piece of land?]


    No greetings. No regards. No asking how she¡¯s doing after all that happened to her during the past week. Just straight to the question he was burning to ask ever since he received news of what she just did in the name of Mrs. Grace Parker.


    "Mr. Parker, it seems like you have forgotten our contract. It stated that we both can use the identity of Grace Parker as we need, as long as it doesn¡¯t create trouble for the other party. I don¡¯t think Grace Parker buying a useless piece of land will create trouble for you." She returned in a tone that was just as cold as ice. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was silence on the other end of the call for a moment before he spoke again - [Let¡¯s meet this evening-]


    Before he could have finished speaking, she did one thing that he hated the most - cutting him off in the middle of his sentence. "Mr. Parker, I have no time for you or your lavish dinner outings. How about we both continue to pretend that the other doesn¡¯t exist like we have for the past four years?"


    And then, she ended the call, knowing that it would add fuel to the fire. The thought of her pissing him off allowed her a little bit of relief, but it was nowhere enough to make her stop thinking about him.

 Chapter 31: Sci-fi Movie

    Grace didn¡¯t spent too much time thinking about Mr. Parker or the past and secrets she shared with him. She had much important matters to handle other than wasting her precious time thinking about her fake husband.


    Since she wasn¡¯t feeling hungry yet, she decided to visit the biggest factory in the city producing construction supplies. Since Mrs. Parker had already bought the island, it was understandable for her to purchase construction materials since she was planning to build a mansion on the Starfall Isle.


    Once the factory head got to know that she was Mrs. Parker, he was more than eager to sell her everything she ordered.


    Grace first bought the products that could be used for constructing houses or other buildings - High-strength concrete, Steel beams and columns, reinforced concrete, metal framing, cement, waterproofing materials, steel rebar, gravel, sand, bricks, blocks, wood panels, insulation materials, wood trusses, metal sheets, shingles, tiles, frames, concrete panels, metal or glass facades, drywall, glass partitions, and acoustic panels.


    There were also - commercial glass windows, aluminum or steel frames, automatic doors, High-capacity HVAC, plumbing systems, electrical wiring, fire alarms, security systems, hydraulic or traction machines, and control panels.


    She also ordered glass panels, hardware, paint, plaster, flooring materials, pipes, fittings, faucets, sinks, bathtubs, toilets, wires, outlets, switches, circuit breakers, lighting fixtures, ducts, vents, AC and heater units, thermostat, foam, fiberglass, and spray foam insulation.


    Then she ordered materials that could be used for contructing roads, streets, bridges, and water reservoirs - Crushed stone, geotextile fabric, asphalt, road base materials, stormwater drainage pipes, manholes, catch basins, asphalt curbs, reflective paint, guardrails, road markings, steel pilings, epoxy coatings, clay, synthetic liners, pumps, motors, control panels, etc.


    She then ordered equipment like - concrete mixer, drills, saws, ladders, scaffolding, levelers, measuring tape, hammers, pliers, safety equipments, cranes, concrete pump, welding equipment, scaffolding, power tools, safety harnesses, heavy-duty saws, graders, asphalt pavers, rollers, dump trucks, concrete cutters, paint applicators, excavators, concrete mixers, compactors, welding machines, etc.


    After making the downpayment, she left the factory and found a restaurant to have lunch and rest for a while. In the meantime, she decided to do some online shopping as Ms. Brown.


    This time, she decided to gather clothing supplies. She ordered - Thermal undergarments, moisture-wicking tops and bottoms, sports bras, waterproof jackets, insulated jackets, windbreaker, fleece jackets, pullovers, wool sweaters, hoodies, durable cargo pants, thermal leggings, work pants, overalls, and convertible pants.


    She got 50,000 pieces of all these clothes in all the available sizes for men, women, and children before moving to order some heat resistant and cold resistant clothes. She also ordered military jackets and leather jackets.


    Next, she ventured into footwear section and ordered - Waterproof boots, Insulated boots, lightweight trail shoes, water shoes, sandals, slippers, hiking boots, sports shoes, snow boots, and skates.


    She also purchased socks and accessories - wool socks, synthetic blend socks, thermal socks, normal socks, wool beanie, wide-brim hat, ski mask, cap, bandana, insulated gloves, work gloves, and lightweight gloves.


    In the Protective and Specialty Clothing section she bought - raincoats, life jackets, gaiters, ponchos, coveralls, and compression clothing.


    She made sure to choose neutral colors for all the clothes and avoided bright colors that might attract attention.


    She also bought space blankets, reflective vests, survival ponchos, silk blankets, wool blankets, cashmere blankets, and diving suits.


    She ended her long list of online shopping with the order of extra shoe and boot laces, clothing repair kits, and dry bags.


    With these done, all that left was for her to get herself some customized clothing. After all, she couldn¡¯t survive the apocalypse in her expensive dresses. She planned to visit her personal designer later that evening.


    As she finished her lunch, she received a message from Aleena who had successfully stored the supplies that Grace wanted her to buy. All the goods were safely place inside the warehouse Aleena rented in the neighboring city.


    In that list of supplies, there were different types of - rice, flour, salt, seasonings, vinegar, more nuts and seeds, sugar, edible oils, vegetables and fruits - ranging from as high as 300 tons to as low as 20 tons.


    Grace immediately called Aleena who picked up on the very first ring. "Well done. I will meet you at the warehouse tomorrow morning. Till then, I need you to order another set of supplies."


    [Sure, Boss.] S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ending the call, Grace sent another list of supplies to Aleena. This list contained miscellaneous tools and equipment like - Multi-tool with knives, can openers, pliers, duct tape, rope, zip ties, shovel, small axe, flashlights, headlamps, batteries, solar-powered chargers, hand-crank radio, whistle, stationary items, matches, lighters, flints, fire starters, binoculars, and sleeping bags.


    Since half of the day was gone, Grace headed to the warehouse as several shipments of her orders from the day before were about to be delivered.


    By the time she arrived at the warehouse, one of her orders had already arrived there. After that, she got occupied with receiving the orders, making rest of the payments, and then shifting all the goods inside the space before organizing them in different sections in the warehouse.


    By the time she finished, she had successfully earned 400,000 more points, making her total points reach 1,230,000.


    Finishing her work, she returned to real world before driving straight to the boutique of her personal designer. For next an hour, she and her designer were busy working.


    "Why I feel like you are making clothes for someone who¡¯s going to star in a sci-fi movie?" Her designer asked as he added heat and cold resistant fabrics to the list of other kinds of special fabrics that Grace had already listed down.


    "You aren¡¯t far from the truth." Grace replied as she checked the quality of the thermal fabric that would be used for making her undergarments and inner clothes.


    "Are you really going to star in a sci-fi movie? But even then, what¡¯s the need of going as far as making the undergarments of these fabrics?" The designer was at a complete loss.


    Grace turned to face the man and with a calm expression, she replied, "Not only me, we all are going to star in a sci-fi movie soon."

 Chapter 32: Unexpected Visitor (I)

    It was close to seven in the late evening when Grace stepped out of the boutique and climbed into her car. It took her a while to cook up reasons to explain to her designer why she was suddenly asking for such unexpected clothes, but eventually, she succeeded.


    Considering the fact that she would be leaving the city in next two days and there was still a lot of supplies that she needed to buy, she decided to not return to her condo yet and headed to a factory making bedding essentials.


    She ordered thermal sleeping bags, thermal blankets, fleece blankets, inflatable sleeping pad, air mattress, foam sleeping pad, foldable or rollable camping mattress, compact travel pillow, inflatable pillow, stuff sack pillow, flat cotton sheets, waterproof mattress cover, extra pillowcases, mosquito net, ground tarp, waterproof groundsheet, sleeping bag liner.


    She also bought some miscellaneous supplies, such as - hand warmers, camping cot, foldable bed, hammock, bivy sack, and such.


    Once she was done placing the order, she made the downpayment and left the factory. She then headed to several supermarkets to directly buy as many snacks, drinks, and instant food as possible.


    She ended up spending more than three hours visiting six different supermarkets and buying around 50 pieces of each item from all these six places. Though it was nothing compared to the bulk supplies she had been hoarding, she was satisfied as she has already bought a small bulk of them previously.


    By the time she finished, it was already nearing eleven and she was feeling extremely tired. She stopped by a restaurant on her way to the condo and ate her dinner there.


    Half an hour later, she was stepping out of the restaurant. She then made her way to her condo. Once she was inside the house, she headed straight to shower. She ended up spending more than half an hour before she was dressed in a nightgown and had finished her hair, body, and face care routine.


    Craving something sweet, she grabbed a tub of ice-cream from the fridge and settled down in the living room with her laptop, tablet, and phone to do a little bit more work before finally going to sleep.


    She first opened the laptop and set it for downloading several playlists of her selected songs. Then she spent some time in replying to all the messages she had received from her team members. In the meantime, she enjoyed the ice-cream as well.


    Once she was done replying, she picked up the tablet and started the real work. She first went to the website of one of her favorite winery and placed bulk order for all types of wines. She did the same for alcohol right after she was done ordering wine.


    After placing the orders, she spent some time searching several things up to find perfect places from where she could buy some of the important supplies.


    It was during that search when she ended up finding out that Parker Corporation was one of those places from where she could but medicines in bulk. All that she needed to do was to find a way to convince Mr. Parker to help her without asking many questions. But it was easier said than done.


    She then set the tablet to download some books while she finished the ice-cream. It was past midnight when she closed both the laptop and the tablet and decided to head to bed.


    She barely made it into the bedroom when she heard the doorbell breaking the silence inside her house. She was surprised as she wasn¡¯t expecting any visitor or delivery at this hour of the night.


    When the bell rang again merely ten seconds later, she finally found herself moving. She headed to the door and tried to look at the person outside through the door camera, but she saw nothing as if something... or someone... was blocking the lens.


    Her survival mode kicked in immediately and her body became ready to attack if needed as she reached out to unlock the door. She pulled the door open, ready to attack or defend in case something went wrong, but she was left completely stunned when her gaze landed on the very familiar face of the man standing in front of her.


    Her body froze for a moment and so did her brain as she stared at him. However, it didn¡¯t take too long before she returned to her senses and quickly pulled the door to close it. She would have almost succeeded if not for the hand that reached out and stuck itself between her door and the frame to stop her from closing the door.


    She watched as he pulled the door open with a strong force before stepping inside the house and closing the door behind him. She even registered the clicking sound of the door locking.


    Everything happened so suddenly that she barely got enough time to process things, let alone react. But as if this wasn¡¯t enough already, she watched his hands reaching out for her. The next moment, she found her body moving and then her back hit the hard frame of the door as he pushed her against it.


    To make sure that she couldn¡¯t walk away, he blocked her way with his own body as he came to stand way too close to her, towering over her as he looked down at her with those deep green eyes of his. He was standing so close, but wasn¡¯t touching her at all. And yet, she felt him.


    She should have shoved him away, walked away from there, and should have put some much-needed space between them, but she was completely frozen in place to even think about moving. All she did was stare at him and notice just how unhappy he appeared.


    And she was the one who made him this unhappy - she knew it very well. She knew exactly what she was doing when she did it. What she didn¡¯t expect was for him to fly all the way to her from a country hundreds of miles away.


    "Mrs. Grace Parker, you have some explaining to do."


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 Chapter 33: Unexpected Visitor (II)

    "Mrs. Grace Parker, you have some explaining to do."


    His voice was just as enchanting as ever, pulling her deeper into the trance that had taken over her. Seeing him from this close after such a long time, Grace wasn¡¯t sure how to feel.


    But it would be a lie if she said that she didn¡¯t feel any relief and also a tiny bit of happiness after seeing him. After all, he was among those few people in her life toward whom she felt apologetic.


    Taking in a deep breath, she tried to pull herself together and moved to step away from the door and him. But it wasn¡¯t that easy to get away from him, especially when he didn¡¯t want to let her go.


    To keep her in place, he wrapped one of his hands around her waist and pressed her further against the door, stepping a little closer to remove that small gap between their bodies. This time, there was merely a breath of space separating their bodies and this realization left her stunned and anxious.


    "Davian..."


    His name escaped past her slightly parted lips before she could have stopped herself. She was both shocked and confused by how he was behaving today. They had known each other for over six years and had been in a contractual, fake relationship for more than four years. And yet, they always maintained proper physical distance unless they had to put on a show in front of people. Not even once he stood close to her behind closed doors, let alone holding her so intimately and... possessively.


    She stared at him, noticing the never before seen intensity in his bright green eyes. The way he was looking at her, it was so different from the past, and she felt scared of reading too much in those eyes that refused to move away from her face.


    She noticed his lips moving as he spoke, and his words slowly registered in her brain.


    "Say that again?"


    There was something so raw, so deep, and unexplainable in his voice as he made the demand that left her completely confused. "Huh?" She stared at him cluelessly, not understanding what he wanted her to repeat.


    "My name." He whispered, almost like a low growl that came deep from his chest. He kept his gaze locked on hers as he answered. "Say it again."


    It was such an unexpected demand, but a demand nonetheless. She started wondering if he was drunk or something. She frowned and tried to smell if he was drunk, but at that very moment, his arm tightened its hold around her waist and he pulled her against him. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment their bodies pressed against each other¡¯s, a loud gasp of surprise escaped her lips and she whisper shouted - "Davian! What are you-"


    The rest of the words got lost when she noticed the smile that suddenly bloomed on his lips. It was a genuine smile, not the fake one that she was so used to seeing. She couldn¡¯t recall seeing him really smiling, at least not since...


    She stopped her thoughts from wandering in that direction. That part of both their pasts was best left untouched.


    Her full attention returned to him when she felt him brushing away some loose strands of hair from her temple. The gesture was so unexpected and he was being way too gentle, making her wonder just how drunk he was to behave like this.


    She tried not to think about how wildly her heart was racing, and grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand away from her face. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t resist.


    "What¡¯s wrong with you today? Can you stop behaving so out of character?" She demanded while staring into his eyes that were of similar shade of her own. The only difference was that hers were completely green while his carried a touch of amber in them.


    He was also a very handsome man with a tall and muscular build that he got from his seven years in the special forces. His silver hair looked perfect on his slightly tanned skin. He was rich, successful, and the perfect gentleman in the general public¡¯s eyes, making him the most beloved and famous man in the entire Starship Country.


    Slowly, he pulled his arm from around her waist and stepped back. But just as she thought that she was finally safe from his closeness, he surprised her again as his hand grabbed hers and he started pulling her toward the living room.


    She followed him silently and settled down on the couch next to him when he signaled her to. Still, he didn¡¯t let go of her hand which made her stare at their joined hands. As if he realized it too, he finally let go of her hand.


    "Why did you buy the Starfall Isle?" He asked, his voice finally returning to its usual tone, but she still felt a slight softness in it.


    "It¡¯s none of your business." She replied, not daring to look into his eyes directly.


    He was silent for merely a moment before he continued asking more questions. "What about your plan of setting fire in Blackwood Mansion?"


    Grace almost inhaled deeply, almost. She was surprised to hear that he knew the truth behind the fire. But at the same time, she was aware that with his money and power, there was nothing that he couldn¡¯t know, especially when it was something related to her.


    She remained silent and just refused to answer. She didn¡¯t need to as her personal life had nothing to do with him. But then she realized that his questions hadn¡¯t ended, actually far from it.


    She heard him taking in a deep breath as if he wasn¡¯t liking her silence, yet she still refused to say anything and kept her gaze focused on the night view of the city past the glass windows.


    "Fine. How about you tell me how and why you suddenly killed Daniel and closed your base? Or about the fact that you have been buying supplies under the disguise of Ms. Brown... my imaginary ex-girlfriend?"

 Chapter 34: Back to Past

    Davian¡¯s P.O.V


    12 hours ago


    -


    Ashbourne was the hub of business and entertainment insdustry of the Starship Country. The city was filled with tall buildlings and one such iconic building belonged to the King Parker Corporation - the biggest name in the business world of not only Starship Country, but in the entire continent.


    On the thirty-second floor of this building stood the grand office of the ruler of the King Parker Business Empire. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Davian King Parker was currently inside his office, sitting behind the large mahogany desk. His eyes were closed and he appeared fast asleep - a very unusual sight for those who knew him and his addiction with work.


    All of a sudden, his eyes flew open and he stared at the ceiling of the office. His eyes appeared wild, unfocused, and filled with fear. He suddenly straightened and frantically looked around, trying to locate something... or someone.


    "G-Grace..."


    He tried to call her name, but it came out as a mere whisper. He stood up from his seat, feeling slightly dizzy and not knowing where he should go. He just wanted to find her. He couldn¡¯t leave her alone, not after what she went through.


    The sight of her laying on the ground that was covered with her own blood, the deep wounds on her body, and those lifeless eyes... everything was so clear in his memory. He didn¡¯t even need to wonder if it was truth or just a bad dream.


    He knew just how real it was - her cold and lifeless body, and the bomb that killed him and the entire remaining members of Blackwood House in that safe house. He didn¡¯t regret his decision of blowing that entire place up. He would happily do it again.


    But... why was he back in his office?


    Nothing around him looked like it belonged to a post-apocalypse world.


    Right at that moment, his office door opened and someone familiar stepped inside - his secretary, Rio.


    "King, are you alright?" Rio asked the moment he took in Davian¡¯s appearance. He was next to Davian within seconds, helping him back on the chair and handing him a glass of water.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" He asked when Davian refused to drink water and tried to stand up.


    "Grace. Where¡¯s she?" His voice was filled with so much panic and fear, just like his eyes that were staring at Rio who was completely taken aback to see him like this. It also took him a while to understand about whom Davian was asking about.


    "Are you talking about Ms. Blackwood?" Rio asked and Davian hurriedly nodded his head.


    "She¡¯s in the capital city." Rio answered, still puzzled to see Davian looking so worried about Ms. Blackwood. Though he had always kept updates on her whereabouts and doings, he never showed any further interest in her.


    "Capital City?" Davian seemed confused and once again scanned the office before returning his gaze to Rio and asked, "What¡¯s the date and year today?"


    "09:28:2024." Rio answered.


    The look on Davian¡¯s face, after hearing the answer, was that of pure surprise. He quickly looked around, his gaze searching for something, and he found his phone sitting on the desk. He quickly grabbed and turned it on to look at the date and time, only to realize that Rio was speaking the truth.


    On the other hand, Rio became more worried after seeing the way Davian was behaving. He was nothing like his usual calm, composed, and strong self.


    "I need to go to her. Right now." Davian whispered as if he was talking to himself. Right at that moment, Rio¡¯s phone started ringing and when he checked, it was the Chairman of Wright Real Estate who was calling.


    He contemplated whether to pick the call or not, but in the end he decided to pick it up. He walked to the other side of the office as he talked to Chairman Wright.


    Barely two minutes would have passed before he returned to Davian¡¯s side and informed the latter about what he just learned from Chairman Wright. "King, Ms. Blackwood has used the identity of Mrs. Parker to buy Starfall Isle. She just completed the purchase. It was Chairman Wright who just called to inform."


    Davian looked surprised for a moment before he finally started returning to his usual self. The shift was quick, almost making Rio wonder if the unfocused side of King he just saw moments ago was even real in the first place.


    "I want you to find out everything that has been going on with her. What she has been doing, where she has been going, and the people she has been meeting." Davian started voicing out the most important matters that he wanted Rio to take care of immediately.


    As a certain thought entered his brain, he added, "I want you to find information about a man named Daniel. He works for Grace and is the leader of the outer circle. Find out every single detail about him, his connections, what he¡¯s been doing all these years and all."


    Rio was stunned - both because he didn¡¯t see King¡¯s sudden rise of interest in Ms. Blackwood coming, and also because the pure hatred and anger that he witnessed in King¡¯s eyes for the man named Daniel.


    Davian¡¯s aura turned so cold and dark that it sent a shiver running down Rio¡¯s spine. The poor secretary couldn¡¯t help but wonder what sin Daniel might have comitted to end up on Davian¡¯s worst side possible.


    Davian finally sucked in all his anger and fixed his piercing gaze at Rio. "Book my ticket to the capital city. I¡¯ll be leaving immediately."


    This time, Rio finally decided to interrupt as there was a very important meeting that Davian needed to attend. "King, you can meet Ms. Blackwood all you want, but you should attend this meeting first. It¡¯s really important-"


    "Nothing is more important than her, Rio. Nothing." There was something in the way Davian spoke these words that Rio believed him immediately. Though reluctantly, he nodded his head in understanding.


    He watched Davian picking up his phone again and he already had an inkling about whom the latter would call. Just as he was about to step out of the office, he heard Davian adding - "Handle Chairman Wright too... for disclosing her privacy."

 Chapter 35: Something’s Wrong With Him

    Back to present time-line


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    Grace closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She couldn¡¯t recall why and when she thought that she would be able to keep everything a secret from him. But at the same time, she never expected for Davian King Parker to suddenly show this much interest in her and her matters.


    What¡¯s wrong with him today? She wondered.


    In her previous life, during the apocalypse, the two of them were stuck in different countries. Yet, he somehow made his way to her within three months of apocalypse.


    However, things didn¡¯t go well between them as she decided to trust Daniel over him. Daniel knew that he might never succeed in overthrowing her from her position if Davian King Parker stayed with them. Thus, he did everything in his power to turn her against him. And considering the past Grace and Davian shared, it wasn¡¯t that hard for Daniel to succeed in his motives.


    Grace ended up cutting ties with Davian and the two went their separate ways after a big fight. She still remembered how angry he was when he failed to make her understand that she was walking straight into Daniel¡¯s trap and called her foolish.


    He did try to approach her a few times over the years, but she never allowed him into her circle. Thinking about her tragic end, she actually felt happy that she didn¡¯t drag him down with her.


    Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply. She indeed was foolish in her previous life who couldn¡¯t tell right from wrong. Back then, all she wanted was for Davian to stay away from her. But what was she supposed to do this time? She had no answer for that.


    The past they shared was too complicated for her to just keep him by her side, even if the danger they were about to face was an apocalypse. And yet, she couldn¡¯t deny that having him on her side would be like the second biggest cheat after the jade bracelet to confirm her survival in the apocalypse.


    "Grace, I¡¯m talking to you."


    She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard him speaking after a few moments of silence. She finally turned her gaze toward him and spoke, "The identity of Mrs. Parker might belong to you, but the identity of Ms. Brown has always been mine. Don¡¯t get too greedy."


    She noticed how he was about to contradict her statement, so she quickly followed, "As for killing Daniel, I should have done that a long time ago considering his betrayal. It¡¯s good that he¡¯s dead now and I don¡¯t have people living with me who wants to kill me all the time."


    This time, Davian arched one of his eyebrows high as if he was - either impressed by her words, or questioning the truth behind them.


    Ignoring him, she gave the final explanation. "I burned my mansion, closed my base, and am buying supplies because I want to move to the Starfall Isle. I¡¯m done living here among these people. I want to move to a new place and start a new life."


    There was silence in the room following her lies, and when she didn¡¯t hear him speak even after several long moments, she finally turned her head to look at him once again.


    He was again staring at her, but she couldn¡¯t tell exactly what was going on in that head of his. She wondered if he even believed a word of what she had told him.


    Truth be told, if she was in his place, she would have never believed even a single word of such nonsense. But even if he didn¡¯t believe her, he could only speculate her motive. After all, there was no way he would ever find out about the real motive behind her decisions, at least not until the arrival of apocalypse.


    But what if he decided to come after her for supplies once the apocalypse would arrive? She would hate to become his enemy. Did she have to kill him with one of those weapons she had hoarded? The thoughts were troublesome and made her sigh out loud.


    Right at that moment, she felt something knocking on her temple. She turned her head and glared at the man who just knocked her head with his knuckle. "What?" She demanded while glaring at him.


    "Stop your thoughts from wandering too far." He replied while staring back at her, and if she wasn¡¯t wrong, there was even a hint of smile on his lips that was barely visible.


    "Do you even know what I¡¯m thinking?" She demanded in return, not liking how different he was behaving from his usual self. The Davian King Parker she knew would have never knocked her head or talked to her like that.


    Davian tilted his head to the side, surprising her further by that gesture, before he answered, "I might not have the skill of mind-reading, but I think I¡¯m really good at reading your face. And from what I saw, it felt like you were thinking about ways for killing me."


    Grace just sat there staring at him in stunned silence. He was way too close to the truth, or to be precise - he was absolutely right in his guess. Before she could have found something to say in response, he was once again speaking.


    "It¡¯s alright if you want to shift to Starfall Isle, I think it¡¯s a good idea to start anew." He had a proper smile on his lips this time as he spoke the next sentence. "I¡¯m thinking about selling my company and retiring too. Let me accompany you to Starfall Isle. We both will start our new lives there."


    "Impossible."


    Grace wasted no time in replying. She stood up and took hold of his hand, dragging him toward the door. Once she had pushed him out of the house, she added, "Stop dreaming, Mr. Parker."


    And then, she closed the door on his face before letting out a deep sigh. Something was indeed very wrong with Davian King Parker and she suddenly wanted to stay even more far away from him.

 Chapter 36: Agricultural Supplies

    Next morning when Grace finally stepped out of her condo at 7:30 in the morning, she was relieved to see no sign of Davian in the hallway or anywhere in the entire building or even outside it.


    She finally let out a sigh of relief and headed toward her car. She spent the entire night tossing and turning because of that man and his unusual behavior. She was unable to fall asleep for most of the night.


    At first, she was worried that she would see him again the moment she would step outside her condo, but thankfully that wasn¡¯t the case. Considering his identity, it was understandable that he didn¡¯t have so much free time to chase after her.


    Climbing into the car, she first dropped a message to her landlord before heading toward her destination. After thinking about the matter the previous night, she decided to wrap up her work in the capital city and head to meet Aleena.


    Since Davian had found the location of her condo, she no longer wanted to stay there. She had no time to deal with him, especially when he wasn¡¯t even behaving like his normal self.


    She spent the first half of the day collecting supply orders at the warehouse and shifting all of them inside her space. She received the last order at 12:40 in the noon and once she was done handling it, she immediately headed to the neighboring city to meet Aleena.


    It was one and a half hour drive and it was exactly 2:27 pm when she parked her car in the parking lot of the restaurant where Aleena was waiting for her.


    "What¡¯s with the disguise?" Aleena asked when she recognized Grace¡¯s disguise, but was also surprised to see her like that.


    "Can¡¯t get noticed going on shopping sprees." Was all Grace said in return before the two found their way to a corner table and had a quick lunch.


    After they were done filling their bellies, Grace headed to the warehouse where Aleena had stored the goods, while Aleena headed to receive another batch of goods at a different warehouse.


    Once Grace had safely shifted the goods from the second warehouse inside her space, she and Aleena immediately left the city and headed to meet Maven who too was ready with the goods that he was tasked to purchase.


    Once again, Grace shifted all the goods inside her space while both Maven and Aleena waited outside the warehouse. Though the latter two had their questions, none of the two voiced them out and just followed Grace¡¯s orders. They knew that their Boss would tell them everything when she would want to.


    "Where are we heading next?" Maven asked as he climbed into the driving seat while Aleena took the passenger¡¯s seat and Grace settled down in the back with her tablet sitting on her lap.


    "Let¡¯s head to the Agricultural Supply Store in Seven Falls. It¡¯s one of the biggest agricultural supply stores in the country and we need to buy them in bulk." Grace answered from the back.


    Maven added the destination on the map and notified, "It will be forty minute drive. We will not be able to arrive there before nine." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It¡¯s alright." Grace replied as she understood his reason of worry. "We are only going to place our order tonight. So arriving there after nine won¡¯t be really a trouble. But you will need to handle the booking of a warehouse as soon as possible."


    "I will handle it immediately." Aleena said as she took out her phone and immediately focused on completing the task.


    Just like Maven said, they arrived in Seven Falls half an hour later and by the time their car stopped outside the huge store, it was already 9:13. Without wasting any time, the three of them headed inside and were greeted by one of the employees.


    "Hello sir. Hello mams. How can I help you?" The middle-aged man asked politely.


    "We are here to bulk purchase agricultural supplies." Grace informed the man who immediately took out his phone to note down the order.


    The first order that Grace placed was for seeds. She bought all kind of seeds - staple food seeds, legumes seeds, vegetable seeds, fruit seeds, root and tuber seeds, herbs and medicinal plants seeds, oil and fat-rich seeds, grains and pseudo-grains, survival and foraging plants seeds, etc.


    Her next order was for soils - potting soil, compost-rich soil, topsoil, garden soil, raised bed soil mix, and sandy soil for drainage.


    For fertilizers, she ordered - compost, aged manure, bone meal, blood meal, fish emulsion, wood ash, rock phosphate, greensand, kelp meal, worm castings, lime, and sulfur.


    While looking through the stocks available in the store, she also came across some additional soil additives and immediately placed order for them too. These were - perlite, peat moss, vermiculite, gypsum, and mycorrhizal fungi.


    Once seeds, soils, and fertilizers were bought, she moved on to tools that would be required. She ordered - planting pots, shovels, spades, garden hoes, rakes, pitchforks, trowels, hand forks, dibbers, weeding tools, pruners, shears, scythes, sickles, harvesting knives, grain cradle, irrigation supplies, buckets, pails, compost bins, tumblers, soil testing kits, mulching material, sprouting jars, trays, cloning equipment, labels, and markers.


    Row covers, netting, cold frames, garden fencing, mortar and pestle, oil press, solar dehydrator, root cellar, whetstone, files, sandpaper, replacement kits, sturdy gloves, protective eyewear, grow tents, grow lights, plant stakes, and trellises.


    While the employee looked surprised by such a huge order, he didn¡¯t ask any questions and handled everything professionally.


    Grace made the downpayment and left the address of the warehouse with her phone number before she, Aleena, and Maven finally stepped out of the store and headed toward their car.


    "Let¡¯s grab dinner on our way to hotel." Grace said as they hit the road.


    "What¡¯s the plan for tomorrow?" Maven asked while Aleena searched for a good restaurant near their hotel.


    Grace had the coming day already planned, so she immediately answered, "Tomorrow, I want you to receive the order at the warehouse while me and Aleena will head to Silkshire to purchase Livestock."

 Chapter 37: Buying Livestock

    Grace and Aleena left for Silkshire very early in the morning since it was over two hours long drive. By the time they arrived at the town, it was already half past eight.


    Silkshire Town was known for its business of livestock - the main reason Grace decided to purchase the livestock from here. But there was another big reason - the fishing village that was located at a distance of only half an hour drive from Silkshire.


    They made their way through the already bustling town, heading toward the biggest farmhouse that was famous for its high quality livestock.


    "Are you here for business purpose or to visit the farmhouse?" The guard asked when their car arrived at the entrance.


    "We are here to buy livestock." Aleena answered and the guard called someone on his phone. Merely a moment later, he was informing them. "Sorry for making you wait. You can head inside now. One of the employees will meet you at the parking lot on the left."


    And then, he opened the huge iron gates, allowing them entrance into the farmhouse. Just like he told them, a woman in her mid-thirties was already waiting for them in the parking lot.


    "I was notified that you are here to buy livestock. What do you want to buy?" She asked politely in a professional tone.


    "There¡¯s a lot we want to buy as we have recently purchased a farmhouse of our own. We will be buying almost everything." Grace replied and the woman nodded her head in understanding.


    She appeared thoughtful for a moment before suggesting, "How about this - I can give you a tour of all the animals available here while explaining about their breeds and their prices? You can tell me if you felt like buying them."


    Grace nodded her head in approval before adding, "Sounds good to me. Please lead the way."


    The three then headed deeper into the farmhouse that was stretched across miles. After walking for about ten minutes and passing through several fruit orchards, they arrived at a chicken coop.


    "We have both egg layers and dual-purpose breeds." The employee started providing information about the chicken along with their prices.


    "I want twenty females of each breed and seven males of each breed." Grace placed the order after considering it with 2025. The environment inside the Infinte Realm was perfect for any kind of living being, or even non-living being, to thrive there.


    The employee noted down the order before they headed toward the Duck coop. Since they had both breeds for eggs and meat, Grace placed the same order as for the chickens.


    Her next order was for goats. She bought ten females and four male goats. The same order went for sheep, cattle, pigs, rabbits, quail, guinea fowl, turkeys, geese, donkeys, horses, and camels.


    Their final stop was the bee farmhouse and Grace placed an order for honey bees as well. Not only that but once she learned the farmhouse also sold products like eggs, meat, milk, and honey collected from the livestock,she decided to take a look.


    She ended up buying 50,000 eggs of chicken, duck, and geese. She also purchased 10,000 fertilized eggs of each one of these three, and then a lot of fresh meat. Lastly, she bought 10,000 jars of pure honey, each of 1kg.


    Though Grace hated wasting time, money, and resources in transporting the livestock and the goods to a warehouse, she barely had any other option. But thankfully, she was promised that the delivery would be made by that very evening.


    Finishing their business at the Farmhouse, Grace and Aleena headed to the fishing village.


    "We will be done with our purchases by noon. What are your plans after that, Boss?" Aleena asked as she navigated the way to the fishing village.


    "Though we bought most of the agriculture related supplies yesterday, we still have to buy the machines and equipment. Let¡¯s take care of it this afternoon so that we can head to Mapleton as early as possible tomorrow." Grace informed Aleena who nodded her head in understanding.


    Half an hour later, they were making their way through the bustling main village street. The smell of sea and seafood attacked their noses as they stepped out of the car and headed toward the huge boats and fishing ships that were docked at the coast, selling seafood.


    Grace had already bought canned seafood, but there was still a lot she needed to buy. She bought tuna, salmon, sardines, trout, anchovies, mackerel, catfish, shrimp, crab, clams and other fresh seafood.


    Then she bought dried seafood, smoked seafood, frozen seafood, pickled seafood, fish jerky, freeze-dried seafood, shellfish in pouches, and seaweed.


    Finally, she bought different types of fishes, shrimps, and others for livestock. The order was promised to be delivered by coming morning, and with that, Grace completed her business in the fishing village.


    She and Aleena returned to meet Maven and had lunch before they headed out to buy the machinery for agriculture. She bought tractors, plows, harrows, rotavators, subsoilers, cultivators, seeds drills, transplanters, broadcast seeders, precision planters, irrigation pumps, sprinklers, drips, fertilizer spreader, sprayers, manure spreaders.


    Weeders, pruning tools and machines, mowers, combine harvesters, forage harvesters, diggers, bale wrappers, threshers, winnowers, grain dryers, feed mills, mixers, grain mills, trailers, and so on.


    After placing all the remaining orders and making the downpayment, Grace arrived at the warehouse to receive the delivery from the Farmhouse and then shifted all the received goods inside the space. The three of them took a break for the rest of the evening and went to a restaurant to enjoy a nice dinner.


    "Are we heading to Mapleton tomorrow?" Maven asked as he filled a bowl with nourishing chicken soup for Grace and placed it in front of her.


    "Thank you." Grace thanked him first before answering his question. "We will stay here to receive the delivery of goods from the fishing village and the machine factory. After that, we will fly to Mapleton."


    "Are we going to buy more supplies there?" Aleena asked and noticed as a smile curled the corners of Grace¡¯s lips as the latter answered - "Of course." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 38: Feeling Anxious

    "Wah! This is crazy."


    Grace announced as she dropped on the grass covered ground and stared at the beautiful clear sky above. The warm sunlight and the soft, cool breeze were the perfect combination to enjoy the weather.


    "This place will feel like heaven once apocalypse will arrive." She murmured as she kept her gaze fixed on the sky. Right at that moment, she heard the fluttering sound of wings before a familiar voice registered in her ear.


    "You need to work harder to keep this place a heaven."


    She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Seconds later, she finally opened them and moved to a sitting position, turning to face the little creature. "Can you not speak like I have not been working tirelessly for the past three days?"


    "Three hours." 2025 returned in a monotone.


    Grace stared at the creature as she reminded it. "Since we are inside the Infinte Realm, we should count the time according to this place. And look at how hard I have been working, traveling from one city to another, hoarding supplies, stocking them up properly in the warehouse, setting up the greenhouses, farmhouse, and even the solar panels. I need a break too."


    Listening to her words, 2025 spent a few seconds looking around the vast fields that were standing barren around them and only a small section had been planted with crops. And then, it started shaking its head while letting out a sigh.


    "What¡¯s with that sigh?" Grace demanded, somehow already knowing that the little creature had nothing good to say to her.


    There was no doubt that 2025 was a great companion, most of the time. It was the only other being in the entire world that knew about the secret of Grace¡¯s rebirth and the Infinite Realm. And while it was always there to provide the timely guidance, it had this bad hobby of irritating Grace.


    Hearing her question, 2025 turned its gaze toward her and answered, "With your current speed, I¡¯m sure you will need 80 years instead of 80 days to prepare properly for the upcoming disaster."


    "Just say that you can¡¯t handle me taking even a moment to catch my breath. Stupid creature!" Grace murmured through gritted teeth as she stood up and headed in the direction of the villa to handle the mess she had created there early that morning.


    She spent the rest of the day, according to Infinite Realm¡¯s time, arranging the villa all over again as there was a lot she had purchased for the place. She bought new furniture, kitchen appliances and cutlery, a TV and other electrical appliances, toiletries, and also received her newly customized wardrobe.


    She also connected villa¡¯s electricity system with the solar panels to keep everything running, especially the huge TV that was covering nearly half of the living room¡¯s wall. Since she had downloaded so much stuff, it was only right for her to enjoy them on a big screen.


    Once she was done, she stepped out of the Infinite Realm and finally went to bed around two in the morning. It was her last night in the Mapleton City and she needed to catch a flight to Skylane early at six in the morning.


    After finishing her business in the Seven Falls, she and her group had headed to Mapleton where she finally hoarded the plants, seeds, trees, and other supplies to start farming within the Infinite Realm.


    They stayed in Mapleton for two days to buy more supplies. She bought firewood and coal, more meat, instant food, dry food and fruits, dairy products, energy drinks and bars, compressed biscuits, chocolates, tea, coffee, condoms, baby and children supplies, and other miscllaneous stuff.


    She also bought solar panels, solar generators, solar batteries, solar-powered chargers and power banks, solar-powered lighting, solar cooking supplies, solar-powered appliances, emergency tools and gadgets, accessories, and backup items.


    Once she was done, she sent Maven and Ryan to handle another important purchase. She needed ships and boats, thus she handed them the task to buy the goods and safely transport them to a warehouse in Sunspire City.


    Aleena and Valeska also received their new task to purchase fuel and store them in another warehouse in the Sunspire City.


    When the morning arrived, she was on the plane to Skylane City to meet Ryan and collect the weapons that he had already purchased. She quickly finished her business in Skylane, and from there, she directly headed to Country S to meet Jasper.


    It was a seven hours long flight and she spent it mostly catching up on her sleep and enjoying the food. When she landed in Country S, Jasper was there to pick her up. They headed straight to the warehouse where she collected the goods.


    Since their flight to Sunspire was at four in the morning and it was only two in the afternoon, Grace decided to hoard some supplies in Country S. Fortunately, she succeeded in making deals for all the deliveries to be made before midnight, but it did cost her some extra money.


    She bought pets, pet food and supplies, livestock feed and other essentials, electric stoves, gas stoves, wood-burning stoves, portable stoves, speciality stoves, gas cylinders, fish-catching equipment, and some other miscellaneous items.


    Just like decided, the goods were delivered around half past eleven late that night and Grace quickly shifted everything inside her space. She and Jasper then headed to the airport and caught some sleep before their flight.


    At four in the morning, they finally were on their way to Sunspire City. Grace took a look at the timer inside the space.


    83 Days, 19 Hours, and 39 Minutes


    A long sigh escaped her lips and she closed her eyes. It had already been two weeks since she got reborn and found a chance to change her fate. The days flew by so quickly and it was already the time for the arrival of the first warning of the upcoming doom.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly anxious deep in her heart. Merely a day was left before the disastrous rain would hit. What she didn¡¯t expect was the surprise that was awaiting her upon her landing in Sunspire. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 39: Unexpected Faces (I)

    [BREAKING NEWS: 7.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Capital City and Surrounding Areas.]


    [A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake has struck the Capital City and nearby urban centers, sending shockwaves through the region. The earthquake hit around 7:15 AM local time, with tremors felt across hundreds of miles. Authorities are calling this one of the most significant quakes to affect the area in decades.]


    [Initial reports indicate widespread structural damage in the Capital City¡¯s central districts. Many older buildings have partially or fully collapsed, while several newer high-rise buildings have sustained significant cracks and damage. Emergency services are mobilizing, with the city¡¯s hospitals preparing to receive an influx of injured residents.]


    [In neighboring towns and cities, reports are emerging of landslides, road collapses, and power outages. Communications have been disrupted in several areas, making it difficult to assess the full scope of the damage. Authorities are working to restore phone and internet service as quickly as possible.]


    Grace stared at the TV screen in shock. The last thing she expected was to hear such a shocking news the moment she landed in Sunspire City.


    "Boss, is it the disaster you were talking about? Or a part of it?" Jasper asked in a soft whisper as he too stared at the TV screen setup in the waiting area of the airport.


    Grace turned her attention away from the TV and looked at the man before she slowly nodded her head. "It¡¯s here." She whispered before she resumed walking and Jasper followed behind her.


    They walked out of the airport and hailed a cab, heading toward Greenstone Residential Area where their new apartments were awaiting. While in the cab, Grace contacted 2025 through the mindlink she shared with it. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What¡¯s going on? There was no earthquake in the previous timeline until three months from the arrival of rain. Why it¡¯s different now?" She tried to keep her voice calm, but there was no hiding the anxiety she was experiencing after seeing the news of the earthquake.


    2025 immediately replied, its voice carrying a heaviness in it that was not a usual occurrence. "If I have to give you a reason, I can only think of butterfly effect. Your rebirth might have brought these changes."


    Grace was silent for a moment as she took in the response before she finally asked another question. "Do you think the future will be unpredictable this time because of these changes? What about the Shadow Rain then? Will it not appear?"


    The thought of no Shadow Rain didn¡¯t sit right with her. Just like hoarding unlimited supplies was an important process of her making sure that she and her close ones would stand a chance to survive the apocalypse, the Shadow Rain was another such important factor that would make their survival easier.


    "Though things might change in this timeline, I don¡¯t think they will completely change the happenings of previous timeline. The timings might change, and so can frequencies, size, and such things, but that should be the extent of these changes. Let¡¯s not worry too much." 2025 replied.


    Grace took in a deep breath and tried to follow the instruction. She needed to stay calm to handle the pending work. She no longer asked any further questions and stayed silent for the rest of the ride. Forty minutes later, they finally arrived at their location.


    She and Japser climbed out of the cab and headed inside the twenty-two storey building. When they arrived on the 21st floor, the others were already waiting for them.


    The moment she noticed the changes that had been made on the floor and within the apartments, Grace was impressed by her team¡¯s work. Though she was the one who gave the instructions, they still carried out the tasks diligently.


    They had installed solid metal doors in their apartments, adding deadbolt locks. They had also strengthened the door frame with metal strike plates, installed metal bars and metal grates on all the windows, and had reinforced interior metal sheets on the walls.


    They had also stocked up food and other necessary supplies in all the apartments that could last them for at least two months without any issues.


    "If only we could have that one apartment to ourselves as well." Grace said with a sigh while staring at the apartment next to hers that had been rented out by someone else.


    "It¡¯s alright boss. The four of us will be living just a floor below. I¡¯m sure things will go fine." Seth assured her and all Grace could do was to nod. In their current situation, they could only try to make the best out of what they had got.


    After she had taken a look at the apartments and was satisfied with their preparation, she headed to the warehouses to collect the remaining supplies. On her way back to the apartment, she stopped by a convenience store and bought several bottles of alcohol.


    She also stopped by a restaurant and ordered twenty packed boxes of each of the twenty-three dishes that were available on the menu. It took a while before she received her order and the employees of the restaurant helped her load everything in her car.


    Thankfully, she was driving a large SUV so there was enough space to load all the food. She drive away from the restaurant and put away all the boxes inside her space.


    By the time she arrived near the Greenstone Residential Area, the sky had finally started showing signs of an upcoming rain. She found a secluded corner where there was no one around and asked 2025 to handle the cameras that were installed nearby.


    Once she was in clear, she quickly placed the SUV inside her space and walked the rest of the way into the Residential Area. As she entered the building and headed into the elevator, she met with another resident who was dressed as weirdly with an all-black outfit, a mask, sunglasses, and even a cap.


    When she tried to select the floor, she noticed her companion was also heading to the 21st floor.

 Chapter 40: Unexpected Faces (II)

    Is this person my neighbor? Grace wondered as she realized that her companion was also heading to the 21st floor.


    The elevator started moving and she was very aware of the gaze that was fixed on her. The person standing behind her was giving a very weird vibe, yet, she felt no fear.


    She was merely five when she was forced to learn martial arts and physical defense. When she turned fourteen, she took over the Balckwood House and Blackwood Business Empire where she defended herself against all those who wanted to remove her.


    After spending years in the underground world and also in apocalypse, she had learned to protect herself against any sort of enemy. Even if by chance the person in the elevator turned out to be bad, she could handle that.


    But no such thing happened. Other than staring at her, the person did nothing else. Moments later, the lift stopped on 21st floor and Grace stepped out, noticing the person following behind her.


    She headed toward her apartment and took out the key to unlock the heavy metal door. Just as she was about to enter, something stopped her in her tracks.


    "So you are one of the neighbors with the weird taste."


    A deep male voice suddenly spoke and Grace found the voice sounding familiar. She quickly turned toward the direction of the voice and found herself looking at the same person who was with her in the elevator. That person was now standing in front of the unit next to hers.


    "Who?" She asked when she failed to recall exactly where she had heard that voice.


    In response, the person removed the cap, followed by the sunglasses and finally the mask. All of a sudden, Grace found herself staring at the very familiar handsome face of the young man she bumped her car into over a week ago in the Capital city.


    She was so surprised to see him that it took her a while to collect herself together. As she recalled his statement from earlier, she glanced at her door and realized why he might have said that.


    "Are you talking about my door?" She asked and watched as he tilted his head slightly to the left, causing some of his silky hair strands to fall over his forehead.


    Gosh! He¡¯s too handsome... and hot... and strong...


    Grace immediately looked away and inhaled deeply. Even she wasn¡¯t ready for the thoughts that were taking place in her head at that moment. She returned her attention toward the man and spoke. "Maybe I have a different taste. See you later."


    She didn¡¯t wait to hear if he had anything to say and quickly entered her apartment. She closed the door behind her and inhaled deeply.


    She immediately discrded all her thoughts about him and headed to take a shower. She put on a pair of silk pajamas for comfort and then then picked up her phone to send a message in the group, asking her team to come to her apartment.


    Once she was done, she took out several boxes of the food she bought from the restaurant and heated them up in the microwave before setting them up on the dining table that was big enough for all eight of them.


    She was done taking out several cans of beer when she heard her doorbell ringing. She quickly opened the door and let the group inside.


    "It seems like we will be having a party!" Ryan announced with excitement once he got a look at the dining table that was set with food and alcohol.


    "Thank you, Boss." Kevin said gratefully, followed by others who all seemed happy with the amount of food that was filling the table.


    "You all have worked so hard during the past two weeks." Grace said as she took her seat at the table. "Without having any clear idea of what was going to happen and whether I was speaking the truth or not, you all followed each of my order without any suspicion. We all have worked hard and deserve to relax a little."


    She picked up a can of beer and opened it before raising it up for a toast. The others quickly followed suit and waited for her to speak.


    With a smile on her lips, she added, "The coming days are only going to be filled with more hardships and hardwork. Let¡¯s stay united and trust each other no matter what will come our way. I promise that I will do my best to protect you all."


    "Damn it! No one told me you can be this sentimental too. How come I never heard you speaking this sweetly to us in the fifteen long years of my service to you?" Maven asked as he looked at her with a comical teary faced expression.


    Grace just sighed and shook her head while the others chuckled.


    "I like this version of Boss though. She¡¯s both sweet and psycho." Valeska commented as she gave Grace a bright smile. Soon enough the others were adding their statements of agreement.


    "I will let you all know just how much sweet and psycho I am tomorrow morning during combat practice." Grace announced and heard almost everyone groaning. They hated training with her because they never succeeding in winning against her in combat. It was always them getting their asses kicked.


    They finally toasted and took their first sips of the chilled beers before settling down in their seats. There were some requests for Grace to cancel the training, but she didn¡¯t budge. Eventually, the team just accepted their fate and shifted their focus on enjoying the food instead.


    "I heard that someone had rented the entire 22nd floor of this apartment. There were several trucks moving in the belongings this evening." Aleena revealed what she found out about the newest resident of their building.


    "You noticed something weird about this person?" Seth asked.


    Aleena¡¯s gaze turned to Grace as she answered, "Other than the fact that someone has rented the entire floor? Yes. I noticed a very familiar face stepping into the elevator and heading to 22nd floor about half an hour ago."


    sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 41: Unexpected Faces (III)

    Grace stepped out of the elevator and stared at the three apartment doors for a moment. Letting out a sigh, she headed to the closest one first and rang the doorbell. Seconds later, someone opened the door.


    "Where is he?" She demanded while staring at the familiar face of one of the bodyguards whom she had seen following Davian.


    Without wasting any time, the man immediately pointed in the direction of Unit 2203. Grace wasted no time as she headed toward Unit 2203 and rang the doorbell. This time, it took several long seconds before the door was pulled open and she found herself staring at a half naked Davian.


    His appearance caught her completely off-guard, leaving her stunned as she wasn¡¯t expecting him to appear in front of her like that. He seemed to have just showered as his hair was wet and water droplets were dropping from the ends of his strands, trickling down his shoulders and chest.


    Except for the white towel that was wrapped around his waist, he was completely naked, putting his perfectly toned body on display. And she was shameless enough to run her gaze all over him even before she could have stopped herself.


    When she was done taking him in, her gaze returned to his face and she found him staring back at her with a knowing look in his eyes. It was a miracle that her face didn¡¯t immediately set on fire and her voice came out more calm and steady than she was expecting.


    "Don¡¯t you have any clothes... or decency?"


    Instead of glaring at her for saying what she did, like he should have if he was being his usual self, Davian just smirked while he ran his gaze all over her and replied, "Don¡¯t you think you are in no place to talk about decency with me?"


    Confused by his statement, Grace quickly looked down at herself and felt her cheeks burning from embarrassment when she realized just how bad her own appearance was.


    She was in a pair of silk pajama shirt and shorts. The top buttons of her shirt were open, showing just the perfect amount of her lace bra. Her long legs were completely bare and her hair was pulled back in a loose bun with bunch of strands falling all around. She looked nothing like the Grace Blackwood whom the world knew.


    She inhaled deeply before returning her attention to his face. "At least I¡¯m wearing clothes." That was the best response she could come up with.


    Davian arched his eyebrows at her words and the corners of his lips curved slightly as if he was amused. "Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m walking around naked. I have covered up the only thing I needed to. Unless..."


    He didn¡¯t finish his statement, but his words were enough to flame her cheeks further. Not only that but she suddenly heard someone snickering before it got muffled. When she noticed Davian¡¯s gaze shifting behind her, she too quickly turned around and noticed the doors of the other two apartments quickly closing.


    It seemed like the other two apartments were occupied by his men who were currently trying to sneak on their conversation. She let out a sigh and pushed Davian aside before stepping into his apartment and closing the door to earn some privacy.


    He just allowed her to do what she wanted, neither looking surprised nor angry. The way he was behaving kept catching her off-guard.


    "What are you doing here?" She demanded, not wasting any more time talking about useless things.


    Davian crossed his hands across his chest and she wasn¡¯t able to stop her eyes from wandering over to his biceps that flexed because of the move. It was impossible to not appreciate how well he had taken care of his body, really impossible.


    "You need to stop looking at me like that, Grace." He suddenly stated in such a serious and intense voice that left her completely baffled. She gulped as she took in the look in his eyes and felt a strange type of feeling bubbling within her.


    She licked her lips that suddenly felt dry and noticed how his gaze dropped to her lips immediately. She was sure she noticed him curling his fingers into a tight fist, but before she could have confirmed her doubt, he was already turning away from her and walking in the direction of the living room.


    "I told you that I will sell my company, and I have. From now on, I will be following you."


    It took her a moment to grasp what he just said. All the weird thoughts and feelings immediately flew away and she quickly followed after him. "Did you really sell your company?" She asked, staring at him with wide eyes.


    He settled down on the big couch and fixed his gaze on her as he replied while signaling at the TV set up on the wall facing the couches. "You can turn on the news if you don¡¯t believe my words. I have sold my company, all my assets and properties."


    "Why?" She asked, staring at him as if she was looking at a completely different person and not at the Davian King Parker she had known for over eleven years as per her previous life. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Davian didn¡¯t remove his gaze from her face for even a second as he answered, "Because I want to stay with you from now. If you are going to set up your new home on Starfall Isle, then I¡¯ll follow you there. In return, I can offer you myself and everything I have."


    "Do you even have anything now since you have sold away all you once had?" She asked and found his smile becoming bigger.


    He stood up from the couch and spoke, "Go and get changed, we are heading out in ten minutes."


    She wasn¡¯t prepared for the sudden shift in their conversation. "Where are we going?" She asked.


    "You will find out soon." Was all he said in response.

 Chapter 42: Confession (I)

    Grace wasn¡¯t sure why she even listened to Davian¡¯s weird request in the first place, especially when it had already started raining and the weather could take a turn for the worst at any moment.


    Still she found herself returning to her apartment in order to get changed. She informed her team that she would be heading out with Davian for a while, leaving all seven of them stunned. Before they could have asked anything, she slipped inside the bedroom and closed the door.


    She quickly got changed into a comfortable set of black trousers and sports bra before putting on a black jacket. She then put on combat boots and pulled her hair in a high ponytail.


    On her way out, she grabbed her phone and once again ignored her team. They were clearly desperate for answers but she had nothing to tell them, at least not at that moment.


    As she stepped out into the hallway, she found Davian already waiting for her there. He was wearing a white shirt and black trousers unlike his usual office suits, but he still looked absolutely breathtaking as usual.


    "Let¡¯s go." He said and she followed after him. They took the elevator and headed to the basement where Davian¡¯s car was parked. He opened the passenger side door for her, surprising her again.


    "Thank you." She whispered before climbing into the car. He used to do such sweet things back when they were acting as a couple, but this was different as there was no one there for whom they had to put on such an act for.


    Davian settled down in the driver¡¯s seat and started the car. The drive was long and filled with mostly silence. Though she wanted to ask him again where they were heading, she refrained from doing when she remembered his response from earlier.


    Though the rain started slow, it had grown stronger over the past two hours. Still, the only hurdle it created so far was the traffic. Half an hour later, Davian finally pulled the car in front of a huge building that seemed like a warehouse.


    Grace was confused as she climbed out of the car and followed Davian who was holding an umbrella for them. He led her inside the warehouse and she found herself staring at a sea of huge crates that were filling the entire building.


    "What is this?" She asked while turning her attention away from the crates and fixing her gaze on the man standing next to her.


    "Supplies." He answered, leaving her completely stunned in the process. "Weren¡¯t you busy collecting supplies for the past two weeks? So here I¡¯m offering you more supplies as my sincerity for our partenrship."


    Grace stared at him in shock for a few moments before returning her gaze to the endless numbers of crates sitting in front of her. While she was still trying to process what he had just said, he surprised her even further. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There are a total of twenty-eight warehouses of this size in the entire Sunspire City and all twenty-eight of them are loaded with supplies - food, grains, medicines and medical supplies, weapons, cooking supplies, fuel and firewood, hygiene supplies, tools and equipment, clothing and bedding supplies, shelter essential supplies, solar appliances and machines, and everything else I could gather is in these warehouses."


    There was silence as Grace said nothing in response for the next several moments. When she finally did, it was a sincere question that she wanted him to answer just as sincerely.


    She fixed her gaze once again on his face and while staring into the depths of his orbs, she asked, "Why are you doing this, Davian? Why the sudden change in your attitude toward me? Why bother about my plans and actions? Why try so hard to become my partner?"


    She noticed something flashing in his eyes, but she wasn¡¯t quick enough to catch it. He took a step closer, looming over her as he gazed down into her eyes. When he spoke, his voice was low and soft. "Do you want the truth?"


    "Only truth, Davian." She replied, not breaking the eye contact even though a voice inside her kept telling her that his so-called truth was going to be something she couldn¡¯t anticipate coming her way.


    "Alright." He said while taking another step closer that left merely inches between them and forced her to crane her neck further to look up at his face. "Then I¡¯ll tell you the truth. I want to work with you from now on. I want you to accept my partnership, my resources, and everything else I can offer you without worries because..."


    When he suddenly stopped, Grace felt the urge to strangle him to force the rest of that sentence out of him. But at the same time, that little fear that had been bubbling inside her grew further as her anxiety peaked.


    "Davian?"


    "I like you."


    Silence.


    There was nothing but a dead silence and the faint sound of rain hitting the roof of the warehouse while Grace stared at Davian in pure shock. Her mind was still struggling to wrap itself around the words that just left his mouth.


    He was joking, right? She found herself thinking, but didn¡¯t dare to say it out loud as deep down she already knew the answer.


    "How could...? Why?" She asked while staring into his eyes, not really sure if she asked the right question or not.


    "Why can¡¯t I?" He asked in return, looking at her as if she was asking the stupidest question.


    "No. I mean... how can you suddenly start liking me? All of a sudden?" She rephrased, staring at him with dozens of questions filling her eyes.


    He gave a little shake of his head as he replied, "Not all of a sudden, Grace. I have liked you for so long, it¡¯s just... I was never strong enough to confess." His voice was filled with regret as he spoke.


    "Then why confess now?" She found herself asking.

 Chapter 43: Confession (II)

    "Because I don¡¯t want to lose you." Davian answered without any hesitation.


    Grace would have loved to believe that all this was some sort of joke he was playing with her, or maybe that everything that was happening between them was a dream, but she couldn¡¯t make herself ignore the truth that was standing right in front of her.


    She could see the truth in his eyes as he gazed at her, hear the truth in his words as he spoke, and could feel the truth in the way he reached out to cup her face with his palm.


    "I¡¯m being as honest as I possibly can, Grace. I like you... a lot... and it¡¯s not something that happened overnight. I have liked your for a while now. All I want is to stay with you and protect you with everything that I have. Please let me."


    Had she ever heard the Davian King Parker requesting for something? Never! Not even once in those eleven long years did she ever saw him making a request to anyone. He was someone who always made demands and gave orders. But here he was, requesting her to accept him.


    "But I don¡¯t like you." She said without any filter, and while she knew she was telling the truth something felt so wrong when she saw the hurt flickering through his eyes before Davian pulled himself together.


    His hand slipped from her face and landed on her shoulder before reaching out to hold her hand, and for some unknown reason she allowed him to do so. He was silent for a moment and just stared at her hand that he was holding. But then he finally looked up and fixed his gaze on hers.


    "It¡¯s alright. You can take your time to build feelings for me, or... you can never have any feelings for me if you want. What I¡¯m asking from you today is to accept me as your partner... like a business one. Let me stay with you and protect you."


    He sounded so genuine that Grace almost started feeling like a heartless person for saying what she did next. "What if I never developed any feelings for you? What if I ended up liking someone else? Will you still want to stay with me?"


    A small smile stretched on his lips, but he wasn¡¯t quick enough to hide the hurt in his eyes. It wasn¡¯t disappointment he felt from her words, just hurt. "No matter what will happen in the future, I¡¯ll be always there for you. This is my promise to you today. If you ever decide to fall in love with someone else, my feelings for you will never change and I will never force you against your wishes."


    Just what made him change so much? She wanted answer to this question so desperately. Was it because he liked her? Was that enough to completely change his demeanor?


    She took in a deep breath before speaking, "Davian, listen to me. You can¡¯t predict the future. You can¡¯t just say that your feelings will never change. You will feel sad and disappointed if I will never return your feelings. Don¡¯t do this to yourself."


    "I know what you are trying to say, but let me make my choice, Grace. What I want from you is for you to think about my offer from here, and not from here." He said while pointing at her head first before pointing at her heart.


    "I¡¯m not making this offer to you just because of my feelings, I¡¯m also thinking about myself and my people. Our partnership will make us stronger."


    And he was right about that.


    Davian King Parker was one of those few names who was ruling even during the apocalypse. With his money, power, and connections, he was quick enough to buy supplies and weapons. Not only that, it was only during apocalypse that the world got to know that he had been secretly operating a special force team that emerged as the most powerful group of people who dealt with the monster beasts when they suddenly attacked the earth.


    If there was anyone who could become her partner and increase her survival rate, then it was this man.


    He might be telling the truth about him liking her and wanting to protect her, but at the same time, Grace could tell that he was also speaking the truth about his decision of their partnership being based on the betterment of his people.


    The question was - why he suddenly wanted to make a partnership to increase their strength?


    Grace inhaled deeply before she finally nodded her head in approval. "Okay. Let¡¯s be partners."


    She watched as a genuine smile curved the corners of his lips and he shook her hand that he had been holding all this time. "Let¡¯s be partners."


    She pulled her hand out of his and quickly turned away, confused by the sudden increase of her heart rate for no particular reason.


    "Where do you want me to shift all these supplies? Let me know and I will take care of it as soon as possible." He asked, shifting the conversation to the important matter at hand.


    Grace stilled as she realized that she was faced with a big issue. What she was supposed to do now? She had no other big enough space where she could store so much supplies except for the Infinite Realm. But could she trust him enough to reveal this secret to him?


    "Will you... leave me alone with these supplies for a few minutes?" She asked, not sure if what she was planning to do was the right thing or not.


    Davian seemed confused, but he quickly nodded his head and stepped out of the warehouse. As usual, Grace let 2025 handle the CCTV installed within the warehouse before she shifted all the supplies within her space.


    Five minutes later, she finally stepped out of the warehouse and joined Davian who was standing outside the door with his men.


    "Let¡¯s head to the next warehouse." She said before stepping toward his car. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 44: Rune

    "What have you... done?" Davian asked as he returned from checking the empty warehouse that was filled with thousands of crates of medical supplies just minutes ago.


    Grace kept her gaze fixed on the sky above as she replied with a shrug. "I have stored them in a safe place. Let¡¯s head home before the rain returns."


    She tried to step toward the car, but even before she could have taken more than a step, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to stand in front of him. His eyes were filled with questions as he looked at her and asked, "How do you know it¡¯s going to rain again?"


    "Well... didn¡¯t you receive the alert notification of rain and thunderstorms?" Grace asked while looking at him with raised eyebrows. Something felt slightly odd about his question, or maybe he was just on edge because she just devoured all his supplies without any proper explanation.


    Who wouldn¡¯t feel weird after seeing so many supplies disappearing into thin air within minutes?


    Davian let out a small sigh and finally released her hand. "Right. I..." He was struggling to find words to speak his mind, but a moment later, he finally asked, "Are you really not going to tell me... what you did to all those supplies?"


    Grace turned her full attention to him as she answered, "I will if one day I feel like trusting you enough to share my biggest secret. Till then, please trust me with the management of those supplies."


    Slowly, he nodded his head, accepting her condition. "Alright. You were meant to handle those supplies from the get-go. I will not pry into this matter any further."


    Once they had a mutual understanding between them about the matter, they finally climbed into the car and headed back to Greenstone Residential Area.


    It was around eleven late at last night when Davian took her to the first warehouse, and currently it was already quarter past six in the morning as they headed back to their apartments after collecting all the supplies from all twenty-eight warehouses.


    It was around seven in the morning when they finally arrived at the apartment building, and by then, the rain had started again. While it hadn¡¯t rained too crazily in the Sunspire City in the past twelve hours, the condition in the other cities around the country was far different.


    Grace stepped out of the elevator on the 21st floor while Davian and his men headed to 22nd floor. She entered her apartment and the first thing she did was to send a message in the group chat to let her team know that she was back and going to bed.


    After not sleeping throughout the night, she was feeling extremely tired. She didn¡¯t even bother changing and just got rid of her clothes and slipped under the covers completely naked. The moment her head hit the pillow, she was fast asleep.


    * * *


    Unit 2102 -


    Rune suddenly moved to a sitting position on the couch as soon as the jade ring on his left index finger started glowing.


    "She¡¯s back." He whispered and a barely-there smile suddenly curved the corners his lips.


    "Is it Ms. Blackwood? Is she finally back?"


    "She was away for the entire night. I wonder where she went with those people."


    Sweet, cheerful voices suddenly filled the previously silent living room as small, white jelly-like creatures suddenly appeared there. They jiggled as they surrounded Rune who had closed his eyes and was deep in concentration.


    "Are you following her?" One of the creatures asked as it came to rest on Rune¡¯s left shoulder. It was so small, almost the size of a button. Yet, its eyes were round and big as it stared at Rune¡¯s face in amazement, waiting for a response.


    "She¡¯s in the elevator." Rune whispered as he followed Grace who just stepped into the elevator with a group of men who seemed to be living on the top-most floor of the building. He was surprised to see that she knew them.


    He followed her as she stepped out of the elevator on the 21st floor and headed toward her apartment. Instead of stopping there, he continued to follow her as he was curious about her.


    "What is she doing now?" Another one among the small creatures asked.


    "She just sent a message to her team, and now she¡¯s heading into her bedroom." Rune informed as he watched Grace taking off her shoes and socks before getting out of the jacket. He loved how her hair fell down her back once she freed them from their confinement.


    "What now?"


    "Now she¡¯s taking off-"


    The rest of the words never made it out past his lips and he quickly opened his eyes. There was pure shock, almost a horrified look, covering his face as he stared at the thin air in front of him while the image of Grace Blackwood taking off her sports bra kept playing in his head.


    "What did she take off? Why did you stop mid-sentence?" The creature sitting on his shoulder demanded.


    "I... I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing. Just go away and let me rest." Rune said while shaking off the creature that was sitting on his shoulder.


    The little creature joined the others of his group, but didn¡¯t leave Rune alone like the man wanted. Instead, it decided to remind him about the important matter. "Stop resting already. You have wasted enough time. Since she¡¯s back, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time for you to start with your plan?" S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I know what I have to do. Now get lost before I decide to kill you all." Rune threatened as a small dagger, with patterns covering it and surrounded by a golden glow, appeared in his hand.


    That was more than enough to earn him the peace he wanted as all the little creatures immediately disappeared from the living room. He finally let out a sigh and let the dagger disappear from his hand.


    His blue eyes were fixed on the vine covered ceiling above as he whispered - "Ms. Blackwood, it¡¯s time for us to meet again."

 Chapter 45: Flirting (I)

    It was past two in the mid-afternoon and the living room in Unit 2003 had been transformed into a makeshift training ground.


    All the sofas and tables were removed to leave an open space where mats were laid out to soften the inevitable falls and tumbles. It was raining heavily outside and several notifications of thunderstorms had been sent to keep everyone on high alert. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But while the rest of the world was worrying about the rain, the atmosphere inside Unit 2003 was completely different.


    "Come on, Kevin. Is that all you have got?" Grace called and her voice rang with a clear challenge.


    She was moving with the swiftness of a shadow. Her every step was precise and calculated. On the other hand, Kevin was already sweating and appeared slightly out of breath.


    He darted forward, attempting a move that was supposed to catch her off guard. But Grace was ready. She sidestepped effortlessly and delivered a gentle push that sent Kevin sprawling onto the mat.


    "Ouch, Boss, go easy on us," Kevin groaned while rubbing his elbow as he sat up. His complaint was met with a chorus of laughter and groans from the rest of the team. They had all been there, on that mat, facing off against Grace and suffering the same fate.


    "Get up, Kevin. We are not done yet," Grace showed no mercy and extended a hand to help him up.


    Maven chuckled from where he had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Next time, try not to embarrass yourself so badly, Kevin."


    "Yeah? Why don¡¯t you show us how it¡¯s done then?" Kevin shot back as he accepted Grace¡¯s hand and got to his feet.


    Maven pushed off the wall and rolled his shoulders. "Alright, my turn. Let¡¯s see if I can last longer than ten seconds." The rest of the team watched with interest as Maven stepped onto the mat.


    Grace arched an eyebrow while her lips curled into a half-smile. "Ready, Maven?"


    "Always, Boss," he replied.


    The two of them circled each other for a moment before Maven made the first move. He was fast as he aimed a low sweep at her legs. But Grace anticipated it. She leaped over his leg and spun around to land lightly behind him. Before he could react, she hooked her arm around his neck in a mock chokehold.


    "You are too predictable," she stated while releasing him.


    Maven let out a dramatic sigh. "Remind me not to challenge you unless I have had a full night¡¯s sleep next time."


    "I doubt that will make a difference," Jasper called out and everyone laughed. Even Grace allowed herself a small smile as she prepared to beat up another one of the septet.


    Before the next person could take their turn, the doorbell rang and interrupted their training session. Maven glanced at the others and shrugged. "I¡¯ll get it."


    He walked over to the door and opened it only to find Davian King Parker standing there. Dressed in his usual sleek attire with a calm expression on his face, Davian looked as confident as ever. Behind him, a few of his men stood.


    "Mr. Parker?" Maven said, succeeding in hiding his surprise.


    "Good afternoon. I hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything important," Davian said, though the glint in his eyes suggested he already knew the answer.


    Maven turned back to the room. "Boss, you have got company."


    Grace¡¯s brows knit together for a brief moment before she relaxed. She walked over, meeting Davian¡¯s gaze. "What brings you here?"


    A soft smile appeared on Davian¡¯s lips as he answered. "I heard you were training. Mind if I join in? It¡¯s been a while since I have seen you in action."


    The team exchanged glances behind Grace. They were surprised, but at the same time, excitement flickered in their eyes. Seth elbowed Kevin with a grin. "Looks like we have got a new victim."


    Kevin chuckled. "Better him than me."


    Grace hesitated as she studied Davian¡¯s expression. She knew he was skilled and couldn¡¯t deny that the idea of sparring with him intrigued her. But the thought also made her heart beat faster, though she wouldn¡¯t dare admit why.


    "Alright. Let¡¯s see if you can keep up," she said while stepping aside to let him in. Without another word, she returned to the mat and waited for him to join her.


    The room buzzed with anticipation as Davian removed his jacket and handed it to one of his men. He then rolled up his sleeves, revealing strong forearms that did not go unnoticed by everyone present in that room.


    "Are we placing bets on this one?" Jasper whispered to Aleena, who smirked in response.


    "If we did, my money would be on Boss. But¡­ there¡¯s something about the way he looks at her," Aleena replied while her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.


    The energy in the room shifted as Davian stepped onto the mat. He met Grace¡¯s gaze, and for a moment, it felt like they were the only two in the room. Without warning, he lunged, and Grace met him head-on. Their movements were fluid, a dance of attacks and counters. He was strong and fast, matching her in every way.


    Their exchanges were precise and it was hard to tell who was stronger. But as time passed, the fight started taking on a different tone.


    Davian¡¯s eyes sparkled with amusement as he blocked one of Grace¡¯s kicks and leaned in close. His breath felt warm against her cheek as he spoke. "You are holding back, Grace.


    Grace¡¯s heartbeat quickened. She pushed him back and launched into a series of strikes. Unfortunately, each one of her powerful attacks was met with an equally powerful defense.


    The tension between them was palpable and it didn¡¯t go unnoticed by the septet who had been closely observing every little exchange between the duo with interest.


    Ryan¡¯s eyes were wide with shock as he stared at the scene taking place in front of him. In a merely audible voice, he asked, "Are they¡­ flirting?"

 Chapter 46: Flirting (II)

    "It¡¯s definitely something." Valeska was the one who responded with a soft murmur that could only be heard by those standing close to her.


    The others were left stunned as they realized that they weren¡¯t overthinking, but there was actually something going on between their Boss and Davian King Parker.


    While the septet was busy analyzing the situation, Davian¡¯s men were also going through something similar, especially Rio who could hardly believe what his eyes were seeing.


    Since when Boss learned the art of flirting? He wondered silently.


    Unaware of the chaos that their interactions had created among the hearts of their spectators, Davian and Grace continued to spar.


    Davian smirked at Grace again when he deflected another one of her attacks and pulled her closer to the point that their faces were only inches apart.


    Grace felt the heat rising to her cheeks. She hated that he could get under her skin so easily. With a burst of determination, she swung her leg out, aiming to sweep him off his feet. But he seemed to have already anticipated her move as he caught her by the waist and pulled her in a way that her back was pressed against his chest the very next moment.


    "Caught you," he said softly. His voice was low enough that only she could hear him.


    Her breath hitched, and for a second, she couldn¡¯t move. His closeness was disarming, and her body reacted with a rush of warmth. It took every ounce of her willpower to shake it off and push him back, breaking free of his hold.


    "Not quite," she returned as she aimed a punch at his chest. As usual, he deflected it easily, but the moment gave her enough space to regain her composure.


    On the other side of the room, the septet exchanged looks among themselves and some even went as far as shaking their heads.


    "Boss is actually flustered," Seth was stunned as he said the words. "I never thought I would see the day."


    "But it feels good to see someone giving her a hard time on the mat, even if it¡¯s through a different way." Valeska added with a soft chuckle that earned her a little slap on shoulder from Aleena.


    Grace too realized that the training was going nowhere, hence, she decided to end the match with a decisive move. She stepped forward, shifting her weight and sweeping her leg up in a roundhouse kick that made Davian stumble back a step. But instead of pressing her advantage, she took a deep breath and signaled the end.


    "That¡¯s enough for today," she announced, hoping her voice sounded steadier than she felt.


    Davian smiled as he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and commented, "Impressive as always."


    Grace nodded as she forced herself to meet his eyes. "Thanks for joining us, Mr. Parker."


    The team clapped and cheered, some out of genuine excitement, others because they were relieved they hadn¡¯t been the ones facing her.


    Aleena caught Kevin¡¯s eye and whispered, "Did you see the way he looked at her? We might need to prepare for more than just training next time." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kevin smirked. "I would say we are already seeing more than we bargained for."


    Right at that moment, Grace turned away from the mat as she felt the stares of her team and Davian¡¯s men. But most of all, she felt the lingering heat from Davian¡¯s gaze, and that unsettled her more than she was willing to admit.


    "You all can take a break and rest." She announced as she headed straight to the door. All she wanted was to get away from that place and... Davian. Unfortunately for her, the man had different plans. He followed her into the elevator and stepped out on 21st floor instead of heading to his own unit.


    "Do you want something?" She asked as she turned to face him outside her apartment.


    She noticed how he suddenly appeared at a loss for words to speak, but after a moment or two, he finally spoke. "I was wondering if we can have dinner together this evening? Since we are now partners, we should be spending more time together to plan for our future."


    Grace¡¯s first thought was rejection, but she stopped herself right before she could have spoken the words out loud. He was right. Since they were now partners, they needed to be on the same page about their future plans.


    After thinking about the matter for a moment, she finally replied, "Let¡¯s do that. But you will be the one doing all the cooking. I will see you at your apartment around seven."


    And with that being said, she turned away and entered her apartment. She gave him no time to either accept or reject her decision. She had always heard stories of how good his cooking skills were, but despite knowing him for so long, she had never been lucky enough to taste his cooking. Since she finally had a chance now, she wasn¡¯t going to give up on it.


    Once inside her apartment, she immediately headed to take a shower and got changed into a deep green dress that matched perfectly with her eyes. She styled her hair in a side braid and settled down on the couch in her living room with a cup of herbal tea.


    It was only 4:22 pm and she had a lot of free time on her hand before the supposed dinner appointment with Davian. She used this time to scroll through recent updates about the rain.


    It had been over twenty hours since the rain started, and it had already caused so much chaos in several cities. Fortunately, Sunspire City was located at aviation which kept it safe from the issues of flooding. However, it was also a matter of time before this city too would succumb to the disaster of rain that was just in its beginning phase.


    Till this moment, no one had realized that the rain was signaling to something far more dangerous.


    Just as she was about to put her phone aside, it started ringing.

 Chapter 47: Dinner Date (I)

    Grace stared at the caller ID for a moment before she put down her almost empty tea cup and inhaled deeply. She cleared her throat and finally picked up the call.


    "Hello."


    There was silence on the other end of the call, but it lasted only for a few seconds before she finally heard him speaking.


    [Hello, Ms. Blackwood. I hope I haven¡¯t disturbed you by the sudden call.]


    "It¡¯s okay." Grace replied as she played with the hem of her dress. "I wasn¡¯t really doing anything."


    There was again silence and she realized that he was hesitating to speak whatever he wanted to talk about. "Dr. Kian, why did you call though? Is everything alright?"


    In the previous timeline, among the cities that were heavily affected by the rain, the capital city was one. The situation there was beyond worst and it took several weeks for the authorities to rescue the people.


    Even now as she read the news, it was stated that the situation in Capital City was worsening with each passing hour.


    "Are you still in Capital City?" She asked when the man still didn¡¯t speak.


    [Mmm. The situation here is bad. There has been a rush of patients-]


    "Dr. Kian." Grace interrupted before the man could finish. "I know that as a doctor your priority is saving as many lives as possible. But trust me, the situation there is only going to worsen with each passing day. It will come to the point where your hospital will not even be able to operate anymore."


    She stopped speaking to take in a deep breath before continuing, "Saving lives is a good thing, but sacrificing yourself isn¡¯t. Trust me and leave the city. You will get a chance to save more lives if you succeeded in staying alive. Those patients will need you when the time will come."


    At this point, she was pacing in her living room, hoping for the man to listen to her reasoning and not continue staying in the Capital City. She could understand why he would want to stay there, but that didn¡¯t mean it was the right choice. A doctor needed to be alive in order to treat patients.


    [Thank you for your worry, Ms. Blackwood. But I don¡¯t think I can leave my patients-]


    "Then why did you call me?" She asked, feeling slightly frustrated since the man refused to listen. "Was it to tell me that despite all my warnings, you are going to stay there like a fool?"


    She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, realizing that her anger was getting the best out of her. When she opened her eyes a moment later, she was pretty much back in control.


    "Listen carefully, Dr. Kian. I¡¯m currently in Sunspire City, living in Building K12 in Greenstone Residential Area. I¡¯m giving you two days to arrive at my doorstep. If I will see you here, then you will be one of my men from then onwards and I will give you more than enough opportunities to save lives in the future. But if you decides otherwise, then let¡¯s forget about each other."


    And without waiting to hear his response, she ended the call. A deep sigh escaped her lips and she once again hound herself sitting on the couch, staring at the ceiling while her mind wandered around.


    "Why am I even worrying about him? He¡¯s none of my business." She muttered to herself as she let out another deep sigh.


    She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the sound of rain that was hitting the glass of her windows. Even though this rain was part of a big catastrophe, she felt herself finding some peace in its sound in her current state of turmoil.


    Meanwhile, there were several cities out there getting flooded already because of the continuous heavy raining. Not only that, but there had been several landslides and a few other earthquakes hitting several areas which only worsened the situation.


    Yet, as it had been less than twenty-four hours since the rain started, no one thought too much about it, not even the authorities who were sending alerts for the continuous rain and thunderstorms.


    Just like she promised, Grace got ready and arrived outside Unit 2203. It barely took a few seconds before the door was pulled open and she found herself looking at Davian King Parker who was looking as handsome and breathtaking as usual. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You are here. Please come inside." There was a shine in his eyes that appeared there as soon as he saw her standing outside his door.


    Grace followed him inside and settled down on one of the couches. He followed her and settled down opposite her. "Want something to drink? Tea, coffee, juice-"


    "I¡¯ll like to have some good wine." Her request left him stunned for merely a second before he nodded his head and stood up. She watched as he headed somewhere and appeared few moments later with a bottle of wine and two glasses.


    "It¡¯s from one of my favorite ranges. Let¡¯s enjoy it together." He said while opening the bottle and pouring the wine in the two glasses. He then offered her one of the glasses that she gratefully accepted.


    Grace took her time to appreciate the wine before finally taking the first sip. The moment its rich taste hit her taste buds, a small smile bloomed on her lips. She was so lost in appreciating the good wine that she completely forgot that she had a company.


    All this time, Davian¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t leave her face even for a moment. He watched her closely and the moment he saw that smile appearing on her lips, something fluttered deep in his chest.


    This was undoubtedly the very first time he got the chance to appreciate her unfiltered expression, especially when she was with him.


    "It¡¯s not bad." She said while looking up and fixing her gaze on his face. If she was surprised to find him staring at her, then she did a great job at hiding it.


    "It¡¯s indeed not bad." He replied, but his words held a complete different meaning than hers.

 Chapter 48: Dinner Date (II)

    Grace enjoyed the rest of the wine in silence as neither of them spoke after that statement. However, she was surprised to realize that it was a comfortable silence, nothing like what she had experienced with him before.


    "How about enjoying the rest of the wine with food?" Davian offered once they both finished their first glass of wine.


    Grace nodded her head in approval and followed him to the dining table. Davian pulled out the chair for her as she took her seat, once again surpising her by his gesture. He had done this several times during their fake dates in public. But this time, it felt entirely different, more genuine.


    Does he really like me? She found herself wondering as her gaze followed him while he revealed the dishes he had prepared by removing the lids before he too settled down on the chair opposite hers.


    She was stunned at the variety of dishes sitting in front of her, and what surprised her even more was the fact that each dish he had prepared was her favorite - Grilled lemon herb chicken, salad, garlic parmesan roasted potatoes, herbed rice, and finally chocolate mousse. There was also a bottle of white wine sitting in an ice basket.


    She lifted her gaze from the food and shifted them to Davian¡¯s face. "This looks... delicious." She said and watched as a small smile made its way to his lips.


    "Thank you. I hope you will enjoy the dinner. Let¡¯s start." He said and the two of them immediately shifted their attention back to the food.


    There was complete silence except for the occasional sound of cutlery as the two started eating the dinner. With each bite, Grace felt like she was drifting in clouds. The dishes tasted so good that she felt like she was having a meal at some 7-star restaurant.


    After finally tasting his cooking, she realized why there had been so much buzz about his cooking skills. All this time, she only half believed it, thinking that people were overhyped over nothing.


    There was some sort of variety show two years ago where Davian appeared as one of the special guests to promote some food campaign of his company. He was supposed to give directions while his partner needed to cook. However due to a last-minute injury, his partner was unable to cook properly. This led to Davian doing all the cooking himself.


    That was the day when the judges, all the contestants, and the media present there got to taste his food. Though that was the only time the world got to taste his cooking, it was more than enough for him to earn his title of a handsome young man with unseen cooking skills.


    "What are you thinking about?" Davian asked when he noticed how lost she looked. "Is the food not to your liking?"


    Grace was pulled out of her thoughts by his questions, and she quickly shook her head as she answered, "It¡¯s not that. The food... it¡¯s absolutely delicious." She confessed and watched how he visibly relaxed.


    "If you want, I can cook for you everyday from now on." He suddenly offered, leaving her stunned for a moment.


    "You want to cook for me everyday?" She asked while looking straight into his eyes.


    "I will if that¡¯s what you want." He replied without any hesitation.


    There was silence following his response and Grace took a few moments before she asked another question, "Don¡¯t you have any other matters to handle? Being my personal cook can take up your entire day." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A smile curved the corners of his lips as he answered, "I don¡¯t have any work to do. Since you are my Boss, I will follow whatever task you have for me."


    Grace dropped her fork and sat back in her chair while staring at the man who was once again behaving nothing like his usual self. "I¡¯m your boss? I thought we were partners."


    "Partner or boss, doesn¡¯t really matter. The truth is, I will only do what you want me to do from now on." Davian replied.


    This time, she didn¡¯t hold back as she asked, "So are you saying that you are mine from now on?"


    The moment she asked the question, she noticed something flickering through his eyes. But he was quick to hide it and replied, "Absolutely. I¡¯m all yours."


    Grace tried to not focus on how there appeared some sort of fluttering deep in her chest and just nodded her head as she took in his reply. Then, she asked another question, "What about your underlings then? Are they too my men from now on?"


    Once again she noticed something flickering through his eyes, and he made no effort to hide it this time. However, unlike before, it didn¡¯t seem like he was happy with what she asked.


    Misunderstanding his reaction, she thought that he was finally showing his true colors. She knew that he would never allow anyone to lay their eyes on his secret team that he had created with perfection. But she was soon proved wrong.


    "They can only be your underlings, not your men." Davian stated, taking her by complete surprise.


    She stared at him for a while, processing his words and the realization finally hit her. Is he being jealous? She wondered and found a smile threatening to spill on her lips. It took her some efforts to keep that smile from appearing on her lips.


    She kept her voice and gaze serious as she asked, "Are you saying that you are handing over your secret service team to me?


    This time, it was Davian¡¯s turn to be surprised. "How do you know about them?"


    "Why? Do you think only you are capable enough to find out about my secrets?" She asked while looking him straight into the eyes.


    Instead of getting angry like she was expecting him, he just let out a chuckle and shook his head. "It¡¯s good that you already know. One less secret between us."


    Grace didn¡¯t speak for a while and when she did, she meant every word that came out of her mouth. "If you want to become my partner, then..."

 Chapter 49: Dinner Date (III)

    Davian tried not to show just how anxious he felt while she spoke her next words. It took quite an effort on his part to keep a straight face and not show just how eager he was to know the only way to become someone of importance to the woman he had started to cherish more than his own life.


    "If you want to become my partner, then you need to be of some importance to me, Mr. Parker. I don¡¯t need a cook to take care of my meals or a man to pamper me, I need someone who will help me build the future I want for myself." Grace stated calmly.


    After two seconds of pause, she added, "Of course, the cooking and pampering are welcomed as well."


    She spoke the sentence with such calmness and a straight face that even she felt deceived by her own acting. She sure was getting better at this - or at least that¡¯s what she believed.


    "I can be anything you want me to be. A cook, a pampering boyfriend... or husband, or a man who can stand next to you and shoulder every obstacle that will come at us in the future." He finally held that strong aura of Davian King Parker as he spoke these words.


    Grace watched him silently for a while before she nodded her head in approval. "That sounds perfect. Let¡¯s be good partners, Mr. Parker." She held out her hand and he reached out to shake it. However, he didn¡¯t let go immediately.


    "Mr. Parker." She called him while shifting her gaze to their still joined hands. When she got no response from him, she returned her gaze to his face only to find him looking right back at her.


    "I like it more when you call me Davian." He stated before he finally let go of her hand and leaned back in his chair. "How about we talk about some serious stuff now?"


    "Sure." Grace was more than happy to talk about the serious matters with him. Since they were now partners, there was a lot they needed to talk about, discuss, and plan.


    "How long are you planning to stay here?" He asked while picking up the wine bottle to pour more wine for the two of them.


    Grace accepted the wine glass as she answered, "Eighteen months."


    Her answer clearly surprised him because she noticed how he stilled right before taking a sip of his wine. But it didn¡¯t last for long as barely a second later, he continued as if everything was alright. He took a sip of the wine before asking, "Why such a fixed period of time?"


    "To be honest there¡¯s no actual reason. I just thought a year and half will be enough for me to prepare my next safe base." Grace answered as she sat her wine glass down on the table.


    "Are you talking about the Starfall Isle?" Davian asked as he caught up with what she could probabaly be talking about.


    Nodding her head slowly, she answered, "That¡¯s right."


    A serious look took over Davian¡¯s face as he watched her for a moment before finally asking, "Grace, is there something you are hiding from me?"


    "What do you mean?" She asked, trying her best to stay calm and not show just how taken aback she was with his sudden question.


    Davian took another sip of his wine before he spoke, "You have been behaving weirdly these days - suddenly killing Daniel, closing your base, collecting endless supplies, and buying an island. Also what¡¯s going on with all the extra installations within your and your team¡¯s apartments? Can you really make me believe that all these things are normal."


    He didn¡¯t brought up the matter of how she actually made hundred thousands of supplies disappear into thin air, leaving it for another time.


    Grace¡¯s fingers tightened around the stem of the wine glass as she contemplated on how to handle his questions.


    Her inner turmoil didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Davian and he reached out to cover her hand that was holding the glass. The contact made her look up at him as he spoke, "You can trust me, Grace. At least, you should try to."


    She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She took her time to gather her thoughts, and thankfully, he was patient enough to not urge her to answer his questions. When she opened her eyes, she had already made up her mind on what to tell him.


    "What if I told you that I somehow know that a huge disaster is coming our way? That these earthquakes and rain... they are just the mere beginning and things would only worsen from now. Will you believe me?


    "I do." He answered without any hesitation. But what really surprised Grace was his way of answering as he said - ¡¯I do¡¯ and not ¡¯I will¡¯.


    "I do believe you." He repeated before asking, "What I want to know is how you find out about this?"


    This time, Grace didn¡¯t really have an answer as she couldn¡¯t tell him the lie she had been telling others all this time. Because with how much power, wealth, and connections he had, it was impossible for Davian to not know if a secret about upcoming disaster was being discussed within the higher level of government.


    "Since you already trust me, do you really have to know where I find out about this information?" She asked a few moments of silence later. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a futile attempt at making him give up on the matter, but just as she was expecting, he didn¡¯t. "It¡¯s important, Grace. What I seek is a strong bond between us that is built on trust and loyalty, not on secrets and lies. That¡¯s why I want you to share at least some of your secrets with me if not all."


    "You won¡¯t belive me if I will tell you this secret." She whispered in a voice that was barely audible.


    There was silence following her words, and she wondered if he had finally decided to give up. But then she heard the last thing she was expecting to hear from him.

 Chapter 50: Demons of the Past

    "Base Eleven, Underground Zone Red, 12:30:2029."


    Grace stilled as she heard the words. The world around her disappeared within seconds as she felt herself being pulled into a place she never wanted to revisit.


    It was as if time shifted and dragged her back to the memories she had buried deep beneath layers of resolve. The shouts, the betrayals, the metallic tang of blood - everything came rushing back, wrapping around her like chains.


    Cold sweat pricked at the nape of her neck, yet her gaze was anything but weak. Her eyes sharpened, almost turning lethal as they fixed themselves on the man who just brought back all that darkness.


    Before he could have processed the storm behind her eyes, she sprang from her chair. Her movements were as swift and unpredictable as lightning. Her fist shot forward, aiming directly at his face.


    Though caught off guard, Davian¡¯s instincts kicked in just in time to deflect the blow. The chair clattered to the ground behind him as he stumbled back. His eyes went wide with surprise but soon shifted into a look of understanding.


    But Grace saw none of that. Since her first attack failed, she went for a second one, then a third one, and more. Each attack that followed was precise, fueled by fury and the ghosts of the past.


    The room erupted with the sound of their struggle - grunts, sharp breaths, and the thud of fists striking defense.


    "Grace, calm down!" Davian¡¯s voice sounded strained as he blocked another hit that was aimed at his ribs. He shifted back while trying to create some distance, but it was mostly futile.


    Her knee came up, aiming for his gut, and he barely caught it before it landed, pulling her off balance for merely a second before she was back with full force.


    He knows? But how can he know? Every blow Grace landed or attempted came with unspoken questions that thundered in her mind. The thought stoked the fire inside her until it blazed hotter.


    She launched another attack and her fist found its way toward his chest. Unfortunately, he sidestepped before grabbing her wrist and pulling her until her back was pressed against his chest.


    "Calm down, woman. You need to listen to me." He tried to make her listen only for her to elbow him in his stomach and force him to loosen his hold on her enough for her to turn around and aim another powerful fist right at his face.


    It was only at this moment that Davain finally realized he couldn¡¯t make her listen unless she would stop fighting. So instead of only defending, he started moving around her attacks with a purpose. At the first chance he got, he caught her wrists mid-strike and used her momentum to push her back.


    Grace felt her shoulders hit the cold wall and the shock stilled her for a heartbeat. Yet her eyes never wavered. They burned holes into him as she strained against his hold.


    "Listen to me!" Davian said through gritted teeth. His breathing was fast and his voice felt caught between desperation and authority. He pinned her arms above her head while his body pressed into hers to keep her in place.


    The room suddenly started feeling smaller while the air became denser as they stood locked in their chaotic dance of rage and restraint.


    If it had been some other situation, their current position could have been considered extremely sexual. Unfortunately, the situation was anything but sexual at this moment.


    Grace didn¡¯t stop trying to wrench herself free. The surge of panic clawed at her chest, mingling with the burning questions that refused to leave her be. "Let me go, Davian!" she ordered, yet her voice shook with something raw, almost broken.


    The moment he heard that never-before-seen vulnerability in her voice, Davian almost hesitated. A flicker of an apology sparked in his eyes for a moment before he steeled himself all over again. "I can¡¯t, not until you listen."


    For a moment, silence stretched between them, broken only by the sound of their ragged breathing. .


    She stared right into his eyes, as if she was looking not just at him but at his very soul. "How?" Her voice was like a razor, slicing through the tension. The question trembled as if wrapped in something both fragile and fierce. "How do you know about that place?"


    Davian¡¯s expression finally softened, but there was a shadow of regret. And then, for the first time, she saw it - the doubt... and a fear that mirrored her own. That look in his eyes, it left her completely surprised, and finally forced some of that murderous aura out of her.


    "Because I was there that day." He finally answered with sincerity, gazing at her with just as much softness as the wrath she held in her eyes.


    "You were there?" She asked, looking confused and... almost lost. She felt almost unable to make sense of the possibility behind his words.


    "I was. I just arrived there too late." It broke Davian¡¯s heart as he confessed his biggest failure out loud. "By the time I arrived... you were already..." The rest of the words refused to leave his mouth.


    "You were there." She repeated, but this time it wasn¡¯t a question. She forced her brain to put things together and when it finally did, she was left stunned. With her shocked gaze fixed on his face, she asked, "Are you... is this your... second life too?"


    "Too?" Davian¡¯s asked as he didn¡¯t miss that particular part of her question. His eyes lit up immediately and his entire being felt filled with hope as he asked, "Is this your second life as well?"


    He waited for her to answer his question. But what he didn¡¯t anticipate was for her to suddenly snatch one of her hands out of his loosened hold and use that very hand to hit him fiercely on his shoulder.


    "Damn it, woman! What¡¯s that for?"


    "For coming late." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 51: The Long Hug

    "For coming late."


    Grace stared at him as she just finished landing the hit. It felt good to hold someone reliable even though he had nothing to do with what happened to her, nor he had any respobsility towards her. Yet, she felt warmth surrounding her cold heart when she got to know that he came to her that day... even if he was late.


    "Grace, I-"


    "Did you bury me at least?" She asked. Considering it was during apocalypse, getting buried after death was considered a luxury. But the thought of her body being handled in any other way was terrifying. Even though she asked such a sensitive question, her voice and expression were devoid of any feelings.


    Davian was silent for a moment and just stared at her before he shook his head in a negative response. "I didn¡¯t." Before she could have started feeling sad over his answer, he added, "But I blew up that entire base with the two of us inside. I killed every single one of your murderers."


    There was a killing edge in his voice and an undeniable anger in his eyes as he talked about killing her murderers. Grace was barely able to say anything and just stood there staring at him in shock.


    He blew up the entire place? Himself too? She could hardly process that truth. Is it possible that he was in love with me back then too? As this thought appeared in her mind, things finally started making sense to her. No wonder his entire personality changed when they met each other again in this lifetime.


    "So we both are back." She concluded and he nodded his head in agreement. While she was still trying to wrap her mind around everything that had happened, he surprised her by suddenly pulling her away from the wall and straight into his arms.


    Grace was too stunned that she just stood there with her hands awkwardly stretched out slightly on her sides. As for Davian, he just hugged her so tightly as if he was afraid that she might slip away from his hold at any given moment.


    "What are you doing?" She finally found her voice to ask that question, only to feel him tighten his arms around her and pull her closer into the hug if that was even possible in the first place.


    "Let me hold you for a while. Just for a minute... No! Five minutes." He whispered against her shoulder as he buried his face into her hair.


    Grace was silent for a second or two before she offered, "How about two minutes?"


    "Three minutes." He bargained.


    "Don¡¯t be too greedy, Davian." She said and he immediately gave in. "Alright, two minutes then."


    They stood like that for a while, before she finally realized just how weird her hands were looking in their current position. At first, she decided to just lower them on her sides, but then changed her mind at the last moment.


    Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her hands on his back before she started softly patting him. She wasn¡¯t even sure if she was doing it right, and it felt even more awkward then her hands just stretched out on her sides. But then she felt him relaxing and it made her realize that she was probably doing the right thing. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She wasn¡¯t sure for how long they stood like that in that silent space, him hugging her tightly while she patted his back to provide him with some comfort. It might have been just a minute, or more than five minutes, she had no idea because neither of them was counting the seconds as they passed by.


    She allowed him to hold her for a little longer because she noticed just how much he had relaxed and also because it felt nice to be hugged. She couldn¡¯t remember when was the last time she hugged someone, maybe when she was fourteen.


    Even when she and Davian were acting like a fake couple, they never really hugged, at least not like he was hugging her at the moment. It was always a barely side hug back then, nothing like the warmth she felt from the current hug.


    "I think the time limit of two minutes has come to an end." She finally spoke once she found out from 2025 that it had been nearly seven minutes since he pulled her into the hug.


    Slowly, he pulled away from the hug but didn¡¯t remove his hands from her waist immediately. He stood there with his gaze fixed on hers as he spoke, "I¡¯m so happy that you are back. Everything is going to be better this time. We will make it better together."


    A smile bloomed on her lips and Grace nodded her head. "Mmm. Let¡¯s make sure that we will not repeat our past mistakes. That¡¯s why you should hurry up and get your and your men¡¯s apartments prepared for the unexpected situations that might arise in future."


    "There¡¯s no need for that." Davian surprised her with his reply. Before she could have asked the reason, he was already explaining, "I haven¡¯t rented just the top floor, but also the other two apartments on the 20th floor. Now, we have all top three floors to ourselves. Instead of securing all the apartments, it¡¯s better to secure the 20th floor. Besides, if worse came to worst, I can always find a shelter in your apartment."


    "No, you can¡¯t." Grace wasted no time in shattering his outrageous expectation. "We aren¡¯t that close to share a house."


    She watched as his gaze suddenly took over a sharp and intense look, something that she had always associated with the Davian King Parker she had known for her entire life. All of a sudden, he pulled her closer by the hand that was still resting on her waist, staring down into her eyes as he spoke, "Sooner or later, I¡¯m going to make you mine, Grace Blackwood."


    In response, Grace grabbed his collar and pulled his face closer as she whispered with a devilish smile, "Don¡¯t mistake the balance between us, Mr. Parker. If it ever came to that, it will be me making you mine."


    Without any hesitation, he replied, "I don¡¯t mind at all."

 Chapter 52: Farming

    Grace woke up to the sound of thunder loudly raging in the middle of the night. She reached out to switch on the bedside lamp only to realize that it wasn¡¯t working.


    The clutches of sleep on her started loosening as she moved to a sitting position right when another loud thunderstorm disrupted the silence of the night. The bright lightning filled her bedroom with moments of brightness before it once again got submerged into darkness.


    Climbing out of the bed, she made her way toward the switchboard to turn on the lights, but found that nothing was working. She immediately realized that there was no electricity in her unit. Looking at the raging thunderstorm through the window, there was no wonder power had been cut down.


    She took out a candle from her space and lit it up before setting it down on the bedside table. She stepped toward the glass window, that was now installed with metal bars, and peeked outside through the gap between the bars, taking in the hazy view of the outside as rain relentlessly poured.


    Because of the strong rain, wind, and the darkness of the night, it was impossible to get a proper look at the outside situation. But one thing was easy to depict - the rain had only worsened within the past couple of hours.


    She returned to the bed and climbed under the sheets before she grabbed her phone and immediately noticed several notifications in the group chat. Her team members just informed that other two units had also lost power.


    Aleena even shared with her some screenshots of the group chat of all the units of their building. The first screenshot was from a conversation that took place earlier that morning. Everyone was mostly showing their unhappiness toward the continuous rain as it was causing them issues.


    There were some who were angry because they couldn¡¯t head out to work, some were angry because their flights got canceled or because their plans for the days were ruined. In short, almost every other person was complaining about the unexpected rain and how it didn¡¯t seem to be stopping.


    The second screenshot belonged to a conversation that happened earlier that evening. The residents were discussing about the continuous alert notifications they were receiving about the rain and the news of the casualties that had been registered in other cities. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The third and last screenshot was of a recent conversation. Aleena sent it while people were still talking in the chat. Not too many people were up, but those who were, they all were talking about how the power was suddenly gone. No one seemed too worried though because it was the middle of the night and they believed that power would return by morning.


    Grace closed the screenshots and opened the web to look at recent news. There were news of flash floods, landslides, mudslides, and even sinkholes that seemed to be appearing in several cities that were already heavily affected by the rain. On the other hand, she noticed no recent news about earthquakes.


    She closed her phone and blew out the candle before burying herself under the sheets as if nothing happened. Within merely a few minutes, she was already fast asleep.


    * * *


    The sun was high in the sky of Infinite Realm as Grace worked on the system¡¯s screen while standing in the middle of empty fields.


    She woke up at seven in the morning and after getting ready, she had breakfast with her team. She then sent all of them away and busied herself with work inside the space. She even left a message for Davian, telling him not to disturb her before noon.


    Currently, she was working on setting up the fields of crops and vegetables. It would have been a hard job for her to do alone if not for the fact that everything was as easy as breathing inside the Infinite Realm. If something was not possible because of the space¡¯s magical abilities, then it was possible because of system¡¯s help.


    First of all, she added all the seeds she had purchased in the system¡¯s inventory before selecting number of squares for the crops and vegetables she was planning to grow. One square was the size of one square meter. Hence, she chose 50 squares to grow Rice.


    She first selected the number of squares and clicked on the save option. As soon as she was done clicking, she watched as the area on the far left corner of the fields started turning into those 50 squares that she just selected.


    She then selected the option for plowing and then adding manure before she chose the crop that she wanted to grow. It took merely a minute before the seeds were successfully grown. To complete the process, she selected the irrigation option and watched with awe as all 50 squares got watered within seconds out of nowhere.


    [Time until harvest: 7 days]


    Grace wasn¡¯t sure whether she should laugh or cry after witnessing the system¡¯s farming abilities. She almost felt like she was playing some sort of online farming game.


    Instead of spending too much time on wondering about which online farming game Dr. Kian was into while creating this particular feature of the system, she focused her attention back to work.


    After rice, she planted wheat, corn, barley, oats, and millet. Then she moved on to vegetables and planted - potatoes, tomatoes, cabbages, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and beans.


    Once she was done, she took a look at their harvest time in the system. Almost everything was ready to be harvested within next 7 days, except for sweet potatoes that showed a time frame of 8 days.


    Finishing her work in the fields, she headed to the farmhouse to check on the livestock and spent the next several minutes taking care of them through the system¡¯s help.


    Once she was mostly done with her work inside the space, she stepped out into the real world and headed to kitchen to cook lunch as it was nearing noon.


    She would have barely spent five minutes there when she heard the doorbell ringing.

 Chapter 53: The Dangerous Neighbor (I)

    Putting down the knife that she was using to slice potatoes, Grace headed toward the door and opened it, only to find a very unexpected person standing outside her apartment. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment their gazes met, a soft smile made its way to the handsome guy¡¯s face. He still looked just as devilishly handsome as the first time she saw him - young, charming, and... dangerous.


    Right! Despite his innocent and young face, Grace couldn¡¯t help but feel that he was nothing like what he was portraying. She believed that his charm was hiding some deep secrets.


    Most importantly, she couldn¡¯t help but keep thinking that him being her neighbor was more than just a mere coincidence. Yet, she was unable to find anything about him that wasn¡¯t normal so far, not like she really made any effort to find anything about him.


    "What do you want?" She asked in a straight tone, not even showing any sense of familiarity despite the fact that they had met previously. After all, they were still pretty much strangers who didn¡¯t even know each other¡¯s name.


    If she was expecting to either scare him away or give him some sort of clear hint of her disinterest, then she failed miserably as his smile only became bigger at her question.


    "Ms. Blackwood, if you don¡¯t mind, can you let me use your shower. Mine got broken this morning and I need to shower after my workout session." He put forward a very unexpected request.


    Correction - he seems to know exactly who I am. Grace quickly corrected her misunderstanding about the matter of both of them being unaware of each other¡¯s identities.


    She didn¡¯t say anything for a moment and then just spoke in that same tone, "You can ask in the other unit. My friends are staying there." She was ready to step back and close the door, but he was quick in his response.


    "It¡¯s such an awkward request. The only reason I came to you is because we have met before. Please understand my situation, Ms. Blackwood. I will be quick."


    That was merely five minutes of meeting! She wanted to remind him, but kept the thoughts to herself. She was planning to just reject his request if he wasn¡¯t ready to accept her given alternative, but before she could have done that, she heard 2025 speaking through their shared mindlink.


    [Just let him in already.]


    [What?] Grace asked with shock clearly evident in her voice. Yet, this shock was very short-lived as she soon found out what 2025 was planning.


    [How can you not say yes to this Cutie¡¯s request? You sure have a heart made of stone. If you don¡¯t want him, I will accept him happily. Just let him in so that I can enjoy some time appreciating his good looks.]


    [Shut up!] Grace threw at 2025. She was so done with the little creature¡¯s audacious behavior toward the men around her.


    Focusing her attention to the young man who was still waiting for her response, she spoke, "I¡¯m sorry, kid. I don¡¯t like strangers in my personal space. If you want to shower urgently, you are welcome into my friends¡¯ apartment, or you can wait to get your shower fixed."


    She moved to close the door immediately, but at that very moment she heard 2025 speaking again through the mindlink.


    [Let him in and I will tell you a way to earn millions of points instantly.]


    Grace¡¯s hand stillled on the door. Even if she wanted to close it, she couldn¡¯t as the temptation of earning so many points kept her from doing so. 2025 didn¡¯t say hundreds or thousands of points, but millions.


    "Ms. Blackwood! Please."


    She was pulled out of her dilemma when she heard the young man speaking. Her gaze returned to him and she was momentarily taken aback by the look he was giving her. She felt a cold shiver running down her spine as she took the extreme cuteness his eyes were displaying.


    Dangerous. Definitely dangerous. She recited inside her head as she quickly turned her attention away from that devilish face.


    "Fine. You can use the bathroom in the second bedroom. But make it quick and clean up the place after using it." She said while stepping aside to give him enough room to enter.


    The man wasted no time as he quickly stepped inside her apartment before she closed the door. She pointed in the direction of second bedroom and returned to the kitchen to continue cooking.


    [What are you doing here? Follow him so that I can check him out while he showers.] 2025 made another unreasonable and audacious request. Its voice was almost dripping with honey as it talked about seeing that kid showering.


    [Stop dreaming and let me cook peacefully. You wanted me to let him shower here and I have done that already. Now, you better stay put and tell me the way to earn those millions of points as soon as he will leave after his shower.]


    Grace returned and heared the creature letting out a very unhappy huff in response. But she completely ignored 2025 and its antics, focusing her full attention on preparing the lunch.


    She started with her first dish. She prepared the cooked rice and then moved to prepare the fillings. Then she placed a sheet of seaweed on the bamboo rolling and started making the delicious Kimbap. She then prepared soft, delicious dumplings, garlic stir-fry noodles, cucumber salad, and finally hot and sour soup.


    Since she cooked a lot, she took out a few lunch boxes from the stock inside her space and carefully filled them with her prepared food before storing them back inside the space for future use.


    Currently, she had access to gas and time to do the cooking. In future, there would be situations where she wouldn¡¯t have either. These lunch boxes would be of big help at those times.


    She was serving the remaining food in plates for her lunch when she heard the door of the second bedroom opening.

 Chapter 54: The Dangerous Neighbor (II)

    Grace looked up from the food and at the man who just stepped out into her clear view, only to regret her decision almost instantly. Her lips parted and a barely audible gasp escaped past them while she stared at him.


    She couldn¡¯t help but think just how similar her current view was with the one she witnessed when she went to find Davian on her first day here.


    "What are you doing?" She asked the man as she pulled herself out from the momentarily trance and narrowed her gaze. But it wasn¡¯t easy at all for her to keep her gaze focused on his face when his body was on obvious display.


    Instead of feeling embarrassed, he just made his way toward her and asked, "Ms. Blackwood, in my hurry, I forgot to bring clothes to change into. I can¡¯t possibly walk out of your apartment in just a towel. So if you don¡¯t mind, can I use your washing machine to wash my dirty clothes?"


    "Are you planning to sit here while your clothes will wash and dry?" She demanded, hardly believing the situation she somehow ended up in.


    The man lightly shrugged his shoulders in response and Grace noticed the way his muscles moved. Since her gaze already left his face and dropped to his shoulders, it was impossible for them to not wander farther south and take in those well-built muscles, smooth skin, and the tattoos that were covering the left side of his chest.


    He also had a tattoo on the right side of his waist, but a little bit of it was hidden under the towel that was the only piece of fabric he had on his body at the moment. She also noticed some tattoos on his arms and the backs of his hands. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before she could have looked any closer to make out the actual designs of those tattoos, she heard him speaking which pulled her gaze back to his face, and there was no questioning whether or not he noticed her gaze wandering over his body.


    "Do you want me to leave while looking like this? What if someone saw me?"


    She would have loved to throw him out of her apartment at that very moment, but the thought of someone from her team seeing him like that kept her from making that decision. The last thing she wanted was to entertain her team members¡¯ stupid questions and speculations.


    Letting out a sigh, she led him to the laundry room and helped him to set his clothes for quick wash and then for drying. Seeing the machine showing a timer of 1 hour and 30 minutes, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh.


    Returning to the kitchen, she focused all her attention on the food, ignoring the man who had followed her there.


    "Ms. Blackwood, have you cooked all these dishes? It smells really amazing." He complimented while taking a seat on the counter opposite her while she neatly placed the kimbap on a plate.


    "Want to join me for lunch?" She asked as eating alone with him being present there didn¡¯t seem like too good of an option.


    He immediately nodded his head in a positive response. "I will love to. Thank you, Ms. Blackwood."


    "How do you know who I am?" Grace asked as she head to take out extra plates from the cabinet.


    "Are there actually people who don¡¯t know who you are?" He asked in return, forcing her to finally look up at him. It was such a mistake because seeing him up close, with his wet hair sticking to his forehead and his entire upper body on display, it was impossible for her to not get distracted all over again.


    [He¡¯s so Divine!] 2025 squealed dramatically, forcing Grace to look away from the man.


    "Shouldn¡¯t you introduce yourself to me then? You don¡¯t have nice etiquettes, kid." She spoke while taking out freshly steamed dumplings and placing them in another plate.


    "I¡¯m Rune and I¡¯m not a kid." The man immediately introduced himself, but not without a clear hint of disapproval toward her calling him a kid.


    "Really?" Grace asked, faking surprise. "How old are you then, Rune?" She picked up the plates and started heading toward the dining table to place them.


    "I¡¯m almost twenty-two." He quickly replied while he too carried other dishes and helped her in setting up the table. Once everything was set, the two of them settled down opposite each other to enjoy the delicious meal that was awaiting them.


    "Only twenty-two and you want to protest about being a kid. Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m four years older than you?" She asked as she picked up a pair of chopsticks and decided to taste the dumplings first.


    In response, she only heard him sighing. The two of them ate the lunch mostly in silence, and all that time, Grace made sure to keep her gaze fixed on the food.


    After finishing the lunch, they cleared up the table and he was nice enough to wash the dishes. Meanwhile, she helped him dry the dishes and put them back in the cabinets. All this time, she got more than enough peeks at his muscles and tattoos which intrigued her even more.


    Once they were done, she made herbal tea for the two of them and settled down in the living room, going through recent news on her tablet. Before she realized it, his clothes were dry and he quickly changed into them.


    "Thank you for the help, Ms. Blackwood. I also enjoyed the food and the tea." He said while holding out his hand for a shake.


    She reached out to shake his hand, and the moment her hand slipped into his, she felt a sudden warmth enveloping her and a weird but sweet sensation washed over her. At the same time, the jade bracelet on her wrist started glowing all of a sudden.


    [Master, look at his ring!]


    2025 suddenly shouted through the mindlink and it was only then did Grace notice the jade ring that Rune was wearing on his index finger. And it was a very familiar looking jade.

 Chapter 55: The Dangerous Neighbor (III)

    "What¡¯s going on?" Grace asked as the pull became stronger, almost creating a fog around her brain that made it hard for her to clearly understand what was suddenly happening to her.


    It was weird feeling... and powerful. She felt like whatever that force was, it was trying to invade her, study her, and see her strengths and weaknesses. But what felt even more weird was that she felt something from inside her responding to that force and its probing.


    "S-stop!" She said through gritted teeth, not liking the vulnerability that she was suddenly feeling against that force.


    Thankfully, before things could have worsened, Rune let go of her hand. The sudden loss of the heavy force made her stagger on her feet, leaving her slightly light headed as all those weird feelings suddenly disappeared as if they were never there in the first place.


    The next thing she knew, a strong arm was circling her waist and she was pulled against a hard body to stand upright. A sweet scent attacked her senses and her gaze locked onto the familiar pair of icy-blue orbs.


    "Are you alright?" He asked and she was surprised to see genuine concern in his eyes while he searched her face for an answer.


    As her head cleared and the strength returned to her legs, she quickly pulled away from his hold and stepped away to put some much needed distance between the two of them. Her gaze landed on his hand and she quickly grabbed it, pulling it closer to look at the jade ring.


    [Master, the system has confirmed - this jade ring is made of the similar jade as your bracelet. Not only that, but both this ring and this man possess some kind of otherworldly powers.]


    2025 quickly provided the information that the system offered about the mysterious jade ring and its equally mysterious bearer.


    "What just happened?" Grace asked as her wide eyes shifted from the ring to the man¡¯s face. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I¡¯m sorry Ms. Blackwood, I had no idea that you posess no powers. That¡¯s why the imbalance happened. I¡¯m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable." Rune apologized sincerely, still finding it hard to believe that the woman standing in front of him was a mere mortal and was still accepted as its master by the jade bracelet.


    "Imbalance? Powers?" Grace repeated as a frown formed on her face. She found herself at a complete loss about what the man was talking about. Her gaze once again shifted to the ring and then to her bracelet. "Your ring and my bracelet..."


    "Both are created from the same piece of jade and by the same person." Rune completed her unfinished sentence, surprising her further by the unexpected reveal.


    "What do you mean? How can..." Grace¡¯s gaze kept shifting between the two pieces of jade and the man. "Tell me exactly what¡¯s going on here." She demanded while fixing her eyes on his face. She noticed how a smile suddenly bloomed on his lips at her demand.


    He suddenly took a step closer to her, forcing her to crane her neck further to look up at his face. Once he was standing right in front of her, he spoke, "That¡¯s all you will get to know for now. But if you want to find out more, you are always welcome to come and find me in Unit 2102."


    And then, he suddenly lowered his face and inched closer, placing his mouth next to her ear before he spoke again. "I¡¯ll be waiting for you. After all, I need to prove that I¡¯m anything but a kid."


    A shiver ran down Grace¡¯s spine as his warm breath fanned her earlobe. She forced herself to stand in her place and not move away, watching as he finally pulled back and straightened.


    "See you later, Ms. Blackwood." He said with that signature smile of his before he turned around and walked out of her apartment while she just stood there in a trance.


    There was silence in the apartment after he left, and it wasn¡¯t until several long moments passed like that, did Grace decided to speak.


    "Should I just kill him?"


    There was no humor or hesitation in her eyes as she made the suggestion. There was no denying that she actually meant what she was saying.


    "I don¡¯t think he will go down easily. After all, he possess that jade ring and the system has detected some sort of powers in him. Attacking him doesn¡¯t sound like a great idea when we know so little of him." 2025 voiced its opinion as it materialized next to her.


    Grace turned her gaze toward the little creature and asked, "What kind of powers does he have? Like the ones Shadow Rain will bring?"


    2025 appeared thoughtful before it slowly shook its head and answered, "It¡¯s hard to confirm exactly what kind of power he carries. They could be similar to what the Shadow Rain brought to this world in your previous lifetime, or they could be something entirely different. It¡¯s hard to say anything for sure unless we see him using his powers."


    Grace closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. The more she was learning about this mysterious young man, the more she was finding him weird. At this point, she was sure that their first meeting during the minor accident was a scene he planned himself, and even then, he knew who she was despite her disguise as Ms. Brown.


    Then, he appeared again as her neighbor and was now trying to get close to her. His every move carried a purpose, and she wasn¡¯t sure if his purpose was good for her or not.


    "You can¡¯t possibly want me to walk right into his trap to find out more about him, do you?" She asked the creature.


    2025 once again replied in that serious, professional tone that it always used during these serious situations. "I want you to play it by ear. Let¡¯s see what this man wants from you."

 Chapter 56: Earning Millions

    "It¡¯s time for you to tell me the way to earn those million points. Hurry up." Grace reminded 2025 once she finished setting up the orchards.


    After Rune left, she had nothing to do and her head was buzzing with too many questions. Thus, she entered the Infinite Realm to busy herself with work.


    She began her work by harvesting the very first batch of crops and vegetables that she grew previously. She then added the crops in the system to turn them into seeds while stored the veggies to use them later for cooking dishes. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She then planted the second batch of crops and vegetables. For crops, she grew more rice, wheat, corn, and oats. As for vegetables, she grew - carrot, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, tomato, potato, cabbage, zucchini, bell pepper, eggplant, and some onion and garlic.


    Then she headed to the farmhouse to take care of the animals. She collected milk from cows, buffaloes, and goats before storing it inside the warehouse. She also collected dozens of eggs and stored them away in the warehouse as well. She then ended her work in the farmhouse by feeding the livestock.


    After that, she decided to set up a couple of fruit orchards. The first fruit orchard she set up was of apple, the second one of oranges, and then finally a third one for mangoes.


    [Apple - Time until harvest: 14 days]


    [Orange - Time until harvest: 14 days]


    [Mango - Time until harvest: 14 days]


    14 days inside Infinite Realm meant merely 14 hours in the outside world. Which meant that she would be able to harvest the first batch of these three fruits when she would enter the space next time.


    Currently, she was sitting in the living room of the villa, going through her lists of supplies as she reminded 2025 to fulfill what it promised her earlier that day.


    "Oh, I almost forgot about it." 2025 said with a low snicker, earning a deadly stare from Grace which made it shut up immediately. "Fine. Fine. You can earn points by adding powerful and useful people to your survival team. The more powerful and useful that person will be, the higher points you will get."


    "And who¡¯s this person you are talking about?" Grace asked even though she had somewhat of an idea about who this person could be.


    2025 narrowed its eyes as it gave her a knowing look and answered, "We both know that I¡¯m talking about Davian King Parker. That man is powerful, resourceful, rich, and will be useful to you in your survival journey."


    "And he¡¯s worth a million points?" Grace asked, excited by the idea of earning so many points just by partnering up with Davian.


    "I bet he¡¯s worth even more than that. Let me check first." 2025 appeared excited as it pulled up the digital screen and started clicking on it with the tips of its wings as if they were its fingers.


    Moments passed and then it let out a loud gasp that made Grace look at it with anxiety. "What happened? Isn¡¯t he worth that much?" She asked, wondering if 2025 put way too much faith in the man and his worth.


    Very slowly, 2025 shook its head, confusing Grace about whether it was saying yes or no. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t waste any further time by staying silent and quickly answered. "He¡¯s worth... five million points."


    Five Million!


    Grace was hardly able to believe her ears. She quickly pulled the screen in front of her, almost snatching it considering how fast she did it. Her gaze searched the screen and she barely had to put any effort because the amount was highlighted in big, bold letters.


    The screen was indeed showing Davian¡¯s worth as five million points.


    She didn¡¯t waste even a second as she quickly added him as her survival team member, eager to get those five million points that would help her in opening more space within the Infinte Realm and also in buying more products and services from the system.


    [Congratulaions! You have earned five million points]


    [Total Points: 7,436,555]


    "Oh my! Why is he worth so many points?" Grace asked as she stared at the screen, still in shock as she never expected to earn so many points this easily.


    As if 2025 had been waiting for this very moment, it took the chance to point out all the things about Davian that made him worth this many points. "Just like I said before, he¡¯s rich, powerful, and resourceful. But other than that, he too is a reborner who had spent five years in the apocalypse. This alone makes him worth a lot more than any other person out there."


    Grace couldn¡¯t help but agree with what she heard. After thinking about it, there was no denying that Davian was indeed worthy considering all his specialities.


    "Is there any other person out there who can be worth anywhere near such good points?" She found herself asking a few moments later.


    Surprisingly, 2025 nodded its head in a positive response, making her curious to know who this other person was. Before she could have asked 2025 about the identity, the creature was already speaking.


    "There¡¯s Dr. Kian. According to the data shown here, he¡¯s worth about 4.5 million points. And then there¡¯s also Rune. This one is worth about..." 2025 paused as if it could hardly believe what it was saying. It hesitated and then eventually continued, "... 5.5 million points."


    "W-why?" Was all Grace could ask as she too was struggling to believe the worth of these two people.


    "Dr. Kian is a prodigy, as well as a doctor. Not only that but he has the affinity to gain healing powers from the Shadow Rain, one of the most useful superpower one could gain. This makes him worth 4.5 Million Points." 2025 explained.


    Grace nodded her head in understanding before speaking, "He can be a nice addition ro the team, but I¡¯m not sure if he will want that." The time limit she gave him was almost coming to an end, and she hadn¡¯t heard from him yet.


    She pushed away the thoughts about him and asked 2025, "What about Rune? Why is he worth the highest?"

 Chapter 57: Training Gone Wrong

    2025 didn¡¯t answer immediately and a serious expression dawned over its small, cute face. It wasn¡¯t until several long moments of silence had passed, did it finally gave a shake of its head and let out a sigh.


    "No matter how hard I try to look, the system isn¡¯t showing much. What I can conclude is that he¡¯s worth so many points because of the jade ring and his mysterious powers. If he indeed have some sort of superpowers, then he¡¯s indeed worth a lot."


    Grace narrowed her eyes as she heard the explanation. The more they paid attention to that kid, the more important and mysterious he seemed to get. "Whatever the case, him being a part of my team isn¡¯t on my list at the moment. Just like you said, let¡¯s play it by ear for now."


    2025 nodded its head in approval. "Do as you seem fit. For now, the system is only showing these two names. But if we ever encountered someone who will be worthy enough, I¡¯ll immediately let you know." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright." Grace gave a nod of her head in approval, and with that, the two of them returned to once again focus on their respective works. This basically meant that she returned her attention on the list of supplies she was writing down while 2025 disappeared to some unknown corner of the space.


    After working on the list for a while, Grace finally stepped out of the space and into the living room of her apartment. She barely made it to the kitchen to grab a glass of water when she received a message from Kevin.


    [Boss, hurry up. Everyone¡¯s waiting here for you.]


    She checked the time and realized that she was over ten minutes late for the training session. She quickly got changed and headed to Unit 2001 where her team was waiting for her.


    It was only when she arrived there did she realize that they got some company. Davian and his men were also present there, waiting for her.


    "You are making this place crowded." She complained the moment she noticed nearly two dozen people present in the living room that was thoroughly prepared for the training session.


    "We have more than enough space." Davian returned as he took off his suit and handed it to one of his men. "You are a great fighter, and an equally great trainer. I¡¯m sure my men will get to learn a lot from you."


    She immediately glanced at the group of his men before turning her attention toward her own team. Despite their attempts, her team was failing badly at hiding their relief after once agsin having Davian present during training session.


    A smirk formed on her lips that immediately made all seven of her team members stiffen.


    "Why I feel like she¡¯s about to announce something really bad?" Ryan asked Kevin in a whispered voice, feeling goosebumps erupting all over his body as he took in the devilish look on his boss¡¯ face.


    "I agree with you. I can feel that Boss is brewing a very bad plan in her mind right now." Valeska added immediately.


    Before the other five could have commented on the matter, Grace was already voicing out the plan she just formed after seeing them being way too relieved and happy.


    "Since we all are here to learn, how about this - you train with my team, and I will train with your men. What do you think?" She asked while returning her attention to Davian.


    She watched as his gaze drifted past her and landed on her team before a knowing smile made its way to his lips. He knew exactly what was going on. As he looked back at her, he gave a nod of his head in agreement.


    Without wasting any time, they made plans and Davian decided to go first with Jasper as his chosen opponent.


    Everyone watched in amusement as Jasper got beaten up from the very first moment. He was thrown down on the mat for a total of four times before he quickly conceded and returned to join others while groaning about his aching body.


    Next, it was Grace¡¯s turn with one of the men from Davian¡¯s team. Her opponent was over six feet tall and carried a muscular body. Yet, he was a piece of cake for her to deal with. She mostly used her legs and landed several kicks back to back, forcing him down on the mat on his back within a minute.


    Everyone cheered as she won the first round without putting much of an effort and returned to stand on the side while Davian and Aleena took over the mat for their round.


    Aleena was quick and strong, but she was still no match to Davian who was just as skilled in fighting as Grace because of the years the two of them spent fighting monster beasts in the apocalypse. After that kind of experience, fighting against humans felt like a pastime.


    "Boss, why are you doing this to us?" Maven asked in a miserable voice once he realized that he was the next person to face Davian on mat.


    "Since you all wanted to train with him and his team, I¡¯m just giving you all a chance to do that. Why speak like I have done something bad?" She asked innocently, yet the icy stare she gave him and the others made them all visibly shiver.


    She let out a sigh and with a little shake of her head, she headed to the mat to deal with her next opponent.


    They were over an hour into the training when Aleena spoke while addressing everyone. "We need to stop. Unit 1901 is complaining in the group chat, saying that Unit 2001 is ruining their peaceful evening with weird, loud noises."


    There were several deep sighs of relief as soon as everyone realized that the training was finally ending.


    Before Grace could have spoken, everyone was already heading out to return to their respective apartments. Letting out a sigh, she too headed out, only to find Davian waiting for her in the elevator.

 Chapter 58: Cooking Together

    Grace was confused to see that despite everyone stepping out to head to the upper floors, there was no one in the elevator except for Davian. Some chose stairs to head upstairs, some were walking around in the hallway, while the others returned to Unit 2001 for some reason.


    "Are you not coming?" Davian asked when instead of stepping inside the elevator, she remained standing outside while trying to figure what was going on with the others.


    Realizing that he was waiting for her, she quickly stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for 21st floor.


    "Want to have dinner together?" Davian asked, pulling her attention toward him.


    At first, Grace thought about declining his offer, but when she recalled just how good of a cook he was, she changed her mind. Clearing her throat, she offered in return, "How about you do the cooking at my apartment?"


    This earned her a raised eyebrow from him, but he did nod his head in agreement. "What time do you want me to come?" He asked.


    Right at that moment, the elevator stopped on 21st floor and she walked out of it only for Davian to follow after her. She checked the time in her wristwatch before replying, "How about at five?"


    Once again, she seemed to have surprised him because he took a moment to look at her before asking, "Isn¡¯t that quite early?"


    It was currently half past four in the late afternoon, meaning she wanted him to arrive at her apartment within next thirty minutes. Considering they always ate their dinner after seven, it was understandable that he found her timing odd. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well... we will be doing a lot of cooking. So early is good." Grace answered.


    This time, Davian¡¯s eyes narrowed and he asked, "Are you going to invite others as well?" His tone made it quite obvious that he wasn¡¯t too big of a fan of this idea.


    She quickly shook her head and added, "It will be only the two of us."


    He visibly relaxed and then gave a nod of his head in approval. "Then I¡¯ll come after taking a shower." He said before once again stepping into the elevator and heading to his apartment.


    Grace too headed inside her own partment and went straight for a shower that she needed badly after the training session. Fifteen minutes later, she walked out of the shower and got dressed in comfortable pajamas, skipping the nightgown since she had invited Davian.


    Once she was dressed, she walked into the kitchen and took out the fresh veggies from her space and got other necessary items and ingredients ready. She just took out a tray of eggs when she heard her doorbell ringing.


    She headed toward the door and pulled it open, finding Davian standing outside just like she was expecting. Seeing him still dressed in a shirt and pants, she suddenly felt underdressed in her pajamas.


    "Can you wear something normal for a change?" She asked while closing the door behind him.


    Davian immediately looked down at his attire and asked, "Am I not dressed appropriately?" The genuine confusion in his voice only made her let out a sigh.


    "It¡¯s nothing. Forget it." She mumbled as she followed him into the living room. She noticed how his gaze shifted from her face to her side, but before she could have followed the line of his sight to see where he was looking, he asked, "Do you have a blow dryer?"


    "Mmm. You need one?" She asked, confused at the random question.


    "That¡¯s right. I might need to use it for a moment." He replied, surpising her further.


    Though it was a weird request, she still headed inside her bedroom and brought the blow dryer for him. "Here."


    She watched as he took the dryer from her and immediately plugged it in before pulling her to sit on one of the couches placed near the wall. "What are you doing, Davian?" She asked.


    "Let me dry your hair first. You shouldn¡¯t leave your hair wet in such a weather or you might catch a cold." He spoke as he switched on the dryer and started drying her hair.


    Grace felt awkward and at a loss as she sat there while he worked on her wet hair. It didn¡¯t take long before she started enjoying the feel of his slender fingers running through her hair.


    But then he did something that forced her eyes open and a soft gasp escaped past her lips - his fingers brushed over the tip of her ear, sending a powerful sensation down her spine.


    He probabaly didn¡¯t hear her over the sound of dryer because he continued like nothing happened. On the other hand, she was unable to relax after that. Thankfully, he was done not long after.


    "Thank you." She said as he switched off the dryer and put it aside on the coffee table.


    "Mention not. Let¡¯s start with our main task now since we have taken care of your hair." He said while turning his full attention toward her.


    She quickly nodded her head and stood up from the couch. On her way to the kitchen, she pulled her hair up in a bun, very much being aware of the pair of eyes that were fixed on her from behind.


    "That¡¯s a lot of materials." Davian commented the moment he noticed the entire counter being filled with veggies and other cooking items.


    "I told you that we will be cooking a lot." Grace reminded him, to which he nodded his head before asking, "Do you have any particular dishes in mind?"


    She wasted no time as she grabbed her phone, that was sitting on that counter, and opened the list that she previously came up with for the dishes.


    Butter Chicken


    Garlic Shrimp


    Fried Rice


    Stuffed Cabbage Rolls


    Tofu stir-fry


    Sweet and Sour Pork


    Caprese Salad


    Kimchi Stew


    Davian took his time to read through the list, and once he was done, he shifted his gaze to her. For a moment, he said nothing, but then finally spoke, "Let¡¯s start with Butter Chicken."

 Chapter 59: Customized Supplies

    "What are you doing?" Davian asked when he noticed Grace taking out several lunch boxes out of nowhere.


    "You know better than anyone else just what kind of situations we would be facing in the future. There will be times where we will not be able to cook food for a reason or another. So I¡¯m just making sure that we will have cooked food for those situations." Grace answered as she started packing up the cooked food in the lunch boxes.


    Davian knew exactly what she was talking about, yet, he still had another question for her. "Do you have a way to preserve these cooked food for such a long time?"


    Listening to his question, she realized that he wasn¡¯t trying to pry, but genuinely wanted to confirm if she could store the food or not. In response, she slowly nodded her head in a positive answer and handed him one of the lunch boxes to fill.


    He didn¡¯t waste any time and did what she wanted him to do. They packed about ten lunch boxes and then Grace stored them inside her space right in front of Davian who watched all ten boxes dissappear into thin air. Still, he asked her no further questions and just shifted his attention to serve the remaining food for their dinner.


    The two of them settled down at the dinning table to finally enjoy the dishes they had prepared after two long hours of hard work. "You are good at cooking too." Davian commented after he tasted the Sweet and Sour Pork that Grace made.


    "I know." - was how she replied and noticed as the corners of his lips curved in a small smile as if he found her response amusing.


    "Other than cooking and training, what other plans do you have in store for the time being?" He asked, turning their conversation toward a serious topic.


    Grace took a few moments to enjoy the Butter Chicken with rice before she answered, "Because of the rain, we can¡¯t go out. So we can only do things while staying inside, and there aren¡¯t many of them. Still, there are a few things that we need to handle before this rain comes to an end."


    She picked up her phone and opened her notes to show him the list of some important items she came up with recently. "We need to order ships, customized ones. As well as customized RVs. Since the customization will take a while, we can place the order now and will pick up the goods once we will be able to step outside."


    At this point, Davian knew that she possessed some sort of magical place where she could store all these items. Hence, he stopped asking about where she was going to keep all these things safe.


    "Let me handle this matter. I have connections in Country K and the situation there is so much better compared to our country. They will be able to get our order ready without any troubles." He proposed and she nodded her head in approval.


    "There are also several other supplies that we still need to buy, but the situation isn¡¯t right at the moment. We can¡¯t go out and deliveries can¡¯t arrive at our doorsteps. So let¡¯s wait for the rain to stop before we will try and buy those supplies." She told him and he nodded his head in agreement.


    "These masks, I can arrange them too." He said once he noticed the special masks in the list of supplies. The list had advanced respirator masks, military-grade gas masks, nanotech masks, bio-filters, and steampunk-inspired masks. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace looked straight at him as she replied, "Then go ahead and arrange them. You know that we will be needing them in future."


    Davian forwarded the list to himself before returning the phone to her. "It¡¯s a good thing that we collected major supplies before the rain arrived. From now on, it will only become harder to buy anything, especially daily necessities."


    Grace knew exactly what he was talking about. It was just a matter of time before both the government and the general public would realize that the rain was just the mere beginning of a huge catastrophe. Once that would happen, everyone would try to hoard supplies.


    "We should also get ready for the Shadow Rain." She finally opened the topic that she had been wanting to talk about with him for a while.


    Davian¡¯s gaze immediately found hers and he nodded his head in agreement. "Don¡¯t worry. I have already informed my men about what they need to do. Are you and your team ready?"


    In response, Grace just let out a small sigh and shook her head before replying, "I haven¡¯t told them anything about the Shadow Rain yet, but I will soon. I¡¯m just... slightly afraid since all seven of them are equally dear to me. I don¡¯t want anything to go wrong."


    It was hard for her to show her vulnerability in front of anyone, but she was realizing that for some unknown reason, she had been recently doing it in front of Davian without much trouble. It was as if she had already started trusting him to some level without even realizing it.


    She was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt a warm hand covering hers that was resting on the table. When she looked up, she found Davian looking straight into her eyes.


    "Stop worrying. All your team members are strong. I¡¯m sure they all will survive the Shadow Rain. You know that doing this is very important if we want to survive in the apocalypse. We can¡¯t skip the Shadow Rain, like you did in your previous life."


    She nodded her head in understanding. No one knew better than her just how important the Shadow Rain was.


    "There¡¯s also something that I have been wanting to tell you for a while. I think now is the perfect time for me to do it." Davian suddenly confessed and before she could have asked what he was talking about, she noticed him creating the portal.

 Chapter 60: The Black Rain

    "What in the-"


    Grace just stared at the small magical window that Davian just opened in thin air, right in front of her very eyes as if it was a random everyday occurrence. She could see a part of her kitchen through that magical window.


    Her gaze shifted from the portal to the man and then back to the portal. She struggled to pull herself together, and as she did, she quickly asked, "You still have your powers?"


    In response, Davian nodded his head. "For some reason, I still have access to my powers even after returning to the past. I can still open portals, can manipulate time and memories, can create illusions, and can still control element of water."


    All Grace could do was sit there and stare at the man as she took in the big reveal. She might have continued sitting there in a trance if not for the sudden notification that she heard in her head.


    [Congratulaions!]


    [Team member Davian King Parker¡¯s worth just increased]


    [Additional Points: 2 Million]


    [Total Points: 9,436,555]


    "Are you alright?" Davian asked when he noticed her looking slightly lost.


    "Huh?" Grace stared at him in trance for a moment before she quickly shook her head and smiled at him. "It¡¯s good to know that you still have access to your powers. Does it mean you don¡¯t have to get into the rain again?"


    For the first time ever, she found him looking lost about something as he slowly shook his head and replied, "That¡¯s something I can¡¯t figure out. Since I have my powers, getting into the rain doesn¡¯t make any sense. But at the same time, I can¡¯t help but wonder what will happen if I will go into the rain. Will my powers grow stronger?"


    He had a good point, but before the two of them could have discussed it any further, Grace got a response from 2025 through their shared mindlink. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Stop him from going into rain again or he might end up becoming one of those zombies.]


    "You can¡¯t go into the rain!" She blurted out so quickly that even she was left stunned for a moment. She cleared her throat and then tried to make him understand. "I mean... maybe you shouldn¡¯t take the risk. There¡¯s no confirming that nothing would go wrong if you will step into that rain with your current powers."


    She wasn¡¯t sure if her words were enough to convince him from giving up on the idea of stepping into the Shadow Rain again, but if she had to reveal about 2025 in order to stop him, then she was ready to do it.


    He was such a great partner, she couldn¡¯t possibly lose him like this, right?


    Surprisingly, he agreed immediately without any question. "Then I¡¯ll stay inside and try to help you all."


    "Just like that? You are going to give up just because I told you to?" She asked, surprised at the trust he was showing in her.


    Davian smiled at her as he replied, "As partners, I should trust you. I can feel that you know for sure that going into the rain will do no good for me. Even though you will not tell me how you know it, I will still trust you. Besides being partners, you are also the woman I like. Trusting you is what I should do."


    Everytime he so easily confessed his feelings for her, she felt completely speechless. She quickly stood up and collected the dirty dishes to take them to the sink. It was like she wanted to run away from him and his confessions.


    Unfortunately for her, he followed after her and joined her in washing the dishes. They worked in complete silence, but it didn¡¯t feel awkward at all. Instead, Grace found herself relaxing after a few moments.


    Her thoughts returned to the Shadow Rain. In her previous life, the Shadow Rain arrived after an entire month of continuous rain. For two days, there was no rain and everyone started believing that the catastrophe had finally ended. But they were soon proven wrong when a black rain suddenly started on the evening of the second day.


    This black rain, known as Shadow Rain, lasted for merely half an hour, but it was more than enough to turn the entire world upside-down. The droplets were thick and black. They dampened the visibility and light, creating an unnatural darkness.


    Those who were caught in this rain felt overwhelming despair and experienced vivid visions of their worst fears. Some went mad, some died instantly from the fear that gripped them, while others caught a never-before-seen disease that ended up turning them into flesh-eating zombies after a period of three long months.


    Yet, there was a small portion of people who got soaked into the Shadow Rain and survived it, eventually gaining access to different types of superpowers. Just like the disease took a while to show its true colors, the powers also took a while to come out.


    During her previous life, Grace was hiding inside a building when Shadow Rain happened. Thus, she neither caught the disease, nor went mad, but she also failed at her only chance of gaining any sort of superpowers.


    On the other hand, both Davian and Daniel were out in the rain, and they both gained powers. These superpowers was one of the biggest reasons behind Daniel¡¯s victory in the powershift. Once he earned his powers, it became easier for him to influence the people of the outer circle.


    She made the mistake of hiding in her previous life, but she was ready to face the rain this time. Waking up superpowers was not just important, but actually necessary if they wanted to survive in the apocalypse.


    These superpowers wouldn¡¯t only help them in dealing with those zombies, but also the monster beasts that would attack the earth during the third year in the apocalypse. No human could survive for long against those monsters and hiding wasn¡¯t a solution.


    She and Davian finished washing the dishes, and before he took his leave, she reminded him to meet her again the next evening so that they could cook more food to store.

 Chapter 61: Arrival of Disasters

    Grace was unable to stop herself from sneaking another glance at the wall clock which was showing very clearly that it was already ten minutes past midnight.


    She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes. A moment later, she finally stood up from the couch, where she had been curled up for past four hours, and headed inside the bedroom.


    It was way past the time limit she gave Dr. Kian two nights ago. Just like she said to him, his absence meant that he had made his choice and she needed to keep her words. It was time for her to stop meddling in his affairs and let him live his life the way he wanted.


    Entering the bedroom, she headed straight toward the bed and climbed under the sheets. Still, she decided to do one last thing before finally going to sleep. Her fingers moved over the screen of her phone swiftly, hesitating for just a moment before she clicked on the ¡¯block¡¯ option and closed her phone.


    Putting the phone on the bedside table, she switched off the lamp and went to sleep. Considering how much she worked throughout the day and that it was way past her recent bedtime, she was extremely tired and fell asleep immediately.


    On the other hand, outside the comfort of her apartment, chaos was growing both in the outside world and inside people¡¯s hearts. The water level was rising with each passing day while more and more issues were arising.


    Though Sunspire City was located on elevation, it had been over four days of continuous, extreme rain, and at this point, even this city was no longer safe from the issue of rising water level.


    The underground water tunnels were overflowing and the streets were starting to flood as the rainwater wasn¡¯t getting enough space to pass. All the underground parking lots, basements, and other such places were being affected the most as the water was rushing inside.


    The roads were no longer safe for driving and the authorities were constantly sending alerts for people to stay inside their houses and not step outside.


    Since there were no former notifications about such a severe rain, no precautionary steps were taken by the local residents, and now, people were facing several issues.


    Some people were stuck at places away from their homes. Some people no longer had any food left at their homes while deliveries had also stopped, forcing them to step out of their houses to go and buy rations despite the dangerous rain.


    Those people who lived in basements were most affected, and those who lived on the ground floors had started to panic in fear of what might happen if the rain continued for several more days.


    Another bad news for Sunspire City was the sinkhole that suddenly appeared in a public park earlier that day. At first, it was just a small sinkhole, but within just twelve hours, it had grown to the size of a small car. There were also speculations that it could grow even bigger since the rain wasn¡¯t going to stop anytime soon.


    Yet, compared to other places in Starship Country, Sunspire City was among those few places that was doing much better. Several cities had been flooded and giant sinkholes had appeared all over the places. Several lives had been lost, people had gone missing, and rescue was impossible because of the continuous rain.


    There were landslides and mudslides, resulting in casualties, and several earthquakes had pulled buildings to the ground in rumbles.


    While Starship Country was mostly struggling with rain and flooding, Country A was seeing a completely different story. According to the news reports, there had been several heat waves hitting Country A. The temperature had went as high as 55¡ãC for last two days straight. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were alerts throughout Country A that the heat waves would continue for next several days, and people were advised to stay inside. Not only that, but a forest also caught fire earlier that day, burning miles and miles of not only the woods but also the nearby fields of crops, resulting in severe damages.


    Then there was a volcano in Country X. Though it had been dormant for hundreds of years, there had been some activities noticed in it recently and there had been several speculations about whether these small activities could turn into something disastrous or if it was just a false alarm.


    Overall, such disasters were being seen not only in these three countries, but all around the world. Both the authorities and scientists around the world were left completely stunned at these unexpected arrival of natural disasters out of nowhere.


    Some people had started spreading rumors on internet about how they believed the end of the world was near. While most netizens called out such people for spreading fear among general public, there was still a small fraction of people who believed in these rumors after seeing everything that was happening around the world.


    The irony was, it hadn¡¯t been even a week since these disasters started appearing one after the other, and people were already scared.


    But despite all this mess, the residents of the top three floor of Building K12 were sleeping peacefully. Most of these residents were tension free because they trusted their Bosses, and their Bosses were carefree because unlike the rest of the world, they knew what they would be facing in the coming future.


    But among all these people, there was one resident on the 21st floor who was neither a part of these two teams, nor a reborner, and yet, he was probably the most carefree among all of them.


    The night continued to pass and the rain didn¡¯t slow down even for a second. Instead, it seemed to only become more powerful with each passing hour.


    It was around two in the morning when Grace was jerked out of her sleep by the sound of her phone ringing. She reached out for her phone and picked up the call.


    "Hello?"


    [Boss, you need to come down right now!]

 Chapter 62: Clashing Feelings (I)

    All the sleep immediately left Grace when she heard Aleena¡¯s panicked voice through the phone. Moving to a sitting position, she quickly asked, "What happened?"


    [Boss, there¡¯s a person here who tried to break on to our floor and is asking about you. He seems to be in a really bad state. If you want, we can take care of him immediately-]


    "No! Wait. I¡¯m coming downstairs." Grace quickly dismissed Aleena¡¯s idea of taking care of the person who tried to break past the security system they had installed on the 20th floor to keep the top three floors of the building safe.


    For some reason, she could think about only one person when she heard Aleena¡¯s words, and it made her slightly panic.


    She quickly climbed out of the bed and headed out of her apartment. What she didn¡¯t expect was to find Davian inside the elevator when the door opened for her.


    "Did you receive call from your men?" She asked as she stepped into the elevator.


    "Mmm. They said someone tried to break onto the 20th floor. Of course, that¡¯s not important enough for me to head there myself... but then they told me that this person is talking about coming here on your orders." There was an edge in his voice as he answered, but Grace had no time to pay attention to his unusual tone.


    His words only made her guess about the intruder¡¯s identity stronger. She knew that this person was none other than Dr. Kian.


    The elevator stopped on 20th floor and she quickly stepped outside, only to find nearly a dozen people standing in the hallway. Among them, three were her own team members.


    "Where¡¯s he?" She asked the moment her gaze landed on Aleena who immediately stepped aside to let her see him. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace stilled the moment her gaze landed on Dr. Kian and she took in his state. He was severely wounded, blood covering his white shirt. He was drenched from head to toe and looked extremely pale. Not only that, his eyes were closed, and from where she was standing, she couldn¡¯t see properly if he was even breathing or not.


    Dread descended over her as the worst thought possible entered her head, taking away her breath and leaving her in despair. She wasn¡¯t sure from where she found the strength to keep moving, but the next thing she knew, she was rushing forward and crouching on the floor next to him.


    "Dr. Kian..."


    She tried calling him but her voice came out as a mere whisper. She tried again, forcing her voice to be loud and stronger. "Dr. Kian, can you hear me? Are you still there?"


    When he didn¡¯t answer immediately, she inched closer and grabbed his shoulders which resulted in a painful groan from him. She immediately took a deep breath of relief once she confirmed that he was still alive... or barely alive.


    "Dr. Kian, open your eyes. Look at me. You are here, you are with me. I will take care of you, okay? Stay with me." She kept talking to him as her eyes scanned his body and she immediately noticed that he was carrying severe injuries on his body, especially the cut on his stomach.


    Her eyes immediately moved to the people standing around her and stopped on Davian who had been silently standing on the side, watching her worry about a man who appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the night.


    "Davian." She called, her voice filled with hope and urgency that immediately pulled him out of his trance. "You have a doctor in your team, right?" She asked, recalling the information he shared with her about his men who were present in the building with them.


    "Right." He confirmed her doubt, filling her with more relief.


    "Great. Please call her. We need to save him." It may not sound like it, but she was requesting him to save Dr. Kian¡¯s life. She was able to notice the shock that appeared in Davian¡¯s eyes, but he was quick to school it.


    He nodded toward his men who moved forward, putting Grace on alert that not only surprised everyone present in that hallway, but even her. "I..." she tried to find words to explain her action, but there was nothing for her to say.


    "They will take him inside. We can¡¯t treat him in the hallway." Davian explained and only then did she stood up and stepped back to allow his men to pick up Dr. Kian and take him inside one of the units.


    She was about to follow them inside when Davian grabbed her arm and stopped her. Those who were still present in the hallway immediately left to give them privacy so that they could talk.


    "Are you alright?" He asked as soon as they were alone and he had her attention.


    Surprised at his question, she slowly nodded her head. She suddenly felt the need to explain to him, especially after witnessing how taken aback he looked with everything that was happening and also by the way she was behaving. Truth be told, even she wasn¡¯t expecting herself to react like this.


    "He... he¡¯s someone I know, and... I¡¯m the one who called him here..." she wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted to explain, but she felt the need to say something.


    There was silence following her awkward words, but then she heard him asking - "Is he someone important to you?"


    She looked up and found him looking back at her while he waited for her answer. She kept her gaze locked with his as she answered truthfully, "Maybe just as important as you are. No more, no less."


    Once again, there was silence, but then she watched him nodding his head before he reached out to cup her cheek and spoke in a gentle voice, "Don¡¯t worry. Rebecca will do her best to save him. He will be alright."


    Even she didn¡¯t know how badly she wanted to hear these words. She nodded her head and the two of them finally headed inside the apartment where Dr. Kian was taken moments ago.

 Chapter 63: Clashing Feelings (II)

    "I have dressed his wounds. But since he has lost a lot of blood and is having a high fever, his condition is slightly serious. I¡¯ll be checking on him until he wakes up." Rebecca, the thirty-nine year old doctor in Davian¡¯s team, informed Grace and Davian.


    Davian gave a nod of his head in understanding before adding, "You have done a good job. Please take care of him."


    Rebecca nodded her head and then returned to the bedroom where Dr. Kian was currently resting. Before she closed the door, Grace got a slight peek of his sleeping form that forced a gasp out of her mouth as she noticed the amount of bandages that were covering his upper body.


    "He will be alright." Davian told her for the tenth time, trying to help her relax a little bit.


    Grace closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. It was half past five in the morning and more than three hours had passed since she found Dr. Kian unconscious and injured in the hallway of 20th floor. In these three hours, she had been constantly thinking about how he ended up in his current state.


    She kept wondering if he ended up like this because of her.


    The warm and comforting presence on her shoulder made her open her eyes and she looked up to find Davian observing her. Even though he was quick to school it, she still succeeded in catching the look of concern in his beautiful eyes.


    "You need to get some sleep, Grace. Staying here will not be of any use to him. Let Rebecca do her job and use this time to rest properly. I¡¯m sure when you will wake up, he will be in a better state." He spoke gently, shifting her attention.


    She knew that he was right. Besides, he had also not slept because of her. She gave a nod of approval and replied, "You are right. Let¡¯s go and get some sleep."


    Her words brought a small smile of approval of Davian¡¯s lips and the two of them headed out of Unit 2003 before entering the elevator to head to their respective floors.


    "Are you... not curious about him?" She found herself asking. But before he could have answered, the elevator stopped on 21st floor. She stepped out, thinking that he would head to his unit, but was surprised when he stepped out of the elevator after her.


    The two of them stood there in the empty hallway of 21st floor for a while before he finally answered her question with one of his own. "Will you tell me about him?"


    Grace didn¡¯t want to keep too many secrets with Davian. Thus, she decided to be honest about Dr. Kian. "How about you come inside?"


    Even if he was surprised by her sudden offer, he did a great job at hiding it. He followed her inside her apartment and the two of them settled down on the couches in the living room, facing each other.


    She took a few moments to gather her thoughts and words before she finally began. "You must remember my secret of making all those supplies disappear. I have been telling you that I have saved those supplies in a safe place, right?"


    Davian was confused to hear her suddenly talk about an entirely different topic, but he still gave a positive nod of his head in response to her question and waited patiently to hear what she had to say next.


    "In the previous timeline, Dr. Kian was related to this secret of mine. I met him only briefly, and he handed me that secret before he lost his life." She revealed and stopped to take a deep breath before continuing, "In this lifetime, he knows nothing about this secret, but we still came across each other. I feel like... it¡¯s somehow my responsibility to keep him safe in this timeline, or at least... I should try to."


    There was nothing but silence following her confession. She lifted her head and looked at Davian who was silently staring at the wall up ahead with an unreadable expression decorating his face.


    She wasn¡¯t sure for how long they sat there in silence, but then he finally spoke, "I thought he was someone important." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Huh?" Grace stared at him in confusion.


    Davian turned his full attention to her as he spoke, "Back when you said that he¡¯s someone as important to you as I am, I felt that he¡¯s someone really important... and it... it made me feel a little bit sad. But now... now I¡¯m feeling even worse because I realized that I¡¯m not important enough to you."


    The only thing she could do was to stare at him in stunned silence. What is he talking about? She wondered as her brain struggled to wrap around what he just spoke.


    "Wait." She said while looking straight into his eyes. "Don¡¯t you think you are focusing on the wrong matter here. We are talking about Dr. Kian-"


    "Why is he the important matter here?" Davian demanded, looking totally unimpressed by her words. "The important matter is me... I mean us."


    Grace opened her mouth but no words came out. Letting out a deep sigh, she stood up and signaled him to follow. "I think it¡¯s time for you to return to your apartment."


    "Wait. Are you throwing me out of your house?" He appeared flabbergasted as he realized what was happening to him.


    "No. I¡¯m asking you politely to leave." Grace corrected as she grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door since he wasn¡¯t moving on his own. Moments later, she was closing the door on his face, unaware of that one man from Davian¡¯s team who witnessed this epic moment.


    While she made her way to her bedroom to get some sleep, and Davian headed to his own apartment while still contemplating over the huge problem that he had suddenly unveiled, that certain person was typing a message in the new group chat that contained all the members of both Grace and Davian¡¯s teams.


    [New update: Lady Boss just threw Master King out of her unit.]


    Followed by 99+ new messages...!

 Chapter 64: Increasing Despair

    Because of the severe injuries and the blood loss, Dr. Kian was very weak. He woke up only for a few minutes around nine in the morning before returning to sleep.


    Whenever Rebecca took breaks, there was always someone else to look after him. Both Team Blackwood and Team King was busy taking their turns to look after him.


    Grace woke up around noon and spent most of the next few hours inside her space to take care of the daily work. She harvested crops, vegetables, and fruits. Planted more of them before setting up Rice and Wheat mills. She then took care of the livestock and spent some time bonding with the pets.


    By the time she returned to the real world, it was already past three in the afternoon. Next hour went in training as usual and once she was done taking shower, she finally headed to see Dr. Kian.


    Unfortunately, he was sleeping at that time and she didn¡¯t get to talk to him. When she returned to her apartment half an hour later, Davian was already waiting for her in the hallway.


    Just like they planned the previous evening, they spent next two hours cooking various dishes. They packed twelve lunch boxes this time and then had a warm and delicious dinner while Davian continued to sulk over the matter from the previous night.


    Grace just stayed silent and ignored him. She was surprised to see him being so persistent about such a matter.


    Slowly, everyone fell into a routine. For the first half of each day, everyone had time to themselves while Grace stayed in her apartment. No one disturbed her during these hours of the day and she immersed herself in her space, working on daily tasks.


    Afterward, everyone assembled for training sessions. Following the complaint from Unit 1901, they had shifted their training location to Unit 2201. This move allowed them more privacy and fewer distractions.


    When the training session ended, the team members were once again free to do as they wished. Grace, however, always took time to shower and prepare herself before visiting Dr. Kian. Though he was still recovering and had spoken to her only once, she made it a point to check on him.


    Later in the evening, she and Davian would cook together again, packing up more meals for future use.


    Days started passing like that, and while each passing day created more understanding and unity between the two teams, the world outside was delving deeper into chaos. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rain refused to calm down even for a moment. It had been over ten days and the rain hadn¡¯t slowed down at all, let alone stopping. Instead, it only grew stronger with each passing day. Thunder and storms also started hitting Sunspire City. The previous sinkhole grew to the size of a small house while two more sinkholes appeared around the city.


    The water level was rising speedily while more and more casualties were being reported every day. There were several deaths being noted so far, several people were injured or stuck away from their homes. And those who were in their homes, even they weren¡¯t living peacefully anymore.


    People were out of food and they couldn¡¯t step out of their houses to buy more food without putting their lives in danger. There were several people who went missing while on their way to buy food. Several got heavily injured, and some got looted by others even if they somehow succeeded in getting the food.


    People were coming up with new ideas to find food in the heavy rain. Some used wooden planks to create floating rafts to make their way through the flooded streets to buy food, while some tried to swim through the flood.


    But as the rain continued and people were deprived of something as basic and important as food, panic started growing rapidly. The despair brought the evil out of humans and forced them to do the unthinkable like as looting others, attacking, and what not. The authorities were helpless and the people were realizing that no rescue would be coming for them anytime soon.


    The situation of Building K12 was no different. People were struggling for food, medicines, and other daily necessities. Some even started bartering with their neighbors for food, offering high prices or other important or luxurious items in exchange of food.


    The only people who were living peacefully even among all this chaos were the residents of the top three floors of the building. As days continued to pass, residents of the lower floors finally started noticing how the people from top three floors were so silent and peaceful while everyone else was struggling to get food.


    Some residents came together and decided to check on those from the top three floors, only to find out that both the elevator and staircase entrances to the 20th floor were heavily guarded by strong metal doors and bars.


    This reveal spread like a wildfire in the entire building, making everyone discuss about exactly what was going on in the upper three floors.


    [Unit 1003: I told you all from day one that those people from the top floors seemed weird to me. They looked anything but normal.]


    [Unit 1201: I heard the Community Chief once mentioning that the new residents of the top floors are some important and powerful people.]


    [Unit 9002: Doesn¡¯t it mean that they have food? They have been too silent all this time. And then there¡¯s those metal doors as well. It¡¯s almost like they are guarding something. Either they are already dead from lack of food, or they have enough food to live peacefully.]


    [Unit 3001: Even if they have food, I don¡¯t think they will share with us. Why are we even talking about them then?]


    Aleena let out a sigh as she read through the messages in the building¡¯s group chat. No, she wasn¡¯t a member, but had hacked into the group to keep a tab on what was going on in it.


    She wasn¡¯t even surprised to see that some people had already started eyeing the top three floors. If they were going to come for them, then she and her friends were more than ready to welcome them.

 Chapter 65: Cooking Chicken (I)

    [Days left until Doomsday: 74 Days and 22 Hours]


    -


    "Don¡¯t make too much sound. What if we alert someone?" A man in his late forties spoke in a whispered tone, signaling his companions to stay silent and refrain from creating too much noise.


    There were six of them, making their way to the staircase entrance of 20th floor of Building K12. All six of these men were residents of the lower floors. It was past two in the morning and they chose this time to spy on the mysterious residents of the top three floors.


    "Are you sure you can open this metal door?" Another person among the six asked the man who was acting as their leader in this mission.


    "Let me try first." Their leader returned as he took out a bunch of tools from the bag he was carrying and started using them to dismantle the lock of the metal door. It didn¡¯t take too long before they all realized that it wasn¡¯t that easy to either unlock or break the lock of the metal door.


    "What now?" Another person from the group asked when their only plan of trespassing into the 20th floor failed terribly.


    Before anyone could have answered, they heard the metal door suddenly unlocking. All six of them became alert, almost feeling scared for a moment as they all hid in the shadows on the staircase while the metal door was being pulled open from the other side.


    There was a loud sound as the heavy door opened, but then a silence descended, leaving the six of them confused as no one stepped past the now opened door.


    After certain long moments of silence had passed without any sort of movements, the six men finally stepped out of the shadows and into the clear view.


    "What¡¯s going on?" One of them asked, shifting his gaze between the open door and his companions. But no one had any idea about why the door suddenly opened on its own.


    After hesitating for a few more moments, they finally started making their way toward the door. One after the other, they stepped past the door and in the dark hallway of 20th floor.


    "Why the lights are off here?" One of them asked in a hushed voice while darting his gaze around in the darkness. All six of them were clustered together because of how weird the entire situation was.


    Before any of them could have said or thought anything else, a light suddenly filled the hallway, illuminating the place. The six of them were so taken aback that they weren¡¯t able to even react properly.


    "Welcome."


    A female voice suddenly entered their ears, forcing all six of them to turn their attention toward the door of the closest unit. They watched as the metal door of that apartment opened and a young woman stepped out into the hallway.


    Looking at her, the six of them felt even more anxious. This woman looked... quite different. She was dressed in tight, black leather from head to toe. Her high pencil heels made clicking sound as she walked, and her long black hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. This wasn¡¯t how a normal woman looked. Not at all!


    "W-who are you?" The leader asked while trying to pull himself together and putting on a strong act when he realized that it was just a woman, even though she looked slightly abnormal because of how she was dressed at this late hour of the night.


    A smile curved the corners of Valeska¡¯s lips and she fixed her deadly gaze on that man, noticing how he immediately shivered as a clear sign of fear.


    "I¡¯m you host for the night." She answered his question as she leaned against the wall and kept her gaze fixed on the group of six very terrified men. She felt like chuckling when she noticed how hard they were trying to pretend to be strong despite their fear and anxiety. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What host?" Another one of the men demanded, clearly confused by her words.


    "Tsk tsk." Valeska continued with her dramatic act. "You all have come to my floor so late at night. Of course someone needs to be here to welcome you guys, right? So, I¡¯m the one doing that job. But I¡¯m really curious. What brought the six of you here at this hour of the night?"


    The men exchanged looks among the six of them before their leader answered. "We just wanted to take a look at the top floors. We heard rumors that someone has set up metal doors to block the entrances here."


    The accusation was loud and clear in his words, but it barely did anything to change the calmness that Valeska was carrying. Her smile didn¡¯t falter even for a second as spoke, "Considering what you just said, I¡¯m sure you all aren¡¯t aware of this particular contract clause of this building. In that case, let me enlighten you guys tonight so that you will not make the same mistake again in the future."


    Her words confused the men who once again exchanged looks between the six of them. Before they could have asked what she was talking about, Valeska was already speaking again.


    "According to one of the contract clauses, the roof of this building can only be shared by the residents of the 22nd floor. And coincidentally, all these top three floors of this building are owned by the same person. In conclusion, the top three floors and the roof of this building are now completely owned by the people currently living here and has nothing to do with the rest of the residents of this building. We can do whatever we want here. We can install metal doors, barricades, or stop anyone from the lower floors from coming here. All these acts are legal as long as our agreement with the real estate company will last."


    This was news for the six men. All they knew was that some residents had moved into the apartments of the top three floors in the past few weeks. But they had no idea that all these residents were related and had rented all three floors.


    "Is there still anything you guys want to say about our metal doors?" Valeska asked politely.

 Chapter 66: Cooking Chicken (II)

    The men had no arguments left, but they weren¡¯t ready to give up yet. Their leader spoke up again. "Of course you can do whatever you want. We just wanted to come here and take a look. You already know the current situation outside. It has been so long since the rain started and we can¡¯t go out to even buy food for ourselves. We were just wondering if you have extra food to share with us."


    Right at that moment, another person decided to join the conversation. It was a man who stepped out of the next unit, taking all six men by surprise. This man was also dressed in similar black leather as that of the young woman. But what really shocked the group of men was the knife that this person was holding.


    "Is everything alright, Valeska?" The man asked as he shifted his gaze between the woman and the group of six.


    "Everything¡¯s fine. What are you doing here, Nathan?" Valeska asked the member of King¡¯s team who was also staying in one of the units on the 20th floor.


    "Oh. I just wanted to ask what should I do now with the body."


    The moment these words came out of Nathan¡¯s mouth, the six men felt cold shivers running down their spines. They just stared at the man, then shifted their shocked gazes to the woman who was looking normal despite hearing that word, and then they finally exchanged looks among the six of them.


    "B-body?" One of them finally dared to ask out loudly.


    It was the woman who responded. "Please don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s talking about the chicken. He likes to call it a body. We were cooking chicken when I heard the sounds you all were making in order to unlock the metal door."


    "You are making chicken? At this hour of the night?" Another one among the six asked, shocked by both revelations. While they were eating instant noodles to fill their bellies these days, there were actually people living in the same building who were enjoying the luxury of chicken. Besides who cooked chicken at two in the morning? S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Valeska turned her full attention toward the group of men as she answered, "Didn¡¯t I just told you that all three floors belongs to us? It means that there are so many of us, about three dozens. Coincidently, we went for grocery shopping the very evening before the rain started. We bought nearly a month of worth of food. Thankfully, that random decision turned out to be in our favor as such a catastrophe suddenly arrived."


    She stopped for a second before continuing, "As for us cooking chicken at this hour of the night... I¡¯m sure if you guys can wander out of your houses at such an odd time, we can cook at this same hour as well, right? Just joking, we are pulling an all-nighter for a project and felt hungry. That¡¯s why he¡¯s cooking at this hour of the night. Do you gusy still have any more questions?"


    As if these people were waiting for this very moment, the doors of all three units of the 20th floor opened and around six to seven more men stepped out, crowding the hallway with their huge frames.


    If the group of six from lower floors wasn¡¯t already feeling initmitaded enough, then they were now. Not one or two, but all these people from the 20th floor were dressed in those black leather clothes. They all looked like they were about to chop some real people instead of chicken.


    "Is something wrong here? Want me to take care of them?" One of the men, who was the tallest among the group, asked in a deep voice that sent more shivers running down the spines of the six.


    The group wasted no more time and quickly started heading back toward the staircase.


    "We are sorry that we disturbed you guys this late. We just wanted to make sure that you guys are alright. Now, we should head back. Stay safe you all." It was the leader who quickly spoke as he and his companions stepped through the metal door, and without wasting another second, literally ran down the stairs and disappeared.


    "Why waste so much time on these people? I could have taken care of them on my own." Nathan said with a shake of his head while the others started returning to their respective units.


    Valeska headed toward the metal door to close it and put all the locks in places as she replied, "We can¡¯t go around killing people yet, especially here. Wait for the right time, I¡¯m sure you are going to get more than enough opportunities to kill people left and right."


    Nathan just shrugged his shoulders and left while Valeska made sure all the security barriers were back in their places. She then took out her phone and dropped a message in the group chat.


    [The task is done.]


    "What a pity, even I could have enjoyed exercising my killing skills." She muttered with a sigh as she headed toward her own unit.


    -


    By the time morning arrived, the entire Building K12 was aware of what happened the night before. Those six men made sure that everyone was aware of what took place between them and the residents of the 20th floor.


    Everyone was surprised to find out that all top three floors of the building belonged to the same person and after hearing about how those people were dressed, there were further speculations about how these people didn¡¯t seem normal.


    All those who had been thinking about going upstairs to ask for food, immediately gave up on the idea. But the real question was - how long this fear was going to keep them away from the top three floors?


    So far, only ten days had passed since rain started, but there was nearly about a month left before the rain would start slowing down. That was still a long while for people to change their mind once hunger would starve them mentally, physically, and humanly.

 Chapter 67: Dr. Kian’s Attacker

    Grace knocked on the bedroom door and entered when she heard the person on the other side of the door giving her permission to step into the room.


    She closed the door behind her and turned to face the man on the bed who was finally looking much healthier compared to how he looked five nights ago.


    "How are you doing now?" She asked as she made her way closer and took a seat on the edge of the bed beside him.


    Dr. Kian smiled at her as he replied, "Thanks to all the care I have received these past few days, I¡¯m doing really great. Ms. Rebecca is a great doctor."


    And he wasn¡¯t lying. Color had finally returned to his face. The small wounds and bruises were almost healed. The only wound that still needed attention was the big cut on the left side of his abdomen. It was a deep cut made with some sort of sharp object. Good news was that while serious, it was still an external injury that hadn¡¯t affected his internal organs.


    "How did you end up like this?" She finally asked the question she had been wanting to ask everytime she came to meet him during the past few days, but held herself back because she knew he wasn¡¯t in a good enough state to talk.


    He didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he kept his gaze focused on his hands for a while before finally looking up at her and saying, "Let this matter go. It¡¯s not-"


    "What happened, Dr. Kian?" Grace repeated, her tone more serious than before and it silenced him for another couple of moments. He was clearly surprised by her seriousness, and eventually gave a nod of his head a moment later before finally revealing exactly what happened to him on his way to Sunspire City.


    "I thought about your offer for a long after after we ended the call that night. After giving it a deep thought, I was able to understand your concerns. But it wasn¡¯t that easy to get out of the city as all the public transportation has been halted for the time being."


    Listening to that, Grace realized exactly how stupid she was when she asked him to arrive at her doorsteps within two days. She completely overlooked the part that there were no means of transportation that could help him travel the distance between the two cities in the current harsh weather. She wanted to apologize, but she waited to let him finish speaking first.


    "Fortunately, I have a speedboat in my garage. It has been sitting there for years and I was even planning to sell it... who would have known that it will come so handy all of a sudden." He shook his head while speaking the last sentence.


    "Is that how you arrived here?" She asked while thinking about how he would have crossed the long distance between the two cities with a speed boat. With how dangerous the rain was, this sounded like an extremely dangerous scenario.


    Dr. Kian nodded his head before speaking, "I¡¯m not sure how I survived all those dangerous sinkholes that have appeared almost everywhere. When I stepped out of my house, it felt like the entire country is flooded. There¡¯s water everywhere and I haven¡¯t seen even an inch of land throughout my way from Capital City to here."


    Even if she wanted to comfort him, there wasn¡¯t anything she could really say. The last thing she wanted was to give him any false hope when she knew exactly what was coming their way in the future.


    "Since I used a speedboat and the journey to here wasn¡¯t really smooth, it wasn¡¯t until late afternoon of the second day when I finally arrived at Sunspire City. I couldn¡¯t help but notice that despite the slight flood and the continuous rain, the situation here is so much better compared to the capital city and what I noticed throughout my way to here." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace knew exactly what he was talking about. Though there was no overlooking the fact that the streets of the Sunspire City had been started flooding since the past week and situation here was also worsening with each passing day, there was still a huge gap between the situation here and the other cities.


    "When did you get injured? And how?" She asked, realizing that he had gone silent. She knew for sure that he got attacked by someone and she wanted him to tell her exactly what happened to him.


    Did he got attacked by someone for his speedboat? She wondered as she waited for him to answer her questions.


    Dr. Kian silently looked at her for a minute or two, and Grace noticed how he looked both uncomfortable and slightly embarrassed which left her equally surprised and curious.


    "Dr. Kian?" She called him when he continued to stay silent, forcing out a deep sigh from him.


    "When I was on my way here, I came across a supermarket and thought about buying some food for you. I left the money there and bought a lot of food. But I... I ended up getting attacked when a group of people noticed the food. They tried to steal the food and the speedboat, and when I fought back... they used a knife..."


    He trailed off after that, but there wasn¡¯t anything else that needed to be said. When Grace spoke, her voice was so cold that she surprised him once again. "Were you attacked in this residential area?"


    Slowly, he nodded his head in a positive response. "I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Blackwood. I couldn¡¯t bring any food, lost my speedboat as well, and... even got injured. I know that I have caused you a lot of trouble."


    She sighed softly as she shook her head, dismissing his apology. "Don¡¯t worry about food. I have more than enough stocked up to feed you for a lifetime. As for the speedboat, it will help us in finding your attackers later. We need to teach them a lesson. As for you getting injured, you are indeed stupid for that. What if I didn¡¯t have a doctor with me? What would have we done then?"

 Chapter 68: Unlocking More Areas

    "I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Blackwood. I really am." Dr. Kian apologized again and Grace could no longer blame him. He was just a pure soul who still hadn¡¯t seen the worst hide of humans. It wasn¡¯t his fault that he ended up getting robbed by greedy and selfish people.


    She took in a deep breath before she fixed her gaze on his and spoke, "I should be the one apologizing here. It was because of me that you have to take such a big risk by coming here."


    This time, he was the one dismissing her apology. "We both know what might have happened to me if I have stayed in the Capital City. I might haven¡¯t survived there. And even though my journey to here was full of dangers, since I have made it to here, I know that my future is pretty much safe for the time being."


    The two of them fell into silence for a few moments before she found herself asking, "Why did you come here?" It might sound like a weird and stupid question, but she genuinely wanted to know his answer.


    Even if he was confused by her question, he didn¡¯t show it on his face. His expression was calm as he replied, "Have you forgotten that you were the one who asked me to come here?"


    "It¡¯s not that." She answered. "What I¡¯m asking is why you listened to me in the first place? Would you have come if it was someone else?"


    "No." Dr. Kian didn¡¯t miss even a second as he replied in a serious voice. His gaze was intense and serious as he said, "I came only and only because it was you making that offer."


    "You trust me that much? Even though we barely know each other?" Grace asked, surprised by his confession.


    A small smile made its way to his lips as he answered, "For some unknown reason, I do. Even I have been asking myself the reason I decided to accept your offer, but I have no certain answer. It¡¯s just that from the moment we first met in the hospital that afternoon, I have been feeling some sort of familiarity with you. A part of me trusts you even when my head thinks that I¡¯m being absolutely foolish."


    Grace wasn¡¯t expecting to hear such a genuine confession from him, and it made her smile a little as well. Maybe his trust in her had something to do with their previous lives, but she wasn¡¯t sure about that.


    "Whatever the case, you have accepted my offer and you are already here. It means that you are one of my people from now on. Just like I promised, I will protect you from now on. Stay here and recuperate. We will talk again once you will be feeling better."


    Once she finished speaking, she stood up and headed toward the door. Just as she was about to step outside, she heard him speaking.


    "Can you unblock my number at least?"


    Seconds, it only took merely seconds for her cheeks to feel the warmth of embarrassment covering them. Without looking back at him, she hummed a positive response and quickly stepped out of the room.


    * * *


    [Congratulaions!]


    [New partner added: Dr. Kian]


    [Points earned: 4.5 Million]


    [Total Points: 10,936,555]


    Grace felt extremely happy as she received the notifications from the system once she confirmed Dr. Kian as her new partner. Looking at those 10 Million points, she couldn¡¯t help but feel excited.


    She might haven¡¯t feel this happy after seeing this much money, but seeing those points was making her feel like she had achieved some sort of great success.


    Removing the huge smile that was playing on her lips, she quickly shifted her attention to work. Since she had earned so many points, it was time to use some of them.


    She first opened more land area for farming and planting orchards. She then opened an area for setting up a vineyard. Finally, she opened a stream, a pond and a cave that was located nearby the farmhouse and the fields.


    After 2025 informed her about the pure energy present within the cave and the hot spring there, she had been looking forward to unlocking that place. It felt like such a luxury to have a private hot spring of her own. She was looking forward to making use of this luxury. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since there wasn¡¯t much time left before Davian¡¯s arrival at her apartment for their daily task of cooking food, she decided to step out of the space for the time being.


    About ten minutes later, she and Davian were working in the kitchen, preparing another set of delicious dishes. Once they finished dinner and he left her apartment, she immediately returned inside her space to start working.


    She first set up the orchards that took her about two hours of the space¡¯s time. She grew more apples, mangoes, and oranges, followed with - banana, strawberry, pineapple, watermelon, blueberry, cherry, papaya, peach, pear, pomegranate, lemon, raspberry, avocado, plum, and finally persimmon.


    Once she was done with the orhards, she started working on the vineyard. She grew all types of grapes. She started with table grapes and planted red seedless grapes, green seedless grapes, and then black seedless grapes.


    For wine, she planted red wine grapes, white wine grapes, and then ro?e grapes. Finally, she planted raisin grapes and finished her work.


    Since she was feeling tired, she decided to take a bath in the hot spring. Though she knew that taking a bath there would be healing, she was left stunned at just how good the hot water felt.


    All her muscles loosened up and she almost drifted to sleep as the therapeutic atmosphere of the cave made her relax way too much. Half an hour later, she climbed out of the hot spring and got dressed before stepping out of the space.


    With how relaxed her body was feeling, she wasted no time as she climbed into the bed and hid under the blanket, falling asleep almost immediately.

 Chapter 69: Desperation and Helplessness

    Eighteen days into the unrelenting downpour-


    It seemed like the world had already forgotten what sunlight felt like. It had been eighteen long days since most of the cities in Starship Country saw the sun for the last time, since they last enjoyed a peaceful and normal day.


    It had been so long and yet the rain kept pounding against the earth with an unceasing ferocity. It had turned concrete streets into rivers and homes into prisons. The once-vibrant cities were now lifeless as their colors had been washed away by the endless gray of the skies.


    And the worst of this disaster was seen in the Capital City. The entire city was submerged into water and hundreds, if not thousands, had already lost their lives.


    Around twenty sinkholes had appeared around the city, several buildings had collapsed because of the earthquake and heavy rain, and a storm just washed over the city.


    If one looked closely, they might even notice bodies floating in the water along with all kind of debris, garbage, and uprooted trees.


    The air inside a two-storey house in the Seventh Avenue was damp and suffocating. A woman in her late twenties was sitting huddled on the edge of the couch with a threadbare blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She was staring at the flickering candlelight, its faint glow was barely illuminating the room.


    "I can¡¯t take it anymore," a man¡¯s voice suddenly broke the silence. He was her husband, Steve. The once handsome man, who seemed invincible just days ago, was now sitting with his head in his hands. In these eighteen days, he seemed to have aged several years. His usually confident demeanor was shattered. "No power, no gas... no food."


    Clara, the woman, glanced at the small stash of crackers on the wooden coffee table sitting in front of her. It was the last of her supplies. She had been rationing them as best as she could, but hunger clawed at her insides like a rabid beast. She avoided looking at Kevin¡¯s hollowed-out eyes... desperation had made everyone dangerous.


    That very moment, they heard muffled cries coming from outside. There were people wading through waist-deep water. Their voices were shrill with panic as they screamed. "Help us!" But their words got drowned out by the roar of the rain.


    Still, they succeeded in making enough noise to catch Clara¡¯s attention. She stood up and moved to the window, but was careful to stay hidden behind the soaked curtains.


    Below, she saw a family standing on the roof of a submerged boat. There was a couple with a young teenage boy. They were waving their arms frantically as they called for help, their boat was moments away from sinking. They had no umbrellas, no protection - just drenched clothes clinging to their shivering bodies.


    "Do you think the government¡¯s coming?" Steve suddenly asked, his voice tinged with a false hope.


    Clara didn¡¯t answer as she watched the family down below sinking slowly into the water. She knew the truth but didn¡¯t dare say it. The government had given up. If not, then why the rescue hadn¡¯t arrived yet? It was just a matter of time before the water level would reach the second floor, and then, there would be no saving her and her husband.


    It took barely two minutes before the family of three was gone. The powerful flow of water took them away with it. Clara didn¡¯t even want to think about what kind of end they would meet.


    Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from somewhere. She flinched as she saw a group of men breaking into secomd floor of the corner store. They smashed the glass with rocks, their movements frantic as they waded inside to grab whatever remained. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moments later, a woman stepped out while clutching a soaked bag of rice to her chest.


    "Hey! That¡¯s mine!" one of the men shouted. He lunged at her and she screamed as the bag ripped, spilling the contents into the filthy water.


    "Stop it!" Clara hissed under her breath, even though she knew they couldn¡¯t hear her. She turned away from the window while her heart pounded. She knew without even looking that either that man or the woman were about to die.


    This was what desperation had turned them into - animals fighting over scraps.


    As if everything wasn¡¯t already hard enough for her to take in, Steve wasn¡¯t making things easier for her. He stood abruptly and started pacing back and forth. "We can¡¯t just sit here," he muttered. "We need to get out of this place, maybe this city. There has to be higher ground somewhere."


    "And how do you propose we get there?" Clara asked bitterly. "Swim? Walk through that flood with no food, no protection and end up in one of those sinkholes? We won¡¯t make it a mile."


    Steve stopped pacing at her words and clenched his fists tightly until his knuckles turned white. "Then what? We stay here and starve?"


    Clara didn¡¯t respond. She had no answers.


    Without saying anything, she returned to the couch and sat down there while curled up under the warmth of the blanket. Moments later, tears were running down her cheeks as she silently prayed for some sort of miracle to happen.


    She heard Steve cursing as he felt frustrated, but she felt tired. There was nothing she could do, or say. She was completely helpless, and this helplessness was killing her more than the hunger.


    But she wasn¡¯t the only person feeling helpless at that moment. There were millions of people who shared her feelings in that moment. The future had indeed become unpredictable, but what everyone knew for sure was that if the rescue didn¡¯t arrive soon, a lot of them were about to die.


    It was unknown exactly who heard their prayers and screams for help, but on the twentieth day, the rescue finally arrived. It took government twenty long and painful days to come up with a rescue plan, but it finally came.

 Chapter 70: The Boy Next Door (I)

    "Do we need to open the metal doors?" Kevin asked once they all got to know about the military help that had arrived in their Residential Area with supplies. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No need to get involved. Davian and his people are going to take care of it." Grace informed her team, allowing them to relax regarding the matter.


    In the previous timeline, the rescue didn¡¯t arrive until twenty-fifth day into the continuous rain. And it only happened because the rain finally slowed down on the night of twenty-fourth day. The military rescue teams brought supplies with them and started rescuing those who were stuck on the lower floors of the buildings.


    Back then, she used her power and influence to get herself and her people out of the Capital City, and that was how she was able to find a temporary safe place to stay for a while.


    But once again, there was yet another situation that hadn¡¯t gone as per the previous timeline. The rain hadn¡¯t even come anywhere close to slowing down, but the government was finally showing concern about the people.


    Since the weather in the Sunspire City was still better compared to places like Capital City, Lakeshire, and several other areas, the military took the risk of sending military helicopters for help. The helicopters flew at lower altitudes, dropping supplies on the roofs of buildings while around four soldiers also landed with the supplies to take care of the proper distribution.


    In areas where using helicopters was impossible due to extremely bad weather, boats were used to send supplies. However, because of the sinkholes, it was hard and far more dangerous to navigate the boats. Yet, the mission turned out to be a success as the supplies got distributed around the country within twenty-four hours.


    The next problem they needed to handle was rescuing the people who were stuck on the lower floors and those who were in bad medical conditions. Not everyone was happy to know about this, especially those who realized that they might not be able to get rescued anytime soon. Still, they weren¡¯t able to do anything against the military orders.


    When the soldiers landed on the roof of Building K12 and descended the stairs to twenty-second floor, they were greeted by Davian and Rio. They talked for about two minutes before Grace noticed Davian shaking hands with the soldiers and gave order to Rio for opening the metal door of the staircase entrance on the twentieth floor.


    "What did you tell them?" She asked when the soldiers headed downstairs after leaving supplies for the top three floors.


    "Just my name." The man replied with a little shrug of his shoulders. He was clearly proud of how easily he handled the matter, but he made sure not to show it on his face.


    Grace just let out a small sigh and headed back to her apartment. Since the matter was taken care of, she had other things to handle.


    Returning to her apartment, she started working on the lunch that she was making preparations for when the sound of the approaching helicopters caught her attention.


    The soldiers completed their work of distribution and returned after a few hours, with a promise to return with more supplies if the rain didn¡¯t stop. The supplies they left this time was more than enough to last for next ten days if used properly.


    Peace finally returned to Building K12, and after a long time, people were finally able to fill their bellies properly. Most of the food supplies that were delivered didn¡¯t require gas. There were MREs, canned food, canned fruits, dry snacks, bread, and water bottles.


    All the supplies that the top three floors received were delivered to Grace¡¯s apartment by that evening for her to store them along with other supplies. The only exception was the food that they left for the young man living in Unit 2102.


    Since there was no gas supply anymore, Grace and Davian had stopped cooking food during evenings. Instead, Grace had been spending these evening hours inside her space, cooking in the kitchen of the villa.


    Because of the solar panels she set up in the space, there was abundance of solar energy that could be used. She kept the gas cylinders and other fuel stoves safe for future use.


    Once she was done packing up several boxes of food and finished her dinner, she took a shower and finally stepped out of the space. She was still in her bathrobe as she headed out of the bedroom of her apartment and walked into the living room, only to freeze in her steps when her gaze landed on the man who was present in her apartment.


    "What... How did you...?"


    She was too stunned that she could hardly phrase the questions properly. She was sure that she had locked her apartment door before stepping inside the space, and yet, here he was.


    Not only he had intruded into her apartment without her permission, but he was once again shirtless while holding a cat in his hands. He was completely focused on the cat, playing with its ears.


    "Rune!"


    She finally called out his name when he refused to acknowledge her presence. Hearing her sharp and almost angry voice, the young man finally looked up and surprised her with his signature smile.


    Grace was scared of this smile of his, it did things to her that she couldn¡¯t explain, and she didn¡¯t like that feeling at all. Pulling herself together, she asked, "How did you come inside? And why are you even here?"


    Despite her anger and the questions she was asking, he seemed way too calm. He let the cat go before he started making his way toward where she was standing.


    He came to stand in front of her and tilted his head to the side as he spoke, "I realized that despite my grand performance last time, you have nearly forgotten about me. So, here I am. Giving in once again because I can¡¯t help it. I missed you, Ms. Blackwood."

 Chapter 71: The Boy Next Door (II)

    Rune¡¯s icy-blue eyes stared into her emerald ones, gazing straight into her soul and keeping her frozen in place.


    With him standing so close, it was impossible for her to not notice how tall he really was. She had to crane her neck to look at his face, but her eyes didn¡¯t remain on his pretty face for long, they soon started wandering. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once again, she found herself admiring his lean but well-built form. His tattoos were once again on full display and her gaze trailed over their intricate patterns without any shame or restrictions. As her gaze continued to trail downwards, she started noticing more details about him.


    When her eyes neared the waistline of his black trousers, she noticed him taking another step forward. Startled, she tried to step back to maintain that small space between them, but his arm snaked around her waist that very moment and pulled her even closer until they were nearly pressed against each other.


    Her eyes went wide from shock as she stared up at his face, only to find him looking at her with that boyish expression plastered on his face. That innocent look in his eyes was enough to accelerate her heartbeats. She wondered just how he did that - looking like the purest soul that could have ever existed while doing such shameless things.


    "Am I that good looking?" He suddenly asked, pulling Grace out of the trance of her thoughts. She stared at him in silence for a moment or two before trying to step out of his hold.


    However, one push at his chest and she realized that his hold was stronger than he was letting her believe. She stared at him in shock while her hands were placed against the smooth muscles of his chest.


    "You can answer with words, no need to use actions." He suddenly stated while acting a little shy, making Grace finally realized just how wrong her hands placements seemed.


    Without wasting another moment, she removed her hands from his chest and demanded while staring right into his enchanting eyes. "Let go of me."


    If she was expecting him to follow her demand and step back, then she should have known better. Instead of doing as he was told, he slightly tightened his hold on her waist and asked in that attractive deep voice of his. "But what if I don¡¯t want to? You feel perfect in my arms."


    Grace was at a complete loss for words. She had dealt with more than enough shameless men, but she never met someone like the kid standing in front of her. The way he flirted, it left her speechless everytime. She had no idea how to handle someone like him.


    Taking in a deep breath, she asked, "Don¡¯t you think you are going overboard here? First you broke into my apartment, and that too shirtless. And now you are acting like this."


    Much to her surprise, he smiled in return. It was one of those smiles that made his eyes turn into crescents and highlighted his handsome features, making him appear extremely cute. This look of his was so dangerous that she had to force her gaze away from his face in order to not get lost in his charm.


    But she didn¡¯t get to look away for way too long as he reached out to hold her chin between his thumb and forefinger as he made her look back at him. The gesture was so sudden and intimate that she once again felt taken aback.


    "I know that you aren¡¯t truly mad. It¡¯s time to just accept the truth." He spoke, confusing her in the process.


    "What truth?" She asked, trying to think of what he might be implying through his words. Yet, she couldn¡¯t think of anything.


    Rune let go of her chin, only to snake that free hand of his around her waist as well. Before Grace could have complained about his behavior, he distracted her by speaking.


    "Are you surpised about my sudden appearance in your apartment? Yes! Are you feeling at a loss for words because of my flirting? Definitely yes! But are you mad at me? Not at all." Smile curved both the ends of his lips as he added, "You are very much enjoying my presence... and my flirting."


    Grace shook her head, ready to deny his outrageous statement, but those words refused to come out of her mouth.


    As if he knew exactly what was going on with her, he spoke again, "We both know the truth, Ms. Blackwood. You should stop denying it."


    "Denying what?" She demanded, as if she wanted to hear it from him. Her heart was literally racing at this point and her irregular breathing wasn¡¯t helping her situation much.


    Her situation only worsened when he suddenly inched his face closer, forcing her to stop breathing for a second or two from surprise. Once his face was merely inches from hers, he answered, "You are denying the attraction that¡¯s clearly present between us. Stop doing that and just embrace it. Deep down in your heart, you know that you want me."


    And she really couldn¡¯t deny it.


    Grace just stood there, staring into his eyes while his words echoed in her ears. She would have loved to tell him that he was wrong, that she felt absolutely nothing toward him... but she couldn¡¯t hardly lie when he was looking at her like that.


    She wasn¡¯t sure for how long they stood there while staring into each other¡¯s eyes in silence. Maybe it was just a minute, or several long minutes, but the only thing she remembered was noticing the way his face started inching closer.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was even possible at that point, but her heartbeat accelerated father, echoing its sound in her ears as she watched his lips inching closer to hers.


    He was merely a breath away. All she needed to do was to inch forward and press her lips against his, but then...!

 Chapter 72: A Big Disaster

    The sound of alarm ringing pulled Grace out of the depths of the intense dream and back into the real world. Her eyes flew open and she sat up abruptly, breathing heavily while her gaze wandered around her surroundings.


    It took her a few moments to calm down her racing heart and sharp breathing, the realization of what happened finally dawning over her.


    "What the hell, Grace?" She muttered under her breath as she buried her face in her palms and inhaled deeply. She could hardly believe that she just had a dream like that.


    What¡¯s wrong with me? How can I dream of... him? She wondered while her thoughts momentarily returned to last moment of her dream. He was so close... his lips...


    A loud groan of frustration escaped her lips as she threw the blanket away and climbed out of the bed. She was feeling devastated after having such a dream. And yet, she couldn¡¯t help but feel that this deam felt way too real.


    She was still able to feel the firm hold of his arms on her waist, the smoothness of his skin under her palm, and the sparkle in his eyes as he flirted with her. All of this felt way too real to just be a dream.


    But despite this firm feeling, she also knew for sure that what just happened wasn¡¯t real. She remembered clearly that she went to sleep after showering, and then the drama happened. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If she had to give a conclusion, then she had a weird one - If what happened wasn¡¯t a dream, then it wasn¡¯t real either. Unfortunately, she had no explanation of this weird situation.


    It was only five in the morning and the world outside was still pretty much dark. The rain was ongoing as usual and the sound of strong wind could also be heard when listened closely.


    Grace did some stretching for a while before she entered her space. She took a shower and got dressed before making herself a cup of strong coffee. After that dumb dream-like experience, she needed something as strong as black coffee to get herself ready for the day.


    She settled down on the bench placed in the front garden of the villa and enjoyed her coffee with the beautiful weather. Once she finished the coffee, she busied herself in work. She cleaned the ground floor of the villa, put her clothes in the washing machine, and then headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.


    She prepared more lunch boxes, worked in the fields, took care of the livestock, harvested fruits and vegetables, played with the pets, and then slept to recharge herself.


    When she woke up, she repeated the same process for the entire day. It was on the third day that she finished preparing a couple of dishes in breakfast and heated up some of the lunch boxes from before. Once she was done, she finally stepped out of the space and into her apartment.


    While two full days had passed in the Infinite Realm, only two hours had passed in the outside world. Since it was already past seven in the morning, she dropped message in the group chat for everyone to join her for breakfast.


    Her dining table wasn¡¯t big enough for everyone to eat there, hence, the team had their breakfast in two other units while Grace and Davian ate breakfast in her apartment.


    Half an hour later, there was a huge pile of dishes filling up both the sinks in her kitchen. Thankfully, she had bought dishwashers previously and she didn¡¯t had to wash all these dishes on her own.


    Since she had closed all the drains inside her apartment, she shifted all the dirty dishes in the kitchen of the villa and then put them inside the dishwashers to get them cleaned.


    It was the sound of someone knocking on her door that made her step out of the space and return to her apartment. As she opened the door, she found Davian standing there.


    "What is it?" She asked. It hadn¡¯t been even half an hour since he left but he was already back.


    "After thinking about it, I realized that you will be cooking for all of us from now on until the gas supply will be enabled again. Though we prepared lunch boxes before, they aren¡¯t enough to last for long considering there are too many of us. I want to help you." He confessed sincerely.


    "How?" Grace asked while staring at him with a questioning look.


    Davian was silent for a while before he suggested, "How about the same way you are doing it?"


    "I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s possible. And even if it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to share that secret with you yet. You don¡¯t have to worry, I can manage the food." She replied sincerely, not missing the way a brief second of sadness washed across his eyes before he nodded his head in understanding.


    "Alright then. I will not disturb you. Let me know if there¡¯s anything I can help with." He said before he turned around and walked away.


    For some reason, Grace felt slightly bad for hurting him, knowing that he only meant good. There was a lot where she would needed his help, but for that to happen, they needed to wait for the rain to stop first.


    In the previous timeline, the rain stopped after an entire month. There was nothing for next few days and people started celebrating for surviving the disaster, but then five days later, the Shadow Rain happened and took away the remaining hope of the survival of humanity.


    It had been twenty-two days since the rain started in this timeline, and as per her memory, they needed to wait for eight more days for the rain to finally start slowing down.


    There was a lot she needed to take care during those few days of peace the world would gain before the happening of Shadow Rain.


    Little did she knew that a huge disaster was just hours away...!

 Chapter 73: The Super Typhoon

    It was past dinner time and Grace was once again sitting on the plush couch near the huge floor-to-ceiling window in her living room.


    After all the hardwork she had put into installing the bulletproof glass on the big window in the living room of her apartment. It wasn¡¯t an easy job, but it did work out when Davian showed up at her doorstep and offered his help. There were also two men in his team who were good with these kind of works.


    She had previously installed metal grates on all the windows of her apartment, but doing so made it hard for her to get a view of the outside area. Hence, she decided to switch the metal grates with a bulletproof glass for the window of her living room that was taking place of half of south wall.


    With the new glass installed, she had access to the outside view. She sipped the herbal tea while opening the news portal on the tablet that was sitting on her lap.


    As usual, there were articles about how the rain had been relentless for weeks and it had left many areas submerged and in complete chaos. The nation was battling continous downpour, storms, floods, mudslides, giant sinkholes, and the occasional tremors.


    Then there were articles about the number of deaths that had been reported over the past few days, the number of injured people who were rescued.


    But what really caught her attention was the breaking news that was catching attention with each passing second. It left her stunned. A super typhoon was on its way and it was expected to strike the northern regions of Starship Country within next ten hours.


    Grace felt her heart sinking as she realized that Sunspire City was uncomfortably close to the northern end of the country. While the typhoon¡¯s direct impact might miss the city, she knew that the outskirts would not escape its wrath.


    She chose Sunspire City for its safety. Perched on higher ground, it had withstood the apocalyptic rain and floods better than most places in the previous timeline. Though there were some landslides and mudslides, the damages had been minimal compared to the havoc in other regions. There was also no danger of earthquakes.


    But she didn¡¯t anticipate a super typhoon to suddenly active out of nowhere. In the previous timeline, it had rained for a month straight, causing devastating floods and other disasters like landslides and sinkholes, but no typhoon had come until much later, not until the appearance of the Shadow Rain. This anomaly was unsettling. The timeline was changing, and not in subtle ways.


    Letting out a deep sigh, she picked up her phone and dropped a message in the group chat, informing others about the upcoming typhoon since she knew no one had noticed this news yet.


    Though there had been no power supply for nearly ten days, the phones of all the residents living on the top three floors were working just fine thanks to Grace, except for the person living in Unit 2102. She had been charging the power banks in her space and then handing them over to the teams for them to charge their phones. It helped them in staying connected.


    After she was done sending the message, she headed to the bedroom to get some sleep.


    -


    When the typhoon arrived, it unleashed its fury with terrifying force. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As expected, northern cities faced the worst, with roaring winds tearing roofs off houses and hurling debris through the air. Water flowed down the streets with force, carrying vehicles and wreckage with it. Trees were uprooted, crashing into buildings and blocking escape routes. Power lines snapped like fragile threads, plunging more cities into a deadly darkness. In some areas, the already saturated ground gave way, triggering more massive mudslides that swallowed homes and lives in their path.


    The typhoon¡¯s outer bands reached Sunspire City by evening. Though it wasn¡¯t as destructive as the northern regions, it still brought torrential rain and fierce winds.


    Grace was standing by the window in her living room, watching the storm¡¯s rage from the safety of her apartment. The sturdy Greenstone Residential Area was designed to withstand severe weather, but even so, the howling wind and pounding rain were a grim reminder of the chaos outside.


    [Days until Doomsday: 59 Days, 19 Hours]


    The timer was slowly, but steadily ticking, pulling the inevitable closer. Everything she looked at the timer set inside the system, she found herself recalling that dreadful day from the previous timeline. It was a pure miracle that she survived the great day of doom in her previous life. She just hoped that she could be lucky enough to survive it again.


    But with every new change in the happenings of the current timeline, she found herself wondering if she was indeed prepared for what was coming. Supplies and strength alone couldn¡¯t confirm her survival. One of her biggest weapons for survival was undoubtedly her knowledge of the apocalypse from the previous timeline, but she was realizing that it might not be that strong of a weapon.


    Stepping away from the window, she headed out of her apartment and toward the upper floor to join the two teams for the training session. While the world outside continued to sybmerge in water and death, she and her people continued to train within the safety of their apartments to increase their physical health.


    The stronger they would be physically, the easier it would be for them to handle the Shadow Rain and gain access to the superpowers instead of the disease. That was why she had been forcing her team to practice everyday while feeding them with healthy and a balanced-diet food.


    Ever since Davian joined her, she did the same with his men as well. And since a few days ago, she had started doing this with Dr. Kian as well. While he couldn¡¯t train because of his injuries, she still made him exercise a little and fed him a lot of food.


    The only person who wanted her attention but wasn¡¯t getting any, belonged to Unit 2102.

 Chapter 74: A Clear Warning

    The rain only intensified after the typhoon. It poured down relentlessly as if the skies themselves were waging war against the Earth.


    As the thirtieth day arrived, Grace was hoping for the storms to finally start slowing down, just as they had in her previous life. But this time, the rain showed no sign of stopping. Instead, it grew only fiercer because of the super typhoon.


    The country was drowning. Thousands had lost their lives, and countless others were injured or displaced from their homes. Entire towns and cities were submerged, and the residents were forced to flee to higher grounds or huddle in overcrowded rescue stations.


    The government was struggling with the rescue mission. There weren¡¯t enough places to keep the rescued people, resources were stretched thin, and the unyielding storms were destroying or hindering every attempt at effective aid.


    Though the military and frontline forces were working tirelessly as they evacuated survivors, set up makeshift shelters in high-rise buildings, and distributed dwindling supplies, the harsh weather made every mission hard if not outright impossible.


    Helicopters were struggling against the fierce winds, boats were capsized in the rushing floods or got lost in the giant sinkholes, and rescuers were risking their lives with every attempt of rescue.


    The situation in Building K12 was also changing once again. Since supplies dropped by the military ten days earlier were nearly gone and the rain continued fiercely, the water rose up to the first floors of the buildings and panic started spreading like wildfire.


    Driven by hunger and fear, the acts of robbery and theft resurfaced among the residents of not only Greenstone Residential Area but throughout the country. It started in the nearby buildings and spread to Building K12 in no time. Those who were desperate enough targeted their neighbors. They broke into apartments to steal what little food or supplies remained. Yet, no one dared to approach the top three floors.


    For the residents of Building K12, the twentieth floor and the two above were off-limits. After what happened to the group of men who tried to break into twentieth floor days ago, the residents were scared from those living up there.


    But as days started passing and the desperation and panic grew further, the fear was slowly subsiding.


    On the thirty-fifth night, a group of six men from the lower floors decided to take their chances. This time, they didn¡¯t repeat the same mistake as the previous time. They were armed with knives and makeshift weapons as they climbed the darkened stairwells, heading to the twentieth floor. They were determined to force their way into the forbidden floors.


    The first obstacle in their way was the metal door barring the staircase entrance to the twentieth floor. It was solid and locked tight as usual. For a long time, they tried to break it down. Their muffled grunts and clanging tools echoed in the cold, damp stairwell.


    Since there was no power, the elevator wasn¡¯t working, and thus, the entrance of the elevator to the twentieth floor was no longer available for them to try their luck on. Hence, they were stuck with the stairwell entrance.


    Though they once again failed at unlocking the metal door, their real plan actually worked just like they were expecting. Finally, the sound of their efforts drew attention and the metal door was pulled open from the other side.


    Just like the previous time, a group of five people was standing in the hallway. All of them were dressed in those leather fighting gears, looking as dangerous and mysterious as ever.


    The intruders wasted no time as they raised their weapons and started shouting threats. "We know you have food! Hand it over, or we will take it ourselves!"


    But the residents of the twentieth floor did not flinch even a little, neither they appeared surprised. Instead, they silently unsheathed their own weapons.


    Before the group of men from lower floors could have realized what was going on, the group in leathers was already moving with terrifying precision.


    One of the intruders fell as a dagger sliced cleanly across his throat. Another screamed as a blade plunged into his chest and pierced his heart. A third crumpled to the floor, his neck twisted unnaturally.


    Then, a sharp crack of a gunshot echoed through the stairwell and the fourth man slumped with a bullet lodged in his skull. Two more men dropped moments later with bullets shot right through their hearts.


    In no time, only two out of the eight men remained standing. They both were trembling violently as they looked at their fallen companions.


    From the group of fighters of the twentieth floor, a familiar woman stepped forward whom one of the two men recognized immediately from his last visit. Just like last time, her expression was calm and her voice was cold as she addressed them.


    "You will serve as a warning." She said while tilting her head to the side and looking at the two of them with a glint in her eyes. That look in her eyes terrified the two men to their very core. All of a sudden, they wanted to run away to save their lives. But they didn¡¯t have that option left. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Your deaths will protect your fellow residents from making the same mistake." She added and a smile suddenly bloomed on her lips.


    In a single, fluid motion, she withdrew two identical daggers and drove them into the necks of the last two men. Blood sprayed all over the walls and floor, even on Valeska¡¯s face and clothes. The next moment, the two men collapsed on the cold floor, lifeless even before they hit the ground.


    The fighters cleaned their weapons without a word with their faces unbothered by the carnage that just took place.


    "After tonight, everyone will learn that the top floors were not just forbidden, but a fortress of ruthless survivalists who shouldn¡¯t be messed with." Valeska said as she spared one last glance at the eight dead bodies spread across the hallway.

 Chapter 75: Soul Alchemy

    The dimly lit corridor was filled with a metalic scent... one that was coming from the blood that was almost everywhere - it was covering the bodies, pooling around them, covering the walls and the floor. The entire hallway of twentieth floor was a grim reminder of the battle that ended about five minutes ago.


    Grace was currently present in the hallway with some of her own an Davian¡¯s men. At this point, both of their teams were working together - switching and merging their tasks.


    She had her hands resting on her hips as she surveyed the mess. Eight bodies were sprawled at odd angles around the narrow stairwell entrance. The place was a complete mess. She let out a small sigh and turned her very unimpressed gaze at Valeska who was almost hiding behind Ryan, or at least trying to hide.


    It was Rio who broke the tense silence first, asking the most important question. "What¡¯s the plan, Boss?"


    That¡¯s right. Davian¡¯s men had started calling her Boss, and no matter how many times she had tried to talk them out of it, no one was listening to her. They all were just like their master - stubborn.


    Before Grace could have responded, a familiar voice spoke - "Let me handle them."


    She froze as she recognized him, and her senses sharpened immediately. She turned toward the direction from where the voice came and her icy gaze locked onto the figure ascending the stairs. His sudden and unexpected appearance put her men on alert as well, and she didn¡¯t even need to look behind her to know that they all were ready to take down the intruder if the situation called for it.


    And while she didn¡¯t know it for sure, she could tell that no one there was a real match to him. This intruder wasn¡¯t just anyone - it was Rune.


    He was standing at the bottom of the stairs, fully clothed for a change. His blue orbs followed her every move with a hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he moved closer. His each step was deliberate and unhurried.


    She felt the men behind her straightening as their instincts put them on defensive mode when they noticed Rune walking closer. Before any of them could have taken any action, she raised one of her hands, signaling them to relax while she returned her gaze to Rune.


    He stopped right in front of her, just a breath away. He was so close that she was able to feel the faint energy radiating from him. His audacity to approach her like this, in a scene so drenched in danger, only confused her more. Yet, his calm demeanor made her curiosity flare.


    "What are you talking about?" She asked while watching him closely.


    "You don¡¯t need to be so tense, Ms. Blackwood." His voice was smooth, even laced with an edge of amusement. He then stepped closer, invading her personal space without hesitation. "I¡¯m here to help, not harm."


    He leaned in slightly, putting them intensely close. Their faces were only inches apart. Grace narrowed her eyes and her body instinctively shifted into a defensive posture. Her hand slipped into her sleeve, retrieving a dagger she aimed at his throat in one swift motion.


    But he didn¡¯t even flinch. Instead, his gaze softened and his smirk widened. "What are you planning to do with these... bodies?" he asked, his tone almost playful.


    "Throw them off the building," she replied coldly while pressing the sharp pointy tip of the blade against his throbbing pulse. "The water will carry them away. No traces left. Sound good?"


    If her plan was to scare him, then she failed big time. Instead of feeling intimidated, Rune actually appeared thoughtful for a second or two about her question before slowly shaking his head in disapproval, completely ignoring the dagger¡¯s pointy edge that was just seconds away from piercing his skin.


    "Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s very unhygienic?" He suddenly asked.


    "..."


    Grace found herself at a loss for words as she stared at him with a frown decorating her face. Before she could have found anything to say, he was speaking again.


    "Garbage-strewn streets, bloodied walls, and bodies piling up. Is this the world you want to survive in?" he asked, gesturing toward the grim scene around them. "Survival isn¡¯t just about staying alive, Ms. Blackwood. It¡¯s about keeping the world worth living in. You should know that your actual survival is related to the survival of your world too... or maybe... revival of it."


    Realizing that there was no use of the dagger, Grace pulled it away and let it slip inside her space before asking, "Am I supposed to clean up the streets from all the... garbage too?" Her gaze shifting to the bodies behind her for a moment before returning to the man standing in front of her. "How am I even gonna do it?" She added next.


    Rune arched his eyebrows at her words before his smile grew even bigger. "Just like I said, there¡¯s no survival if this world will become uninhabitable. As for how you can take care of this matter... how about letting me handle it?"


    She narrowed her eyes, glaring at the young man as she found herself questioning his true motives. "How?" She asked, curious to know what he was planning this time.


    Instead of answering, he shifted his gaze from her to the group of men who were standing behind her with their weapons ready to be used if the situation called for it. Though he didn¡¯t say anything, she understood exactly what he wanted.


    Turning her head to look at Rio, she signaled him with her eyes. She could tell that he was hesitant, but just as she expected, he didn¡¯t disobey her order and immediately left with the rest of the team. But instead of leaving the floor, they disappeared inside one of the three units on the twentieth floor.


    Once Grace and Rune were left alone... with eight dead bodies, they once again turned their attention toward each other. Grace didn¡¯t speak, but arched her eyebrows high while silently waiting for him to finally answer her previous question.


    He didn¡¯t answer her question with words, instead, he showed it to her directly. He spread his left hand out and a bright blue light came out of it, surrounding all eight bodies. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace watched as something weird happened and all eight bodies suddenly turned into small light balls. All eight of them were red and of the size of candies.


    "What did you...?" She was too stunned to even ask the question properly. Yet, he answered it without wasting any time. "It¡¯s called Soul Alchemy. These dead bodies are now converted in these spirit cores that can be used for various purposes."


    Soul Alchemy? Spirit Cores? What is he talking about?


    She shifted her gaze from the spirit cores to the man and then back to the cores. "Did you just... turned those bodies into... lights?" She asked, still stunned by what had taken place in front of her very eyes.


    Grace¡¯s mind raced. She had seen many strange things in the five long years that she spent in the apocalyptic world. There were creatures that defied logic, events that shattered reality - but this was something else entirely. Soul Alchemy? Spirit cores? None of it made sense, yet she couldn¡¯t deny what she had seen.


    He once again didn¡¯t answer her question. Instead, he moved his other hand and removed all the blood stains that were plastered all over the walls and floor of the hallway. One moment ago, there was a lot of blood in the hallway, and the very next moment, there was absolutely nothing there, as if the blood bath didn¡¯t happen in the first place.


    Once he was done, he once again stepped closer to her and stood right in front of her. That signature smirk of his was back on his face as he stared right into her eyes and spoke in a husky voice that only deepened his already deep voice. "If you want to know more, you need to put in some real efforts, Ms. Blackwood."


    Grace¡¯s breath hitched, though she masked it with a glare. His proximity was unnerving, not just because of the physical closeness but because of the way he seemed to look straight through her.


    He then stepped back and smiled at her before turning around and walking away. She watched as he ascended the stairs and disappeared from her sight.


    She hesitated, her instincts screaming at her to let him go. Rune was dangerous, unpredictable, and far too powerful. Yet, something about him tugged at her curiosity. His words, his actions - they hinted at knowledge far beyond anything she had encountered before.


    She took in a deep breath before following after him, but it seemed like she wasn¡¯t quick enough because there was no sign of him anywhere in the hallway. She headed straight to Unit 2102 but before she could have knocked, the door was pulled open from the inside...!

 Chapter 76: Answers

    It happened way too suddenly... a hand grabbed her wrist and Grace was pulled inside the apartment. The next thing she knew, her back was pressed against the now closed door and Rune was standing there in front of her, caging her against the door with his giant frame.


    She should have fought back, broken free from him and taught him a lesson for his audacious actions, and yet, she found herself doing none of those. She just stood there, looking into his eyes that were once again filled with such an intensity that she felt a shiver running down her spine.


    All of a sudden, she was reminded of the dream she had about him a while ago. The moment she recalled those memories, her gaze dropped to his lips and she found herself feeling another weird sensation that was building deep in her belly.


    "Everything alright, Ms. Blackwood? You are looking slightly troubled." Rune asked as he inched his face closer, putting their mouths merely breaths away from one another¡¯s.


    That move was so unexpected that Grace tried to press herself back against the door, but there was no place for her to go. She was indeed trapped there. When she failed to pull away, she returned her gaze to his eyes and found him looking at her with a knowing smile on his lips. He knew exactly what he was doing, as well as exactly what it was doing to her.


    "Ms. Blackwood?" He called again when she remained silent for way too long. His eyes were staring into hers as if they were seeking a truth that he was unable to hear in her words or see through her actions.


    "What do you think you are doing?" She asked while narrowing her gaze and glaring at him with unhappiness. She really didn¡¯t like the way he made her feel almost helpless in these weird situations that he ended up creating just for her.


    In response, he arched an eyebrow before speaking, "I¡¯m just catching the person who was trying to force her way into my house."


    Grace stared at him in shock. "When did I-" she didn¡¯t get to finish her question as he was speaking once again. "How about this, Ms. Blackwood - since you are in my house, I¡¯ll be the one making the rules here? Huh?"


    She opened her mouth, ready to tell him that no such thing was going to happen, but she didn¡¯t get the chance as he was speaking again.


    "The rules are like this - If you want to know answers to your questions, then you need to stay here. But in that case, I¡¯ll be the one holding all the power here. But if you can¡¯t handle me being in power..." he suddenly let go of her her completely and stepped back before continuing, "... then you can leave right now."


    Grace watched as he gave her a small wink before turning around. He then left her there standing all alone while he walked into the living room and settled down on the big couch with his back facing her.


    She stood there for a few moments, trying to decide what she should do next. And once she knew her answer for sure, she felt irritated at herself and the man. She wasn¡¯t liking the way he was making her feel helpless.


    She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. A moment later, she let out a sigh and finally opened her eyes. Without wasting another moment, she headed straight toward the living room. Stopping right in front of him, she confessed, "I want to know what you did to those bodies."


    The smile that was playing on his lips only became bigger, highlighting his satisfaction and increasing Grace¡¯s irritation at the same time. The way he made her feel so lost all the times - was something she had never felt before. No matter how hard she tried, she always seemed to be standing at the short end of the stick.


    "I have already told you the answer. The technique I used is known as Soul Alchemy. It¡¯s an ancient magical technique that is extremely dangerous and almost forbidden because it can be used to turn all those, who carries a soul within them, to be turned into spirit cores. These spirit cores can be used for several purposes... powerful and dangerous ones." He explained with patience.


    Grace stared at him for a while before asking, "You have powers... like magic?" And much to her surprise, he nodded his head in a positive response.


    Her gaze shifted from his face to the jade ring on his index finger and she asked another question. "Are your powers related to your ring?"


    This time, he shook his head in a negative response before answering, "My powers don¡¯t come from the ring, but they are somewhat connected to it."


    "Where did you get your ring from? How do you know about my jade bracelet?" She asked more questions, her curiosity peaking as she eagerly waited to finally learn some answers. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Surprisingly, Rune continued to provide her with the answers.


    "It was my Master who let me inherit his ring. As for how I know about your jade... my Master told me about it."


    Master? Grace felt slightly lost at the term. She wondered exactly what that term of address really meant here, because to her, Rune didn¡¯t seem like someone who would work under someone. Thus, it seemed like it was not the Master-subordinate relationship, but actually Master-discipline one.


    "Who¡¯s your Master?" She asked next.


    Unfortunately, he was done answering. "That¡¯s all I¡¯m going to tell you today. If you want to know more, you are always welcome to come and find me here."


    She wanted to press for more answers, but she knew that he wouldn¡¯t budge. With that realization, she turned to head toward the door and leave the apartment. But she never got the chance as he once again grabbed her wrist and pulled her, causing her to fall directly into his waiting arms.

 Chapter 77: The Passionate Kiss (I)

    Grace landed straight into Rune¡¯s waiting arms, her soft body coming in contact with his hard one.


    It was as if he was waiting for that to happen because his arms immediately circled her waist and pinned her in place, keeping her pressed against him.


    "Where do you think you are going? Did you forget that I¡¯m the one in power here? You can¡¯t leave until I¡¯ll say so." He reminded her in that deep voice of his that made her toes curl. And then there was that intense look in his eyes that felt like burning lava against her icy skin.


    "I... I should leave." She finally whispered the words out, barely managing to say them in the first place as her brain was completely clouded by him and the things he was making her feel.


    Her fingers, that were pressed against his shoulders, curled slightly around his shirt while she tried to calm herself down. But it turned out to be a futile attempt when she heard his response.


    "You are exactly where you should be... in my arms. You should stay here and have some rest."


    Her eyes locked with his and all she saw in those icy-blue orbs was a desire for her that made her swallow hard. She watched as his gaze dropped from her eyes to her throat before traveling up and stopping on her lips.


    Stars!


    She could feel the tension between them, and could taste the desire and the attraction that was building with every passing second. Her gaze too dropped to his lips and she once again found herself thinking about the dream. They were so close in that dream, close enough to...


    Shaking away those thoughts, she looked up and fixed her gaze once again on his eyes only to find him looking straight at her. There was no denying that he had seen her looking at his lips.


    She felt one of his hands leaving her waist only to feel his fingers against her cheek merely a moment later. He was looking at her with such intense gaze that she felt at a loss.


    "Stop fighting it already, Ms. Blackwood. You know that you want it too." He whispered as his gaze once again dropped to her lips that were now slightly parted. Then, he suddenly added another statement, one that left her stunned. "We almost did it that night. You were ready to do it."


    His fingers moved further up until his fingers brushed over the tip of her ear. A sudden sensation erupted across her body before collecting at her core. The sensation was so strong that a moan slipped past her lips even before she realized it.


    She stilled when she realized what she had done and looked at him only to find his eyes filled with do much yearning that she failed to hold back anymore.


    Without wasting any more time, she closed the space between them and captured his lips in a kiss.


    Their lips collided, immediately igniting a wildfire of passion that consumed every thought in her mind. Grace¡¯s heart raced, thundering so loudly in her chest that she feared he might hear it. The world around her blurred and faded into nothingness as all her senses honed in on him - his warmth, his scent, his taste. It was overwhelming, intoxicating, and utterly unavoidable.


    Rune didn¡¯t hesitate. The moment her lips met his, he took control, deepening the kiss with a hunger that sent shivers down her spine. His hand slid from her cheek to tangle in her hair, tilting her head back slightly as he devoured her mouth like a starving man. His other hand remained firmly around her waist, anchoring her to him as if he feared she might slip away.


    The intensity of the kiss melted her immediately. His lips were firm yet soft, they moved against hers in a way that made her feel as though she was floating and falling all at once. She gripped his shoulders tighter, curling her fingers into the fabric of his shirt as if it were the only thing keeping her grounded.


    As his tongue traced the seam of her lips, she gasped, which allowed him the entry he was seeking. He didn¡¯t hesitate and explored her mouth with a skill that left her breathless. His taste was a mixture of something dark and sweet, a flavor she hadn¡¯t known existed but now couldn¡¯t imagine ignoring... ever.


    A low growl rumbled in his chest and vibrated against her as he pulled her even closer. She was feeling every inch of his body that was pressed against hers, the hard planes of his chest, the firmness of his arms, and the heat radiating from him. It was like standing too close to a fire - dangerous and exhilarating.


    He broke the kiss for the briefest of moments, just enough to let them catch their breath. He pressed their foreheads together, causing their breaths to mingle while they both struggled to regain control. His icy-blue eyes which were now darkened with desire, locked onto hers.


    "You taste like heaven," he rasped, his voice thick with emotion. "I don¡¯t think I can stop now." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace¡¯s chest heaved as she tried to form a coherent response, but words failed her. Instead, she lifted her hand to touch his cheek. Her fingers were trembling as they traced the sharp line of his jaw. The softness in his gaze melted her resolve entirely.


    "Then don¡¯t," she whispered, her voice barely audible but carrying enough weight to make Rune¡¯s grip tighten around her.


    He didn¡¯t need any further encouragement. He immediately captured her lips again, this time with even more fervor. His kisses were no longer gentle but demanding, possessive. He kissed her like he was claiming her, branding her as his. And Grace found herself giving over to him completely, matching his intensity with her own.


    Her hands left his shoulders to wrap around his neck, pulling him impossibly closer, as she kissed him back without holding back.

 Chapter 78: The Passionate Kiss (II)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - -


    Grace felt as the hand on her waist begin to roam. It trailed up her back before sliding down to rest on her hip. His touch was firm and ignited a trail of fire wherever it went.


    She shivered as his lips left hers, only to travel down the line of her jaw. He placed slow, deliberate kisses along her skin and each one sent jolts of electricity through her body. When he reached the sensitive spot just below her ear, she gasped softly. Her fingers dug into his hair as she felt his lips brushing against the spot once again.


    "Rune," she breathed. Her voice was trembling with a mixture of need and astonishment at what was actually happening.


    Hearing his name on her lips only seemed to spur him on. He shifted and his lips started trailing down her neck, leaving a path of heat in their wake.


    "You have no idea how long I have waited for this," he murmured against her skin. His voice was a deep rumble that sent shivers cascading down her spine.


    Her body responded to him instinctively, arching toward him as if begging for more. Her fingers tightened in his hair further, pulling him closer as another soft moan escaped past her slightly parted lips. Every nerve in her body was alight and every sensation was heightened.


    Rune pulled back slightly and his gaze raked over her flushed face. His eyes were filled with a mixture of desire, admiration, and something deeper, something that made her heart clench.


    "You¡¯re so beautiful," he said, his voice coming hoarse but sincere. "I can¡¯t get enough of you."


    Before she could have form any words to respond, his lips were on hers again, this time softer but no less passionate. The kiss was slower, more deliberate, as if he was savoring every second.


    Grace felt her walls crumbling, her carefully constructed defenses falling away under the weight of desire. Her hands moved from his hair to his chest and she felt the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her palms. It was a grounding presence, a reminder that this moment was real, that he was real.


    On the other hand, his hands continued to explore - one remained on her hip while the other slid up her back to cradle her neck where he brushed his thumb against her jaw. It was a small, tender gesture that contrasted with the intensity of their kiss.


    When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless, their chests were rising and falling in unison. She stared into his eyes while her mind spun and her heart pounded. She didn¡¯t know what to say, how to put into words the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her.


    Rune didn¡¯t speak either, but the look in his eyes said a lot. The two of them just stared into each other¡¯s eyes for a while before he stood up, taking her along with such ease that she felt surprised. She immediately wrapped her legs around his waist, locking them in place as he started walking.


    She kept her gaze focused on his as he headed somewhere while holding her closely. Before she knew it, they were kissing again. It seemed like they couldn¡¯t get enough of each other. Their tongues danced together in perfect sync, igniting a dangerous fire deep within them.


    He finally stopped walking a few moments later, but she didn¡¯t pull back at all. Their kiss continued as he lowered her until her feet touched the floor. His arms circled her waist once again as he forced her back until she felt the edge of the bed behind her.


    With one more push, she was falling on the bed while he followed right after her. His lips found her all over again, kissing her like there was no tomorrow. She was able to feel his weight as he hovered over her, his lower body settling between her legs.


    The moment their lower bodies came in contact, she was able to feel his hard erection right against her inner thigh. Not holding herself back anymore, she reached out to unbutton his dark green silk shirt. Her fingers took no time as they unbuttoned the top three buttons, but then he took over the job.


    She watched as he pulled back and unbuttoned the rest of the buttons before taking off the shirt, allowing her a full view of his perfectly built upper body. She didn¡¯t hold back as she took him in, but she wasn¡¯t given enough time to enjoy what she was seeing as he once again distracted her as he lowered himself and kissed her again.


    And while the kiss was deep snd passionate, it didn¡¯t last for too long. His lips left hers and started trailing a sweet path down her throat. He kissed her collarbone and the swell of her breasts before stopping at the neckline of the top she was wearing.


    He looked up and locked his gaze with hers as he pulled her up into a sitting position and reached out for the hem of her top. In one swift motion, he pulled the top off her and threw it down the bed.


    He was then following her down on the mattress as he trailed kisses down her collarbone, the valley between her breasts, and then down her belly. One of his hands made its way behind her, unhooking her bra and pulling it off, revealing her perky breasts to his hungry graze.


    Grace¡¯s heart was thumping wildly as she watched him taking her in, noticing how his gaze turned darker. The next moment, he lowered his face and took her left nipple in his mouth.


    She gasped out loud as his warm tongue attacked her already hard bud. Sparks erupted all over her body and she arched her back to press herself more into him. He showed no mercy as he devoured her like he had been starved for way too long.


    S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 79: The Passionate Kiss (III)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - -


    Grace moaned as pleasure overwhelmed her. She couldn¡¯t recall when was the last time she experienced something like this. Rune knew exactly what to do. He sucked on her nipple, played with it using his tongue, and then even lightly nipped on the swell of her breast to leave an angry red mark.


    Once he was done with her left breast, he shifted his attention to the right one while his hand massaged the former. With all these overwhelming attention, it was impossible for her to stay silent and not react.


    She writhed under him as he continued to pleasure her. She was still lost in the intense sensations that were swarming her when she felt his other hand on the waistband of her jeans.


    With one last flick of his tongue over her bud, he pulled away and moved his other hand down her body until they too came to rest on the waistband of her jeans. He unbuttoned the jeans before pulling down the fly and then dragging the jeans down.


    She complied and lifted her hips, watching as he pulled the jeans down her legs and threw them down the bed, making it join the top and bra that were already on the floor. Then without waiting, he did the same to her panty. Within less than a minute, she was left completely naked in front of him.


    All of a sudden, Grace found herself feeling nervous and a little shy, something she hadn¡¯t felt in a long while, as Rune took his time to take in her very naked appearance. His gaze roamed over her entire naked body, taking in every single detail.


    She knew that she had an amazing body - full curves in all the right places, smooth and milky skin, toned body, and long slender legs - she carried a perfect body. And yet, she held her breath as she watched him taking her in.


    When he was finally done moments later, he looked up and fixed his gaze on her face before stating - "You are extremely beautiful... perfect."


    Grace said nothing and just watched in silence as he leaned down and placed a kiss right below her belly button. Instead of pulling back after that, he continued trailing more kisses further south, inching closer toward her aching core that was desperate for his attention.


    The tension in the air was palpable, it was charged with an intimacy that she didn¡¯t anticipate to escalate so quickly. What they were doing at the moment was nowhere on her schedule of the day.


    Her breath hitched as Rune continued his downward journey. His every kiss was sending ripples of heat coursing through her entire body. She had never felt this vulnerable yet desired, her body responded to his every touch with an intensity she hadn¡¯t known was possible.


    Her fingers found their way into his hair once again and she clutched on them softly as he pressed his lips just above the spot where her need was most urgent. Just when she was expecting him to continue, he paused and looked up at her.


    His gaze was dark and full of hunger, but there was also something softer - a silent question as if he was seeking permission.


    She found herself slolwy nodding, aware of how her cheeks were flushed crimson while her heart hammered in anticipation of what was coming next.


    Her permission was all he needed as he immediately lowered his face once again and his warm breath hit her sensitive skin. The very next moment, his lips finally found her aching core.


    She gasped out loudly as a powerful sensation erupted through her lower bud and spread across her body, forcing every other thought out of her head but him and the pleasure he was making her experience.


    The gasp was soon followed by a moan when she felt him replacing his lips with his tongue. He trailed a path between her folds before stopping at her clit and giving it a hard suck.


    He then planted a few kisses on her inner thigh before sucking harshly on a certain part, leaving yet another mark on her smooth skin.


    When his lips finally returned to her waiting clit, she tried to arch her back and press herself against his mouth as her desire overwhelmed her. But he kept her in place with the help of his hand that was placed over her lower belly.


    Every movement of his tongue was deliberate, skilled, and maddeningly perfect. Her fingers tightened in his hair as a broken moan escaped her lips.


    Time seemed to blur as he continued to pleasure her. Each stroke of his tongue was seemingly unraveling her piece by piece. He was relentless yet gentle, taking his time to explore her with an intensity that left her trembling.


    She could barely process the overwhelming waves of pleasure washing over her. It didn¡¯t take long before she felt her body growing taut as she felt herself nearing the edge.


    "Please," she whispered in a barely audible voice which was laced with desperation.


    Her plea seemed to spur him on. His hands gripped her thighs firmly, holding her in place as his movements became more focused. Within moments, the pressure building inside her exploded, sending her spiraling into a release so intense that she cried out his name while her body trembled uncontrollably as powerful waves of pleasure washed over her.


    He didn¡¯t stop until her breathing began to slow and her body softened under his touch. Only then did he pull away. His lips were glistening as he looked up at her with a satisfied smile. She watched as he crawled back up her body, his weight comforting and grounding as he hovered over her. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You¡¯re incredible," he murmured while brushing a strand of her hair away from her flushed face. He then leaned down and kissed her softly, letting her taste herself on his lips.


    Grace¡¯s heart swelled at the tenderness of the kiss which was a stark contrast to the raw passion they had just shared.

 Chapter 80: The Passionate Kiss (IV)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - -


    Grace wasn¡¯t sure for how long they kissed. She was completely lost in him and the moment. Het hands found their way to his chest, tracing the contours of his muscles.


    She knew she wanted him - no, needed him - more than she had ever needed anyone before. Her hands moved lower, trailing down his torso until they reached the waistband of his trousers. She fumbled with the button, her nerves were making her fingers clumsy.


    "Let me," he spoke softly as he pulled back from her. His voice was thick with desire, making it obvious that he was nowhere near stopping anytime soon. He stood at the edge of the bed and unbuttoned his trousers before pushing them down along with his boxers.


    Grace felt her breath hitching as he revealed himself. Her eyes widened slightly as she took him, all of him. He was beautiful - every inch of him.


    He was huge too... and hard. His length was standing at attention, letting her know exactly how much he wanted her.


    She swallowed hard and her gaze shifted back to his face. Her nervousness was mixed with anticipation as she watched him climbing back onto the bed. His movements were slow and deliberate as if to tempt her even more than she already was.


    He finally settled down between her legs, his body aligning perfectly with hers as he leaned down to kiss her. His lips captured hers and he poured every ounce of emotion he felt into that single act.


    As their lips moved together, he reached down between them and his fingers found her dripping entrance. Without wasting any time, he slipped one of his fingers inside her, making her gasp into the kiss.


    The pleasure and those tingles sweet returned as he moved his finger inside her, stretching her with every pump. He didn¡¯t wait for long before he added another finger, moving them at a dangerous speed that made her clung to him for life.


    The pleasure was building again and Grace realized that she was once again inching closer to another release. But he then suddenly stopped.


    Her heart was racing wildly in the confinement of her chest as she watched him picking up a small packet from somewhere on the bed. The moment she got a clear look at the packet, she realized that it was a condom.


    She watched as he tore the packet open and took out the condom before slipping it on with ease. Their eyes met as he positioned himself against her entrance and she finally felt him pushing into her. She inhaled deeply as he entered her, it made her feel both overwhelmed and intimate.


    He didn¡¯t move for a moment or two before he finally started pushing himself further inside her. Both of them groaned out loudly as he finally buried himself completely deep inside her.


    They both were breathing heavily as he stilled once again, giving her time to adjust to him. After what seemed like a few long seconds, he finally started moving again. But he still kept his pace cautious, giving her time to adjust to the sensation.


    She clung to him as he pulled out only to bury himself all over again. Every thrust was sending sparks of pleasure coursing through her. She dug her nails into his shoulders as her body stretched to accommodate him.


    "Are you okay?" He asked. His voice was strained and his control was evident in the tension of his muscles.


    "Yes," Grace whispered in response as she gazed into his beautiful eyes. This was the first time she allowed herself to really delve into the depths of those icy-blue orbs. "You have really beautiful eyes." She suddenly found herself confessing and noticed as a smile curved the corners of his lips.


    "So do you." He added before he pressed a soft kiss against her lips before pulling away and focusing on his thrusts.


    He kept his pace slow. His each thrust was deliberate and measured. Everytime he buried himself deep in her, she felt like she was floating in a sea of pleasure. Every nerve in her body felt alive and hummed with sensation.


    They were moving together in perfect harmony, their bodies fitting as if they had been made for each other. The room was filled with the sounds of their shared passion - soft moans, ragged breaths, and the rhythmic creak of the bed.


    His thrusts slolwy picked up their speed and he started pounding into her relentlessly, pushing her toward the edge and chasing his own release.


    Grace felt herself climbing higher with every thrust and the coil in her belly tightened once again. It was a familiar feeling, one that made her aware of what was coming.


    Rune might have realized it too because he leaned down once again to kiss her. Their lips met in a passionate dance as their movements became more frantic. His hands found their way to her breasts and he started massaging them, occasionally playing with her nipples that forced her closer to her release.


    Everything was going perfect but then one of his hands slipped from her breast and made its way south until it found its way to her clit. The moment his thumb brushed over the very point of sensitive bundle of nerves, it sent her hurtling toward the edge once more. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a cry, she shattered beneath him. Her body trembled as waves of ecstasy washed over her.


    Her release triggered his own, and with a guttural groan, he followed her over that very edge. Rune buried himself deep inside her, his body shuddering as he emptied himself as he dropped into her arms, still making sure to not crush her under his full weight.


    The room became extremely silent and the only sounds were that of their rasped breathing and the rain raging outside. For a long moment, neither of them moved. They remained like that, wrapped in each other, for a long while before he finally pulled out from her.

 Chapter 81: Sneaking Away

    The soft patter of rain against the window was the only sound in the room as Grace hurriedly pulled on her clothes. Her heart was pounding, not from fear but from the whirlwind of emotions and realizations crashing down on her.


    The previous night had been unlike anything she had ever experienced, and now, faced with the aftermath, she didn¡¯t know how to feel.


    She grabbed her phone from the bedside table, the brightness of the screen almost blinding her in the dimly lit room. Her breath hitched and she froze in her place when she noticed Rune stirring slightly in the bed, his arm reached out to the empty space she had just vacated.


    She stood there while holding her breath, waiting to see if he would wake up, but he only sighed softly and settled back into sleep. Looking at his peaceful expression, she felt something deep stirring within her.


    She quickly shook her head, trying to dispel the warm feeling blossoming in her chest.


    Focus, Grace. Get out before he wakes up. She reminded herself and crept toward the door. She kept her steps as silent as a shadow, and slipped out of the bedroom.


    She silently made her way toward the door and pulled it open, ready to step out. But her plan to quietly leave came to an abrupt halt when she noticed two familiar figures standing outside her own apartment, just down the hall.


    She instantly ducked back into Rune¡¯s apartment, leaving the door slightly ajar as she peeked out.


    It was Kevin and Jasper.


    Her heart sank as she watched them talking. Kevin, as usual, had a calm yet authoritative air about him, while Jasper looked impatient with his foot tapping against the floor.


    "She¡¯s not answering the door," Jasper grumbled, ringing the bell again. "What if something happened to her?"


    Kevin frowned, checking his watch. "It¡¯s past ten. She¡¯s never this late. Let me call her."


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened in panic. She quickly fumbled with her phone and set it to silent mode just as Kevin¡¯s name appeared on the screen. She barely suppressed a sigh of relief and cut the call before sending a message.


    [Let me sleep. Don¡¯t disturb me until noon.]


    Through the crack in the door, she watched Kevin read the message aloud. In response, Jasper snorted. "Since when does she sleep in?"


    Kevin shrugged. "If she says leave her alone, we leave her alone. Let¡¯s go. We will check back later."


    As the two men walked away, Grace sagged against the doorframe and her nerves finally settled. She watched the hallway for a moment longer to ensure it was clear before stepping into the open.


    Time to get out of here before anything else goes wrong, she thought.


    But just as she took a step toward the door, a strong hand gripped her arm and pulled her back inside. She turned sharply, only to find herself face-to-face with Rune, his piercing eyes locking onto hers.


    Grace froze as she met Rune¡¯s questioning gaze. His deep blue eyes held an unreadable expression, and for a moment, she felt like a child caught sneaking out of class. His hand was warm and firm on her arm, grounding her amidst her panicked thoughts.


    "Where are you going?" His voice was soft but carried a hint of curiosity.


    She hesitated and her mind raced to think of an excuse that wouldn¡¯t sound ridiculous. "I... I just needed to check something outside," she stammered, avoiding his eyes.


    Rune raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. His gaze flickered to the slightly ajar door, then back to her, and he sighed. "You are trying to sneak away, aren¡¯t you?" he asked, his tone teasing but with a touch of hurt.


    She swallowed hard, realizing she had underestimated how perceptive he was. "It¡¯s not like that," she said quickly. "I just didn¡¯t want to disturb you. You were sleeping so peacefully."


    He let go of her arm and leaned against the wall beside her while crossing his arms over his bare chest. Grace couldn¡¯t help but notice how the morning light highlighted his well-defined muscles and the tattoos, making her cheeks warm in embarrassment.


    Then she noticed him smirking as he caught her wandering gaze. "You know," he said, his voice laced with amusement, "you are not very good at lying."


    Grace felt a mix of frustration and guilt. She looked away, crossing her arms defensively. "Fine. I didn¡¯t want to wake up to... awkwardness," she admitted. "I thought it would be better if I left before things got weird."


    Rune¡¯s smirk softened into a genuine smile. "Awkwardness? Ms. Blackwood, we are both adults. What happened last night was mutual. There¡¯s nothing awkward about it."


    His words caught her off guard, and for a moment, she didn¡¯t know how to respond. He took a step closer, his eyes searching hers. "Unless you regret it," he added quietly.


    Regret. The word echoed in her mind, and she realized she wasn¡¯t entirely sure how she felt. The events of the previous night had been unexpected, even reckless, but she couldn¡¯t deny the connection she had felt with him. Still, the age difference and her own insecurities made her hesitant.


    "I don¡¯t regret it," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it¡¯s... complicated."


    Rune tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. "Complicated how?" he asked. "Because I¡¯m younger than you?"


    Grace blinked, surprised by his bluntness. "Well, yes," she admitted. "You are four years younger than me. Even though that¡¯s not too big of an age difference, you are actually very young... in your early twenties."


    "You are afraid." He suddenly stated as a realization dawned over him, his gaze turning serious as he took another step toward her, closing the distance between them. Gazing into her eyes, he asked, "What are you really afraid of though?"


    She would have loved to deny his words that felt like an accusation, but she knew that he was right. What she didn¡¯t expect to hear were the words he spoke next...


    sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 82: Friends With Benefits

    "Is this about your boyfriends?"


    The word ¡¯boyfriends¡¯ hit Grace with an unseen force, leaving her completely stunned and frozen while she stared at Rune in confusion. "B-boyfriends?" She mustered out when she was finally able to form the word.


    "Right, boyfriends. One from twenty-second floor and other one from twentieth floor. Are you worried about how you are going to explain about us to them?"


    The way Rune talked, it seemed like he was so sure of what he was saying. On the other hand, Grace was way too stunned to even react properly.


    What is he talking about? She found herself wondering while she continued to stand there like a statue while her deep green eyes were fixed on the devilishly handsome face of the man with whom she just spent an extremely intense night.


    "Are you surpised because I know about them?" Rune asked as he tilted his head to the left and looked at her with a soft expression in his eyes. "If I have to be honest, you guys aren¡¯t really doing a great job at keeping your relationship a secret. I¡¯m sure everyone living on these top three floors already know what going on between the three of you-" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There¡¯s nothing going on between the three of us." Grace was finally able to pull herself together and decided to put a full stop on Rune¡¯s misunderstanding before things could go out of control.


    He was clearly surpised by her statement, but didn¡¯t look the least bit convinced which made Grace let out a deep sigh. She locked her gaze on his as she spoke, "I think you are talking about Davian and Dr. Kian. So let me correct you, the two of them aren¡¯t my... boyfriends."


    "Then..." Rune appeared thoughtful, as if he was searching for the right word. A moment later, he continued, "... are you guys friends with benefits?"


    Grace opened her mouth but hardly any word came out as she was completely overtaken by shock. Her gaze turned colder as she stared at the man who was spouting absolute nonsense for some reason.


    "They are my friends. Only friends. Can you stop putting any other label on my relationship with them?" She asked, not hiding that she wasn¡¯t the least bit pleased with him.


    Instead of backing down, he actually snaked one of his arms around her waist and pulled her against him, causing a small gasp of surprise to escape past her lips. Staring down into her beautiful eyes, he spoke, "Why do you keep denying the truth, Ms. Blackwood? Why make yourself believe a lie?"


    Grace stared at him, listening to his twisted questions. She would have loved to say that she didn¡¯t understand what he was trying to say, but she knew that it would be a lie.


    She watched as he raised his other hand and used it to cup her face as he continued speaking - "Stop surrounding yourself with lies. Stop denying yourself what you really want. And most importantly... stop pushing away people who really wants to be there for you."


    She wanted to ask if he was talking about himself too, but couldn¡¯t make herself do it, knowing fully well that things wouldn¡¯t be same after she would learn his answer.


    She took in a deep breath and finally replied, "You don¡¯t understand, Rune. Everything isn¡¯t as easy as you think."


    "Things aren¡¯t easy because you are trying to make them complicated. Stop running and you will see that nothing is that hard." He immediately contradicted her.


    "I can handle my own business. You don¡¯t have to worry." She said, trying to end the topic that was making her feel uncomfortable because of how well he seemed to understand her and her insecurities.


    Instead of stopping like she wanted, Rune asked a question that took her breath away. "And what if I want to become your business as well?"


    Grace started shaking her head, ready to pull out of his hold, but he didn¡¯t allow her. "Let me speak first." He requested and she found herself allowing it with a small nod of her head.


    She knew that it was a huge mistake the moment he started speaking. But it was already too late.


    He took in a deep breath and allowed his hand to slip from her cheek only to take hold of one of her hands. "There¡¯s a lot that I need to tell you. Let¡¯s start with how our first meeting wasn¡¯t just a coincidence."


    "I know." She replied, surpising him in the process. "Everything seemed way too coincidental. I have been having my doubts for a while."


    "Why didn¡¯t you confront me then?" He asked, clearly surpised by her admission.


    Letting out a sigh, she admitted truthfully, "I have a lot of other important matters to handle. The last thing I wanted was to waste my time worrying about why a twenty-two year old boy was trying to insert himself in my life. I changed my mind when I found out about the ring and your powers, I just didn¡¯t know how to approach you. So I decided to wait for you to act first."


    A smile made its way to his lips once Rune realized that he wasn¡¯t always as much in control as he believed. "I shouldn¡¯t have taken you lightly. My fault." He accepted his shortcoming without any issue.


    Pulling his arm away from her waist, he started leading her toward the living area. He settled down on the big couch and pulled her to sit next to him. Once they were seated, he turned to face her fully while still kept holding her hand.


    "That accident was something I planned. I wanted to catch your attention. I then rented this apartment here when I found out about you doing the same. Every time I tried to approach you, it was all planned." He confessed while looking straight into her eyes.


    Grace stared at him, taking in his confessions. "Why did you do that?"

 Chapter 83: The Two Jades

    Grace¡¯s question hung in the air between the two of them while Rune remained silent. A moment later, he let out a sigh and finally spoke, "Do you remember that I told you that I inherited this jade ring from my master?"


    In response, she slowly nodded her head, recalling their previous conversation where he did tell her that his jade ring came from his master.


    "Before his death, my master told me about the jade bracelet that was made out of the same jade as this ring. He told me that it was his lover who carried the jade bracelet and I could find her here in the Mortal Realm. When I came here, I found out that my master¡¯s lover was your grandmother and that now you are the one who carries this jade bracelet."


    Grace struggled to wrap her brain around all that he had revealed. There were way too many questions that she wanted to ask him, way too many confusions about his story. "How did you... even find me and the bracelet?"


    She felt like she didn¡¯t make her question clear enough, but it appeared that he understood exactly what she was trying to ask. "That¡¯s right. The Mortal Realm is huge and there are billions of people living here. It¡¯s absolutely impossible to locate a jade bracelet with the little information I had about it. What really helped me is the connection between the two jades."


    "Connection?" She asked, curious to know what he was talking about.


    To answer her question, he took hold of her left hand, the one with the jade bracelet. He held her hand and the two of them sat there in silence. Confused, she was about to ask what he was doing when she felt it.


    It was a light feeling of warmth, almost unnoticeable, but she felt it almost immediately. She stared at their joined hands and watched as the feeling started growing, and with that, the two jades started glowing as well. Softer at first, but stronger with each passing second.


    Before she could have completely grasped the situation, he let go of her hand and she felt a sudden dizziness hitting her. She shook her head, trying to get rid of lightness that she felt descending over her.


    "Are you alright? I did try my best to hold back my powers." Rune¡¯s voice was filled with worry as he caught her shoulders and looked at her with cincern-filled eyes.


    The dizziness went away just as quickly as came, leaving behind a confused Grace. She looked up at Rune and asked, "What was that? It happened before too." She recalled the familiar feeling she felt when their jades came closer last time.


    "Since these two are made from the same piece of jade, and are crafted by a pair of lovers, they are attached with each other. They react whenever they are close, and seek exchange of powers of their bearers. But since you have no powers, my jade tries to seek your mortal energy, resulting in the dizziness you feel."


    Rune explained as simply as he could. "The warmth you feel, it¡¯s my powers. You would have been able to sense them better if not for the dizziness that takes over you."


    It was way too much, and barely made much sense. But after all that Grace had been through, she knew better than to think that Rune was lying. After all, she possessed a magical bracelet and had already seen him performing magic.


    "So, it was your jade that helped you in finding me and my bracelet?" She asked to confirm.


    In response, Rune nodded his head in affirmation. "It wasn¡¯t easy to find exactly who was my master¡¯s lover because I didn¡¯t know more about her than just her name. After an entire year of search, I was only able to find out that she came to Starship Country. But I lost all the clues after that. It wasn¡¯t until we brush past each other on the International airport of Mapleton City three months ago that I finally found you and the bracelet." S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace was stunned by the new revelation. Who would have thought that just by walking through an airport, she ended up getting herself involved in something like this.


    "You are saying that I was wearing this jade bracelet three months ago?" She asked and Rune once again nodded his head.


    In the previous timeline, she never knew about the jade bracelet. While in this timeline, she found the jade bracelet when she got reborn. Yet, according to Rune, she had been wearing it all this time. It would make sense considering it was a family heirloom and her mother never auctioned it in this timeline.


    "What happened after that?" She asked curious to know more about what he did after he located her and the jade bracelet.


    This time, Rune let out a deep sigh and pointed his accusing gaze on her. "You should know better than anyone just how hard it is to approach you. I followed you to the capital city and spent all my time in finding out about you after that chance encounter. It took me months but I finally had all the information on you that I needed. After that, I planned the accident and the rest."


    If it had been some other situation and some other person, Grace knew that she might have already killed that person. But since it was a special situation and the person confessing in front of her was Rune, she found herself completely devoid of any such thought.


    Did she want to throw him out of the window for what he had done? Yes. Did she want to kill him? The answer was a clear no, and this realization left her surprised.


    Neither of them spoke for a while. He was waiting for her response while she was struggling to decide what to say after learning so much. Finally, she asked, "Why do you need to locate the jade bracelet?"

 Chapter 84: Truth or Lies

    Rune didn¡¯t answer immediately. He actually appeared thoughtful for a moment before speaking, "There¡¯s no particular reason. It¡¯s just... since my master talked about the jades right before his death, he was probably asking me to locate the bracelet. That¡¯s the only reason I started looking for it in the first place."


    Grace studied him closely, trying to see just how much truth he was speaking. What really surpised her was how he had no filter on his face, he was an open book for her to read.


    "What now then?" She found herself asking as she kept her gaze focused on his face. "Since you have found the bracelet, what are you going to do next?"


    She noticed how his expression shifted at her question. He looked lost as he moved his gaze from her face to her hand that he still was holding.


    After what seemed like several long minutes of silence, but was merely a couple of moments, he shook his head and looked up, once again fixing his gaze on her face.


    "I don¡¯t know. When I came to this Realm looking for the bracelet, I was expecting to meet my master¡¯s lover. I would have told her about my master and would have let these two jade pieces meet again. But then I found that she was long gone and you carried the jade. Now, I have told you all about my story and these two pieces of jade have already met. I don¡¯t know what to do next."


    She didn¡¯t have to study him too deeply to know that he was actually lost. He wasn¡¯t just acting like he was clueless about his future, he actually was clueless. Seeing someone as strong-minded as him this lost, she too felt at a loss for right words to speak.


    "Aren¡¯t you... going to return to your world?" She finally asked and noticed how he arched his eyebrows high in response. "I mean... from the way you spoke, it did feel like you came from a different world, maybe the same world from where my grandma and this jade bracelet came."


    In response, Rune nodded his head, confirming her guess. Though she had already thought about it, she still felt shocked at the confirmation of the existence of another world.


    "There¡¯s indeed another world, not just one but several others. As for my world, it¡¯s actually a magical realm and not exactly a planet like yours. It exists right between your world, that is the Earth, and the Red Planet, the world of monsters. The people in Magic Realm are all trained warriors and other elites. Our job is to keep the monsters of Red Planet from breaking into your world."


    [Can you check if he¡¯s telling the truth?]


    Grace could no longer help herself and immediately asked 2025 for help through their shared mindlink. She was trying her best to believe Rune¡¯s stories, but with every new detail he was adding, she was having a hard time believing them.


    [You don¡¯t trust him?] 2025 asked in return.


    [His eyes and expression keeps telling me that he isn¡¯t lying. But can you really blame me for not believing his magical stories about different worlds, elite warriors, and monsters?] She returned in her defense.


    2025 was silent for a few seconds before it finally spoke - [Let me see if there¡¯s a way to verify his stories.] Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you alright? You look slightly lost."


    Rune¡¯s voice pulled her attention back to him and Grace realized that she had diverted her attention from him during her talk with 2025. She quickly shook her head and replied, "I¡¯m just trying to grasp everything you are saying. It¡¯s... a lot to take in."


    In response, he nodded his head in understanding. "I know. If it has been someone else, they might have considered me a psycho. Maybe the only reason you are even listening to me is because of the jade bracelet. Even though what I¡¯m saying may sound way too much, a part of you know that all of it could be true."


    Grace couldn¡¯t disagree. Despite her concerns about his stories, there¡¯s a part of her - a huge part - which knew he¡¯s not lying. She had been through a lot. She had seen the end of the world, had seen humans turning into zombies, had seen weird monsters suddenly attacking the Earth out of nowhere, had returned to the past due to some miracle after dying, and even possessed a magical bracelet.


    Even if after all these she wouldn¡¯t trust him even in the slightest, then she was the stupid one in this situation. Yet, her past taught her not to trust or believe anyone blindly. Even if she believed that Rune¡¯s stories could be true, she wasn¡¯t going to blindly trust him.


    "So... are you going to return to your world?" She asked, returning their conversation back to the question she asked him moments ago.


    With a small sigh, Rune shook his head in a negative response, surpising her in the process. "That was the original plan when I entered your world. But as these sudden natural disasters hit your world out of nowhere, the portal to my world disappeared. It¡¯s been nearly a month since I have been trying to locate it, but there¡¯s no sign of it. Without it, I can¡¯t return to my world."


    [Tell him to give you his ring. We can try to trace the secrets of his rings with the help of the system. That might allow us to find out if he¡¯s indeed speaking the truth.] 2025 suddenly spoke through the mindlink.


    Grace inhaled deeply before she asked in a serious voice, "In case you can¡¯t return to your world, do you want to become a part of my team?"


    "I will love to." Rune replied instantly as if he was waiting for her offer.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate, but she did, though only for a mere second before she spoke, "I might need your ring for a moment."


    She barely finished her sentence and he was already taking off his ring. He put it down on the coffee table sitting in front of their couch.


    [Do we need to bring it inside the space?] Grace asked 2025. [Concering how it keeps trying to create a connection with the bracelet, having it inside the Infinite Realm doesn¡¯t sound like a great idea to me.]


    [Don¡¯t worry. We can scan it from the outside.] 2025 replied before issuing another order. [Tell this hottie to draw the images of the monsters he used to fight against.]


    Grace didn¡¯t bother asking what the little creature was trying to do and just asked Rune if he could draw the images of those monsters. The man was clearly surprised by her request, but he complied and went to grab a notebook and pen.


    He returned merely a minute later and settled down on the couch beside her, focusing his full attention on the notebook in his hand.


    In the meantime, a weird looking gadget appeared in Grace¡¯s hand. It was circular and small, with unknown characters carved all over it. If she had to guess, it was made of plastic but she couldn¡¯t tell for sure just by the exterior.


    [Place it above the ring.] 2025 guided and Grace did exactly as she was told.


    Barely few seconds would have passed before the characters on the gadget started glowing bright blue. It did catch Rune¡¯s attention but he resumed drawing after a mere glance at the gadget.


    "Aren¡¯t you going to ask what I¡¯m doing?" She was unable to stop herself from asking that question.


    "There¡¯s nothing to ask. I know that you are trying to find out if I¡¯m worth trusting. And truth be told, I don¡¯t blame you for being careful in a situation like this. You are doing exactly what should be done. This is exactly what I expected from someone as smart and clear-headed as you." He answered as he kept his gaze focused on the notebook.


    Hearing him praising her, she could only shake her head. Everytime she thought that she had finally cracked him, he ended up leaving her surpised by his actions or words. He was indeed unpredictable, and that trait of his only intrigued her more.


    It took two minutes before the glowing characters of the gadget calmed down and returned to normal. Merely a moment later, she heard 2025 speaking through the mindlink.


    [He¡¯s telling the truth. The powers, the weapons, and the energy present inside this jade ring is exactly the same as what the original Infinte Realm had. The jade material of both these pieces also matches 99.99%. There¡¯s also data about some planets, including a Red Planet, and hundreds of monsters. Most importantly, look at his drawings...]


    Grace¡¯s attention immediately shifted to the notebook sitting on Rune¡¯s lap and she noticed that he had drawn a few figures on it. She inched closer to get a better look and the moment she saw those sketches clearly, a loud gasp escaped her.

 Chapter 85: Davian’s Trust

    "You are distracted, Grace." Davian¡¯s strict, and almost accusing, voice pulled Grace out of the depths of her thoughts. Her gaze focused on the man at the very moment he kicked at her feet, taking her down on the mat and capturing her there within seconds.


    Everything happened so quickly that she barely got enough time to register the attack. Before she knew it, she was on her back on the mat while Davian had her pinned there. She tried to push him off her, but he captured her hands and pressed them against the mat.


    Their position suddenly became way too intimate as he was almost straddling her and his face was inches above hers. Realizing this, she quickly reminded him, "The others are looking Davian."


    In response, she noticed him shaking his head before he replied, "There¡¯s no one here other than the two of us." And then, he pulled away, leaving her stunned.


    Grace immediately moved to a sitting position while her gaze darted around the living room, finally noticing the absence of others. She was so distracted that she didn¡¯t even notice that the two of them were alone and their teams had long left. Even those who lived in Unit 2201, where the current practice was taking place, were not in the apartment.


    "What¡¯s bothering you?" Davian asked as he offered her his hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. The two of them moved toward the kitchen to grab some water while Grace tried to collect her thoughts to answer his question. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Neither of them spoke as Davian grabbed a water bottle and poured her a glass of water before offering it to her. She thanked him and emptied the content in one go, quenching her thirst after the hours long training session.


    Though Davian didn¡¯t press her to answer his question, she knew that he was waiting for her to speak. She let out a deep sigh before pulling a certain paper out of her space. She didn¡¯t try to hide it from him as the paper appeared in her hand out of the blue, and while he was clearly surprised, he said nothing and just waited patiently.


    "Look at this." She said while handing him the paper.


    Davian accepted it and took a look, his eyebrows arching as he clearly recognized the sketches that were drawn on the paper. He shifted his gaze to her and asked, "Why are you drawing them?"


    Grace shook her head before replying, "It¡¯s not me who drew them, but Rune."


    "Rune?" Davian asked, his eyes turning sharp at the mention of an unknown name and that too of a man.


    "My neighbor, the one in Unit 2103." She explained, trying her best to not let him wonder too much about her relation with Rune. It¡¯s not like she wanted to hide anything, she just didn¡¯t know how to handle Davian once he would learn the truth. Most importantly, even she wasn¡¯t too sure about what kind of relation she had with Rune. Though they slept together once, it hadn¡¯t changed much between them... or at least that¡¯s what she believed.


    "I didn¡¯t know you are on talking terms with that kid." Davian said as he returned his gaze back to the paper in his hand. All of a sudden, it became hard to guess exactly what he was thinking.


    Ignoring his statement, she spoke, "I talked to him few days ago and he ended up telling me a lot of things. He also drew this sketch."


    "Is he a reborner as well?" Davian asked, his curiosity increasing about the only resident on the top three floors who wasn¡¯t a part of either of their teams.


    Grace shook her head, dismissing the theory. "He¡¯s not. But his story is just as crazy as ours. He said that he is from a different place - like a different world - and he has been battling with these monsters for nearly his entire life. His job was to keep these monsters from entering our world."


    It was hard to tell whether Davian was surprised or not, whether he believed this story or not. He remained silent for a while with an unreadable expression on his face before finally speaking, "These monsters does look exactly like the ones that attacked Earth in the previous timeline. But if he¡¯s from a different world, what is he even doing here?"


    Grace let out a small sigh before answering, "He came to our world for some reason, but he can no longer return to his place. He said that the the rain and following disasters have disturbed the portal that could have led him back. That portal is gone now. For now, he has no way to return to his world."


    Once again, Davian was silent as he analyzed what she just said. A few moments later, he asked in a serious tone, "Do you trust him?"


    Slowly, Grace nodded her head. "I have used my own way to verify his story... and it seems like he¡¯s telling the truth. I trust him... about 99.99%."


    "Why not 100%?" He asked curiously as he stared right into her eyes, urging her to tell the truth.


    She inhaled deeply before confessing honestly. "Despite everything, I can¡¯t deny the fact that I have known him for barely a month. Trusting him completely this quickly sounds like a stupid idea to me."


    She finally saw a smile making its way to his lips and he gave her a nod of approval. "What are you planning to do about him?"


    "I¡¯m adding him to my team." She dropped the bomb only to find him nodding his head once again. Surprised, she asked, "Are you not against it?"


    "Why should I?" Davian asked in response. "I trust the judgement of the current you. You are nothing like your past self. If you think he¡¯s worth being a part of our team, then I¡¯m going to trust and respect your decision."

 Chapter 86: Country K (I)

    The storm was raging havoc outside while Grace and Davian were enjoying a delicious meal that the former prepared inside her space. It was around seven in the evening and they just sat down to have their dinner.


    "It¡¯s been a month since the rain started. Do you think it¡¯s going to stop anytime soon in the coming few days?" Davian asked as he took a bite of the grilled chicken. His gaze immediately shifted to her, expressing in volumes just how impressed he was with her cooking.


    There were several elective classes that Grace was made to take during Junior High and High School. Back then, she learned several skills like - cooking, sewing, embroidery, home maintenance, gardening, and first aid. It wasn¡¯t until the apocalypse arrived in the previous timeline that she actually started appreciating her father for making her take part in all those classes.


    She might not be an extremely talented cook like Davian, but she knew her way around kitchen very well. She too tasted the chicken and was thrilled at its rich taste that immediately coated her tongue.


    "I¡¯m not sure if the rain will be stopping anytime soon. Things aren¡¯t really going as per the previous timeline. We can only hope for it to stop soon." She finally answered.


    The situation had only worsened in the past few days. The water level was rising even in the Sunspire City because there wasn¡¯t enough space for flooded water to flow out of the city. After basements, now the ground floors had become flooded.


    Since the super typhoon, the storms hadn¡¯t stopped at all, making it extremely hard for the rescue teams to work as they were failing time and again. They could no longer supply food and water, resulting in the current chaos that was seen everywhere.


    People were starving, scared, and turning inhumane with each passing day. They had started killing each other now as attacking alone wasn¡¯t working that well. There were even those who self-exited because they couldn¡¯t handle the hunger and the fear.


    There had been two more incidents where people from lower floors tried to break through the metal door on twentieth floor, and they all were taken care of by Valeska and the rest. Their bodies were then left to Rune as per Grace¡¯s order.


    As all three attempts failed and those people, who went to the top floor to snatch food, never returned, terror grew among the residents of the lower floor. There were several theories about what might have happened to those people. While some did believe they were killed, there were others who thought that these people had betrayed their families and joined those from the top floors to enjoy good food and safety.


    Overall, people were finally starting to fear the top three floors once again. No one was ready to venture up there even if they were starving. This allowed the residents of the top floors to enjoy some peaceful nights of sleep.


    "I received updates this afternoon. The supplies that we ordered previously are all ready now. We just have to wait for rain to stop so that we can go and fetch them." Davian stated as he continued to enjoy the food.


    Grace nodded her head in understanding but there was a frown decorating her face which made him ask - "What¡¯s wrong?" She fixed her gaze on him as she replied, "There¡¯s an issue. Even if the rain stops, we won¡¯t be able to fly to Country K immediately. The airports are flooded and it will take a while before the flights will resume. But we can¡¯t wait as the Shadow Rain might happen at any time. And though I have a private jet, we can¡¯t use it for the time being as it might bring us unnecessary attention."


    Davian reached out and patted the back of her hand that was resting on top of the table. The gesture made her look up at his face and she found him looking straight into her eyes. The calm look on his face made her realize that he already had a solution in mind.


    "Can you help?" She asked.


    He nodded his head and spoke, "It seems like you have forgotten something - I can open portals."


    Grace opened her mouth in surprise, recalling such a big thing that she had completely forgotten about. "That¡¯s right." She stated with excitement but soon calmed down as she thought of something. "Don¡¯t your portal opening power has a limit?"


    Usually, most of superpowers that were woken during the previous timeline had some sort of limits. These limits weren¡¯t fatal, but they sure made these superpowers controllable to some degree.


    "It has." Davian confessed. "I can only open a portal to a place I have been to before. I can¡¯t open a portal to a place I have never visited before."


    There was the limit, and while it certainly controlled his power, it didn¡¯t really lessen its strength in any way. Despite this limit, portal opening was still one of the most powerful superpowers that were seen during those five years of apocalypse.


    "I¡¯m sure you have been to Country K." Grace said and watched as he again nodded his head in agreement.


    "I have been to the very city that we need to visit in Country K to fetch our supplies. Truth be told, we don¡¯t really need to wait for the rain to stop. Since there¡¯s no rain in Country K, we can visit there at any time." Davian suggested an idea that had Grace nodding her head immediately.


    If they could fetch their supplies now, they would have time to take care of other things when the rain would finally stop.


    "What are we waiting for then? Let¡¯s head there tonight. All we need are the two of us to grab all our supplies from Country K." She said and Davian nodded his head in approval.


    "Let me inform my men there to shift all the goods to warehouses so that you can take them without any issues." He added while taking out his phone to call his men in Country K.


    S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 87: Country K (II)

    "Are we not heading back?" Davian asked when he noticed Grace asking for truck¡¯s keys from one of his men.


    It had been over an hour since they arrived in the Country K. He opened a portal to a hallway of a hotel he had stayed at before. And as they stepped into that hallway out of nowhere, Grace took care of the cameras that were present nearby with the help of 2025.


    Stepping out of the hotel, they hailed a cab and arrived at the warehouse where the ships were kept. All the giant ships were assembled there as per Davian¡¯s orders.


    There was a cargo ship, a customized cruise ship, five yachts, five customized military ships, five fishing ships, an icebreaker, tugboats, sailboats, speedboats, houseboats, and finally some small boats.


    This order cost a whopping fifteen billion, but Grace felt no pain as she made the payment. It was because she knew that these ships would be the one saving her life in the future.


    After that, they visited two more warehouses to fetch the customized RVs and remaining supplies. Davian thought they would be returning to Sunspire City after that, but he soon realized that Grace had other plans.


    "Since we are already here, let¡¯s go shopping." She replied to his question as she took the keys and hopped into the truck. Not wasting any time, he too settled down into the passenger seat.


    The warehouse was located on the outskirts of the city, so the drive back to the city was half an hour long. They stopped by a restaurant and headed inside. Davian remained completely silent while Grace placed the orders.


    She ordered about twenty boxes of several of their bestsellers, drinks, and desserts. Since it was around ten late in the morning in Country K, there weren¡¯t many customers in the restaurant and they accepted their order, promising to prepare it within an hour.


    In the meantime, Grace and Davian headed to three more restaurants and the former placed more orders. While their food was getting prepared, they stopped by a supermarket and bought - bottled water, instant foods, snacks, clothes, shoes, meat, eggs, dairy products, and medicines.


    It took them nearly an hour in the supermarket and they received a few curious looks for the mountains of items they had in their trolleys. But no one paid them more attention than just a look before they all continued with their own shopping.


    Once all their shopping bags were loaded in the truck, they headed back to the restaurants to pick their orders. Everytime they loaded the truck, they stopped somewhere quiet so that Grace could transfer everything inside her space.


    All this time, Davian just followed her silently. He neither asked her any questions, nor interfered with her shopping spree.


    After picking up their ordered meals, Grace looked up a retail shop selling seeds and drove there. It was a twenty minutes drive and she didn¡¯t hold back at all as she placed huge orders for seeds of vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs.


    It took over an hour before her order was finally loaded into the truck. Since she was feeling extremely tired and hungry after spending hours shopping, they stopped by another restaurant to eat food and she took the chance to order more takeaways.


    After leaving the restaurant, they returned to the warehouse and handed the truck to Davian¡¯s men who left immediately as per his order. Since the warehouse was a safe place, Davian opened a portal there and the two of them finally returned to Grace¡¯s apartment.


    It was two in the morning when Grace climbed into the bed and immediately fell asleep. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rain didn¡¯t stop for next five days, but both Grace and Davian were way too busy to worry about the unpredictable rain.


    Every evening, Davian went to Grace¡¯s apartment for dinner, but like usual, he wasn¡¯t coming out after an hour or so. This realization had all the residents of the top three floors gossiping as they all started deriving their own theories about what those two might be doing during the long nights behind the closed doors.


    While these rumors were running wild on all top three floors, leaving certain people baffled, Grace was busy stocking up supplies. Every night after dinner, she made Davian open a portal to one of the countries he had visited before. They also made sure to choose the countries which weren¡¯t going through any serious natural disasters.


    Arriving in those countries, they always rented trucks for next few hours and then headed to buy as much supplies as possible without making people really pay them more attention than just a glance.


    Grace bought everything that she could. Her priority was food supplies and she bought - canned foods, dry foods, high-calorie snacks, honey, peanut butter or nut butters, spices, and seasonings, cooking oil, and freeze-dried meals.


    She visited a salt retail store and bought 10,000 pounds of each of these salts - table salt, sea salt, kosher salt, himalayan pink salt, celtic sea salt, rock salt, black salt, flake salt, smoked salt, pickling salt, epsom salt, red salt, black lava salt, sulfur salt, and industrial salt.


    She also bought more bottled water, electrolyte powders and tablets, first-aid kits, pain relievers, vitamins and supplements, thermometers and blood pressure monitors, surgical masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer, eyeglasses, contact lenses with solution, and emergency dental kits.


    For tools, she bought - multitool knives, firestarter kits, manual can opener, solar charger and hand-crank generator, flashlights and batteries, rope, paracord, twine, duct tape, shovel, collapsible spade, portable stove, fuel, coking utensils, mess kits, firewood, coal, and fishing gears.


    She also stockpiled more personal hygiene supplies, skincare products, communication and navigation supplies, bartering and trade items, stationary supplies, pet foods and care supplies, baby supplies, and solar panels.


    Within five days, she had piled up a lot of supplies in a new customized warehouse inside her space as the previous warehouse was already full.


    It was the fifth day and she just walked out of a restaurant, after buying another huge set of takeaways, when the explosion happened...!

 Chapter 88: The Eruption

    The sky was painted a soft orange as Grace stepped out of the restaurant. The air smelled faintly of rain, and the streets were busy with evening traffic.


    She was currently in Country B. Other than a few rain showers, nothing major had happened there so far. This allowed her to shop around freely. If she wasn¡¯t wrong, then she had spent nearly four hours hoarding supplies around the city.


    Now, it was time to return to her apartment. She was just waiting for Davian who was making payment for the meal they just had. She stepped out first because she wanted to enjoy the beautiful view that the city presented.


    She was busy taking in the hustle bustle around her, and then... it happened.


    A deep, earth-shaking boom shattered the evening calm. It was so loud that it felt like the world itself was tearing apart, and there was no exaggeration there.


    Grace froze completely. Her heart waa pounding frantically in her chest as the ground beneath her trembled violently. She heard as windows of the buildings around her rattled, and car alarms blared in every direction.


    People stopped in their tracks while looking around in confusion. Some started pointing toward the horizon where an ominous gray plume of smoke was rising far in the distance.


    And them, the shock wave hit just seconds later. It was like an invisible wall slamming into the city. Grace stumbled, barely managing to keep her balance as others around her fell to the ground. The glass windows of the restaurant behind her shattered, sending shards flying onto the sidewalk. Same thing happened to the glass windows of other buildings around her.


    Screams erupted everywhere. People started abandoning their cars and were running frantically in all directions. There were parents who were clutching their children, trying their very best to shield them as the tremors continued.


    There were paniced and surprised screams as people noticed some structures collapsing at a distance, adding more terror to the situation.


    Grace¡¯s ears were ringing while her mind was racing as she tried to grasp exactly whst happened. She quickly looked at the sky and realization hit her.


    The volcano. It erupted.


    In the previous timeline, a supervolcano in Country B erupted two months from the arrival of rain disaster. But just like how several things had gone completely different in this timeline, the volcano also erupted about twenty days earlier.


    Thick clouds of ash began to drift overhead, darkening the already dim evening light. The air smelled burnt, sharp and acrid. Breathing felt harder, and Grace could see people covering their mouths and noses with whatever they could find - scarves, sleeves, even torn pieces of clothing.


    She knew that she needed to start moving, more accurately - she needed to leave. Her thoughts immediately shifted to Davian, and that very moment, someone grabbed her hand from behind.


    She turned around quickly, finding Davian standing there with a concerned look on his face. His eyes quickly scanned her as if to make sure that she wasn¡¯t hurt before he started pulling her in a certain direction.


    She didn¡¯t complain or asked where he was taking her, she just followed after him silently. They made their way through the chaos and entered a building where people were running all around. Davian led her deeper into the building and found a secluded corner.


    Grace quickly informed 2025 to handle the nearby cameras if there were any while Davian opened a portal. The moment the portal opened, the two of them stepped through it.


    The magic of the portal washed over the two of them, and barely a moment later, the two of them were standing in the living room of Grace¡¯s apartment.


    Davian immediately pulled her toward the couch and made her sit down. He was then once again checking her, seeing if she was injured from the glass shards since she was close to the windows that shattered.


    "I¡¯m alright, Davian." She told him, trying to make him stop worrying about her.


    He looked at her for a moment or two before finally letting out a sigh. He settled down on the couch next to her and buried his face in his palms. Seeing him like that, Grace realized that he wasn¡¯t alright.


    She reached out and placed her hand over his forearm. "Davian, are you okay?" She asked while scanning him, trying to see if he was injured. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t notice any visible injury.


    Davian inhaled deeply before he finally pulled his face out of his hands and fixed his gaze on her. He took hold of her hand that was resting on his arm, placing it between his big palms. "You had me feeling absolutely terrified there for a moment, Grace." He finally confessed, his voice thick with emotion.


    "When the eruption happened and all those windows shattered, I felt terrified knowing that you were out there in the open. I was hardly able to breathe until I saw you standing there. It was... I just can¡¯t..." His voice trembled as his emotions overwhelmed him, forcing him to trail off while he tried to get himself under control.


    As for Grace, she was shocked to see him this worried about her. She couldn¡¯t recall when was the last time she saw someone worrying about her like this. Of course there was her team, but the worry she was seeing in Davian¡¯s eyes, it was different.


    Without thinking much about it, she pulled her hand out of his hold only to throw it around him along with the other one, pulling him into a hug that left him stunned. But this surprise lasted barely for a moment or two as he soon was wrapping his arms around her, returning the hug.


    Neither of them spoke, they didn¡¯t need to. They just sat there in silence while holding each other in their arms. That gesture alone spoke what words could never. In this lifetime, the two of them were determined to save each other. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 89: End of Rain Disaster (I)

    [Time left before apocalypse: 45 Days and 16 Hours]


    It was exactly day forty, since the first rain of the current on-going disaster hit the lands of Starship Country, when the rain finally started slowing down. By the time clock struck nine in the morning, the rain had died down to almost eighty percent of what it was just twelve hours ago.


    The relief and hope that immediately washed over everyone couldn¡¯t be hidden. They all were waiting for rescue teams to come to their aid as soon as possible.


    The government didn¡¯t slack off and new rescue missions were immediately launched. The central government first activated Emergency Command Centers throughout the country. They set up a centralized command center for coordination between national and regional governments, military, frontline workers, NGOs, and international aid.


    Then, they deployed Emergency Teams. They mobilized search and rescue teams, including military, police, and trained volunteers, and other frontline workers to the most critical areas.


    Hundreds of teams were deployed across the country to provide supply aid. They were to distribute MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat), clean drinking water, and water purification tablets along with first aid kits.


    Makeshift hospitals started being set up immediately in the top floors of hotels around the cities and medical teams were deployed to treat injuries, prevent infections, and address diseases like cholera and dysentery.


    Helicopters, drones, and satellites were used to assess flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage around the country. Such areas were identified that were above flood levels and could serve as shelters or logistics hubs.


    For rescue operations, helicopters, boats, and amphibious vehicles were deployed to evacuate people stranded on lower floors of buildings or in high-risk zones. The mission was to relocate these survivors to the safe zones.


    Emergency communication was set up to broadcast alerts and inform people about the evacuation missions through satellite radios. At the same time, efforts were also being made to repair power and communication lines. Engineers were deployed to restore essential utilities where possible.


    Preparations were being made for disease control. Vaccines, hygiene kits, and insecticides were getting prepared to be distributed in order to prevent outbreaks of waterborne and vector-borne diseases.


    For crowd management, military and special forces were deployed immediately along with police to prevent looting, maintain order, and ensure fair distribution of supplies.


    The next important matter that needed to be taken care of was to manage the floodwater that had filled the entire nation. The primary focus of this mission were the extensively flooded cities. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were several immediate measures that were taken to control the floodwater. First of all, existing infrastructure, such as floodgates and spillways, were considered to be used to release the flood water into less populated or designated flood zones, reservoirs, or rivers.


    There were also plans to build makeshift canals, trenches, or dikes to redirect water away from urban centers. High-capacity water pumps were also deployed to drain flooded areas, directing the water to rivers, lakes, or temporary storage basins.


    Also, machinery and manpower were being prepared to clear blocked drains and to also unclog other stormwater systems to improve the water flow. To install temporary drainage solution, large diameter hoses and modular drainage channels were deployed or opened.


    To contain the flood, it was being planned to use sandbags to create temporary barriers around critical infrastructure such as hospitals, shelters, and power plants.


    Along with that, portable flood defense systems were being prepared to shield important areas as a method of mobile flood barriers. All the basements of the buildings, subways, and underground facilities were being closed to prevent any further water ingress.


    Unexpectedly, the government didn¡¯t disappoint the citizens of Starship Country and immediately launched into the set missions.


    It was around three in the early afternoon when a total of ten military boats arrived in Greenstone Residential Area along with two military helicopters. There were soldiers, police, firemen, doctors, and tons of supplies in those boats.


    At this point, the rain had turned into a light shower. The police took over the job of supplying rations to every building according to the residents living in each unit. The rations were enough to last for ten more days.


    The soldiers took over the duty to keeping everything in order, especially those people who were trying to create trouble. The firemen were tasked with the job of evacuating any possible survivors on the lower floors that were halfway submerged into water.


    There were also several people who were in bad health condition, especially old and really young ones. These people were immediately registered to be taken to the hospitals and shelters while the medical staff started checking on them.


    After all this help, there were still some people who couldn¡¯t help but make scene about how they were being treated unfairly. Some demanded more food, saying they hadn¡¯t eaten in days and they needed about double of what they had received. There were also those who started shouting at the rescue team for not taking them to the shelter homes.


    Thankfully, the military¡¯s presence kept these troublemakers from doing much than just complaining or throwing tantrums.


    Grace and everyone related to her just silently accepted the rations and returned to their apartments. But they did receive some curious glances from the rescue team because of how healthy they appeared unlike everyone else. There was also Davian who was dressed in his official luxury suit and was carrying a clean hairstyle while there were those who looked homeless.


    Thankfully, no one from the rescue team bothered to ask another question after they learned his identity. If anything actually surprised them, then it was to find him in such a simple residential area instead of a grand mansion.


    All this time, Grace kept her identity hidden. It was not planned, she just couldn¡¯t bother to intrude herself to anyone, especially when someone else was handling the job just perfectly.


    It was actually a good thing. If worse came to worst, she was ready to throw Davian under the bus and leave unscathed... just kidding!

 Chapter 90: End of Rain Disaster (II)

    [Time left before apocalypse: 43 Days and 14 Hours]


    It took two more days for the rain to completely stop. During these two days, a lot had happened. The rescue missions were being successfully accomplished - the supplies and first-aid kits were given out throughout the country, thousands of survivors had been rescued already, and the flood management was also showing positive signs as the water level was slolwy decreasing in most of the cities.


    During these two days, nothing really changed for the people living on the top three floors of Building K12. They still lived like they did for the past forty days. They ate, trained, planned, and slept, only to wake up and repeat this cycle.


    There were only two of them who were doing anything different than everyone else - Grace and Davian. They continued to travel around the world to hoard more supplies.


    After the volcano incident in Country B, Davian wasn¡¯t really in favor of continuing their mission of hoarding supplies in different countries, but Grace couldn¡¯t give up on such a good chance to hoard as many supplies as she could.


    So far, she had about four times of the supplies that she initially hoarded before the rain disaster arrived, but she wanted to buy more since she still had over a trillion left.


    After her consistent persuading, Davian had to give in. But he made sure to stick to her like a glue wherever they went. He didn¡¯t leave her side even for a second.


    Unlike the small quantities she purchased in other countries, Grace decided to go with full force when they arrived in Country V.


    The only issue that had been noticed in this country so far were the deteriorating agriculture harvests in the past one and a half months. All of a sudden, the harvests all around the country was infected by weird insects and the agriculture ministry had been unable to find a solution so far.


    Other than this agriculture issue, everything else had been going on just fine so far in Country V. Hence, Grace decided to bulk purchase supplies from this country.


    She bought twice the quantity of supplies she purchased from her own country - food, clothes, medicines (the one she could buy easily), tools, machines, weapons, vehicles, fuel, firewood, coal, hygiene supplies, livestock, food for livestock, dairy products, planting tools and supplies, seeds, stationery, and solar supplies.


    She also made purchases to set up windmills inside her space to generate electricity. She bought everything from wiring to generators and stocked up everything in the second warehouse which was about eighty percent full after all these purchases from Country V. It was also needed to be noted that this second warehouse was twice the size of first warehouse.


    Despite them being foreigners and bulk buying supplies, everything went smoothly for them. The reason was her links in the country that were established during her father¡¯s reign over Blackwood Empire and continued successfully during the twelve years she spent as the head of the same Empire.


    Not only that but Davian too helped a lot as he also had more than enough connections in Country V to keep everything going smoothly for their purchases. His men took care of all the shipments and stored up the supplies in the warehouses for Grace to collect. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It took them four days to finish these purchases and they finally were able to take a break. By this time, water, gas, and power supplies had been restored in Sunspire City, allowing Grace and Davian to restart their cooking segments every evening.


    Sunspire City was also the first city to get rid of all the flood water by the fifth day. But while the water was successfully drained out of the city, the streets were too dirty for anyone to step out. Hence, the local authority immediately started the mission of cleaning the streets and roads.


    As the roads got cleaned, people finally started stepping out of their homes to go out and buy as many supplies as they could. Within a day, there was chaos throughout Sunspire City as the demand exceeded the supplies. People were ready to rob the stores just to make sure that they had enough food.


    The reason for this need of hoarding supplies - the dark, ominous clouds that hadn¡¯t disappeared from the sky even for a minute ever since they first appeared nearly fifty days ago. Even when the rain stopped completely seven days ago and it hadn¡¯t rained ever since, those clouds refused to leave.


    Not only that, but there had been news about several volcanos erupting all around the world within the span of these last seven days, including two in Starship Country. One of these two volcanoes had been dormant for over four hundred years.


    The heavy volcanic ash, that came out through these eruptions, was adding another layer of darkness to the already dark sky.


    The lack of the sunlight and the presence of this darkness forced people to believe that whatever disaster was coming their way, it hadn¡¯t vanished along with the rain. Thus, they all wanted to prepare for any sort of upcoming disasters.


    It was complete chaos everywhere as people fought for supplies and even military was having a hard time keeping everything under control.


    While very one was going out to buy food and other daily necessities, Grace finally stepped out of the building with her team on the eighth day. Her team was complaining about staying inside all the time, so she allowed them to go around and loosen up a bit.


    On the other hand, she and Davian headed to a Retail Store selling seeds. They made sure to use their real identities as they bought seeds of lots of vegetables, fruits, and herbs.


    Then they headed to a factory producing planting tools and other supplies. From there, they bought planting tools, soil, fertilizers, pots, and other stuff. Since the factory just opened two days ago and there had been no business so far, they were able to get a twenty percent discount on their purchase.


    Leaving the factory, they continued with the next step of their perfectly crafted plan.

 Chapter 91: Dr. Kian’s Unexpected Request

    Leaving the factory, Grace and Davian headed to find a rooftop gardening installation company.


    Since as per the signed contract the entire rooftop of the Building K12 belonged to Davian, they had planned to turn the place into a greenhouse where they would set up a vegetable garden.


    Though they had been able to dismiss people¡¯s curiosity about their food stock with the lies of them buying extra supplies right before the rain¡¯s arrival, it wouldn¡¯t work all the time.


    They knew that they needed to prepare a perfect cover for the secret of their unlimited supply of food. Hence, they made sure to do everything out loudly this time, catching the attention of a lot of people.


    When several trucks arrived at Greenstone Residential Area from the rooftop gardening installation company in the early afternoon, it caught attention from both the soldiers stationed there and the residents. It took no time before people got to know that there would be some construction work taking place on the roof of building K12.


    The company worked really diligently and the greenhouse was installed on the roof within next forty-eight hours. It was installed with all the customization that Grace asked for, making it just as strongly secured as her own apartment.


    Once the greenhouse was installed, Grace guided everyone through the process of setting up the vegetable garden. The first thing they did was to decide on the arrangement of containers, grow bags, pots, raised beds, and hydroponics.


    The next step was to prepare the soil. They used nutrient-rich, well-draining potting mix and added compost and organic fertilizer to enhance the fertility level of the soil.


    Once the soil was ready, they moved on to the next step - planting seeds. Grace chose a wide range of vegetables that could be easily grown - spinach, kale, lettuce, carrot, radish, sweet potato, beets, green beans, lentils, peas, tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion, garlic, zucchini, pumpkin, cabbage, and brocoli.


    They also planted fast-growing microgreens and sprouts like - alfalfa, mung beans, and sunflower sprouts.


    Next they planted fruits - strawberry, dwarf banana, mulberry, blueberry, blackberry, dwarf apple, lemon, lime, orange, figs, quince, watermelon, and finally some wild berries.


    Lastly, they set up the last wall of hydroponic system with herbs - basil, parsley, cilantro, chives, oregano, thyme, rosemary, mint, ginseng, echinacea, lavender, turmeric, and holy basil.


    Once all the planting was done, they cleaned up the rooftop, taking care of the mess they created while working. Then, they set up the drip system which was connected to a water tank sitting in a corner of the roof.


    The plan was for Grace to fill the tank every evening with water from her space. Not only this would take care of any future water issues, but since the water from her space was pure, it would help with the growth of the plants.


    They also set up a generator to secure electricity supply in future in case the power would be cut off again. It was mostly installed for the greenhouse as it had several instruments set up inside it to keep the temperature at a certain degree to help the plants grow easily.


    With the installation of the rooftop greenhouse, Grace took care of one of the major issues she was facing, but there were still another big matter that she hadn¡¯t been able to solve so far.


    She was on her way to her apartment from the rooftop, when she found Dr. Kian in the hallway of twenty-first floor. The moment he heard her footsteps, he looked up in her direction and his eyes visibly brightened.


    "Dr. Kian, is everything alright?" She asked as she made her way toward where he was standing close to her unit.


    "Can we talk?" He asked, surpising her slightly, but she just joined her head in a positive response without further questions and moved to unlock her apartment. Once the door was open, she turned back to face the man and spoke, "Want to come inside?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two of them headed inside and Dr. Kian took a seat in the living room, Grace went into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. She returned into the living room and handed the glass to Dr. Kian who accepted it with a polite smile.


    "So, what is it that you want to talk about? Have you, by any chance, changed your mind about being my partner after recovering?" She asked in a teasing tone, only for Dr. Kian to quickly shake his head while replying, "There¡¯s nothing like that. I actually want to take you somewhere... and it¡¯s urgent."


    To say that Grace was surprised would be an understatement. She wasn¡¯t really sure about the reason he had come looking for her, but she surely didn¡¯t expect him to say what he did.


    "Where?" She asked, curious to know where he wanted to take her to.


    Dr. Kian inhaled deeply and fixed his gaze on hers as he answered, "To the capital city."


    Silence. The room was filled with complete silence as Grace just sat there while silently observing Dr. Kian. It wasn¡¯t like she was suspecting his intentions, but his request was just too unusual.


    "Do we need to go there immediately?" She asked and he nodded his head positively in response.


    "We can do that, but the flights haven¡¯t started yet and we have no idea how long it will take before they will start. Traveling with a car will take us over twelve days. Not only that but the roads aren¡¯t really that safe after all the flooding, landslides, and sinkholes. How are we going to reach the Capital City?" She counted all the major problems they had in front of them.


    She looked up at Dr. Kian and found an anxious look covering his face. This made her realize that for whatever reason he wanted to return to Capital City, it was really urgent and important.


    Taking in a deep breath, she spoke, "Don¡¯t worry. I have a way to get there quickly. Meet me here tonight at eight."

 Chapter 92: Back to Capital City (I)

    "Davian, please."


    Grace could hardly believe that the voice that was currently speaking to Davian King Parker actually belonged to her. She never knew she could sound this sweet. Hearing it almost made her wanted to gag.


    Forcing down the disgust she felt, she continued to force the rigid man standing in front of her. They just finished their dinner and she finally asked for his help, and while he had been someone who was always ready to help her, such wasn¡¯t the case in this particular scenario. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No means no, Grace. You might trust that doctor, but I don¡¯t. I will not let you take such a huge risk." Davian¡¯s tone was strict as he spoke, making it pretty obvious that he had no plan of agreeing to her request.


    "Davian, I can tell that he¡¯s serious about this matter. I promise that we will be back before morning. Just help us this time. Please." She tried to press him to agree.


    But despite her constant efforts, Davian was showing no sign of changing his mind. "Unless you take me with you, there¡¯s no chance I¡¯m helping you with this matter." He made his condition loud and clear.


    Personally, Grace had no issue with bringing him along, but she was going there with Dr. Kian and she knew very well that Dr. Kian¡¯s trust in Davian was sitting on same level as Davian¡¯s trust in him. Truth be told, these two men needed to sit down and talk to settle their trust issues.


    "Davian, I know that you don¡¯t trust Dr. Kian, but I do. Didn¡¯t you say that you will trust me with my decisions? I trust Dr. Kian enough to agree with his request, and I want you to trust me. I promise I¡¯ll be back safe and sound before morning." This time, she let go off that sweet voice that she had been using all this time and spoke genuinely.


    This time, Davian didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, he turned away from the window and walked toward her. Once he was standing right in front of her, he let out a deep sigh and reached out to cup her nape. The next thing she knew, he was leaning his forehead against hers.


    The gesture was so sudden and intimate that it left her stunned. Her fingers curled around the hem of her cardigan and she inhaled deeply, standing still like a statue.


    "Why you keep doing this to me?" He suddenly asked, but it seemed like a question he was asking himself.


    Merely a few moments might have passed when he finally pulled back and gave her a nod, finally agreeing with her wish. A bright smile bloomed on her lips and Grace immediately thanked him. "Thank you, Davian. I promise I will not let your trust down."


    This time, she received a smile of approval from him and that only pulled her deeper into the pit of whatever was going on between the two of them other than a perfect partnership. She had been trying her best to focus anywhere but at those blossoming feelings, but sometimes, it became impossible to ignore them.


    They made quick plans regarding what was going to take place during night, and as clock struck eight, the doorbell rang.


    Grace opened the door and found Dr. Kian standing there. She invited him in and noticed the look of surprise that passed through his eyes once he noticed Davian¡¯s presence there, but then he quickly schooled it.


    The two men greeted each other out of politeness, but she was able to feel the sudden heaviness in the air. Ignoring all that, she shifted her attention to Dr. Kian and spoke, "Davian will be helping us to get to the Capital City tonight. We don¡¯t have time to explain to you exactly what¡¯s going to happen next as we need to return before morning, so all I want is for you not go crazy once you will see him..."


    She didn¡¯t get to finish speaking as Davian was already creating the portal right in the middle of the living room. She just let out a sigh and observed Dr. Kian closely who was staring at the half drawn portal and Davian. Looking at his face, it was hard to tell exactly what he was feeling.


    "What¡¯s... that?" He finally asked once Davian was almost finished creating the portal.


    "A magical portal. It will lead us directly to some place in the Capital City and that will save us from all the troubles we might face while traveling there through any other means. Should we get going now?" She asked, not looking forward to calming him down incase he started panicking at what he was seeing.


    Much to her surprise, he remained completely calm and just nodded his head in a positive response. Taking in a deep breath of relief, she took hold of his hand and stepped toward the portal.


    Just before stepping through it, she turned around to look at Davian and found him looking staright at her. The two of them shared a little nod that spoke everything they wanted to sat to each other, and then she finally stepped into the portal, pulling in Dr. Kian right after her.


    The magic of the portal washed over the two of them and merely within five seconds, they were standing on the other side of the portal. The place was filled with darkness except for the light coming from the portal. Looking around, Grace recognized that it was the condo where she stayed for a couple of days before leaving the Capital City.


    Fortunately, no one seemed to be living in that condo. The issue was the main door which was locked, but 2025 took care of it immediately, unlocking the digital lock and allowing them to step out.


    Grace changed the password and closed the unit before they headed downstairs. Dr. Kian followed her silently, not speaking a single word. Once they were out on the main street, she turned to face him and asked, "So, where are we heading now?"

 Chapter 93: Back to Capital City (II)

    "Is this the place?" Grace asked as she parked the car outside a building located at the outskirts of the city. It was nearly an hour drive from the condo and they had witnessed a lot on their way to this place.


    "It is." Dr. Kian answered while unbuckling his seat belt. As he climbed out of the car, Grace followed suit and stepped out, finally taking in the full view of the twelve-storey building standing right in front of her.


    There were a few more buildings nearby, but every single one of them seemed abandoned. There was also no other person present there except for the two of them. An overwhelming darkness was surrounding the place, the only light coming from the headlights of the car.


    "Let¡¯s go inside." Dr. Kian said as he spared her a quick look and then started walking toward the entrance of the building without waiting for her response.


    Grace stared at the man for a second before shifting her glance at the building. She let out a sigh and finally started walking, following after him. The front door was locked with a digital lock and it seemed like there was no electricity, hence they entered the building through the back entrance after breaking the lock.


    "It¡¯s too dark in here. I¡¯m not sure our phone¡¯s flashlights will be enough or not. We should have brought a flashlight-" Dr. Kian didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence as the place suddenly got engulfed with brightness.


    His shocked gaze shifted at Grace and he found her holding a flashlight which she offered to him. "Of course you got one." He muttered with a small shake of his head as he took the flashlight from her.


    Ever since he stepped into her apartment at eight o¡¯clock, he had seen things that he couldn¡¯t make himself believe to be true, and yet, he couldn¡¯t deny that they all had been very much real. A portal brought them from Sunspire City to Capital City within seconds, then he watched a car suddenly appearing in front of his eyes our of nowhere, and now a flashlight.


    His brain was buzzing with questions and he desperately wanted their answers, but he held himself back, focusing on the important task at hand.


    Because of the lack of electricity, the elevators weren¡¯t working either. So they had to take the stairs as they made their way to upper floors. The lower three floors of the building were heavily damaged by the flood water that got seeped inside during the rain disaster.


    They just reached the seventh floor when Dr. Kian signaled Grace to stop. The former was inhaling deeply to catch his breath while the latter looked as if she hadn¡¯t moved an inch let alone climbing seven storeys.


    "I thought seven would be a safe enough number. Seems like I was right." Dr. Kian said as he pushed away from the wall and headed toward one of only two doors that was located on the seventh floor.


    He took out a key from his pocket and opened the door before stepping inside. Grace followed after him and stepped inside, finding herself standing at the entrance of a huge room which was filled with hundreds of cartons.


    Confused by what she saw, she turned her gaze toward Dr. Kian. Though she didn¡¯t ask the question out loud, her expression was enough for him to realize what she wanted to know.


    "Come and take a look." He offered and started walking toward the one of the boxes sitting closest to him. Grace followed after him, eager to find out what was in those cartons that were filling the entire room. And it was no small room, but almost the same size as Grace¡¯s entire apartment in building K12.


    She took the flashlight from Dr. Kian so he could open the carton that was sealed carefully. Her eyes were pinned on the box as it was pulled open and she finally got to look at what was inside.


    The moment her eyes and brain registered what she saw, a small gasp of pure surprise escaped her lips. Her eye eyes stared at the content of the box before shifting at Dr. Kian who was actually looking worried.


    "Will these help?" He asked, studying her face closely as if his life depended on her answer. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Medicines?" Grace asked as if she was unable to trust her own eyes and needed him to confirm. And he did, nodding his head in a positive response.


    [Let me do a quick survey.] 2025 spoke through the shared mindlink.


    In the meantime, Grace allowed herself to scan the room with her eyes. From floor to ceiling, every inch of the place was filled with cartons except for a small space near the entrance where the two of them were currently standing.


    [We got here medicines, kits, and medical equipments.] 2025 began informing her moments later once it finished surveying the cartons sitting in that room.


    [In medicines we have - IV fluids, blood products, painkillers, anesthetics, hemostatic agents, epinephrine, antibiotics, antiviral medications, antifungal medications, antiseptics, disinfectants, respiratory medications, cardiovascular drugs, diabetes supplies, local anesthetics, sterile dressings, sutures, burn treatments, oxytocin, misoprostol, magnesium sulfate, prenatal vitamins, psychiatric medications, seizure control, antiemetics, antidiarrheal medications, proton pump inhibitors, multivitamins, electrolytes, pediatric doses, vaccines, steroids, antivenoms, activated charcoal, anti-hypertensives, IV kits, glucose test kits]


    [In equipment we got here - defibrillators, ventilators, oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, portable suction machines, first aid kits, spinal boards, splints, tourniquet, hemostatic, portable ultrasound machines, thermometers, pulse oximeters, glucometers, ECG machines, point-of-care testing kits, autoclaves, surgical kits, hand drills, cauterization devices, IV stands, infusion pumps, manual resuscitation bags, syringes, needles, wound care supplies, patient mentoring systems, portable stretchers, wheelchairs, fetal dopplers, incubators, pediatric resuscitation equipment, portable medical kits, PPE, air purifiers, isolation tents...]


    Grace could do nothing but stand there in silence while staring at the boxes sitting in front of her. When 2025 finally finished listing everything, she asked - [All these things are in this room?]

 Chapter 94: Back to Capital City (III)

    [Of course not. This room is just the beginning. The other room on this floor is also filled with medicinal supplies. And so are the rooms on eight and ninth floor. As per the result of the scanning, there are worth 8 Million Points medicinal supplies stored on these three floors. You have hit a jackpot!]


    2025 was brimming with excitement as it answered Grace¡¯s question. But unlike the creature, Grace was carrying an unreadable expression on her face. It was hard to tell what she was feeling or thinking about at the moment. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why are these medicinal supplies are hidden here?" She finally asked as a frown formed on her beautiful face and her deep orbs settled on the man who was behind this big surprise that she definitely didn¡¯t saw coming when she followed him to this place.


    "These supplies belongs to the Outpatient Hospital. But they aren¡¯t registered yet because they arrived merely a week before the rain hit us. When you tried to warn me about the disaster, I moved these supplies here from the warehouse, thinking that it might be safer incase anything was really going to happen." Dr. Kian answered with a small sigh as he recalled his last-minute decision about shifting these supplies.


    Grace¡¯s frown deepened and she found herself asking, "You can do that? Move hospital¡¯s supplies as per your convenience?"


    Even though he was one of the most respected, popular, and cherished doctors in the country, it wasn¡¯t that easy to believe that he could transfer such expensive supplies without hospital¡¯s authority.


    Her question brought a small, almost unnoticeable, smile on Dr. Kian¡¯s lips and he let out another small sigh. He locked his gaze with hers as he answered, "No matter how popular I am as a doctor, I still can¡¯t go around playing with hospital¡¯s medical supplies. The only reason I was able to do it this time... is because I was donating them to the hospital."


    Grace arched her eyebrows high and her gaze instinctively scanned the room. From what 2025 told her, these supplies were worth around 5 Million. To be able to donate so much, it seemed like Dr. Kian was a rich man.


    "So..." she began, searching for right words before continuing, "... do you want me to help you transfer these supplies to the hospital?"


    No matter how much she pondered on the matter, she was unable to think of the reason for which she was standing in this building at this moment. If he wanted to transfer the supplies to the hospital, he could have done so by telling the hospital.


    Before she could have pondered on the reason any further, she heard him speaking - "I want you to have these."


    His words were followed by silence as Grace just stared at him. Few moments later, she inhaled deeply and nodded her head. "If that¡¯s what you want, I will accept it."


    She didn¡¯t wait for his response and immediately started shifting the supplies in her space right in front of him. "How many people know about these supplies?" She asked, wondering exactly how many people she would need to take care of to keep the information of these supplies a secret.


    Thankfully, Dr. Kian couldn¡¯t listen to her thoughts, otherwise, he would have regretted his decision of giving up his supplies to her.


    "Not many. Only the director knew that I have already made arrangements of the donation, but even he¡¯s not aware that these supplies have already arrived in the Capital. As long as they didn¡¯t try to look for these supplies in specific, we don¡¯t have to worry." Dr. Kian informed.


    Grace nodded head in approval. It was good to know that not many people knew about these supplies. Still to keep things simple, she would let her team handle this matter. The last thing she wanted was for a huge private hospital coming after her.


    Once she finished shifting all the cartons present inside the room, she turned to face Dr. Kian and spoke, "Let¡¯s go and get the supplies from the other rooms. We need to leave this place quickly."


    Dr. Kian stared at her in surpise for a few seconds before he finally found himself asking, "How do you... know about the other rooms?"


    With a small smile playing on her lips, Grace answered him while she walked past him and out of the room. "By now you should know better, Dr. Kian."


    The man followed after her and opened the second room, allowing her to grab the supplies stored there. They did the same on the eighth and ninth floors before heading downstairs and finally out of the building.


    "Anything else you might want to take? What about your house?" Grace asked as they climbed into the car.


    Dr. Kian¡¯s eyes grew hopeful as he asked, "Can we go to my house? I won¡¯t take long."


    Grace just nodded her head and put the address of his house in the map, following the direction. Ten minutes later, they were making their way through one of the high-end residential areas of the Capital City. The guards allowed them entrance when he recognized Dr. Kian.


    Though this particular residential area was located on the elevation, it still wasn¡¯t able to stay safe from the flood that submerged the entire city into waters.


    Arriving at his house, she parked the car in the driveway and Dr. Kian immediately climbed out of the car.


    "Are you not coming inside?" He asked when he noticed her that she wasn¡¯t following after him.


    Shaking her head, Grace replied, "I¡¯ll wait for you here." He nodded his head in understanding and headed toward the porch. Moments later, he was walking inside the house while Grace climbed out of the car and took a look at her surroundings.


    Despite it being night time, the area was illuminated by the lamps that were installed all around the residential area. Looking at the current situation, it seemed like life was finally returning as a result of the efforts government was making.


    But she knew that it was just a matter of time before everything would be falling apart once again...!

 Chapter 95: Is The World Ending?

    The moment Grace walked through the Porta and stepped into the living room of her apartment, two strong hands grabbed her shoulders and she was pulled to stand in front of the man who had concern filled in his eyes.


    "Are you alright?" Davian asked as his eyes searched her from head to toe as if to make sure she was safe and sound.


    Grace nodded her head, feeling a warmth blooming within her after seeing him worrying about her. It was such a rare experience for her to have someone constantly showing this much care for her.


    Davian visibly relaxed and let go of her shoulders. He gave her one last look before his focus shifted to Dr. Kian who was silently standing there.


    "Ms. Blackwood, we need to talk." Dr. Kian spoke as he stepped closer but stopped a few feet away from the duo.


    "Talk about what?" Davian asked, his body instinctively shifting to shield Grace while he glared at the other man.


    Dr. Kian was silent for a moment or two as he stared back at Davian, but then he shifted his attention toward the portal, that was still there in the living room, and answered, "About this and certain other things?"


    Though he was answering Davian¡¯s question, his gaze shifted to Grace who was silently witnessing this exchange. Noticing that Davian was to respond, she reached out to hold his arm, stopping him immediately.


    As the man turned to face her with questioning eyes, she gave him a soft nod. Realizing her intentions, he just let out a sigh and then spoke, "I¡¯ll then leave it to you."


    Grace nodded her head and watched as Davian closed the portal before living. The moment her apartment door closed behind him, she told Dr. Kian to take a seat. "Want some wine?" She asked.


    "Yes, please." Dr. Kian answered, realizing that some alcohol might help him handle what he was going to find out. His head was still buzzing with the memories of what he saw previously. Nothing really made sense, and yet, he experienced and witnessed everything personally. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace returned from the kitchen minutes later, holding a classic wine bottle and two wine glasses. "It¡¯s a strong one." She warned as she poured the wine in the glasses before handing one of them to him.


    "Strong is exactly what I want." Dr. Kian replied as he accepted the glass and swirled the wine before taking in its rich aroma.


    The two were silent as they took their first sips of the wine, enjoying its taste and letting it do wonders to their tongues and minds. Several long minutes of silence passed between them before Grace finally decided to speak. "You might want to learn about all the unbelievable things you say tonight."


    Dr. Kian didn¡¯t respond immediately, but when he finally did seconds later, he decided to just nod positively.


    Grace took another sip of wine, thinking about just how much she wanted to share with him. It wasn¡¯t just about her own secrets, but Davian¡¯s secrets as well. Shifting her full attention on Dr. Kian, she spoke, "Before answering your questions, there¡¯s something I want to ask first."


    Listening to her words, Dr. Kian shifted his gaze toward her. "What is it?" He asked, staring into her beautiful deep green eyes that never failed to pull him in like a magnet. He loved them. He had loved them from the very moment he saw them looking at him in trance during their first meeting.


    "After seeing all that you saw tonight, do you want to leave?" Grace finally asked the question and watched as a small smile immediately made its way to his lips.


    Dr. Kian locked his gaze with hers as he replied, "If I wanted to leave, I would have when we were in the Capital City. I¡¯m already yours now, Ms. Blackwood, and I have no plans of leaving your side."


    Grace couldn¡¯t help but inhale deeply when she heard his reply. The way he called himself hers, took her by complete surprise. Quickly pulling herself together, she nodded her head and took another sip of the wine.


    She closed her eyes and took in another deep breath, hoping that she was making the right decision and wouldn¡¯t end up regretting it later. When she opened her eyes, she found Dr. Kian looking at her as if he was trying to see what she was thinking.


    Before she could have started speaking, he did. "If you can¡¯t talk about it, then you don¡¯t have to. I want to know about it because I¡¯m unable to understand how all those things happened in the first place, but I¡¯m not pressuring you to reveal anything to me that you don¡¯t want to."


    Grace watched him in silence for a few more seconds before she let out a sigh and decided to reveal everything from the very beginning. She started from the day she woke up in her office after dying. She told him all about her previous life and how he was the one who created the System 2025 and merged it with the magical space.


    By the time she finished, Dr. Kian¡¯s expression had changed over ten times in that span. He was completely silent and there was no telling what was going on in his head.


    "You... don¡¯t believe it?" She finally asked when he remained silent even after certain long minutes had passed.


    He let out a deep sigh and shook his head while replying honestly. "I don¡¯t want to... but everytime I want to deny, I end up recalling everything that I saw and experienced tonight. After traveling through a portal, watching a car appearing in front of my eyes out of thin air, and all those medicinal supplies vanishing... how can I deny that there¡¯s no such thing as magic."


    He became silent again and his expression shifted to that of seriousness as he asked, "Is the world really going to end?"

 Chapter 96: The Aromatic Night (I)

    Grace stepped out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed after the long bath. The warm steam was still clinging to her skin, and the faint scent of lavender was filling the air, soothing her senses. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She settled down in front of the dressing table and took her time pampering herself. She indulged in body care and skincare that left her skin soft and glowing. Tonight was one of those rare evenings when she decided to take extra care of herself.


    She pulled on her favorite purple silk nightgown, the one that hugged her curves just right and made her feel confident and comfortable. Letting her damp hair cascade down her back, she admired her reflection in the mirror for a brief moment, then took out the blow dryer to dry her hair. As soon as she was done, she padded barefoot to her bedroom.


    Once inside, she opened the drawer of her bedside table and took out an aromatic candle. The soothing scent of vanilla mixed with sandalwood filled the room as she lit it and set it on the table. The flickering light added a soft, romantic glow to the room, making the space feel even cozier.


    She grabbed her tablet from the dresser and climbed under the blanket. Snuggling into the warm covers, she selected the series she had always wanted to watch but never had the time to do so in the past because of her busy schedule. By the time she was halfway through episode two, her eyelids started growing heavy, and her tablet slipped from her hands.


    It barely took seconds before sleep pulled her under like a warm tide, and she eventually drifted into a deep slumber.


    At first, there was only darkness. It was like a void, thick and endless. Then, slowly, shapes began to form. She found herself standing in a faintly lit room with furniture she couldn¡¯t quite place but found strangely familiar. She stood in the center while glancing around, trying to make sense of what was going on.


    Before she could process it, a pair of strong hands encircled her waist from behind, pulling her into a firm yet gentle embrace. The warmth of the touch sent a shiver down her spine, but instincts took over before romance could bloom.


    She grabbed the arm holding her and twisted it, using the momentum to flip the person behind her onto the floor. The sound of a loud thud echoed in the space as the man landed on his back with a painful groan.


    The moment her eyes landed on him, recognition settled over her. "Rune?" She asked while raising one of her eyebrows high in question.


    The young man lay sprawled on the floor while rubbing his sore back as he looked up at her with an expression of exaggerated hurt. "Really, Ms. Blackwood?" he said, his tone half-joking, half-accusing. "Is this how you greet someone who missed you?"


    Grace crossed her arms and gave him a pointed look. "What¡¯s going on? Why am I... here?"


    Rune ignored her question and stood up with ease despite his earlier fall. Without hesitation, he stepped closer and his hands reached for her again. This time, there was no real resistance from her as he pulled her into his arms.


    "I have been missing you," he said, his voice was soft and low while a playful smile tugging at his lips. "But you have been too busy to even think about me, haven¡¯t you?"


    Grace frowned at his words, but before she could respond, her eyes were drawn to his face. That boyish charm, the way his lips curved into a mischievous grin, and the warmth in his gaze - it all made her heart skip a beat. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but she had missed him. There was something about Rune, something inexplicable, that drew her in every time.


    Her lips twitched as a smile threatened to form, and she failed to stop it from blooming. But she was quick to hide it as well, not wanting to get noticed by him. Instead, she reached out and placed her hands on either side of his face, surprising him with the sudden intimacy. His expression shifted as he stared at her. His dark eyes were filled with curiosity as he watched her closely.


    "Stop talking," she murmured in a voice that was barely above a whisper.


    Rune blinked, but before he could have responded, she was already leaning in to close the distance between them. Their lips met in a kiss that was slow at first. He was still surprised by her move and she was in no rush. But the moment she tasted him and felt the warmth of his mouth against hers, a spark ignited within her.


    She deepened the kiss and it grew more passionate with each passing second. Rune¡¯s arms tightened around her, pulling her closer as if he couldn¡¯t bear even the smallest distance between them. She slid her hands from his face to his shoulders, her fingers clutching at his shirt as if to anchor herself in the moment.


    She hadn¡¯t realized how much she craved this until now - the connection, the heat, the way he made her feel alive in a way no one else ever had.


    His lips moved against hers, sending waves of warmth coursing through her, forcing out a sigh to escape her as she kissed him with everything she got.


    Her hands just started wandering over his body when he suddenly pulled away. "What-" she tried to ask what was going on when the dream suddenly ended and she was thrown back into her own apartment.


    Her eyes flew open that very moment. Her breath was shallow as the dream lingered in her mind. Her fingers found their way to touch her lips instinctively, the sensation of the kiss was still very vivid, as if it had been real.


    But it couldn¡¯t have been. It was just a dream¡­ wasn¡¯t it? She found herself wondering.

 Chapter 97: The Aromatic Night (II)

    Before Grace could have dwelled any further, the sharp sound of her doorbell ringing broke through the silence of her apartment, making her jump.


    Confused and still trying to process what she had just experienced, she climbed out of bed. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was past midnight.


    Who could be at her door at this hour? She wondered as she wrapped her silk robe tightly around her nightgown and stepped out of the bedroom. She made her way to the front door and unlocked it, half-expecting to see one of her team mates.


    Instead, she found Rune standing there. His tall frame was illuminated by the soft light of the hallway.


    Grace opened her mouth, questions on the tip of her tongue, but before she could have spoken, Rune moved forward. His hands cupped her face as he stepped inside and kissed her.


    It wasn¡¯t a hesitant kiss - no. It was urgent, full of longing and hunger, as if he had been waiting for this moment forever. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace froze for a heartbeat, her mind scrambling to catch up with how fast things were happening. The dream, the kiss, the way his lips felt against hers - it was all the same. Too real to be a coincidence.


    But as his warmth surrounded her, she stopped questioning for the time being. Her arms slipped around his neck, pulling him closer as she kissed him back with the same fervor.


    Rune pulled away slightly and locked his gaze with hers. His breath felt hot against her skin as he whispered, "I couldn¡¯t wait anymore, Ms. Blackwood. I needed to see you. To feel you."


    Grace¡¯s chest tightened at his words. At this point, she was sure that those dreams were definitely more than just dreams because it seemed like Rune experienced them too. "How¡­ how are you here? What¡¯s happening?" She asked, waiting for some answers that could explain the dream.


    He smiled at her while reaching out to brush a strand of her hair from her face. "Kissing or touching you through a dreamescape can never be enough for me." His voice was low, smooth, and full of certainty. "So here I am, to experience all that for real."


    The rest of the questions and the doubts - they all melted away as Rune leaned in again and captured her lips in another searing kiss.


    This time, his hands slid down her sides and pulled her even closer, forcing their bodies to press together. The heat between them was electric and each touch sent shivers down her spine.


    "Rune," she murmured against his lips, her voice trembling much to her surprise.


    "Shh," he said softly, his lips trailing down her jawline to her neck, leaving a path of fire in their wake. "Let me show you how much I have missed you."


    Grace felt herself being guided backward. Her feet moved on instinct as he pushed the door shut behind him, and then, his hands were everywhere - gentle yet insistent - as he led her back into the apartment. By the time they reached the living room, her robe had slipped from her shoulders. It landed on the floor, leaving her in her silk nightgown that was doing a very poor job of covering her.


    Rune pulled back just enough to look at her, his dark eyes roaming over her figure. "You are beautiful," he said in a husky voice that was filled with emotion.


    Grace just watched him silently, taking in the raw desire that had taken over his eyes.


    Slowly, he closed the distance between them again and his lips found hers in a kiss that was slower this time, more deliberate. His hands slid up her arms, then down her back before pulling her flush against him.


    Grace¡¯s tangled her fingers in his soft strands. They moved together and her breaths started coming faster as she melted into him.


    Rune¡¯s hands found the hem of her nightgown and his fingers grazed the bare skin of her thighs as he slowly lifted the fabric. The silk slid over her skin, leaving her vulnerable, exposed, but she didn¡¯t feel self-conscious. Not only because he had already seen her, but also because of the way he looked at her - with such awe and desire - it made her feel powerful.


    He kissed her again, deeper this time. His hands explored every inch of her while she clung to him. Her nails dug into his shoulders as the intensity of their kisses grew.


    "I need you," Rune whispered against her lips, his voice was rough with longing.


    Grace cupped his face, brushing her thumbs against his cheekbones as she looked into his eyes. "Then take me, Rune."


    His breath hitched, and for a moment, he simply stared at her, as if trying to commit every detail to memory. Then, without another word, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.


    The candle she had lit earlier still flickered on the bedside table, casting a warm glow over the room. Instead of heading to the bed, he set her down gently next to a table sitting nearby the entrance. His movements were tender despite the urgency in his eyes.


    He then leaned over her, bracing his hands on the table on either side of her as he kissed her again.


    Grace felt as if she was drowning in him, every sensation was amplified, every moment stretching into eternity. She let herself get lost in the warmth of his embrace, the way his lips and hands seemed to know exactly what she needed.


    As they came together and their breaths mingled, she realized something she hadn¡¯t before. This wasn¡¯t just about passion or desire. It was about something deeper, something she couldn¡¯t yet name but felt in every fiber of her being.


    In Rune¡¯s arms, she felt different. She felt whole. She felt cherished.


    All the thoughts left her completely when he pulled away from the kiss to take off the last piece of fabric that was left on her body.

 Chapter 98: The Aromatic Night (III)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - -


    Grace braced herself against the table behind her as Rune kneeled in front of her. His hands were on her thighs, massaging her skin while his mouth trailed soft, wet kisses on the same spots that his hands touched.


    As his mouth made its way toward her inner thigh, he lifted one of her leg and guided it to rest on his shoulder, giving him full access to her aching core.


    She arched her back and pressed more into him as his fingers ran back and forth over her sex before sliding between her folds and finding her sweet bud and drenched entrance.


    She leaned back to give him more room to play with her, surprising herself when she realized that she was ready to let him play with her in any way he liked.


    While he rubbed his thumb over her bud, one of his fingers slowly entered her. He looked up at her face, studying her reaction intently as he continued to play with her.


    Her inner walls clenched around his finger, both from pleasure and the shock she received from the desire she was seeing in his eyes.


    He added another finger and increased his pace, thrusting deeper into her, in and out and in again with a smooth rhythm. When he finally shifted his attention away from her face, it was to place another kiss on her inner thigh.


    But his mouth didn¡¯t stop there, instead, it made its way to her clit, giving it a long lick before sucking on it. He repeated that again and again, playing with her clit without any mercy. Each flick of his tongue against her bud sent Grace moaning out loudly as pleasure overwhelmed her.


    His fingers didn¡¯t stop either as he ate her as if she tasted like his favorite desert. It didn¡¯t take long pleasure overwhelmed her senses and she started drifting closer to her release. Merely seconds later, she was crying out loudly as she came around his fingers.


    Sweet waves washed over her as he pulled out his fingers and after placing one last kiss on her thigh, he stood up. His mouth found hers for another deep kiss and she returned it with a hunger she had never felt before. She wanted him so badly that it was taking every ounce of her self control to not pounce on him and get what she wanted.


    She was still reeling from the intense emotions that had overtaken her moments before when Rune ended the kiss and made her turn around, guiding her to face the table.


    She felt his hands moving over her, tracing a path down her back and settling onto her hips. The contact was firm, reassuring, yet it sent a wave of warmth through her. He massaged her gently at first, and then, with surprising intensity, gave a sharp, swift slap that landed on her right butt cheek. A light gasp escaped her as the sensation of the strike startled her, bringing a brief sting that quickly faded.


    Before she could voice a protest or wonder what was coming next, she felt him kneeling behind her once again. She was surprised by the tenderness of his kiss on the spot he had just slapped. His lips trailed along her skin, soothing the temporary discomfort, and she couldn¡¯t help but soften under his touch. Her body responded in ways she hadn¡¯t expected, and a deeper warmth spread through her as his lips moved lower, slowly, purposefully.


    Grace felt her breath catching as he shifted again. She felt him rise behind her before the rustling of fabric entered her ear. Moments later, his hands found her shoulders. His touch was light but commanding, holding her in place while the heat between them deepened.


    Instead of rushing forward, Rune took his time, his movements were slow and deliberate and each one kept building the tension between them. The world outside slowly started to fade away and there was only the steady rhythm of their breaths, the overwhelming desire, and the undeniable pull that bound them together.


    He gripped her hip with one hand as he entered her from behind in one single thrust, burying himself deep into her. Grace groaned as pleasure invaded her senses once again and she had to clutch the table to keep herself steady as he started thrusting into her, faster and faster. His other hand took hold of a fistful of her hair, pulling her head back to trail kisses on the side of her throat.


    Every inch of his huge erection filled her heated channel with those thrusts, and her depths swallowed every part of him hungrily. His desire, warmth, and scent enveloped her while their mixed moans and groans filled the room.


    He kept thrusting into her, harder and faster, sending waves of pleasure washing over every part of her body. She wanted to cling to the wonderful sensation forever.


    Another series of hard thrusts, and his length grew even larger and harder inside her. The air was filled with the mixed scent of the aromatic candle and sex.


    "I¡¯m close, Ms. Blackwood" he murmured against her shoulder where he placed a soft kiss. "Don¡¯t worry, I will pull out in time." He added as they hadn¡¯t used any protection in their hurry.


    Grace turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, causing their lips to almost brush together. They kissed again while he snaked his arm around her and found her clit again, rubbing it to push her toward her own release.


    His fast thrusts were hitting something deep in her, and when combined with the pleasure hitting her clit, it didn¡¯t take long as pleasure tossed her to the heavens, and something inside her completely loosened or snapped.


    Powerful waves of pleasure washed over her, making her body shudder as her second orgasm of the night hit her in full force. As her inner walls tightened around him, it pushed him to his limit as well.


    Just like he promised, Rune immediately pulled out and pumped his length, coming all over the same spot that he had left burning red with his slap in the beginning.


    S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 99: The Aromatic Night (IV)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - -


    The front of Grace¡¯s body met the soft mattress of her bed and Rune followed right after her, his body covering her back slightly but he made sure to keep most of his weight on the bed and not on her.


    "Thank you for letting me stay." He whispered against her shoulder, placing a kiss there the very next moment as if he was unable to hold himself back. "And also thank you for finally allowing me inside your circle. I promise I¡¯ll not let you down." He added, placing another kiss on her shoulder blade.


    Grace shifted and he immediately pulled back to let her turn over to her back. But the moment she was comfortably on her back, he was once again there, covering her body with his own. He even snuggled his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply.


    "Are you sure you don¡¯t want to join us in the Shadow Rain?" She found herself asking even though she already knew the answer. She felt his lips stretching into a smile against her throat and then he replied, "I have enough powers of my own to skip this Shadow Rain of yours. I will join Mr. Parker to look after you and the others."


    "You can call him King like the others. No need to be this formal since you are one of us now." She told him, trailing her fingers over his arm that was circling her chest.


    Rune pulled back slightly as he asked, "And what about you? Do I still need to call you Ms. Blackwood?"


    Grace turned her head, fixing her gaze on his as she replied, "You can call me Grace."


    "Grace."


    Her breath got caught in her throat as he immediately called her name in that ocean like deep voice of his. She never thought her name could sound this sexy, but he proved her wrong. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She shifted again, placing her hand against his shoulder to push him on his back. He complied without any questions and she followed suit, moving to hover over him as she stared into his icy-blue eyes that were looking at her with multiple expression shifting across them. He seemed excited, a little confused, and even slightly anxious.


    It made her realize again just how young and carefree he was - that despite his usual strong and calm persona, he could still be childish and soft at moments like this.


    "Say that again." She told him while trailing her fingers down his temple to his cheek before she grabbed his chin and tilted his head up a little. "My name, say that again."


    "Grace."


    He immediately complied, once again calling her name in that husky, deep voice of his that did unexplainable things to her. She didn¡¯t hold back at all as she crushed her lips against his and kissed him.


    Rune welcomed the kiss, his hands immediately circling her waist to pull her against him. But she didn¡¯t allow him to take control as she had her own plans for this round.


    Pulling back from the kiss, she moved lower, trailing kisses down his throat to over his collarbone and then his chest. Her mouth found his right nipple while her fingers found the left one, forcing out a curse from him in response as she played with the two little buds.


    Once she was done playing with the nipples, she continued on her way down until she arrived at his length that was standing erect for attention. She looked up, locking her gaze with his as she wrapped her hand around his hardness and gave it a light squeeze.


    Rune inhaled sharply, but he didn¡¯t move his gaze away from hers even for a second. Motivated by his response, she started moving her hand over his length, all the while staring into his eyes. But she knew that he needed more, he wanted more.


    Finally a minute or two later, she moved her face closer and finally gave his head a lick, forcing another deep groan out of him. This made her give him another long lick and she felt him arching his back a little. His reactions were motivating her way more than she expected, and she finally gave up on holding herself back.


    She opened her mouth and took him in, sucking him softly as she took him in as much as she could before pulling back until only the crown was still in her mouth. She repeated the same move, again and again, slow at first but went faster with each move.


    Her hand moved to massage his balls while she sucked his length, forcing his breathing to turn sharp and his groans to become deeper as pleasure took over him.


    She didn¡¯t hold back at all as she returned the favor, playing with him until he was rock hard. She then pulled back and moved to straddle him while pulling a condom out of her space. Once it was on, she aligned him with her entrance and slowly moved down, taking him in completely until he was buried deep within her.


    They both groaned this time in unison before Grace started to move. The angle made her feel him deep within her and pleasure rushed across her entire body, forcing non-stop moans to spill from her lips.


    But she didn¡¯t get to stay in control for much longer as just about five or so minutes later, he was moving to push her on her back before he entered her, burying himself to the hilt.


    He leaned down to kiss her as his thrusts grew fast, hitting a deep spot inside her that caused her to curl her toes as pleasure overwhelmed her senses. Her fingers curled into the sheets as he pushed her closer to the edge.


    He ended the kiss and buried his face into her neck, thrusting into her relentlessly. It took barely seconds before Grace felt herself reaching the very peak of pleasure and then she was falling from the height.


    Pleasure burst through every single cell in her body as she came...!

 Chapter 100: Shadow Rain

    [Time until Shadow Rain: 8 Hours and 49 Minutes]


    The moment Grace received the new notification, she headed straight to Davian¡¯s apartment. Compared to the previous timeline, the Shadow Rain was happening exactly 12 days late.


    Merely seconds after she rang the doorbell, the door was pulled open and she found herself looking at Davian who was once again in just his black trousers and there was no sign of any shirt. Looking at the sweat trailing down his body, it seemed like he was doing something really intense.


    "What a beautiful surprise to see you here so early in the morning," he greeted her with a soft expression on his face, his casual demeanor clashing with the tension bubbling inside her.


    Ignoring his teasing tone, Grace stepped inside the apartment, heading into the living room as she went straight to the point. "The Shadow Rain will be arriving in nine hours. We need to get ready for it."


    Davian¡¯s soft and almost playful expression disappeared immediately and got replaced by a seriousness that matched her own. He didn¡¯t question her source of information or waste any time. Instead, he nodded and his eyes turned sharp with understanding


    "I will immediately inform my men," he said. "The good thing is that they have all arrived in the nearby cities. The ones here are ready, too. Don¡¯t worry about anything and just focus on yourself. You need to be prepared for the rain as well."


    Grace let out a soft breath of relief. She trusted Davian to handle his part. Over the past few weeks, she had slowly started lowering her guard around him, and not just him - Davian, Dr. Kian, and Rune - had all proven themselves trustworthy in their own ways. None had given her a reason to doubt their intentions.


    Just this morning, she had spent nearly three hours with Rune. They had cooked breakfast together, chatted about various serious matters as they enjoyed the food, and then washed the dishes side by side. It was a refreshing morning after the intense night they just spent together.


    "Let me know if you need anything," Davian said, his deep voice breaking through her thoughts.


    Grace nodded as a soft smile bloomed on her. "I will."


    - - -


    The hours leading up to the Shadow Rain were a whirlwind of preparation. Grace coordinated with her team, ensuring that every person in their group was briefed on the plan. 2025 took over the most important job which was to set up a countdown timer. It also provided clear instructions on what to do once the rain began.


    [Time until Shadow Rain: 1 Hour and 15 Minutes]


    As the timer ticked down, Grace gathered with both teams in the living room of the Unit 2003. The atmosphere was tense, but there was also an unspoken understanding among them. Everyone knew their roles, their purpose - as soon as the Shadow Rain would begin, they would step outside in the rain.


    [Time until Shadow Rain: 10 Minutes]


    The air thickened with anticipation as the system sent the new notification. Grace was standing by the window, staring at the sky that had turned even darker compared to how it had been early in the morning. She could already imagine the panic that the current state of the sky must be creating in the hearts of the people.


    "Master," 2025¡¯s voice echoed in her head, sounding calm but firm. "Prepare yourself and others. The rain will start in 4 minutes and 56 seconds."


    She nodded before turning her attention toward the people present in the room.


    - - -


    Exactly at 1 PM, the first droplet fell.


    It was subtle at first - a single black droplet hitting the windowpane with a faint splatter. Then came another. And another. Within seconds, the sky darkened to pitch black, and the black rain poured down in an unrelenting torrent.


    Shouts and cries erupted from the streets as people abandoned their tasks and rushed indoors, seeking shelter from the ominous rain. Fear spread like wildfire as the city fell into chaos. Even when people were expecting a rain, no one expected anything like what was happening at the moment.


    But Grace and her team were different.


    "Let¡¯s move," she commanded, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They stepped out of the building, their faces tilted toward the dark sky. The rain was cold, almost icy, and it soaked through their clothes within seconds. The sensation was strange - almost otherworldly.


    "Remember," 2025¡¯s voice reminded her in her head, "you only have ten minutes. Do not exceed the time limit."


    Grace closed her eyes, letting the rain drench her completely. It wasn¡¯t just water. Each droplet carried an energy that seeped into her skin, filling her veins with a faint hum of power. She could feel it - this rain was not natural. It was alive, pulsating with an essence that both intrigued and unsettled her.


    Around her, the others stood silently. Their faces were a mixture of awe and determination. Even Dr. Kian who was usually so composed, seemed affected, his jaw was clenched as he absorbed the rain¡¯s effects.


    [Time elapsed: 8 Minutes]


    "Two more minutes," 2025 warned.


    Grace opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings. The streets were empty now, the city eerily quiet except for the sound of rain hitting the ground. She knew they were being watched. Somewhere, someone - or something - was observing their every move.


    [Time elapsed: 10 Minutes]


    "Time¡¯s up," 2025 announced.


    "Let¡¯s go," Grace said, her voice was firm as she turned and led the group back inside.


    They moved quickly, shedding their wet outer layers and drying off as 2025 ran a quick scan to ensure they hadn¡¯t been exposed to anything harmful.


    "How do you feel?" Davian asked as his dark eyes locked onto hers.


    Grace paused, assessing herself. "Same," she admitted. "But in a good way."


    He nodded, understanding without needing further explanation. He then headed to look after the others while Rune arrived to check on her as well.


    "Will it take just as long as last time to work this time as well?"

 Chapter 101: Silkworms and Butterflies (I)

    Though the Shadow Rain lasted for only forty minutes, it successfully created a never-before-seen panic among people. The theories of how the world was coming to an end emerged once again and took over internet, forcing people to once again rush out to grab more supplies.


    The situation of robbery, assault, and terror, that the military had pain-stakingly brought under control, returned once again in full force as people rushed out to grab whatever rations and other supplies they could before locking themselves in their houses in the hope that it would keep them safe from whatever disaster was going to hit the city next.


    It took less than twenty-four hours after the happening of Shadow Rain when the news of eruption of four different volcanoes around the world started making headlines. The smoke and ash covered the sky, creating another heavy layer other than the ominous dark clouds that had been hiding the sun for months.


    The very next morning, a strong earthquake of magnitude 8.3 hit the southern end of the Starship Country, shaking up the entire nation as several cities were heavily damaged while those located on the opposite end felt the tremors even thousands of kilometers away.


    - - -


    [Days left before the end: 33 Days and 8 Hours]


    Grace finished the two-hours long gym session and walked toward the bench to sit and drink some water.


    "Don¡¯t slack off, Grace. You need to train with me now." Rune was immediately there, enjoying his chance of calling her by her name.


    It had been 3 days since Shadow Rain and 3 days since Rune actually got involved with their day-to-day schedule. He was now the one incharge of their physical training along with Davian. The two of these men were barely on talking terms, and yet, they were showing great teamwork as they trained everyone.


    Grace put down her bottle and turned her attention toward the young man who wasn¡¯t even trying to hide his intentions. After these three days, she was sure that every person living on the top three floors had realized that something was going on between her and Rune.


    "Stop wasting time. Let¡¯s go." He said while offering her his hand that she eventually took with a soft sigh.


    They had been training even more after getting drenched in the Shadow Rain. Because of their great physical health and the energy-rich food they had been eating thanks to the harvest from Grace¡¯s space, the rain¡¯s virus was working progressively in their bodies.


    2025 was keeping track of the changes in each of them, making sure that none of their bodies were showing any sign of turning into a zombie.


    In the previous timeline, it took three long months for the virus of Shadow Rain to show effects. It was only after those three months that people either developed magical powers or started turning into zombies. However, as per 2025¡¯s status, it was supposed to take only fifteen days before the virus would show its effect in Grace and her companions. This difference was only because of the accuracy of the time for which they were in contact with the rain and also because of how good their health conditions were compared to everyone else who ended up getting in contact with the rain.


    With such short time in their hands, Davian and Rune immediately took over the task of training all of them. The training took over most of the hours of their days, leaving very little time for Grace to work in her space and focus on stockpiling.


    That¡¯s right! Even after all she had already stocked up, her mission of stockpiling supplies was still not over.


    On the ninth night from the Shadow Rain, she finally restarted her stockpiling mission. She and Davian headed to a village in Country S where a famous butterfly and silk farm was located.


    Though she had already bought bees, she still planned to buy butterflies so that they could help with pollination. As for silkworms, they were also needed for the production of silk which could later be used for making textiles, ropes, or even bio-materials.


    Arriving at the village, they headed to the silk farmhouse and met the manager there. Grace had done a little research on the silkworms and butterflies, and the manager was also eagerly telling them about the kinds of the two they had in the farmhouse.


    "The most common breed of silkworms here is known as Domestic silkworms. They produce very high quality silk. Then there are Tasar silkworms and they produce strong and coarse silk suitable for tougher fabrics. Muga silkworms produces golden-colored silk, which is strong and long-lasting and is considered valuable for luxury items."


    The manager, a man in his late fifties who had spent nearly forty years of his life working in that farmhouse, introduced them to the types of silkworms one after the other.


    "Eri silkworms produces a soft, warm silk and are suitable for cold climates. And the silk produced by Ailanthus silkmoths are good for survival-focused textiles." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After hearing about all the silkworms, Grace decided to buy all the breeds.


    "I want 1000 larves of the Domestic silkworms, 500 larves of Tasar silkworms, 200 larves of Muga silkworms, 200 larves of Eri silkworms, and 200 larves of Ailanthus silkmoths." She placed her order, surprising the manager in the process.


    Still, the man didn¡¯t ask them any questions even if he was curious. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had received such a big order, but it surely had been a while. He could only guess that his customers were rich who were going to set up a silk farm.


    He quickly noted down the order and alloted the assignment to a group of five employees who had to pack up all the larves safely and deliver them to the given address by the evening.


    Once the orders for the silkworms were placed, it was time to look into the butterflies. First, the manager led Grace and Davian to have a look at all the breeds of butterflies available in the farmhouse.

 Chapter 102: Silkworms and Butterflies (II)

    It was still morning and the sun was hanging low in the sky of Country S. It casted a warm glow over the farmhouse as Grace stood by the counter, listening intently to Manager Atlas.


    The two of them began to discuss the butterfly breeds since they were now done with silkworms. She looked at all the detailed information about the breeds that were available there and listened intently as Manager Atlas began telling about each breed in brief.


    "Monarch butterflies...," he began, gesturing to a frame of the image of a butterfly hanging on a wall next to a field of flowers. The wall was lined with similar other frames with images of butterflies and information about that particular breed. And in the field of flowers, those same breeds of butterflies were flying all over.


    "... this breed is among the most common and well-known breeds. Their long migrations and ability to pollinate a wide range of plants make them vital for the ecosystem. They help with the reproduction of food crops."


    Grace nodded, making notes in her brain as her eyes found the particular butterfly hovering over a flower. "How many caterpillars can you supply?" she asked.


    "I can give you fifty right away," he replied.


    "That will do," Grace said with a determined nod. She placed the order right away.


    The next breed they discussed was the Painted Lady, known for its adaptability. Manager Atlas explained how these butterflies could thrive in various climates and habitats, making them perfect for pollinating vegetables and wildflowers.


    Grace was impressed the more she listened. "I will take fifty caterpillars of those too," she said, adding the order to her growing list.


    Moving on, Atlas introduced her to the Swallowtail Butterfly, a breed known for its robust nature and adaptability. They fed on citrus and parsley family plants, making them highly beneficial for herb gardens and fruit crops. But what caught Grace¡¯s attention most was their beauty.


    "They are stunning," she murmured, examining a vibrant black-and-yellow Swallowtail.


    Atlas smiled in response, clearly proud of the beautiful creatures he had helped breed. "They are as useful as they are beautiful."


    She decided to order twenty-five caterpillars of this breed. She reasoned with herself that their beauty would also bring some much-needed joy in bleak times.


    Next came the Cabbage White, a small but hardworking butterfly essential for pollinating leafy vegetables. Atlas stressed their importance for vegetable crop reproduction.


    "How many do you recommend?" Grace asked.


    "Given your plans, sixty should suffice."


    "Done," she said, adding another breed to her list.


    They moved on to the Buckeye Butterfly, a breed that supported wildflower and garden ecosystems. These butterflies were crucial for maintaining a balanced environment, which would be essential for food growth.


    "Forty caterpillars," Grace decided after a brief discussion with Davian who went ahead and just offered to buy the entire farmhouse.


    Finally, Atlas introduced her to some butterflies that weren¡¯t just useful but also breathtakingly beautiful. These included the Blue Morpho, Emerald Swallowtail, Apollo, Birdwing, Rajah Brooke¡¯s Birdwing, Zebra Longwing, Peacock Butterfly, and the delicate Glasswing. Grace couldn¡¯t resist adding a few of each to her order.


    With all the orders placed and the down payment made, Grace and Davian left the farmhouse. Since it was still early, they didn¡¯t head back to Sunspire but decided to continue with their hoarding mission.


    Their next stop was a fishing village about an hour¡¯s drive away. The salty sea air greeted them as soon as they arrived there. The village was bustling with activity - fishermen were unloading their catches, vendors were calling out their wares, and then there was also the sound of waves crashing against the shore.


    Grace¡¯s plan was simple - stock up on as much seafood as possible.


    For the next three hours, she and Davian moved from stall to stall, from boat to boat, buying a variety of seafood. Fresh fish, crabs, lobsters, clams, and even preserved goods like dried shrimp and salted fish were filling their containers. Grace negotiated with the vendors, ensuring she got the best deals. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do we still need to buy more fish or seafood?" Davian asked as they finished their business in the village and headed toward their car to leave.


    "Not anymore. We have more than enough fish and seafood to last us for next hundred years." Grace replied as she checked for a restaurant on a town or city nearby. It was nearly one in the noon and she was feeling really hungry.


    They ate their lunch, enjoyed ice cream, and finally headed back.


    Over the next several nights, Grace and Davian tackled other tasks on her list. One afternoon, they stopped by a bustling meat market to stock up on more fresh meat. They bought everything from beef and chicken to lamb and pork, carefully packaging it for storage. They knew that protein would be essential in the harsh times ahead.


    Another night, they visited a shoe factory. Grace had learned from her previous life how quickly shoes wore out when supplies ran dry. Though she had already bought a lot, she still bought all kinds of - sturdy boots, comfortable sneakers, durable sandals, snow boots, rain boots, and even children¡¯s shoes. Every pair was a potential lifeline for someone in the future.


    Their shopping expeditions continued as days continued to pass. They continued to stock up on medical supplies, clothing, tools, seeds, and other essentials. Grace was so focused on buying the supplies that she barely had time to set the supplies up in the warehouse.


    On the thirteenth day, she entered the space and headed to the second warehouse. Because of her recent purchases, each section of the warehouse was a mess. She spent hours in the warehouse, arranging everything in place.


    Once she was done, she received a notification.


    [Warehouse capacity full]


    A sigh escaped her lips as she immediately opened space for a third warehouse. But this time, she just chose a two storey warehouse instead of the big ones like the previous two.

 Chapter 103: A Day Full of Work

    [Days before world ends: 22 Days and 15 Hours]


    The warm water of the hot spring wrapped around Grace like a comforting embrace. Its gentle ripples were soothing the tension knotted deep in her muscles. It was a rare moment of peace in her current life that was dominated by preparation for survival.


    She leaned her head back against the smooth rock edge of the spring and let out a slow breath as the steam curled around her face.


    The week had been grueling for her... and everyone else living on the top three floors except for Davian and Rune. Training sessions had pushed their bodies to their limits, hours spent stockpiling supplies, and the mental strain of counting down the days since the Shadow Rain - it all weighed heavily on her. But as she sat in the spring, she allowed herself to relax, if only for a short while.


    In just a day and 15 hours, it was supposed to trigger visible changes in her body. The only time Grace felt the first hint of rain¡¯s power was during the day of the rain when she stepped into the dark, gooey liquid. It wasn¡¯t like any ordinary rain - it was dense and alive with energy. That brief exposure had been enough to stir something within her, but the changes since then had been invisible. However, 2025 had different things to say.


    As per the little creature, her and others¡¯ bodies were already showing some differences - they all were able to train for longer hours, their physical health has improved rapidly in the past one week, their food consumption had decreased to some point as little food was able to last them for long hours, and their senses were also becoming more sharp.


    Grace spent about half an hour in the hot spring before stepping out and getting dressed. Once she was ready, she prepared a simple dinner and ate it alone in the living room of the villa. After that, she headed straight to bed.


    -


    The next morning, Grace woke before dawn. The sky of the Infinite Realm was painted in soft shades of pink and orange as the first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon. She stretched, feeling the stiffness in her limbs fade with the movement.


    After a quick shower, she dressed in sturdy work clothes and made her way to the kitchen for breakfast.


    The villa¡¯s kitchen was simple but efficient. She had stocked it with everything she needed. She prepared a hearty meal of scrambled eggs, toast, and a cup of herbal tea and sat down at the dining table to ear her breakfast while she mentally outlined the day ahead.


    Her plan was to focus on the farm and fields - something she hadn¡¯t done since a few days. She needed to ensure everything was in order and also needed to take care of all the pending work. The system was a lifesaver because it automated many tasks and made her work far more efficient.


    Once breakfast was done, she headed out to the farmhouse. With the system¡¯s help, she quickly collected eggs, milk, wool, honey, and other products. Feeding the animals was as simple as selecting the "feed" option in the system, which instantly filled their troughs and feeders with the appropriate food.


    As she worked, her movements sppeared swift and practiced, making it obvious that she had done the work several times in the past. By the time she finished, the morning sun was higher in the sky, making her realize that it was late in the morning and she still had some time before noon.


    She transferred all the collected products to the warehouse to store them safely for future use.


    Next, she turned her attention to the orchards. The fruit trees were heavy with ripe apples, peaches, plums, and many more. She chose the option "pluck" in the system and immediately all the fruits got plucked and were placed into baskets. Both she and the system were quick, and soon enough, all the orchards were cleared. She transported the fruits to the warehouse before moving on to the vegetable fields, where rows of vibrant crops were awaiting to be harvested.


    She gathered everything - tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and more - and sorted them carefully. She also set aside a portion to be turned into seeds for future planting. The rest was transported to the warehouse to be processed later.


    The apple orchard required special attention when she noticed that its stats in the system. It had been harvested multiple times already, ten in specific, and the trees were beginning to show signs of aging.


    Grace took help from the system and selected the "turn into firewood" option in the system, and within moments, the old trees transformed into neat stacks of logs. She stored the firewood in the warehouse and planted new saplings in their place. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By the time she finished replanting, the sun was directly overhead. She wiped the sweat from her brow and made her way back to the villa for lunch.


    - - -


    Her midday meal was simple but satisfying - grilled fish, rice, and a side of fresh vegetables. She ate while watching a lighthearted movie on the large TV in the living room. This allowed her a brief respite from the long day. The humor of the film lifted her spirits, and for a short while, she enjoyed herself.


    But the moment the credits rolled, she was back on her feet as there was still so much left to do.


    Her first task of the afternoon was processing the harvest stored in the warehouse. The system offered her an array of options for each type of produce. With just a few selections, she could transform fresh crops into preserved goods.


    She turned tomatoes into rich, flavorful sauces and filled them up in jars before stocking them up in the shelves. Potatoes were turned into different flavored chips. Fruits were turned into canned preserves or dried into chewy snacks. Vegetables were pickled, and herbs were grounded into powders. The work was efficient and precise all because of the system, and by the time she finished, the warehouse was stocked with a wide variety of goods.


    Grace kept only a small portion of fresh produce for immediate use in cooking during the coming days.


    Her next stop was the newly set up butterfly farm where dozens of flower fields were in full bloom. The silk field was also next to it, as well as the mushroom fields. She had planted dozens of varities of mushrooms and the harvests had been perfect so far.


    She spent the next half hour working in thar particular section of her space before she decided to end the long day by visiting the pet farm. Lastly, she checked on the pets who were under quarantine ever since they were exposed to the Shadow Rain as she planned. Rune was the one who took care of this particular task and he seemed to have done it perfectly.


    She returned to the villa and took a long, hot bath. She then wore a nightgown and stepped out of the space and into her apartment. When she entered the space it was 8:30 PM, and now it was 10:12 PM.


    She wasted no time and climbed on the bed, hiding herself under the blanket and falling asleep.


    -


    The next was no different, after getting dressed and having her breakfast with her team, she and the others were once again forced into training. They trained for hours until noon before they called it quits for the day.


    But while everyone took the rare chance to rest, Grace pulled Davian into her apartment and made him open a portal to the biggest library of the Starship Country.


    In the previous timeline, no one cared about saving the millions of books that were stored in the libraries. No one had that much time, resources, or need... not until five years later when the government, authorities, and powerful families realized that they lost way too much in those books that they never even thought of saving.


    When the world would end, it would take every little information and knowledge, that humans had learned so far, to rebuild everything that they would end up losing. When there would be no internet, no computers, laptops, phones, or other electronic gadgets, it would be these books that would become hope for human survival.


    Hence, Grace and Davian spent the rest of the day visiting several big libraries around the world to steal away the billions of books on every topic out there. It wasn¡¯t easy to steal from every library as not every country had left their libraries without any security like that in Starship Country.


    Still, Grace and Davian worked so perfectly as a team that they succeeded in stealing everything.


    "Don¡¯t consider this a bad thing. You are saving those books because no one else is going to." 2025 reminded her and Grace knew just how accurate the creature was.


    She was saving those books and the unlimited knowledge they held.

 Chapter 104: The Bad News

    On the fourteenth day after the Shadow Rain, it became quite obvious that the continuous drop in the temperature wasn¡¯t going to stop anytime soon. The temperature on the day before arrival of the rain disaster was 42¡ãC, while the current temperature had dropped to 15¡ãC.


    There were estimates given by the weather department that the temperature would only keep dropping unless the clouds would suddenly disappear and the sun would return all of a sudden. But people knew better than to expect for such a miracle to happen.


    What they didn¡¯t know was that the temperature wouldn¡¯t stop dropping until the entire southern hemisphere of the planet would be covered in snow. While the southern hemisphere would suffer a volcanic winter, northern hemisphere would be suffering from rain, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and other rain related disasters.


    In the previous timeline, the volcanic winter lasted for three long years before the Earth finally got to see sunlight again. For three long years, people suffered through - the winter for which they were completely unprepared, a pandemic that either turned people into zombies or gifted them with superpowers, and a sudden attack from monster-like creatures.


    Grace couldn¡¯t help but wonder just how much this timeline was going to be different from the previous timeline.


    So far, there had been several changes - early earthquakes, the period for which rain disaster lasted, early volcanic eruptions, late arrival of Shadow Rain, and the early result of Shadow Rain¡¯s effect on Grace and her team.


    Talking about the last one, the countdown of the fifteen days finally came to an end.


    Everyone gathered in the living room of unit 2003 on the morning of the sixteenth day from the Shadow Rain. There were twenty-one people in total who got in contact with the rain, including Grace.


    Without wasting any time, 2025 began its daily check-ups.


    Grace was the first to be scanned. She stepped forward and hold out her hand for 2025 who was out in the open, finally visible to every person present in the room. It was almost funny to see everyone¡¯s reaction as they stared at the little creature, making it pretty obvious that they were struggling to believe what their eyes were seeing.


    She even heard Valeska and others whisper-talking about 2025 in the back of the room, but her attention was pulled back to her scanning when the system¡¯s scanner proggrame, that was checking any possible change in her body, started beeping loudly.


    The very next moment, a mechanical voice suddenly filled the now silent living room.


    [Changes detected. Energy levels are increasing. DNA alterations observed.]


    Everyone in the room froze, including Grace who stared at 2025, unsure what to do or say. She didn¡¯t feel sick or strange. In fact, she felt better than ever. Stronger, sharper, and more alive. And yet, she was unable to stop herself from feeling slightly anxious once she realized that she was no longer normal.


    "What kind of changes?" Davian was the one who broke the silence and asked the question, his voice sounded steady despite the war that was going on in his deep ocean blue eyes.


    2025 immediately jumped into running more scans. After several other tests and painful long minutes, a new notification was heard from the system.


    [Subject shows signs of evolutionary advancement. Powers are likely to awaken soon.]


    A murmur spread through the room once everyone realized that whatever changes had been detected in Grace, they were good.


    Grace finally released the breath she didn¡¯t even know she was holding. It felt good to receive the confirmation that the changes happening in her were actually good ones and not the ones that could turn her into those lifeless zombies. In the previous timeline, she hated them with a passion. It wouldn¡¯t have been nice to turn into one.


    Since her checkup was completed for the time being, Davian and Rune pulled her aside and made her sit on one of the couches in the far corner of the living room.


    "Close your eyes," Davian guided her gently, aware that she had no access to whatever power was blooming within her. "Try to feel what¡¯s happening inside you. If something is awakening, you should be able to sense it."


    She nodded her head in understanding and closed her eyes, focusing on her inner self. At first, there was absolutely nothing, but the more time she spent exploring, the more she got disconnected with the outside world and was able to actually sense her inner self.


    She wasn¡¯t sure exactly how long it took, it might have been just a minute, or ten long minutes, but she finally started feeling that it was indeed there, hiding deep within her. It was faint but warm, like a spark waiting to ignite.


    While she continued to delve deeper into that energy, 2025 continued to check the rest of the group. One by one, the little creature checked the remaining twenty people, most of whom showed similar changes to Grace, with increased energy levels and altered DNA. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the numbers and charts displayed on the huge digital screen were telling the slight, but important, differences between all twenty-one of them. Each minor difference made them distinct from one another.


    Everything was going smoothly, but then the scans revealed something different in two of the team members - Marcus and Julian. Both these members were from Davian¡¯s team.


    [Subjects are showing high potential for zombification]


    The system announced to everyone¡¯s horror. The room went dead silent immediately while Marcus and Julian looked at each other with shock and fear written all over their faces.


    The moment she heard the names, Grace felt a sense of relief washing over her. A big part of her felt guilty and even bad for the two men, as well as for Davian who had to go through such a phase, but there was also that small part that was unable to feel relieved after knowing that every person from her own team was safe and wouldn¡¯t be turning into zombies.


    "What does that mean?" Marcus asked, his voice was almost shaking.


    "It means the Shadow Rain is breaking your body down instead of enhancing it," 2025 explained without any hesitation. "Your symptoms will only worsen over time, eventually leading to you both turning into zombies."


    Before anyone else could have spoken, Davian stepped forward and announced in a voice that sounded extremely calm - "I will take care of these two."


    Neither Marcus nor Julian spoke a single word and just watched in silence as Davian walked out of the room without a single glance back.


    Grace signaled Kevin to dismiss everyone before she quickly followed after Davian. When she walked out of Unit 2003, there was no sign of him in the hallway. She was about to head to twenty-second floor when Rune stopped her. She turned around and faced him, but before she could have asked anything, he was already speaking, "He didn¡¯t go there. Maybe you should leave him alone for the time being."


    She wouldn¡¯t have listened if it had been another situation. But hearing from Rune that Davian didn¡¯t return to his own apartment after stepping out of Unit 2003, she understood that the last thing he wanted was to be found by anyone... including her.


    With a small nod of her head, she headed to her own Unit while leaving a message for her team in the group chat to meet her for a quick group meeting.


    - - -


    The clock struck five in the evening and Grace headed to the kitchen to cook dinner. She was unable to keep herself from thinking about Davian as she hadn¡¯t seen or heard from him since that morning. He seemed to have disappeared somewhere.


    Letting out a small sigh, she focused her attention toward the task at hand, forcing herself to stop thinking about the man and cook the dinner.


    From the update she received from Ryan that afternoon, both Marcus and Julian had left the Building K12 in a car that came to pick them up during the late morning hours.


    For the next an hour, she busied herself in kitchen, preparing a variety of dishes. The mixed aroma quickly filled the air of the apartment, making her stomach growl in protest.


    She just switched off the gas and covered the pots with lids when the doorbell rang. Wiping her hands, she headed toward the main door and pulled it open, not really thinking anything until she found herself looking at a familiar face.


    She inhaled deeply as she took in Davian¡¯s tired and haggard appearance. The way he looked at the moment, it attacked her heart straight, leaving her completely speechless.


    Pulling herself together, she quickly stepped aside to allow him entrance. He didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately stepped inside the apartment, heading to the living room. She quickly closed the main door and followed after him.


    Her brain was suddenly fuzzy and she couldn¡¯t think of anything to say as she walked up to him. But it seemed like he didn¡¯t need her to speak at all...!

 Chapter 105: Movie Night (I)

    "Davian."


    She called his name softly. He was standing right in front of her, but his back was facing her. Not being able to see his face and expression made her feel at a loss. She had no idea what he was thinking while standing there like a statue.


    For am entire minute, he gave her no response and just continued to stand there with his back to her. The more time passed in silence, the more anxious Grace started feeling.


    "Davian, are you alright?" She asked, her voice slightly stronger this time. She was about to step forward when he suddenly turned around and pulled her into his arms. The next thing she knew, she was in his embrace, being hugged by him as if she was his lifeline.


    At this point, she had learned that physical touch was Davian¡¯s way of comforting, especially hugs. Letting out the breath she didn¡¯t even realize she was holding, she wrapped her arms around his waist and returned the hug. Very slowly, she started rubbing her hand over his back, trying to help him calm down.


    It was like her touch performed some sort of magic because he relaxed immediately. She felt the tension leaving his body and he tightened his hold around her even further, snuggling his face in her neck and inhaling deeply as if her scent was helping him calm down.


    They stood like that for a while, just holding each other and enjoying the warmth of the hug. Both of them were the kind of people who refrained from making physical contacts unless it was necessary. Thus, such hugs felt extremely good, especially when the person hugging was someone special.


    After what felt like forever, Davian finally pulled back from the hug and locked his gaze with hers. "Can I stay here with you tonight?" He suddenly put forward a request she didn¡¯t saw coming at all.


    But thankfully, she didn¡¯t waste time overthinking about the matter and just nodded her head in a positive response almost immediately.


    Finally, a smile made its way to Davian¡¯s lips, it was barely noticeable but it was there. He took hold of her hand and pulled it toward his face, eventually placing a kiss on the back of her fingers. It felt like a sweet and warm gesture of his gratitude, and it made her smile as well.


    "Let¡¯s eat together." She offered as she entangled her fingers with his and started walking in the direction of the kitchen. He followed after her without any resistance and even helped as she set up the dining table for dinner.


    The two of them ate the entire dinner in silence and while she wanted to talk to him about Marcus and Julian, she held herself back. She could tell that what he wanted, or needed, the most at that moment was to relax and not think about that matter. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once the dinner was over, they washed the dishes together and cleaned up the kitchen and dining table.


    "You can take a shower or a bath, whatever you feel like having at the moment. Here are the clothes for you to change into." She told him as she led him to her bedroom and headed him the clothes she had taken out from the warehouse in her space. Though she didn¡¯t know his exact size, she was sure that the clothes she had picked for him would suit him perfectly.


    Davian didn¡¯t sat anything and just took the clothes and headed into the bathroom. Grace personally hadn¡¯t used the apartment¡¯s bathroom ever since the water level started rising in the Sunspire City. She blocked all the drains in her apartment just to keep the place safe from the flooding and rising water level. But as all the flood water was gone now, she had opened all the drains and set up the bathrooms again with all the necessities.


    While Davian was taking a shower, she contemplated on what to do next. Since it was merely seven in the evening, she decided to set up the living room for movie time. She selected a comedy animation movie, prepared fresh popcorn which filled the entire apartment with its aroma, prepared chocolates and more snacks, and set up aromatic candles on the coffee table in the living room before switching off the lights.


    Davian emerged from the bathroom shortly after. His presence waa quiet but steady. He was wearing the clothes Grace had given him - a set of black pajamas, and just as she had predicted, they fit him perfectly. The dark fabric brought out the sharpness of his features, but it was the relaxed expression on his face that caught her attention.


    He paused at the entrance to the living room, taking in the warm and cozy atmosphere she had prepared. It took her to put in some effort to keep herself from feeling too curious about whether he was happy with her set up or if he just wanted to be left alone.


    The scent of popcorn was still lingering in the air, but now it was mingled with the faint vanilla fragrance of the candles. The dim lighting made the room feel safe, almost like an escape from the chaos that had taken over their lives from that very morning.


    "You did all this?" he asked, breaking the silence, and his voice was softer than usual.


    Grace shrugged in response with a small smile playing on her lips. "I figured we could use a little distraction."


    She watched as his lips twitched in what might have been a smile. Without saying anything, he walked over and settled onto the big couch. She walked over to the couch snd handed him a bowl of popcorn before joining him. She left just enough space between them to be comfortable.


    "I picked a comedy animation," she said as she grabbed the remote. "Something light. You don¡¯t have to think too much while watching it."


    Davian leaned back and nodded slightly. "Sounds perfect."

 Chapter 106: Movie Night (II)

    As the movie began, Grace found her attention wandering away from the screen. She was unable to help sneaking glances at Davian from the corner of her eye. He looked more relaxed now, and his usual tension was now replaced by a quiet calm. His posture was no longer rigid, it had softened as the minutes had passed. Though he wasn¡¯t smiling, there was a stillness to him, a peace that she hadn¡¯t seen since morning.


    She smiled to herself, feeling relieved that he was finally able to let go, even if it was only for a little while. The chaos of the morning seemed far away in this moment, it was now replaced by the soft glow of the television and the sound of lighthearted laughter from the movie.


    About halfway through, Davian reached over and, without any hesitation, grabbed a handful of popcorn from her bowl instead of his own. Surprised, she blinked and then raised an eyebrow at him.


    "You have your own," she stated while shifting her gaze from his face to his bowl of popcorn as if to make her point. But despite her words, her voice was playful.


    He shrugged and his lips twitched into a barely-there smile. "Yours tastes better."


    Grace just smiled in response. If this small act was able to help him feel better, she wasn¡¯t going to complain. Still, she made a mental note of how much she appreciated seeing this side of him - lighter and less burdened.


    As the movie continued, their hands occasionally brushed when reaching for popcorn, and each time, Grace felt a spark of something she had finally started to recognize. It was comforting and yet exhilarating, it was the simplicity of being close to someone who mattered to her.


    By the time the credits rolled, she realized how much she needed this too. The laughter, the warmth, the normalcy - it was a fleeting reminder of a world they were slowly leavjng behind.


    "You were right," Davian said softly as the credits faded from the screen. "This was exactly what I needed."


    She turned to face him as she responded, "Me too."


    For a moment, neither of them moved. The quiet between them wasn¡¯t awkward, but a shared understanding. It was a connection that didn¡¯t need words.


    "What now?" Davian asked, breaking the silence in his low and calm voice.


    Grace thought for a moment. "We could watch another movie or talk. It¡¯s still early."


    He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Talk," he decided. "I think I need that."


    Grace nodded and adjusting herself on the couch so she could face him fully. "Alright. What¡¯s on your mind?"


    He hesitated and fixed his gaze on the now darkened TV screen. When he finally spoke, his voice carried a weight that made her chest tighten. "Marcus and Julian," he admitted. "I can¡¯t stop thinking about them."


    Grace felt her heart ache at the mention of the teammates. She had avoided bringing it up earlier as she knew just how heavily it weighed on him, but now that he had opened up, she couldn¡¯t hold back.


    "It¡¯s not your fault," she said gently, her tone was firm but kind. "You did everything you could to keep them safe."


    Davian shook his head and his jaw tightened. "It doesn¡¯t feel like enough. They trusted me, Grace. And now¡­" His voice broke slightly, and he looked down, his hands clenched into fists.


    Without thinking, Grace reached out and placed her hand on his arm. The warmth of her touch seemed to ground him, and he glanced up at her, his deep blue eyes filled with turmoil.


    "They are alive, Davian," she said softly. "And 2025 will keep monitoring them. If there is any chance they can recover or develop powers like the rest of us, they will get it. We have ensured that."


    Davian¡¯s gaze searched hers, as if looking for reassurance. "What if they don¡¯t recover? What if I have to make the decision to¡­" He trailed off, unable to finish the thought.


    Grace tightened her grip on his arm. Her voice was steady. "If it comes to that, you won¡¯t face it alone. We are a team, Davian. We will make the decision together."


    For a moment, he said nothing. Then, slowly, his tense expression softened, and he nodded. "Thank you, Grace." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They sat in silence after that while the gravity of their conversation lingered in the air. Still, Grace didn¡¯t let go of his arm, neither did he pull away. The warmth between them felt like a quiet promise.


    Eventually, Grace broke the silence. "We will face whatever comes next, Davian. One step at a time."


    He looked at her, and for the first time that evening, a genuine smile touched his lips. It was small, almost hesitant, but it was real. "One step at a time," he agreed.


    As the snow fell steadily outside, they stayed on the couch, talking about lighter things. At some point, Grace started feeling sleepy and leaned her head against Davian¡¯s shoulder, and he didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, he shifted slightly to make her more comfortable. As a result, his arm brushed against hers in a way that felt deliberate.


    Before she knew it, she was already fast asleep. It wasn¡¯t until the clock struck midnight, that Grace finally stirred out of her sleep. "We should get some sleep," she said softly, though she made no move to leave the couch.


    Davian nodded, but his gaze lingered on her. "I¡¯ll stay here," he said quietly, as if afraid she might send him away.


    Grace smiled and stood up, before grabbing a blanket from the closet. She draped it over him and then hesitated, her hand lingered on his shoulder. "Goodnight, Davian."


    He caught her hand before she could pull away. "Goodnight, Grace," he said, his voice was low but full of something she couldn¡¯t quite name.


    As she turned and headed toward her bedroom, Grace felt a warmth spreading through her chest. For the first time in a long while, she didn¡¯t feel alone. And somehow, she knew Davian didn¡¯t feel alone either.

 Chapter 107: The Harsh Decision

    [Time left before the world ends: 20 Days and 7 Hours]


    The huge and loud timer inside the space was a constant reminder of how little time Grace was left with. Twenty days didn¡¯t feel like enough, but she pushed the thought aside as 2025 finished its analysis of the pets in the pethouse.


    "Master, we need to quarantine the four of them." 2025 informed her as soon as the scanning was over.


    Grace¡¯s heart sank as she reviewed the final report. Even though out of the thirty pets only four were showing signs of zombification, she still felt bad. As for the rest, they had undergone through DNA alterations as well and were beginning to show signs of developing powers and unique features.


    With a steady hand, Grace used the system¡¯s options to isolate the infected animals. The system created a safe quarantine area in a house near the pethouse and the four infected pets were moved there instantly, ensuring the others wouldn¡¯t be at risk.


    "Take care of them," she murmured softly, even though she knew 2025 would do everything that was necessary. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Leaving the pethouse, she headed toward the farmhouse. She had too much to do and no time to waste dwelling on what she couldn¡¯t change.


    Without wasting any time, she threw herself into her work. She fed the animals, collected fresh milk and eggs, and made her rounds to check on the rest of the livestock, continuing with her routine tasks.


    Once the animals were cared for, she moved on to harvesting. Crops, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers - it was a never-ending list, but she was more than happy to work. Every harvest was a blessing and filled with hope for survival. She worked professionally, her hands moving with practiced ease as she filled basket after basket. When the fields were bare, she planted new seeds with care, her mind wandering as she worked.


    It was during these moments of that she founf her thoughts turning deep and somewhat... dark.


    What exactly would happen in twenty days?


    In her previous life, the apocalypse had officially begun with the first appearance of zombies. While several disasters hit the Earth one after the other, it were the zombies who ended the world. That had been four months after the day she was reborn into this timeline. By that calculation, the zombies shouldn¡¯t appear for another two months. And yet, the timer in her system seemed to contradict that.


    Was the apocalypse coming earlier this time? Or was something even worse looming on the horizon?


    She couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling in her chest. The uncertainty gnawed at her, but she didn¡¯t have any answers. All she could do was prepare and hope she would be ready for whatever was coming.


    By the time she finished her tasks, the sun had begun its slow descent. She didn¡¯t stop to rest. Instead, she moved to her training area, a small meadow behind the farmhouse that was secluded and quiet.


    For days, she had been focusing on the presence of that warm energy deep within her. It felt like a flicker of flame waiting to be unleashed, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t quite grasp it.


    She closed her eyes and stood still, letting the world around her fade into the background. Her breathing slowed as she concentrated on the warmth inside her, willing it to grow stronger, brighter.


    Nothing.


    Frustration bubbled up, but Grace pushed it down. She couldn¡¯t afford to let her emotions get the better of her. She tried again, this time imagining the warmth as a tiny spark in a vast ocean of darkness. Slowly, she coaxed it forward, and for a brief moment, she thought she felt it respond.


    But just as quickly as it had come, it vanished.


    She opened her eyes with a sigh. The progress was slow, but she wasn¡¯t going to give up. This power, whatever it was, could be the key to survival - not just for her, but for everyone she cared about.


    As the days were passing, the weight on her shoulders was growing heavier. Marcus and Julian, who had been quarantined due to the infection, were deteriorating quickly. Despite all efforts, their health showed no signs of improvement. It became clear that they weren¡¯t going to survive the virus.


    Grace wanted to hold on to hope, but she knew it would be cruel to pretend there was a chance. She avoided the topic with Davian, knowing how much it weighed on him. He had been their leader, their protector, and now he was helpless to save them.


    Then, one evening, she found out the truth.


    The news hit her like a punch to the gut. She couldn¡¯t imagine the pain Davian must have felt as he made the decision, the guilt that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Marcus and Julian had been more than teammates - they had been family.


    That night, Grace made her way to Davian¡¯s apartment.


    The air was cold, and the snow crunched beneath her boots as she walked. The building was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that pressed down on you and made the world feel smaller.


    When she reached his door, she started hesitating. What could she possibly say to him? How could she make this any better? She wondered and it made her stop right outside his apartment.


    The inner struggle continued for a few more minutes before she was finally able to shake off all the unnecessary thoughts and pulled herself together. Taking a deep breath, she finally stepped forward and rang the doorbell.


    The door opened barely a moment later, and she finally got to see Davian. His face was pale, while his eyes were shadowed with exhaustion and grief. He looked at her, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.


    "Grace," he finally said as if acknowledging her presence. His voice was too rough compared to how it sounded usually.


    "Can I come in?" She asked gently, ready to head back incase he wanted to be left alone.

 Chapter 108: Building Emotions

    Grace waited for his response, and much to her relief, Davian stepped aside and allowed her entrance into his apartment without a word.


    The living room was dimly lit, and the only source of light was the single lamp sitting in the corner. The place felt cold and empty, much like the man standing before her.


    "I heard about Marcus and Julian," she began, keeping her voice quiet but steady.


    Davian¡¯s jaw tightened, and he looked away. "I did what I had to do."


    "I know," she replied, stepping closer. "And I¡¯m not here to judge you. I just¡­ I wanted to make sure you are okay."


    He let out a bitter laugh. "Okay? Grace, I killed them. They trusted me, and I¡ª"


    "You saved them from something worse," she interrupted him firmly. "You gave them peace, Davian. That doesn¡¯t make you a monster. It makes you human."


    He funally turned to her then, his eyes filled with a mix of pain and gratitude. "I don¡¯t know how you do it," he said softly. "How you stay so strong."


    Grace shook her head, and a small but sad smile appeared on her lips. "I¡¯m not as strong as you think. But I know one thing - we can¡¯t do this alone. We have to rely on each other."


    For a moment, he just looked at her, and then, without warning, he pulled her into a hug.


    Grace froze as she was caught off guard, but then she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly.


    "You are not alone, Davian," she whispered. "I¡¯m here. We will get through this together. I promise."


    The apartment was filled with silence as they stood there in each other¡¯s arms. The dim light was casting long shadows on the walls, but the real darkness was in Davian¡¯s eyes as he pulled away from Grace.


    The hug had been brief but charged with a depth of understanding and trust that the two of them had developed over time. Grace could still feel the weight of his grief in the way he held her, as though letting go would cause him to fall apart.


    "Thank you," he murmured and his voice was barely audible.


    Grace nodded and stepping back just enough to give him space while still staying close. "You don¡¯t have to thank me," she said softly. "That¡¯s what friends do."


    His lips curved into a faint, almost humorless smile. "Friends," he repeated, the word carrying a hint of bitterness. He ran a hand through his silver strands, his shoulders slumping as he moved to sit on the edge of the worn-out couch.


    Grace hesitated before sitting down beside him, careful to leave a small gap between them. "You have carried too much alone for too long," she said. "It¡¯s okay to lean on someone else for a change."


    He turned his head to look at her, and his deep blue eyes started studying her face as though searching for something. "You have lost people too," he said after a moment. "And yet, you keep going. How?"


    The question made her pause. Memories of her past - the betrayal, her death, and those painful and lonely last moments - they flooded her mind. She took a deep breath to ground herself before answering.


    "Because stopping isn¡¯t an option," she said quietly. "If I give up, then everything I have done, everything I have fought for, will mean nothing. And I refuse to let that happen."


    He leaned back and once again locked his gaze on her. "You make it sound so simple." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It¡¯s not," she admitted. "But it¡¯s worth it."


    The silence that followed was heavy but not uncomfortable. Grace was able to feel the warmth of his presence beside her, a stark contrast to the chill of the room.


    "You don¡¯t have to do this alone, Davian," she said softly, breaking the silence. "I¡¯m here. And I¡¯m not going anywhere."


    For a moment, he didn¡¯t respond. Then, he reached out and took her hand in his.


    The gesture was unexpected, and it caused Grace¡¯s breath to catch in her throat. His hand was warm, while his grip was firm but not overpowering. She looked down at their joined hands with her heart pounding in her chest.


    "I¡¯m not used to this," he said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.


    "Used to what?" she asked, her own voice coming out just as soft.


    "Letting someone in," he admitted. "It¡¯s always been easier to keep people at arm¡¯s length. Safer."


    Grace¡¯s heart ached at his words. Not only because she could see the walls he had built around himself, or the scars left by two lifetimes of loss and pain, but also because she knew exactly what he meant by those words. It was almost like he was talking about her and not himself.


    "You don¡¯t have to be afraid," she said while giving his hand a gentle squeeze before standing up. "I¡¯m not going to hurt you."


    He looked at her then, really looked at her, as he too followed her and stood up. All she was able to see in his eyes was the trust he had been showing in her all this time. The intensity of his gaze made her stomach flutter, and she just stepped forward to hug him again, not sure who exactly needed that physical comfort more - him or her.


    The air between them started growing heavier from that moment even though they were no longer looking into each other¡¯s eyes. It was thick with unspoken words and emotions too vast to contain.


    She stood there holding him with her head resting lightly on his shoulder. His warmth seeped into her, chasing away the chill that had clung to her since stepping into the dimly lit apartment.


    For a while, they stayed like that - silent, still, but acutely aware of each other¡¯s presence. She was able to feel the steady rise and fall of his chest, and the faint tremble in his hand as it rested on her back.


    But the quiet wasn¡¯t enough to hold back the tide of emotions building within them.

 Chapter 109: Intense Make-Out

    Davian shifted slightly, causing his shoulder to brush against her cheek. Grace tilted her head to look up at him, and found his eyes already fixed on her face. There was something raw in his gaze, something that made her stomach flip and her breath to catch.


    "Grace," he called her name like a plea, and his voice was rough with restraint. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes?" She replied softly, her own voice coming barely above a whisper.


    His eyes flicked to her lips, then back to her eyes. She saw the war he was fighting within himself - the hesitation, the doubt, the need. And then, as if some unseen force pushed him forward, he leaned in.


    Her heart felt like it was going to burst as she closed her eyes the very moment his lips found hers. That mere contact was enough for her to completely melt against him. One of her hands moved to rest against his chest as she returned the kiss.


    His lips were warm and soft, and the world seemed to fade away as they completely melted into each other.


    The kiss deepened and his hand moved to cup her cheek as he tilted her head to better align with his. Grace felt a warmth spread through her, a sensation so unique and fulfilling - something she had begun to enjoy since recently. It wasn¡¯t just the physical act of kissing - it was the vulnerability, the raw desire, and the intense emotions behind it.


    When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathing heavily.


    He pressed his forehead against hers and inhaled deeply, giving their lungs a little break before he was crashing his lips against hers once again.


    This time, the kiss wasn¡¯t tentative. It wasn¡¯t careful or restrained. It was hungry, urgent, as though the dam he had built between them had finally burst.


    Grace responded instantly, her hands moved up to grip his shirt to pull him closer. Her heart was pounding wildly as his lips claimed hers. Each kiss waa more fervent than the last. There was no hesitation now, no holding back.


    His hands found their way around her waist, and his fingers dug into her sides as though he was afraid she might slip away. The intensity of his touch sent a jolt of heat coursing through her, igniting something deep and primal within her.


    She let out a soft gasp as his lips trailed from her mouth to her jaw, then down to the curve of her neck.


    "Davian," she breathed his name. Her voice was shaky but filled with longing that she was feeling for him.


    Her name on his lips was a low growl as he pulled back just enough to look at her. "Tell me to stop," he said in a strained voice. "If this isn¡¯t what you want, tell me now."


    Grace¡¯s chest heaved as she met his gaze, already making up her mind. She was tired of running. "Don¡¯t stop," she said firmly. "I don¡¯t want you to stop."


    That was all the confirmation he needed.


    In one swift motion, he pulled her toward the couch before sitting down and pulling her onto his lap. His hands on her waist kept her firmly in place.


    Grace¡¯s legs straddled his hips as their lips crashed together once more. She could feel the tension in his body, the strength in his arms as they wrapped around her, holding her as though she was the only thing tethering him to reality.


    Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling on them slightly as his kisses grew more insistent. He responded with a low groan, the sound vibrating against her lips and sent shivers down her spine.


    His hands roamed over her back, her sides, exploring her curves with a reverence that left her breathless. Every touch, every caress, felt like a promise - a vow of the pleasure he would make her feel if they didn¡¯t stop.


    Grace¡¯s own hands didn¡¯t sit idle. She let them wander, tracing the hard lines of his shoulders and chest over the silk shirt, while feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips.


    "Grace," he murmured against her lips. His voice was filled with a mix of desire and desperation.


    "Davian," she replied in a voice that was equally fervent.


    Their breaths mingled as they pulled apart just enough to look at each other. His eyes had turned ever darker if possible and they looked wild as he looked at her. She knew hers must look the same, filled with the same unrelenting hunger.


    He pressed his forehead against hers while his hands slid to her hips. "I don¡¯t want to rush this," he said. His voice was barely above a whisper. "But I can¡¯t-"


    "You are not rushing," she interrupted, cupping his face in her hands. "This is what I want. This is what we want. Nothing else matters right now."


    Her words seemed to break whatever restraint he had left.


    With a deep growl, he stood and lifted her effortlessly. Grace wasted no time and immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. Her breath hitched as he carried her toward the bedroom while his lips never left hers even for a second.


    The world outside ceased to exist for the two of them. The weight of their shared fears, the looming threat of the apocalypse, all of it faded into nothingness. In that moment, there was only him, only her, and the fire that burned between them.


    Davian kicked the door of the bedroom open with his foot, stepping inside before gently setting her down. Grace looked up at him as her chest rose and fell with every breath. When he looked at her, his expression was a mix of tenderness and unbridled passion.


    He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her face, his hand trembling slightly in the process. "You are beautiful," he said in a voice that was raw with emotion.


    She felt her cheeks warm up, but she didn¡¯t look away. "So are you," she responded in a soft but steady voice, speaking nothing but her honest thoughts.


    In response, he leaned in again and his lips captured hers in a kiss that was slower this time, just as deliberate as their first kiss.

 Chapter 110: Kisses Deepened

    As the kisses deepened, Grace let herself surrender completely to the moment. Her hands roamed over Davian¡¯s perfectly built body, feeling the strength beneath his shirt, as well as the heat radiating from his skin.


    His hands were just as eager. They explored every inch of her as though committing her to memory. He took his time, savoring each touch, each kiss, as though afraid it might be their last. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ending the kiss, he started trailing kisses down her throat to her collarbone before coming to a stop when his lips met with the soft fabric of the black crop top she was wearing to match her black high-waisted trouser.


    Grace watched while holding her breath as he moved down until his lips found the bare part of her belly, planting kisses over that small part that gave her tickling sensations, forcing out a small giggle from her that made him look up at her face immediately.


    Her smile froze when she noticed his eyes getting swarmed with desire the moment he saw her smiling. The next thing she knew, he was back in front of her before he crushed his mouth against hers. This time, the kiss was so intense that she felt like he was devoring her.


    The air between them crackled with intensity as Davian pulled back slightly. Their breaths were ragged and mingled in the small space between them. Her lips were still tingling from the bruising kiss, and her heart pounded in her chest as if trying to break free.


    His hands slid up her sides, brushing the edge of her top on their way. His touch was firm but careful, as though he was holding something fragile. Her skin burned under his fingertips, and she wasn¡¯t able to help the soft gasp that escaped her lips.


    "You are breathtaking," he murmured in a low and rough voice. He was staring right into her eyes, his own orbs looking extremely dark with desire. And yet, they were filled with something deeper - love and admiration, it was as if she was a treasure he had been searching for all his life.


    Grace couldn¡¯t think of any proper response, so she simply cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. The kiss was slow but no less passionate. It was like a slow dance, a push and pull of emotions and needs that neither of them could resist anymore.


    After wandering all over her sides, Davian¡¯s fingers finally found their way to the hem of her top, and with one swift motion, he lifted it over her head. Grace shivered, not from the cold but from the intensity of his gaze as he took her in. His hands traced the curve of her shoulders before sliding down her arms, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.


    Her hands weren¡¯t idle either. She reached for the buttons of his shirt. Her fingers were trembling slightly as she opened the buttons one by one. As the fabric parted and revealed his toned upper body that she had seen at rare occasions before, she had to bite her lip to suppress the smile that was threatening to spill. She was totally unable to tear her eyes away from the perfect view.


    "You are not playing fair," she complained with a small smile tugging at her lips.


    In response, Davian chuckled. The sound was so low and husky that it only made more butterflies flutter in her belly. "Neither are you." He returned, fully aware of what he was doing to her.


    He shrugged off his shirt and let it fall to the floor. Before she could have anticipated his next move, his lips were on her again, searing and demanding. His hands slid to her waist, gripping her firmly as he guided her backward until her back hit the wall.


    Grace gasped at the coolness of the surface against her heated skin, but it was quickly forgotten as his mouth moved to her neck from her lips. His lips and tongue explored her skin, leaving a trail of fire as they descended to her collarbone and beyond.


    Her hands found their way to his shoulders, and she dug her fingers into the hard muscles as she arched against him. "Davian," she breathed out his name. Her voice was a mix of urgency and need that was taking over her.


    Those black trousers were the next to go. His fingers worked deftly to unbutton and slide them down her hips. She kicked them off, leaving her in nothing but her undergarments. The situation might have been unnerving, but with the way he looked at her - like she was the only thing that mattered in the world - she felt nothing but desire spreading through her veins like lava.


    She pushed him back slightly, needing to catch her breath. Her eyes roamed over him, from the sharp line of his jaw to the defined muscles of his chest. As her gaze dropped to his waist, she reached for his belt. Her fingers brushed against the warm skin of his abdomen as she unfastened the leather.


    The sound of the belt hitting the floor sent a jolt of anticipation through her. She tugged at his pants, and he stepped out of them with ease, leaving him in just his boxers.


    And then, his hands were back on her in an instant, lifting her off the ground as though she weighed nothing. She wrapped her legs around his waist and looped her arms around his neck as their lips met in a feverish kiss.


    They moved together, pressing their bodies tightly as Davian carried her across the room. She didn¡¯t know where he was taking her, and she didn¡¯t care. All that mattered was the way he made her feel - wanted, cherished, alive.


    They didn¡¯t make it far before he pressed her against the edge of a table. His hands explored her back, slipping beneath the clasp of her bra and releasing it with practiced ease. The garment fell away, leaving her bare to him.

 Chapter 111: Deep Pleasure (I)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - -


    Before Grace could have fully processed the situation, Davian was already leaning in. As his mouth found hers once more, she lost count of how many times they had kissed tonight. He seemed to be starving for her, and couldn¡¯t get enough, but she wasn¡¯t going to complain.


    His hands gripped her thighs and pulled her closer. An intense shiver ran down her spine as her breasts came in contact with his very hard, bare chest. The friction of his smooth skin against her sensitive nipples made her moan into the kiss that was becoming more fervent with each passing second.


    Amidst all the eagerness, a sudden cry of pain broke through her lips, causing Davian to immediately pull away. His eyes were full of concern as he studied her to find out what just happened.


    "It¡¯s the table. The edge just hit me in the back." Grace told him with a sheepish smile, and her expression made a smile to bloom on his lips as well. At first, it were just small smiles, but they soon turned into soft chuckles.


    He pulled her away from the table and his hand snaked over to her back. His fingers probed her back, softly massaging the skin as if to soothe the ache. Leaning closer, he pressed his forehead against hers and inhaled deeply.


    "You are way too underdressed for me to even think about stopping now, or to say something sweet." He said in a soft voice, causing Grace to smile as she recalled that all her clothes were already lying discarded on the floor all around the apartment, leaving her bare save for the soft, dark pink lace panties that clung to her hips.


    "How about continuing what we were doing just now?" She suggested as she pressed her face against his, her lips just a breath away from his.


    Davian didn¡¯t need to be to be asked twice. He immediately picked her up once again and took her toward the king-size bed. He kissed her as he laid her down on the soft mattress, his body hovering over hers. He kissed her for a minute or two before his lips left hers to trail down her neck, her collarbone, and over the swell of her breasts. Every kiss and every touch was sending a wave of heat coursing through her, leaving her breathless and wanting more. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her hands found their way to his hair, fingers tangling in the silver strands as he continued his exploration. He played around for a minute or two before his lips finally wrapped around her right nipple and he gave it a strong pull, sucking it right before his tongue reached out and flicked over the bud.


    Grace inhaled sharply as pleasure hummed right under her skin. His tongue knew exactly what it needed to do, and how it needed to do that. And while his mouth gave its full attention to her right breast, his hand found its way to the left one and his fingers started playing with the bud that was aching for attention.


    With each passing moment, her breathing grew heavier while pleasure kept building within her. Each suck, each lick, and each touch derived sparks of pure pleasure from deep within her.


    She clung to his broad shoulder, her nails lightly grazing his skin as his skilled hands continued their exploration of her body. The air between them was crackling with heat and desire.


    The sharp contrast between Davian¡¯s composed demeanor and her exposed vulnerability sent a fresh wave of desire coursing through Grace. She wanted to see him - to feel him without the barriers of fabric.


    "Davian¡­" she whispered his name. Her voice was unsteady as his lips captured the other sensitive peak. His teeth grazed lightly against the bud, eliciting a shudder that rippled through her entire body.


    Instead of responding verbally, he let his actions speak. One of his hands trailed from her waist, tracing the curve of her belly before slipping between her legs. His touch was confident, teasing, and entirely too slow for her liking.


    He fingers found the waistband of her panties and he pulled it down her hips. The cool air caressed her now bare skin, but it was quickly replaced by the heat of his hand as he explored her inner thigh. His fingers moved deftly, stroking and rubbing, igniting fires wherever they touched.


    Grace arched her back, her body responding instinctively as he continued his ministrations. He finally made his way to her core and his fingers ran over her folds before they moved to her entrance and he slipped one of the fingers inside, drawing a soft moan from her lips. The sensation was electrifying. Her inner walls clenched around his digit as he began a slow, deliberate rhythm.


    "Don¡¯t stop¡­ please," she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Davian¡¯s intense gaze met hers, his eyes darkened with desire. "I have no intention of stopping," he murmured, adding a second finger. The stretch was delicious, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out too loudly.


    His mouth returned to her breast, his tongue flicking over her nipple as his fingers thrust deeper. The dual sensations left her trembling, completely at his mercy. Her hips began to move of their own accord, meeting his hand in a desperate attempt for more.


    Her thoughts spiraled as pleasure consumed her. She craved him - all of him. The thought of his length replacing his fingers made her groan softly, her need growing unbearable.


    Davian smirked as though he could read her mind. "You are so eager," he teased, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine.


    She didn¡¯t have the chance to respond before he withdrew his fingers, leaving her aching for more. But the loss was short-lived as he began to undress. Grace watched, her breaths coming in shallow pants as he peeled off his trousers.


    Her eyes roamed over him, taking in every detail - the hard lines of his muscles. When he removed his boxers moments later, she was unable to stop her gaze from lingering on the impressive length that was standing proudly between his legs.

 Chapter 112: Deep Pleasure (II)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - -


    Instead of joining her on the bed once he was done taking off his clothes, Davian moved to the couch sitting on the other side of the room and settled down there before locking his gaze on her. "Come here," he commanded, his voice laced with authority.


    Grace obeyed without hesitation. She left the bed and walked up to him, climbing into his lap to straddle him. Her knees rested on either side of his thighs, and her hands were pressed against his chest as she positioned herself. She could feel his arousal pressing against her very accessible core, and the sensation sent a fresh wave of heat pooling between her legs.


    "Do you want me, Grace?" he asked, his voice rough with desire.


    "More than anything," she admitted in a voice that was just a mere whisper.


    She watched as he ripped open the package of the condom he had in his hand, slipping the piece of latex over his erection with ease. His hands then gripped her waist, and he lifted her effortlessly as though she weighed nothing. He positioned himself at her entrance, causing his thick length to tease her sensitive folds. Slowly, he guided her down, his shaft stretching her inch by inch until he was fully seated within her.


    Grace groaned out loudly, her head falling forward as the overwhelming sensation of being filled consumed her. He was big, bigger than she had anticipated, and her body struggled to adjust to the intrusion.


    "Breathe," Davian murmured, his hands stroking her back soothingly. "Take your time."


    She nodded, her breaths coming in shallow pants as she slowly got used to his presence inside her. After a few moments, the initial discomfort faded, and got replaced by a growing sense of pleasure.


    When she began to move, it was tentative at first - small, experimental rolls of her hips that drew soft groans from both of them. But as her confidence grew, so did her movements.


    Davian¡¯s hands gripped her hips, guiding her as she rode him. His own hips began to thrust upward, meeting her every movement with equal intensity. The pace between them quickened, and their bodies moved in perfect harmony.


    "Let me do the work," he murmured against her lips, his voice a husky whisper. "Just enjoy." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace barely had time to process his words before he took control. His hands tightened on her waist, lifting her and slamming her back down onto him with an urgency that left her breathless. His powerful hips drove upward, each thrust deeper and more intense than the last.


    Her moans grew louder, her nails digging into his shoulders as she clung to him. The pleasure was overwhelming, a tidal wave that threatened to drown her.


    "You feel so good," he murmured. His voice was thick with emotion and lust, making him sound deeper than usual. His emerald eyes appeared darker because of the desire that matched the one controlling her at the moment.


    His words sent a shiver through Grace, causing her inner walls to clench around him in response. He groaned, the sound reverberating through her body and adding to the heat pooling in her core.


    Their movements grew frenzied, their rhythm erratic as they both got lost in the pleasure. But just as she started to feel that she was reaching the breaking point, he stopped and made her pull away. Moments later, he was making her lean against the couch on all fours while he entered her from behind.


    The new angle intensified the feelings, forcing more moans out of her mouth. She buried her face in the soft material of the couch while he started thrusting from behind. Each thrust hit her deep, reaching a certain sweet spot within her that had her shuddering from the intense pleasure.


    She felt him moving his hand over her back before he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her up, making her back hit his chest. He turned her face to the side before capturing her lips in a kiss. They kissed for a minute or two before pulling apart. As he focused his attention back to his thrusts, he picked up the speed, pushing both of them closer to the edge of the high peaks of their pleasure.


    Grace¡¯s breaths started coming in ragged gasps, and her body was trembling as the pressure within her built to an unbearable point.


    "I¡¯m so close¡­" she managed to gasp, her voice trembling with need.


    "Me too," Davian replied in a strained voice as he felt his own pleasure reaching the breaking point.


    It took only a few more thrusts before they both fell over the edge together. Grace cried out as pleasure exploded through her, every nerve ending igniting with pure bliss. At the same time, Davian groaned her name out loud as his body trembled and he followed her into the abyss.


    The two of them landed on the couch, and for a long moment, they remained still, their bodies entwined as they rode out the aftershocks of their release. Davian collapsed against Grace¡¯s back, his face resting against her shoulder while they both tried to catch their breaths.


    Moments later, he moved to lay on his back before pulling her against him. His arms wrapped around her and held her close as their heartbeats slowly returned to normal. The room was silent save for the sound of their breathing, and in that quiet moment, Grace felt a profound sense of connection.


    Davian brushed a hand through her hair. His touch was gentle despite the passion they had just shared. "You are incredible," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple.


    A soft smile tugged at her lips as she nuzzled closer to him. "So are you," she whispered in a voice filled with warmth.


    They stayed like that for a while, savoring the intimacy of the moment. Grace felt safe in his arms, cherished in a way she had kind of experienced with only Rune before.


    She didn¡¯t know what the future held, but in that moment, she was certain of one thing - she didn¡¯t want to let him go.

 Chapter 113: Morning Whispers

    Grace felt something soft and warm pressing against her lips, pulling her out of the depths of a dream that had felt so sweet she could almost taste it. As her senses returned, the dream slipped further away, leaving only a lingering warmth in its wake. Her eyes fluttered open, blinking rapidly to adjust to the brightness around her.


    As her gaze finally focused on the view in front of her eyes, she found herself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling which made her pause. Her mind scrambled to piece together what was happening, but before she could have gathered her thoughts, a face suddenly appeared in her line of sight, and the warmth returned to her lips.


    Her eyes widened as realization dawned -she was being kissed. Her gaze focused on the man above her, and she found herself staring at the familiar, breathtakingly handsome face of Davian King Parker.


    "Good morning, love," he murmured. His voice was deep and affectionate as he planted another soft kiss on her lips before pulling back just enough to smile down at her. The way he looked at her, as if she was the most cherished person in his world, made her heart flutter.


    "Good morning," Grace replied. Her voice was soft as she returned his smile. Her eyes roamed over his features, taking in the sight before her. This was probably the first time she had seen his morning appearance - his hair was delightfully ruffled, his cheeks slightly plump from sleep, and his deep green eyes were shining with a mix of love and mischief.


    He looked adorable, like a playful puppy, but the strength in his presence reminded her of the ferocious wolf he could become in an instant. Slowly, her gaze trailed downward, drinking in the sight of his well-defined muscles and the red marks scattered across his chest and collarbone.


    Heat crept up her face as she realized they were her doing. The memories from the night before came rushing back - their shared passion, the way he had taken her to the bed after their first heated session on the couch, and how she had lost herself completely in him on the same bed she was currently laying on.


    "Like what you see?" Davian teased, his lips curving into a smirk as he caught her staring.


    Grace¡¯s cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, but she didn¡¯t shy away. "Maybe," she muttered, trying to sound unaffected, though the smile tugging at her lips gave her away.


    Davian leaned down, brushing his lips against hers once more. This kiss was deeper, slower, and filled with the kind of tenderness that made her heart ache in the best way possible. His hand trailed down her side, settling on her hip as he shifted closer to her.


    "You are so beautiful. Can¡¯t believe you are here, in my bed, in my arms, very much naked...," he murmured against her lips. His voice was carrying a weight of sincerity that left her breathless.


    Her hands found their way to his hair, her fingers tangling in the soft silver strands as she kissed him back with equal fervor. The world outside their bubble ceased to exist as they lost themselves in each other again. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Davian¡¯s lips moved from her mouth to her jawline, then trailed down her neck, peppering her skin with kisses that sent shivers down her spine. His hands explored her body with a mix of reverence and desire, pulling soft gasps and sighs from her as they shared another round of intimate passion.


    By the time they finally pulled away from each other, it was already half past eight in the morning. It was snowing lightly outside, and as far as one could see, everything was covered in the white blanket. But unlike the world outside, the bedroom was filled with warmth.


    Grace lay back against the pillows, her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath.


    "We should probably get up," Davian said, though his tone held no urgency. His hand remained on her waist, and his thumb drew lazy circles against her skin.


    "Probably," Grace agreed with a soft smile, though she made no move to leave the warmth of his embrace.


    Eventually, Davian sighed and sat up, the sheets pooling around his waist as he stretched. Grace couldn¡¯t help but admire the way his muscles flexed with the movement. He caught her staring again and chuckled.


    "Keep looking at me like that, and we might never leave this bed," he teased, leaning down to steal one last kiss before climbing out of bed.


    Grace laughed, throwing a pillow at him as he disappeared into the bathroom. She lay there for a moment longer before reluctantly getting up.


    When Davian returned, freshly showered and wearing only a towel around his waist, he handed her one of his shirts and a pair of shorts. "Here, wear these for now," he said.


    Grace hesitated, thinking about the fresh clothes she had stored in her space. But something about the way he offered her his clothes made her heart melt. She nodded and took them from him. "Thanks," she said softly.


    She refrained from using anything from her space, except for a clean pair of panties and a bra, since Davian had thoughtfully provided her with everything else - a new toothbrush, a fresh towel, even a hairbrush.


    She headed into the bathroom to freshen up and shower. Her heart was fluttering as she used his shower gel, looking forward to smelling just like him. The feelings that were blooming in her heart were unlike anything she had ever felt before for anyone.


    Though she had felt something deep for Rune as well, what she was feeling for Davian was even stronger than that. Her feelings left no doubt about what he meant to her. Suppressing the smile that was playing on her lips, she quickly finished the shower.


    By the time she emerged from the bathroom, dressed in his oversized shirt and shorts, the smell of something delicious wafted through the air. She followed the scent to the kitchen, where she found Davian standing at the stove with a spatula in hand.


    The sight of him cooking, shirtless and completely at ease, made her heart skip a beat. "What are you making for breakfast?" she asked as she leaned against the doorway with a smile.


    Davian turned to her and his eyes lit up at the sight of her wearing his clothes. "Something delicious." He answered with a grin before adding, "Come over here." This time, there was a commanding tone in his voice that had her moving.


    Without any sort of hesitation or resistance, she walked over to him. Once she was standing beside him, he turned to fully face her, allowing her a clear look at the darkness that had taken over his usual bright eyes.


    With a soft smile, she walked behind him, confusing him slightly in the process. Thankfully, he remained standing as it is and didn¡¯t turn around along with her. Once in place, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. She rested her cheek against his back, and let the warmth of his skin seep into her.


    "Thank you for being so nice to me, Mr. Parker." She whispered as she inhaled deeply, as if to consume the bright energy that she was feeling in him.


    "I¡¯m only being nice to my Mrs. Parker." He replied, his tone being serious that made her realize that he was referring to his feelings for her.


    She watched as he turned in her arms and tilted her chin up to kiss her. "And I plan to keep being nice to her," he added before turning back to the stove.


    Not commenting on the topic, she decided to help him set the table, though he insisted on doing most of the work. Few minutes later, they sat down together to share the breakfast and light conversation. The food was simple but delicious - scrambled eggs, toast, and fresh fruit.


    "You are going to spoil me," she said as she took another bite of the toast and stared at the glass of milk that Davian just placed in front of her.


    "Good," he responded with a softness in his eyes. "You need it."


    Once again, she was unable to think of anything to say in response. Everytime he did, or said, something sweet and caring, she felt those butterflies fluttering deep within her.


    After breakfast, he began cleaning up the dishes. She offered to help, but he just shook his head. "Sit and relax," he said firmly.


    Grace sighed but didn¡¯t press him any more. She leaned against the counter and watched him as he moved around the kitchen. There was something so domestic about the scene, so comfortable, that it made her chest ache with a strange mix of happiness and longing.


    When he finished, Davian walked over to her, pulling her into his arms. "What do you want to do today?" he asked, his lips brushing against her temple.


    A smile bloomed on her lips and she leaned into his embrace. "There¡¯s nothing special. These days, I¡¯m mostly trying to focus on my training. I want my power to unveil before the day of the doom."


    Davian¡¯s arms tightened around her, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Then let¡¯s train today. I¡¯ll help you as much as I can."

 Chapter 114: Snowstorm

    [Time until the day of the end of the world: 12 Days and 11 Hours]


    For decades, Sunspire City had always been known for its golden sunrises and warm, bustling streets. It was a city that barely slept and was always working. But today, the city was unrecognizable. A thick, ominous layer of gray clouds was blanketing the sky, while a thick layer of snow covered the land.


    Though the temperature had been slolwy dropping for the past ten or so days, the city noticed a drastic drop overnight, leaving the air biting and heavy with an unnatural chill.


    Grace was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window of her living room, watching as the snow began to fall once again. It had snowed the entire night and only stopped early that morning, but as noon arrived, it was once again back. However, the snow seemed different this time.


    Grace took a closer look and realized that these weren¡¯t the gentle, delicate flakes she had been seeing for the past ten days. Instead, these were harsh, jagged pieces of ice that were blown violently by a howling wind that suddenly started blowing.


    Before she could have wondered about this change in the weather, she received a notification from the system.


    [A snowstorm is beginning]


    Continous raining, flood, hurricane, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, shadow rain, temperature drop, and now a snowstorm - the disasters were hitting one after the other without any break.


    Grace watched as light snowfall quickly turned into a blizzard. Within an hour, the streets were buried under a thick layer of ice and snow. Cars were abandoned as their engines had frozen. Streetlights flickered before going out entirely, plunging the city into darkness despite it being midday.


    She turned on the radio, looking for updates, and the static-filled voice on the emergency channel only confirmed what the system had already told her.


    "-unprecedented storm conditions - temperature dropping to record lows - advised to stay indoors-"


    With a soft sigh, she turned off the radio and switched on her apartment¡¯s heating system as the air inside was turning cold because of the blizzard. It took about a minute or two before the apartment turned warm and there was left no trace of the cold.


    With her place filled with warmth, she returned her attention to work, no longer paying any attention to the snowstorm.


    - - -


    By evening, the storm had intensified. The wind howled like a living creature, shaking the walls of buildings and ripping trees from the ground. Power lines snapped under the weight of the disaster, plunging several streets and blocks into complete darkness.


    The cold seeped into every crevice, making it impossible to stay warm even indoors. People burned whatever they could find - wooden furniture, books, clothes - just to keep the frost at bay. But it wasn¡¯t enough.


    The first casualties came within first twenty-four hours. Some elderly people and young children, who were unable to withstand the cold, succumbed in their homes. Though hospitals were already overwhelmed because of the rain disaster, had to admit new patients even though they were barely able to manage the situation.


    The storm brought more than just snow and ice. Pipes froze and burst, flooding buildings with icy water that quickly turned into sheets of ice. The roads, already treacherous, became impossible to navigate as cars skidded and collided in the icy chaos.


    Some certain people chose this moment of chaos to come out of their hideouts and try to loot others for food as the stationed military wasn¡¯t able to keep proper control over the situation because of their requirements at the places of immediate help.


    Grace watched a similar scene unfold from her apartment window. Though her apartment was located on the twenty-first floor of the building, the military-grade binocular helped her in keeping track of whatever was going on down below on the streets.


    And while she had witnessed all sorts of painful and sad incidents through those binoculars, her heart barely felt anything. It was as if it had turned into ice just like the outside world. She knew better than to feel sympathy for anyone when she wasn¡¯t even strong enough to protect herself and her own people... yet.


    As she watched the storm howling outside through the glass window, she found herself thinking about the timer ticking in the system. According to the timer, only twelve more days were left before the world would officially end, and while she had been preparing for that day all this time, she was unable to ignore that restlessness she felt deep in her heart.


    She had done everything that she should have - she took care of her enemies, removed both her identities, hoarded supplies, and had formed a team of her most trusted people. But even with all these meticulous preparations, she felt the weight of the situation that was turning worse with each passing day.


    * * *


    [Time until the end of the world: 10 Days and 12 Hours]


    Ironically, the next disaster came in the form of fire, and it happened merely three days from the arrival of the snowstorm. A gas line that was weakened by the cold, burst in several parts of a nearby city, causing explosions that lit up the dark, snowy night. The fires spread quickly, consuming entire blocks as the wind carried embers from one building to another.


    The combination of snow, ice, and fire turned the city into a living nightmare. People were forced to choose between freezing in the cold, or burning in the flames.


    By the fifth day, several infrastructures around the cities began to collapse. Buildings that got weakened by the snow and ice, started to crumble.


    The entire Greenstone Residential Area heard the sound of a skyscraper, that was still under construction, falling in the distance. It was a deafening roar followed by a cloud of dust and debris that blanketed the area like a second storm.


    Some very old bridges had also started cracking under the weight of ice, and it ended up cutting off a few escape routes. The makeshift shelters were once again becoming overcrowded and understocked, forcing them to become death traps as supplies ran out and tensions boiled over into violence. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    * * *


    It was the fifth day since the snowstorm began, and this particular afternoon, Grace found herself standing in Rune¡¯s apartment.


    The storm was still raging outside, creating a relentless wall of white that obliterated the world beyond the windows of the apartment. Inside, however, the warmth of the fire crackled in the hearth while the soft glow of the lanterns made the space feel almost cozy - if not for the fact that the two of them were currently in the middle of a training session.


    Grace was standing in the middle of the living room with her fists raised and her feet planted firmly on the wooden floor. On the other hand, Rune was standing just a few feet away. His broad frame and calm demeanor exuded confidence as he watched her closely. His sharp icy-blue eyes were closely studying her movements.


    "Again," he guided in a low and steady voice.


    Grace immediately lunged forward, throwing a punch that was aimed at his chest. And while she was quick, Rune was a perfect match. He dodged her attack with ease. His movements were fluid and controlled as if he had spent his entire life training.


    Done with the defense, he caught her wrist and twisted it gently to immobilize her, before pulling her closer.


    "Your form is improving," he murmured. His breath was warm against her temple as he added, "But you are still leaving your left side open."


    Grace pulled out of his hold, feeling frustrated for making such obvious mistakes. She knew that she was good enough to give this young man a hard time on the mat, and yet, she kept getting distracted.


    Fixing her sharp gaze on him and just confessed honestly, "Maybe I¡¯ll do better if you stop being a distraction."


    A smirk tugged at Rune¡¯s lips, making it obvious that he was happy with what he just heard. "Isn¡¯t that the point? Distractions are everywhere in a real fight. You need to adapt."


    She just shook her head in response but didn¡¯t argue as he had a point with that statement. They continued their sparring, filling the room with the rhythmic sounds of their movements.


    Grace¡¯s punches grew sharper, her kicks more precise as she forced herself to focus on the mission of beating the man into a pulp. However, Rune made it very hard as he kept testing her at every turn. The way his hand kept touching her bare skin, the way his lips were always inches away from her, the way he...!


    Shaking away these thoughts, she threw the most merciless punch so far, not really caring if it was going to finally land of its target.

 Chapter 115: Unlocking First Superpower

    Grace wasn¡¯t sure exactly what sort of thought bloomed in her mind as she threw the punch - maybe she was thinking about just punching him, or maybe she went as far as to think about throwing him against the window behind him, but whatever the case, she ended up doing way more than that.


    The moment her hand moved forward, Rune moved at the same time, seeking to dodge the punch just like he had been doing all this this time. However, it wasn¡¯t her fist that he needed to defend against, but the surge of force that took him by complete surpise and threw him against the glass window.


    The force was so strong that it not only threw him against the glass, but broke through that very glass as well, taking him down with it.


    Everything happened so quickly that Grace barely got any time to register it. One moment she was throwing the punch, and the very next moment, she caught a glimpse of Rune falling down the building through the now broken floor-to-ceiling window.


    A scream tore past her lips as realization of what had just happened hit her hard, forcing her to run toward the now broken window. She completely ignored the shards that were scattered over the floor and crouched at the edge, staring down the building only to see Rune hanging from a beam just a few feet down from her. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Rune!"


    She shouted in alarm, a sense of immediate relief washing over her once she knew that he wasn¡¯t dead... yet. Unfortunately, her voice got carried away with the storm that was throwing the snow right at her face. It was so cold that it bit right into her skin, causing sharp pain, but she was focused on saving Rune.


    She immediately took out a rope from her space, ready to help him climb back into the apartment, but it seemed like she didn¡¯t need to bother as the man took a powerful leap and with practiced ease, he slipped back into the apartment like those ninjas she had seen in movies.


    Shocked, she sat there staring at him with wide eyes while he brushed off the snow that had covered him in those few minutes. He might have taken a moment or two before he finally looked up at her, noticing the mixed look of horror and relief on her face.


    "Grace." He called, shaking her out of the depths of the shock and terror that was still holding her captured.


    "You..." she tried to speak but her voice was barely audible, and the loud sound of the storm wasn¡¯t helping much.


    As if finally noticing the issue of the broken window, Rune immediately pulled her up and away from the dangerous edge where she had been crouching all this time. He quickly checked her, trying to see if any of the shards had injured her. Fortunately, no such thing happened, but it still wasn¡¯t enough to stop him from giving her a piece of his mind.


    "Have you lost your mind? What do you think you were doing just now? Don¡¯t you know how dangerous it is to get this close to the edge? What if you might have lost your balance or something-"


    He never got to finish his sentence as Grace just threw her rams around him and hugged him tightly, allowing herself to feel his warmth and make herself believe that he was indeed alright.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Rune. I don¡¯t know what just happened. I was just throwing a punch, I don¡¯t know how it-" she struggled to finish that sentence as she had no idea what just happened.


    She pulled away from the hug and turned her gaze toward the broken window, her mind racing to understand what just happened. She obviously didn¡¯t do that, right?


    While she didn¡¯t have the answer to that question, it seemed like Rune had some sort of idea about what might have happened. He took hold of her shoulders and turned her to face him.


    "No need to apologize. I know that you have no plans of killing me, at least not at this moment


    . We will discuss about this further, but first, we need to find a... warm place." He spoke the last sentence while sparing a glance at the broken window through which the snow was piling inside the living room.


    Nodding her head in understanding, Grace offered, "How about you come to my apartment. I will see if anyone might take on the job of fixing the window, but considering the weather, it might be hard to find anyone who could take up the job for the time being."


    If she couldn¡¯t find anyone to fix the window, she would just ask Davian for help. His men were the one who switched the normal glasses of her windows with the bulletproof glasses, they could install the new window for Rune as well.


    The two of them walked out of Unit 2103 and headed toward Grace¡¯s unit. Stepping into the apartment, they made their way into the living room but instead of sitting down, they kept standing and turned to face each other.


    "Do you know what just happened... back there?" Grace asked, her tone filled with the eagerness that she was feeling to know exactly what caused that incident.


    Letting out a small sigh, Rune stepped behind her and his hands moved down her arms before reaching for her hands and entangling their fingers together. If not for the seriousness of the matter, she might have believed that he was trying to flirt with her.


    "If I¡¯m not wrong, then I think I felt some sort of energy in that force that threw me down the building. And if my guess is right, then it means that you have unlocked your powers." He whispered against her ear, while a warm feeling passed from his hands into hers.


    "..."


    Grace was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say. Before she could have dismissed his guess, she received a notification from the system.


    [Congratulaions! Host has unlocked the power of thought creation]


    The words from the system seemed to hang in the air, feeling like a stark contrast to the howling storm outside.


    Thought creation? She tried to process what the system had just said. The words didn¡¯t make much sense to her, and yet, deep down, they stirred a strange sense of familiarity. Just what kind of power it is? She found herself wondering.


    Rune noticed her sudden silence and stepped around to face her. "What is it?" he asked, his sharp blue eyes searching hers.


    Grace hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. Finally, she decided to share. "I... I think you are right," she began in low but steady voice. "The system just told me I hsve unlocked a power called thought creation."


    Rune¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but his expression quickly morphed into curiosity. "Thought creation¡­" he repeated, as if testing the words. "That¡¯s a rare and powerful ability. No wonder that punch sent me flying."


    Grace grimaced. "I didn¡¯t mean to. I was just¡­" She gestured vaguely, trying to explain the chaotic mess of emotions and instincts that had fueled her actions. "I didn¡¯t even know I had powers."


    Rune reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder. "That¡¯s because they were dormant. You weren¡¯t ready before, but now¡­" He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Now, you are. And this is only the beginning."


    Despite the lingering chill from their earlier ordeal, Grace couldn¡¯t help but feel a flicker of excitement at the thought of exploring her newfound ability. She was feeling surprised, anxious, and even slightly worried, but mostly excited.


    She had been waiting all this time for her power to unlock, and it finally did. Now, she needed to learn about it and also how to use it. As always, Rune remained patient while he encouraged her, suggesting they begin testing her power right away.


    "We should get a sense of what you can do," he said, pulling a couple of cushions off the couch and placing them on the floor. "Start small. Focus on moving one of these cushions."


    Grace raised an eyebrow. "Move it with my thoughts?"


    He nodded. "Thought creation means your mind can manifest and manipulate reality to some extent. If you can focus your thoughts properly, you might be able to move objects, create energy, or even build something entirely new."


    The idea sounded overwhelming, but Rune¡¯s calm demeanor gave her the confidence to try. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and tried to center herself.


    "Picture it in your mind," his voice guided her gently. "See the cushion moving. Imagine it lifting off the ground and floating toward you."

 Chapter 116: Thought Creation

    Grace furrowed her brow in concentration, her hands curling into fists at her sides. She tried to do as she was told, but for the first time in a long while, she was feeling at a complete loss about something.


    While Rune¡¯s directions sounded simple, she felt like he had asked her to do the impossible. She couldn¡¯t even recall what exactly she did when she threw him down the building. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Letting out a deep exhale, she tried to calm herself down and focused on moving the cushion. If her power was to control things with her thoughts, then what she needed to do to move the cushion was just to think of it, right?


    With that conclusion in mind, she thought about the cushion moving. At the very same time, she tried to focus on the warmth that she could still feel lingering within her. It wasn¡¯t easy - to focus on two entirely different places, but she still tried to do it anyway.


    For a moment, nothing happened. Neither the warm feeling within her responded, nor the cushion moved. Then, just as she was about to give up, she felt a faint surge of energy ripple through her.


    She closed her eyes, focusing further on that energy, and she felt it growing with each passing second. A sound of some sort made her open her eyes seconds later, and a gasp escaped her lips when she saw the cushion wobbling in the air, hovering a few inches off the ground.


    "I did it," she whispered to herself, staring at the cushion.


    "You did. And you will only get better with practice." Rune said as he moved to stand next to her, a proud smile was playing on his lips as he looked at her.


    As the cushion dropped back onto the floor, Grace turned to face the young man beside her. The only sound she was able to hear was that of her pounding heart which was due to a mix of exhilaration and nervousness. "Thank you," she said softly.


    Surprising her, he stepped closer and his expression turned serious while still carrying a kind touch to it. "I¡¯m not sure exactly for what you are thanking me, but if it¡¯s about helping you with your power, then I barely deserve it. With or without my help, you will learn to harness your power to its full potential."


    The sincerity in his words hit Grace harder than any of the punches she had thrown at him during the training. Without thinking, she reached out and laced her fingers through his.


    Rune¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but he didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, he tightened his grip and brushed his thumb over her knuckles in a comforting gesture.


    "You are not alone in this," he said in a low but firm voice. His icy-blue eyes staring into her deep green orbs as he added, "Whatever happens next, I¡¯ll face it together with you."


    Grace felt a lump rise in her throat at his words. She had spent so long relying on herself, guarding her heart and keeping people at arm¡¯s length. But recently¡­ some people had managed to slip past her defenses without her even realizing it.


    Or maybe she knew it and yet she allowed them... and Rune... he was one of these people - a complete stranger who was becoming more and more important to her with each passing day.


    "Rune¡­" she began, but her voice faltered, forcing her into silence.


    Before she could have pulled herself together to start speaking again, Rune leaned in and his lips brushed against hers in a kiss that was both tender and electric.


    Though she wasn¡¯t anticipating it, she still welcomed the sweet distraction, kissing him back and allowing herself to enjoy his familiar taste.


    When they finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers, causing his warm breath to fan her skin.


    "Let¡¯s continue your practice." He suddenly stated, pulling away from her entirely, almost making her feel cold as his warmth left her.


    Taking in a deep breath, she nodded her head in approval of his suggestion. Now that she had tasted her power, she was more than eager to find out what else she could do with it. She needed to find out exactly how unique and strong her power was.


    * * *


    [Power: Thought creation]


    [Level: 1]


    Grace stared at the digital screen for a minute before turning her attention toward 2025 who was hovering right next to her, also staring at the screen that was showing her stats.


    "That¡¯s such a... unique power, I must say." The little creature finally spoke when it felt her gaze fixed on it.


    "I never heard about this power in the previous timeline." Grace stated, not really making it sound like a question even though she was seeking answers that she knew she could get from 2025.


    The little creature looked at her for a moment or two before answering, "That¡¯s because it doesn¡¯t belong to the previous timeline. This power belongs to the current timeline, and so far, you are the only person who have unlocked it."


    Saying that, it flew closer to the screen and tapped on it, opening a new screen that was filled with lots of information.


    "Thought creation is powerful and it has a total of twenty levels. With each level, it will grow stronger. You are currently on level one and at this level, you can only move objects, or anything in particular, with your thoughts."


    Thinking about what she just learned for a moment, she asked, "If this power only allows me to control things... or beings... with my thoughts, then why is it called thought creation?"


    2025 appeared extremely proud as it revealed, "That¡¯s because even when you are thinking about moving an object, that¡¯s a creator of your thoughts. Most importantly, you can do more than just controlling things with this power. Once you will grow stronger, you will be able to create things using this power."

 Chapter 117: Robbing Supermarket

    [Time left before the end of the world: 8 Days and 4 Hours]


    It was exactly 8:45 PM when Grace stepped out of her apartment, dressed in all black. As she made her way to twentieth floor, she found Davian, Kevin, Dr. Kian, Rune, Valeska, and Andy already waiting for her in the hallway.


    "Am I late?" She asked when she noticed that the others were already there. Thinking about how quickly she got dressed and headed downstairs, she couldn¡¯t believe that she was actually late, but it seemed like the case. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You are not. We just got here as well." Davian answered as he gave her a soft smile.


    Ever since the two of them gave into their desire for each other days ago, something had changed between them. They hadn¡¯t changed their behavior toward each other, nor had they talked about that night yet, but Grace could feel the shift.


    The only reason she couldn¡¯t talk about that night was her jumbled relationship with these men. While she knew that she had developed some sorts of feelings for Davian, she couldn¡¯t ignore that she felt something for Rune as well, despite the mysterious that still surrounded him, and then there was another man there who had been showing a lot of interest in her - Dr. Kian.


    Though Dr. Kian hadn¡¯t voiced his interest in her out loud, she could clearly see the signs. If she had to guess, then it was probabaly her unclear relation with both Davian and Rune that was holding him back.


    She knew that she needed to sit down and talk the matter out with the men, especially with Davian and Rune. While Rune had said it several times in the past that he didn¡¯t care about her having romantic relationships with either Davian or Dr. Kian, she still wasn¡¯t sure if he really meant those words.


    Shaking away those thoughts, she focused her attention on the important matter at hand. It had been over a week since the snowstorm hit the Sunspire City, and just like how the rain stopped the city life from moving forward, this snowstorm had done a similar job.


    People were once again locked within their homes because the world outside was freezing. Water had frozen, and people had to boil the ice to find drinking water. Power and gas supplies kept cutting off because of the harsh weather and the cold. The roads were blocked and people could no longer go out to find food.


    Worst of all, even the government was struggling to find a way to tackle the ongoing disaster. As these disasters kept hitting the country one after the other, everyone was realizing that the peaceful days were long over.


    The authorities, and rich people of the country had become busy to make their own lives safe before thinking about the normal citizens. And while the government was still making some efforts to handle the situation and help the people, it would soon stop doing so once the pandemic would hit.


    In the previous timeline, all it took was the appearance of the zombies that made the government, the authorities, and all the rich people to stop worrying about anyone else and focus on their own safety.


    Instead of using military to keep the nation safe, they used their money and influence to hire the military for their own protection from the zombies. They hoarded all the supplies and found the safest locations to hide, leaving the normal people to fight for their own survival.


    Just thinking about the life that she witnessed within the first six months of the apocalypse in the previous timeline, was enough to cuase a cold shiver to run down Grace¡¯s spine. Trusting the government was the worst decision anyone could take in the current situation.


    That¡¯s why, she was going to do everything in her power to save herself and the people who were dear to her. This particular night, she and some of the others were going to visit some of the supermarkets around the city to hoard more supplies.


    The seven of them gathered in the living room of Unit 2001 and Davian opened a portal to a supermarket he visited when he first arrived in the city. At this point, everyone in their team knew about his power and some of Grace¡¯s secrets, hence, no one was surpised as they saw a magical window opening in the middle of the living room that led inside the supermarket.


    All seven of them stepped through the portal, appearing on the second floor of the supermarket. After the rain disaster, the supplies from the first two floors were changed, but no one expected for the snowstorm to hit the city not long after, causing the business to be stopped all over again.


    While the building in itself seemed badly affected by the flood water that filled it halfway to the first floor, the supplies were all in good condition as they were recently replaced.


    On the ground floor, there were mostly garment and electronic stores. The team picked up everything that consisered important and Grace immediately stocked up everything inside her space.


    Then they headed to the upper floors, stocking up everything from the food section, skincare section, special gear section, tool section, medicine section, and even the jewelry section.


    While they had no need for jewelry, gold and other precious metals could still be used for various purposes in the future. Since they had the chance to collect them, there was no reason not to do so.


    As usual, 2025 had taken care of all the cameras present within the building, and while barely any of them was in working condition, they still didn¡¯t dare to take any chance.


    It took them about two hours to empty the place, and just as they were preparing to step out of the building to head toward another supermarket located couple of blocks away, they heard noises coming from the entrance.


    Realizing that they had company, the seven of them immediately took shelter, hiding from plain sight as a group of people stepped inside the building.

 Chapter 118: Rune’s Half-Truth (I)

    A hand reached out and took hold of Grace¡¯s wrist, pulling her behind a huge wooden shelf. Turning around, she found Dr. Kian standing behind her, his hand still holding her wrist as he signaled her to remain silent.


    The two of them then shifted their attention toward the back door of the building that was shoved open and a group of five stepped in. While the place was filled with absolute darkness, Grace and her people were able to see their surroundings because of their now-heightened senses.


    It was her heightened eyesight that allowed Grace a clear view of the five hooded figures who just broke into the building. She would have considered them some random people who were there to rob the place, if not for their long black cloaks and the hoods that were hiding their faces.


    There was something about these five people, not just the way they were dressed but more, that put Grace on high alert. She immediately gave 2025 instruction, through their shared mindlink, to run a scan on the group to see if the system could detect anything unusual about the five of them.


    Right at that moment, she heard one of them speaking to his companions. "Are you sure this is the place?"


    It was a female who answered, "The location is correct. What we are looking for... is here."


    A frown appeared on Grace¡¯s face as she peeked at the group of intruders. Her feeling about them not being normal was growing with each passing minute. She shifted her glance to the shelf opposite her, locking it with Davian¡¯s as the two of them shared a quick look.


    "If that¡¯s the case, then why I can¡¯t sense it?" Someone from the group asked, his voice filled with a tone of frustration. "We have been wandering around for way too long, and we haven¡¯t seen even a glance of it so far. And let¡¯s not forget about the current situation of this place. The end is near, and we need to hurry."


    The frown on Grace¡¯s face deepened as she failed to get a clear understanding of exactly what these people were talking about. Listening to them, it didn¡¯t really seem like they were here for robbing supplies. But because of the lack of clearance in their talk, it was hard to summarize that they were after something entirely different.


    She felt a hand tapping her softly on her shoulder and when she turned her head around to look at Dr. Kian, she watched him asking her what to do next through simple signs.


    She let out a small breath and looked around, taking in the concentrated and ready stances of her team. Everyone was ready for either fight or flee, they were just waiting for her orders. Her gaze once again shifted to Davian and she realized that he too was waiting for her order.


    They had no reason to really confront this group, and yet, if they wanted to head to the next supermarket, the easiest way was to walk out of that door. There was the option of waiting patiently until the second group would either leave the building or head upstairs, that would give them the time and chance to step out.


    Just as she was contemplating on the available possibilities, she heard another woman from the second speaking. This one sounded older compared to the rest, and stronger if that could be sensed through just her voice.


    "Since we have no time to waste, let me use my way to locate what we are are here for. We will get both and leave immediately."


    Grace peeked through the gap in the shelf, trying to take a closer look at whatever that woman was about to do. However, at that very moment, 2025 spoke to her through the shared mindlink.


    [The system has detected different energies in the five of them. But it¡¯s hard to tell exactly what these energies are. At least, they aren¡¯t the ones caused by the DNA alterations due to Shadow Rain. These people... they aren¡¯t simple. You need to be careful about this.]


    She felt both surpised, and not, as she heard 2025¡¯s words. She did feel that these people weren¡¯t simple, but at the same time, she wasn¡¯t sure exactly what to think about them.


    Since she couldn¡¯t tell whether it was or wasn¡¯t a good idea to confront these people, she decided to take the safer route as she wasn¡¯t looking forward to getting her team into trouble.


    She turned her gaze toward Davian once again, ready to tell him to open the portal back to the apartment so that they could leave immediately, but before she could have done so, she sensed something.


    It hit her all of a sudden, a shift in the air around her that she noticed immediately. It was as if her entire body registered that swift change. Her eyes darted to the group of five, and she noticed that - the same woman who just spoke moments ago - was spreading out her arms while the air crackled with another shift.


    For some reason, Grace realized that the two shifts in the air were due to two entirely diffrent reasons... or people.


    As the realization hit her, she looked around, her gaze scanning the place to find that second source of energy. And then... her gaze stopped on Rune. His expression was hard, his gaze focused on the second group while his the fingers of his right hand moved in a weird way.


    "Rune, wait!" She called out loudly when she realized that he was about to attack the group of five. Her cry didn¡¯t do anything to make the man stop, but it surely alerted the other group.


    However, no one had the time to stop or defend as Rune¡¯s launched the powerful attack that hit the five people in seconds, immediately turning them into dust with bunch of sparks that lit the place for a moment and then disappeared into nothingness...!


    S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 119: Rune’s Half-Truth (II)

    A deadly silence filled the air. No one spoke, no one moved, everyone just stood there while staring at either Rune or the space where the group of five was standing just moments ago.


    The first one to break that silence was none other than Grace. She took a deep breath and turned her attention toward Davian as she spoke, "Let¡¯s end today¡¯s mission here. Open the portal. We are heading back."


    He didn¡¯t contradict, nor asked any questions, just followed her order and immediately opened a portal right there. Noticing that Rune wasn¡¯t moving while the others were already making their way through the portal, Grace walked toward him and took hold of his hand, pulling him toward the portal and walking into it.


    Seconds later, they all were back in the living room of Unit 2001. As Davian closed the portal and the silence once again returned, Grace decided to handle the situation. Turning her attention at Davian and others, she spoke, "I need to talk to Rune about what just happened. If you all want some sort of explanation, you will get it once I¡¯m done talking. Please head to your own units for the time being."


    She didn¡¯t have to repeat her words as almost everyone headed toward the door immediately. Davain and Dr. Kian stayed behind for a few seconds just to give her either reassuring glance or squeezes, before the two of them also left.


    Once the two of them were alone, except for those who lived in Unit 2001, Grace turned her attention toward Rune and spoke, "Let¡¯s head to my apartment."


    She didn¡¯t wait to hear his response and walked out of the apartment, heading upstairs. Rune followed behind her silently, his face carrying a blank expression that made it hard to guess exactly what was going on in his mind.


    Once they were inside Grace¡¯s apartment, she locked the door and turned to face the man, finally asking the question - "Why did you do that?"


    Rune finally looked up, focusing his gaze on her face, but his expression was still as blank as before. For a few moments, he was completely silent, but then he finally spoke, "I thought they were weird."


    He barely spoke that sentence and Garce had a sharp dagger pointing against his throat while she pushed him against the nearest wall. Her gaze was as cold as ice as she glared at him, making it pretty obvious that she wasn¡¯t going to buy his nonsense.


    "Enough of your nonsense, Rune. I have given you more than enough time to reveal your secrets, and yet, you have been keeping me in the dark. Don¡¯t you dare tell me any lies because I hate that. Don¡¯t test my patience anymore." Her words were just as cold as her gaze, there wasn¡¯t even an ounce of softness in them. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Instead of looking scared, Rune just stood there while looking at her. For a second, a certain emotion flashed past his eyes, but it was gone just as quickly as it came. He neither fought back nor tried to step away from the dagger that was just a breath away from piercing the skin of his throat.


    "I¡¯m not lying. They were indeed dangerous." He spoke while keeping his gaze fixed on her.


    "You know them." Grace stated, not making her words sound like a question as she already knew the answer. And when he didn¡¯t deny, it only confirmed her guess. "Now, tell me again - why were they dangerous?"


    Once again, he didn¡¯t answer immediately. "Because they weren¡¯t from this world."


    "They were from yours." Grace said as realization dawned over her. "Why would you think the people from your world are dangerous?" She asked another question, not lowering her guard yet.


    "Because they will come after you once they will get to know about your bracelet." He answered, but it wasn¡¯t what she was waiting to hear.


    "You said will. It means they still don¡¯t know about my bracelet. Then did you kill them just because you believed they will come after me? Your words are hard to believe." Garce didn¡¯t lower her guard, knowing that it would be a big mistake.


    The tension in the air between them was palpable, almost like the charged moments before a storm. Grace¡¯s dagger stayed firmly pressed against Rune¡¯s throat, her grip was steady despite the storm of emotions swirling within her. She couldn¡¯t afford to show weakness - not when her one wrong judgment could put everything at stake.


    "Answer me, Rune," she demanded, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Who exactly were those people? Why did you kill them? And don¡¯t you dare lie to me."


    Even though she wanted to sound serious and calm, something in her tone or the look in her eyes might have given away the anxiety she was battling deep in her. She was less interested in the truth, and more desperate to confirm that she wasn¡¯t wrong about trusting him.


    Despite the mysteries, weirdness, and unfamiliarity that surrounded Rune, she went ahead and put her trust him even when he was that one person around her whom she knew the least on personal level.


    Rune¡¯s blank expression finally shifted and his gaze softened, just slightly. "I¡¯m not going to hurt you, Grace." He whispered in the softest voice she had ever heard him using since the moment she had known him.


    Grace narrowed her eyes. Though all she was seeing in his eyes was truth, she just couldn¡¯t make herself accept his dismissal of her questions. "You aren¡¯t helping here, Rune. What I want to hear is completely different from what you are saying."


    Rune¡¯s jaw tightened at her words. For the first time, there was a flicker of frustration in his otherwise blank expression. "Because the less you knew, the safer you are. You think I wanted this? To kill them in front of everyone? I was trying to protect you, to protect all of us, damn it!"


    "Maybe the one I need protection from is you, Rune."

 Chapter 120: Rune’s Half-Truth (III)

    The confrontation between Grace and Rune was fruitless as the latter refused to reveal the truth that he was hiding, leaving Grace torn and frustrated.


    In the end, she threw him out of her apartment with a clear warning - he needed to decide if he wanted to be her friend or enemy.


    "What are you going to do if he refused to tell the truth?" Dr. Kian asked the next evening as he helped Grace with the preparation of dinner. Everyone was invited for dinner.


    The living room had already been arranged for the dinner. The couches and tables were replaced with a long dinning table where about twenty-six people could sit comfortably.


    Grace didn¡¯t look up and continued to cut the tomatoes as she answered in an emotionless tone, "I will kill him since he knows too much about us. Living an enemy alive is the worst thing I can do in our situation."


    There was a long silence following her words before Dr. Kian finally spoke again - "I thought you two were close." It was hard to tell what he was thinking just by his tone, and Grace couldn¡¯t make herself look up at his face, knowing that she didn¡¯t want to see him looking disappointed with her.


    She inhaled deeply as she shifted her attention to chopping onions as soon as she was done with the tomatoes. "I¡¯m close to no one, Doc. Every time I decide to trust someone, I end up regretting it."


    She wasn¡¯t sure exactly what kind of response she was expecting from Dr. Kian, but she definitely didn¡¯t anticipate him suddenly taking hold of her wrist and finally forcing her to turn to face him.


    He was standing right there, towering over her as he looked down straight into her eyes. His deep blue orbs were soft as he spoke, "Don¡¯t talk like that, Grace. It feels like you are giving up on the word ¡¯trust¡¯, and doing so will only make it hard for you to continue living a peaceful and safe life in future. You can¡¯t go around doubting everyone around you. That¡¯s not how life works."


    Grace¡¯s lips twitched slightly with a smile, but there was no humor in it. "My life works little differently, Doc. If I will go around trusting anyone and everyone, I will end up losing everything all over again."


    Silence once again settled between them, and she noticed his eyes softening even further. For a moment, it almost looked like he was staring right into her soul. And then, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.


    The knife, that she had been holding in her hand all this time, dropped from her fingers and landed on the cutting board. She, on the other hand, was too stunned to even react properly.


    She just stood there while he hugged her as if she was some lost child and he couldn¡¯t help but share some of his warmth with her. She wasn¡¯t sure for how long they stood like that, but when he finally pulled apart and stepped back, she immediately felt the loss of his warmth.


    After Rune and Davian, Dr. Kian was the third person who had hugged her in this lifetime, and just like the previous two, he too made her feel warm, safe, and at ease in his strong arms.


    "Why did you do that?" She found herself asking, wanting to know exactly what was going on in his head that made him hug her all of a sudden.


    "I just don¡¯t want you to think of everything so negatively. Trusting people isn¡¯t a bad thing, even when it ends up badly. Just because of one bad experience, you can¡¯t stop trusting people. Maybe you can take your time, but you should give people the chance they deserve to earn your trust."


    "Do you think I haven¡¯t given Rune a chance?" She asked, tilting her head to the side to look at him.


    Dr. Kian smiled softly and slolwy shook his head before answering, "Considering he¡¯s a member of our team, I¡¯m sure he has long received his chance. It also means that something about him made you show some level of trust in him."


    He stopped to take a deep breath. At the same time, he reached out to take hold of one of her hands, his gaze shifting to their joined hands as he continued, "All I¡¯m saying is that since you once thought that he¡¯s worth trusting, don¡¯t give up on him this quickly. I know that you are rethinking your choice because of his recent action and his choice of keeping things secret from you, but..."


    When he trailed off and appeared thoughtful, Grace was forced to press him to continue. "But what, Dr. Kian?"


    He finally looked up, his gaze once again locking on hers as he spoke, "But maybe he has his reasons to stay silent this time. I¡¯m not asking you to trust him blindly, I¡¯m just saying that you shouldn¡¯t be too quick to discard him."


    Grace was surpised to hear him speaking in favor of Rune. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she never expected anyone to speak in favor of him, let alone Dr. Kian all of the people.


    For a while, she said nothing, but then she inhaled deeply and slolwy nodded her head in understanding. Thinking about all that he had told her, she found herself asking, "Why are you speaking in his favor? As far as I know, the two of you are barely on talking terms?"


    Dr. Kian chuckled softly, his smile growing a bit warmer as he released her hand and leaned against the kitchen counter. "You are right about that. Rune and I don¡¯t see eye to eye on most things. He¡¯s brash, reckless, and keeps way too much to himself. But... that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s untrustworthy. Sometimes, people carry burdens they aren¡¯t ready to share, even with those they care about. And while I haven¡¯t interacted with him much expect for during the training sessions, I can¡¯t ignore the fact that he¡¯s been loyal to you and the team."


    Grace narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to decipher his words. "You think he cares about the team?"


    "I think he cares about you, Grace," Dr. Kian said in matter-of-fact but gentle tone. "I have seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one¡¯s watching. There¡¯s more to his silence than just secrecy - it¡¯s fear. Fear of losing whatever bond you two have created over the past two months."


    Grace frowned as the weight of his words settled uncomfortably in her chest. She wanted to dismiss the idea outright, but a part of her hesitated. Could Rune¡¯s actions really stem from fear rather than deceit? Was it possible that his silence was really a misguided attempt to protect her?


    Before she could respond, the sound of voices drifted in from the living room. The rest of the team had started to arrive, their laughter and chatter echoed through the apartment.


    "We should finish up here," she muttered, turning back to the cutting board to resume chopping vegetables. "I don¡¯t want to keep everyone waiting."


    Dr. Kian watched her for a moment before he nodded and stepped back to his own task. "Of course. But think about what I said, Grace. Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is also the right thing."


    The dinner that followed was lively, with the team sharing stories, jokes, and updates about their conditions. Grace was sitting at the head of the table, lost in thoughts. Her gaze kept drifting toward Rune, who was sitting near the end of the table, quiet and withdrawn. He had barely touched his food and his eyes were fixed on some distant point as he looked lost in his own thoughts.


    Dr. Kian¡¯s words echoed in her mind, mixing with her own doubts and frustrations. She couldn¡¯t deny that Rune had been a valuable member of their team so far, always stepping up when they needed him most. But his refusal to share the truth still felt like a betrayal, a crack in the trust they had worked so hard to build.


    As the dinner came to an end, she finally made her decision. She rose from her seat, drawing the room¡¯s attention with a sharp clearing of her throat.


    "Thank you all joining me for dinner," she began in a steady voice despite the turmoil in her chest. "Before we call it a night, I need to say something. To Rune."


    The room fell silent and all eyes turned to the man in question. As for Rune, he straightened in his seat with an unreadable expression on his face as he met her gaze.


    "I don¡¯t know what you are hiding," Grace said in a firm tone but still not sounding unkind. "But I¡¯m giving you one last chance to come clean. Not for me, but for the team. We deserve to know what we are up against. And if you can¡¯t trust us enough to share the truth... then maybe you don¡¯t belong here."


    The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, no one moved or spoke. Then, slowly, Rune stood with his gaze locked on hers.


    "I¡¯ll think about it," he said simply before turning and leaving the room.


    The door closed behind him with a soft click, and Grace exhaled, feeling a mix of relief and regret. Both Davian and Dr. Kian caught her eyes from across the table, offering her small nods of encouragement.


    For now, all she could do was wait.


    S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 121: Space Rings

    [Time left before the day of the end of the world: 5 Days]


    Grace shifted all the stock from the Retail store inside her space. Initially, she didn¡¯t plan to stock up too much water supplies since she had unlimited water available in her space. But since she came across the store during their hunt for supplies, she decided to just get the products since they were available right in front of her.


    Not putting special efforts in locating these supplies was a different thing, but ignoring them when they were this easily available to her - it would have been a completely stupid decision.


    The store had packed water bottles of 500ML, 1L, and 2L. Water containers in sizes - 5L, 10L, 20L, 50L, and 100L. There were also large water containers, emergency water pouches, distilled water, collapsible water containers, water filters, water purification tablets, UV water purifiers, portable water bags, water collection tarps, water pumps, siphon, faucet-to-barrel adapters, bucketd with lids, mesh screens, desalination kits, unscented bleach, charcoal, sand, and finally rainwater collection systems.


    While the most of the water in the apocalyptic world would no longer be in the state of being used for drinking, there were still ways to filter that water and use it. If Grace had ways for filtering water, she would be able to sell or exchange that water in future. The rainwater in future would also turn toxic, but it could also be filtered and used.


    After thinking about all these possibilities, she went ahead and robbed the entire retail store, leaving behind only empty walls. Right! She took away the shelves too as they could be used for storage.


    Just as she was about to walk out of the store, she stopped and turned to look at her surroundings. Though she knew that all these supplies would have gone to waste if left in the store, she couldn¡¯t shake away the fact that she was robbing them and taking away the only source of income of some people.


    Of course she knew that those people might not be able to open the store again or sell anything as the world was going to end within next five days, and the current weather wasn¡¯t allowing anyone to even think about stepping out of their homes. But despite knowing all that, she found herself leaving behind a million in cash in the cash locker of the store.


    [You should give up thinking too much about your actions. These people are beyond saving already.]


    2025 reminded her when it noticed her safely placing the cash in the locker. They both knew that there was next to chance that the store owner would ever return to the store to find that money. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You know that I don¡¯t mind killing people, nor do I¡¯m going to step out of my way to help anyone to survive these disasters. All I want is to not become the reason of some random innocent person¡¯s death. Besides, the money that I¡¯m left with is going to become worthless pieces of paper. Better to share it." Grace replied as she walked in the shadows of the buildings, heading to the place where she and her team had agreed to meet within an hour.


    For the past three days, they had been going out to hoard supplies from supermarkets, retail stores, warehouses, and factories. Because of the ongoing snowstorm, all these places were deserted, and it gave them the perfect opportunity to hoard more supplies.


    In these three days of their hoarding sprint, Grace had collected more fuel, firewood, charcoal, cutlery and utensils, food, grains, dairy products, meat, poultry products, spices, salt, sauces, alcohol, electronics, medicines, books, baby products, water supplies, clothes, boots, machines, tools, sewing supplies, agriculture supplies, cooking supplies, stationary, and diffrebt types of equipment.


    The night before, Maven located a vehicle retail store where he got several motorbikes, bicycles, cars, and spare parts. But they only took those vehicles that they could use during the apocalyptic world.


    Her snow boots sank into the thick layer of snow, that was covering the street, as she walked toward her destination. As usual, the storm was showing no mercy as it snowed like crazy with a strong wind that was blowing across the street.


    Thankfully, she was dressed appropriately for the situation or she might have caught a frostbite already because of just how cold the temperature was and also because of how ruthless the storm was being.


    In the past couple of days, several deaths had been registered throughout the country. Humans weren¡¯t the only one suffering though, the animals that were out in the open and the trees, they were suffering the most. While there was still a count of how many people had died, no one was counting the number of dogs, cats, and other animals they were losing every other hour.


    People were praying day and night for the storm to stop, realizing that this volcanic winter was even worse than the flood they all barely survived through.


    The flood destroyed all the agriculture in the country, and the following volcanic winter took away any remaining hope for new harvests. Now, the government was forced to open the saved supplies, but it was still not easy to distribute the food because of the storm.


    The inhumane nature of men was once again back as people had started looting and killing their own neighbors in hope of finding some food. At this point, no one was afraid of the military, they were just afraid of dying from hunger.


    Thankfully, the residents of Building K12 had long learned to stay away from the top three floors. Since they were looking for food to stay alive, they knew that they also needed to stay away from the top three floors if they wanted to stay alive. No one wanted to die from the hands of the monsters who resided at the top of the building.


    The scary stories of the residents of the top three floors had also reached the residents of the nearby buildings, making all of them think twice before planning about ever going there to rob food.


    However, there were still some people who didn¡¯t think too much of these rumors and still headed to the twentieth floor of Building K12. While they didn¡¯t took the warnings strongly, they sure focused on the part where it was mentioned that the residents of the top three floors of that building probably had a lot of rations in store.


    Unfortunately, most of these people ended up dead as soon as they made their way to the twentieth floor. Only those, who were able to run away on time, survived but still received heavy injuries. What they didn¡¯t know was that the only reason they were able to survive was because the people from the top floors allowed them to be as they could continue spreading the horrific stories about the top three floors of Building K12.


    Grace was satisfied with how the team members residing on the twentieth floor were handling the situation. Because of them, the upper two floors were able to focus on their own works.


    As she arrived at her destination, she found some of her teammates already waiting there. The rest arrived shortly as well. Once they all were safely back in one place, they immediately returned to her apartment.


    Despite the harsh weather, barely anyone was feeling cold. It wasn¡¯t only because they all were dressed warmly but also because their altered DNA allowed them to withstand the cold.


    One by one, all the five of her teammates took off the rings she had handed them before they set out for the mission and placed them on the dining table. They grabbed the coffee prepared by Aleena and then headed to the living room.


    On the other hand, Davain and Grace settled down at the dining table, and the latter started looking through the collection of the five rings. These were special rings that she purchased from the system once she came across them just the previous afternoon while surfing through some new sections of the system that she unlocked recently.


    These rings were known as Space rings, and had the ability to store items inside them. All these five rings had area of the size of a big room inside them, allowing enough space to store items.


    Grace meticulously went through the contents of each ring, examining each item and adding them to the supplies already stored in the warehouses of her space.


    Food supplies, fuel, spare parts, and even luxuries like chocolate bars and high-grade liquor were filling the spaces. She nodded in satisfaction, silently commending her team for their efficiency. These spatial rings were proving to be a game-changer for their operation.


    "Boss, you need to come here and save me from this woman!"


    Ryan¡¯s pleading and almost painful voice pulled her attention toward the living room. Knowing that he was talking about none other Ferah, a woman in Davian¡¯s team, both Grace and Davian let out deep sighs...!

 Chapter 122: Hybrid Animals

    [Time left before the arrival of the end of the world: 4 Days]


    Grace placed the last plate into the cabinet and stepped back to admire her work. The kitchen was finally looking spotless as every item was back in its rightful place.


    As she wiped her hands on the towel hanging by the counter, her phone vibrated with an incoming call. She glanced at the screen and saw Davian¡¯s name. Without any hesitation, she answered.


    "Hello," she said while leaning against the counter.


    "Did I disturb you?" Davian¡¯s familiar voice came through the phone. His voice sounded calm but still carried an undertone of urgency.


    Grace¡¯s lips twitched faintly. She knew he wouldn¡¯t call unless it was something important. "No, you didn¡¯t. What¡¯s the matter?"


    "We talked about finding abandoned military bases yesterday," he began. "I reached out through my connections, and they have identified a few that might meet your requirements."


    Grace was surpised, but also not to learn that he had taken care of the matter this quickly. "That¡¯s great. Let¡¯s plan a visit tomorrow and see if any of them are suitable."


    They exchanged a few more details before ending the call. She let out a small sigh and headed to her bedroom. Locking the door behind her, she entered the space so she could spend the next hour or two taking care of the work there.


    Her first stop was the warehouse. She spent the next thirty minutes (space¡¯s time) meticulously organizing all the supplies that she and her team had gathered over the past few days.


    By the time she finished, the warehouse looked exactly how she wanted it to, each section properly arranged and marked. Satisfied with her work, she headed to the farmhouse.


    As usual, the animals greeted her with soft sounds as she entered. She fed each animal using the system before she gathered fresh milk, eggs, honey, silk, and wool.


    All she needed to do was to select the animal on the screen spread open in front of her, and then choose from the different options that were shown under each of the animals - feed, bath, collect product, or exit.


    Selecting ¡¯feed¡¯ automatically fed the said animal, selecting ¡¯bath¡¯ made them look newly bathed, the option of ¡¯collect product¡¯ helped in collecting their products like - eggs, milk, wool, etc, and finally, the option of ¡¯exit¡¯ would led to the end of that certain animal.


    The exit option even had further choices available - if she wanted to entirely earse the selected animal, or just wanted to kill it and use its meat. So far, Grace had used kill option only four times where she turned four of the roosters into fresh chicken meat.


    The only reason she did that was because after observing the situation of the poultry farm over the past few months, she noticed how the roosters were fighting for dominance. Their fight eventually led to the death of one of the roosters. Hence, she decreased their numbers.


    Not only that but two of the hens had recently cracked their eggs, increasing the population of their community, and there were two new born roosters among those fifteen chickens.


    Once she finished her work in the farmhouse, she made her way to the vegetable garden that had expanded across miles over the course of time. To harvest the vegetables, all she needed to do was to use the system¡¯s available features and the work was done barely in a minute or two.


    In the farming section, there were several option available - sowing, irrigation, weed management, and harvest. She selected the ¡¯harvest¡¯ option and the system immediately showed her the pictures and names of all the vegetables that were ready to be harvested.


    She selected all the vegetables as she wanted to harvest them all. Within seconds, the system completed the task and offered her further options for how she wanted to handle the harvest - store (kitchen/warehouse), pickle, canned food, powder, dry, or seed.


    Grace selected the ¡¯seed¡¯ option before selecting the vegetables and their amount. She preserved some of the veggies as pickles and canned food, before storing the rest in the villa¡¯s kitchen as she was going to prepare more lunch boxes.


    Ending her work in the vegetable garden, she headed to the fruit orchards that were also spread across miles. So far, she had planted about twenty different fruit orchards, and had harvested seventeen of them already.


    Just like in the case of vegetables, she handled the harvest of fruits with the help of the system before finally heading to the vineyard to prune the vines and ensure they were healthy. So far, she had harvested the garpes only once, and the next harvest was going to be ready within next four days.


    By the time she finished her work, hours had passed and the early morning had turned into noon.


    Back at the villa, she prepared lunch using the fresh ingredients she had gathered. She found herself missing both Davian and Rune¡¯s company as the two of them had become her cooking partner in the outside world.


    It had been days and she still hadn¡¯t heard from Rune. He even stopped joining her and others during meals, and hadn¡¯t appeared in the training sessions since the night she asked him to make the choice. Though he did ask for some time to consider, she was becoming slightly restless with each passing day.


    Shaking away his thoughts, she focused on cooking and was soon storing away ten packed lunch boxes in the warehouse. She then settled down at the dining table and enjoyed the food she had cooked.


    She watched an episode of the thriller drama she had started recently as she ate, and once she was done with both, she cleaned up the kitchen and headed to the pet house to continue with the pending work.


    Just like she planned before buying these animals, the Shadow Rain had worked amazingly on them as well. 2025¡¯s guidance was also a big boost in their transformation.


    The ten huskies she had bought were no longer ordinary dogs. Their bodies were larger now, their fur thicker, and their eyes gleamed with a feral light. They were becoming wolves. And as per 2025¡¯s recent checkup, these wolves were going to be far stronger than those that were seen in the previous timeline. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "2025, status report on their progress," Grace said as she observed the animals.


    [Transformation is 75% complete,] 2025 replied. [Hybrid wolves will be fully developed within next two weeks.]


    Grace nodded and turned her attention to the black cats, which were evolving into sleek panthers. Unlike the huskies, the cats needed about four weeks to complete their transformation.


    As for the white lion cubs, they were already bigger in size and were becoming stronger. When looked closely, one could also see the tiny feathers that were appearing on their backs.


    The other animals were also doing great in handling their transformation. But as per 2025¡¯s words, she still needed to keep a close watch on them.


    Her next stop was the herb field, then crops fields, and finally the cave of the hot spring where she had grown some special herbs as per 2025¡¯s advice.


    Once she was done with all the work, she headed to the beautiful meadow close to the mountains. This place had become her training ground because of how natural and peaceful she felt there.


    For ten or so minutes, she just sat there and enjoyed the nice weather of the Infinite Realm. Whenever she entered the space, she always made sure to bask in the warm sunlight as if to take away the darkness and cold of the real world out from her body.


    Once she was done basking in the sunlight, she shifted into the lotus position and closed her eyes. Inhaling deeply to fill her lungs with the fresh air of the space, she focused on the raw and powerful energy deep within her that was becoming more and more familiar with each passing day.


    As usual, the energy responded to her call and immediately moved up to the surface, ready to do her bidding. Opening her eyes, Grace focused her gaze on a flower located not far from where she was sitting.


    Slolwy, she started processing her thoughts, trying it make it harder and more intricate than usual. She thought about picking out the petals of the flower one after the other, slowly letting them fly in the wind.


    Once her thought was in place, she raised her left hand, already feeling the presence of her power that was ready to go out and try to make her thought become reality.


    As she flicked her fingers, that pulsating energy finally escaped her palm and landed on the flower, shaking it slightly. And then, Grace watched as one after the other, the flower lost all its petals, losing them to the wind that suddenly grew strong enough to take them away with it.


    A smile spread across her lips while a feeling of pure satisfaction settled in her heart. She was improving...!

 Chapter 123: Dr. Kian’s Awakening

    [Time left before the arrival of the end of the world: 3 Days]


    It was around half past midnight when Grace woke from the sound of 2025 calling her name in an urgent voice. Her eyes flew open immediately and she was fully awake within seconds, alert and ready to move if needed.


    "What is it?" She asked the little creature as it materialized next to her bed.


    "I just received an urgent alert from the system. Dr. Kian is having a high fever right now as his powers are about to unlock." 2025 told her the news without wasting even a single breath as it knew just how serious the matter was.


    It took Grace a moment to process the news, and once she finally did, she sat up with a start and immediately climbed out of the bed. Wrapping herself with the outer robe of her nightgown, she put on the slippers and headed out of her apartment.


    Ever since he recovered, Dr. Kian had moved up to twenty-second floor and was staying in the same unit with Kevin, Aleena, and three other members of Davian¡¯s team.


    "Why is he having a fever? I went through nothing like that when I unlocked my power?" She asked 2025 as it followed right after her.


    "Every human might react differently to the changes going on in their bodies due to the DNA alterations. You have been training since you were a child, and have also went through advanced training right before your DNA alteration took place. Not only that but you have been eating vegetables, fruits, and drinking water of your space which has long cleaned your body of impurities. During your DNA alteration, your health was at its peak in every way possible. Hence, the smooth transition and awakening of your power."


    2025 explained to her as they ascended the stairs to twenty-four floor. "As for Dr. Kian, he just recovered from a serious injury which made him lose a lot of blood and pulled him down on health chart. While he had been eating the food grown in the space, and it helped in cleaning the impurities in his body, he didn¡¯t train much, and thus, his body is reacting to the DNA alterations and the awakening of his power."


    They arrived outside Unit 2202 and Grace ringed the bell, waiting for someone to quickly open the door. As they waited, 2025 added, "Actually, this fever might be a good sign as well."


    The statement made Grace arch her eyebrows high and she turned her attention toward the little red creature. "How?" She asked, curious to know the details.


    "Having a fever during the awakening of power can also be the sign of a strong power. He might unlock a really strong superpower." 2025 answered in a serious tone, making Grace realized that it was actually speaking the truth and not just saying anything to help her feel calm.


    Before she could have spoken, the door of Unit 2202 was pulled open by a very alert-looking Aaron. "Boss?" He was surpised to see Grace standing there with 2025 by her side.


    "Doc is having a high fever." She told the man from Davian¡¯s team and watched as he immediately stepped aside, allowing her to walk into the apartment.


    "His room is the second on the left." Aaron provided the information while Kevin and Aleena walked out from the living room.


    Grace gave her two teammates a quick look of acknowledgement before she headed straight to Dr. Kian¡¯s bedroom. She pushed open the door and stepped inside while 2025 immediately switched on the lights.


    As her eyes landed on the man lying on the bed, she noticed just how bad his situation was. His face was flushed, sweat dripping down his temples as he mumbled incoherently in his fevered state. The sight almost made her stomach twist, but she quickly steeled herself.


    She moved to his bedside and placed her hand on his forehead, realizing that his skin was burning hot.


    "2025, get me a cloth and a basin of cool water," Grace ordered in a calm vouce despite the urgency.


    Merely in two seconds, a basin full of water a small white towel appeared on the bedside table.


    Grace adjusted the blanket covering Dr. Kian, pulling it down slightly to allow his body to cool. She checked his pulse and frowned. It was racing, but his breathing was steady, though shallow.


    At that very moment, Aaron, Kevin, Aleena, and the rest of the people staying in the unit, appeared in the doorway. They all looked tensed as their gazes shifted to Dr. Kian.


    "What¡¯s happening to him?" Kevin asked.


    "He¡¯s unlocking his power," Grace explained without looking up. "His body is reacting to the changes. It¡¯s a fever, but it could escalate if we don¡¯t manage it carefully."


    Aleena was the first one who stepped forward and entered the room. "Do you need help?"


    "No," Grace replied firmly. "All of you shoukd go back to your rooms and rest. We still have a lot to prepare for the apocalypse, and you will need your strength. Besides, you might be about to unlock your own powers. So rest."


    "But-" Kevin started, only for Grace to cut him off with a sharp look.


    "I¡¯ll handle this. 2025 is here to assist me."


    Kevin hesitated, then nodded. "Fine, but call us if you need anything." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I will," Grace promised.


    Aleena gave her a worried glance but followed Kevin and the others out of the room. Once they were gone, Grace turned her attention back to Dr. Kian.


    Picking up the towel, she dipped it into the cold water before wringing it out. She gently dabbed Dr. Kian¡¯s face and neck with careful and precise movements.


    As she worked, 2025 floated beside her, monitoring his vitals. "His temperature is stabilizing, but his heart rate is still high," it reported.


    "I think that¡¯s progress," she said, keeping her voice low and soft.


    "His body is fighting to adapt. We just have to keep him comfortable until the process is complete." 2025 added as it continued with its work.


    Hours passed as Grace tended to Dr. Kian. She alternated between cooling him down with the damp cloth and ensuring he stayed hydrated by spooning small amounts of water into his mouth. The fever showed no signs of breaking, but she remained patient and vigilant.


    She even received a message from Davian where he asked if she needed any help. When she replied negatively, he accepted her answer and reminded her to call him when needed.


    She genuinely liked how understanding he was with her decisions, and this trait of him always made her feel more comfortable with her decisions.


    - - -


    [Time left before the arrival of the end of the world: 2 Days]


    The first sign of improvement came just before dawn. Dr. Kian¡¯s breathing became more even, and the redness in his face began to fade. Grace let out a small sigh of relief but didn¡¯t allow herself to relax completely.


    "He¡¯s stabilizing," 2025 confirmed.


    "Good," she said as she removed the damp cloth from his forehead and set it aside. "Keep monitoring him. Let me know if anything changes."


    She stood and stretched, her muscles aching from sitting in the same position for so long. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn¡¯t eaten since the night before.


    "I will grab some food and be right back," she told 2025. "Keep an eye on him."


    "Yes, master," 2025 replied in a reassuring tone.


    Grace stepped out of the room and made her way to the kitchen. She quickly prepared a simple sandwich and ate it standing by the counter before she returned to the room and found 2025 hovering over the bed.


    "He¡¯s showing signs of awakening," the little creature said.


    Grace¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She moved to the bedside and watched as Dr. Kian¡¯s fingers twitched. A faint glow began to emanate from his chest, spreading outward like ripples on water.


    "What¡¯s happening?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Dr. Kian¡¯s awakening of power was entirely different from her own awakening.


    "His power is manifesting," 2025 explained. "It¡¯s a strong one, just as I suspected."


    The glow intensified, filling the room with a warm, golden light. Grace shielded her eyes but kept watching, unable to look away.


    When the light finally faded, Dr. Kian finally opened his eyes. They were darker than before, a hint of otherworldly strength shimmering in their depths. He blinked slowly, as if adjusting to his surroundings.


    "Grace?" he murmured in a hoarse voice once he noticed her.


    Leaning closer, she asked, "How are you feeling?"


    "Tired," he admitted as his gaze flickered to 2025. "What happened?"


    "You unlocked your power," she told him. "It caused a fever, but you are okay now."


    Dr. Kian frowned, as if trying to process her words. He lifted his hand, and to everyone¡¯s surprise, a soft golden light surrounded it. Grace watched as the light pulsed gently, radiating warmth and comfort.


    "It¡¯s healing energy," 2025 said, its tone filled with wonder. "Dr. Kian, you have awakened the one of the most powerful ability the previous timeline witnessed."


    Grace¡¯s eyes widened and a bright smile bloomed on her lips. "Healing? That¡¯s incredible."


    Dr. Kian stared at his hand that was slowly returning to normal as the initial glow of awakening faded. There was a mix of disbelief and awe on his face. "I can heal people?"


    "Yes," 2025 confirmed. "Your power is rare and invaluable. With proper training, you could save countless lives during the apocalypse."


    Grace placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "We¡¯ll help you figure it out. But for now, you need to rest and recover."


    He nodded his head slowly as he once again fixed his gaze on her. "Thank you, Grace. For everything."


    She smiled softly as she replied, "You¡¯d do the same for me."

 Chapter 124: Doomsday (I)

    [Time left before the end of the world: 24 Hours]


    The timer inside the space was glowing ominously as the last day before the end of world finally arrived. As each second ticked away, it was a silent reminder of the impending chaos.


    From the very moment she woke up in this timeline 99 days ago, Grace had spent almost every waking hour in the preparations for this day. And yet, no amount of planning was able to erase the tight knot of anxiety that was building in her chest.


    Her mind wandered to the memories of the previous timeline. The screams, the deaths, the destruction, the hopelessness - it all replayed vividly. Back then, she had been just another survivor scrambling to stay alive.


    But this time, she was determined to be something more - a protector, a leader, someone who could rewrite the story... her own story and also the stories of those who lost their lives while protecting her.


    But even with that resolve, the weight of responsibility was crushing her. She leaned against the couch and fixed her gaze on the ceiling above as her thoughts spiraled. "I¡¯ve done everything I can," she whispered to herself, though the words felt hollow.


    Since it was late at night and she couldn¡¯t make herself focus on any work, she decided to get some sleep. Standing up, she headed to the bedroom and climbed into bed, pulling the blanket tightly around her.


    Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t take her long to fall asleep despite the chaos that was going on inside her. Maybe it was because she had trained with Dr. Kian and Davian for nearly the entire day and she actually felt tired for a change.


    Before she knew it, she was already fast asleep.


    - - -


    [Time left before the end of the world: 16 Hours] S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was around ten minutes past eight in the morning when Grace finally work up. Probabaly because everyone knew that it was the last day before the end of world, no one came ringing her doorbell even when she was late for breakfast.


    Climbing out from under the warmth of the blanket, she made the bed before entering her space to shower and get ready for the day. Even if the world was ending, she couldn¡¯t just sit around and wait for the inevitable.


    It took her barely half an hour to get ready, and once she was done, she continued with her day inside the Infinte Realm - taking care of the work.


    It was around nine in the morning of the outside world when she finally stepped out of the space and made her way to the kitchen while leaving message in the group chat. She asked anyone, who still hadn¡¯t eaten, to join her for breakfast.


    What she didn¡¯t expect was to open the door for an entire group, even Davian and Dr. Kian turned up to join her for breakfast.


    The group left first but both Davian and Dr. Kian stayed behind. Though both of them were behaving as usual, she was able to feel their hidden tension.


    "You seem quiet," Davian said as they finished cleaning up the kitchen.


    Grace looked up, putting away the towel she just used to wipe her wet hands. "Just thinking."


    "About the end of the world?"


    "About everything," she admitted. "But yeah, the end of the world is my biggest concern at the moment. I just can¡¯t stop myself from wondering exactly what is going to happen that will finalize the end of the world. Do you think we will see the zombie breakout sooner in this timeline?"


    Davian¡¯s expression turned thoughtful as he replied with a little shake of his head, "It¡¯s hard to say. But the zombie breakout was indeed the end of the world in the previous timeline and it happened four months after the rain disaster. However, it has been only three months since the rain disaster in this timeline, and yet, the end is here. Nothing is making any sense."


    Silence took over the kitchen as the two of them got lost in their own thoughts. It was Dr. Kian, who had been listening to their conversation, who stepped into the kitchen and broke the silence. "Are we not ready for the zombie breakout?"


    Grace turned her attention toward the doctor and slowly shook her head as she answered, "That¡¯s not the case. The top three floors are pretty secured for the time being and will be able to stand the zombie attacks. We have also been training everyone to fight against zombies. We are more or less prepared to face the breakout."


    Dr. Kian smiled softly when he heard the determination in her voice. Stepping forward, he gave her arm a soft squeeze as he spoke, "Stop worrying then. You have done everything you could have to prepare for the day. Let¡¯s just wait and see the end. We are together in this."


    She felt a warm feeling surrounding her heart at his words, knowing that he really meant them. Her gaze shifted to Davian and he too gave acnod of his head, showing his agreement with Dr. Kian¡¯s words.


    That¡¯s right! They were together in this. She was no longer alone at the end of the world.


    - - -


    [Time left before the end of the world: 14 Hours]


    The living room of Unit 2001 was alive with the sounds of sparring. Grace and Davian moved fluidly while their wooden staffs clashed in quick, precise strikes. They had started training with weapons since two weeks ago, preparing to fight against the zombies.


    "You are improving," Davian said in a teasing tone as he dodged one of her attacks.


    "And you are becoming worse by each day. Are you getting too old by any chance, Mr. Parker?" Grace returned with an evil smile as she tapped into her power and sent an invisible blow at the back of his right knee, forcing him down on his knee as a result.


    Though he was taken aback by the sudden attack that he didn¡¯t see coming, it wasn¡¯t enough to take him down. After all, he had years of experience of using powers unlike Grace who just unlocked her power days ago.


    Standing up to face her once again, he stared deep into her eyes while a sharpness took over the depths of his dark green orbs. He was ready to accept her challenge, only if she dared.


    Their movements became faster, more intense. Grace¡¯s focus narrowed to the rhythm of the fight and the adrenaline coursed through her veins. For a moment, she forgot about the timer, the looming apocalypse - everything except Davian and their dance of power.


    But despite him being ready for the challenge, Davian didn¡¯t dare to go hard on her. It was as if he found it impossible to even hurt her by mistake. He didn¡¯t really hold back, but at the same time, he did... if that made sense.


    Grace leaned against the wall to catch her breath when they finally called for a break. The place emptied was immediately filled by others who had been enjoying the show they just put on.


    "We are as ready as possible," Davian said as he handed her a water bottle.


    "Let¡¯s hope so," Grace replied as she took a long drink, knowing exactly what he was referring to.


    - - -


    [Time left before the end of the world: 10 Hours]


    The rest of the day was a whirlwind of activity. Grace and her team ran through their final checklist, ensuring every supply was accounted for.


    After three long months of hoarding supplies, they had collected almost everything. And with the help of the resources provided by the Infinite Realm and the system, they had a never-ending supply of several other products.


    Just the day before, Grace, Davian, Kevin, and Maven went to check the abandoned military bases that Davian¡¯s connections had found. After careful inspection of not only the base, but also its location and the other factors, Grace finally selected a base that was located in the Kingston City.


    Because of the flood, the base was somewhat damaged, but other than that, it was just perfect to become their next hideout.


    There were a lot of installations that needed to be carried out in the base. The entire place needed a heavy renovation. Fortunately, they found a reliable company to complete the task within next two months.


    However, Grace knew that if a zombie breakout took place at the moment, the renovation would stop stop before starting, and that would cause them some troubles as they needed to prepare their next base as soon as possible.


    Even if they were going to stay in Sunspire City for the next fifteen months, they still needed a second safe place ready before doing so would become impossible.

 Chapter 125: Doomsday (II)

    The hours ticked by and the day soon turned into night. Merely four hours were left before the end of the world, and yet, the outside world looked just like usual.


    The snow storm was still going on outside, the land was still covered in the thick blanket of snow, and the people were hiding inside their houses. Looking outside the window, there was not a single thing that hinted that the world was going to end within next few hours.


    But then, no such thing happened in the previous timeline either. There were no signs of a zombie breakout even minutes before it actually happened. Hence, the peaceful appearance of the outside world, except for the ongoing snowstorm, couldn¡¯t be taken too seriously.


    Letting out a deep sigh, Grace returned to the living room where everyone was gathered. Because of the end that was so near, no one was able to even think about sleeping. After all, who would want the world to end while they were fast asleep? At least, not the people who were present in the Unit 2101, making the place crowded.


    "We can¡¯t possibly just sit and wait for these four hours to pass, right? Let¡¯s find something to do with the time we are left with." Aleena proposed when she got tired of the heavy silence that was filling the apartment. It wasn¡¯t helping her with her anxiety at all. She needed distraction, and knew that the others needed the same as well.


    "What do you suggest?" Ryan asked as he also found the silence too much to handle.


    Aleena looked thoughtful for a moment, but then her gaze landed on the kitchen and her eyes sparkled as the idea hit her. "How about we all doing some cooking? The gas supply is working right now, and what could be better than enjoying food at the end of the world."


    She looked really happy about her idea, and at this point, almost everyone in their team had learned to cook at least simple dishes because the situation demanded it. Hence, cooking was their common ground in skills after fighting and killing. Besides, food indeed sounded good when thinking about the end of the world, even when they had their dinner just an hour ago.


    "Let¡¯s prepare food to store lunchboxes as well. And then we will sit down to eat at eleven-thirty. Does that sound good?" Kevin suggested, knowing that none of them were feeling hungry at the moment.


    No one had any reason to reject the idea, especially when it wasn¡¯t only going to occupy their time and thoughts, but would also help them to make further preparations for their survival in future.


    Since they all couldn¡¯t cook in the same kitchen, they decided to head to different units to start the cooking. But before that, they divided everyone into four teams and each team was then given a list of dishes they needed to prepare in the next three and half hours.


    Grace headed back to her apartment and the ones who joined her were none other than - Davian, Dr. Kian, Valeska, Nina, and Jasper. The dishes they needed to cook were - garlic bread, potato noodles, oreo milkshake, spicy ramen with cheese, tandoori chicken, steamed bun, cucumber salad, chicken cabbage, and finally croissants.


    "Why I feel like they have given us the longest list with hardest dishes?" Nina asked once she got to take a look at the list of dishes that Aleena and Kevin came up with for each team.


    A smile formed on Grace lips as she put on her apron before taking out the ingredients from her space that were needed for making garlic bread and potato noodles.


    "Because our team got the best chefs." It was Valeska who answered as she handed aprons to the rest of the team. No one argued with her statement as it was plain truth. They all had tasted the cooking of both Grace and King, and knew that they both could make even simplest dish taste heavenly.


    "How about this, Boss and King will be the main chefs, Dr. Kian will be the assistant chef, and the rest of us will help with tasks like chopping, washing, cleaning, and all?" Jasper suggested and everyone agreed immediately.


    Nina even put on a playlist of trendy songs as they started working on their night task. It didn¡¯t take too long before the night air of Building K12 got filled with the aroma of delicious dishes that were being cooked in the apartments of the top three floor.


    Davian used his powers to seal the aroma from leaving the top floors. The last thing they wanted was to tempt the residents of the lower floor to try and attack them for food right before the world was about to end.


    Grace set the oven to preheat as she gathered the ingredients for garlic bread. Her movements were swift and precise, a stark contrast to the chaotic energy filling the kitchen. Everyone had taken their places and tasks seriously as they all were determined to make the most of their time.


    Dr. Kian stood beside her, busy slicing cloves of garlic with surprising skill. "It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve done anything like this," he said with a faint smile, his deep blue eyes glimmering slightly - a lingering trace of his newly awakened healing powers.


    Among all those who had recently unlocked their powers - Grace, Kevin, Aaron, Seth, and Dr. Kian, the doc turned out to be the only one who was showing a physical reaction of his powers - first the golden light, and now the usual shimmer in his eyes.


    But as per 2025, there was no reason to worry about this matter.


    "Perfect time to brush up on old skills," Grace replied with a soft smile as she focused on kneading the dough for the bread.


    Across the counter, Nina and Jasper were busy chopping vegetables for the cucumber salad and preparing the chicken for the tandoori dish. Nina hummed along to the upbeat song playing from her phone, adding a lively rhythm to the atmosphere.


    Valeska had taken charge of organizing the workspace, washing utensils, and clearing away scraps. She paused only to offer tips or adjust the positioning of a chopping board.


    "You know, if we survive this, we should consider opening a restaurant," Jasper joked as he chopped cabbage for the steamed buns.


    Dr. Kian chuckled softly. "If we survive, I¡¯ll heal every overworked chef in the city before opening another kitchen."


    Grace smiled at their banter but didn¡¯t let it distract her from her task. The dough was ready, and she began rolling it out, spreading the garlic butter mixture generously over the surface. As she worked, the rich aroma of roasted spices from Valeska¡¯s tandoori chicken began wafting through the air, mingling with the other scents. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within an hour, the kitchen was a flurry of activity. The garlic bread went into the oven while Dr. Kian moved on to preparing the cheese sauce for the spicy ramen. Nina and Jasper had finished the cucumber salad and steamed buns, their hands were now busy with whisking batter for the croissants.


    "Don¡¯t burn the croissants this time," Nina teased Jasper, earning a playful glare.


    "That was one time," he retorted. "And I¡¯ve improved since then."


    Valeska grinned. "We¡¯ll see."


    Over the months, the two teams - team Grace and team King, had grown closer. And this knowledge pleased both the leaders.


    By the time everything was ready, the clock read 11:15 PM. The rest of the team started coming while Grace and her team finished packing the lunchboxes first before placing the remaining food onto trays and carrying it to the dining room, where the rest of the team was already waiting.


    As Grace arrived at the table with the last tray, she looked around at the faces of her teammates. Despite the impending doom, there was warmth and camaraderie in the air. They had managed to create something meaningful in the face of uncertainty, and that alone gave her a small spark of hope.


    "Looks like our chefs outdid themselves," Kevin said as he eyed the spread of dishes with a wide grin.


    Aleena clapped her hands together. "Let¡¯s eat!"


    The team settled around the table, the food becoming a comforting distraction from the countdown looming over them. The croissants were buttery and flaky, the garlic bread was perfectly crisp, and the spicy ramen brought a welcome heat to the cold night.


    For the next thirty minutes, the apartment was filled with laughter, chatter, and the sound of clinking utensils.


    As the clock neared midnight, they all grew quieter, and the reality of their situation once again settled back in. What really helped them all stay grounded was the fact that they all were together in this.


    As the final minutes before midnight approached, the atmosphere shifted. The once lively chatter gave way to a quiet hum of contemplation. Grace glanced around the table, her gaze lingering on each face. These were the people she had come to trust, the ones who would stand with her when the world crumbled.


    [Time left before the end of the world: 60 seconds]

 Chapter 126: Doomsday (III)

    Fifty-nine seconds


    The air seemed to freeze.


    Forty


    A bead of sweat rolled down someone¡¯s temple.


    Thirty


    Hearts started pounded louder than any clock, or even the timer that was doing the countdown.


    Fifteen


    The room held its breath.


    Ten


    The tension became suffocating as the final countdown of the remaining nine seconds began. Every second was dragging the world closer to what felt like the edge of existence. Each number weighted with the dread of an inevitable end.


    Nine


    Eight


    Seven


    Six


    Five


    Four


    Three


    Two


    One


    Zero


    END!


    But nothing happened.


    No earthquake. No volcanic eruption. No apocalyptic rain. No swarming hordes of the undead. The world remained eerily, impossibly still.


    And yet, Grace and the others huddled in her apartment couldn¡¯t breathe a sigh of relief. The silence wasn¡¯t comforting - it was the kind that seeped into the soul, whispering that the worst had already arrived.


    "Why is... nothing happening?" It was Aleena who broke the silence and asked what everyone was wondering about at that moment. All the eyes settled on Grace who moved closer to the floor-to-ceiling window to take a look at the outside world that was covered in darkness.


    When she found nothing different outside the window, she peeked at the timer again inside her space, only to see big bold letters that read - THE END OF WORLD IS HERE!


    "Grace?"


    Her attention returned to the people standing behind her, specifically on Davian who just called her name. She took a moment to study them all and found herself feeling relieved when she realized that not even one of them was looking at her with judgemental gaze.


    No! They hadn¡¯t begun questioning the liability of her information about the world coming to an end. They were just as confused as her and wanted to know what was going on.


    "The system is showing that the world has already come to an end. But I can see no such sign just like the rest of you. I¡¯m lost too." She finally spoke, turning her attention to the outside world.


    There was silence in the room for what felt like next two minutes before Dr. Kian spoke - "Maybe it¡¯s a kind of end we can¡¯t see or feel immediately?"


    His words pulled her out of her thoughts and made her recall the happenings of the previous timeline once again. "In my and Davian¡¯s previous timeline, the government announced the end of the world when around a million cases of zombies were recorded. However, not all those people turned into zombies immediately. They took about 2-3 days for the transformation..."


    As she continued speaking, the wheels were turning in her head, trying their best to make sense of the current situation.


    Her gaze shifted to Davian as she continued, "Maybe the system is recording today as the end of the world because the world might see the first zombie case today?" While this sounded like a good enough reason, she still couldn¡¯t make herself sound confident as there was no way to confirm it... yet.


    However, it seemed like her reason sounded good enough to others. Little by little, they all started to relax. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "To be honest, it sounds crazy now to think that we all were literally waiting for a group of zombies to suddenly appear out of nowhere and attack us." Ryan said with a small smile and a shake of his head.


    Soft chuckles suddenly broke out in the previously super-tensed living room, bringing a much-needed lightness with it.


    "You all should return to your apartments and get some rest. We will continue with this tense waiting from morning." Grace said while addressing the team, fully aware that they might still not be able to fall asleep peacefully.


    She watched as the team members shared glances among themselves, not really liking the idea of separating. Letting out a sigh, she spoke again, "I know what you all are thinking, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure if anything dangerous might come our way, 2025 will alert us. I will not leave you all alone... none of you."


    She wasn¡¯t sure if her words were going to help much or not, but it seemed like she underestimated their trust in her. One by one, they all nodded their heads, accepting her promise and showing their trust in her.


    "Good night, Boss."


    "Good night, King."


    "Good night, Doc."


    The team soon left the apartment, leaving behind only Davian and Dr. Kian to accompany Grace who moved to clean the almost cleaned dining table. Seth and a few others from the team were quick to clean the table and wash the dishes. Everything was neatly placed back in its place.


    "Why you both are still here?" She asked as she stored all the remaining ingredients back in the warehouse inside her space.


    The two were silent and shared a quick look between them. In the past few days, they seemed to have developed a mutual understanding and respect toward each-other, and this development was helping them a lot as they accepted each other¡¯s presence in the life of the woman they cherished.


    It was Dr. Kian who cleared his throat before speaking, somehow knowing just by a glance that King was thinking the same thing as him. "We don¡¯t think staying alone in your apartment tonight is a good idea. How about the two of us stay here with you? I mean... we can stay in the second bedroom..."


    Somehow, he ended up stuttering a little in the last sentence when Grace suddenly shifted her full attention toward him, her eyebrows arching as if she was questioning his bold and very unexpected suggestion.


    "We?" Grace asked, her gaze shifting between Dr. Kian and Davian.


    Dr. Kian turned his attention toward Davian and the latter decided to answer the question. "That¡¯s right. We." He took a step toward her, removing some of the space from between them as he continued, "The two of us are going to sleep in the second bedroom."


    Unlike Dr. Kian, he wasn¡¯t asking, but letting her know that she wasn¡¯t going to be left alone on a night like this.


    Before Grace could have spoken, someone entered her apartment...!

 Chapter 127: The Cracked Veil

    The apartment was filled with absolute darkness, except for the faint glow that was surrounding the tiny candy sized creatures that were busy whispering about the man who hadn¡¯t moved from the couch since morning.


    "He isn¡¯t dead already, is he? I haven¡¯t seen him opening his eyes for hours." One of the white, jiggly creature asked its companions. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Merely a second later, it let out a sharp cry when it was hit fiercely. Turning around, it found its friend staring at it with a very unimpressed look. "Why are you hitting me?" It demanded with a hurt expression.


    "Because I¡¯m so done with you and your stupidity. Just because he hasn¡¯t opened his eyes for a few hours, are you going to consider him dead? What about sleeping? And can¡¯t you feel him breathing?" The friend demanded in return, shifting its gaze toward the couch.


    "Ohh!" Was all the first creature could say as the other possibility dawned on him. As a result, it received another glare from its friend which made it quickly hide behind an elder who was nearby.


    Seconds later, another one from the group spoke. "He has been like this for days. Something is weighing heavily on him."


    "I don¡¯t like him being this way." A fourth one added, carrying a sad expression on its tiny face. "This place has become lifeless... Just like his current state. I miss the good, old days."


    While these tiny, harmless creatures continued to talk, Rune kept his eyes closed even though he was listening to their every word. He felt too tired to even open his eyes, let alone move from the couch.


    He hated being in his current state more than anyone, but he was stuck in his current predicament - something that had never happened to him before, and he never ever expected to even happen to him.


    It had been exactly eight days since he killed that group of mysterious people in the supermarket and created a crack in his relationship with Grace. Just thinking about that woman made him let out a deep sigh.


    This wasn¡¯t in his plan. This wasn¡¯t what he expected to happen - her becoming so much important to him that he had become his current self. None of this was in his plan when he left his world and stepped into the Human Realm to locate the jade bracelet. His initial plan was simple and easy.


    He was still struggling with his thoughts when he felt it - the power shift, the presence of the energy that had him not only opening his eyes, but also sitting up with a start.


    As an elite warrior of the Magik Realm, he could recognize that energy anywhere. And if there was still any sort of hesitation, it disappeared when he took a look at his jade ring that was shining bright red.


    "Is something wrong?" The eldest among the creatures asked when the group witnessed him suddenly sitting up. The concentrated and serious look on his face might have alerted them as well.


    Instead of answering, Rune closed his eyes and tapped into his powers that were ready to assist him as usual, actually happy for finally being put to use after being ignored for so long.


    With the combined force of the ring and his powers, he tried to track the source of the energy. His search led him straight to a remote village in the northern end of Starship Country where the veil was located - the ward that separated the Earth from the dangers that lurked in the darkness beyond it.


    And it barely took him any time to notice the crack in the veil. It was small, but big at the same time. Despite being merely the size of his palm, that crack was big enough for monsters to walk through it... and one had already crossed it.


    The dark energy of that monster was still heavy in the air, making Rune realize that he got a new task to take care of. He couldn¡¯t let that monster hurt the humans. It was his job to stop it as the one of the protectors of the Human Realm.


    Calling his powers, he sealed the crack even though he knew that the veil wasn¡¯t going to be able to stand for too long. The continous natural disasters that were hitting the Earth, they were damaging and weakening the veil as well, hence the crack. If these disasters continued, the veil was going to give away sooner or later.


    Once he had filled the crack, he immediately tracked the energy of the monster to shop it. He was surprised to find out the speed at which the monster was moving, making him realize that despite the small size, it was a powerful one.


    He tracked it through cities, states, only to come to a deadly realization - the monster was heading to Sunspire City. For a moment, he thought the monster had sensed him and was coming for him. But he discarded the thought just as quickly as it came. The monsters, they would never seek an elite on their own, not until they had a death wish.


    So why....


    The answer hit him merely seconds later - leaving him frozen for merely moments that were enough for that monster to cross several more cities and enter the Sunspire City.


    Rune was on his feet immediately. He ran out of his apartment and entered the one next to him, his body easily passing through the metal door that did nothing to stop him.


    She might have registered his presence because she walked into the living room that very moment, a look of pure surprise and confusion taking over her face when her gaze landed on him.


    "Rune? How are you-"


    She never got to finish her question as he closed the distance between them with ease and pulled her behind him. His eyes moving toward the floor-to-ceiling window as the creature appeared there at that very moment, ready to attack. A powerful green light escaped his hand, passed through the bulletproof glass, and hit the monster.

 Chapter 128: Monster From Behind The Veil (I)

    The monster let out an ear-piercing shriek as Rune¡¯s attack hit it squarely in the chest, halting its advance toward the window.


    The monster screeched, its black-scaled body twisting unnaturally as it stumbled back. And yet, it didn¡¯t fall. Instead, it growled - a deep, hoarse sound that vibrated through the glass that was suddenly not as strong as it needed to be.


    The creature¡¯s glowing red eyes narrowed on Rune with a hatred that seemed almost sentient.


    Grace grabbed the edge of the couch for balance, turning around in time to witness the scene. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the creature. It was grotesque, with jagged claws and twisted limbs unlike anything she had ever seen in this world - but she had seen creatures like it before.


    In the previous timeline.


    Davian was the first to recover from the initial shock. "That thing¡­" he whispered, his eyes fixed on the creature outside the window. "Grace, doesn¡¯t it look like -?"


    "The monsters," Grace finished in a tight voice, knowing exactly what Davian was talking about as the two of them had lived through the same timeline. "The ones that attacked during the apocalypse."


    Right then, she felt a hand coming to rest on her arm, and if not for the fact that something within her recognized the person, she might have took out the hidden dagger and stabbed him to death right there and then.


    Dr. Kian was clearly shaken, but he was trying his best to remain rational. "What is it?"


    Before anyone could have spoken in response, the monster lunged again. Its sharp claws were aimed straight at the window. Rune raised his left hand and summoned another burst of energy before sending it toward the monster again.


    The monster¡¯s claws collided with the window, sending ripples of power through the room, but the glass held.


    "Get back," Rune directed in a sharp and commanding voice. His eyes didn¡¯t leave the monster even for a second, nor did he loosened his hold on his power.


    Since the other three couldn¡¯t be of any help, they immediately did as they were told and moved back, taking shield behind the wall separating the living room and the hallway leading to the bedrooms. From there, they peeked to see what was going to happen next.


    The creature snarled, its eyes following the trio until they disappeared from its sight. It was clearly angry, not only because its target had disappeared but also because an unexpected obstacle was standing in its path.


    Its gaze returned to Rune and it pressed on the glass with its powers, erratically testing the glass for weaknesses. But even if there was any chance for it to break down that strong piece of glass, it wasn¡¯t an option at the moment because Rune¡¯s power was keeping the window safe.


    And despite being aware of this fact, the creature wasn¡¯t ready to give up, not when it was feeling that strong pull that had drawn it all the way from the veil to this very apartment building.


    With all its might, it attacked the window again. But Rune was quick, he retaliated immediately. A powerful blast of light once again left his palm, passed through the window, and hit the creature. The attack managed to force the monster back a little, but that was all.


    Not giving up, the creature charged again and Rune met it head-on. The clash of his energy and monster¡¯s dark power sent shockwaves through the room, but it still didn¡¯t manage to damage the window.


    Grace¡¯s heart was pounding wildly as she watched the fight unfold. She wanted to help, but didn¡¯t know how. Knowing the best she could do in that moment was not to distract Rune, she remained hiding behind the wall. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other side, Rune was getting ready to unleash the final attack to take down the creature. For one last time, a blinding blast of green light escaped his palm, passed through the glass, and hit the creature right at its torso.


    The creature let out a deafening screech before dissolving into black smoke. Within seconds, its form dissipated into the darkness of the night.


    The silence that followed was deafening. Rune was standing motionless, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He looked slightly taken aback by the confrontation that just ended, not because he felt tired, but because he was feeling worried.


    As the creature was finally gone and he got the time to pull himself together, he recalled just how terrified he was on his way to this apartment. How fast his heart was beating when he realized that the creature was coming for her.


    As she returned into his thoughts, he immediately turned around and noticed her stepping out from her hiding place. Their gazes locked and he finally found himself relaxing, knowing that at least for the time being, she was safe.


    "Is it gone?" Davian asked as he followed after Grace. His eyes were still looking outside while one of his hands was hovering right next to Grace¡¯s, almost as if he was ready to pull her to protection if the monster suddenly returned.


    "For now," Rune answered, his voice barely above a whisper. And then, his expression shifted and turned unreadable.


    Grace¡¯s gaze ran around the living room and stopped on the floor-to-ceiling window. Merely a moment later, she found herself asking - "Is the glass strong enough to hold against their attacks?"


    Her unexpected question was met with a deep silence as three pairs of eyes turned their full attention to her. She noticed the shakes of heads and the twitching of lips, clear indication that the men found her question not only unexpected but also amusing.


    "What? It¡¯s a serious question. We will need to prepare if these bulletproof glasses turned out to be useless against those creatures." She defended herself, receiving some nods in response.


    "Then you might need to start working. Though these glasses are really strong, they might not be able to withstand the attacks if a hoard of those monsters decided to attack." Rune answered.


    "Are there... more of those coming?"

 Chapter 129: Monster From Behind The Veil (II)

    "Are there... more of those coming?"


    The question came from Dr. Kian, who had been silent up until now. Though he too was carrying almost a blank face at the moment, he wasn¡¯t as good as faking a calm expression as the other three people present in that apartment. His body still gave away the tension he was feeling.


    Rune let out a small sigh before he answered honestly. "Not right away, but we might see more of them in near future."


    There was silence in the room before Dr. Kian put forward another question, this one aimed at Grace. "Was this creature similar to the monsters that attacked the Earth in your previous life?"


    Grace shared a quick look with Davian, the two having a silent conversation through their eyes. Though neither of them spoke even a single word, she got the answer she was searching through him.


    "I don¡¯t think either of us saw this particular monster in our previous timeline. But those monsters were pretty much similar to this one, maybe not... this powerful?" Even she wasn¡¯t sure if the difference she felt was real or just her imagination.


    "What kind of monster was it? Do you have any idea?" Davian asked, focusing his attention on that one person who might be able to answer most of their questions - Rune.


    Rune didn¡¯t answer immediately, instead, he first settled down on the nearest couch and poured himself a glass of water from the jug sitting on the coffee table in front of him.


    Realizing the conversation might stretch long, the others also headed to take their seats. Grace did the same but not before covering the windows with curtains, knowing that it was completely useless in case of another attack, it might even become a hindrance. Still, she did it because she didn¡¯t want to look at the window for the time being.


    Once they all were seated, Rune finally decided to answer Davian¡¯s question. "It was a shadow beast, and it came from beyond the Veil."


    "The Veil?" Grace repeated. Her brain was trying to recall if she ever heard about any shadow beast in the previous timeline, but nothing came to her mind no matter how hard she tried to recall.


    "The Veil is what separates the Earth from the world of those monsters," Rune replied, his gaze fixed on Grace. "It¡¯s a ward - an ancient magical barrier put here by my ancestors to keep your world safe from these monsters. That veil is what have kept your world safe from them all these millenias, other than the efforts of my Realm of course."


    Grace listened silently, processing everything as all this was so new to her. Despite the extra five years she had lived, there were still things... or secrets... like these that she was completely unaware of.


    "If the Veil is that strong, how come this monster entered our world?" Davian asked, noticing the big plot hole in Rune¡¯s story.


    "It¡¯s because the Veil has become weak after all these continuous natural disasters. I felt this monster¡¯s presence the moment it entered this world, it¡¯s a unique ability of a monster hunter like me. When I tracked its initial source, I found out that a crack in the Veil had appeared through which this monster entered the Earth."


    The more he revealed, the more others realized just how serious the situation was. These monsters didn¡¯t appear until two years into the apocalypse in the previous timeline, but they just saw one just moments ago. If the monsters had already found a way to enter the Earth, the end was undoubtedly there.


    As the thought passed through Grace¡¯s head, a sudden realization dawned over her. "Can you tell exactly at what time this monster entered our world?" She asked Rune. The wheels were turning in her head as she started connecting the dots.


    Rune spared a quick look at the watch wrapped around his wrist before answering, "About fifteen minutes ago. Why?"


    The men had their questioning gazes fixed on Grace, watching as her eyes grew wide with a sense of confirmation. Her gaze shifted among the three of them as she replied, "That¡¯s the exact time the system finished the countdown. The end of the world."


    The room was filled with a heavy silence for next few moments as the men processed her words. It was Dr. Kian who broke that silence first. "So unlike the previous timeline where the end of the world began with a zombie breakout, the end of the world this time is related to the appearance of the first monster."


    His words weren¡¯t in the form of questions, that¡¯s because they all knew the answers. The end of the world in this timeline was indeed related to the appearance of the monster.


    "Does it mean we can expect a hoard of such monsters attacking the cities and villages anytime soon?" Davian asked the question out loud, and while it wasn¡¯t really directed at anyone, Rune decided to answer.


    "Not really. I have sealed the crack for the time being. It might not be as strong as the original, but it might hold on for a while."


    Before anyone could have felt any relief from his words, he continued, "However, there¡¯s no telling if only one such crack has appeared in the Veil. I might need to do a thorough checking to find out the answer. But even if by chance there¡¯s no other crack in the Veil, the future will still be uncertain because it¡¯s just a matter of time before the Veil will give away under these disasters."


    The room was once again silent, all four of them lost in their own thoughts. It was Dr. Kian who presented the next question - "Is there a way to keep the Veil standing against these disasters?"


    The sigh that Rune let out was already a clear answer. "I alone can do just as much as fixing such small cracks. Holding up such an ancient and strong veil needs power... immense power."


    sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 130: Encounter in the Kitchen

    Grace was about to pull the door open when she froze. She was still for a second or two before she turned around and fixed her gaze on Rune who seemed to have realized what was going through her head.


    "How did you enter?" She got so focused on learning about the monster that she completely forgot about the part where Rune suddenly appeared inside her apartment even when the door was locked.


    He kept his expression neutral, but she was still able to sense the tension in him as he answered. "My powers." That¡¯s all he said but that was enough of an answer.


    Grace just let out a sigh and pulled the door open, allowing him to step outside. Instead of leaving immediately, he turned to face her before speaking, "Good night... and I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the morning."


    She just gave a little nod of her head in response and watched as he turned away and headed into his unit. Right before leaving, he asked for her to join him for breakfast in the morning, and while he didn¡¯t explain why, she had a feeling that it had something to do with the supermarket incident of that night.


    She just hoped that they could finally solve that matter and be done with the tension and rift that had taken place between not only the two of them, but also between him and the rest of the residents of the top three floors.


    Closing and locking the metal door, she returned to the living room where Davian and Dr. Kian were still waiting for her. The men were still determined to spend the night in the second bedroom of her apartment.


    * * *


    Grace woke up merely an hour after she fell asleep around half past one. Feeling thirsty, she poured herself a glass of water and emptied it within seconds. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was supposed to go back to sleep, but before she knew it, she was already stepping out of the bedroom and heading toward the second room where Davian and Dr. Kian were sleeping.


    She stopped right outside the door, her thoughts running wild as she contemplated on what to do next. She wanted to check on them quickly, but eventually changed her mind in fear of waking them up.


    Letting out a deep sigh, she turned around to return to her room. She was about to enter the bedroom when her heightened hearing sense picked on the softest movement coming from the kitchen.


    A gun was immediately in her hand as she swiftly made her way toward the kitchen, ready to take down the intruder. A part of her was wondering if it was none other than Rune, but she doubted it.


    Her gun was on point as she peeked into the kitchen, her eyes scanning the area. Before she could have taken a single step forward, a familiar voice filled the silence of the night.


    "It¡¯s me, Grace."


    She relaxed as she recognized the man behind the voice immediately. The gun disappeared from herbahnd and she stepped into the kitchen, finding Davian standing against the counter with a glass of water in his hand.


    "Sorry. I just got alerted by the sound." She felt slightly embarrassed, not really understanding the reason though. Considering their situation and everything they witnessed that night, being on high-alert was a must and not an option.


    "It¡¯s alright... as long as you don¡¯t shoot without checking." Davian replied with a little twitch of his lips that brought a smile on her face as well.


    The two were silent for a few moments as he finished the water and placed the glass on the counter. Despite the darkness that was filling the apartment as all the lights were off, both of them had good enough visions to see each other and everything around them clearly.


    "You can¡¯t sleep?" He asked as his attention returned to her.


    "I just woke up and wanted to check on you guys. But then I changed my mind right outside your door because I didn¡¯t want to disturb your sleep." She answered honestly, feeling his gaze on her that was making her feel something... deep and different.


    All of a sudden, she found herself recalling the sweet memory of their first time together. It felt like an eternity had passed since then because a lot happened and they barely got any chance to even acknowledge that night, let alone talk about it properly.


    "Grace."


    She was pulled out of her thoughts when Davian called her. She looked up at him and found him studying her closely in return. Clearing her throat, she found herself speaking, "We should return to sleep. It¡¯s almost three in the morning and we have barely slept."


    And then... she should have turned around and left first. That¡¯s what she should have done, and yet, she just remained there standing while he gave a small nod of agreement in return. Neither of them moved and just stood there in silence, looking at each other while their bodies and minds fought to make the right decision.


    She wasn¡¯t sure who moved first - was it him or her. All she knew was that the very next second, their lips were crashing together in a passionate kiss.


    His arms surrounded her waist as he pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together as he kissed her like he had been starving. She too wrapped her arms around his shoulder, returning the kiss with just as much passion and desire.


    This was probabaly the last thing they should be doing at that moment, but it felt so good... and right. Their bodies felt perfect against each other¡¯s. Their powers tingling with a humm as desire took over the two of them.


    Her breath hitched as Davian¡¯s lips moved against hers with a hunger that sent shivers down her spine. His arms tightened around her waist, lifting her slightly off the ground as he deepened the kiss.


    Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging lightly as a quiet moan escaped her lips. The tension that had been building between them since that night, was finally finding its release, and for a fleeting moment, everything else faded away.

 Chapter 131: The Late Night Make-out

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


    With a smooth motion, Davian lifted Grace onto the kitchen counter. His hands were firm yet gentle as he settled her in place. The cold surface sent a shock through her thighs, grounding her momentarily, but it wasn¡¯t enough to break the spell they were under.


    His lips trailed from her mouth to her jawline, leaving a path of soft, searing kisses down her neck.


    "Davian¡­" Grace whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of desire and caution. She wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to stop him or to pull him even closer as their current nearness didn¡¯t feele enough to her. "Dr. Kian is still here-"


    Davian pulled back slightly, just enough to meet her gaze. The intensity in his eyes sent a thrill through her. "That only makes it more exciting," he murmured much to her surpised, his voice low and rough with desire.


    She felt her face heat at his boldness, but before she could respond, his lips were on her neck again, sucking gently at the sensitive skin just below her ear. A quiet gasp escaped her, and she arched into his touch. His hands roamed up her sides, tracing the curve of her waist before settling on her hips.


    "Davian, we-" Her words dissolved into a soft moan as his mouth traveled lower, nipping lightly at her collarbone before soothing the spot with his tongue. His hands moved to her thighs, parting them slightly as he stepped closer, pressing himself firmly between her legs.


    "Tell me to stop," he murmured against her skin, his breath hot and teasing. "If you really want me to, Grace, just say the word."


    She opened her mouth to reply, but the words wouldn¡¯t come. Instead, her hands tightened at his nape, pulling him closer. Her body betrayed her, responding to his touch with a fervor she couldn¡¯t suppress.


    "I thought so," he said with a satisfied smile before his lips returned to hers.


    The kiss was slower this time, more deliberate, as if he wanted to savor every moment. His hands slid under the hem of her nightgown, his fingers brushing against her bare skin. The sensation sent sparks of pleasure through her, and she shivered under his touch.


    "You are so perfect, love," he whispered, his voice reverent as his lips trailed down her neck once more.


    Grace tilted her head back, giving him better access as his hands continued their exploration. He pushed her nightgown up, exposing her skin to the cool air of the kitchen. His lips followed the path of his hands, pressing soft, lingering kisses to her thighs and moving up to her stomach. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Davian, we really shouldn¡¯t¡­" she managed to say, though her voice lacked conviction.


    He looked up at her, his deep green eyes dark with desire. "Why not?" he asked, his tone serious. "I think it¡¯s time you should consider accepting that you want all three of us. I¡¯m sure about Rune yet, but I think Kian is a good guy. Having him around you makes me relax as I know that he will take good care of you."


    Grace was stunned by his words. She stared at him, trying to make sense of what he had just said. Was he alright with her being with other men as well? She wanted to ask but didn¡¯t got the chance.


    One of his hands returned to cup her face as he kissed her again, this time with a tenderness that made her heart ache. His lips were warm and soft, yet demanding, and she melted into him, forgetting everything else.


    The sound of the refrigerator humming in the background and the faint sound of their kissing were the only reminders that they were still in the kitchen, dangerously close to being caught. But even that thought couldn¡¯t dampen the fire between them.


    Davian¡¯s lips found her collarbone again, and his hands slid to her back, pulling her even closer, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist instinctively. This placed her core right against his semi-hard erection. The heat between them was almost unbearable, and she could feel his heartbeat pounding as fast as her own.


    "You are driving me crazy," he murmured against her skin, his voice thick with emotion.


    He kissed her again while his hands slipped down to her shoulders, playing with the extremely thin straps of her nightgown. She felt like she was drowning in him, in the overwhelming intensity of his touch and the way he seemed to worship her with every movement.


    His lips left hers to travel down her throat the very moment she felt him lowering her left strap. The cold air hit the sensitive nipple as the fabric slipped down her breast, leaving her bare. But the cold was soon replaced with the warmth of his mouth as he took the nipple in his mouth and give it a long, hard suck.


    Grace had to cover her mouth to stop herself from moaning, but it soon became an impossible task as his tongue started playing with the little bud without any mercy.


    His other hand lowered the second strap and moved down to cup her other breast, teasing and playing with the other nipple while he continued tomoick the first one.


    But if she thought that suppressing her moans while he played with her breasts was a hard thing to do, then she was absolutely horrified when she felt his hands making their way toward her inner thigh.


    "Davian..."


    She called his name softly, not really knowing if it was plea for him to stop or to continue. Both those ideas terrified her equally. But while she was struggling to make up her mind, he was already taking action.


    She felt as he pulled aside the soft fabric of her panty, running his fingers over her folds while his lips placed a tender kiss on her left inner thigh. The touch was soft, like a whisper, and yet enough to send sweet sparks flying across her entire body.

 Chapter 132: Mine to Take Care of

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - -


    Grace threw her head back and suppressed the moan that was just on the tip of her tongue. The closer Davian¡¯s mouth was getting to her throbbed core, the harder it was getting for her to stay silent and not scream out loud.


    She should have left when she had the chance, but it was too late to regret now. The man was determined to make her experience such a thrilling make-out session, well... it had become more than just a make-out session at this point.


    She opened her eyes and looked down at Davian between her legs when she felt him placing a kiss way to close to her folds. She held her breath as he used his fingers to spread her folds and attacked her hidden bud with his lips.


    She shivered as his warm breath fanned her sensitive skin, and his lips came in contact with her extra sensitive bud. He gave it a soft kiss, then another, and another. Just when she was getting lost in those soft, warm kisses, he replaced them with his tongue.


    Grace moaned softly as his tongue came in contact with her clit, causing tingles of pleasure to run across her body. He knew what he was doing as he licked, sucked, and kissed her core, building the pleasure deep within her and pushing her closer to the dangerous edge.


    Her body quivered as Davian¡¯s lips moved with devastating precision, his tongue flicking and swirling against her sensitive bud. She once again failed to suppress the soft moan that escaped her lips, her head falling back as her fingers curled around the edge of the cold marble counter. The stark contrast between its chill and the molten heat surging through her body only heightened the intensity of the moment.


    Her breaths were starting to come in shallow gasps. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. She had no idea how they¡¯d gotten here - her perched on the edge of the kitchen counter, legs trembling, with him kneeling between them.


    Though she might have been the one who made the first move, she was sure that didn¡¯t mean anything else to happen. But the tension that had been building between them for weeks was also undeniable. A kiss was enough for it to finally snap. Now, all she could do was cling to the counter as waves of pleasure washed over her.


    "Davian¡­" she whimpered, her voice trembling as he pressed a soft, lingering kiss right against her folds.


    He hummed against her, and the vibration sent a shiver up her spine. "I have barely started," he murmured in a dark and teasing tone. His large and warm hands gripped her thighs, holding her in place as his mouth worked its magic.


    Grace¡¯s fingers slid into his hair, tangling in the soft strands as he pushed her closer to the edge. The heat building in her core was unbearable, and every flick of his tongue seemed to ignite her nerves, making her body burn hotter.


    Her legs tightened around his shoulders as he pushed her higher, closer to that dangerous peak. She tried to hold back, tried to maintain some semblance of control, but the way he played with her was too much. Her head fell back, and her lips parted in a cry as her release overtook her. The intensity of it left her trembling and breathless.


    Davian didn¡¯t stop until her body stilled, until she was nothing more than a quivering mess on the countertop. When he finally pulled back, his lips were glistened. He looked up and his eyes locked onto hers. "Perfect," he said softly, his voice filled with satisfaction.


    Grace was too overwhelmed to respond. Her mind felt foggy and her limbs were heavy. She tried to catch her breath as Davian straightened. He grabbed some tissues from nearby to clean her up before he adjusted her clothes, making sure that everything was in place.


    All this time, she watched him silence, enjoying his care. Once he was done, his hands slid down her thighs before he scooped her up into his arms. The sudden motion made her gasp, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.


    "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice coming out hoarse.


    "You are in no condition to walk," he replied in a soft, almost tender tone. "Let me take care of you."


    Grace didn¡¯t have the strength to argue. She rested her head against his shoulder as he carried her out of the kitchen and down the hall. The steady rhythm of his steps and the warmth of his body lulled her into a state of calm, and by the time he reached her bedroom, she was barely awake.


    He laid her down gently, and arranged the pillows behind her head before pulling the blanket up to cover her. His touch was careful, almost reverent, as he tucked the blanket around her. His fingers brushed against her cheek in the process.


    Grace opened her eyes briefly, finding her vision blurry as she gazed up at him. "Why are you being so¡­nice?" she murmured even though this wasn¡¯t her first time seeing this special soft and caring side of his. And yet, she felt happy to ask that question because of the answers she received.


    Davian smirked and leaned down so their faces were only inches apart. "You are mine to take care of," he said simply. The possessiveness in his tone made her heart skip a beat. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and his lips lingered for a moment before he pulled back.


    "Sleep, Grace," he whispered, his voice a soothing command.


    She wanted to respond, but her eyelids were too heavy. Her body sank deeper into the mattress, and the last thing she felt before sleep claimed her was the gentle press of Davian¡¯s hand against hers.


    In the quiet of the room, with the faint scent of him lingering in the air, she drifted into a dreamless sleep. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 133: Lost Hope

    Since the official end of the world changed nothing at all, the world continued as usual.


    This particular morning, the storm slowed down after two long and chilly weeks. The skies remained heavy with gray clouds, but the howling winds had died down, leaving an eerie silence in their wake. This fragile calm was enough for people to muster the courage to step outside. Hunger and desperation drove them, even though their bodies were weak, their instincts were sharper than ever. They had no choice.


    The streets, buried under layers of snow and ice, were no longer the bustling roads they once were. Now, they were treacherous paths littered with debris, broken cars, and the remains of a once-thriving world.


    People emerged from their homes, bundled in whatever clothing they could find to shield themselves from the freezing cold. Scarves wrapped tightly around pale faces, gloves riddled with holes, and boots held together with duct tape were their armor against the brutal winter.


    Their destination was clear - stores, supermarkets, or warehouses, all those nearby places where supplies might still be available. Food, warm clothes, and anything that could help stave off the biting cold were all they sought. But what they found were barren shelves and empty aisles, stripped clean during the early days of the disaster. What little remained was either spoiled or frozen solid, yet even that didn¡¯t stop them from scavenging.


    The grocery stores, once overflowing with fresh produce and neatly stocked shelves, were now barren wastelands. Their doors hung off broken hinges, windows were shattered. People rifled through the remnants, digging through expired cans, half-eaten bags of chips, and crumpled packages of instant noodles. Some argued over a piece of bread that had long since gone stale, while others silently scavenged, their hollow eyes darting nervously as if expecting someone to snatch their meager findings.


    If one paused to observe, they would see the true cost of the past two and half months etched into every face. The relentless disasters had drained the world of its former vitality, leaving behind pale, gaunt figures whose clothes hung off their bodies like loose rags.


    At this point, a proper meal had become a luxury for these common people, and bathing had become a rarity. The smell of unwashed bodies mingled with the dampness of the rain-soaked air, creating a stench that no one even noticed anymore - it had become just another part of their grim reality. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Children clung to their parents, their once-bright faces were now dull and streaked with dirt. Their small hands trembled as they held out empty cans or cracked bowls, hoping for scraps. The elderly shuffled slowly, their frail bodies barely able to withstand the cold.


    A man in his forties, who might have been mistaken for someone twenty years older, crouched by a dumpster, rummaging through rotten vegetables and moldy bread. He found a bruised apple and cradled it like a treasure before biting into it without hesitation.


    Among these people, some looked extra unhealthy while there were some who looked better compared to others. This difference is all due to the Shadow Rain. Those who got wet in the rain and failed to accept the DNA alterations, their health was slowly deteriorating, forcing them toward the future of becoming a zombie.


    A woman in her twenties sat slumped against a wall, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Her hands were trembling as she tried to eat a piece of bread, but it kept slipping from her weakened grasp. Beside her, a man whispered words of encouragement, but the hollow look in her eyes said she had already given up.


    Whereas, the ones whose bodies passed the DNA alterations, they were looking better despite the lack of food and chilling cold because their superpowers were slowly healing their bodies. However, since the power was busy healing the body, it was also getting easily exhausted and weak since it was still at initial stage. This meant that even though these people would unlock superpowers in near future, their powers would be weak.


    A young boy, no older than twelve, leaned heavily on his older sister as they trudged toward what was once a bakery. His sister¡¯s sharp eyes scanned their surroundings, her shoulders tense as if bracing for an attack. Despite their visible exhaustion, there was a determination in her step, a defiance against the grim world around her. Her power was healing her body, but it was also weakening her in ways she didn¡¯t fully understand. She knew she had to stay strong for her brother, even if it meant pushing herself to the brink.


    Inside an abandoned clothing store, a group of survivors rummaged through the scattered piles of garments. They grabbed sweaters, coats, and scarves, layering themselves against the relentless cold. One man found a child¡¯s jacket and hesitated for a moment before stuffing it into his bag. He glanced around nervously, avoiding the glares of the others. Desperation made thieves of them all, and the unspoken rule was clear - survival came first.


    The rain, though light now, still dripped through cracks in the ceilings and soaked into the walls. It served as a constant reminder of the disaster that had upended their lives. The Shadow Rain had not only brought destruction but had divided humanity into two groups: those who would succumb to its curse and those who might rise above it.


    A man staggered out of a convenience store, clutching a pack of instant ramen. His face was gaunt, his body trembling, but there was a flicker of relief in his expression. Behind him, a woman cursed as she found nothing but empty shelves. She kicked over a stack of cans, the clattering echoing down the deserted street.


    "I just need something for my baby," she muttered, tears streaming down her face. The baby in her arms whimpered weakly, its cries more a whisper than a wail. She sank to her knees, clutching the child to her chest, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.


    The hope for humanity¡¯s survival - it was lost!

 Chapter 134: Rune’s Secrets (I)

    Grace lowered the military binoculars and stepped away from the window. The sight of the street down below was not something she enjoyed watching - it was a gruesome reminder that she still was in no place to help anyone.


    "Here¡¯s your coffee."


    She turned to face Rune who just walked out of the kitchen with two cups of black coffee for the two of them. Moving toward the living room area, they both settled down on the couches and sipped the dark liquid in silence for next few minutes.


    After waking up this morning, Grace got ready and had breakfast with Davian and Dr. Kian. While those two left to continue with their day, she headed to Rune¡¯s apartment as they decided the night before.


    Hence, here she was, sitting in his living room while enjoying the coffee. Her eyes wandered around the place, taking in every single detail. "It feels like you haven¡¯t bother to clean your place in a while." She pointed out once she was done with her survey.


    As her gaze returned to the young man sitting opposite her, she noticed the smile that made its way to his lips at her comment. He too fixed his gaze on her face as he spoke, "I wasn¡¯t in the mood to work the past few days."


    The two of them became silent once again, and this time, Grace studied him. He looked different from before, more reserved, silent, and calm. What she was seeing in front of her was nothing like his previous - cheerful, and easy-going personality.


    "What¡¯s wrong with you?" She failed to stop herself from asking. Seeing him like this was affecting her more than she wanted to accept. Even though she always thought of him as young and kind-of reckless, she still liked to see that side of him.


    Her question made him let out a deep sigh and his attention shifted from her face to the wall behind her. For a moment, he said nothing, but then he returned his attention back to her face and replied, "I have been busy trying to decide how to handle the matter."


    Grace didn¡¯t speak immediately and waited to see if he had anything else to say. So, when he remained silent after that statement, she finally asked, "What about now? Have you made your decision?"


    She watched as a very faint smile curved the corners of his lips slightly, but it was a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. "I want to tell you the truth, Grace. But I keep feeling that I can¡¯t."


    She put down the coffee cup on the table sitting in front of her and straightened, focusing all her attention on the man who was making her step out of her way to handle him and the situation related to him. She knew better than anyone else that if it had been someone else in Rune¡¯s place, she would have long abandoned him, or worse...


    "Then tell me, why can¡¯t you speak the truth?" She asked, not moving her eyes from his even for a second.


    And he did the same - kept his gaze focused on hers as he answered. "Because I¡¯m afraid of losing you." His voice was a mere whisper. And the flickering weakness she caught in his eyes just for a mere second, before he replaced it with his usual calm facade, it made her realize just how vulnerable he was feeling while answering that question.


    Maybe she should have taken a soft approach in that situation, but she wasn¡¯t here to beat around the bush. Even if she had a soft corner in her heart for this young man, she wasn¡¯t going to allow that to ruin the safe future she was trying to build for herself and her friends.


    She had made up her mind - this was the last chance she was giving him.


    Taking in a deep breath, she spoke, "You are going to lose me either way, Rune. So I¡¯ll advice you to speak the truth. But since you can¡¯t seem to start this conversation, let me help you."


    All the calmness, or softness, disappeared from her eyes as she looked at him like she was looking at a complete stranger - one who was proving to be a threat for her and her people.


    "Did you come after me because of the jade bracelet?" She asked.


    "You know that I did-" Rune started speaking but she cut him off before he could finish. "You know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking." Her eyes were staring right into him, as if to see past the layers he had built around him. "I¡¯m asking if you planned to take my bracelet."


    She didn¡¯t beat around the bush and placed the question out in the open, hoping that he would answer truthfully. He did seem surprised by her question, but as usual, he was quick to school his expression.


    He let out a small sigh, and a moment or two later, he slowly nodded his head. "That¡¯s right. My plan was to locate the jade bracelet and take it away."


    Grace showed no change in her expression and just sat there studying him. "Was it what you master wanted? Or something you planned?"


    Once again, he took a moment before answering, "It was my plan. I wanted to take the bracelet for my own business."


    There was silence in the room as the two of them didn¡¯t speak for next few minutes. Grace tried to recall everything that happened around Rune ever since she met him.


    Even she wasn¡¯t sure why she was asking the next question, but something told her that she was closer to the truth than she expected. "That group of cloaked people... did you kill them to save yourself?"


    This time, he wasn¡¯t quick enough to hide his surprise and it more or less answered her question. Still, she waited to hear what he had to say. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, after what felt like several long minutes of silence, he finally spoke...!

 Chapter 135: Rune’s Secrets (II)

    And he started from the very beginning-


    "My world, it¡¯s called Magik Realm. It¡¯s a small world where people are born with special abilities and powers to control different elements of nature. The sole purpose of Magik Realm¡¯s existence is to train special warriors who can protect the wards around the space, stopping the dark monsters from entering different planets and destroying them."


    Grace listened attentively, curious to know more about Rune¡¯s world that had been a mystery to her from the very beginning. At the same time, 2025 also noted down Rune¡¯s every word in the system¡¯s data.


    "I¡¯m the leader of the current number one elite team of Magik Realm. Me and my teammates trained since age of four and officially took over our protection job when we turned eighteen and passed our final year of the Academy." Rune continued with his intriguing story.


    "My team was assigned to protect the ward of the planet 0056. It¡¯s a small planet located beyond the milky way, unknown to you humans. But as the elite team, we often took missions that were related to other planets as well."


    Grace noticed the passion and pride in his voice as he talked about his work. She could tell that he actually loved what he did - protecting the planets and the ones living there.


    But the small smile that had been playing on his lips slolwy disappeared as he continued, "Everything was going perfect in my life... until the day of my master¡¯s death. He didn¡¯t die in a battle while doing his duty, instead, he was killed by someone who was after his jade ring."


    His gaze shifted to the jade ring on his thumb and he slowly ran his finger over the smooth surface. "By the time I learnt about the matter and found him, it was already too late. Before his death, he gave me this ring and told me about the bracelet. His last wish was for me to keep both these pieces safe, not only because they belonged to him and his lover, but also because this pair is the most powerful magical artifact to exist in this universe. If someone bad got them, it would lead to unimaginable disasters."


    Grace¡¯s attention shifted to her own jade bracelet. Just by looking at the two jade pieces, she could tell that they were made out of the single piece of jade. "Are you trying to say that someone is after your jade ring?" She asked as she started connecting the dots.


    Rune nodded his head in a positive response before adding, "I¡¯m not sure exactly who they are, but they sure are powerful. I also don¡¯t know if they have any knowledge of your bracelet or not, but it will not take them much time to notice the energy of your bracelet once they will arrive here."


    He stopped to take a deep breath before continuing, "My initial plan was to find the bracelet and take it away to protect the pair. Little did I know that those people will come searching for me here this quickly. That¡¯s why I killed them."


    Grace was silent for a moment as she digested all that she just learned, but then a question popped in her mind and she asked, "Why are you so sure those people were after you?"


    "Becuase they were dressed exactly like those people whom I saw leaving my master¡¯s house while they searched for my master and the ring. My master fled when he was attacked, and hid in my secret apartment. That¡¯s why they failed to find him." Rune answered. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace became silent again as she delved on the matter. One thing that was pretty clear at this point was that Rune was followed by a serious danger. There were people out there who were looking for him, powerful people. Having him around meant that she and her team would be facing those people as well.


    "You said your initial plan was to take the bracelet away once you find it. Why haven¡¯t you done so yet?" She finally asked her final question, returning her full attention back to his face.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if his answer was going to change anything, but she still wanted to know what he had to say.


    Once again, she noticed that fleeting vulnerability in his eyes as he answered, "Because I started liking you."


    Just that - a simple, but genuine answer. She could tell that he was speaking the truth. She didn¡¯t even need the confirmation that she received from 2025. The creature had been judging every sentence the man had spoken so far, with the help of some programme the system offered.


    There was silence in the room, and this one lasted the longest so far. She kept her feelings away as she tried to come to a conclusion. Eventually, she spoke, "I¡¯m sure you are aware of the dangers that you will bring to me and my team¡¯s safety if we keep you with us."


    In response, Rune nodded his head but didn¡¯t say anything. Hence, she continued, "Since this matter concerns my team, I will need to talk to them about it. In the end, it will be up to them to decide if they want you here or not. Though we can¡¯t ask you to leave this place as you have been living here before becoming one of us, I think you will understand that we will look for a way to stop you from becoming a threat for us."


    She tried her best to not focus on that part of her that was feeling guilty for treating him this coldly. But she knew that she was doing the right thing.


    "Don¡¯t worry. If you all decided to not keep me in your team, I¡¯ll leave this place." Rune said and then added, "I¡¯m not sure how much you trust me, but you have my word, Grace, I¡¯ll never tell another soul about your bracelet. Never"

 Chapter 136: The Last Question

    The living room of Unit 2103 had been turned into the official meeting room of the group since they had been, unconsciously, gathering there for their important meetings ever since they moved to Building K12.


    This afternoon, the place was once again filled as everyone arrived there to attend the meeting that was being held to decide how they were going to handle Rune¡¯s case.


    Grace had already told everyone about what she found out from Rune this morning. After discussing about the matter, she and the others decided to held this meeting to make the final decision. As per Davian¡¯s request, Rune was also invited to this meeting.


    Everyone settled down at the long table, filling the place with absolute silence as no one spoke, waiting for meeting to start. Finally, Davian decided to break that heavy and uncomfortable silence first.


    He stood up and looked around at the people present there, his gaze briefly stopping at Grace before moving on and then finally fixing on Rune who was sitting at the opposite end of the table.


    "We all know that the purpose of this meeting is to decide whether Rune will stay in our team or not." Davian began, his tone calm but serious, just like the topic of their discussion. "We have already learnt the important facts about his past and the reason behund his abrupt decision of killing that group of cloaked people. But there are still some questions I would like to ask him before the final decision." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace¡¯s attention shifted from Davian to Rune, waiting to see if the latter was ready to answer any further questions or not. Since Davian didn¡¯t tell her beforehand about his questions, she hadn¡¯t told Rune anything either, this made her worry a little.


    But it seemed like she was worrying for nothing as Rune seemed completely fine with the further questioning. He gave a slight nod to Davian, ready to answer whatever questions the latter wanted to ask.


    Before continuing, Davian spared a quick look at Grace. Though she had no idea what questions he wanted to ask, she trusted him enough to give a small nod in response, telling him to begin.


    That¡¯s probably all he wanted because he immediately shifted his attention back to Rune and began - "My first question - Do you want to stay with us as a teammate?"


    That¡¯s right! While they were holding the meeting to decide whether they were going to keep him in the team or not, no one actually asked him if he wanted to remain in the team. They all just assumed that he must want it since he hadn¡¯t left. But then why should he leave - no one focused on these questions.


    Rune¡¯s gaze immediately shifted to Grace and without wasting any time, he gave a nod of his head in a positive response to the question before adding - "I want to stay in your team."


    "Why?"


    Davian¡¯s next question left everyone slightly surprised as it sounded way too straightforward. Not like there was anything wrong with the question, but still no one was expecting it, not even Rune.


    The young man took a moment to think about his answer before he answered, "As you all know, I can no longer return to my realm-"


    Before he could have continued, Kevin interrupted him. "Sorry to interrupt but this reminded me of something. You said you couldn¡¯t return to your realm because the portal is lost. Was it true or just a story you came up with to stay with us? And if it¡¯s true, then how come those people entered our world?"


    Rune didn¡¯t look bothered about - either the interruption or the questions. He looked at Kevin first before glancing around the table as he began answering, "I didn¡¯t lie about the portal. I really can¡¯t locate it. If I have to guess about the appearance of that group of people from my Realm, there are two possibilities..."


    Everyone listened closely as he continued - "... first possibility is that they entered this world before the disasters began and the portal got either lost or closed. The second possibility is that someone from the enemies opened a second portal to let them enter earth."


    "You guys can do that - open portals between worlds?" Dr. Kian asked as his scientist mind was amazed by this particular discovery. Opening portals between different cities or countries was already a huge power, but to be able to open portals between different realms - it sounded like a next-level power.


    "Not everyone." Rune answered as his attention briefly shifted to Dr. Kian. "Being able to open portals between different worlds requires immense power, and not anyone or everyone holds that much power. In the past several hundred years, barely a dozen people in my world have been able to master this power and even they could open portals that lasts only for a few minutes."


    There was silence at the table following his revelations and it was Aleena who broke it. "Since someone among your enemies can open a portal, it makes them really powerful." It wasn¡¯t a question, but a statement.


    "That¡¯s right. If it¡¯s the second case, then it only makes my enemies more dangerous than they already are." Rune didn¡¯t deny the possibility even though there was no guarantee that the second scenario was what really took place.


    There were several nods around the table before Kevin spoke, "You can now continue answering King¡¯s question."


    Grace noticed the small twitch that curved the corners of Rune¡¯s lips for a fleeting second before he schooled it perfectly. He was always so quick with shifting his expressions that she had started wondering if she kept seeing wrong.


    "Back to where I left - since you all know that I can¡¯t go back to my world and have no other place to live in your world which is on its way to destruction, you all are my only acquaintances. Instead of struggling on my own, I will like to be a part of your team to strive for the future together. I will have a safe place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear, and protection if I stayed with you all. So, of course, I want to stay in this team."


    "Is that all?" Ryan was the one who asked the question. His gaze was fixed on Rune as if he was trying to see through the man.


    "Of course not." Rune replied and his attention once again shifted to Grace as he continued, "I want to stay in this team also because of these two jades. Though I no longer want to take the bracelet, I still want to make sure that these pieces stay close and together."


    There was silence for next minute or two and then he finally gave his last reason. "And my most important reason to stay here is the woman you all call Boss. I think I¡¯m falling for her and will love to stay by her side as long as I can."


    Grace couldn¡¯t tell about others, but she sure stopped breathing at that moment. All she could do was to stare at Rune while he looked at her with so much warmth in his eyes that she felt like turning into molten lava.


    How can he say that out loud in front of everyone? She asked herself as she tried her best to not let her cheeks turn pink from embarrassment. The last thing she wanted was to show everyone that she was actually affected by that statement.


    She wasn¡¯t sure who cleared their throat, but someone finally broke that awkward silence. She wasted no time and looked away, not finding herself strong enough to look into Rune¡¯s eyes for the time being.


    "Your reasons are good, but I don¡¯t think they are still enough for us to put aside the troubles you will bring to us." Davian spoke, bringing everyone¡¯s attention back to the main issue.


    He was looking at Rune with no sense of friendliness or sympathy, instead, he looked almost as cold as he seemed when he finalized the future of his two men who failed in the DNA alterations.


    "But I¡¯m not as bad as you might be thinking. I¡¯m giving you one chance to convince us to keep you in our team despite your lies and the dangers that are following us. Give us at least one strong reason to overlook everything and accept you as one of us."


    This time, the silence felt extra heavy. All eyes were focused on Rune, including Grace¡¯s, and she was surpised to find just how fast her heart was beating. It wasn¡¯t until that moment did she realize exactly what she wanted.


    Rune was silent for a long time, and no one rushed him to answer. They all waited patiently, knowing just how serious the question was.


    After what seemed like several long minutes, he finally spoke, and the words that came out of his mouth - they changed a lot... almost everything.

 Chapter 137: The Final Decision

    Rune¡¯s eyes were fixed on Grace as he spoke the words - "I can¡¯t give you any promises, but this one. I will protect you over my life. And as long as I¡¯m one of you, I¡¯ll follow your orders and do my best to protect the rest of the team."


    His gaze shifted to Davian before he continued, "You know that I¡¯m trained for fighting those monsters and you all will need to fight them sooner or later. Keeping me in your team will give an advantage over them. I know their weaknesses, their kinds, their secrets, and the ways to kill them. And trust me, there are some kinds of these monsters out there whom you can¡¯t kill with your Mortal weapons. You need me."


    He was right. They did need him if they wanted to find a quicker way to handle the monsters. He could be their biggest advantage against them.


    Davian¡¯s gaze shifted from Rune and moved to look at Grace. Both of them were having similar thoughts at the moment. He eventually turned to look at the rest of the team and spoke, "Personally, I do think that keeping him with us will be a better decision. As for his loyalty, he can prove it over time. But the final decision rests up to you all. You have five minutes to decide."


    A wave of murmurs erupted in the living room as everyone in the team started discussing the matter with each other, wondering what to do since the decision was left in their hands.


    "I also think that keeping him here is a better idea. With the amount of information he has on us, letting him go sounds like the stupidest idea to me." Dr. Kian put forward his opinion and there were several nods of agreement from the team.


    The time was up soon and Grace decided to carry out the final decision. "Those who wants him to stay, raise your hands."


    And surprisingly, almost every single hand went up except for one person¡¯s - Valeska. The woman was glaring at Rune as if he was that one person whom she hated with every single cell in her body.


    Before Grace could have Valeska the reason behind her decision, the woman was already speaking and her words were directed at none other than Rune. "You better not betray Boss¡¯ trust in you, kid. Because if you did, I¡¯ll personally chop you down into millions of pieces before feeding you to those same monsters whom you are supposed to fight. Got it?"


    There was a serious expression on Rune¡¯s face as he gave a nod of approval in response to the threat he just received. It didn¡¯t seem like he was taking her words lightly or just as a joke. He knew that she meant every word she just said to him.


    With a small sigh, Valeska then too raised her hand, adding her vote to the list of those who agreed to keep Rune in the team. And despite her belief, Grace found herself feeling relieved.


    She turned her attention toward the young man and spoke, "You will be staying with us... as one of us."


    She noticed how his expression became slightly soft and he once again nodded his head while whispering, "Thank you everyone. I¡¯ll make sure to not give any of you any reason to reject your decision."


    For next few minutes, Grace told him all the necessary rules that he needed to follow for the time being. He couldn¡¯t leave the building without informing her or Davian. He needed to be present during all the meetings, group meals, and training sessions. He needed to inform them if he found out about any further activities of those monsters or his enemy.


    Rune accepted all the rules without any hesitation or dissatisfaction. And once all these rules were made very clear, the meeting also came to an official end.


    They might have continued the remaining hours of the afternoon with their usual training session if not for the military trucks that suddenly arrived in the Greenstone Residential Area.


    It seemed like since the snowstorm had quiteted down a bit over the past two days, the military was back to take control over the area as per government instructions.


    But if the people believed that they would be saved now, then they were in for big disappointment. Unlike the previous rescue missions where the government actually was making efforts to help the citizens, there was no such thing happening this time.


    The military only distributed MREs for food and simple blankets per person. There were no further supplies, no medicines, and no shelters this time either.


    All the make up shelters that government set up previously for rescue missions, most of them turned into mass graves during the ongoing volcanic winter as there wasn¡¯t enough food, water, space, or warmth for people to continue surviving.


    Those who stayed behind at those shelters actually suffered an even worse death than those who either remained at their homes or returned homes from the shelters after the first few days.


    After these nearly three months of continous disasters, the government was no longer interested in looking after the common people as they were more worried about keeping themselves and their families safe.


    All the politicians and rich people of the country had been using their money and influences to secure supplies, safe houses, weapons, and even security forces for their safety.


    Some even tried to fled the country once the flights restarted after the rain disaster, but they soon realized that the rest of the countries were becoming just as unsafe as Starship Country. Hence, they stayed back but started making sure that they were prepared for more of such disasters.


    The responsibility of helping the civilians and keeping them under control was left on the shoulders of the military personnel who were struggling to manage the situation without upper support.


    It was as if the situation wasn¡¯t already bad enough that Grace received a very surpising notification that very evening.


    S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 138: New Disaster

    [Time left until BLOOD RAIN: 10 Days]


    Blood Rain?


    Grace was clearly confused as there was no such thing as Blood Rain in the previous timeline. After the rain disaster, the world only witnessed the Shadow Rain and occasional acid rains, there was no such thing as a Blood Rain. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She immediately entered her space to find some information about this new rain. It was as if 2025 knew she would be coming because it was already awaiting her with the digital screen of the system opened in front of it.


    "What is this Blood Rain?" She demanded the moment her gaze landed on 2025.


    "It¡¯s an upcoming rain that will begin exactly at 3:13 PM ten days from now and will last for over an hour. The rain is going to look like blood and it¡¯s going to me more fatal than the Shadow Rain." The creature began revealing all the information that the system had been able to gather about the upcoming Blood Rain so far.


    Over time, the system had become more accustomed to fortelling the upcoming disasters. While it couldn¡¯t forsee the disasters that were still months away, it could identify those disasters that were about to hit within next two or three weeks. After studying the changes in the environment as well as the amount of unlimited data preserved in it, the system could also produce further details about these disasters - like what kind of pros and cons they had.


    Same happened with the upcoming Blood Rain. The system had been noticing the slow changes in the atmosphere for past two days, and after studying all the available hints, it realized that the upcoming disaster was a Blood Rain.


    "This blood rain will carry some harmful actives in it. Coming in contact with these actives could be lethal." 2025 warned in a serious tone.


    The two discussed the matter for a few more minutes before Grace finally stepped out of the space and immediately messaged Davian and Dr. Kian. She needed to tell them about this matter first before revealing it to the rest of the team. Besides, since they just ended one meeting this afternoon, she didn¡¯t want to call them for another meeting this quickly.


    After thinking about for a while, she also ended up messaging Rune to join her and the other two men.


    It didn¡¯t take long before all three arrived at her doorstep. She let them in before filling them on the matter. It turned out her decision of asking Rune to join them was a good one because he knew about the Blood Rain.


    "I remember once hearing about a very small planet ending because of a Blood Rain." Rune confessed, surprising the other three.


    "It¡¯s that lethal?" Dr. Kian asked as he was taken aback by the fact that the life on a planet came to an end just from a rain.


    As if Rune read the other man¡¯s thoughts, he decided to elaborate. "I¡¯m talking about Planet A91. It¡¯s a very small planet, barely the size of this city. So, you can already imagine the population of that planet."


    When said in this way, it indeed made more sense. But as Rune continued, it became clear that Blood Rain could be taken lightly.


    "About a decade ago, the incident of planet A91 took place. In the official file, it was documented that a mutated pathogen ended up infecting the atmosphere of the planet and it caused precipitation to mix with blood-like bio-contaminants from decaying life forms. The rain ended up making the situation worse as it spread the infection, and turned the residents of the planets into mindless, violent creatures. Whether it was getting drenched entirely or coming in contact with just a drop or two of that rain, it was enough."


    Grace was surprised to hear about the Blood Rain. "Are you saying that just like Shadow Rain, Blood Rain will also convert people into zombies?"


    In response to her question, Rune gave a positive nod of his head before adding, "You can actually say that the Shadow Rain was a slightly better version of the Blood Rain. While coming in contact with the Shadow Rain did turn some people into zombies, it didn¡¯t happen overnight, and there¡¯s also the fact that when used correctly, the Shadow Rain can even used for advantage. But the Blood Rain, its not going to wait and neither will it let anyone take advantage of it."


    "It almost feels like you got impressed with this Blood Rain." Davian pointed out.


    Rune didn¡¯t defend himself. Instead, he just accepted the truth. "I won¡¯t deny that. When I was doing my study on this case back in my academy days, I was amazed at the idea of a single rain ending the life of an entire planet."


    There was silence following his words and for a while, no one spoke. It was actually Dr. Kian who broke the silence first. "Do you think this winter period will end with this rain?"


    All three remaining people shook their heads negatively. "I know that there are so many things that aren¡¯t going as per the previous timeline, but most of these things had been on the smaller scale. As for the big events, they have been going as per the previous time just with some minor changes. If we keep this in mind, then the volcanic winter will not be lasting for at least next fifteen months. The only change I can think of is the time period for which it will last. That period can either shorten or become longer." Grace answered.


    The thought of this chilly winter lasting for that long was terrifying. But at least they all were living in the warmth unlike those who were on the verge of freezing to death.


    But this terror of winter was about to end soon. Because once the DNA alterations would be over, people would stop feeling cold either way - by turning into zombies or by unlocking superpowers.

 Chapter 139: Healing Plants

    "They are about to die."


    Grace said while pointing at a wooden crate in which they planted tomatoes. The more she looked at crates that were in similar situations, the more exasperated she felt.


    Since she had been busy with other matters, she barely visited the rooftop greenhouse in the past few weeks, and as a result, almost every other pot or crate was filled with dying plants.


    "Who was responsible for looking after this place again?" She asked, turning to face the group of six people who followed her to tend to the greenhouse this particular morning.


    She watched as they all exchanged glances among each other before Seth answered her question. "You didn¡¯t assign anyone for the task."


    That¡¯s right. She was the real culprit as she completely forgot about taking care of this important matter. Even though she had thoroughly set up the greenhouse so that it would require least amount of daily care, but that didn¡¯t mean it should be left on its own to thrive, especially when the temperature outside had dropped to -20¡ãC.


    A deep sigh escaped Grace¡¯s lips and she returned her attention back to the crates arranged around the rooftop. Now because of her carelessness, they would need to work from the very scratch once again.


    She was about to tell the team to separate the crates with already dead, or almost dying plants, when she noticed Dr. Kian stepping toward a crate with almost dead bell pepper plants. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without distracting him with her question, she watched in silence as he stretched out his hand and placed his fingers in the soil of the crate. The realization of what he was trying to do hit her just seconds before she noticed the golden light leaving his fingers and seeping into the soil.


    What happened next left everyone stunned. Grace, the rest of the five members, and even Dr. Kian - they all stood there staring at the plants that suddenly turned bright green from their deadly yellow and brown state, looking alive and fresh as if they weren¡¯t on the verge of death just seconds ago.


    "That¡¯s... cool."


    Someone among the rest five broke the silence, pulling everyone out of the trance that had settled over them. Dr. Kian turned to look at Grace and she smiled at him, both praising and encouraging him.


    As if her support was what he needed, he returned his attention to another crate with almost dead plants and once again performed the magic of his healing powers.


    That¡¯s right. His healing powers could heal... not only humans, but any other being that held the strength of being healed. It was something no one thought about, not even Grace or Davian as they never heard or witnessed anything of this sort in their previous timeline.


    Even though there were some known people who inherited the superpower of healing in the previous timeline, these people mostly worked for either the government or the rich people, and they only healed humans.


    People with the healing powers were known as healers and despite their unique powers, they were still not strong enough to heal anyone with zombie bites. The most they could do was to heal people with wounds or illness. But there wasn¡¯t even a single incident where any healer was seen healing a plant, tree, or an animal.


    "How are you doing this?" Grace found herself asking as she watched Dr. Kian healing another pot of nearly dead plants. She was intrigued to know how he was using his powers, especially when it hadn¡¯t been too long since he unlocked his powers and had barely learned to use them.


    In response, he just gave a little shake of his head as he too didn¡¯t know how he ended up doing what he did. "I was just wondering if my healing powers will work on these plants and wanted to test it." He began as he found a pot with all dead plants just for a tiny one that was barely surviving.


    "Rune told me that there are many ways to make our powers work, but the easiest and most effective among them was just to let our powers know what we really want. Once we learn that, to convey our truest messages to our powers, we start controlling our powers from then on. So that¡¯s exactly what I did. I tried to tell my powers that I want to revive these plants, and somehow, it did work."


    It sounded so simple, but Grace knew the truth was far from that. Forming this implies form of connection with one¡¯s power was the hardest part of all. Even after weeks of continous practice, she was nowhere near as good with her connection to her power as Dr. Kian was.


    "It¡¯s not working on these ones." Dr. Kian said once he realized that despite his constant tries, his powers were failing to revive the dead plants. So far, the plants he had successfully revived were the ones that were on the verge of dying, but this particular pot was filled with dead plants except for one. That one plant did become alive, but as for the others, they showed no sign of recovery.


    Grace gave his shoulder a light squeeze, trying to comfort him. "It¡¯s alright. We will replace them with new ones."


    Dr. Kian gave a little nod of his head in response before he moved to revive another crate of almost dead plants. On the other hand, Grace distributed the work among the rest of the team to find the pots with dead plants and take those plants out so that they could be replaced with seeds.


    For the rest of the morning, they all worked diligently, plating new seeds and then tending the pots with flourishing plants. It was just a matter of time before the rooftop greenhouse was going to start producing its first batch of harvest.


    And this time, Grace didn¡¯t repeat her previous mistake as she appointed a group of four people to look after the greenhouse.

 Chapter 140: The New Base

    The roads were being cleared by the military, not because the usual traffic needed to return, but because the military was struggling to travel because of the snow. Hence, the attempt.


    On the other hand, a group of people were traveling around the globe on daily basis without any troubles. They had someone who could create portals between cities and countries, snowmobiles to travel through snow covered streets and roads, high quality snow boots with attached ice cleats, and most importantly - special training, heightened reflexes, and superpowers.


    It had been about a month since the Shadow Rain, and by now almost every person in Grace and Davian¡¯s teams had unlocked their superpowers.


    Kevin unlocked the superpower of object manipulation. This one was also among those superpowers that were very rare in the previous timeline. But from what Grace and Davian could recall, the people with this superpower in the previous timeline were only able to manipulate objects into something simple.


    For example, if there was a rock, a person with object manipulative power could turn that rock into different shapes, sizes, and something similar. A metal could also be manipulated into different shapes and sizes.


    However, it seemed like Kevin¡¯s object manipulation was special as he could manipulate any object, mostly metals, into any form of weapons he desired. This was such a strong superpower as weapons were something they needed desperately to survive the apocalypse.


    Valeska, on the other hand, unlocked the power of telekinesis. Ryan unlocked the power of time manipulation. He could slow, freeze, or speed up time to some point for the time being.


    Seth¡¯s power was invisibility, something he was badly struggling with. Maven unlocked the power of shadow walking. Jasper got the power of power mimicry, another rare power.


    And finally, Aleena unlocked the power of fusion. She could combine her powers with others¡¯ for a period of time to become more powerful. Not only that, but there was also the possibility that she might be able to combine powers of other people to make them strong.


    As for those in Davian¡¯s team, they had unlocked powers like - fear inducement, size manipulation, energy absorption, accelerated healing, super speed, super strength, and illusion creation.


    There were also two members in Davian¡¯s team who unlocked similar powers to those in Grace¡¯s team - invisibility and time manipulation.


    These days, the two teams were mostly busy with getting used to their powers and learning to use them peoplery. And whenever they weren¡¯t doing that, they were out on missions.


    These missions were none other than collecting supplies. They would visit certain cities where Davian had been before and surf through the streets to look for stores, factories, and supermarkets to find supplies.


    But other than these two matters, Grace got another important task to take care of - preparing the military base they just acquired.


    Since Davian used to be the Captain of the special forces in the military back in the days, it was a piece of cake for him to acquire the base. Despite being abandoned, it was still a fortified structure designed for strategic operations, secure storage, and protection from external threats - making it the perfect base for Grace and her people.


    It was located in the remote area of Hillton City, hidden deep in the mountains. There were camouflaged access points, including hidden doors, tunnels, and lift shafts all over the base. The building had multiple levels and was reinforced with concrete and steel walls for structural integrity and blast resistance.


    There were different sections in the base - a command center, barracks, armory, research labs, vehicle bays, medical facility, training area, and storage. There were also several escape routes built around the base.


    But despite how well the place was, it still needed a lot of renovation. The best thing about this base was that it didn¡¯t got damaged by the flooding, that the entire country just survived through, since it was located high in the mountains. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace hired the same company that did the intsallations in their apartments in Building K12. She was also providing them with required transport vehicles, food, water, and warm clothes.


    Since the paycheck was more than what they could have asked for, the company was doing their best to fulfill all of Grace¡¯s demands. They started with layering the walls with another powerful sheet of Steel and Kevlar. Then, all the doors were to be replaced with thick blast-proof metal doors.


    Nearly a dozen of generators were to be placed around the base and then the electricity fitting was to be done all over again. The place would then be thoroughly equipped with both heating system and cooling system to withstand both harsh hear and harsh cold weathers.


    Finally, the entire base was to be throughly cleaned, and then rearranged with new furniture and equipment. The kitchen was going to be set up, the sleeping quarters would be prepared, the training area would be arranged, and so would the rest of the sections of the base.


    However, all these intsallations was going to take at least three to four months no matter how much they rushed the work.


    The apartments of the Building K12 were their perfect shelters for the time being, but when Grace prepared that place, she wasn¡¯t expecting the surpise of the monsters. Her plans were made as per the previous timeline, but things were happening differently this time.


    She could only hope that they wouldn¡¯t be seeing those monsters for at least next four months. Because no matter how well-equipped those apartments were, they could only withstand the zombies, not those monsters.


    However, the coming Blood Rain could also damage the Veil, and if such a thing happened, then those monsters would surely be attacking the Earth very soon.


    The future was once again very unpredictable, but all Grace could do was to hope for the best and give her all to prepare. While she couldn¡¯t prepare the new base that fast, she could try to handle the situation with what she had, and Rune had promised to help.

 Chapter 141: Metals

    [Countdown to Blood Rain: 8 Days and 15 Hours]


    Grace just finished arranging the last boxes of canned food she just finished preparing, and stepped out of the warehouse.


    It had been three days since she had been working continuously in the Infinite Realm, which was equivalent to only three hours of the outside world. In these three days, she had built five more water reservoirs towers before filling them with the fresh and high quality water of the stream within her space.


    Right now, there were a total of fifteen water reservoirs standing inside her space, all filled with fresh water while the water level of the stream was also the same as before.


    Other than the reservoirs, she also spent some time mining iron from the iron mine that she recently opened in her space. From the very moment she found out that there were mines in her space, she was thrilled. There were iron, carbon, lead, and gold mines located in different areas of the realm.


    Unfortunately, there was no fuel mine. Still, the metals that Grace ended up discovering in her space were already good enough. The most important metals were definitely iron and carbon, since mixing the two could produce steel.


    The best part about these mines was that they were located inside the Infinte Realm, and thus, were also attached to the system that operated the entire Realm. This meant that unlike the mining process of the outside world, the mining process of the Infinte Realm was like a fun game.


    All Grace needed to do was to open a particular mine in the system¡¯s digital screen, choose the option for mining, and the system would start mining on its own. Once it would find an ore, it would immediately display it on the screen.


    Grace could see the entire mine area that the system had already mined or would be mining, giving her an idea about what areas gave the most ores. If she wanted, she could also direct the system to mine in a certain area. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once the ore was found, the system would store the ore in the storage bucket. On average, the system could mine only for 2000 feet every day. If Grace needed to mine further, she needed to spend her hard-earned points, but she was in no hurry.


    After the mining, she would use the system to process the mined ores. Though it was a long process and needed her full attention, it was still something she had been enjoying doing.


    The processing was done through - crushing, grinding, ore sorting, screening, concentration or benefiction, dewatering, smelting, refining, and finally managing tailings.


    And while she didn¡¯t need any physical tools for mining or processing, Grace still decided to buy these machines and equipment because there might be a chance they would need to use them in the outside world.


    So, in the past two weeks, she had been taking Davian all over the world to find good companies/factories to buy mining machines and equipment. She got excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, haul trucks, drilling machines, crushers, screening machines, scrapers, continuous miners, drills, rock bolters, roof support systems, mine shuttle cars, and some other machines needed.


    She also purchased processing equipment - conveyor systems, ball mills and SAG mills, flotation cells, thickeners, filters, cyclones, and smelting furnaces. For specialized mining machines, she got Bucket-wheel excavators, highwall miners, hydraulic mining shovels, underground locomotives, and dredgers.


    She also made sure to buy safety and support equipment - ventilation systems, gas detectors, more power generators (even though she had already hoarded a lot of them), water pumps, and personal protective equipments.


    Once she was done buying all these tools and equipment, she decided to invest her remaining money in metals that she didn¡¯t have in her space. If she wanted to produce steel, she needed more than just iron and carbon.


    She first purchased the machines and tools needed for the production. And then, she purchased metals like - magnesium, chromium, nickel, vanadium, molybdenum, silicon, tungsten, and cobalt.


    Other than these metals, she also purchased - aluminum, copper, titanium, silver, zinc, platinum, brass, and tin.


    Since these metals weren¡¯t in her original plan and needed special storage, she ended up using about half a million points of hers to create a special storage house to store them safely.


    After four months of continous efforts of hoarding all sorts of supplies, she had purchased almost everything. She recently purchased a submarine and some similar things she hadn¡¯t thought about before.


    At this point, it was all about collecting more supplies because no matter how much they hoard, it was never going to be enough, and the people suffering the protection of the top three floors of Building K12 was a clear example of it.


    Since more and more military was appearing on the roads and around the cities, Grace and her team had stopped going out a lot. They only went out for night raids and that too in places where military hadn¡¯t taken over yet.


    The only place outside their building they had been visiting almost daily was the underground military base that was under renovation. There were a lot of things that needed to be taken care of there and someone needed to pay special attention on the installations that were being made. Thus, the daily visits.


    That¡¯s why, Grace headed to the base as soon as she walked out of the space and found Davian in his unit. The two of them spent the entire noon looking at the work that had been done in their absence before they decided to return.


    Grace wasn¡¯t sure what came over her, but she decided to take a look outside the base right before returning. Just like the Sunspire City, the Hillton City was also covered in thick layers of snow.


    She walked around the place, taking in the view, but all she was able to see were the tall trees that were covered in snow.


    All of a sudden, she received a notification...!

 Chapter 142: Mysterious Plants

    [Notification: The system has detected energy sources at a distance of 500 meters south]


    Grace was completely taken aback by the notification that came out of nowhere. It was so silent just moments ago that the sound of the notification almost sent her into attack mode.


    As if the system knew exactly she needed, it opened a digital map right in front of her, showing her the path that would lead her to the detected energy sources.


    Davian was still inside, and Grace wasn¡¯t sure if she had enough time to call him first. Hence, she decided to check out the situation on her own. But she still made sure to leave clues behind for him to track her down.


    She took out a gun and a dagger, and used the latter to mark the trees on her way to her destination. With the right shoes, it didn¡¯t take her too long to make her way through the snow covered path.


    "Is it here?" She asked once she arrived at the location that was being shown on the map.


    2025 immediately appeared beside her, its gaze scanning the surroundings just like hers. "This is indeed the right place. Now we need to find the source of these energies." The creature said as its gaze darted toward the screen where three yellow dots were being highlighted in the same place they were present at.


    "All this time, these dots haven¡¯t moved even for a second. If I have to guess, these energies belongs to something stable." Grace offered as she eliminated the possibility of these dots representing people or Beasts. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maybe... it¡¯s a plant?" 2025 suggested once it too started using the elimination method to guess what else could possess otherworldly energy in the middle of mountains and a forest.


    "Let¡¯s look for them." Grace said and immediately started her search. 2025 also wasted no time and joined her in the search. They looked through the bushes, rocks, and around the trees.


    It was about five minutes into the search when Grace¡¯s eyes finally fell over a glow she noticed coming from inside a small space that was hidden between the bottom part of the trunks of three different trees.


    These trees had huge trunks and their bottoms were even more gigantic, making it feel like the trees were really old. Most surprisingly, all these three trees were pressed against one another, hiding a small secret space between their trunks.


    "Glow! I think I found it."


    Grace informed 2025, calling it by a nickname she recently started using for it because how she found it glowing bright red and yellow all the time.


    2025 wasted no time and arrived next to her, noticing the light that was slightly visible from distance. "Let¡¯s go and see what¡¯s hidden there." It offered.


    Grace spared a quick look at the digital screen, noticing how the system wasn¡¯t showing any danger signs yet about these hidden items. Still, she couldn¡¯t let down her defense. Both the gun and the dagger were clutched in her hands as she started making her way closer to the trio of the trees, ready to attack if the situation called for it.


    But all her fighting spirit completely left her the moment she actually got to see what was hiding between those trees - three glowing plants, all in different colors.


    There was a palm size plant with bright red leaves and a small bud at the top. A second plant with blue and yellow leaves but no buds so far. And a third plant plant with green leaves but a yellow light surrounding those leaves. All three plants looked magical, nothing like the normal plants humans were used to see.


    "Let me scan them first." 2025 took the lead to find out more about those plants.


    Grace stepped back and watched as the creature used the system to scan the three plants. Within moments, they had some new information about the plants.


    [Origin: Unknown


    Idenity: Unknown


    Type: Magical


    Levels: Red - 3, Blue - 1, and Green - 1


    Extra Info. - Non-poisonous]


    "They are safe to be touched. But I¡¯ll still advise you to use the sytem to directly shift them inside the space." 2025 offered what it thought about the matter and Grace was more than happy with the advise.


    She did as 2025 told her and used the system to directly shift the plants inside the space. Once it was done, she asked 2025 if it could could the rest of the mountain to see whether more such plants were present in some other locations.


    It took about few minutes before the system was done scanning the entire mountains but couldn¡¯t locate any further energy sources.


    "We should head back now." Grace said, realizing that it had been over half an hour since she left the base. She could only imagine what was going on with Davian since he might have already realized her absence.


    Ass he headed back, she realized that she needed to take care of the marks she had left on the trees on her way to this place. Nothing came to her mind instantly, but after thinking about it for a while, she came up with a crazy idea, but one that excited her.


    She took in a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Once she her thoughts were stable enough, she tapped into her power and started thinking. It was simple - just removing the marks and leaving the barks looking just like they did before she created those markings.


    At first, she thought her plan wasn¡¯t working, but when she continued to channel both her power and her thought, she finally witnessed it happening.


    The mark disappeared completely from the trunk of a tree, leaving behind no trace. A smile bloomed on her lips as she stepped forward, ready to remove the rest of the marks.


    Her power didn¡¯t disappoint and by the time she returned to the base, all the marks were removed. But something else was waiting for her...!

 Chapter 143: I’m Trying

    The moment Grace arrived at the base, she was met with a chaotic atmosphere as there were several of the workers present outside. Looking at them, it seemed like they were searching for something... or someone - her.


    A man among them finally noticed Grace as she walked into their clear view and 2025 returned inside the space so that it wouldn¡¯t get noticed by the workers.


    "Ms. Blackwood, you are finally back. Mr. Parker is searching for you." The supervisor of the group notified Grace about the situation.


    Though Grace already anticipated Davian to notice her absence and also to look for her, she was still surpised to see that nearly everyone present at the base was looking for her. She already guessed that Davian might have asked for their help.


    "I¡¯m sorry for causing you all trouble. I just went ahead to look at the surrounding area and forgot to inform Davian. But... where is he?" Her gaze was already scanning the people, looking for that one face she was failing to find.


    Before anyone could have answered her question, she felt a pair of strong arms surrounding her from behind and pulling her into a tight back hug. Her eyes went with shock and she found herself looking at several stunned faces.


    The supervisor was quick to react as he quickly pulled himself together and told the group of workers to head inside. Barely in seconds, Grace was left alone with the person who was hugging her from behind.


    "Davian." She called his name softly, placing one of her hands over his that was resting against her belly. She felt him slightly tightening his hold on her, as if he was afraid she might pull away. But once he realized that she wasn¡¯t going to do that, he relaxed and buried his face in her hair for a second or two.


    Before that soft, warm, and almost vulnerable moment could have taken root, he was already retracting his arms, leaving her feeling empty and cold.


    She turned around to face him and found him looking directly back at her. Staring in his deep green orbs, she found it hard to pinpoint even a single emotion out of countless ones that were clearly visible in them.


    "I¡¯m sorry that I caused you worry." She started with the apology but immediately saw him shaking his head before he added, "I saw the marks you left behind. You actually made sure to think about not worrying me even when you had important matters to handle. So thank you."


    The last thing Grace was expecting him to say was a ¡¯thank you¡¯. She watched him in silence for a few seconds, while he did the same with her. "The system sensed the energies of some mysterious plants nearby. So I just went ahead to retrieve it."


    Instead of asking her more about the matter, he just nodded his head in understanding. He then reached out to take hold of her hand before started walking toward a secret area at the back of the military base where he always opened the portal to travel between the base and his apartment.


    And just like that, they returned to the apartment after finishing their work.


    Grace didn¡¯t feel right about leaving his apartment just like that. After what happened, she was feeling the need to say something that would fix everything. But while she kept feeling that way, she had no idea what needed to be fixed.


    The more feelings she was developing for these men, the more she was realizing that she was completely clueless about how the matters of heart worked.


    "What are you thinking about?" Davian asked when he noticed the frown that was decorating her forehead.


    She took in a deep breath and turned around to face him. She looked straight into his eyes as she spoke. "You know how my life have been all these years. I¡¯m not used to really think about keeping anyone in mind while making such random decisions like I just did. And I know that you care about me... a lot I must say... so I¡¯m trying too. I might be slow at times, but... I¡¯m trying."


    Since she didn¡¯t know what she could say to make the situation better, she just decided to speak the truth from her heart. What she didn¡¯t expect was for Davian to suddenly step forward and remove almost all visible space between them. He was standing so close that she had to crane her neck to an uncomfortable angle in order to look up at him.


    She then watched as he reached out with one of his hands, using it to cup her face gently. His eyes were fixed on hers, filled with nothing but pure love as he spoke, "I know. I can see it. Didn¡¯t I just say that I noticed the marks you left behind for me, and that I was really happy to see you thinking about me even when you had an important matter to handle? I really meant it."


    A smile bloomed on his lips, small but filled with warmth. Seeing him like that, Grace found herself realxing too and a smile made its way to her lips as well. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She felt like now it was the perfect time for her to step out if his apartment and continue with her day, but before she could have followed on that thought, her body was already moving forward to perform another task.


    It wasn¡¯t until her lips were pressed against his soft ones, did she realize what she was doing. But instead of pulling back immediately in shock, she finished the peck before finally stepping back.


    Her expression was calm despite the storm that was brewing inside her. She tried to not focus on his shocked face and spoke in a calm tone - "I¡¯ll be taking my leave now. Need to take care of some other important works."


    She didn¡¯t stay there for another second, and thankfully, he didn¡¯t try to stop her either.


    The two hearts were beating in sync... fast and loud.

 Chapter 144: Finding The Limit (I)

    Grace stepped inside Rune¡¯s apartment, trying her best to not focus on the man who had once again not bothered to put on a shirt before opening the door. At this point, she had come to realize that he loved putting his well-defined body on display, at least when she¡¯s around.


    "I¡¯m wondering about the reason behind this special and sudden visit." He spoke as he followed her into the living room.


    Turning around to face him, she kept her gaze focused on his face and asked, "I got the sudden part, but why do you think it¡¯s special?¡¯


    Her question brought a smile on Rune¡¯s lips and he stepped closer, closing a little bit of the space that was present between the two of them. His icy-blue orbs turned a shade darker as he finally spoke, "Since it¡¯s you, it¡¯s special."


    Realizing that he was flirting, Grace just shook her head and turned away, not finding it safe to look into those orbs any longer than required. She settled down on one of the couches before once again turning her attention at him. "I¡¯m here to talk about my powers."


    Rune tilted his head to the side as he looked at her, and just as she was about to ask him what was wrong, she saw him moving. He settled down on the couch opposite hers before speaking, "Go ahead. What do you want to talk about? Is there something I can help with?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace let out a small sigh as she recalled all the questions she had found herself thinking about her power recently. There was still a lot she needed to learn about, and the only person who came to her mind was Rune since he belonged to a world where having superpowers was just as common as having limbs.


    "I want to learn more about my power. Exactly how strong it is? Does it have any limitations? Or anything unique about it?" She put forward her questions, wondering just how much she would be able to find out through Rune.


    The more time she had spent thinking about the matter, the more she believed that Thought Creation could easily be among the strongest powers to exist in this timeline. But since the day she watched Dr. Kian coming across the limit of his healing power, she realized that no matter how unique and strong a power was, it would always have its limit.


    "I might not know about your power in details." Rune confessed and it immediately dampened Grace¡¯s spirit since she was really looking forward to learn at least a little about her power from him. Just as she was about to tell him that it was alright, she heard him adding - "... but I can help you find the limit of your power."


    "You can do that?" She asked, feeling excited all over again at the thought of learning such a major thing about her power.


    Rune nodded his head before explaining - "Back in the Academy, they used to teach us ways to find the limit of our powers. It¡¯s something everyone does to see just how strong their powers are."


    "What do I need to do then?" Grace asked, looking forward to start with whatever Rune was going to tell her to do.


    The young man took in a deep breath before he guided her. "Start simple. Create thoughts that are easily possible to happen, and from there, start complicating them little by little. Keep making your thoughts wilder until you find that limit you are looking for."


    "Just that?" She asked, surprised that it was that simple. Of course, she knew that it only sounded simple and doing it wouldn¡¯t be easy at all, especially for someone like her who just began to use her power.


    Rune gave her a small nod of his head in response, and then signaled her to begin. The way he looked at her, it was as if to tell her that he had her back and she didn¡¯t need to feel too troubled.


    And despite the odds in their current relationship situation, she found herself relaxing since she believed that he was going to help when and if she would need it. With that thought, she inhaled deeply and then exhaled, trying to calm her mind and prepare herself to start the test.


    She closed her eyes and focused, letting her mind drift into the space where her thoughts would have the full control. She imagined something simple - a glass of water appearing on the coffee table in front of her. The faint buzz of energy tingled through her fingertips, and when she opened her eyes, there was a crystal-clear glass filled with water sitting on the previously empty table.


    A small smile crept onto her lips. Every time she used her power successfully, she felt a sense of accomplishment.


    "Well done," Rune said in a low and encouraging voice before adding, "Now, make it a little more complicated."


    Grace nodded as her confidence grew slightly. This time, she imagined a cup of freshly prepared instant noodles. She concentrated, keeping her breathing steady as she visualized every little detail from the familiar aroma to the appearance. Moments later, the cup of instant noodles appeared beside the glass of water, filling the air with its aroma.


    "Thank you very much for the food." Rune offered his gratitude as he leaned forward and picked up the cup of noodles. He inhaled the aroma before going ahead and taking a bite. The hum he let out seconds later was a mixture of surprise and satisfaction.


    Seeing both her creations coming to life, there was a certain thought blooming in Grace¡¯s mind, but she didn¡¯t hurry to voice it out. Instead, she closed her eyes again and let her mind reach for something more abstract, something that would be harder to achieve. She thought about it for a few seconds before she finally started creating the thought.


    This time, she went for a snowman to appear on the table next to the glass of water. And much to her surprise, it did appear there merely seconds later.


    Rune stopped enjoying his noodles for a moment to speak, "It seems like you need to go more crazy with your thought creations."


    "I can do it," Grace whispered in a firm voice despite feeling at a loss for what she should think about next.


    Rune chuckled softly, and his icy-blue eyes softened. "I don¡¯t doubt that for a second. Continue then."

 Chapter 145: Finding The Limit (II)

    What is it? What should I do next?


    Grace was deep in thoughts while her gaze was fixed on the items that were spread across the small coffee table.


    Thanks to rune, the glass of water was now sitting empty, just like the cup of noodles. The snowman had started melting because the temperature inside the apartment was warm. There were some newspaper, snacks, clothes, and even a pair of twin daggers on the table.


    It was only when she made the twin daggers appear, did she realize something. While she had clearly succeeded in making all her thoughts come alive, it was because there were enough resources available for that particular thought to come to life.


    In her first though creation, both the glass and the water were available around her, and thus, the thought came to life almost immediately. When she asked Rune to confirm, he did recognize the glass from a set he recently opened.


    The cup of noodles also turned out to be his, as one was seemingly missing from the stock he arranged in the cupboard just the night before. The newspaper was from months ago and they guessed it might have been his too.


    As for the snowman, well... there was more than enough snow outside for her to create tens of thousands of such snowmen.


    And finally... the pair of twin daggers... they belonged to Grace herself. She had these daggers stored in a cabinet of the villa along with several others.


    At this point, it became pretty clear that she was able to bring all her thoughts to life because she had all the necessary resources available.


    Other than this bunch of items, there was also a pot of plant sitting next to the table with several flowers in full bloom.


    No. She didn¡¯t made the pot of plant appear out of thin air. It was one of Rune¡¯s flower pots and she just made the already available buds bloom into those beautiful blue flowers.


    "This isn¡¯t working, Grace. You need to thing something really crazy for us to get a better understanding about your power." Rune reminded her, helping her throughout the journey just like he promised her.


    Grace took in a deep breath and closed her eyes while she tried to think of something better for the next round. So far, she had only thought about creating things out of thin air, but this time, she went for something entirely different.


    She opened her eyes and focused her gaze on Rune, picturing him falling over with the couch. Seeing her staring at him so intently, he tilted his head to the side - something he tended to do whenever he found something interesting.


    Grace ignored his questioning eyes and kept her mind clear, only the thought being created in there. She tapped into her power and felt it surfacing, ready to carry out the task. She watched while holding her breath, waiting for her thought to come to life. But... it didn¡¯t happen.


    A frown immediately appeared on her face and she tried again, but there was still nothing.


    "Did you finally fail to bring a thought of yours to life?" Rune asked, already getting an idea about what was going on with her.


    Grace ;et out a small sigh and nodded her head in a positive response. She was a little bit happy to finally find that so-called limit she was looking for, but at the same time, she wondered how she was going to find the reason behind this limit. And without learning about the reason, it would be impossible to understand the limit.


    "What did you think this time?" Rune asked, very much interested to learn about what she thought to finally fail.


    Grace opened her mouth to answer but then closed it without saying a single word. After thinking about what she just thought, it didn¡¯t seem like the right thing to let him know. Obviously, he wouldn¡¯t be happy to learn that she was picturing hi\\m falling down from the couch.


    On the other hand, her silence only made Rune arch his eyebrows high in question. He was more and more interested to know what was making her hesitate. A knowing smile suddenly appeared on his lips and he looked down at himself before looking up and fixing his gaze on her. "Did you think of something dirty?¡¯ S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace just let out a small sigh and shook her head. Not wanting him to continue speculating on his own, she decided to reveal what she really thought. And the moment she did, she noticed how his expression fell almost comically.


    "Why are you so obsessed with the idea of hurting me? Is this some kind of kink you like?" He once again opened his mouth only to speak nonsense.


    "Rune." Grace warned, but the grin on his lips made her own curl slightly with a smile. She kind of liked how he always had a chill side to him available all the time and in every situation. It was something she had never been able to do, and thus, she found herself admiring Rune for this even though she found him young and careless for the same thing at certain serious moments.


    Rune finally pulled on his serious side, and spoke, "Alright. Let¡¯s do with what we have got. I want you to now try throwing me down while giving me or the couch a push." And while he looked excited, Grace felt at a loss.


    "You want me to try throwing you over along with the couch just with a push? Are you for real?" She asked, looking at him as if he had lost his mind.


    But it seemed like Rune had a different plan that he failed to explain properly. He shook his head before explaining - "I do want you to try pushing me to throw me over with the couch, but you need to try thinking about the same as well in your mind. You got what I¡¯m saying?"


    "I think... I do."

 Chapter 146: Finding The Limit (III)

    Grace stood up from her couch and headed toward Rune. Once she was next to him, she reached out and gave his couch a shove. While the shove wasn¡¯t light, it wasn¡¯t extremely strong either, probably somewhere in-between.


    At the same time, she recreated the thought of him falling over with couch, aligning it with the shove. And this time, she both felt and watched as her power worked to bring her thought to life. The very next moment, she witnessed as Rune was falling over... along with the couch.


    Since Rune was prepared for the fall, he immediately rolled away and stood up in such a graceful way that Grace felt impressed. But because of the situation, she had another important matter to care about other than being impressed with his years of physical training that had given him his current level of quick reflexes that could almost be described as elegant.


    "So...?" Rune asked as he pulled the couch back up with ease and adjusted it back in its place.


    Grace returned to her own couch and settled down before finally speaking, "The power worked this time because I followed the thought with an actual physical action." That was the conclusion she came up with and it seemed like Rune had already foreseen it since he came up with the idea.


    Thinking about something, Grace thought about a small boat to appear in the clear space between the living room and the kitchen, and just like she predicted, one did appear almost instantly.


    "Glow?" She called 2025 through their shared mind-link, waiting for the creature to confirm her doubt.


    "This is one from those you have stored in the garage." 2025 replied as it noticed the notification of a missing boat on the digital screen that could appear anywhere around 2025 and Grace and at any given time.


    "Can you find a way to lock up the realm so that my power will not be able to access anything from inside the space?" She asked 2025 and noticed how Rune was silently sitting there and waiting for her to finish whatever she was doing. While he couldn¡¯t hear her conversation with 2025, he might have guessed that she was contacting the creature.


    "For something like that to happen, you will need to shut down your access to the realm. Otherwise, there¡¯s no other way to stop your power from accessing the realm since it¡¯s almost a part of you." 2025 explained.


    Shut down the access to the realm?


    Grace sighed as her gaze drifted to the boat that had appeared in the middle of the living room. Though it was a simple creation, it symbolized something bigger - the unintentional connection her power had to the resources present inside the Infinite Realm. The jade bracelet on her wrist pulsed faintly in a quiet reminder of the bond she shared with it.


    "Fine," she muttered to herself. "Let¡¯s test this properly."


    The first thing she did was to rerurn the boat back into the realm.


    Rune was watching her with quiet curiosity while leaning back against the couch he had just righted. "What now?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with intrigue.


    "I¡¯m going to try something," she said aloud while glancing at him briefly. At the same time, her hand instinctively moved to the jade bracelet on her wrist.


    Rune¡¯s brow lifted as he asked, "What exactly are you planning?"


    "To test my limits," she replied simply. "I have realized that my power is pulling resources from my space whenever I subconsciously need them. I need to figure out how much I can do without relying on it."


    With that, she slid the bracelet off her wrist. The moment the cool jade left her skin, she felt an odd sense of detachment, like a part of her had been sealed away. She stared at the bracelet in her palm for a moment before placing it carefully on the table.


    The change was subtle but palpable. She was able to feel the absence of the realm like a quiet void in the back of her mind. The ever-present hum of energy that tethered her to the space was gone, leaving her with only the immediate resources around her.


    "Alright," she said, exhaling softly. "Let¡¯s see what happens now."


    She focused on the clear space between the living room and the kitchen again. She took in a deep breath and thought of the boat - its shape, size, and details - just as she had before. She pictured it materializing in the empty space, solid and complete.


    But this time, nothing happened.


    She frowned at the emptiness before her. "Nothing," she said, more to herself than to Rune.


    "Of course," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "Without resources, your power has nothing to work with. It¡¯s like trying to paint without paint. The action and thought are there, but the substance isn¡¯t."


    Grace nodded slowly as the logic settled into place. Her power wasn¡¯t omnipotent - it was bound by rules, by reality itself.


    She turned her attention to something simpler. She located a pen on the table in front of her and focused on it, imagining it rolling across the table toward Rune. At the same time, she reached out and flicked it gently.


    The pen shot forward faster than her flick should have allowed, skidding across the surface until it stopped near Rune¡¯s hand.


    "That worked," she said in a calm voice. "It worked because the pen was already there, and I added an action to push it."


    Rune picked up the pen and started spinning it between his fingers. "So, your power amplifies what¡¯s already possible. If you can give it a nudge, it¡¯ll take care of the rest."


    Grace¡¯s mind raced with possibilities - and limitations. If she wanted her power to work at its full potential, she needed to be aware of her environment at all times. Resources, actions, and intent - they all had to align perfectly.


    "I¡¯m starting to get the hang of this," she said as she stared at the table full of her creation.


    Her power had immense potential, but it also carried risks. Misjudging her surroundings or losing focus could lead to unintended consequences.


    She reached for the jade bracelet and slipped it back onto her wrist. The familiar connection to the realm returned instantly, grounding her. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 147: System’s Report

    [Time until arrival of Blood Rain: 5 Days and 11 Hours]


    Grace noticed the system¡¯s timer as soon as she stepped into the living room of the villa after finishing her work in the kitchen.


    Because of the extreme cold, the electricity, water, and gas supplies had been going on and off in the outside world. Hence, it had been a while since they prepared the lunch boxes. So when she got fresh harvest from the vegetable garden this morning, she felt like doing some cooking.


    Though it wasn¡¯t an easy job to cook so much food on her own, she had gotten used to it after doing so for the past several months. Not only that, but she had also started making use of her power to make the cooking easier for herself.


    After finding out the limits of her power with Rune¡¯s help. she sat down with 2025 to do a in-depth study of her power with the system¡¯s help. Since Thought Creation was a superpower that didn¡¯t exist in the previous timeline, the system also had no information on it. But the system was still capable of studying her power and driving facts and information through it.


    Grace was surprised by the system¡¯s in-depth study of her power, but at the same time, she was also very much satisfied with it.


    As per the system¡¯s report, her power required a source of energy to convert her thoughts into reality. The stronger or more complex the thought, the more energy it would consume. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The second point of the report focused on concept feasibility, meaning her thoughts must align with natural or existing logic. If she would try to create something unnatural, the power would only partially work or might fail entirely as no available resources would align with the concept of her thought.


    While these first two points were something she herself didn¡¯t focus on, the third one was a different story as it was the first limit she learnt about her power - the closer and more readily available the resources would be, the quicker and more effective the manifestation of her thought creations would turn out.


    The next point was another one that she had already realized - physical actions or movements could serve as catalysts. A thought creation paired with an action would make the manifestation stronger and more precise.


    But it was the fifth one that really took her by surprise as she had completely failed to notice this one - Thought creations had a temporal limit. Once created, objects or effects wouldn¡¯t last forever and would revert to their original state after a certain period.


    "Is this true?" She had asked 2025 once she was done reading the fifth point on the report.


    In response, the little creature had nodded its head before explaining - "But there are exceptions of this rule. For example, if your thought creation is an action, then this particular rule will not apply. If your thought creation is the manifestation of something that didn¡¯t exist in its required state already around you, then this rule will apply on it and the object will return to its original state or place if not used or consumed in time."


    "Then... what¡¯s this time limit?" She had asked next, recalling that none of the products she manifested in Rune¡¯s apartment disappeared within the time frame of forty-two minutes that she spent there.


    "For now, it¡¯s somewhere around an hour. But we believe that it can change once you will become stronger." 2025 had replied.


    The next point was somewhat similar to the third one, yet different - her power couldn¡¯t create something from nothing. All her creations must be drawn from existing resources, whether physical, emotional, or energetic.


    This was where the report ended. And ever since then, Grace had been trying to test out the given points of the report while using her power. Over the past two days, she did come to notice that the system had done a brilliant job in assessing her power.


    The more time she was spending working on her power and learning about it, the easier it was becoming for her to control and understand it. Each day, she spent a few hours working on her power once she was done with all her daily tasks inside the space.


    Since the upcoming Blood Rain was going to bring the zombie breakout, she and her team had also started preparations for that. They had tightened the security of the top three floors, distributed more weapons among the team members, enhanced their daily training sessions, and keeping an eye on the situation within the Building k12 as well as on the surrounding areas.


    While they were spending their days in preparations for future, Rune was busy using his powers to check the entire Veil to look for further cracks or any other sort of damages.


    It was only recently that Grace came to find out that Rune could travel across places with his subconscious mind. He might be sitting inside his apartment while his subconscious state might be walking across the snow-covered streets of a small town located at the far western coast of the Starship Country.


    While this appeared to be a really cool ability to possess, it was one that could leave the user drained in no time. It had been days since the night of the monster¡¯s attack and since then, Rune had been able to check only six cities where the Veil was located because of how much it was draining his energy with every use.


    According to him, about seventeen more areas were needed to be checked before making sure whether the Veil was safe for the time being or not, and doing so would need about another week.


    These efforts of Rune, that he was consistently putting into their preparations, was slowly making everyone in the team see him a new light. But while they all were finally seeing his efforts, his mature side, and his strength, it was still not enough to earn him anyone¡¯s trust... yet.

 Chapter 148: Plant Gone Wrong

    "I think it¡¯s working." Grace whispered the words as her eyes followed the vine that flourished with a golden light before growing up and spreading across the iron bars that were prepared just for it.


    Once the vine was of good enough size, Dr. Kian pulled away his hand, retracting his fingers from the soil. Ever since he found out that his power worked not only on humans, but anything living, the rooftop garden had become his place for practicing.


    Within a week, he had converted the greenhouse into a haven of vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs. These harvests were just as good as the ones growing inside Infinite Realm.


    "I have something for you. Try and see if your power will work on it." Grace said as she took out a pot of a dead-looking plant from inside her space.


    "What plant is this?" Dr. Kian asked as he studied his next testing object. All he could tell was that the plant was either already dead, or close to being one.


    "It¡¯s an almost dead plant..." Grace confirmed the status of the plant before adding, "... from the outside. Meaning it¡¯s been in the Shadow Rain."


    Dr. Kian¡¯s eyes immediately looked up from the plant and met hers. "You want me to try reviving it?" He asked, sounding curious and not worried or against the idea unlike what Grace was expecting.


    In response to his question, she nodded her head in a positive response before explaining, "In the previous timeline, only half of the original numbers of trees survived the rain disaster. After the Shadow Rain and the initial months of the volcanic winter, their numbers decreased further. Because the trees and plants were in the Shadow Rain for its entire duration, the rain probably affected them only negatively because no improvement was seen in the trees in the previous timeline."


    Dr. Kian¡¯s brows furrowed and he asked, "Then why do you want me to try reviving this plant? To see if my power can heal those affected by the Shadow Rain?"


    Grace slowly shook her head and then answered, "Few days ago when I went to the military base, I found three magical plants in the nearby area there. Their sudden appearance there has left me confused. Maybe... just maybe... the Shadow Rain did work differently on these plants and trees this time as well. My system is unable to study this plant here, so 2025 wants you to try your power on it."


    Dr. Kian was silent for a while and just studied the plant. Finally, he asked, "What do you want me to do?"


    Grace felt the invisible weight lifting from her shoulders when she realized that Dr. Kian was ready to help. "Just try reviving it. The system will take care of the rest, and I¡¯ll be right here to keep you safe. I promise." She tried to assure him that she had his back.


    "I know." Dr. Kian said as he looked straight into her eyes, his own deep blue orbs filled with nothing but trust. "I know that you will keep me safe."


    Grace was left stunned by him, and before she could have said anything in response, he was already returning his attention to the plan.


    His hand moved toward the lifeless plant while Grace watched with her heart pounding crazily in her chest. She watched as he closed his eyes and his brows furrowed in concentration.


    Within seconds, a faint glow started radiating from his palms. It was a soft golden light that pulsed like a heartbeat. It was mesmerizing, like a delicate balance of power and precision that left her momentarily in awe. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The glow intensified as he pressed his fingers into the soil. The once-dull leaves of the plant began to twitch, while a faint glimmer of life started returning to their edges.


    For a moment, everything seemed to be working perfectly. The plant¡¯s withered branches straightened, and its leaves regained a vibrant green hue. But just as Grace felt a flicker of relief, the plant began to tremble violently. The golden glow around Dr. Kian¡¯s hands shifted to a dark, ominous hue.


    "Kian, stop!" Grace shouted, her voice cutting through the tension.


    But it was too late. The plant exploded with unnatural growth. Its branches started twisting and expanding into jagged, thorn-covered vines. One of the vines lashed out, narrowly missing Dr. Kian¡¯s face as he stumbled back and his power flickered out.


    Without hesitation, Grace pulled a sleek dagger from the space and stepped between Dr. Kian and the monstrous plant. The blade glinted under the rooftop¡¯s dim light. She lunged forward and sliced through the nearest branch with a swift motion. The severed piece thrashed on the ground before disintegrating into black ash.


    "Kian, get back!" she ordered, her voice firm but laced with concern.


    Dr. Kian obeyed and retreated a few steps. But he refused to leave her side entirely. His eyes remained locked on her with a mix of worry and admiration flickering in their depths.


    Grace moved with practiced precision, dodging the plant¡¯s attacks while delivering strike after strike. Each slash of her dagger sent more vines crumbling to ash, but the monstrous plant seemed relentless, regenerating faster than she could destroy it.


    The plant screeched - a sound that was more vibration than noise - and lashed out with even more force. Grace danced around the strikes. Her movements were fluid and precise as she sliced through each branch that came too close.


    Finally, she spotted its core. It was a pulsating mass at the base of the plant, glowing faintly with an unnatural light. With a sharp breath, she charged forward. Her dagger was aimed straight for the heart of the monster.


    The plant reacted violently and its branches converged on her from all directions, but she was faster. She ducked, rolled, and came up beneath its defenses. With one powerful thrust, she plunged her dagger into the core.


    The plant let out a final, bone-rattling screech before collapsing in on itself. The branches shriveled, the leaves crumbled, and the core disintegrated into ash.


    For a moment, there was only silence as Grace stood over the remains. Her chest was heaving as she caught her breath.


    "Kian," she called, turning to him.

 Chapter 149: Shadow Rain’s Secrets (I)

    "Are you alright?¡¯ Grace asked as she made her way to Dr. Kian who standing behind one of the vegetable beds, keeping his distance from the plant that just went mad.


    "Thanks to you." Dr. Kian answered as he met her halfway. He was clearly shaken by what just happened, and yet, he was keeping a calm exterior - something that came from his serious profession as well as his own personality.


    Once she had convinced herself that Dr. Kian was indeed alright, Grace finally allowed herself to relax. She was so focused on the plant that she barely noticed what happened to him after he stepped away. She just did her best to keep the plant¡¯s viscous branches from reaching him.


    "But... what just happened?¡¯ Dr. Kian finally asked the question, pulling Grace¡¯s attention back toward the now empty pot. There was no sign of the plant left behind, except for the small gap in the soil of the pot.


    Before Grace could have spoken, 2025 decided to make its appearance. "You both did great jobs. Now sit down and listen to what we have found." Every time it talked about itself and the system, 2025 always used the term ¡¯we¡¯.


    Grace and Dr. Kian shared a quick look before they both settled down on the bench, ready to hear whatever discoveries 2025 had made.


    Without wasting any time, the little creature began - "The percentage of Shadow Rain that your bodies absorbed was between 5%-6%. This low percentage was because of the little time you all spent in the rain and also because of the obstruction of the clothes you all were wearing."


    Grace and Dr. Kian listened silently as 2025 continued, "After doing further studies, we have come to realize that highest safe percentage of the Shadow Rain is 6.7%. Even 0.1% higher than this, and it¡¯s game over."


    Dr. Kian was quick to put forward a question that came to his mind. "Why are you so sure about the safe percentage that you have come up with?¡¯ It was a decent question since 2025 didn¡¯t have enough source to do this study.


    But it seemed like they were taking the system and its host lightly. 2025 sounded really proud as it answered, "Every time Master went outside, we scanned the people that she passed by on the streets. We have done this study on exactly hundred people before coming to this conclusion. Only those people who have Shadow Rain¡¯s percentage below or equal to 6.7% are the ones successfully adjusting to their DNA alterations."


    This left even the doctor impressed with how efficiently both 2025 and the system were working to solve the matters that were beyond Grace and her team¡¯s reach.


    "If given the chance and situation, I¡¯ll love to work with you in the future." Dr. Kian expressed his true feelings to 2025, making the latter swoon with happiness after getting recognized by its maker.


    Grace arched one of her eyebrows at the scene, feeling slightly left out. Right at that moment, both Dr. Kian and 2025 turned their attention toward and asked in unison - "Can we?"


    Shocked. she let out a small sigh before giving them a nod of her head in approval. "Sure. I¡¯m happy to have such great minds in my team. You should definitely work together."


    The genuine smile that she instantly received from both of them in return almost left her stunned all over again. She could hardly recall ever seeing either of the two looking at her like this ever before.


    "Thank you." Dr. Kian thanked her and she gave him another nod with a smile that was just as genuine as her approval of their idea of working together. She trusted them... both of them.


    Once this matter got solved, 2025 once again continued with its discoveries. "This also reminded me of Marcus and Julian¡¯s case. Marcus had 7.1% of Shadow rain in his body while Julian had 6.9% of it. That¡¯s why they failed the alterations." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A frown appeared on Grace¡¯s face at this particular discovery and she quickly asked, "Why they have such a high percentage when they both stayed in the rain for the exact time as the rest of us? And is there anyone else in the team who came that close to switching to the other side?"


    It appeared that 2025 was ready for the questions. Without taking even a second to think, it immediately answered, "If you can recall, Marcus was wearing a tank top while Julian had shorts on. Their choice of clothing left parts of their bodies exposed directly to the rain which caused their skin to absorb the extra amount of the rain."


    "I think I can recall that. They were indeed under-dressed." Grace said as she ended up recalling both men¡¯s outfits from that day. She could have never expected that such a thing could have resulted in something like this. Back then, they were only aware of the time period, but none of them paid attention to the clothing.


    "What about her second question? Did anyone else in the team came that close to the set percentage?" Dr. Kian asked when 2025 didn¡¯t answer on its own.


    Unlike previously where it was readily answering all the questions, 2025 seemed slightly hesitant this time and it only made Grace and Dr. Kian more curious about the answer.


    "Glow?" Grace called the creature softly.


    2025 shifted its gaze between the two of them before it finally confessed. "There are two."


    Both Grace and Dr. Kian were surprised, and shared a quick look between them. Their eyes held the same surprise and question. "Who?" It was Dr. Kian who asked the question as the two of them returned their attention back to 2025.


    The little creature didn¡¯t make them wait this time as it spoke, "One of them has 6.5% while the other has exactly 6.7%, and these two people are none other than... the two of you."

 Chapter 150: Shadow Rain’s Secrets (II)

    Silence...


    Grace and Dr. Kian could only stare at 2025 in stunned silence while their brains struggled to accept the revelation they had been seeking.


    "Who got that 6.7%?" Grace found herself asking, and a part of her already seemed to know the answer. Also, the look she received from 2025 in return was already a clear enough answer even before it actually replied.


    "It¡¯s you."


    She inhaled deeply, trying to calmly accept that she just unknowingly survived a disaster that could have ended her life in the worst way possible.


    "It¡¯s already in the past." She heard Dr. Kian consoling her and when she looked up at him, she found him reaching over to give her hand a small pat of comfort. The gesture felt awkward, but also cute, and it made a smile curved the corners of her lips.


    However, she quickly schooled the smile and plastered that usual calm look on her face as soon as she noticed him looking up at her face. She turned her attention back to 2025, knowing the creature had more to say.


    Once 2025 had their attention back on him, it revealed some further information. "As for the rest of the members in your team, they all absorbed somewhere between 4% to 5.6% of the Shadow Rain. The only other person whom the system has found with a high percentage like the two of you is King, he got 6.62%."


    So, only she came that close to losing her sanity and turning into a zombie. The idea was unsettling and it made a cold shiver ran down her spine. She cleared her throat and asked 2025. "Why did I end up with such a high percentage? I¡¯m sure I wasn¡¯t wearing any revealing clothes."


    Unlike Marcus and Julian, she was wearing clothes that covered her full body, then how come she still ended up absorbing so much of the rain?


    "There can be several reasons for that. Maybe your skin was quick to absorb the rain compared to others, or maybe it was your hair that absorbed a lot of the rain. As you can recall, some of your team members had their hoods on during the rain, so their heads didn¡¯t got drenched directly or too quickly. Or it can also be because of your clothes that failed to keep the rain away as much as the others¡¯ did." 2025 counted down a numbers of reasons that could have resulted in the high percentage.


    "Why I feel like while having such high percentage is sure feel like a close call, it also is a big advantage for us?" Dr. Kian pointed out something he had been thinking about once he recalled some specific information.


    2025 winked at Dr. Kian in return, letting them know that he¡¯s right on point with his theory. "You are right. Closer the number to 6.7%, more special and strong the power one will gain. you can see this in the case of the three of you. All three of you possess three of the rarest and strongest powers to exist in this timeline so far."


    "During your scanning of the people out on streets, have you noticed anyone else with rare powers?" Grace asked, curious to know just how strong the people out there were. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    2025 shook its head in a negative response before adding, "Not a single one so far. The people out there are so weak that their bodies are either failing to keep up with the alterations, or their powers are getting weaker in the process of healing their weak bodies. Most of them have percentage between 0.5% to 2.5%. But some of the military men or the firemen seemed to be have accumulated as high as 3.7% of the rain. But still, no one came even close to your team members."


    That was both a good and a bad news. Good news because it meant not every other person out there was as strong as them, and bad news because it also meant that survival of humanity wouldn¡¯t be easier if people would be this weak to fight the monsters that were about to attack their world soon.


    "What did you find out about the plant?" Grace finally directed the conversation toward the matter that started this entire conversation.


    2025 turned its attention toward the empty pot for a moment before replying, "This plant was growing out in the open, which resulted in its coming into direct contact with the Shadow rain for its entire duration. hence, it ended up accumulating a high percentage of 31% of the rain."


    "Since plants and animals are able to evolve faster than humans, we can say that their safe percentage is higher than that of humans. For animals, this number is 59.3%. But in the case of plants, I can only confirm that this number should be lower than 31%."


    "What about the plants that we found in the mountains?¡¯ Grace asked, wanting to find something about those mysterious plants that were now growing inside her space.


    2025¡¯s expression shifted and it almost appeared as if it was frowning. "It¡¯s hard to say much at this point. It¡¯s unlikely that those plants appeared out of nowhere. So, the only explanation can be the Shadow rain."


    Grace nodded her head in agreement. She also believed that those plants turned into their current forms because of the Shadow rain.


    "Considering their location, they might have absorbed very little of the rain. Or maybe they were just seeds or sprouts when they absorbed the rain. There are many possibilities for the time being. We will need to do further study to find out the truth behind this matter.¡¯


    In short, Grace needed to go out and hunt for more such plants or trees. But doing so wouldn¡¯t be an easy job. She turned to look at Dr. Kian and asked, "What do you think, want to join me on this new mission?¡¯


    Dr. Kian looked more than eager at the offer and quickly nodded his head in agreement. "I¡¯m totally in."


    And thus began a new challenge...!

 Chapter 151: Best Master

    "You must be kidding me!" Grace could hardly believe the words that 2025 just spoke out loud, shattering her perfect plan of staying indoors during the zombie breakout that was merely hours away.


    "I¡¯m not." 2025 replied without any hint of hesitation. "I¡¯m just letting you know that if you want to earn some good points for future use in the system, then you are going to have the perfect chance to do so."


    Grace let out a sigh as she plopped down on the couch in the living room of the villa. She had planned to stay inside the safety of her apartment while zombies would be creating chaos out there. But it seemed like the plan needed to change.


    "How many points will I earn for taking down one zombie?" She enquired, focusing her mind on the positive aspect of the situation. If she had to go out to face those ugly things, then it better be worth it.


    "500 for one." 2025 answered, and before Grace could have spoken, it was already adding, "... and 500 extra every time you will use your power to kill them."


    Grace, who had her mouth opened to complain how 500 sounded too little, quickly closed her mouth as soon as she heard the part of earning 500 extra points with the use of her powers.


    "So... I¡¯m going out to fight those things." It was more of a statement to herself than a question to 2025.


    Still, the little creature decided to reply - "You should. It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know how to handle a hoard of those things. You might be bad at fighting with the monster beasts, but you sure could give those zombies a hell of a time."


    Grace narrowed her eyes and turned her gaze at the little thing, staring at it while she tried to make up her mind about whether to feel offended or just let it slide since it also praised her a little at the end of that sentence.


    "I¡¯m just stating facts. No need to glare at me like that." 2025 murmured, being aware of the murderous glare it was receiving from its master.


    She let out a small sigh and just accepted the truth - she was indeed bad at fighting those monsters, and it was because she had no superpower in her previous life.


    "Maybe you should come out and fight some of those zombies as well. You need to workout a little to digest all the strawberries that you have been gulping down these days." She directed at 2025, letting it know that she was fully aware of where her strawberries were disappearing from the past couple of days.


    2025¡¯s eyes immediately turned into saucers, not only because it got caught for stealing the strawberries but also because it just got indirectly threatened by the woman who was its master. It knew better than anyone else that if it offended her any further, she would definitely throw him out in front of those zombies.


    It gulped down to moisten its sudden dry throat before directing the conversation to a different matter. Thankfully, it was smart enough to choose a topic that was of greater interest to its master compared to punishing it.


    "You should also take this chance to train your team members. Instead of keeping them all hidden inside the safety of your apartments, it¡¯s far better to let them face those zombies. Not only it will help them with their training but will also prepare them for the bigger fights that they will face in the future. And you will also be able to earn more points with their kill."


    Grace had already thought of it when she realized that she would need to go out to fight the zombies. And since 2025 suggested the same thing, it only made her confirm the idea. But there was a certain sentence that caught her attention. "Will I earn points from the kills of my team as well?"


    2025 nodded its head and answered, "I will add this one as a team quest in the system. With this, you will be able to earn points for each kill of yours or your team members." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, it sounded like an even better idea.


    "Alright then. Make it a team quest. I must go out and let them know that we are going out for an adventure tonight." Grace said as she stood up from the couch and headed toward the kitchen.


    The timer was showing about two more hours that were left in the arrival of Blood Rain and the rain was going to last for over an hour, exactly for 57 minutes. Hence, they had about three hours before the zombie apocalypse would begin.


    This also meant that Grace had three more days to work inside her space. She decided to spent two more days working and leaving the space on the third day to inform others about the change in plan.


    "Where do you think you are going?" She asked when she noticed 2025 slowly making its way out of the living room.


    The little creature froze for a moment or two before it turned to face her. If Grace had to choose, then it was definitely a sheepish look on its face.


    "I... I was thinking about sunbathing..."


    "You can do all the sunbathing out in the fields. Don¡¯t even think that you will get to leisure around after swapping an entire field of strawberries clean behind my back." Grace stated while giving it a hard glare.


    "Master..." 2025 began in a very cute and sweet voice that could have melted anyone¡¯s heart but not Grace¡¯s.


    "Glow..." Grace began in a similar sweet tone, "... there¡¯s no such thing as free food in my team. Come now, we need to grow more strawberries to keep feeding you in future."


    2025 let out a sigh and an almost pout like expression took over its face for a moment before shifting into that of realization. Its eyes glowed up and it quickly chased after Grace who was already heading outside.


    "Master, have I ever told you that you are the best master in this whole universe..."

 Chapter 152: Beginning of Chaos

    The world outside Unit 2203 was rapidly unraveling. The Blood Rain just ended, and with it came the horrifying transformation of those unfortunate enough to be caught in its crimson downpour.


    From the floor-to-ceiling window of the living room, Grace and her team were observing the scene below. Residents, who had been caught in the rain moments ago, were now writhing in agony. Their bodies were contorting unnaturally. A sickly green hue spread across their veins, and their eyes started glazing over with a milky white sheen. Their teeth elongated into jagged points, and their nails sharpened into claws capable of tearing flesh.


    It took only minutes for them to fully transform, and when they did, the streets descended into chaos. Screams echoed through the neighborhood as the newly-turned zombies lunged at anyone in sight, their hunger insatiable.


    Grace¡¯s enhanced eyesight allowed her to take in every horrifying detail. She didn¡¯t no longer needed the military binoculars that were resting on the coffee table, nor did Silas, Dr. Kian, or Kevin. As for Davian and Rune, they had never needed one from the very beginning.


    "We will wait," she informed her team in a calm but commanding voice. "Let the worst of it pass before we move."


    Her team nodded silently. This was no time for panic. They had been preparing for this moment, but seeing it unfold in real-time was a grim reminder of what exactly was happening.


    An hour passed before Grace finally deemed it safe enough to leave. By then, the worst of the initial chaos had moved further into the city.


    "Gear up," she instructed.


    Instead of going out with full team at once, she created groups to follow her and Davian out at different times.


    For the first round, it were Kevin, Dr. Kian, Nina, Silas, and Aleena followed her and Davian¡¯s lead. The team was handpicked for their unique skills, and Grace trusted each of them with her life.


    Building K12 wasn¡¯t spared from the chaos. As they descended the stairs, they encountered several residents who had turned into zombies. The first one - a man who had been holding groceries just an hour ago - lunged at them the moment they reached the fifteenth floor.


    Kevin was the first to act. His sword sliced cleanly through the zombie¡¯s neck and the creature dropped, its head rolling to a stop against the wall.


    "Well done," Grace said, nodding at Kevin who looked slightly taken aback. "Keep moving."


    They moved in formation. Grace and Davian were at the front, guiding the group. Their weapons glinted in the dim hallway light, looking like a stark contrast to the bloodstained walls.


    On the fifth floor, a woman screamed as her husband, who had turned into a zombie, charged at her and their child. Grace was quick to act. Her daggers flashed as she plunged them into the creature¡¯s chest. It let out a guttural growl before collapsing.


    The woman shrieked, clutching her child to her chest. "How dare you! That was my husband!"


    Grace turned to the woman. Her expression was cold and unyielding as she slapped the reality right at the woman¡¯s face. "Your husband was gone the moment the rain touched him. I just saved you and your child. Now get somewhere safe before you join him."


    The woman fell silent while tears streamed down her face as she stumbled away with her child.


    "Keep moving," Grace ordered, not sparing a second glance at the woman.


    By the time they reached the lobby, the building was silent except for the occasional distant groan of zombies outside. They locked the main doors behind them, ensuring no more zombies would enter.


    The scene outside was even worse. The military personnel stationed in the Residential Area were struggling to hold their ground. The zombies outnumbered them by a staggering margin, and many soldiers had already fallen.


    The worst part of this battle - each person falling because of the zombies was ending up becoming one as well, and this only increased the numbers of the zombies.


    As Grace and her team stepped out, one of the soldiers shouted at them. "Get back inside! You¡¯ll get yourselves killed out here!"


    Grace ignored the warning, her daggers already in her hands. A pair of zombies rushed toward her with their claws outstretched. With fluid precision, she ducked under one¡¯s swipe and slashed its throat, spinning to stab the other through the eye. Both fell instantly.


    The soldier¡¯s jaw dropped. "What the¡­?"


    "They are not civilians," another soldier muttered, watching as Grace and Davian moved like a well-oiled machine.


    Davian wielded a massive axe, and his strikes were brutal and efficient. Each swing cleaved through multiple zombies. His movements were a blend of raw power and practiced technique.


    "Silas, Aleena - your turn!" Grace called out.


    Silas and Aleena stepped forward, both visibly nervous. It was their first real fight, and the weight of it was clear in their hesitant movements. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Focus on one target at a time," Grace instructed. "Don¡¯t let them overwhelm you. We are right here."


    Silas took a deep breath and raised his twin blades. A zombie lunged at him, and he sidestepped, slashing its legs out from under it before finishing it with a clean strike to the head.


    Aleena was armed with a spear. She held her ground as a zombie rushed at her. She thrust the weapon forward, impaling the creature through the chest.


    "Good!" Grace said, nodding in approval. "Stay in formation and keep your guard up."


    Dr. Kian and Nina provided backup, using ranged weapons to pick off zombies that got too close to the others. Kevin, on the other hand, directed their movements, ensuring no one was left vulnerable.


    By the time the immediate area was cleared, the military personnel had regrouped. Their expressions were a mix of relief and awe.


    One of the officers approached Grace. "I don¡¯t know who you are, but¡­ thank you. We would have been overrun without your help."


    Grace simply nodded. "You¡¯ll need to fortify this area. The zombies will keep coming."


    The officer hesitated before saluting her. "Understood."


    "Aren¡¯t you... Captain Cool?" Another one among the officers asked as he seemed to have recognized Davian.


    "Captain Cool?" The others looked confused while Grace just arched her eyebrows and turned to look at Davian who didn¡¯t seem too happy with the attention he was receiving.


    "That¡¯s right. He¡¯s the Davian King Parker, the only Captain of Team Alpha! The Myth. The Legend!"

 Chapter 153: Captain King

    The Myth... The Legend?


    While Grace knew Davian¡¯s exact identity in the military, she still believed that the young soldier was being way too obvious about him being a fanboy. But it soon turned out that he wasn¡¯t the only one in awe of Davian.


    "Are you the Legendary Davian King Parker - the Captain of Team Alpha and also the owner of the Parker Corporation?" Another soldier seemed to have recognized Davian as soon as his companion mentioned his identity.


    His voice was so loud that it got the attention of the rest of the soldiers, who had been talking among themselves about what they just experienced. They also made their way toward Grace and her team once they heard their companion mentioning the Legendary Team Alpha and its Captain.


    "So you are Captain King. No wonder you and your people are able to handle those dead things with such ease." One of the senior soldiers stated as he finally realized why a certain group of people living in Building K12 seemed to be doing better than others in such bad situations.


    The Chief of their unit had reminded him and the rest of the team during their deployment that they needed to stay clear of the residents of the top three floor of the Building K12 no matter the situation.


    This special instruction from their superior did made their unit realize that this group of residents had some special identities, but they still could have never expected for this special person to turn out none other than the Captain of Alpha Team of the military. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Alpha Team was the special force team of Starship Country that was created by the equal efforts and planning of the government and the military. It was created under the direct leadership of Captain King and was forced to disband when Captain King retired, after eight long years of service, as the new captains failed to bring the same result as Captain King.


    The Alpha Team was in force for ten years, out of which it worked under Captain King for eight years, and it was one of the most powerful special forces to exist during its time. While barely anyone knew much about it during its existence, it became a legend in the military after its disbandment.


    There was barely anyone in the military force of Starship Country who hadn¡¯t heard of Captain King. While the seniors knew him because of his extraordinary leadership and successful missions, the juniors knew him because of his identity as the perfect military student of the country.


    Davian entered the top military school of the Starship Country at the age of eight, and was a top student throughout the years until he passed the school at the age of eighteen and immediately got enlisted in the then active special force team - Team Dark.


    It took him barely two years to prove his talent and worth despite his young age to earn the position of the Captain of his own Special force team. Now, after nearly five years of its disbandment, both Team Alpha and Captain King had become legends in the military.


    Since Grace, her team, and Davian¡¯s team, were fully aware of his identity as Alpha King, they didn¡¯t look surprised at all. Instead, they all were enjoying the unwanted attention that the man was receiving.


    On the other hand, some particular senior soldiers were quick to notice that the woman next to Captain King didn¡¯t look like a subordinate. Though she remained silent and just absorbed the entire exchange, the air surrounding her screamed that she carried a special identity as well, equal of Captain King¡¯s identity if not more.


    Maybe it was the way they previously saw her marching out with the others following her, or the way she easily killed those zombies as if she was slicing butter. Or maybe it was the way she was leading the others in her team, everything about her screamed superiority and power.


    This realization made them take notes within their hearts - other than not offending their Captain Cool, they also needed to make sure that they wouldn¡¯t end up offending this mysterious woman.


    Davian barely responded much to the enquiries of the young soldiers and just reminded the seniors to fortify the Greenstone Residential Area against the zombies.


    "Since this is a residential area, not many zombies appeared here because most people were inside their houses during the rain and didn¡¯t get infected by the virus. This will make your work easy. Check each buildings to make sure that no zombie is left before sealing off the main gates of the residential area."


    "Yes, sir!" The seniors replied with salutes, not even questioning Davian¡¯s suggestion despite him no longer being a part of the military.


    "Let¡¯s head inside... Mrs. parker." This time, Davian¡¯s words were directed at none other than Grace who was completely taken aback by the title.


    She didn¡¯t even got the time to react properly as he took hold of her hand and started walking back toward Building K12 while their team followed.


    On the other hand, the soldiers were left just as dumbfounded. While some of them were already realizing that this particular woman seemed to have a special identity, nothing could have prepared them for the sudden revelation.


    No wonder they noticed Captain King looking at the woman with so much warmth and care in his eyes. So, she was the rumored Mrs. Parker.


    The world had been hearing rumors about the mysterious Mrs. Parker for the past five years. But only those who were close to Davian King Parker knew whether this woman actually existed or not. Finally, they not only got to confirm but even saw the lady boss in real life.


    This only confirmed the doubts of those who were contemplating on Grace¡¯s identity. After learning that she was the wife of Davian King Parker, they were sure that she was no normal woman either since it was also rumored that his wife was someone with equal power and status as him.

 Chapter 154: Zombie Points (I)

    Grace crossed her arms as she leaned against the hallway wall of the twenty-second floor, right outside Unit 2203. Her sharp emerald eyes locked onto Davian as she accused, "You pulled that stunt on purpose."


    Davian came to a stop only couple of feet away from her, and waited as the rest of the team disappeared inside the apartment despite wanting to stay outside so that they could enjoy the show that was about to begin.


    A faint smirk appeared on Davian lips while he watched her in silence for the next few moments. He didn¡¯t back down, neither did he even pretended to be innocent. "What stunt are we talking about, Mrs. Parker?" His voice was deep, teasing, and utterly infuriating.


    Grace¡¯s gaze sharpened at his clear challenge. He was sour about something, and that was why he was being like this. "You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about. Announcing that to the soldiers without so much as a heads-up? What were you thinking?"


    "I was thinking," he drawled and his smirk widened as he stepped closer, "that you looked far too entertained watching me deal with them. You didn¡¯t even bother to help."


    So this is why. The realization finally hit Grace, but she didn¡¯t let it show and retutned, "Because it was your mess to deal with."


    She was trying her best to not focus on how his biceps were flexing under that tight shirt and calling for her attention. She never knew she could get this easily distracted by a man... or maybe it was just him.


    "Oh, really?" Davian¡¯s eyes gleamed with challenge as he suddenly closed the distance between them, coming to stand so close that he was now towering over her. "Enjoying my misery, were you? Didn¡¯t think I would notice?"


    Grace opened her mouth to retort, but the words never came. Instead, Davian¡¯s hand shot out and cupped the back of her neck in a firm but controlled grip, pulling her to him. The next thing she knew, his lips were crashing down against hers.


    The kiss wasn¡¯t soft. It wasn¡¯t sweet. It was raw, demanding, intense, almost... punishing. His lips found hers with a hunger that sent her thoughts spiraling into chaos.


    Her hands instinctively pressed against his chest, but she didn¡¯t push him away. Instead, her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as his other hand slid to her waist, pulling her flush against him.


    She matched his fervor as her own complaints melted into the kiss. Their breaths got mingled. His lips moved against hers, coaxing and taking all at once. The heat between them was undeniable, burning away the thin line of restraint she had been trying to maintain.


    Davian¡¯s teeth grazed her lower lip, earning a sharp intake of breath from her before he deepened the kiss. His tongue claimed hers in a heated dance. The hallway seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them, locked in this fiery exchange.


    When he finally pulled back, both of them were breathless. His gaze held hers, looking dark and filled with something primal.


    "I don¡¯t like owing anyone," he murmured in a rough voice while his lips hovered just above hers.


    Grace blinked while her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. She didn¡¯t trust herself to speak, not when her mind was still spinning and her knees felt weak.


    He released her slowly, and his expression shifted to their usual calmness. "Now, let¡¯s head inside before the others get any more ideas."


    And yet, Grace stayed rooted in place for a moment. Her lips were tingling, and her heart was racing. She hated how easily he could throw her off balance - but hated even more how much she¡¯d enjoyed it. Or did she really hate it?


    Pushing away these thoughts, she quickly fixed her own expression and followed after him.


    Inside the apartment, the rest of the team was lounging around the living area. At the sound of the door opening, all eyes immediately turned to Grace and Davian. There was no doubt that some certain team members had filled the others on whatever was going on outside.


    For a brief moment, the room was silent... then someone finally chose to comment.


    "Finally," Rune said, leaning back against the couch. "Thought you two were going to take all day out there."


    Grace shot him a glare. "Don¡¯t start, Rune."


    Aleena smirked as she decided to join the fun. "Relax, boss. We didn¡¯t get to see anything... too interesting."


    "Enough," Davian said, his authoritative tone silencing the teasing. "We have got work to do before we head out tonight."


    The room immediately shifted into focus. Grace sighed, grateful for the change in atmosphere.


    * * *


    [Congratulaions Host for successfully completing the task!]


    [Points earned: 11,000]


    Grace let out a small sigh as she silently accepted the small amount of points she earned from Round 1.


    Instead of heading out immediately with the second team for Round 2, she and Davian decided that it was better to wait and observe the situation for the time being.


    In the meantime, they worked on preparing the team.


    "Focus on the weak points," Grace instructed, standing at the front of the room with her arms crossed. "The head is your primary target. But if you can¡¯t get a clear shot, aim for the legs to slow them down. Never waste energy on body shots - they don¡¯t work."


    Davian took over from where she stopped. "This isn¡¯t just about individual skills. You need to work as a unit. Zombies are predictable when they are alone, but in a group, they are very dangerous. Stay in formation, cover each other¡¯s blind spots, and don¡¯t break ranks." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To demonstrate, the two of them even ran a mock drill, moving seamlessly together. Their movements were fluid, almost synchronized, as they dispatched imaginary enemies with precision.


    The team watched in awe, not only because their two leaders knew exactly what they were doing but also because the chemistry between them was undeniable.


    As the sun dipped below the horizon, the second team was fully geared up and ready for their first mission.


    2025 displayed a map of the city on the digital screen as it explained, "I have located a cluster of approximately fifty zombies. The area is a commercial zone near the edge of the Greenstone Residential Area. There are no signs of survivors. Go ahead and proceed with caution."

 Chapter 155: Zombie Points (II)

    The living room of Unit 2203 was filled with absolute silence as everyone watched Davian opening the portal to the area the second team was heading to fight the zombies.


    Because they had spent several weeks travelling around the Sunspire City to collect supplies from the abandoned malls, supermarkets, retail stores, and factories, Davian could open a portal almost on any street around the city. Hence, they didn¡¯t have to worry about how they were going to head to the location 2025 had chosen for the second round.


    It barely took a few seconds before Davian was done opening the portal. The glowing circle revealed a dark, desolate street on the other side. The outside world had already turned dark, and there was no electricity. This led to the entire Sunspire City to fall into the grasp of pure darkness during night hours.


    But this darkness wasn¡¯t a big deal for Grace and her team as they all could clearly see even in the pitch darkness of the night because of their now enhanced eyesight.


    Unfortunately, the darkness barely made any difference to the zombies as they have limited vision even in the daylight. They relied on their other senses to hunt.


    One by one, the team stepped through the portal and emerged into the eerie silence of the abandoned zone.


    "Are we by chance... at the wrong place?" Griffin asked as his eyes scanned the empty streets around them. The hoard of fifty zombies that 2025 mentioned couldn¡¯t be seen anywhere.


    "They might be inside the buildings." Davian responded as his own eyes shifted at Grace, wanting to know what her next step was.


    Understanding that her team was getting inpatient, grace wasted no more time and quickly take out a bag of pig blood from her space before launching it in the air and stepping back with the rest of the team while Valeska shot the packet, making the blood splatter all over the place.


    At the same time, Rune used his power to spread the strong metallic scent of the blood across the street, tempting the zombies to finally come out.


    They might have waited for barely two minutes before they finally got to see the first two zombies who walked out of one of the nearby buildings.


    Grace and her team remained composed and waited, letting more to join the duo. Within minutes, zombies were scattered across the street. Some were shuffling aimlessly while others were probably trying to locate the source of the blood.


    The sight was grim, but it only hardened the team¡¯s resolve.


    "Formation," Grace ordered her team in a low but firm voice.


    The team spread out, each member taking their assigned position just like they practiced back in the safety of Unit 2203. Grace and Davian led the charge, their weapons were gleaming in the dim light. Rune, Ryan, Valeska, Amber, Griffin, and Seth fanned out behind them, their movements cautious but purposeful. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was at that moment when the zombies also noticed the presence of the group. The first zombie turned toward them. Its rotting face was twisted in a grotesque snarl. Grace didn¡¯t hesitate and her blade sliced cleanly through its skull.


    "Keep moving," she said, stepping over the corpse.


    The team advanced, putting their months of training evident into use as they moved in perfect sync and unison. Valeska¡¯s arrows flew with deadly accuracy, each shot finding its mark.


    On the other hand, Amber and Griffin worked together. Their teamwork was impeccable as they took down multiple zombies at once.


    Rune, however, chose a different approach. Instead of sticking with the group, he darted off on his own with his dual daggers flashing as he carved through the horde with alarming ease.


    For someone with his level of practice, power, and experience, it was just a piece of cake to take care of these zombies. He didn¡¯t use his powers even once and only stuck to his twin daggers that seemed to know exactly what they had to do.


    As the battle raged on, Grace and Davian demonstrated the power of their teamwork. Though they barely got to fight alongside one another in the previous timeline, they still had some kind of understanding between them that made them the perfect duo.


    They moved like a well-oiled machine, their attacks complementing each other perfectly. When a zombie lunged at Grace from behind, Davian¡¯s blade was there to intercept it.


    "Careful," he said while pulling her by his side.


    "I had it under control," Grace shot back, taking out another zombie in front of her.


    Meanwhile, Rune was racking up kills at an impressive rate. His movements were almost theatrical, each strike precise and devastating. But his overconfidence soon led to trouble.


    A particularly large zombie, its grotesque body covered in jagged spikes, lunged at him from the shadows. Rune dodged the first attack but was caught off guard by the creature¡¯s speed.


    "Rune!" Grace shouted, rushing toward him.


    Before she could reach him, Davian appeared out of nowhere and his sword sliced through the zombie¡¯s neck in one swift motion.


    "Showoff," Rune muttered, though his gratitude was evident.


    Davian smirked. "Stick to the group next time."


    The two of them didn¡¯t get to continue with their banter as more zombies headed their way. By the time the last zombie fell, the team was exhausted but victorious. The street was littered with decaying corpses, the stench almost unbearable.


    "Good work, everyone," Davian said as he surveyed the carnage.


    Grace nodded, though her gaze lingered on Rune. "We will talk later," she said, her tone making it clear that his actions hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed.


    Rune sighed but nodded, knowing better than to argue.


    As they prepared to return to the Residential Area, Grace glanced at Davian.


    "You think they are ready to face the zombies on their own?"


    Davian¡¯s expression was thoughtful. "They are getting there. But I think that we should still do more field training with them before leaving them on their own."


    Grace nodded, her own thoughts matching his "Then lets keep pushing."


    With that, the team stepped back through the portal, heading back to their residents for the much needed showers or baths...!

 Chapter 156: Zombie Points (III)

    Ding!


    [Congratulations on completing the quest!]


    [Points earned: 70,000]


    Grace¡¯s eyes grew wide the moment she saw the number. There were only about fifty zombies in the area and killing each one would have earned them either 500 or 1000 Points based on their method of killing. And yet, she was seeing so many points being added to her account.


    "How?" She demanded an explanation from 2025.


    "It¡¯s all thanks to Rune. The daggers he was using were some sort of magical items, and the system gifted him 2000 points for his each kill. He alone killed 22 zombies tonight." 2025 answered while gazing in Rune¡¯s direction for a fleeting moment.


    Grace was surprised by the revelation. Her gaze also shifted to Rune and she immediately gave up on the idea of reprimanding him for not sticking to the group and charging into the hoard on his own.


    Though she knew that he was powerful and could handle himself, she still couldn¡¯t help but worry about him as she knew just how bad the situation with these zombies could get. But now as she looked at the number of points she earned thanks to him, her wheels of her brain were already shifting in another direction.


    If he wanted to go out and kill some of those dead creatures, then she shouldn¡¯t be stopping him, right?


    While she was busy making up these sinister plans in her brain, the rest of the team was slowly heading out to their respective units as the field training had come to an end for the day.


    It was seven in the evening and Grace was feeling hungry. So, she dismissed 2025 and the digital screen before she also moved to head out to her own apartment.


    "Let¡¯s have dinner together. We will be heading over to your place after our shower." Davian informed her as she came across him, Dr. Kian, and Rune talking outside in the hallway.


    While Dr. Kian was neatly dressed, Rune and Davian looked like a mess just like her after killing all those zombies just minutes ago. The three of them badly needed a shower. And let¡¯s not even talk about the mess they had created on the floors of Unit 2203, the hallway outside, and will continue creating all the way to their respective units on the 21st floor.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Boss. We will take care of all this mess while you will be having a romantic candle light dinner with you lo-" Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest of the words never made their way past Aleena¡¯s lips as Grace sharp and deadly glare landed on the woman, immediately silencing her. The woman motioned zipping her lips and only then did Grace returned her attention to the trio of men still waiting for her response.


    "I¡¯ll be waiting then." Saying that, she turned around to head to her apartment, but not before sparing another warning look at Aleena. However, both of them knew that the latter wasn¡¯t going to stay silent for too long.


    The moment Grace was out of sight, Aleena took out her phone and sent a message in the group chat where there was no sign of the two bosses, Dr. Kian, or Rune, just the peasants.


    [It looks like our Lady Boss will be having a romantic candlelight dinner tonight.]


    It didn¡¯t take even five seconds before replies were flooding in.


    [Nina: Who¡¯s the lucky guy this time?]


    [Kevin: I¡¯m sure it¡¯s King. Considering how good of a cook he is, I¡¯m sure my Boss will take him up for a dinner date at any given time. Catch here is that he will be the one doing the cooking.]


    [Seth: I think it¡¯s Rune this time. That dude has been on his best performance all this time. I think he derves a reward from the Boss.]


    [Amber: Oh no! I want it to be Dr. Kian. Like please! Our hot and handsome doc needs some attention from the Boss.]


    Aleena finished reading through the replies before she shook her head and quickly typed back -


    [It¡¯s a special day today because the heavens have decided to answer all of your requests. King, Dr. Kian, and Rune - all three of them are joining Boss for dinner.]


    [Jasper: Good luck to all three of them. I wish them nothing but success.]


    [Silas: I¡¯m on King¡¯s side, but I¡¯ll respect Boss¡¯ decision in the end because that¡¯s what King told us to do.]


    [Valeska: Oh! I¡¯m on King¡¯s side too. I know that he will get Boss¡¯ heart with his sincerity and efforts.]


    Before anyone else could have commented, someone suddenly dropped a red packet in the group chat, taking everyone by surprise.


    And without giving them any time to recover, that person dropped another red packet.


    However, as people finally pulled themselves together and decided to accept the packets before anyone else could, they realized both the packets belonged to someone.


    [Red Packet: a custom-made handgun - Silas]


    [Red Packet: a pair of twin secret weapons - Valeska]


    It took people a few very long seconds to realize exactly who the person was behind these sudden red packets, and their answer came by checking the chat of both Silas and Valeska. Both of them supported a certain person who seemed to have infiltrated in the group chat.


    On the other side, in a certain apartment on twenty-first floor, Grace was busy preparing dinner while having no idea what her subordinates and the man, standing not far from her, were doing at that moment.


    "Davian, what are you doing on that phone. Come here and help me with the sauce." She called out for help when she noticed him staring at his phone with a bright smile on his lips. She found herself wondering what made him look this happy.


    Davian immediately put his phone aside and was next to her within seconds. He took over the spatula from her hand and motioned her to move so that he could take over the job.


    At that very moment, Rune and Dr. Kian entered the apartment.

 Chapter 157: Late Night with the Doctor (I)

    The air inside Grace¡¯s apartment was filled with the aroma of the dishes that she and Davian were preparing for the dinner. They had prepared cheesy garlic bread, cucumber salad, chicken bulgogi, wontons, fried sushi rolls, corn soup, and finally creamy garlic sauce potatoes.


    Since the gas supply had been cut off and they still needed to cook, Grace took out the LPG cylinders from the stock and distributed them in the apartments of her team mates and set up one in her own kitchen to keep cooking.


    One such cylinder was enough to cook for an entire month at the rate of cooking she was doing on it every day. And she had about twenty thousand LPG cylinders stored in the warehouse. Just like she got all the fuels, weapons, and some of her pets through illegal means, these cylinders also came from her illegal contacts.


    While she and Davian were cooking, Dr. Kian and Rune were busy setting up the dining table. Once all the dishes were ready, the two helped in setting up the food on the table before all four of set down to enjoy the delicacies.


    "I have something to make this dinner even better." Rune confessed before they could have begin eating.


    As all three pairs of eyes turned toward him, he took out a box from somewhere, probably from the space inside his ring, and placed it in the very center of the dining table.


    "Is that a cake?" Grace asked as she took in the beautiful round thing sitting inside the transparent plastic box.


    "That¡¯s right. This cake is the only thing I know how to make. I used to make it with my master." Rune answered as he fixed his gaze on Grace.


    She could tell that the cake meant a lot to him and carried so many memories. She was actually surprised that he was sharing it with all of them. She smiled at him warmly as she said, "Thank you."


    "Indeed. Thank you for the cake. I¡¯m sure it will taste just as good as it¡¯s looking." Dr. Kian added, looking genuinely excited about tasting the cake once they would be done with the dinner.


    The smile that immediately bloomed on rune¡¯s lips made Grace realize that it was his way of trying to be a part of the group, to show his sincerity and efforts.


    Ever since he revealed all his secrets and got a second chance to prove his loyalty and worth toward her and the team, Grace had noticed all the efforts he had been putting in consistently.


    "Lets dig in." She said and all four of them wasted no further time to enjoy the food. It was such a great dinner with all the good dishes, wine, and finally the cake that was beyond perfect and delicious.


    "I can see you both as renowned chefs in some parallel universe. You both are way too good at cooking to not use that talent to bless common people like us with those delicious food." Dr. Kian complimented as the men prepared to take their leave.


    Grace just smiled while Davian just shook his head at the thought of being a chef. The fact that he had never cooked for anyone but himself nearly all his life, but was constantly cooking for twenty plus people on daily basis these days - was already too much to handle.


    "Good night. I will meet you guys in the morning." Rune was the first one to take his leave.


    Grace noticed that Dr. Kian was about to leave next, so she quickly stopped him. "Doc, please stay for a while, I need to talk to you about something."


    Dr. Kian appeared slightly surprised for a moment, but then he nodded his head in understanding and stayed behind while Davian turned to face Grace.


    "Then I will take my leave first. Go to bed once you will finish talking. Good night, Dr. Kian. Good night, Grace." His voice was filled with that rare warmth that he only used while talking to Grace.


    "Good n-"


    She failed to finish the word as Davian took her by complete surprise by wrapping his hand around her nape and pulling her closer to place a kiss on her forehead. It happened too quickly, and she barely got enough time to process it, let alone react, before he was already pulling away.


    He looked down into her eyes and smiled warmly at her before he gave Dr. Kian a nod and left. Grace just stood there and watched as he disappeared from her sight moments later.


    "Should we head back inside?" Dr. Kian asked when she didn¡¯t move even after Davian was gone.


    Grace quickly pulled herself together and headed back inside the apartment, closing the door behind her. She and Dr. Kian returned to the living room and settled down on the couches facing each other. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What is it that you want to talk about?" Dr. Kian asked once they were seated.


    "Even though we are currently occupied with the field trainings, we still have another important task to handle - finding more information on the plants that absorbed Shadow Rain. I did found some plants before blood rain happened and 2025 is currently running test on them. But it wants us to search for more special plants like the three we previously found." Grace started explaining the matter at hand.


    Dr. Kian looked thoughtful and a moment later, he asked, "The Blood rain has already happened. Can we still found such plants?"


    Grace nodded her head in a positive response before adding, "Unlike the Shadow rain that happened in nearly all the countries located in the northern hemisphere, the Blood rain only happened in certain areas. So, we can still look for these plants in the areas that are still safe from the Blood Rain¡¯s virus. Besides, we might also need to find some plant samples infected by Blood rain to see how they have been infected this time."

 Chapter 158: Late Night with the Doctor (II)

    Minutes turned into hour as Grace and Dr. Kian studied the recent report 2025 provided them of its ongoing study on the plants affected by the Shadow Rain.


    While they were sitting opposite one another when they began, now they had shifted on the same couch and were sitting side by side.


    Every now and then, their shoulders would brush against each other¡¯s in the slightest, their thighs would graze a little before they would pull away as unexplainable feelings started blooming deep within their bodies. And despite all this, both of them kept a calm expression on their faces as they discussed their future plans.


    It was completely beyond Grace¡¯s understanding on how the serious atmosphere ended up turning into its current tensed one.


    "Let¡¯s head out tomorrow night. We will begin our search from the mountains of Country S. Other than volcanic winter, that place is safe from other dangers for the time being." Grace said once they were done studying the last report file.


    Dr. Kian nodded his head in understanding before he thought of something and asked to confirm. "Am I going to fight the zombies tomorrow?"


    The expression on his face made Grace smile. It was easy to tell that he wasn¡¯t looking forward to that experience after going through it once.


    "Don¡¯t give me that look. I¡¯m just not too good with fighting." Dr. Kian tried to defend himself. As a doctor, killing was his least favorite, even when it came to zombies.


    Grace could understand his situation, but she also knew what the situation needed. She turned to face him fully as she spoke, "Trust me, Doc, if I could keep you away from killing, I would have done my absolute best to do it. But keeping you hidden in my bases isn¡¯t what I want. I need you to learn how to survive in the current world, and for that... you need to start killing too before thinking about saving a life. I hope that one day you will be able to protect yourself out there even if you won¡¯t have me by your side."


    "Are you planning to abandon me?" Dr. Kian asked as soon as he heard the last sentence.


    "What? No! That¡¯s not what I mean. Is that all you focused on?" She asked, not expecting him to completely miss the point she was trying to make him understand.


    "Well... you surprised me with that..." he mumbled, his gaze lowering as he felt slightly embarrassed.


    The smile returned to Grace¡¯s lips as she watched another new side of the handsome, confident, and calm Dr. Kian whom she met over four months ago. Before even realizing that she was doing it, her hand reached out to ruffle his hair.


    However, before her fingers could have met those silky strands, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her mid-way.


    Everything happened too suddenly, and the two of them sat frozen while their eyes were fixed on each other. Neither of them said a word, but their eyes seemed to be saying a lot.


    Grace¡¯s initial shock melted into something deeper as her gaze flickered to his lips and back to his eyes. She knew she should pull away, but the magnetic pull between them was undeniable.


    And she wasn¡¯t the only one feeling that pull. Dr. Kian was equally captivated. The hesitation in his expression betrayed his internal conflict, but his hand never let go of her wrist. Instead, his fingers tightened slightly, as if anchoring her in place, preventing her from retreating.


    "I wasn¡¯t going to hurt you," Grace said softly in a voice that was barely above a whisper.


    "I know," he replied. His deep voice came low too, almost husky. His thumb unconsciously brushed against the delicate skin of her inner wrist, sending a shiver up her spine.


    The tension between them thickened like the oppressive air before a storm. Grace felt her heartbeat quickening, and she was certain Dr. Kian could hear it in the silence of the room. The logical part of her mind screamed at her to put distance between them, to focus on the mission ahead, but every other part of her wanted to close the gap.


    "Grace¡­" Dr. Kian began, but his voice trailed off.


    "Yes?" she asked. Her tone was soft now, vulnerable in a way she rarely allowed herself to be.


    He didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, his free hand moved as though guided by instinct, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. His fingers lingered near her cheek. The touch was light but electrifying. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without even thinking about it, Grace found herself leaning into the touch. Her breath got caught as the distance between them seemed to shrink.


    "Tell me to stop," he said. His voice was strained while his eyes searched hers for a sign.


    She could have told him to stop. She could have turned her head, broken the moment, and returned to their usual dynamic. But she didn¡¯t.


    Instead, she whispered, "Don¡¯t."


    That single word was all it took. Dr. Kian closed the remaining distance between them, and his lips brushed against hers in a tentative kiss. It was soft at first, as if testing the waters, but the moment their lips met, the tension that had been simmering finally exploded.


    Grace tilted her head slightly, and let her free hand slide up to his shoulder as she deepened the kiss. Dr. Kian released her wrist, and his now-free hand moved to cup her cheek as he pulled her closer. The tentative kiss quickly turned into something far more intense, fueled by weeks of unspoken feelings and the constant danger they faced.


    Her fingers threaded through his hair, tugging gently as his lips moved against hers with increasing fervor. Dr. Kian¡¯s other arm moved to wrap around her waist before he pulled her flush against him. The world outside ceased to exist. There was no Shadow or Blood Rain, no zombies, no mission - only the two of them, caught in a whirlwind of passion.

 Chapter 159: Late Night with the Doctor (III)

    After so many days of continous rush, work, and tension, Grace found herself finally getting lost in the moment that was completely different.


    Her usual guarded demeanor fell away as she allowed herself to enjoy the moment. Dr. Kian¡¯s kisses were demanding yet tender, as though he was both claiming her and reassuring her. And she responded with equal intensity, matching his passion with her own.


    Neither of them noticed as minutes passed while their mouths and hands continued to explore each other. They shifted on the couch only for their bodies to get further entangled.


    Grace let her hands roam over his broad shoulders and firm chest, tracing the fine muscles he seemed to have built during his weekly hours in the gym. He wasn¡¯t as toned as Rune or Davian, but he sure had taken care of the fine body he got.


    While her hands were busy exploring him, Dr. Kian was doing the same with her. One of his hand slipped under her woolen top, his fingers tracing her spine and leaving trails of heat in their wake.


    Grace moaned softly into the kiss, arching her spine which pressed her even more against his body.


    When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily. Grace¡¯s cheeks were flushed, and her heart was racing as she stared at Dr. Kian. His hair was mussed from her fingers, but his eyes were dark with desire as they locked onto hers.


    Neither spoke for a long moment, and the silence was filled only with their ragged breaths. Finally, it was Dr. Kian who broke the quiet. "That was¡­ unexpected."


    A smile immediately bloomed on Grace¡¯s lips and she found herself replying - "You can say that again."


    The two of them just stared at each other as the weight of what had just happened slowly sank in.


    Slowly, Grace reached up to fix his hair that she had messed up. "I guess this is what happens when you are stuck together during an apocalypse." The statement was more for herself than Dr. Kian, but she noticed him smirking right before he leaned in to brush another kiss against her lips, this one softer but no less meaningful.


    "If this is the result, maybe being stuck together isn¡¯t so bad after all." He whispered against her lips before placing another soft kiss on her lips.


    This time when they pulled away, he was ready with a proposal she wasn¡¯t accepting to face all of a sudden.


    "Grace, be my girlfriend."


    He said that so softly and suddenly that she almost missed it, if not for the silence that was filling the living room. She just sat there while staring at him in shock, struggling to believe that she hadn¡¯t misheard.


    She knew that she had stretched the silence to an uncomfortable limit, but Dr. Kian still sat there patiently, waiting for her response. Gently and slowly, she retracted her arms that were circling his neck, and felt the disappointment that his body ended up revealing even before he hid it on his face.


    He thought she was going to refuse.


    Instead of pulling away completely, Grace let her hands found his to hold while she fixed her gaze on his face and spoke, "You are a great person, Dr. Kian. Having you as my boyfriend will be such a wonderful thing to happen to me, but..."


    She had to stop for a moment to collect her thoughts and she noticed how he was looking so lost while waiting to hear her excuse for rejecting him.


    "... you might already know that... you aren¡¯t the only man in my life right now." Finally, she said it out loud. She took in a deep breath before continuing, "Though I¡¯m not dating either of them, we are... still very much connected. I don¡¯t want to hurt you-"


    "I don¡¯t mind." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest of the words didn¡¯t make it past her lips as she was left completely stunned by what he just said. "What... do you mean?" She asked while her heartbeat once again picked up their speed, but this time for an entirely different reason.


    Dr. Kian fixed his gaze right on hers as he explained, "I mean that I don¡¯t mind you having a relationship with either Rune or Davian,... or both of them. I¡¯m ready to accept them in your life. So... don¡¯t use them to reject me."


    Grace could hardly believe him. Even though this was exactly what she desperately wanted to hear, actually hearing it sounded so weird. "Do you know what you are even saying? Polymary... it¡¯s about you sharing the person you love with other people involved. Can you really do it?"


    While she did like him and would have loved to accept his proposal, there were still some important matters that she needed to clear before that. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him.


    Dr. Kian nodded without hesitation, his dark blue eyes filled with sincerity. "I know exactly what I¡¯m saying, Grace. I have thought about this... probably more than I should have. This world isn¡¯t normal anymore, and love doesn¡¯t always fit into neat little boxes. If having you in my life means accepting Rune and Davian in yours, then so be it."


    Grace stared at him, trying to process his words. The confidence in his voice surprised her, but the vulnerability in his gaze tugged at her heart. He wasn¡¯t saying this casually - he truly meant it.


    She searched his face as she whispered, "You make it sound so simple."


    "It¡¯s not," he admitted while brushing his thumb over her knuckles as he held her hands. "But nothing about this world is simple anymore. The apocalypse stripped away the luxury of waiting or pretending. I know how I feel about you. I have known it for a while now, and I¡¯m tired of ignoring it."


    Grace felt a lump form in her throat. She wasn¡¯t used to this kind of honesty, this kind of vulnerability. The men in her life were usually guarded, keeping their feelings hidden behind walls of duty, pride, or fear. But here was this man, laying it all out in front of her, asking for a chance.


    Could she really say yes?

 Chapter 160: Kissing His Girlfriend

    "I don¡¯t want to hurt you," Grace repeated, her voice trembling slightly.


    "You won¡¯t," Dr. Kian said firmly. "At least, not intentionally. And if it gets too much for me, I¡¯ll tell you. But for now, all I¡¯m asking is a chance. A chance to be a part of your life in a way that matters."


    His words hit her like a tidal wave. She had been prepared for rejection, for anger, for a dozen different outcomes, but not this. Not his unwavering acceptance.


    "I... I don¡¯t know what to say," she admitted in a voice that was barely above a whisper.


    "Say yes," he said simply.


    Grace looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of doubt or hesitation, but there was none. He was serious, completely and utterly serious.


    A part of her wanted to say no, to push him away for his own good. But another part, the part that had longed for connection and understanding in this broken world, wanted to say yes.


    Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke. "Okay," she said. And this time, her voice was steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her. "Yes."


    Dr. Kian¡¯s face lit up with a mixture of relief and joy. "You won¡¯t regret this," he promised and his hands squeezed hers gently as if to assure her of his promise.


    "I hope not," she said with a soft smile, though her heart was still racing.


    For a moment, they just sat there, basking in the newfound intimacy between them. The air felt lighter as the tension from earlier was now replaced with a warmth that spread through Grace¡¯s chest.


    "So," she said after a moment, breaking the silence. "What now?"


    Dr. Kian smiled at her before he leaned closer until their faces were just inches apart. "Now," he said, his voice low and teasing, "I get to kiss my girlfriend again."


    Before Grace could respond, his lips were on hers, and the world faded away once more.


    This kiss was different from the first one - still intense, but with a newfound sense of belonging, of promise. She found herself melting into him, her arms wrapping around his neck once again as she kissed him back with everything she had.


    In that moment, the apocalypse didn¡¯t matter. The dangers lurking outside didn¡¯t matter. All that mattered was the man in front of her and the connection they had just begun to explore.


    When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless but smiling. She rested her forehead against his and waited for her heart to calm down.


    "Have you talked about this with either Rune or Davian yet?" Dr. Kian suddenly asked after a few minutes of silence.


    Grace pulled back to look at his face before shaking her head in a negative response. "I have been thinking about doing it, but haven¡¯t till now. Ever since Rune¡¯s matter, we have been keeping some distance. And as for Davian, I just..."


    She trailed off as she couldn¡¯t make herself voice out her insecurities. She wasn¡¯t afraid about talking about this matter with either Rune or Dr. Kian, but every time she thought about Davian, she felt like she would be letting him down if she asked him to share her with two other men.


    He had already done so much for her, how could she ask for anything more?


    Dr. Kian studied her carefully, and his gaze softened as he seemed to sense her internal conflict. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before speaking.


    "Grace," he began gently, "you don¡¯t have to carry all of this on your shoulders. Rune and Davian are grown men. They have made choices to stand by you, haven¡¯t they? Don¡¯t underestimate their capacity to understand... or to love you as much as you deserve."


    She wanted to believe him, to trust that Rune and Davian would accept this new development in her life. For a moment, she could stop worrying about Rune since he had shown his agreement in the past, but...


    "Davian¡¯s different," she finally admitted quietly. "He¡¯s been with me through so much. He¡¯s... he has sacrificed more than I can ever repay. I don¡¯t want to take advantage of his feelings."


    Dr. Kian tilted his head and a thoughtful expression crossed his face. "Do you think he feels like you are taking advantage of him?"


    Grace frowned slightly as she considered the question. "No," she said after a moment. "At least, he has never said anything to make me think that. But still... I worry. He¡¯s already given up so much for me. How can I ask him to accept this too?"


    "You don¡¯t have to ask him for anything," Dr. Kian replied. "You just need to be honest with him. Let him decide how he feels. Don¡¯t assume his limits, Grace. That¡¯s not fair to him or to you."


    His logic made sense, but Grace¡¯s heart was still tangled in a web of doubt. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to calm the storm inside her.


    Dr. Kian didn¡¯t push her, giving her the space she needed. When she finally opened her eyes, she found him watching her with an expression that was equal parts patient and determined. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I feel like I have got a life coach in the form of my boyfriend." She teased, trying to lighten the atmosphere.


    Dr. Kian chuckled softly in response. "That¡¯s a good thing for you. You have got enough to worry about with the apocalypse. Your personal life shouldn¡¯t be one of them."


    Grace smiled lightly before she said, "I¡¯ll talk to them... as soon as possible."


    Dr. Kian nodded his head in understanding, not pushing her. "That¡¯s good. And don¡¯t forget, you have me here with you."


    His words wrapped around her like a warm embrace, easing some of the tension in her chest. She moved, closing the space between them before she pressed herself into his waiting arms.


    For the first time in what felt like forever, she was feeling like she finally had someone to call hers.


    Her very first boyfriend!

 Chapter 161: Something More Dangerous than Apocalypse

    "You are acting way too different to not make anyone suspicious of you." 2025 pointed out as Grace finished her skin and haircare routine, and got ready to begin the day.


    Unlike her usual dark clothes, she had picked dark blue jeans with a lemon colored woolen top today. While the change gave her look some colors, the clothes were still perfect for her to comfortably move around with ease. The sneakers she put on at the very end, completed her look.


    She was about to pull her waist long hair in a bun, but changed her mind and left it loose for the time being, something she hadn¡¯t done in months.


    Despite the situation, she was unable to ignore the need to get ready for the very first day of her... relationship. She had even put on her favorite lip tint.


    But as she stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror, she realized that 2025 was indeed right. She was looking... different. Even though there was a time when she used to wear luxury clothes, high heels, makeup, and all, she hadn¡¯t done that ever since the rain disaster happened and the world changed.


    A sigh escaped her lips and she asked 2025, "Should I change and just get ready like usual?"


    "Don¡¯t." 2025 replied in a calm voice. "While this might cause a few eyebrows to raise, I¡¯m sure Dr. Kian will be happy to see you like this. Let today be an exception... for the two of you."


    That¡¯s exactly what she wanted to hear, someone telling her that it was alright to do what she was doing. That she could be a little selfish for once and enjoy this new experience of her life.


    With that positive thought in mind, she stepped away from the mirror and walked out of the walk-in closet.


    This morning, the breakfast was to take place in Unit 2203 so that they could discuss the plan for the day. On her way out, she stopped by the kitchen to shift the big boxes of food inside the space that she prepared before shower, and headed to Unit 2203.


    It was Kevin who opened the door for her when she arrived, and the way he arched his eyebrows after seeing her, made Grace recall 2025¡¯s words. Still, she neither said anything nor reacted at all, and just walked past him.


    "Wow! Someone¡¯s shining so brightly this morning. Boss, are you trying to make all the guys here fall for you?" Aleena teased the moment she saw Grace.


    "That¡¯s the plan." Grace replied with a little wink, knowing that it was the only way to make everyone stop talking about her change in look.


    It worked as both Aleena and Kevin just smiled while shaking their heads and shifted their attention to the boxes Grace was taking out of the space and placing on the table.


    "What have you here for breakfast, Boss?" Nathan asked as he came to inspect the big boxes.


    "Pizzas." Grace answered, surprising everyone present in the Unit.


    "For breakfast?" Ryan questioned as he came to stand on her other side. They never had a pizza party for breakfast before.


    Grace shrugged her shoulders as she replied, "Well, the idea of enjoying some pizzas and colas right before going out to do some killing - sounded good to me."


    Nathan clicked his tongue, immediately agreeing with her plan. "You are absolutely right for this, Boss. And the pizzas are smelling delicious."


    "Thank you." Grace felt happy to know that the team appeared happy about the pizzas. Right at that moment, her attention was pulled toward the entrance of the unit as Dr. Kian, Rune, Davian, and the rest of the team arrived. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her gaze found the pair of deep blue orbs and her heart skipped a beat immediately. She could hardly process the way her body and heart was behaving at the sight of her... boyfriend.


    She never knew being in a real relationship felt like this.


    "Looking really nice." Rune was the first one to compliment her as he approached her and pulled her attention away from Dr. Kian. He came to stand where Nathan was just moments ago, next to her, and checked the boxes of pizzas before giving a nod of approval.


    "Are we getting any drinks with these?" He asked, reminding her that she hadn¡¯t taken out the colas yet.


    She first confirmed that everyone was alright with cola before she took out a box of cola cans from the space. Ryan and Rune helped her distributing the cans before they all settled down around the table to enjoy the breakfast.


    "No wonder you said that you will prepare the breakfast on your own." Davian said as he placed a piece of pizza in her plate.


    When they decided to have breakfast together the previous evening, he did offer to do the cooking, but she told him that she had it all planned. He was worried at first but eventually listened to her.


    Though preparing these big pizzas wasn¡¯t easy, Grace didn¡¯t have to do much except for heating them up in the microwave. With 2025¡¯s help, the pizzas were kept warm up until the boxes were opened at the table moments ago.


    For the next forty minutes, they all enjoyed the breakfast while making plans for the day. Since the two missions from the previous day earned them only about 100,000 points, Grace had come up with a great idea to kill more zombies and earn more points.


    Throughout the discussion, her gaze kept wandering toward Dr. Kian who was sitting on the first seat to her left, and almost every single time she found him looking back at her.


    The moment their gazes would met, they both would immediately look away with their faces on fire.


    "You two are being impossible." 2025 commented through the shared mind-link, being done with the first-seat experience of what was going on between these two people.


    "I can¡¯t help it. Do you think I¡¯m enjoying this?" Grace returned through the mind-link, being fully aware of just how out-of-character she was behaving.


    Love could really be dangerous... more than an apocalypse.

 Chapter 162: Davian Trusts Rune

    "I¡¯m not leaving your side." Davian declared the moment he heard her putting him in Team B.


    Grace turned to face him and tried to reason. "I know that you are worried about my safety, but you know that I can handle myself out there much better than any of them. Team B needs at least one of us and since I¡¯m in Team A, you need to take charge of Team B."


    She could see that he understood her very well, but his fear wasn¡¯t allowing him to agree to the plan. He shook his head, "Let¡¯s go with only one team. I¡¯m not letting you go out there on your own."


    "Davian, trust me - I will protect myself and will meet you here after the mission." She tried once again only for him to start shaking his head in denial all over again.


    "That¡¯s exactly what you said to me in the previous timeline and then ended up dy-" The rest of the words didn¡¯t make it past his lips as he forced himself to stop speaking, but she knew exactly what he was going to say. It also made her understand why he was so reluctant to let her go on missions all alone.


    Flashback -


    Previous Timeline


    "Thank you very much for your unnecessary meddling, Mr. Parker. But I will handle my matters on my own from here. I¡¯m capable of taking care of myself. No need for you to interfere."


    Grace threw these harsh and cold words at Davian before she closed the door of her bunker room on his face, not even giving him a chance to speak or explain why he was meddling in her life once again.


    She wanted him gone... and he did go away after this.


    End of Flashback


    Recalling that bitter memory made Grace smile softly, but the smile didn¡¯t make it to her eyes. She took hold of Davian¡¯s hand as she spoke, "I will not repeat my mistakes from the past." She wanted him to believe her.


    "You being with Team B makes me worry less about their safety. Though the vehicles we will be using are really compatible for this mission, the situation out there is still unpredictable. I want you to use a portal and help them all out if anything goes wrong. Please Davian."


    Before he could have replied, Rune appeared at their side and spoke, "You have my word - I will keep her safe."


    Grace watched as Davian stared at Rune for a long minute and the latter didn¡¯t break the eye contact for even a second. After what seemed like a silent exchange between the two men, Davian finally let out a sigh and nodded his head.


    "Alright then. Let¡¯s do it your way."


    The brief exchange as well as the response - both left her completely stunned. She could hardly believe that Davian got convinced by Rune¡¯s words instead of hers. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "When did you two became this close?" She asked, feeling left out.


    Neither the men gave her any answer and just smiled, exchanging another silent look before walking away.


    "..."


    She stared at the two men as they joined the two teams she had selected for the mission. She was so focused on them, that she completely missed the person walking up to her from behind until their hand took hold of her arm.


    She turned around and found Dr. Kian standing there, looking at her with such a gentle look in his eyes that she felt like abandoning everything and just staying with him.


    See! She did say that love seemed more dangerous than facing the apocalypse. While the latter was only playing with her life, the former seemed to be playing with her heart, body, soul, mind, and all.


    "Are you unhappy about being in Team B?" She asked, looking up into his eyes to study his expression.


    He slowly shook his head before answering, "I might actually start feeling happy if you will reveal the same reason behind this decision as the one I¡¯m thinking."


    His words made her arch her eyebrows high and she pursed her lips before letting out a small sigh and revealing the reason justice he wanted. "Having you in my team can be distracting."


    She was worried that he would feel wronged, but when she looked up at his face again, she actually found him smiling.


    "What?" She asked, confused by his reaction.


    He once again gave a small shake of his head before speaking, "I¡¯m just happy to know that I wasn¡¯t far from the truth." Before she could respond, he added, "Let¡¯s go. The others are waiting."


    They had to end their conversation there as the teams were indeed waiting for them. They joined the others and began finalizing the plan.


    * * *


    The mission began about half an hour later as two black customized SUVs left the underground parking of Building K12 and headed out of the Grrenstone Residential Area.


    While the stationed military hadn¡¯t been allowing anyone to either step out or inside the guarded area, they gave both the cars immediate way when they noticed the people inside.


    The plan was simple - to kill as many zombies as possible by running the car over them. One SUV was being driven by Grace and the other by Maven, both being expert drivers.


    Grace tightened her grip on the wheel as the vehicle tore down the crumbling streets. Her sharp eyes were scanning the road ahead, alert to the slightest movement. Next to her, Rune was sitting in the passenger seat and he was just as ready as her. They had two more members in the backseat - Nina and Jasper.


    "You have done this before, right?" Rune asked, breaking the tense silence.


    Grace smirked while she kept her gaze focused ahead. "Plenty of times. It¡¯s like mowing a lawn, except the grass tries to bite back."


    Rune chuckled, and so did the other two in the backseat. But the tension was still there, heavy in the air inside the vehicle.


    Rune glanced in the side mirror, watching the second SUV trailing closely behind. "He¡¯s still glaring at me, isn¡¯t he?"


    Grace risked a glance in the rearview mirror and chuckled softly. "You made a promise to him. Don¡¯t tell me you are scared of backing it up?"


    Rune¡¯s lips twitched. "Scared? No. But Davian¡¯s the type to hold grudges, and I don¡¯t want to give him one."

 Chapter 163: The Different Zombies

    Before Grace could have replied to Rune¡¯s statement, the walkie-talkie crackled to life.


    Barely a second later, Davian¡¯s familiar voice came through the device. "We have got movement. Two o¡¯clock, a horde heading straight for us."


    Grace¡¯s hands tightened on the wheel as she spotted the said incoming mass of zombies. They were fast, ravenous, and relentless. Their decayed bodies were jerking unnaturally as they surged toward the two SUVs.


    "Perfect," she muttered before adding, "Guys, hold on."


    Without hesitation, she slammed her foot on the accelerator. The engine roared as the SUV surged forward, aiming straight for the heart of the horde. The first impact was jarring as the reinforced bumper plowed through the creatures, sending limbs and torsos flying in grotesque arcs.


    Rune fired through the bulletproof glass of the sealed windows, his powers at work as all his shots found their marks with deadly precision. "This is insane," he muttered, though his tone was almost admiring.


    "Insane keeps us alive," Grace shot back. She glanced at the walkie-talkie. "Maven, keep close. We are pushing through!"


    "Copy that," Maven replied, his voice strained but focused. She knew that he could handle the situation, that¡¯s why he was out here with her in the place.


    The two SUVs moved as a deadly unit, cutting through the horde with brutal efficiency. Despite the chaos, Grace¡¯s mind was sharp, and her focus unwavering.


    The two vehicles barreled forward, crushing the undead beneath their reinforced tires. The guttural sounds of the zombies were drowned out by the roaring engines and the occasional click of Rune¡¯s gun.


    Grace felt her adrenaline spiking as she swerved to avoid a toppled streetlamp, her sharp reflexes keeping them on course.


    In the rearview mirror, she saw the second SUV following suit while expertly weaving through the chaos.


    "Left turn ahead," Rune directed as his eyes scanned the GPS map 2025 had provided them with.


    "Got it," Grace replied and then took the turn seconds later.


    The sound of crunching bones and shattering skulls filled the air as she plowed the vehicle through the horde. The bumper of the SUV was smeared with blackened blood and torn flesh, creating an unbearable sight.


    "This is beyond gross." Nina commented from the backseat when the remains of a zombie¡¯s brain got splattered across her side of window.


    "Don¡¯t tell me you are about to puke." Jasper almost sounded terrified as he spoke the words. In response, he received a deadly glare from the woman, and the conversation was forced to end there as the vehicle rocked violently as Grace performed a donut to shake off the zombies that were stuck to her SUV.


    Behind her, Maven¡¯s SUV mowed down zombies with precision. The tires screeched as he veered slightly, avoiding a crumbled section of the road before accelerating back into position.


    "Grace, we have got a thicker cluster up ahead," Rune warned, reloading his gun. He had been firing relentlessly, his shots aimed straight at the heads of the zombies. Each of his kill earned them 1000 points.


    "I see it." Grace pressed the accelerator harder. The horde ahead was denser. Their twisted, and decayed bodies were practically climbing over one another in their frenzy to reach the two vehicles.


    "Hold on tight. This is going to get rough." She warned her team as she prepared to meet the horde.


    Beside her, Rune braced himself and grabbed the door handle with one hand while keeping the other ready to shoot. The SUV lurched forward and slammed right into the mass of undead. The force sent bodies flying in all directions, and the sound of wet thuds and shrieks filled the air. The windshield was splattered with dark, viscous fluids, making it harder to see.


    "Wipers!"


    Rune immediately flipped the switch, and the reinforced blades scraped the gore away, allowing them to see the scene ahead.


    Behind them, Davian¡¯s voice crackled through the walkie-talkie. "We have got a split coming up. Which way?"


    Grace glanced at the GPS and noticed the fork in the road. One path was leading deeper into the city, where the terrain was narrower but potentially less crowded. The other was a straight shot to opposite direction and was crawling with more zombies as per the system¡¯s alert.


    "Take the left! It¡¯s tighter, but we can handle it," Grace ordered. Even if they were out to kill zombies, they needed to do it in a safe way.


    "Got it." Davian replied.


    Since their SUV was ahead hers, she watched as Maven swerved left as he reached the split. The tires skidded briefly before regaining traction. Grace followed, but the narrow road forced her to slow down slightly.


    And the zombies didn¡¯t let this chance slip. The smaller space funneled them directly toward the vehicles. Rune fired rapidly, his bolts striking heads and collapsing bodies, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stem the tide as he was the only one who could fire from within the protection of the vehicle.


    "Grace, we are getting overwhelmed!" he said, keeping his voice calm despite the overwhelming situation.


    "Not yet, we¡¯re not," Grace answered as she swerved sharply, sideswiping a group of zombies and sending them tumbling into a heap. "Rune, get ready for the flare gun. We might need it."


    Rune hesitated. "A flare gun?" He was confused and for all the right reasons.


    "It will distract them." She explained before adding, "Wait for my signal."


    At that moment, the second SUV¡¯s walkie-talkie crackled again, and Davian¡¯s voice filled the car. "We have got a problem. Right flank - fast movers!"


    Grace glanced in the side mirror and saw them - zombies moving at unnatural speeds. Their grotesque forms were a blur as they sprinted toward Davian¡¯s vehicle. Her stomach twisted as she realized that these weren¡¯t the typical shambling undead - they looked evolved, faster, deadlier.


    "Damn it," she muttered. "Maven, hold steady. Let me take the lead and follow."


    Rune fired a shot at one of the fast movers square in the chest, but it barely slowed down. "They are tougher than the usual ones," he muttered as he too noticed the difference. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 164: Back To Safety

    Ten seconds...


    Twenty...


    Forty...


    And then Grace was overtaking Maven¡¯s SUV to face the new horde of zombies first, keeping Team B as safe as she could.


    "Maven, swerve! Shake them off!" She directed through the walkie-talkie, and watched through the sideview mirror as Maven managed to do just as he was told, forcing some of the fast movers into the side barriers.


    One of them, however, leaped onto the hood of Maven¡¯s SUV and started slamming his hands against the windshield. At first, nothing happened, but then another joined him.


    "Shit!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was Nina who cursed from the backseat, but her thoughts matched perfectly with the other three who also witnessed the horrifying scene as s web of cracks appeared on the windshield.


    "Davian, get ready! Get everyone out if the situation shifts for the worse." Grace shouted into the walkie-talkie, feeling panicked for the first time in this mission as safety of Team B took over her thoughts.


    "Leave it to me. I¡¯m ready." Davian assured her from the other side, letting her know that he will not let anything to happen to Team B.


    "Maven, hold on. I have got you." She promised as she swerved her own SUV, bringing it alongside Maven¡¯s.


    "Rune, now!"


    As soon as she spoke the words, Rune took back to back two shots. The bolts pierced the zombies¡¯ heads, sending them tumbling off the hood.


    "Nice shot," Jasper said, his relief palpable.


    "Don¡¯t relax yet," Rune muttered.


    The horde was relentless, and the two SUVs were forced to slow further as the road narrowed once again. Grace could feel the weight of every decision pressing down on her. If they didn¡¯t push through soon, they would get heavily surrounded.


    "Rune, the flare gun. Now," she ordered.


    Rune didn¡¯t hesitate this time and grabbed the flare gun that Nina handed him. His magic worked perfectly and launched the flare through the window. The bright red light streaked upward before bursting. It¡¯s sudden and bright glow illuminated the area and immediately drew the zombies¡¯ attention.


    As expected, a large portion of the horde turned toward the flare, their instinctive hunger drawn to the light.


    "Move! Now!" Grace directed and slammed the accelerator.


    Both the SUVs surged forward, breaking through the thinning crowd of zombies. The reinforced vehicles held strong, their engines roaring as they sped toward the clearing ahead.


    Finally, the horde began to dwindle, and few minutes later, the last of the undead faded into the distance.


    Grace let out a shaky breath as the system showed the area being clear of zombies.


    "Everyone okay?" she asked over the walkie-talkie.


    "We are good." It was Maven who replied and then added with a soft chuckle, "Barely."


    Grace glanced at Rune and he gave her a nod, letting her know that he was ready for whatever she was planning to do next.


    "Good," she muttered while taking a quick look at Nina and Jasper who were clearly shaken from the experience.


    "Are we going to continue?" Davian asked from the other car.


    If it had been only her, she would have definitely continued with the mission. But the second vehicle was damaged and continuing the mission in such a situation could be dangerous.


    "No. Let¡¯s stop here for now and return." She announced.


    "Damn! I was beginning to enjoy it." Nina complained, but Grace could tell that the young woman was relieved about her decision.


    With the system¡¯s help, they found an abandoned parking lot nearby and climbed out of the SUVs. 2025 made sure that they were safe from any prying eyes as they prepared to return to the unit.


    Grace¡¯s gaze immediately found Dr. Kian and the man forced a smile to let her know that he was alright. But she could still tell that he was shaken up as his body appeared tensed.


    "I think I can fix this." Maven pulled her attention toward him and she watched as he channeled his power of object manipulation and fixed the glass of the second SUV.


    "Can anyone clean them?" Nina asked but Grace was already shifting the vehicles inside her space.


    "Don¡¯t worry. The system will bless them." She informed the young woman as Davian finished opening the portal.


    All eight of them stepped into the portal, returning to Unit 2203 of the Building K12 where the rest of the team members were waiting. As soon as they were back, they got bombarded with eager questions about how the mission went.


    Grace raised a hand to calm the eager chatter, her exhaustion evident despite her composed demeanor. "One at a time," she said firmly, her voice cutting through the chaos. "The mission went as planned, but there were a few¡­ complications."


    "Complications?" Kevin stepped forward and his sharp gaze quickly scanned her before moving to the rest of the group. "What kind of complications?"


    Grace gestured toward the team, allowing Maven to explain. "It seems like the zombies are evolving. We came across a particular group of them that were faster and stronger than the what we have faced before," he recalled in a grim tone. "Two of them managed to get on the hood of my SUV. If it weren¡¯t for Boss and Rune, we might not have made it out."


    Shock rippled through the room and Aleena stepped closer to inspect Maven. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.


    "I¡¯m fine," Maven reassured her, though his usual cocky smirk was missing. "The SUV took the brunt of it."


    Nina groaned as she sank into one of the chairs. "Those fast movers are a nightmare. I don¡¯t care how fun anyone thinks these missions are, I¡¯m not excited about seeing those things again."


    Grace scanned the room and her eyes lingered on each face from the two teams who went on the mission to ensure everyone was accounted for and safe.


    Finally, her gaze landed on Davian, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held a flicker of relief.


    "Good job out there," he said as she made her way to him. His voice was low enough for only her to hear.


    [Master-]

 Chapter 165: Mutated Plants (I)

    Grace was about to respond to Davian¡¯s praise when 2025 contacted her through the shared mind-link.


    "Master, you need to come here immediately."


    The urgency in the little creature¡¯s voice made Grace react first without asking any further question. She looked at Davian and quickly informed him. "Glow needs me for something. I¡¯ll be back later."


    He looked concerned but didn¡¯t delay her by asking any questions and just gave a nod of his head in understanding.


    Grace immediately made her way out of the apartment, heading downstairs to her own unit. While everyone in the team had come to know about the secret world inside her jade bracelet, they had never seen her actually entering that world and disappearing from the real one.


    And while she trusted everyone around her and knew they would always keep her secrets, there were still some things that she wanted to keep to herself... unless or until she felt otherwise.


    Once she was inside her apartment and had locked the metal gate behind her, she immediately stepped into the Infinite Realm.


    2025 was waiting for her in the backyard of the Villa where they had set up the three mysterious plants she found in the mountains of the Hillton City.


    Grace didn¡¯t even had to ask 2025 about what was going on as she noticed the digital screen that was showing that all three plants were ready for harvest.


    "All three of them? At the same time?" She asked, but 2025 was just as lost her. The system hadn¡¯t been able to come up with a fix period of time that any of the three plants needed to produce their harvest. That was why both of them were shocked to see the new system notification. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She also noticed that after being in her space for months, the plants had leveled up and looked way different than their original form.


    "Go ahead and harvest them. I want to see what they will produce. Maybe we will finally be able to learn more about these plants." 2025 spoke excitedly, urging Grace to harvest the three mysterious plants.


    Grace took in a deep breath and stepped forward, the digital screen appearing in front of her to offer her its aid. For each plant, it was showing two options - harvest, or to turn them into seeds.


    She hesitated as her mind raced, feeling that making the choice wasn¡¯t really easy. She turned her attention toward 2025 and asked, "What if these plants turned out to be real gems and we will have no way left to grow more of them? Shouldn¡¯t I choose option B then?"


    If she harvested the plants, there was no telling in what form the harvest world turn out. And if it would be in a form that couldn¡¯t be used to grow a new plant, then they would fail to harvest more of these produces in future, unless... they could find more of these similar plants in the outside world.


    Understanding her reason of concern, 2025 flew closer to the digital screen and started looking through the data and options available. After what seemed like forever, it finally spoke.


    "I¡¯m not sure if this will work or not, but here¡¯s an option for saving the plants for regrowing while harvesting the peoduce. This option is generally for the normal plants in the realm. So whether it will work on these three or not can¡¯t be said for sure. You need to take a gamble."


    The choice was indeed not easy. If she chose to harvest the plants, they might fail to regrow more of them in future. But if she chose to turn them into seeds or saplings, then they will lost their chance of learning more about these plants for next several days.


    And in their current situation, each passing day was very important.


    "Let¡¯s do it." She finally broke the silence, deciding to take on the gamble.


    2025 selected the option for ¡¯regrowing¡¯ before Grace took over and pressed the icon to harvest the first plant - the green one with yellow hue.


    Its leaves had turned into the shapes of stars and emerald had become heavier on its yellow hue. Its leaves were shimmering as though they held liquid sunlight.


    As soon as Grace selected the ¡¯harvest¡¯ option, the plant¡¯s glow intensified briefly before dimming and it disappeared from the pot.


    The very next moment, a vial filled with golden-green liquid was shown on the screen while the system processed it to find some new information on the mysterious plant.


    Both Grace and 2025 were holding their breaths as they waited. Before this, the system never took more than few seconds to process things, but this time, it seemed to be taking forever.


    "What if there¡¯s no data within the system related to anything close to these plants? Will it still be able to provide any information?" Grace asked as her intrusive thoughts started running wild.


    2025 immediately took over the job to defend its precious system. "Don¡¯t underestimate the system. It might be created by a human but it has been connected with a magical realm for decades. A lot has changed within the system, making it far more powerful than it initially was. There are still some secrets of the system that you haven¡¯t found out yet."


    The bold and confident statement made Grace arch her eyebrows high in question, but before she could have asked about what kind of secrets 2025 was talking about, they heard the digital sound of the system as it finished the processing.


    The very next second, a familiar mechanical voice filled the backyard.


    "Species confirmed. This plant is Verdant Starleaf with 79% Shadow Rain consumption. Upon full conversion, it can produce Essence of Renewal, a concentrated liquid that accelerates healing by 300% and strengthens immunity against minor infections. Rare but not entirely unique. Should be used sparingly to avoid dependency."


    And then... the backyard was filled with absolute silence as Grace was left completely stunned by the report. Even 2025 seemed taken aback.

 Chapter 166: Mutated Plants (II)

    "Did it just say... 79%?" Grace asked, turning her attention back to the little creature. While the rest of the information surprised her equally, she was unable to focus on anything else but the percentage.


    They had believed that the plants were unable to withstand more than 31% of Shadow Rain, and that was what their study so far had showed. But it seemed like they were far from the real truth.


    These plants didn¡¯t mutate because they consumed very little of the Shadow Rain. No! They mutated because they consumed insanely high amount of Shadow Rain and still succeeded in surviving somehow.


    "This is indeed crazy. Let¡¯s check the second plant." 2025 directed her to continue with the harvest before they would jump around with their new theories.


    Grace nodded her head and selected the ¡¯harvest¡¯ for the second plant - the blue one.


    Just like the emerald one, the blue one had changed a lot in appearance too. It was tallest among the three and its blue petals resembled the shards of sapphire.


    This plant too got surrounded by a bright light for a second or two before disappearing from its pot. The very next moment, a small vial filled with blue powered appeared on the digital screen.


    Once again, the system started its processing as it studied the harvest. This time, the wait ended quickly and the mechanical voice once again filled the backyard.


    "This plant is Sapphire Bloom with 71% of Shadow Rain consumption, and its harvest is Powder of Clarity. Its inhalation enhances mental focus and temporarily boosts cognitive function by 50%."


    Once again the percentage was surprising, but neither Grace nor 2025 commented on it. Instead, Grace went ahead and clicked the icon to ¡¯harvest¡¯ the third and final plant - the red one.


    The final plant was unlike the first two. Its previously crimson petals had turned darker to the point they were almost looking black with a crimson hue, and the plant had turned into a twisted vine that was emitting a faint silver glow.


    The plant got surrounded by the bright light before disappearing from its pot. The next moment, the vine appeared on the digital screen in its solidified form, looking like a crystalline rod.


    "This one is Eclipse Vine with 77% of the Shadow Rain consumption. It produces Moonlight Crystal, a unique item that can create a protective barrier capable of withstanding high-level attacks and purifies any harmful energy within a 10-meter radius."


    The mechanical voice announced the information it gathered after processing the harvest of the third and final plant.


    Grace watched as the screen changed and an updated report of the three plants appeared on it.


    System Update


    "Mutated Plants Database Expanded."


    [Verdant Starleaf]


    Level: 5


    Harvest: Essence of Renewal


    Properties: Accelerates healing, enhances immunity, rare but not unique.


    [Sapphire Bloom]


    Level: 4


    Harvest: Powder of Clarity


    Properties: Boosts cognitive function, excellent for strategic applications.


    [Eclipse Vine]


    Level: 8


    Harvest: Moonlight Crystal


    Properties: Provides protection and energy purification, one of the rarest known plants.


    -


    Grace let out a long exhale as she studied the updated system report. The new information wasn¡¯t just a breakthrough, it was a revelation.


    These plants had absorbed far more of the Shadow Rain than what they had assumed after studying a few sampled plants she picked from around the cities during her time out. Yet, these plants not only survived but thrived, becoming something extraordinary.


    "79%, 71%, and 77%," she murmured, her eyes fixed on the glowing screen. "These numbers aren¡¯t just high - they are unheard of. How did they even survive this?"


    2025 surfed through the previous and new reports before it finally presented a theory. "Let¡¯s say that these plants consumed those high percentages of the Shadow Rain and were in the process of mutation when we found them. They would have originally died out there, but they survived because they were shifted in here?"


    Grace stared at 2025, not being able to deny that while this sounded like a great answer to their questions, it was actually a crazy theory. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She didn¡¯t respond immediately, her mind was buzzing with all the questions and thoughts that were running around. After what felt like forever, she finally spoke. "I want you to list down all the types of study we might need to do after this to find out the truth."


    2025 accepted the task with a nod of its head before speaking, "We also need to test these harvests to see just how well they actually works. Let¡¯s see if you can find chances to test them."


    Grace nodded as she thought about how to test each of the three harvests. She would need to discuss the matter further with Davian and others to come up with a good plan.


    She carefully transferred the harvested items into the special storage compartment, ensuring they were securely stored for future use. Once done, she recalled another important matter. "Let¡¯s go and see if there¡¯s something left of the plants that could be used for regrowing them."


    The two approached the now-empty pots where the three plants had been growing. The soil was still shimmering faintly under the bright sunlight.


    Grace knelt beside the first pot, the one that had held the Verdant Starleaf, and sifted through the soil with her fingers.


    To her surprise, she found tiny root fragments embedded in the soil, glowing faintly with the same golden-green hue as the harvested liquid.


    "Look at this," she said, holding up a small piece of root for 2025 to see. "Do you think these fragments can be used to grow another plant?"


    2025 hovered closer while making the system scan the fragments in Grace¡¯s hand. While the system took its sweet time to analyze, Grace held her breath in anticipation of the result.


    After a moment, 2025 finally answered, "Potentially. These roots still contain traces of the plant¡¯s essence and genetic material. If we nurture them under optimal conditions, there is a chance they could regrow, though the process might take time."

 Chapter 167: Hollow Promises

    "What kind of optimal conditions?" Grace asked as she moved to carefully collect the remaining root fragments from all three pots, noting that each one still carried a faint glow corresponding to the plant it came from.


    The Sapphire Bloom¡¯s roots were sparkling with a soft blue light, while the Eclipse Vine¡¯s remnants were emitting a silvery aura. She placed the fragments into separate containers marked with their respective plant names.


    "The original plants absorbed the Shadow Rain and mutated. What we have here are the mutated remnants of those plants, I¡¯m sure regrowing them is going to take some extra efforts because they aren¡¯t the actual seeds that should have been used for growing more such plants." 2025 tried to explain the tiny issue they might face.


    The meaning was loud and clear - even though they had succeeded in saving the fragments of the roots which could be used to regrow the plants, there was still no confirmation that the result would turn out successful or not.


    Still, Grace didn¡¯t let the uncertainty dampen her thoughts. Even if they eventually failed to regrow the plants, this could be called a worthy loss as they found out a lot about these plants.


    All she needed to do was to give her all in searching for more of these plants.


    "What about the soil?" She asked 2025, pointing to the pots. "It looks like it still has some of the plants¡¯ energy. Should we reuse it?"


    2025 whirred thoughtfully. "The soil retains residual Shadow Rain and the unique energy signatures of the plants. Reusing it might enhance the growth of any new seeds or cuttings planted in it, but it could also alter their properties further. We would be entering uncharted territory."


    Grace nodded her head in understanding before shifting the three pots safely inside the shed built in one of the corners of the backyard.


    "I need to leave for now to discuss these matters with the team. I will return later. Let¡¯s work on regrowing these plants then." She told 2025 and received a nod of agreement in return.


    And with that, she stepped out of the Infinite Realm.


    * * *


    The meeting started right after lunch break and continued for over two hours before the team came up with new plans and schedules.


    Feeling mentally exhausted after the long meeting, Grace decided to take a break for the rest of the day.


    Returning to her unit, she headed into the kitchen and prepared a cup of herbal tea for herself.


    She also stretched her muscles before switching on her favorite playlist of soft instrumental music.


    She settled down on the couch in the living room with her tablet and the freshly brewed herbal tea. Even though the power supply had been down and the Starship Country was facing a zombie breakout, the news channels were still doing their job of providing new updates.


    [Unexplained blood rain triggered zombie-like symptoms in affected populations, spreading panic across the Country...]


    [Authorities promise rescue efforts and containment measures as zombie outbreaks intensifies...]


    In the previous timeline, the government and the wealthy families used the special forces to keep the zombies away from their residents, and at the same time, they also continued to hoard as many supplies and resources as they could.


    It wasn¡¯t until the monster beasts appeared and attacked those protected buildings of these people, did they felt the real fear and started scrambling to keep themselves safe. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hence, in this timeline, those people had once again found their safe zone for the time being, and had already left the common people to fend for themselves.


    While the government was trying to pretend that it still cared about its people by sending out small and unprepared rescue missions, stationing military to kill the zombies, and spreading good words about themselves through the media, it was all for a show.


    Till this moment, no one had realized that the world had come to an end, and things would never be going back to how they used to be before the rain disaster. Once the government would realize this undeniable truth, those officials and politicians would be the first one to end their pretence and abandon the same people they were promising to protect at the moment.


    There were also news about the ongoing crisis in other countries -


    [Dual Earthquakes Shake Countries X and H, Leaving Thousands Homeless. Back-to-back tremors disrupt infrastructure and communication in both countries, with rescue operations underway...]


    [A supervolcano explosion sends shockwaves felt for hundreds of miles, disrupting nearby cities and air travel...]


    [A severe cyclone inundates cities in Countries A and D, leaving citizens stranded as rescue efforts struggle to keep pace...]


    [Citizens criticize inadequate responses to natural disasters as nations scramble to contain widespread chaos...]


    [Experts fear aftershocks and secondary eruptions, advising evacuation of nearby regions...]


    Grace sipped her tea while her thoughts drifted as the soft notes of the music wrapped around her like a comforting blanket. The news on her tablet continued to drone on about more disasters, rescue efforts, and government initiatives, but she knew better.


    She had seen this play out before in her previous timeline. The promises were hollow, and the so-called "rescue missions" were just a facade to buy more time for the elites to secure their positions.


    Her mind shifted back to the team meeting from earlier. They had made significant progress in planning their next steps, but the weight of responsibility hung heavy on her shoulders.


    Unlike the government, Grace couldn¡¯t afford to abandon the people she cared about. Each decision she made could mean the difference between life and death for her and the people who had decided to trust her at the end of the world.


    She set her cup down and glanced at the clock. The evening was creeping in, and she still had time to prepare for the next day.


    She was about to close the tablet when her eye caught a particular news headline at the very bottom of the page.


    [Similar to the black rain in Starship Country, Country K also experienced the same rain this morning...]

 Chapter 168: Her Comfort Place

    Another Shadow Rain?


    Grace thought as she stared at the news headline that was from the previous day. If Country K indeed faced a Shadow Rain recently, then it might help her new mission of finding more of those mutated plants.


    She quickly opened the article and read through it, getting surprised when the article said that the Shadow Rain in Country K lasted for half a day.


    She closed the tablet and set it aside on the coffee table next to her now empty tea cup. Her mind was racing with the possibilities and also casualties that this long Shadow Rain might have caused.


    The sound of the doorbell pulled her out of her thoughts. Not really knowing who might be looking for her, she made her way to open the door.


    "Oh?"


    Grace blinked at the unexpected sight of Dr. Kian standing outside her door. A faint smile was tugging at his lips as his gaze met hers. He was still in his usual attire - a simple white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and dark pants, giving him an effortlessly charming look that made her heart skip a beat.


    "Kian," she said while leaning against the doorframe. "What brings you here?"


    "Grace," he began in a calm voice, yet it was filled with an undertone of warmth. "Do I really need an excuse to check on my girlfriend?"


    She tilted her head and found her lips curving into a soft smile at the word ¡¯girlfriend¡¯. "Checking on your girlfriend? I think she¡¯s perfectly fine."


    "Really?" he asked while stepping closer and it made the gentle scent of his cologne fill the space between them. "Because I know that look on her face right now. She seems to be overthinking again."


    Grace¡¯s defenses faltered finally and she let out a sigh. "Well, maybe just a little."


    Dr. Kian gave her a knowing glance, and before she could have said another word, he interrupted her - "Can I come in?"


    "Of course, you can." Grace immediately pulled the door wide open and stepped aside to let him in, and once he did, she closed and locked the door behind them.


    As she turned to face him, he reached out and took her hand in his. "Come on," he said while guiding her back into the living room. "You have been working too hard. It¡¯s time to take a break."


    "Kian-" she started, but her words trailed off as he pulled her toward the couch.


    "Sit," he instructed, his tone soft but firm. She complied, watching as he disappeared into the kitchen for a while. When he returned, he had a fresh cup of tea in hand.


    "Here," he said while offering it to her. "Drink this. It¡¯ll help you relax."


    Grace accepted the cup, causing her fingers to brush against his as she did. The brief contact sent a pleasant warmth through her, and she found herself smiling despite her earlier tension.


    Dr. Kian settled down on the couch beside her, close enough that their knees were touching. He leaned back and draped his arm over the back of the couch, casually settling it behind her. "So, what¡¯s been on your mind?"


    Grace hesitated and her eyes flickered to the tablet on the coffee table. "It¡¯s nothing," she said as she didn¡¯t want to burden him with her unproven theories. She was sure that he already had enough for the day.


    But Dr. Kian didn¡¯t buy her lie at all. "Grace," he said in his deep and soothing voice. "You don¡¯t have to do everything alone. Talk to me." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Something in his tone made her defenses crumble. She sighed again and set the teacup down. "I just found that a Shadow Rain happened in Country K," she admitted. "And it seems to have lasted for half a day. If that¡¯s the case then..."


    Dr. Kian nodded, but instead of diving into the topic, he shifted closer. His hand found hers and his thumb gently brushed over her knuckles, grounding her in the moment. "If you want, we can check that place out to see if we will find anything," he said softly. "But not right now. Right now, you need to stop overwhelming yourself with all these matters."


    His words were like a balm to her frayed nerves. Grace glanced at him and her gaze softened. "How do you always know what to say?"


    "It¡¯s a gift," he teased, his lips curving into a playful smile.


    She chuckled softly, feeling herself actually relaxing. His proximity was intoxicating, and she was feeling how the warmth of his presence was wrapping around her like a cocoon.


    She didn¡¯t even realize it that while staring into his eyes, she had inched closer. But once she did, she was ready to straighten. However, he reached out and cupped her cheek before she could have moved, his thumb gently brushing against her skin. "You work too hard, Love," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Let me take care of you for once."


    Her breath hitched as he leaned in to close the remaining space and his lips brushed softly against hers. The kiss was tender, unhurried, and filled with a quiet intensity that made her heart flutter. She melted into him and her hands found their way to his chest as he deepened the kiss, his other hand slipping around her waist to pull her closer.


    When they finally broke apart, Grace¡¯s cheeks were flushed, and her heart was pounding in her chest. "Kian," she whispered, her voice barely audible.


    "Hmm?" he murmured while resting his forehead gently against hers.


    "I think you are better at this ¡¯relaxation¡¯ thing than I am," she admitted as a smile stretched on her lips.


    He chuckled, the sound warm and comforting. "That¡¯s because you are always so busy saving the world. Someone has to make sure you take a break."


    Grace smiled, her fingers absently tracing patterns on his chest. "Thank you," she said softly.


    "For what?"


    "For being here. For knowing exactly what I need, even when I don¡¯t."


    Dr. Kian pressed another kiss to her forehead, his arms wrapping securely around her. "Always," he promised.

 Chapter 169: Planning a New Team

    [Day One: 81,000 Points]


    [Day Two: 500,000 Points]


    [Day Three: 480,000 Points]


    [Day Four: 650,000 Points]


    [Day Five: 730,000 Points]


    It was late in the afternoon of the fifth day since the happening of Blood Rain and also since the sudden zombie breakout happened in the Starship Country.


    In these five days, Grace had led back-to-back missions with the help of Davian and Rune to earn the zombie points and also to train the team members on how to deal with the ruthless and hungry creatures wandering out on the streets.


    Grace was currently in the villa. She just threw her dirty clothes, from the noon¡¯s mission, into the washing machine and asked 2025 to show her the stats for the points they had earned in these five days.


    [Total Points Earned: 2,441,000]


    "That looks like the result of some really good hard work." 2025 complimented in its unusual way as it came to peek at the digital screen and noticed the total points.


    Grace was also pleased with the numbers. Since the zombies weren¡¯t going anywhere anytime soon, she would have more than enough time to earn more points by killing them.


    "Are you free now? Should we start with the work?" 2025 asked while glancing at the washing machine that was cleaning the clothes that were covered in all the things they shouldn¡¯t be.


    Grace gave a positive nod of her head in response before following after 2025. The previous day, she spent some really long hours in the Infinite Realm while setting up a new greenhouse. This particular greenhouse was a lot different than the usual ones, as it was custom built just for the farming of the mutated plants.


    "I have been keeping an eye on the soil in this pit. After marinating it in the mixture we prepared previously, its showing the same properties as the ones that we have in those pots." 2025 started with the good news as they entered the greenhouse.


    Grace checked the freshly prepared soil and noticed the same change. It seemed like Dr. Kian and Freya¡¯s involvement in their recent studies on the project of mutated plants, ended up turning out to be beneficial.


    For next half an hour, she manually worked in the greenhouse and set up new pots to regrow the three mutated plants. As for the soil they saved from the pots, instead of reusing them to regrow the mutated plants, Grace decided to use it to grow some normal crops and see what kind of result it would give.


    "I¡¯m planning of setting up a team of experts who can study these projects and make breakthroughs. Because if we didn¡¯t, then someone else definitely will." Grace informed 2025 about her plan.


    In the previous timeline, there was a research lab that started doing studies on all living beings who got affected by the Shadow Rain.


    Right before her death, she heard about the lab announcing about how they had found a way to replicate the virus of the Shadow Rain successfully to mutate humans, animals, and plants. They were even looking for people who were ready to volunteer to become the test projects. And considering how bad the situation was for those who failed to came in contact with the Shadow Rain, a lot of people readily volunteered.


    The most surprising part was that this particular lab was affiliated with none other than Hao Corporation.


    So while in this timeline there was no Hao Corporation anymore, Grace knew that someone would still end up making the same breakthrough, it was just a matter of time.


    "You only have Dr. Kian and Freya, and even those two aren¡¯t all rounders in medicine and scientific research. You will need more talents to make your lab idea work out." 2025 provided its honest opinion.


    Grace nodded her head in understanding. She too had been aware of this fact. The types of research she needed them to perform, it would indeed need all the brains they could collect.


    She finished watering the last of the three pots before she took off the gloves and headed to wash her hands. "That¡¯s why I want you to find out some really good candidates for this new team of ours. It¡¯s your new task. Don¡¯t disappoint me." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    2025 puffed up its tiny chest as it immediately accepted the mission. "I know what to do. But while I can find just the perfect and reliable candidates for your research team, I wonder if you will be able to bring them over to your side."


    Grace smiled at the little creature¡¯s snarky remark. That¡¯s what they always did, challenging each other.


    Since the work was done, they walked out of the greenhouse and headed to take care of the livestock in the farmhouse.


    Grace took her time in tending to each of her work in the space before finishing with an hour training session with the mutated pets.


    She had lions, sharks, bats, wolves, a white snake, crows, elephants, tigers, bears, spiders, falcons, horses, owls, scorpions, deers, penguins, leopards, rabbits, bees, ravens, parrots, and camels.


    Almost each of these animals came from illegal sources and Grace paid millions to get them. Out of dozens of each species she got, only a few were able to survive the full transition.


    And while most of their transition had turned these animals into a better, mutated versions of themselves, Grace had been wondering if there was a possibility of seeing a similar situation in animals like what they saw in plants with high percentage of Shadow Rain consumption.


    When she discussed this thought of hers with 2025, the creature had the simplest possible solution for it - finding such animals in the outside world and bringing them inside the space to see the result.


    Not wanting to miss on this big chance of getting her hands over these special mutated animals, Grace decided to follow 2025¡¯ suggestion.


    Now she had to find not only plants with high Shadow Rain consumption, but also animals.

 Chapter 170: Young Master

    Past the Veil ~


    Inside a secret building in the very heart of Magik Realm


    -


    This building was shrouded in darkness even though it was bright daylight outside. On the third floor, there was a meeting room which was currently occupied by some people.


    "It¡¯s been half a year and all have failed to find him," said the man with shoulder length blonde hair and dark brown eyes. His tone was calm, and so was the expression he held on his face as he spoke, and yet, the rest of three people present in that room were looking scared for their lives.


    "Y-young Master-"


    "Don¡¯t speak if you can¡¯t do it properly." The blonde interrupted the man who just tried to respond, forcing him into absolute silence.


    For next several seconds, no one dared to speak until the only woman present in that room decided to break the silence. Unlike her companion, she kept her gaze and voice steady as she spoke - "We are indeed punishable for our constant failures in finding out the whereabouts of Rune. Somehow he¡¯s been able to hide both himself and the ring, but it¡¯s just a matter of time before we will locate him."


    The blonde man smiled at the woman¡¯s words, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. It was a scary smile and it sent shivers running down the spines of all the other three.


    "If you all could do it, I wouldn¡¯t have to sit here and talk about this matter. Unfortunately, all you know is how to run that pretty mouth of yours, nothing else." He spat the words at the woman who immediately stepped back as if doing so would save her from the wrath of her Young Master.


    The said Young Master closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Don¡¯t know why father is keeping such useless people. You all are lucky that I have been refraining from killing these days."


    Once again the other three shivered at the clear warning, knowing exactly how much true that statement was. If not for the Master warning Young Master to stop going around and killing at will, they all would have ended up dead the moment they returned with their first failed mission to locate Team Leader Rune.


    "Has everyone returned? I don¡¯t have all the time to wait for you all. We need to initiate the new plan immediately." Young Master barked and once again it was the woman who decided to respond.


    "All the teams have returned... except one."


    The response made the Young Master arch his eyebrows in question. "Which team is it?" He asked.


    "Team 11 that went to planet earth to look for Rune. We lost contact with them merely days after they left and haven¡¯t heard from them yet." The woman quickly answered.


    Listening to her only made the Young Master more curious about what was going on with this Team 11. "And? Have you tried to find out what happened to them? By any chance... have they fled?" He chuckled at his own assumption, tasting the fear he would feel when he would punish those who dared to run. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other three quickly shared looks among themselves, stunned after witnessing just how easily and quickly their Young Master was ready to slam the sin of betrayal on their peers. The shiver that they felt this time was unlike any other, as they knew just what kind of punishment betrayers got. They knew that this could be their future too.


    "We did try to locate them and find out what happened. It turns out planet earth is facing a series of natural disasters and the disturbance has sealed the portal. Right now, entering that planet is like going on a suicide mission." The woman quickly explained the information she had.


    "And what if that Elite Leader is hiding there? I don¡¯t mind him dying in there, but the ring... we can¡¯t loose it." Young Master reminded the woman about what was most important, much more than her or her peers lives.


    No one dared to say anything in response and just stood there silently. Finally, the Young Master spoke again.


    "Let¡¯s call for the meeting. We will initiate the new plan," his gaze turned to look at the woman as he added the next sentence. "And planet earth will be included in that plan. So be ready."


    The woman¡¯s throat tightened, but she quickly nodded, keeping her composure intact despite the storm of anxiety raging inside her. "Understood, Young Master. I will begin preparations immediately."


    The blonde man smirked, leaning back in his chair as if her obedience amused him. "Good. I expect no delays this time, or the consequences will be... memorable." His dark brown eyes gleamed with a sinister promise, sending another ripple of fear through the room.


    The man standing to the right of the woman finally dared to speak, his voice trembling slightly despite the initial warning from the blonde man. "Y-Young Master, if I may - what if Team 11¡¯s fate is sealed? Shouldn¡¯t we focus our resources on searching other realms instead of risking additional losses on Earth?"


    The room fell into a deafening silence.


    The blonde man¡¯s smirk vanished and got replaced by a cold, piercing stare that seemed to suck the air out of the room. "Do you think I care about their fate?" he asked in a chillingly calm tone. "What matters is the ring. If Rune is indeed hiding on Earth, then I want him found. If he¡¯s dead, I want the ring retrieved. And if the planet itself is falling apart? Then it¡¯s up to you to figure out how to survive and fulfill my orders."


    The man who had spoken paled visibly, his knees almost buckling under the weight of his Young Master¡¯s fury. "Y-Yes, Young Master. I... I understand."


    "Do you?" The blonde leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his gaze locked on the trembling man. "Because if you fail to understand me again, your fate will make theirs seem merciful."


    And with that alarming statement, he stood up from his seat and stormed out of the room.

 Chapter 171: Starting The Search

    "Good job, everyone. We will take a break for the day. Get some rest," said Grace as Team C returned to Unit 2203.


    A total of five teams were created with members who could balance the team perfectly based on their talents and powers. Team A was led by Grace, Team B by Rune, Team C by Davian, Team D by Aleena, and Team E by Kevin.


    Since both Kevin and Aleena were still new, though really good, at facing zombies, they were sent on missions only when Davian and Grace were on stand-by to interfere and provide their help if or when the situation demanded. Fortunately, eight days into zombie apocalypse and everything had been going smooth for their team.


    [Congratulations on completing the mission!]


    The system¡¯s notification lit up the huge transparent digital screen that had become a permanent appearance in the living room of Unit 2203.


    [Points earned: 1,010,000]


    The moment system showed the points, the living room erupted with cheers of pure joy.


    "We finally crossed the milestone. Made it to 1M!" Ryan shouted as he jumped to hug Nathan who was standing closest to him.


    Grace smiled as she looked at the pride shining in everyone¡¯s eyes as they enjoyed the achievement that took them eight long days. Her gaze met with Davian¡¯s and they shared a small, but warm smile that was filled with understanding and acknowledgement of what they had achievement.


    Once the celebration was over, everyone finally started heading to their respective units, ready to get rid of their clothes that were covered in things that could have made any normal person puke all their stomach contents out. Good thing was that all top three floors were reserved and they didn¡¯t have to worry about the other residents seeing them like that.


    Grace returned to her unit and immediately entered her space, heading straight for a shower.


    She wanted to wash up quickly since she needed to be somewhere within next half an hour.


    * * *


    Half an hour later


    -


    "Your unit is looking... different." Grace said as she took in the appearance of the living room that was looking nothing like it did when she last came here.


    "Is that a compliment?" Rune asked as he offered her a glass of fresh pomegranate juice that he was making when she arrived at his doorstep.


    "You can say that, and thank you." She replied as she accepted the glass of juice and took a small sip, her eyebrows arching as she was taken aback by the rich and fresh taste of pomegranates that hit her taste buds.


    "This tastes... really good." She said while taking another sip, this one longer as she liked the taste.


    "Thanks. It has a special flavor added in it just for you... my love." Rune flirted, smirking and sharing a quick wink which earned him a shake of her head in response.


    For next few minutes, neither of them spoke and Grace just enjoyed the juice in silence. Once she was done, she put down the glass on the table and turned her full attention to him.


    "So... how are we going to do it?" She asked, ready to fall into work immediately.


    Rune sat up straight, focusing his full attention on her as he began explaining. "As you know, I have the power to visit places through my subconsciousness, and I can also cross through those places. I can help your system scan through places around the world." He became silent for a moment before adding, "I will help if you are ready to trust me."


    Grace didn¡¯t have to ask why he was talking about trusting him. Whatever he was suggesting, it needed her to allow him to form some sort of connection with her system, and that... needed a lot of trust.


    She didn¡¯t reply immediately, not even pretending that she was able to make the decision easily. She wasn¡¯t sure for how long she sat there, contemplating on her choice, but he remained silent and waited for her to speak whenever she was ready.


    After a while, she let out a sigh and then fixed her gaze on his, looking right into his eyes as she spoke, "I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready to trust you or not, but I will. I¡¯m giving you that one chance you deserve from my end."


    She noticed how his gaze flickered as a sudden emotion overwhelmed him. He was quick to pull himself together, but she was still able to pick that it was gratitude she saw in those icy-blue orbs, and that realization left her stunned.


    She knew that he had feelings for her, but she never realized that they were so strong to make him feel grateful just by her giving him a chance he had been silently waiting for all this time.


    "Rune-"


    She wanted to say something, felt like the need to say something even though she wasn¡¯t sure what she was going to say. But before she could have spoken anything more than his name, he surprised her by standing up from his couch and making his way to her. The next thing she knew, she was wrapped up in his strong arms as he hugged her.


    She was left surprised by his sudden action, but before she could have reacted, he was already pulling back. He offered her his hand while she stared at him in confusion.


    "Come, let¡¯s start with the search." He said and she finally found herself pulling back from her wandering thoughts.


    She accepted his hand and stood up, following after him as he led her to the empty space between the living area and the kitchen. A thick rug was spread across the floor, and the two of them settled down on it in lotus position, facing each other.


    "Hold my hands." He guided as he placed his arms over his knees, spreading his palms open as he waited for her to hold them.


    "I will channel my powers first to create a link with you. Once you feel it, let 2025 use that link to start scanning." He said and she nodded in understanding. He was about to close his eyes when she called out. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wait!"


    "Is something wrong?" He asked, studying her face as if to see whether she had changed her mind.


    Grace exhaled before speaking, "You don¡¯t have to overwork your powers. Stop when you start feeling the need."


    A faint smile tugged at his lips and he gave a nod of his head, his hold on her hands tightening slightly as he closed his eyes.

 Chapter 172: She’s Not to Blame

    Rune¡¯s breathing deepened as his powers began to flow. And after a while, Grace started feeling a faint tingling sensation through his hands, and a gentle warmth spread into her palms. She glanced at him, noticing the slight furrow in his brow which was a clear sign of his intense focus.


    "2025," she called out softly. "You ready?"


    [Yes, Master. Preparing to synchronize with Rune¡¯s energy link now.]


    A faint hum resonated in Grace¡¯s mind as the system connected to the link Rune was creating. Slowly, she began to see flashes of his subconscious exploration - a blur of mountains, dense forests, and mist-covered valleys.


    The first area they reached was a towering mountain range covered in thick, evergreen forests. Rune¡¯s consciousness moved swiftly while the system weaved through the trees to scan the soil, leaves, and air for traces of mutation.


    [Scanning... no significant traces detected. The vegetation here is normal.]


    2025 was updating her on the progress of the search as they continued.


    Rune immediately moved to the next location - a rocky hillside dotted with sparse vegetation. Even though it was only their second location, Grace was able to feel the strain creeping into his energy as he pushed deeper into his search.


    [Still nothing. Moving on.]


    The third location was a valley nestled between two mountains where rivers crisscrossed like veins through lush greenery. The area showed faint traces of energy, enough to make Grace¡¯s pulse quicken. But as 2025 analyzed further, it became clear that the mutated plants here had long withered away.


    [The plants here couldn¡¯t sustain their mutations. The Shadow Rain¡¯s aftermath likely destabilized their growth.]


    Grace¡¯s heart sank at the news, but she forced herself to stay focused. "Keep going," she urged softly, though a flicker of worry for Rune crept into her voice when she noticed the frown deepening on his face.


    The fourth area was even more desolate. It was a barren mountain range with jagged cliffs and dry, cracking earth. Rune lingered here for a moment longer, as if sensing something, but 2025 quickly confirmed the disappointing truth.


    [No viable traces. The Blood Rain that followed the Shadow Rain seems to have wiped out most of the plant life.]


    Grace bit her lip as frustration simmered beneath her calm exterior. She glanced at Rune, noticing the slight tremble in his hands. His breathing had become shallow, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead.


    "2025, how is he holding up?" She asked through the mind-link.


    [His energy levels are significantly drained. He¡¯s pushing beyond his limit, Master.]


    Grace¡¯s chest tightened as she realized just how much this search was taking out of him. "Rune," she called softly.


    He didn¡¯t respond as his focus was locked on the fifth location - a dense mountain forest shrouded in mist. She was able to feel the strain in the link now, like an elastic band stretched too far.


    "Rune," she said again, more firmly this time. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still no response.


    "2025, disconnect him if his energy drops any lower," she commanded.


    [Understood.]


    The system¡¯s warning must have registered with Rune because he finally opened his eyes, and his energy abruptly snapped back to him. He exhaled shakily, his hands still clutching hers as he struggled to steady his breathing.


    "Rune, stop," Grace said, her voice tinged with concern. "You have done enough."


    "I can keep going," he argued, though his voice was faint, betraying his exhaustion.


    "No, you can¡¯t," she countered, her tone leaving no room for debate. She tightened her grip on his hands and locked her gaze onto his. "Look at me. You are drained. Pushing further could hurt you, and that¡¯s the last thing I want."


    He hesitated, but his expression softened at her words. Finally, he nodded and his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I¡¯m sorry," he murmured in a barely audible voice.


    Grace shook her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. You have done more than enough."


    Rune let out a weak chuckle. His usual confidence seemed dimmed but was still present. "Guess I overestimated myself, huh?"


    "You always do," Grace teased gently, a small smile playing on her lips. "But it¡¯s one of the things I like about you."


    His eyes widened slightly at her admission, and a flicker of surprise crossed his face. He didn¡¯t respond, but the faint blush creeping up his neck didn¡¯t go unnoticed.


    "Come on," she said, helping him to his feet. "You need to rest. We will pick this up another time."


    Rune let her guide him to the couch where he collapsed with a tired sigh. Grace fetched a glass of pomegranate juice from the kitchen, handing it to him with a stern look.


    "Drink," she ordered.


    "Yes, ma¡¯am," he replied with a faint grin as he accepted the glass and sipped slowly.


    Grace took a seat beside him as he drank in silence. Her mind was racing with thoughts of the failed search. She wondered if the arrival of the Blood Rain ended up killing all the possibly high concentration mutated plants. It seemed like despite her initial great start, she was slowly starting to lose against the fate.


    "You are blaming yourself, aren¡¯t you?" Rune¡¯s voice broke through her thoughts.


    Grace blinked as she turned to him. "What?"


    "You have that look," he said, leaning back against the couch. "The one that says you think this is all on you."


    She opened her mouth to deny it, but the words caught in her throat, and Rune smirked knowingly.


    "You can¡¯t do this alone, Grace," he said in a soft but firm tone. "That¡¯s why you have us. Let us help you."


    Grace stared at him, feeling her walls cracking just a little under his gaze. "I just... I feel like I have to do more," she admitted quietly.


    "You are already doing more than anyone else could," Rune said with conviction. "Give yourself some credit."


    "Thanks, Rune," she said softly. His words warmed something inside her, easing the weight she had been carrying.


    "Anytime," he replied.

 Chapter 173: Grace’s Harem

    Grace stared at her reflection in the mirror and immediately noticed the anxiety that was overwhelming her gaze despite her efforts of keeping it hidden beneath the calm facade she had mastered over the years.


    "Maybe I¡¯m still not too good at keeping a poker face." She mumbled to herself while fixing the loose strands of her hair.


    She was currently in the bathroom of her apartment, trying to calm herself down before the big talk she was about to do once returning to the kitchen where she left the men.


    She invited all three of them - Dr. Kian, Davian, and Rune for dinner, with the plan to finally reveal her relationship with Dr. Kian to the other two and finally talk about her unclear relationship with them.


    Everything was going perfect up until they finished dinner, but as the moment arrived for her to talk about the matter, the anxiety kicked in, forcing her to escape with a bathroom excuse.


    "You are just afraid." 2025 stated as a matter of fact through their shared mind-link, causing Grace¡¯s hand to freeze on their way to fix another strand.


    "What fear?" She asked while staring right into the reflection of her emerald orbs, realizing that she didn¡¯t like the way 2025 sounded so sure about its analysis of her situation.


    Despite the edge in her tone, 2025 didn¡¯t hold itself back from slapping the truth right on her face. "You are afraid of losing Davian and Rune because you aren¡¯t sure whether they will accept your idea of a harem."


    "It¡¯s not my idea." Grace tried to defend herself while doing her best to not focus on the term ¡¯harem¡¯ that the little creature just used.


    In response, she just received silence from 2025¡¯s end. She would have loved to contradict its statement, to say that she wasn¡¯t afraid, but she knew the truth very well deep down to actually deny it.


    She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to calm down her racing nerves. It was another one of those situations where she was realizing just how much she could become bothered by these three men or things related to them. They were definitely not good for her heart, and yet, she was way past the point of keeping them at arm¡¯s length anymore.


    "Stop worrying too much and just keep Dr. Kian¡¯s words in your mind. Both Davian and Rune deserves to know the truth about your and Dr. Kian¡¯s relationship, and they also deserve to make their choices." 2025 gave her the prep talk.


    Grace nodded her head slightly as she took in a deep breath and opened her eyes. She was as ready to face the situation as she ever could.


    With one last glance at herself in the mirror, she finally walked out of the bathroom and headed toward the kitchen where she left the trio as they offered to wash the dirty dishes and clean up the kitchen.


    She might have taken her time in the bathroom because as she stepped into the kitchen, she found them almost done with their work.


    "You are back." Davian said as he noticed her first. She tried to gave him a smile but failed miserably as it came out too tight and fake. She knew that he had noticed the same and was about to speak when Dr. Kian came for her rescue.


    "Want me to brew your favorite herbal tea?" Her boyfriend asked, giving her a warm smile. Either he knew exactly what was going on with her, or he was just perfectly on time. Either way, Grace was happy about his interruption.


    "Yeah, sure. Let me help you." She replied and moved past Davian to help Dr. Kian with the brewing of tea.


    Fortunately for her, Davian didn¡¯t try to press on the matter for the time being and gave her the space that she needed, just like he had always done without her needing to ask for it.


    She and Dr. Kian prepared the tea while Davian and Rune headed to the living room. The former duo was almost done with their work and Grace was placing the cups in the tray to take it to the living room when she felt Dr. Kian taking hold of her wrist. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her head turned to look at the man standing beside her and she found him looking at her with that gaze of his which said he knew exactly what was going on with her. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn¡¯t when he gave a shook his head.


    While it was an open kitchen joined with the dining area, a wall still separated it from the living room where Davian and Rune were at the moment. Hence, they had a little bit of privacy which Dr. Kian used as he inched closer and placed a kiss on her forehead before pulling away.


    "I¡¯m right here by your side. So go ahead and do what you are planning to do." He whispered, giving her wrist a light squeeze, before he let go and stepped away.


    A genuine smile finally stretched across her lips and she nodded her head, finding his support helping her in a way she didn¡¯t even know she needed.


    Dr. Kian returned her smile before he picked up the tray and headed out of the kitchen ahead of her.


    Grace decided to not waste anymore time than she already had, and followed behind him, heading to the living room. The four of them settled down on the couches with a cup of the freshly brewed herbal tea in their hands.


    For the next few minutes, they enjoyed the tea in silence. And Grace tried to think of a way to start the conversation. But as she ended up taking way too much time, Rune decided to break the silence.


    His gaze was fixed on Grace as he asked, "So what is it that you want to talk about with us but haven¡¯t been able to during the two hours we have spent her with you?"

 Chapter 174: She Owe Them Dates

    Rune¡¯s question struck like an arrow, pinning Grace under the weight of the collective gazes of all three men.


    Despite telling herself that she was finally ready to talk about the matter, she felt her throat tighten. Even her pulse quickened as she set her cup down on the coffee table. It was Dr. Kian¡¯s calm presence beside her that grounded her enough to take a deep breath.


    "I wanted to tell you both something," she started in a soft but steady voice. She glanced briefly at Dr. Kian, whose reassuring smile gave her the courage to continue. "It¡¯s about... us."


    Rune raised an eyebrow, and Davian leaned forward slightly, his deep green eyes narrowing in curiosity.


    "Dr. Kian and I¡­" Grace hesitated for what felty like a second or two but then pushed forward. "We are seeing each other. He¡¯s my boyfriend."


    Silence followed her words, but it wasn¡¯t the tense, uncomfortable silence she had feared. Instead, it felt almost expectant, as if her revelation had confirmed something they already knew.


    Rune was the first to react. He chuckled softly and started shaking his head. "I figured as much."


    Grace blinked as surprise took over her. "You... did?"


    "Yeah." Rune leaned back against the couch with his usual smirk in place. "The way you two look at each other, the little touches, the way you two are glued to each other for a few minutes after your missions - it wasn¡¯t hard to put two and two together."


    Before she could have fully processed his words, she noticed the faint smile that appeared on Davian¡¯s face. His expression was softer than she had expected, just like the words he spoke next. "I noticed too. You seem... happier when you are with him. And honestly, that¡¯s all I care about."


    Grace stared at both of them, and her heart swelled with gratitude. She had prepared herself for their anger, hurt, maybe even resistance, but their acceptance was almost overwhelming.


    "I¡¯m sorry," she blurted out, her voice cracking slightly. "I should have told you sooner. I just... I didn¡¯t know how to."


    Davian shook his head. "You don¡¯t have to apologize, Grace. You have always had the right to choose who you want to be with."


    Rune nodded and his smirk softened into a genuine smile. "You don¡¯t owe us an explanation for your feelings, Grace. But since we are being honest¡­" He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "I still want to be with you, if you¡¯ll have me."


    Davian¡¯s gaze flickered to Rune before settling on Grace. "Same here. I care about you, Grace. And if this means being part of something bigger, I¡¯m okay with that. As long as you are happy."


    Grace felt her breath catch. Despite their past declarations, she hadn¡¯t been able to make herself that such a thing could be possible for real. She hadn¡¯t expected them to be so open, so willing to accept her relationship with Dr. Kian while still wanting to be with her.


    "You are both... okay with this?" she asked hesitantly. Her voice barely above a whisper, but the men heard her clearly.


    Rune grinned. "You mean the whole ¡¯harem¡¯ thing? Yeah, I¡¯m okay with it. Honestly, I think it could be fun."


    Davian shook his head at Rune¡¯s teasing tone but then added. "I¡¯m okay with it too. You have known my feelings from the very beginning. For me, you are worth it, Grace."


    She stared at them in disbelief. Her heart was a chaotic mix of relief and hesitation. "I don¡¯t know if I can make this work," she admitted. "I have never... been in a relationship before, let alone something like this. What if it falls apart? What if I hurt one of you?"


    Dr. Kian placed a gentle hand on her knee, drawing her attention. "Grace, relationships are always a risk. But you don¡¯t have to do this alone. We are here, and we¡¯ll figure it out together."


    Rune leaned closer, his voice softer than usual. "You are not the only one taking a risk, Grace. We are in this with you, all the way."


    And then, Davian spoke too, making her realize that all three of them were ready to put their best efforts to make their relationship work, and all they wanted from her was to do the same. "We trust you, Grace. Trust us too."


    Their words wrapped around her like a warm embrace, melting away the last of her doubts. Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away, smiling at the three men who had somehow become the center of her world.


    "Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Thank you for trusting me."


    Rune grinned and held out his arms. "Group hug?"


    Dr. Kian laughed, and even Davian cracked a smile as they all stood up and pulled her up as well before wrapping her in a tangle of warmth and support. She felt Rune¡¯s strong arms around her, Dr. Kian¡¯s steady presence at her side, and Davian¡¯s quiet strength grounding her. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The embrace was both comforting and overwhelming, filling her with a sense of belonging she hadn¡¯t realized she was missing.


    As they pulled back, Rune leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. When he pulled back, there was a mischievous grin on his face. "Don¡¯t forget, you owe me a date now."


    Dr. Kian chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "And me, as always."


    Davian¡¯s hand lingered on hers. His gaze was steady as he spoke "Whenever you are ready."


    Grace¡¯s heart felt like it might burst from the sheer intensity of the moment. She didn¡¯t have all the answers, didn¡¯t know what the future would hold, but for the first time ever since she developed feeling for these men, she realized that there was possibility of all of them finding their happiness in relationship.


    With a soft laugh, she wiped at her eyes and nodded. "One step at a time."

 Chapter 175: Second Round of Search

    "Are you ready?" Rune asked as he finally joined Grace on the carpet. The two of them were about to begin the second round of search for plants with high percentage of absorbed Shadow Rain.


    "I am." Grace answered as she shifted to face him before taking hold of his hands that he offered her the moment he sat down.


    Instead of diving straight into the search, Rune turned his attention toward the two other men who were present there, sitting on the couches closest to where he and Grace were sitting on the carpet.


    "What about the two of you?"


    Grace was unable to stop herself from shaking her head. She, for once, felt bad for Davian and Dr. Kian because she knew exactly what the duo was currently suffering through. Not even twenty-four hours had passed since she started dating all three of these men, and Rune had already taken over the job of testing the patience of the other two.


    If she had been worried that she might end up being the reason of their first ever fight because of her lack of dating experience, then she was about to change her mind. Rune might be taking away that prestige from her anytime soon.


    But for the time being, both Davian and Dr. Kian were trying their best to stay calm and handle Rune¡¯s mischievous behavior.


    "We have been ready from the very moment we stepped inside your place." Dr. Kian answered when Davian just gave Rune a very unimpressed look in response. Unlike the clear warning on Davian¡¯s gaze, the doctor was way more calm and soft.


    Rune just shrugged in response as if to show that he wasn¡¯t bothered at all, and finally returned his attention to Grace. When he found her looking right at him, he asked in a whispered tone as if it could have stopped the other two men from hearing him.


    "Are you mad at me because I¡¯m teasing them?"


    Grace didn¡¯t answer immediately, and instead watched him in silence for a moment or two. She then glanced at Davian and Dr. Kian and found them looking at her as well while they waited to hear her answer.


    A small smile bloomed on her face as she returned her attention to Rune and then shook her head slightly. "I don¡¯t mind it at all. You can tease them all you want... just don¡¯t come to me when they decides to take their revenge."


    She didn¡¯t have to look at Davian or Dr. Kian to know that the two of them were very much satisfied with her response. As for Rune, he just imitated her and shook his head. Still, there was a smile playing on his lips as if he found her reply amusing.


    Once they were finally done with the talk, Rune immediately switched on his serious mode and closed his eyes, his hold on her hands tightening as he began to channel his power.


    Rune¡¯s breathing evened out as he focused, his power flowing through their connected hands. Grace closed her eyes as well, feeling the subtle hum of his energy intertwine with her own. The warmth of their link spread like ripples in still water, and she heard 2025¡¯s voice in her head.


    [Connection established. Beginning the scan now.]


    "Good," Grace whispered softly through their shared mind-link. Her voice was barely audible as she got too focused on what was happening behind her closed eyes.


    The scene within her mind shifted as Rune¡¯s power guided their shared consciousness across the mountainous terrain of Starship Country. Their vision drifted over dense forests, rocky ridges, and wide-open fields - all covered in heavy layers of snow.


    Everywhere they looked, and all the places they passed through, 2025 searched for traces of plants with high absorption percentage of the Shadow Rain.


    The first location they scanned was a valley nestled between two mountains. At first, it seemed like they would find nothing there, but then the system zoomed on a cluster of small herbs near a frozen stream.


    These plants looked nothing like the three that Grace found previously near the military base. They actually looked pretty dead if Grace had to be honest. But since the system felt something, 2025 decided to take a look at the herbs.


    [Analyzing...]


    Seconds later, 2025¡¯s words confirmed what Grace had already suspected. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Confirmed: the plants does have high percentages of absorbed Shadow Rain. However, they are no longer alive. Cause of death - exposure to the recent Blood Rain.]


    Grace exhaled as she felt her worst fear coming to life. Because of the Blood Rain, it seemed like they had missed the chance of finding any alive plants with high percentage of Shadow Rain.


    But in the back of her head, she couldn¡¯t help but find it weird that not even a single alive plant had been found despite searching across several locations.


    "Move on," she told Rune quietly.


    She felt his grip on her hands tightening slightly, as if he was silently reassuring her. his energy carried them to the next location within seconds. This time, it was a dense forest. And the system immediately picked up traces of mutation.


    [Detected: elevated energy levels in plant life. Focusing...]


    Their shared vision zoomed in on a group of ferns glowing faintly with an unusual aura. Grace¡¯s heart leapt, but 2025¡¯s next words brought her crashing back down.


    [The energy signature indicates mutation failure. The plants absorbed Shadow Rain but were unable to sustain the transformation. All specimens are deceased.]


    Grace felt Rune¡¯s energy waver slightly, but before she could speak, he was already pushing onward. The search continued, spanning three more locations across Starship Country. And each time, the results were the same - traces of plants that had once absorbed Shadow Rain energy were all dead.


    By the time they reached their fifth location, Grace could feel Rune¡¯s exhaustion through their connection. His breathing had grown heavier, and his energy flow wasn¡¯t as steady as before.


    "2025," she called out through the shared mind-link as concern took over her. "How is Rune holding up?"


    [Master, Rune¡¯s energy levels are significantly depleted. He is nearing his limit.]

 Chapter 176: Blood Rain’s Unknown Territory

    Grace wasted no time and immediately opened her eyes, pulling her focus away from the scan. Rune¡¯s face was pale, and beads of sweat were glistening on his forehead as he kept his eyes shut. His brows were furrowed in concentration.


    "Rune, stop," she said firmly and her hands tightened around his. "You have done enough."


    "I can keep going," he replied, though his voice was faint, making his exhaustion very evident.


    "No, you can¡¯t," she insisted in a serious tone, leaving no room for argument. "Pushing yourself further won¡¯t help anyone."


    She felt him hesitating, and noticed how he pressed his lips into a thin line. But as she gave his hands another squeeze, he finally let out a deep exhale and opened his eyes. His grip on her hands loosened slightly but he didn¡¯t let go.


    "Fine," he muttered, though the corner of his lips twitched upward in a tired smile. "You win."


    Grace let out a relieved breath. Her gaze softened as she studied him. "Thank you for trying, Rune. Really."


    Dr. Kian appeared at her side almost instantly, crouching down to check on Rune. "You need to rest," he said in a firm but gentle tone. "Your energy levels are dangerously low." S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rune waved him off. "I¡¯m fine," he said, but the slight sway in his posture betrayed his words.


    "Here," Davian said as he walked over and handed Rune a glass of water. "Drink this before you pass out and scare everyone."


    Rune chuckled softly, and accepted the glass. "Thanks, dad."


    Davian just shook his head but didn¡¯t respond, instead his attention shifted to Grace. "Did the search turn up with anything useful?"


    Grace let out a small sigh as she recalled the results of the long search they just ended. "Not exactly. All the plants with traces of Shadow Rain were dead. But..."


    "But what?" Dr. Kian prompted as he too shifted his full attention to her.


    "2025, explain the Blood Rain energy we detected," Grace instructed and the little creature immediately appeared next to their group, ready to show its otherworldly aura to its favorite group of men.


    "While scanning the five locations, traces of Blood Rain absorption were identified in several plants. The percentages differed, but these specimens are still alive and showing signs of adapting to the alterations the virus of the Blood Rain are making within them."


    Dr. Kian¡¯s eyes brows furrowed and he asked the first question, immediately getting interested in the topic. "What kind of energy are we talking about?"


    "The energy signature is distinct from the Shadow Rain mutations. It appears stable for the time being, but we will need to keep an eye on them to see how this will work out." 2025 explained.


    "And how are you going to do that? Keeping your eyes on these plants?" Dr. Kian asked, wanting to know what was 2025¡¯s plan.


    The little creature literally had a smug smile on its face as it revealed. "Because I have already picked up a few dozens of these plants and saved them within the space."


    There was a silence that lasted for next few minutes while the men just processed the information they just received. Then all eyes turned towards Davina who crossed his arms as he asked, "So, these plants cand turn out the same way as those mutated plants from the Shadow Rain?"


    "Potentially. However, there¡¯s no telling for now whether this mutation will be in a good direction or bad. We can¡¯t hope for the best considering the Blood Rain haven¡¯t showed any kind of positive reactions in either humans or animals."


    Compared to before, Rune was now looking slightly less pale. He set his glass down and leaned back against the nearest couch before speaking, "Looks like we have a new lead, then. Or more like a new task."


    Grace nodded as she allowed herself to relax against Dr. Kian who had taken a seat right behind her on the carpet. "Yes, but I feel like we will need to approach this one carefully. Blood Rain and its mutations are uncharted territory. We don¡¯t know what we are really dealing with yet."


    She felt Dr. Kian¡¯s hand finding its way to her shoulder before he gave her a light squeeze of reassurance. It was his way of letting her know that she had him right there with her.


    "How about the other task I gave you? Have you find anyone reliable so far?" She asked as she returned her attention at 2025.


    The little creature immediately knew what she was talking about and was ready with a positive update. A digital screen appeared right in front of Grace while it began to explain.


    "I have indeed found a few candidates, not only from Starship Country but all around the world. You can take a look at this report and decide whom among these you want to pull on your side. But let me warn you, because of the ongoing disasters, several of them are on the verge of losing their lives."


    A new screen opened at 2025¡¯s words and Grace found herself looking at a list of those candidates who were stuck in bad situations because of the ongoing disasters. The list was also divided in three parts - red, green, and yellow.


    Those in Green part weren¡¯t in direct threat. Those in Yellow part were facing threats but could easily stay safe for a while. But those in the Red part could lose their lives at any given point.


    "What is going on? What kind of list is this?" Rune asked as he was at a complete loss about what was going on with this so-called new task.


    "I¡¯m planning to create a team of experts who can continue research on these mutated plants and animals. This is the list of such experts that 2025 has come up with." Grace explained what was goin on to the three men.


    Before anyone else could have spoken, they all heard Dr. Kian¡¯s surprised voice as he suddenly spoke - "Professor Neil?"

 Chapter 177: Professor Neil

    Grace immediately turned to face Dr. Kian. Her eyes narrowed in curiosity and she found herself asking, "Did you recognize someone on the list?"


    The other two men also had their gazes fixed on him as they waited to hear her answer. Even 2025 was waiting. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking up from the screen to face them all, Dr. Kian nodded his head in a positive response. His expression was a mix of surprise and urgency as he revealed, "Yes. Professor Neil is a renowned botany specialist. Back when I was in university, he used to give special lectures. He¡¯s one of the most brilliant minds I have ever met when it comes to plant biology and environmental adaptation."


    Grace¡¯s gaze shifted back to the list on the screen, and she focused on Professor Neil¡¯s name which turned out to be in the red zone.


    "What¡¯s his situation, 2025?" She asked while turning her full attention toward the little creature.


    She and her men watched in silence as 2025 opened another digital screen of the system in front of it and started looking into the current situation of Professor Neil. It took barely a minute before answering the question.


    "Professor Neil and his team of twenty experts are currently trapped in a remote area of Starship Country, near the southeast mountain ranges. They were conducting field research when an avalanche struck, cutting off all routes to safety. To make matters worse, a nearby village was infected by the Blood Rain virus, and the area is now crawling with zombies."


    The room was filled with silence as everyone processed the information.


    "An avalanche and zombies?" Rune muttered with a little shake of his head. "That¡¯s practically a death sentence."


    It was none other Davian who decided to get straight to the important decisions. He turned all his attention toward Grace and asked, "Do you plan to save him?"


    This was so him. For someone like Davian, it didn¡¯t matter whether a group of experts were about to meet their doom in a matter of time. What mattered to him was whether Grace wanted to save these people or not.


    "Are you really planning to save him? Or his entire team?" Rune asked as he seemed to have grassped her intentions through her expression.


    Grace let out a small sigh before she finally revealed her decision and the reason behind it. "If Professor Neil is as brilliant as Kian says, then he could be the key to understanding these mutations. And his team of experts could be invaluable to our efforts. We should not leave them to die."


    When no one objected, she knew that they were already on her side in this new mission.


    Davian¡¯s expression hardened as his mind started calculating the risks of the situation. His question was directed at 2025 as he asked, "How much time do they have before the zombies reach them?"


    "Based on the latest data, the infected have already begun spreading toward the research camp. The professor and his team have managed to barricade themselves, but they won¡¯t last more than 48 hours without intervention."


    Grace¡¯s jaw tightened. The situation was indeed bad. "Then we don¡¯t have any time to waste." She turned to the men as determination lit up her emerald eyes. "We are going to rescue them."


    Once again, she felt Dr. Kian placing one of his hands on her shoulder while he spoke, "You know that all three of us are with you. Just tell us your plan if you have come up with one."


    Rune noddedhis head in agreement before adding, "If we are doing this, then we need a solid plan. That area isn¡¯t just dangerous - it¡¯s completely cut off because of the avalanche. We will need to figure out how to navigate the terrain and deal with the infected."


    "Master, I can provide a detailed map of the region, including safe routes and zombie clusters. Additionally, I have pinpointed a clearing near the research camp where you could set up a temporary base for the operation if you need."


    Grace nodded, grateful for 2025¡¯s quick working ability. Her mind was already shifting through the logistics as she grabbed her phone from the nearby coffee table and messaged in the group for an urgent meeting in five.


    "Let¡¯s head to Unit 2203." She told the others as she stood up.


    Within two minutes, the five of them were in Unit 2203 while the rest of team started appearing in groups one after the other. Not a single person went over the given time of five minutes, showing just how well trained they all were.


    Grace quickly informed the team about the new mission, noticing that some among them looked really excited as it was the toughest mission they had performed so far ever since the disasters began - rescue mission.


    As Grace took a break for a minute, she let Davian handle the matter of picking the right members for this particular mission.


    "Since not everyone can be a part of this mission, I have selected the particular members who can be of great help in the situations we might face later. Valeska for her telekinesis power. Maven for his combat skills. Dr. Kian for his profession and also healing powers. Rune. And Rio, Nathan, and Aleena as back-ups."


    The moment Davian finished calling out the names, Rune was there to confront him. "Why there¡¯s no reason for including me in the team?"


    Davian didn¡¯t appear even the slightest bit surprised by the question. It was almost as if he knew that Rune would react like this. He just folded his arms across his chest and gave the calmest response possible.


    "Because you don¡¯t need one."


    He didn¡¯t say anything else, but his words made everyone understand clearly what he meant - Rune was an ace for any sort of missions. Having him around could never turn out wrong, that much he had proved over the months.


    And while everyone had already realized this truth, no one had ever said these words out loud till Davian decided to do it.


    To say that Rune was left speechless, would be an understatement. He just stood there staring at Davian in silence, his expression unreadable.


    Grace cleared her throat and pulled everyone¡¯s attention back to the mission. "Since the team is final, we will set out immediately."

 Chapter 178: The City is about to Fall

    Grace then turned to face Davian and asked, "What is the closest area to Professor Neil¡¯s current location you have visited?"


    Before Davian could have even thought about asking for it, 2025 was already opening a map of the area in front of him on the digital screen.


    "Thank you, Little One." Davian thanked 2025 before he shifted all his attention to study the map and recall if he had ever been to a place in southeast part of the country.


    On the other hand, 2025 turned to look at Grace and once their gazes met, it dared to smirk.


    Grace was left stunned at the brazen display of smugness the creature was showing - all because it had succeeded in getting a pet name from Davian when she hadn¡¯t.


    She knew that feeling jealous of 2025 would be the dumbest thing she could do, and yet, she was unable to feel that ping of jealously that hit her straight on her heart.


    She was so lost in her misery, that she didn¡¯t hear Davian speaking until he called her name twice. "Sorry. What were you saying?"


    "I can take us to Lumora. That¡¯s the farthest I have been to the southeast." Davian I formed her as he pointed at a particular spot on the map.


    Upon closer look, Grace realized that Lumora was a small city located at a distance of about 500 kilometers from the location of Professor Neil and his team.


    "Let¡¯s do that. It¡¯s better than driving all the way there from here." She said and watched as Davian nodded his head in understanding.


    She then turned to look at Rune before speaking, "I want you to lead the front line with Davian. We will need to clear a path to the camp and hold off the infected while we evacuate the team."


    "Noted."


    "Understood."


    Both men accepted their tasks, sounding resolute.


    She then turned to Dr. Kian. "Your job will be to assist Professor Neil and his team. Make sure they are physically stable and able to move. If possible, let¡¯s not lose anyone."


    Dr. Kian nodded. "I will do everything I can."


    Then she turned her attention to 2025. "List down all the equipment, tools, or other items we might be needing on this mission. I want them all to be ready for use."


    "Consider it done." 2025 replied before it disappeared from the living room of Unit 2203.


    Finally, Grace turned back to the group and spoke in a firm voice. "We leave in twenty minutes. Suit up and prepare for the worst. This isn¡¯t going to be easy, but I know we can do it."


    The team nodded, each of them already mentally preparing for the task ahead.


    Twenty minutes later, they all were back in the living room of Unit 2203, ready to start the mission.


    Grace was wearing her combat gear, and she had tied her long hair back. She looked like someone who had been doing such missions her entire life. As for Rune, Davian, and Dr. Kian - the three of them were similarly outfitted, looking fully prepared.


    "Everyone ready?" Grace asked as her gaze sweeped over the team.


    "Ready, Boss." Maven said while he put on the weapons all over his body.


    The rest of the team also replied in affirmative and Grace gave a small nod to Davian, watching as he stepped forward and started opening the portal that would take them straight to the backyard of Rio¡¯s ancestral home that was located in Lumora.


    Barely half a minute might have passed before a shimmering blue circle appeared in the thin air before them, crackling with energy.


    "Let¡¯s move," Grace ordered before she moved forward and stepped through the portal first.


    The moment she emerged on the other side, the biting cold of the ongoing snowstorm hit her strong. Snow crunched beneath her boots as she took in her surroundings.


    While the rest of the team appeared in the backyard, Grace asked 2025 to give a status update on the situation of Lumora city.


    When 2025 answered, its voice was audible to everyone present there. "The number of zombies here have risen in the past half an hour. It seems like the residents here are unable to protect themselves against the zombies. And these zombies are spread across the city."


    "What about the military? Aren¡¯t they doing anything?" Nathan asked.


    "Only a single team of fifteen soldiers was initially deployed here before the Blood Rain. Out of those fifteen, three ended up turning into zombies, and the rest ended up becoming snacks." 2025 revealed the horrifying situation.


    Grace wasn¡¯t surprised at all. She knew from the very beginning that the government would give up on protecting the general public the moment they would realize that the world wasn¡¯t returning to how it used to be.


    How could fifteen soldiers handle a city with thousands of people living there? Even thinking about it seemed ridiculous. But that¡¯s exactly what the government had done.


    Grace clenched her fists while her eyes hardened as she processed 2025¡¯s report. It wasn¡¯t just Lumora, she knew that similar situations were playing out in cities and towns across the world. The government¡¯s failure to protect its citizens wasn¡¯t new, but every time she was reminded of it, her anger simmered anew. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright," she said firmly as she turned her attention to the team. "We are not here to fix the city. Our priority is to get to Professor Neil and his team. Stay focused, stick together, and don¡¯t engage unless absolutely necessary."


    The team nodded their heads in understanding.


    Grace then called out to 2025. "Prepare two of our off-road vehicles and load them with the supplies we need. Make sure the weapons, medical kits, and extra fuel are included."


    [Understood, Master. The vehicles will be ready in five minutes.]


    While they waited, Davian surveyed their surroundings. His sharp eyes scanned the area for any immediate threats. "This city¡¯s a mess," he muttered while watching the distant movement of zombies near the edge of the backyard. "We need to move fast. Lumora might not hold much longer."

 Chapter 179: Maven might Jinx it

    One look at the red dots filling the map of the city that was spread open on the digital screen hovering in front of her, and Grace knew that Davian was speaking the truth.


    Lumora might nor be able to hold for long.


    Turning to face the team, she began, "Listen up. We will be traveling in two vehicles. I¡¯ll drive the lead car with Rune and Dr. Kian, Valeska, and Aleena. Davian, you¡¯ll take the second vehicle with Rio, Maven and Nathan. Stay close, but maintain enough distance to avoid being trapped together if we hit a roadblock."


    "Got it," Davian said, but the frown on his face made it quite clear to her that he didn¡¯t like the idea of staying away incase she met with difficulties on the way.


    If it was the previous timeline, she would have been sure that Davian wouldn¡¯t let his feelings for her come in the way of the mission. But in this timeline, something kept telling her that he might discard the entire world just for her.


    Little did she know just how accurate her feeling was.


    She was pulled out of her thoughts by Rune who decided to remind her that having him around could be a great distraction.


    "You sure you want me in the lead car? I could keep teasing you the whole way." He asked with a playful smirk playing on his lips.


    "Better you tease me than him." Grace replied while swiftly pointing at Davian who was talking with Rio, Maven, and Nathan.


    Before Rune could have responded, 2025¡¯s voice interrupted. [The vehicles are ready. They are parked in the driveway of this property. I have also mapped out the safest route to Professor Neil¡¯s location, avoiding major zombie clusters.]


    "Good. Let¡¯s move," Grace ordered.


    The team exited the backyard cautiously and made their way to the waiting vehicles. Both were reinforced, all-terrain SUVs equipped with zombie-proof grilles and spiked tires, perfect for the treacherous journey ahead.


    Grace climbed into the driver¡¯s seat of the lead SUV, with Dr. Kian taking the passenger seat. Rune and the girls settled down in the back quickly.


    On the other hand, Davian took the wheel of the second vehicle with Rio in the passenger seat. Maven and Nathan took over the job of watching the flanks from the backseat.


    As soon as everyone was inside and the doors were locked, Grace started the engine. The low hum of the powerful vehicle filled the air and blended with the distant groans of zombies.


    She glanced at the map projected onto the dashboard by 2025 before steering the car toward the city¡¯s edge.


    "Stay sharp," she said over the comms system linking the two vehicles. "This route takes us through some narrow streets before we hit the outskirts. There is a high chance of encountering infected along the way."


    As they navigated through Lumora¡¯s broken streets, the devastation became clearer. Abandoned cars were clogging the roads. Their windows were shattered and their interiors were splattered with dried blood.


    Some buildings had partially collapsed, while others were bearing scorch marks from failed attempts to hold off the infected.


    It didn¡¯t take long before the first group of zombies appeared in their path. Their rotting forms were shambling out from alleyways and abandoned storefronts.


    Grace didn¡¯t hesitate even for a moment. Having it done countless times by now, she gripped the wheel tightly and plowed through the growing horde. The reinforced grille of the SUV made quick work of the undead, and sent bodies flying. Just like that, she cleared the path for the second vehicle following them.


    "Looks like you have become perfect at this art of mowing lawns," Rune remarked from the backseat. His voice was tinged with amusement despite the grim scene.


    "I¡¯ll take the compliment," Grace replied while she kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead.


    The second SUV was following close behind, but also ensured that it stayed out of the spray of gore from the lead car.


    Since Maven wasn¡¯t made to drive the vehicle as usual, he decided to use the chance to test his shooting and power skills on the zombies. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This isn¡¯t bad," he commented while reloading his weapon. "I expected worse."


    "Don¡¯t jinx it," Nathan muttered as he continued to scan the surrounding buildings for threats.


    As they approached the outskirts of the city, the zombie density began to thin, but the terrain became rougher. The storm had called down by now but snow was blanketing the ground which made it harder to maintain traction. The roads ended up turning into winding dirt paths flanked by dense trees.


    "2025, status update," Grace called out.


    [You are approximately 400 kilometers from the research camp. No major zombie clusters detected on the current route, but another storm is forming in the mountains ahead. Visibility may become a challenge.]


    "Great. Just what we need," Valeska muttered under her breath.


    "We will manage," Grace said, staying calm despite the situation. "We always do."


    Rune leaned forward from the backseat and rested his arms against the front seats. "And if we don¡¯t, at least we¡¯ll go out with style."


    Grace shot him a glance through the rearview mirror. "You are not helping." She just received his signature smirk in response before silence took over.


    Hours passed as they made their way deeper into the mountains, once again getting trapped in the wrath of the storm. Snow was whipping across the windshields, and the howling wind drowned out most other sounds.


    Despite the treacherous conditions, Grace and Davian kept their vehicles steady with their unwavering focus. Their enhanced eyesight helping them move through the disaster.


    Finally, 2025¡¯s voice broke the silence. [You are within 15 kilometers of the research camp. The area ahead is steep and heavily forested. Proceed with caution.]


    Grace slowed the SUV and her eyes began scanning the map. "This is where it gets tricky. Davian, keep close. We¡¯ll take it slow from here."


    Her grip on the wheel tightened as she continued to drive ahead.

 Chapter 180: Rescue Mission

    The snowstorm kept growing fiercer, and the wind howled like a warning as Grace maneuvered the SUV through the treacherous terrain.


    The dense forest on either side was looming like silent sentinels while their snow-laden branches swayed ominously in the gale. The crunch of snow and the hum of the engine were the only sounds accompanying their tense journey.


    "Visibility¡¯s dropping fast," Dr. Kian said from the passenger seat as his sharp eyes scanned the road ahead. "We might need to rely on the map more than our eyes soon."


    The storm was so strong that even their even their enhanced eyesight were only able to see snow and nothing else.


    "I¡¯m already on it," Grace replied as her focus locked on the digital map 2025 was projecting onto the dashboard. "Rune, keep an eye out for anything unusual. We are close enough now that the zombies might start showing up."


    From the backseat, Rune leaned forward and replied in a serious tone. "You got it. Just don¡¯t drive us off a cliff while I¡¯m looking."


    Grace just shook her head but didn¡¯t respond. Even when sounding so serious, he could succeed in passing a joke like that.


    That very moment, Davian¡¯s voice crackled through the comms system. "We are picking up movement on the left flank. Could be an animal, but¡­"


    "It¡¯s not," Grace cut in. "Stay sharp. We are too close to the camp for it to be anything innocent."


    She turned out to be spot-on with her theory because merely moments later, a cluster of figures emerged from the trees. Though heir decayed forms were barely visible through the swirling snow, everyone on the team recognized them.


    "Contact, left side!" Rune suddenly called out while two guns suddenly appeared in his hands.


    Grace didn¡¯t hesitate. She tightened her grip on the wheel and swerved slightly to the right, keeping the vehicle clear of the infected while maintaining their course. "Davian, hold the rear. We will clear the front!"


    "On it," Davian replied.


    The lead SUV plowed through the growing horde, the reinforced grille smashing into the infected with a sickening crunch.


    Rune, Valeska, and Aleena leaned out of the windows, firing shot after shot with deadly precision.


    Behind them, Davian¡¯s vehicle followed suit. The tires of the SUV skidded slightly on the icy road but held steady. Rio, Maven and Nathan were also firing from the backseat, cutting down the infected before they could get too close.


    "We have got a break up ahead!" Grace informed Davian once she spotted a clearing on the map. "Push through!"


    Both vehicles surged forward. Their engines roared as they broke free of the horde and moved toward their destination. By the time they made it to the clearing, the zombies were already left behind.


    As the SUVs came to a stop, Grace quickly asked, "Everyone okay?"


    "We are fine," Davian replied over the comms. "No damage to the vehicle."


    "Same here," Dr. Kian added, still the note of concern in his voice was clearly heard by everyone. "But we are cutting it close. If the infected have made it this far, the camp won¡¯t hold much longer."


    Grace nodded as she took another glance at the map. "2025, how far are we from the camp?"


    [Approximately 7 kilometers, Master. However, the road ahead is too narrow for vehicles. You will need to proceed on foot from here.]


    "Of course we do," Rune muttered as he let his guns disappear from his hands.


    The team quickly climbed out of the vehicles before grabbing their weapons and supplies from. Then Grace shifted both the vehicles back inside her space because leaving them out there was too dangerous.


    "Stay close and keep your eyes open," she instructed as they started their trek through the forest. Both their mutated DNA and the custom-made gears were helping them in keeping warm against the biting cold.


    As they neared the camp, they were taken by surpuse as the faint sounds of gunfire and shouting reached their ears.


    Everyone quickly exchanged glances before Davian finally spoke, "Seems like they are under attack."


    They all hurried their steps, and within minutes, the camp finally came into view. It was just a cluster of makeshift shelters surrounded by hastily constructed barricades.


    And right there were the familiar figures that were trying to made it to the other side of those barricades from where the frantic firings were coming. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Move in!" Grace ordered right before she broke into a run, grabbing Dr. Kian¡¯s hand to keep him with her. Not wanting to be a burden, he tried his best to cover her back.


    The rest of the team immediately sprang into action, pulling out their fully loaded weapons to attack the zombies.


    "Over here!" a voice called out from within the camp. A man with a graying beard and weathered features waved them over. His sharp eyes were assessing them even in the chaos.


    "Professor Neil?" Grace called back.


    The man nodded. "Get in here! We are barely holding them off!"


    Grace and her team vaulted over the barricades, immediately taking positions to reinforce the camp¡¯s defenses. Maven and Nathan joined the remaining researchers in firing at the infected, while Dr. Kian moved to check on the wounded.


    "Status?" Grace demanded as she reloaded her weapon.


    Professor Neil wiped snow from his brows. His face was lined with clear exhaustion and anxiety. "We have been holding out for hours. Half my team is injured, and we are almost out of ammo... as we didn¡¯t have much to begin with. If you hadn¡¯t shown up¡­"


    "You are safe now," Grace assured him. "But we need to move fast. Can your team walk?"


    Professor Neil nodded. "Most of us, yes. But some of the injured will need help."


    "Rune, Davian, we are on extraction duty," Grace ordered. "Maven, Nathan, cover the perimeter. Aleena, Valeska, and Rio will help. Rune, prioritize stabilizing the critical cases."


    The team moved with practiced efficiency, helping the researchers gather their utmost-important items and assisting the injured.


    "What¡¯s in the boxes?" Davian asked while pointing at a series of wooden boxes of different sizes filling an entire tent.

 Chapter 181: The Secret of the Boxes

    "What¡¯s in the boxes?"


    Professor Neil stiffened the moment Davian¡¯s question brought everyone¡¯s attention toward the particular tent he was checking. His expression shifted to one of deflection as he answered, "Just equipment and samples. Nothing you need to worry about."


    Grace, who had been studying the professor closely, narrowed her eyes when she noticed the contrast between his words and the way his body reacted.


    "And you plan to bring these along?" Rune asked as he signaled toward the series of boxes. Something about his expression was telling Grace that he already knew what was inside those boxes.


    [Master.]


    Right at that moment, she heard 2025 contacting her through their shared mindlink. The information that it shared with her next made her decide the future of the boxes.


    She turned her attention back at the Professor and heard him responding to Rune¡¯s question. "... it¡¯s possible, then bringing these boxes along with us will be a huge help. Me and my team will be extremely grateful to your entire team."


    "How do you think we can bring these giant boxes with us? If these are just equipment and samples, you should just left them behind and focus on saving your asses first." Aleena threw at the old man, not giving a darn about her language.


    Professor Neil clearly looked offended, but just as he opened his mouth, Grace decided to intervene. "Professor, I don¡¯t have time for your half-truths. Whatever¡¯s in those boxes could be a liability if we are taking it with us. I need to know what I¡¯m dealing with."


    Professor Neil hesitated, and glanced at his team. "I don¡¯t see why that¡¯s any of your business. Just help us bring these boxes along if you can. Isn¡¯t that what your task is?"


    Grace stepped closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous calm. "Listen carefully, Professor. I don¡¯t know what you think we are, but we are not some government soldiers here to confiscate your research. However, if you keep lying to me and those boxes turn out to be a threat, I will leave them behind - along with you and your team... and I will not look back."


    Professor Neil¡¯s face paled at her words. His sharp eyes darted to the boxes and then back to Grace. He was clearly torn between his desire to protect his research and the pressing reality of the situation.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he exhaled and nodded. His shoulders slumped in reluctant acceptance. He knew that this might be his only chance to save his life and his team¡¯s.


    "Fine," he said in a voice that was laced with weariness. He took a deep breath before he focused his full attention at Grace and revealed what she had already learned through 2025.


    "The boxes contain such plants and animals that have absorbed the black and red rains. We found them around the mountains and collected them to study the changes that is happening in them."


    Grace just nodded her head while speaking, "You should have told me sooner." She returned her attention toward the team members who were still trying their best to keep the zombies from crossing the barricades.


    "Try to hold for a few more minutes. We will be leaving right after I¡¯m done dealing with these boxes." She told her team and received nods from them.


    Listening to her words, Professor Neil immediately took a step forward. His wariness morphed into suspicion. "What are you going to do with the boxes?"


    Grace turned to him. She kept her expression calm but unreadable as she simply said, "Watch."


    Usually, she shouldn¡¯t have done what she did next to keep her secret safe incase Professor Neil decided to not accept her offer for working for her. But after finding out the secret of the boxes, she was determined to have him and his team on her side. She wouldn¡¯t be giving them another option. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a subtle mental command, she activated her space. The air around the wooden boxes shimmered faintly before, one by one, they began to vanish into thin air.


    The entire research team of Professor Neil froze. Their eyes widened as the last box disappeared without a trace.


    "What the-" Professor started, his voice rising with shock and confusion. He took an instinctive step back while his sharp gaze flickered with disbelief.


    "We will discuss it later," Grace said curtly as she cut him off before he could launch into a barrage of questions. "Right now, focus on getting your team ready to move. We don¡¯t have time to waste."


    Professor Neil looked like he wanted to argue, but the urgency in her voice silenced him. With a terse nod, he turned to his team and began helping them gather what little personal belongings they had left.


    - - -


    It took Grace¡¯s team merely minutes to finish the preparations for their return.


    All the Injured researchers were bandaged and supported by those who were still in good condition, while the remaining supplies were divided among the group. As the last of the researchers lined up in the small clearing outside the tents, Grace turned her attention to one of her boyfriends.


    "Davian, get us out of here," she informed him about his turn of taking action.


    Giving her a nod, Davian stepped forward. His movements were calm and deliberate despite the chaos surrounding them. Closing his eyes, he summoned his energy, and his hand sliced through the air as he opened a shimmering blue portal. The crackling energy immediately lit up the snow-drenched camp.


    Once again, Professor Neil and his team froze. Their eyes went wide for the second time within minutes as they stared at the magical window, or door, in stunned silence.


    "This is our way out," Grace explained to Professor Neil while signaling at the portal with her head. "Go, now!"


    Professor Neil hesitated and so did his team. Their gazes flickered between Grace and the portal. It was clear that the entire team was grappling with a mixture of awe, fear, and distrust.

 Chapter 182: Taking Advantage

    "Professor Neil, we don¡¯t have much time. Those zombies will be breaking through your excuse of barricades anytime soon." Rune reminded the old man who was taking forever to make his decision.


    It was as if Rune¡¯s warning pulled Professor Neil out of his stunned state becuase he finally nodded and motioned for his team to follow him. One by one, the researchers stepped through the portal and disappeared into its glowing depths.


    Right at that moment, Grace¡¯s heightened hearing picked on the groans of the infected that was coming from far away. Before she could have even tried to search for the source, she received a message from 2025 which confirmed her worst fear.


    [Master, a horde of about 80 zombies is about to hit this place. You need to leave immediately.]


    Grace stayed calm as the wheels inside her head started turning. "Everyone through?" she asked over her shoulder.


    "Just you, me, and Rune left," Davian replied as he kept firing at spme of the remaining zombies that were still left. Both him and Rune had heard the sound of the approaching horde.


    "Go," Grace ordered.


    "What are you planning?" Davian asked when he noticed that she was planning to go last.


    A smirk appeared on Grace¡¯s lips as she answered, "I can¡¯t possibly give up on this great chance, now can I?"


    "Damn! She¡¯s dangerous... and evil." Rune murmured loud enough for her to hear him.


    But neither he nor Davian argued with her. Instead, they just listened to her and stepped through the portal. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, Grace was the only one standing there with the portal visible right being her. She kept her gaze focused on the horde that was jow visible to her and approaching a great speed.


    Just one look at their speed and she knew that this horde was nothing like the normal zombies she and her team had been dealing so far in the mission. No! They were the fast movers - an even worse and dangerous version of the zombies that were all over the streets of Starship Country.


    The very next moment, two grenades appeared in her hands. She waited until the horde approached the barricades, and it took them no time in taking it down.


    The sight was extremely terrifying as the fast movers approached her, merely at a distance of ten meters from where she was standing. And yet, she had such a calm and determined look on her face.


    Once she was sure that the horde was close enough, she finally stepped into the portal while she threw both the grenades right at the horde. The portal immediately closed behind her, keeping the wrath of her stunt from following after her.


    But one congratulatory notification from the system and she knew that her idea had succeeded.


    [Congratulaions on completing special killing quest. Points earned: 50,000]


    [Total killing points earned today: 300,000]


    [Congratulaions on completing the rescue mission. Points earned: 1 Million]


    The notifications ringed in her head one after the other as she appeared in the crowded living room of Unit 2203.


    The sudden warmth of the unit was a stark contrast to the freezing storm she just left behind. Grace exhaled deeply and found herself relaxing for the first time since she had set out for the mission with her team.


    Just like she ordered, Unit 2203 was left empty except for Kevin and a few others. She made the decision not only to keep the place from getting over crowded, but also because she didn¡¯t want to intimidate Professor Neil and his team... at least not for now.


    "Good job there." Davian complimented her as he came to stand next to her.


    Grace gave him a nodnof acknowledgement with a smile before she turned her attention toward the research team.


    Professor Neil and his team was still taking in their new surroundings. Their expressions were a mixture of relief, confusion, and even a little bit of fear.


    "What is this place?" one of the researchers asked. And while her voice was barely above a whisper, Grace heard her loud and clear.


    "A safe place," Grace replied while keeping her answer deliberately vague.


    Professor Neil decided to take the matter in his hands and stepped forward. His sharp eyes were fixed on her as he spoke, "I think you owe me an explanation." Surprising, his tone was calm but firm.


    Grace crossed her arms, and a faint smirk tugged at her lips. "All in good time, Professor. For now, welcome to safety."


    Professor Neil¡¯s jaw tightened, but he didn¡¯t press further. Instead, he turned his attention to his team, ensuring that everyone was accounted for and unharmed.


    Dr. Kian approached her next, his voice low. "The injured need rest and proper medical attention. I¡¯ll handle it with Maria."


    Grace nodded. "Do what you need to. 2025 will assist you with supplies."


    [Already on it, Master.] 2025¡¯s voice chimed in right before a stack of medical kits materialized on the counter nearby.


    As Dr. Kian and Maria began tending to the injured, Grace turned to Davian and Rune. "Let¡¯s get them settled first before discussing the... future."


    Now, that they were back at the unit, she was wondering how she was going to answer all of Professor Neil¡¯s questions and convince him to join her team.


    Davian nodded, already moving to oversee the group. Rune, however, lingered with his gaze fixed on her.


    "You think he¡¯s going to be trouble?" He asked while nodding toward Professor Neil.


    Grace¡¯s smirk returned, though it didn¡¯t really reach her eyes. "He¡¯s on alert. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible to win him over. Besides, after finding out that he¡¯s already on thinking about studying the matter I want him to study, I¡¯m more determined to have him join me."


    Rune tilted his head and studied her for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough. Just let me know if you need me to scare him a little."


    Grace chuckled softly, and shook her head before replying, "I¡¯ll keep that in mind."

 Chapter 183: A Good Offer (I)

    Grace stayed in Unit 2203 while Kevin, Dr. Kian, and Rio worked on taking care of the research team.


    Over an hour had passed since she completed the mission and successfully rescued Professor Neil along with his team of fifteen researchers. Since then, the researchers had calmed down to a certain degree when they noticed how well they were being treated.


    All the patients had been taken care of by Dr. Kian and Maria. The research team had been served warm food and drinks so that they could regain some energy. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In a time where the researchers had been left abandoned in the extreme cold, next to no food or water, and were struggling to fight the zombies, it was almost unbelievable for them to have a warm house, hood food, and safety.


    And yet, there was one particular person who had been constantly glaring at Grace and her team from the very first minute. Suspicion, and fear was filling his experienced eyes that had seen decades pass by.


    Grace finished pouring the freshly brewed herbal tea in the cup and made her way to Professor Neil, noticing how he immediately stiffened but remained sitting his place to show that he wasn¡¯t afraid of her.


    "Here. The herbs will help you calm down." She said while offering him the cup.


    Professor Neil didn¡¯t accept the cup immediately, instead, he stared at her while switching his gaze between the cup and her face as if to show just how little trust he had in her words.


    A sigh escaped her lips before she could have stopped it. Just in half a year, she seemed to have forgotten just how tiring it could be to deal with fellow humans.


    "Listen, Professor, if I wanted you dead, I wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths yo save you. Besides, I have more creative ways to kill you other than poisoning." She didn¡¯t try to sweet talk because she knew it wouldn¡¯t help at all.


    The entire living room was listening to the exchange and she heard some deep intakes of breath at her clear warning. But at least it made Professor Neil finally accept the cup from her, though he didn¡¯t drink it immediately and just held it in his hands.


    "You said you don¡¯t work for the government. Did the lab sent you?" Professor Neil asked, his voice loud enough to be heard by everyone.


    Since there was no point in dismissing the topic, Grace decided to answer his questions for once and for all. She grabbed one of the empty chairs and pulled it closer to where Professor Neil was sitting before she too settled down.


    "Your lab is almost gone, Professor. The flood during the rain disaster hit it first, before it went down in an earthquake. As for the researchers, some of them are no longer alive. As for the rest, they are struggling to save their lives. Why do you think they have the time and luxury to think about saving you and your team?"


    There was a deep silence and she watched as Professor Neil exchanged a quick look with her team. Everything she said, they already knew half of it and were expecting the other half when they constantly failed to get in youch with the higher ups at the center.


    "Then who are you and why did you save me and my people?" Professor Neil asked the next question, one that both he and his team desperately wanted to be answered.


    While they were grateful that someone had saved them, finding out that they had no relation with her only made them question her motives.


    Grace didn¡¯t beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "Let¡¯s put aside my identity for now. As for why I saved you and your team - it¡¯s because I have something to ask for in return. I want you and your team to work for me from now on."


    Once again there was a deep silence and Professor Neil shared a look with his team. This one lasted longer than the previous one, and once again it was Professor Neil who asked the next question. "What kind of work?"


    Grace wasn¡¯t sure exactly what was going through his mind, but she went ahead and answered, "I have been trying to study the muatation that Shadow and Blood Rain have brought into plants and animals. But I have way too many responsibilities to completely devote myself to this research. That¡¯s why I want someone to do it for me. Considering you were already planning to study this matter, I¡¯m sure this is a good chance for you."


    "And why do you think I will accept your offer?" He asked, his tone remaining calm and not showing any sort of hostility so far. He just wanted to understand what he had gotten himself into and his team. "Even if my lab is gone, I can still offer my help to the government. I¡¯m sure they will provide me the same benefits you are thinking about giving me."


    Grace wasn¡¯t sure what kind of reaction he was expecting from her, but the soft chuckled that escaped her lips was definitely not it because he appeared taken aback.


    She cleared her throat to get a grip on her herself. Fixing her cold gaze at him, she spoke, "I¡¯m sorry, but you are kind of funny, Professor. It¡¯s hard to belive that even after being abandoned by the same government, you are ready to put so much faith in them."


    She watched him opening his mouth as if he was ready to defend either his choice or the government, but something stopped him and he just closed his mouth. It was probabaly the realization that she was speaking the truth.


    "But you are not wrong. If you go to the government and offer them your help, they might accept you under their safe wing. But what about your team? Do you think they are going to accept a bunch of people who are heavily injured and can only be a liability?"

 Chapter 184: A Good Offer (II)

    Grace continued before Professor Neil could have even thought about saying anything.


    "Even if you join the government, you won¡¯t be able to keep your entire team with you. And the world outside is far from safe for them. Let¡¯s say you succeeds in keeping them with you by some miracle, but how long will it take you to make your research a success? The government will provide you with nothing but a safe place where you can help them. As for me, I can help you a lot in this research."


    She took a break for merely a moment before she hit the last nail on its mark. Her voice and smile were so cold as she said the words - "Most importantly, you will only be able yo negotiate with the government when you will get the chance."


    She felt the temperature inside the unit dropping as her words rang loud and clear, taking each member of the research team by surprise.


    "W-what do you mean?" Professor Neil asked, his voice breaking even though he tried to appear calm.


    Grace stared right into Professor Neil¡¯s eyes as she answered. "I¡¯m not a saint, Professor. I saved you because I need your help. But if you are going to decline my offer, then you are no use to me. I will throw you and your team back in the mountains. It will be up to you and your luck to see who will find you first - those zombies or the government."


    Professor Neil¡¯s hands clenched into fists at his sides. His face was a mix of anger and disbelief. "You can¡¯t do that," he hissed. "It¡¯s illegal. You don¡¯t own us, and we are free to leave. My team and I will find our own way, with or without your so-called offer."


    Grace¡¯s expression didn¡¯t falter. In fact, her icy smile only widened. "Illegal?" she echoed, tilting her head as though his words amused her. "Professor, I think you have forgotten what world you are currently living in. There¡¯s no one left to enforce the law, no courts to hear your complaints, and no justice to rely on. Everyone is busy fighting the ongoing natural disasters and those zombies out there. Who do you think have the time and patience to listen to your complaints?"


    Her words sliced through the tense air like a blade, leaving the research team visibly shaken. Still, Professor Neil stood firm with his jaw tightening in defiance. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I will leave," he said firmly, "and I¡¯ll take my team with me. We don¡¯t need you."


    Grace let out a cold laugh, and her eyes gleamed with mockery. "You think so? You think you have the power to walk out of here without my permission?"


    Before he could respond, the sound of boots echoed down the hall, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Moments later, the door to the unit opened, and the rest of Grace¡¯s team walked in. They were all clad in their combat gears while holding rifles in their hands. The sight of them was enough to drain the color from several of the researchers¡¯ faces.


    Her gaze met with Davian¡¯s, who had been silently witnessing the whole exchange, and he gave a little nod.


    Turning her attention back to the man in front of her, she gestured casually toward her team. When she spoke, her voice waa calm but deadly. "This is my team, Professor. These are the people who have survived things you can¡¯t even imagine. Do you still think you are in a position to defy me?"


    Professor Neil¡¯s gaze darted between Grace and the uniformed men who had suddenly barged in. For the first time, uncertainty flickered across his face.


    "You are wrong if you think I lack the power to control you and your team," Grace continued, her tone turning colder with each word. "And let me remind you, Professor - if I wanted to force you, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here trying to convince you."


    The tension in the room was palpable, and the researchers exchanged uneasy glances. Profwssor Neil, however, straightened his spine, and his anger reignited. "Even if you intimidate me, you can¡¯t stop me from exposing the truth. We saw what you did with those boxes. You have... magic, and I¡¯ll make sure the government knows it. They¡¯ll come for you."


    Grace¡¯s smirk returned, but there was a new edge to it, sharp and dangerous. "Oh, you will tell the government, will you? That¡¯s quite bold of you, considering you wouldn¡¯t survive long enough to report anything. And even if you did, what makes you think they would listen to you? You are not exactly their priority, Professor."


    Professor Neil faltered but quickly rallied. "If they knew about you - about your power - they would hunt you down. People like you -"


    From the corner of her eye, Grace noticed Davian and Rune straightening at the clear threat in Professor Neil¡¯s voice. And while her team still carried an unreadable expression on their faces, she didn¡¯t fail to notice hoe their hold tightened over their rifles.


    They all were ready to end Professor and his team just for threatening her. She couldn¡¯t let that happen... to have them waste all her efforts.


    "People like me," she quickly interrupted, her voice rising slightly, "are why you are alive right now. And let me make one thing perfectly clear, Professor - I don¡¯t care what you tell the government, because they will never find me. You know why?"


    She inched closer to him, her emerald eyes piercing through his resolve. "Because if I want to, I can erase every memory you and your team have of me. That¡¯s why I and my people used our powers so openly in front of you. I don¡¯t need to hide from people who won¡¯t remember me when I¡¯m done with them."


    The room fell into a stunned silence. The researchers looked at one another. Their faces were pale with disbelief and fear. Professor Neil was also taken aback, his lips parting as though he wanted to respond but couldn¡¯t find the words.


    "You are bluffing," he finally said, though his voice lacked conviction.


    Grace shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe I am. Maybe I¡¯m not. Are you willing to risk it?"

 Chapter 185: Good Offer (III)

    The weight of Grace¡¯s words hung heavy in the air, and for the first time, Professor Neil seemed to falter completely. His shoulders slumped slightly, and he looked back at his team, most of whom were staring at him with fear and uncertainty.


    Taking in a deep breath, Grace softened her tone as she spoke again. "Professor, I¡¯m not here to harm you or your team. I saved you because I see value in your work, and I want you to help me with my research. But I¡¯m not going to waste my time and resource on someone who doesn¡¯t want to work with me. The choice is yours, but I hope you will choose wisely."


    Professor Neil swallowed hard, and his gaze dropped to the floor as he seemed to weigh his options. The silence lasted for a long while, but no one spoke at all. Finally, he looked up and fixed his gaze at his team.


    Even before he could have voiced out his thought, a man from his team stepped forward and spoke in a determined voice. "We will follow your decision, Professor. All of us."


    The rest of the team immediately nodded their heads to show that they totally agreed with the the man¡¯s words. They all were ready to follow Professor Neil no matter what decision he was going to make.


    Looking at the expression on professor Neil¡¯s face, Grace felt like she was looking at herself. He was going through the same emotions she felt when her team showed this exact kind of faith and loyalty to her. Moments like these could leave a person wondering what they even did to deserve such loyalty.


    She waited in silence, and a few more moments passed, but the Professor Neil finally turned to face her, ready to inform her about his decision.


    "Fine." He said out loud and clear, looking right into her eyes. "We will work with you... or for you. But I want guarantees - my team¡¯s safety comes first. You will not treat my team any less than your own."


    The smile returned to Grace¡¯s lips and she finally stood up from her seat and took a step closer to Professor Neil remained standing still. "Once you will join me, you and your team will become my people, and I know how to treat my people. You will be given the same treatment as the rest of the people here. No more, no less."


    Professor Neil nodded his head and took in a deep breath. When he returned his attention back to her face, the hostility and fear was almost gone from his eyes. "What exactly are you offering us, and what do you want from us in return."


    The fact that he was interested in these details was a good sign, hence Grace didn¡¯t dismiss the question. "You will have a safe, clean, and warm place to stay, good food to eat, proper clothes, my full support for your research, and my protection."


    "As for your second question, you already know the answer. I want you to study the mutation that Shadow and Blood Rain have initiated in different species... including humans." The moment she added the last bit of information, Professor Neil¡¯s expression shifted to that of confusion.


    "What do you mean by humans?" He asked.


    "Haven¡¯t you wondered that if these rains can bring these changes in the plants and animals, then the same can be possible with the humans who came in contact with them? The clear example are the zombies out there who got infected when they came in contact with Blood Rain." Grace pointed out the obvious that somehow went unnoticed by Professor and his team.


    "Are you saying that the... Shadow Rain... brought some kind of changes in humans too? But we haven¡¯t noticed anything." Professor Neil was at a complete loss this time and the expressions on his team members faces made it obvious that they too had no idea about this particular matter.


    "That¡¯s right." Grace answered, taking the entire research team by surprise.


    Professor Neil quickly exchanged a glance at his team before he asked, "What kind f changes are you talking about?"


    Grace shrugged before she answered in a tone as if she was talking about weather instead of a really important topic. "Like the magical abilities you witnessed when I found you. The way I made all those boxes disappear and the portal we used to return to this place - they are the special abilities we unlocked because of the Shadow Rain."


    Professor Neil immediately started shaking his head, not yet believing her. "That can¡¯t be possible. We have seen no such thing so far." He stated in a determined tone while the members of his team exchanged nods of agreement between them.


    Grace tilted her head to the side and observed Professor Neil and his team for a moment or two before asking, "Did anyone among you got exposed to the Shadow Rain?"


    Professor Neil nodded his head before answering, "All of us. We were out on a field trip when the rain happened. We did find a shelter soon but we all came in contact with that black liquid." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then have you noticed that there are some sorts of changes in your bodies? Like getting healthy despite not eating enough food, good senses, increase in stamina, anything of the sort?" Grace asked and noticed as Professor Neil¡¯s expression changed again and he nodded his head in a positive response.


    "That¡¯s because of the changes that black liquid is bringing in you all. Eventually, you all are going to unlock similar powers like me and my team mates. And so will the rest of the population that came in contact with the Shadow Rain. So, I don¡¯t have magic, and the government will not be interested in me when every other person out there will possess a power similar to mine."


    It was clear that Professor Neil had a lot of questions, but she was done talking for the day. It wasn¡¯t easy to make someone completely clueless understand everything, that was going on, within hours.


    But she soon realized that she was facing an even bigger problem...

 Chapter 186: Her Boyfriends’ Demands

    Grace sighed inwardly, feeling a mix of exhaustion when Kevin finished informing her about an issue she completely overlooked.


    When she went out for the rescue mission, her plan was to save only Professor Neil, and there was no such thing as bringing his entire team of more than a dozen people along with him.


    So now, they had the issue of finding a place to accommodate all these people. The problem was - there were no empty units left on top three floors, and they couldn¡¯t leave the research team anywhere else.


    She glanced at the research team in the living room, and let out another sigh. Returning her attention to Kevin who was pouring her a glass of water, she asked, "Any idea what we can do to handle this? I feel like my brain is too dead to find a solution immediately."


    She was feeling exhausted after making Professor Neil calm down about his curiosity on the topic of Shadiw Rain causing outbreak of superpowers in humans. He wanted answers, and she had to convince him to do the talking later once everyone had rested.


    And to make it clear - it wasn¡¯t an easy job. The old man was too persistent that she had to almost threaten him.


    Kevin handed her the glass and was about to speak when Rune found them in the kitchen. "I might have one." He announced much to their surprise.


    Arching her eyebrows at his statement, she asked, "And what is this idea of yours?"


    The moment she noticed his signature smirk making its appearance on his lips, she knew that whatever he was about to say, she wasn¡¯t going to like it. And she soon found out just jow right her intuition was.


    "I¡¯ll give up my unit, but only if I get to stay with you, Grace." He stated boldly, not even caring that Kevin was still there.


    The poor man was clearly taken aback by surprise and quickly shifted his gaze between Rune and Grace. Eventually, he decided to excuse himself out of the situation.


    Grace closed her eyes and let out the third sigh within minutes, but this time it was for an entirely different reason. She could already imagine just how lively the group chat was going to be. While her team believed that she had no idea about their secret group chat, she knew exactly what happened there on daily basis.


    She finally turned her eyes at Rune and stared at him.


    "What?" he said with mock innocence, shrugging. "I¡¯m being generous. Besides, you have a big enough apartment. We could share."


    Before she could have shut him down, Davian¡¯s voice cut through the place. "If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll offer my unit too - on the same condition, of course."


    Grace shot him a look of disappointment. She could expect such kind of talk from Rune, but not Davian. "This isn¡¯t a negotiation for my apartment."


    Davian leaned against the counter next to her and crossed his arms with a teasing smile. "It¡¯s only fair, Grace. You can¡¯t play favorites."


    Rune chuckled, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "Exactly. Equal treatment for all."


    Grace groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. It wasn¡¯t like she was uncomfortable by their presence in her apartment. She just knew that having them around would snatch away the last bit of peace that was left in her life.


    She opened her mouth to respond, but Dr. Kian beat her to it.


    "I don¡¯t have a unit to offer," he said as he too somehow found his way into the kitchen, "but if they are staying with you, then so am I. Otherwise, it¡¯s not fair."


    Grace blinked at him, stunned by the fact that even he was joining in. "Kian, you¡ª"


    "I¡¯m just saying," he interrupted in a calm but firm tone. "You are making space for them. Why not for me?"


    Grace let out a frustrated breath, realizing she was cornered. She couldn¡¯t refuse Dr. Kian without making him feel excluded, and the last thing she needed was to create tension within her own men.


    "Fine," she said finally, her voice laced with resignation. "You three can stay in my apartment. But don¡¯t think for a second that I¡¯m going to let you all disturb my peace."


    The three men quickly nodded their heads, more than happy now that they had won.


    With that settled, Grace found her way back to Professor Neil. "Rune and Davian¡¯s units are now available. We will divide your team into two groups, and you will stay in those apartments for the time being."


    Professor Neil nodded, though his expression was still guarded. "Thank you," he said, though the words seemed forced.


    With him moving away to his team, she found her way to her own team. "Ryan, Jasper," she called, motioning for the two men to step forward. "You will be responsible for keeping an eye on Professor Neil and his team. Report to me if anything seems off."


    "Yes, Boss," Ryan said, his tone serious.


    Jasper seemed happy with the new mission. He grinned and stated in a confident voice. "Don¡¯t worry, Boss, we will make sure they don¡¯t try anything funny."


    Garce knew that she didn¡¯t need to bother too much about the matter because her team was going to take care of it very well.


    - - -


    The moving process began shortly after. Rune and Davian cleared out their units quickly, and shifted their belongings into Grace¡¯s apartment with little subtlety.


    Meanwhile, Professor Neil¡¯s team was divided into two groups, brgote they also moved into their assigned spaces.


    While the researchers unpacked, Grace found herself in the hallway outside Rune¡¯s former unit, watching the process with a critical eye.


    "You really trust them, Boss?" Jasper asked in a low voice while nodding toward Professor Neil¡¯s team.


    "No," Grace admitted without hesitation. "Not yet. That¡¯s why you and Ryan are here. I need you to be vigilant. They are grateful now, but they don¡¯t trust us. And trust me, Jasper - they¡¯ll test us."


    Jasper nodded, and his expression turned serious. "Got it. We will keep an eye on them."


    sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 187: Rune’s Magic Hands

    The long day finally settled into a quiet calm, and Grace took her leave. She stepped into her apartment, and locked the door behind her, exhaling deeply.


    As she slipped off her boots and hung her coat, she noticed Rune lounging on the couch. He was flipping through a book that he had most definitely picked up just to look busy. His silky hair was slightly disheveled, and the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips as he noticed her entrance was unmistakably Rune.


    "Welcome home, Girlfriend," he teased while closing the book and tossing it onto the coffee table. "Long day?" He continued.


    "Don¡¯t start," Grace muttered as she played along with him, though her tone lacked any real bite.


    Rune rose from the couch and stretched, his lean frame exuding an effortless confidence that always managed to irritate and intrigue her.


    "Where are the others?" Grace asked while glancing around. She just returned from Unit 2203 where she was discussing some work with Aleena and Kevin, so she had no idea where Davian and Dr. Kian were.


    "Still with Professor¡¯s team," Rune replied casually. "Sorting things out. Thought I would let them handle it for now and make sure you didn¡¯t collapse the moment you walked in."


    Grace rolled her eyes as she brushed past him toward her room. "I¡¯m fine, Rune."


    "Sure you are," he said, his voice following her down the hallway. "You have been running on fumes all day. Go shower, Grace. I¡¯ll take care of the rest."


    She paused, and galnced back at him with a raised brow. "The rest?"


    "You¡¯ll see," he said, and his smirk widened.


    Too tired to argue, she decided to just take his advice. She disappeared into her room, and locked the door behind her. But she knew better than to believe that door, whether locked or unlocked, could stop Rune frome entering.


    She grabbed a change of clothes, and headed straight for the bathroom. The hot water was a blessing as it washed away the grime and tension of the day. By the time she stepped out, her muscles felt looser, and her mind was just a little clearer.


    She changed into a pair of warm night-suit, and towel dryed her hair as she made her way back to the living room. It was the faint hum of a juicer that greeted her ears, and she rounded the corner to find Rune in the kitchen only to find him pouring a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.


    "Here," he said, handing her the glass without waiting for her to ask.


    Grace raised an eyebrow but took it. "Fresh orange juice, huh? Let me guess, you stole these oranges from my stash."


    Rune grinned in response. "Of course. Only the best for you."


    She took a sip, and felt the tangy sweetness refreshing her instantly. As she drank, her mind wandered and she realized something odd. "You always do this," she murmured, half to herself.


    "Do what?" Rune asked as he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.


    "Offer me fresh juice," she said while meeting his gaze. "Every time I find you after a long day. When I¡¯m tired and tensed."


    He shrugged, and his grin softening into something gentler. "It¡¯s just my way of making sure you are taken care of. You tend to forget to do that for yourself."


    His words caught her off guard, and for a moment, Grace didn¡¯t know what to say. She didn¡¯t knew that he could be this gentle and thoughtful. She finished the juice and set the glass down on the counter before turning to face him. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you," she said quietly, her voice softer than usual.


    Rune tilted his head, and appeared to be studying her. "You are welcome. But no more work talk tonight, okay?" It was almost as if he knew that she was going to talk about continuing their search for mutated plants.


    Grace frowned. "Rune, I-"


    "No," he interrupted in a firm but playful tone. "You have been on your feet all day. You are not allowed to stress about anything else tonight. Take a break for once."


    She shook her head, but there was no real annoyance in her expression. "You are impossible."


    "That¡¯s why you like me," he said with a wink. Then, without missing a beat, he added, "Want a massage? You look like you could use one."


    Grace¡¯s lips twitched as she tried not to laugh. "You can¡¯t be serious."


    "Dead serious," he replied while stepping closer. "Come on, let me help you relax."


    She shook her head again, but her resistance was waning. The idea was tempting, especially with how sore her body felt despite the hot shower. "Fine," she relented, but still gave him a warning look. "But don¡¯t push your luck."


    Rune grinned and gestured for her to sit on the couch. "Trust me, Grace. I have got magic hands."


    She didn¡¯t comment and sank into the couch, letting out a soft sigh as he positioned himself behind her. She was still unsure about this idea, but the tension in her shoulders made her give in.


    "Relax," he murmured, using a low and soothing voice as he settled his hands on her shoulders. His touch was firm yet gentle as he began kneading the tight muscles.


    "You are like a rock," he muttered. "What do you do, carry the world on your shoulders?"


    "Feels like it sometimes," Grace admitted, her voice softening as the tension in her body began to melt away under his touch.


    His touch sent an immediate wave of relief through her, and the soreness melted away under his skilled hands. She closed her eyes, and leaned slightly forward to give him better access. Her body was slowly surrendering to the comfort.


    "See? Magic hands," Rune teased while his fingers worked along the curve of her neck.


    Grace let out a soft chuckle, though it came out more like a breathy exhale. "Don¡¯t get cocky. You are not that good."


    But then she felt Rune leaning closer, and his warm breath brushed against her ear. "Liar," he whispered.

 Chapter 188: Dr. Kian wants to Join

    Grace¡¯s eyes fluttered open, and she tilted her head to glance back at him. Rune¡¯s smirk was there, but his eyes held something deeper, something unspoken that made her heart skip.


    "Rune¡­" she started, but the way he was looking at her made her voice falter.


    He didn¡¯t stop his ministrations. His hands moved down her back with slow, deliberate strokes. Each press of his fingers felt more intimate, more purposeful, and the air between them grew thicker with tension.


    "You are tense everywhere," he murmured, and she noticed how his tone dropped lower. "You really don¡¯t take care of yourself, do you?"


    Grace swallowed hard, and felt her pulse quickening. "I¡¯m fine," she managed to say, but her voice betrayed her.


    Rune¡¯s hands paused for a moment with his thumbs pressing gently into the small of her back. "Are you?" he asked. His voice was quieter now, almost a whisper.


    The vulnerability in his question caught her off guard. She didn¡¯t respond, and the silence hung between them like a fragile thread.


    He moved closer, and his hands slid up to rest lightly on her shoulders again. "Grace," he said softly, her name falling from his lips like a plea.


    She turned her head slightly, and before she could think, her gaze locked with his. His face was so close now, and his icy-blue eyes were searching hers with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.


    "Let me help you relax," he said in a barely audible voice.


    And then he leaned in. Grace didn¡¯t pull away... she couldn¡¯t. The moment their lips met, it was like a spark igniting a fire that had been smoldering for months.


    Rune¡¯s lips were warm and soft, yet demanding, moving against hers with a hunger that mirrored her own. His hands cupped her face, and his thumbs brushed against her cheeks as he deepened the kiss.


    Grace¡¯s breath hitched, and her hands instinctively reached up to grip his shirt to pull him closer. The world around them disappeared, and the only thing that mattered was the feel of him, the way his mouth claimed hers like she was the only thing he wanted.


    He shifted. His movements were fluid as he guided her to lean back against the couch. He braced himself above her, all the while his lips never left hers as the kiss grew more passionate. One of his hands trailed down her side, and his touch left a trail of heat in its wake.


    Grace gasped softly when his lips left hers, only to trail along her jaw and down the column of her neck. Her fingers tangled in his hair, her breaths coming faster as he pressed open-mouthed kisses against her skin. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Rune¡­" she whispered, her voice trembling with both hesitation and desire.


    He paused and lifted his head to meet her gaze. His eyes were burning with a mixture of longing and restraint. "Say the word, Grace," he murmured in a hoarse voice. "Tell me to stop, and I will."


    Her heart pounded in her chest as the weight of the moment pressed down on her. But she didn¡¯t want him to stop.


    Instead of answering, she pulled him back down, and her lips found his in a kiss that spoke louder than words. She felt him groaning against her mouth while his hand slid to her waist to pull her closer.


    The kiss turned feverish. Their movements were synchronized as if they had done this a hundred times before. Grace felt herself giving in completely, her body molding against his as his hands explored her curves with a reverence that made her feel cherished.


    Her fingers roamed across his chest, the hard lines of his muscles beneath his shirt sending a thrill through her. She tugged at the fabric, and Rune chuckled softly against her lips.


    "Impatient, aren¡¯t we?" he teased, his voice rough with desire.


    Grace smirked. "Less talking, more kissing," she shot back before pulling him down for another searing kiss.


    Rune obeyed. His lips and hands left her breathless as he lavished her with attention. The months of tension between them finally found release in their shared passion.


    He broke the kiss again for a moment, his lips hovering over hers as he whispered, "You have no idea how long I have waited this."


    His words sent a thrill down her spine, and she couldn¡¯t suppress the smile that tugged at her lips. "Maybe I do," she replied breathlessly before pulling him back into another fiery kiss.


    His lips left hers to trail along her jawline and down to the sensitive spot on her neck, causing a soft gasp to escape her. Her hands gripped his shoulders as he paid extra attention to her throat and collarbone in tender but deliberate movements.


    But just as Rune¡¯s hands slid to her waist, and his kisses grew more heated, a sound from the doorway shattered the moment.


    "Ahem."


    Both of them froze, and their heads snapped toward the source of the interruption. Standing there, leaning casually against the doorframe with an amused smirk, was Dr. Kian.


    "Don¡¯t mind me," he said in a light and teasing tone. "I was just looking for some peace and quiet, but it seems I have stumbled upon¡­ something else entirely."


    Grace felt her cheeks heat as she quickly pushed Rune back and sat up, her heart was still racing from the intensity of the moment. "Kian!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of embarrassment and shock.


    Rune, however, seemed completely unbothered. He leaned back against the couch with a lazy grin, and draped his arm over the backrest. "You have got terrible timing, Doc," he said, though there was no real annoyance in his tone.


    Dr. Kian stepped into the room, and his smirk widened. "Or excellent timing, depending on how you look at it." His eyes flicked to Grace, and she noticed the playful glint in them. "Should I leave you two to¡­ finish, or can I join the party?"

 Chapter 189: She Wants to Throw One Out

    Grace groaned, and buried her face in her hands.


    "You are learning bad things from Rune," she muttered when she finally looked up and straightened.


    She heard Rune scoffing beside her. As for Dr. Kian, he chuckled before moving closer to the sitting area. "Am I?" He then asked, pretending to be innocent and shifting his gaze between her and Rune.


    Before she could have even thought of a response, she heard him adding. "Though I must admit, I¡¯m a little jealous. You haven¡¯t kissed me with this much passion yet."


    Rune raised an eyebrow, and his grin turned smug. "What can I say? She just can¡¯t resist me."


    Grace shot him a glare, though it lacked any real heat. Turning to Dr. Kian, she said, "You can¡¯t be joining hands with him to torture me now, are you?" She made sure to put on a disheartening expression, and her plan immediately worked its magic.


    Dr. Kian¡¯s expression softened, and his teasing demeanor gave way to something more sincere. "No at all, Grace," he said while sitting down beside her and taking her hand gently in his. "But I think we both know I would like my time with you too."


    Grace¡¯s heart skipped again. The weight of their gazes on her were making her feel both flustered and deeply cared for. She glanced between the two men, Rune¡¯s playful confidence and Kian¡¯s quiet intensity both pulling at her in different ways.


    "This is going to be complicated," she said softly, though there was a small smile on her lips.


    "Life already is," Rune said with a shrug before leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "But I think we will figure it out." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dr. Kian nodded while brushing his thumb lightly over her knuckles. "As long as you are willing to try, Grace, so are we."


    Grace felt a sense of warmth and safety that had nothing to do with physical protection. She gave them both a small, genuine smile and said, "All right. Let¡¯s keep trying."


    Dr. Kian returned her smile before leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. But before she could have fully savored its sweetness, Rune was there to steal another kiss from her lips as he didn¡¯t want to be outdone.


    She gave him a playful shove and saw him grinning widely as if he had won some sort of challenge. On the other hand, Dr. Kian had a soft, warm smile spread across his lips while he watched the two of them. It was almost similar to a mother hen watching her kids play around.


    Davian walked in just as Rune finished another teasing remark that made Grace groan in frustration. He paused in the doorway, and arched his brow as he took in the scene before him.


    "What did I miss?" He asked, his deep voice carrying a mix of curiosity and amusement as he moved toward them.


    "Nothing worth repeating," Grace muttered while shooting Rune a half-hearted glare.


    Rune smirked at Davian and shrugged. "Just helping Grace unwind a little. She has had a long day."


    "Is that what you call it?" Grace asked while sparing him another half-hearted glare.


    Davian smiled softly as he sat down in the armchair opposite the big couch. "From the look on your face, Grace, I would say Rune¡¯s idea of ¡¯helping¡¯ is more like troublemaking."


    "Exactly," Grace agreed, shooting Davian a grateful look.


    "Hey, don¡¯t gang up on me now," Rune said while holding up his hands in mock defense. "I was the one who got her to relax in the first place."


    Dr. Kian smiled as he spoke in Rune¡¯s defense. "To be fair, he¡¯s not entirely wrong. She does seem¡­ less tense."


    Grace groaned, and hid her face in her hands again. "You are all impossible."


    Rune leaned closer, his grin widening. "And yet, you still love us."


    She peeked at him through her fingers with a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "Unfortunately."


    The man just grinned widely, letting her know that he was enjoying every second of her torment. It wasn¡¯t even a few hours since they moved into her apartment, and she already wanted to throw one of them out.


    "So, what¡¯s for dinner?" Davian asked after a moment once he checked the time on the wall clock and noticed it was already half past six in the evening.


    Much to everyone¡¯s surpise, Rune clapped his hands together and straightened. "I vote we cook. Together."


    Grace blinked at him, surprised. "You want to cook? Since when?"


    "I can cook," Rune said, feigning offense. "I have been learning these days, cooking for myself in my kitchen."


    "I will believe it when I see it." Dr. Kian offered his opinion on the matter.


    "Then let¡¯s get started," Rune said as he stood up and offered his hand to Grace. "Come on. Be my assistant chef for the night."


    Grace hesitated for a moment before finally taking his hand. "Fine. But if you burn anything, you are on clean-up duty."


    "I never burn anything," he replied confidently as he pulled her to her feet.


    Davian and Dr. Kian joined them too in the kitchen, making the usual spacious area look crowded with their tall and well-built frames. The three of them looked giant compared to her.


    While Rune took over the duty of main chef for the night, the rest of the three of them took over different tasks to help him. It didn¡¯t take too long before they realized that Rune was indeed not bluffing. He wasn¡¯t as great as Davain, but everything he cooked looked edible.


    As the meal came together, the air in the kitchen was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of their combined efforts. When everything was finally ready, they set the table and sat down to eat.


    Grace looked around at the three men, and a soft smile tugged at her lips as she took in the scene. For all their teasing and chaos, there was an undeniable sense of comfort and safety with them.


    Rune caught her staring and grinned. "What? Falling for me all over again?"


    Grace snorted, shaking her head. "You wish."

 Chapter 190: Transitions Started

    For next couple of days, Grace was fully occupied with the task of explaining everything to Professor Neil and his team.


    She briefed them over how the Shadow Rain altered her and her team¡¯s DNAs and gave them access to otherworldly powers. About how the SR caused similar alterations in plants and animals, helping them mutate.


    She also shared her research on the project with them, impressing Professor Neil and his team with the data she had gathered so far despite not being from science field.


    She then also briefed them over her research on the changes that Blood Rain had caused in all living beings, and showed him the plants 2025 had gathered with Blood Rain mutation signs.


    The only information she kept from sharing were - her and her men¡¯s identities, her bracelet, story of her and Davian¡¯s rebirth, Rune¡¯s story, and 2025¡¯s existence.


    Some of these information was too personal you be shared with them, and there wasn¡¯t any need to even share them. On the other hand, those information that needed to be shared, she was going to do it once she would be sure whether Professor Neil and his team was going to stay loyal to her or not.


    While she was busy in explaining these matters to the research team, her own team was making sure that they wouldn¡¯t be betrayed.


    All the belongings of the research team were thoroughly checked by 2025, all the electronics were also checked and 2025 added some sort of chip to make sure the research team will not be able to reach out to any outsider.


    Ryan and Jasper were also proficient with their assigned task, not letting any movement of the research team skip their attention.


    To earn the trust of Professor Neil and his team, Grace also made sure to let them have them councidentally listen to updates on what the government was really up to despite what they were promising on the news.


    It was occasionally one of the researchers passing by when they would overhear. Sometimes, it would be someone eavesdropping when Grace was having a fake meeting with her entire team.


    To make everything look more real, Kevin even pretended to catch two researchers red-handed while they were eavesdropping on Aleena updating Grace on the recent information they received about the authorities¡¯ plans.


    None of these updates were actually fake as Grace had her sources within the government while Davian had his sources both in the government and the military. They recently reached out to their sources to fish for updates on exactly what was happening within the government.


    As the days passed, Professor Neil and his team not only got to hear about the lack of government¡¯s interest in helping the general public, but they even got to witness it by seeing the situation of the Greenstone Residential Area where residents had once again started protesting for food and water.


    The volcanic winter was still showing no sign of leaving. There were crazy snowstorm every other day. Power and gas supplies were mostly cut off. Merely any food was being distributed, and the zombies were still out there causing chaos and more deaths.


    As time was passing, those who got in contact with the Shadow Rain but not with Blood Rain, also started showing changes. They were becoming better as the mutation was helping their bodies to recover of the malnutrition, and cold, or they were showing signs of turning into zombies.


    It took about two more weeks before the chaos once again returned as some people suddenly found they had powers, or some ended up turning into zombies overnight.


    The tension in the Greenstone Residential Area escalated over the following two weeks. Every new day was bringing a new set of change, and the line between survival and chaos became thinner than ever.


    Professor Neil and his team, who were initially skeptical, finally began to settle into their new reality. Not only that, but they too entered the phase of transition.


    Out of total sixteen members, four turned into zombies. But Grace and her team were there to carefully handle the situation. And this incident finally helped in setting the base of the trust and loyalty that she had been looking forward to.


    One evening, as Grace stood by the window of her apartment, watching the swirling snow outside, Rune joined her. He leaned casually against the wall, and his piercing eyes studied her. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You have been working too hard," he said, his voice low but filled with concern.


    Grace glanced at him and a faint smile tugged at her lips. "We don¡¯t have the luxury of taking it easy."


    Rune smirked, though there was a softness in his gaze. "Still, you are carrying too much on your shoulders. You have done more for Professor¡¯s team than most would bother to do."


    "They are valuable," she replied simply, keeping her tone firm. "And they are starting to see the bigger picture. We need their knowledge, Rune. Without it, we are just reacting to problems instead of getting ahead of them."


    Rune didn¡¯t argue. Instead, he reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. "I get it, Grace. I just don¡¯t want you burning yourself out before we even get a real chance to change things."


    She didn¡¯t respond, but his words lingered in her mind as they stood in silence, watching the snowstorm grow fiercer.


    The following morning brought the chaos Grace had been dreading.


    Ryan and Nina rushed into her apartment, carrying grim expression. "Boss," Ryan said, slightly out of breath. "The seventeenth floor is on chaos."


    Grace¡¯s stomach tightened. "What happened?"


    "Two residents turned overnight," Nina explained in a heavy tone. "One of them attacked his family. The other¡­ well, he discovered his powers and tried to use them against the zombies outside. He ended up destroying half the hallway instead."


    Grace cursed under her breath. "Why do we have to worry about these idiots?" She asked out loud in frustration.


    "Umm... maybe because we are living in the same building, and don¡¯t want this place either falling down or filled with those creatures?"


    The sarcastic remark came from Rune who just walked into the unit and overheard the conversation.


    Not having time and energy to respond to him, Grace just grabbed her jacket and headed out with Ryan and Nina. Rune obviously followed right after her.

 Chapter 191: Cleaning the Building

    The seventeenth floor of Greenstone Residential Area was in complete chaos. Screams echoed through the narrow halls before mingling with the guttural growls of the newly turned.


    The scene was worse than Grace had anticipated when she made her way downstairs. One side of the hallway was destroyed. The walls were scorched and debris was scattered everywhere.


    Fortunately, the damage wasn¡¯t strong enough to actually cause any issues with the building¡¯s structure or safety.


    The man who created this mess was detained inside his apartment while the rest of the residents of the floors had fled downstairs to stay away from him.


    Grace kept her distance from the mess and stood at the stairwell landing. Her face was a mask of cold calculation as Kevin and Aleena updated her on the situation. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was barely eight in the morning and the world was going crazy. And the only reason she was completely unaware of this craziness was because she was inside her space when all this happened.


    "More than just two turned, Boss," Kevin clarified grimly, and his hand tightened around his rifle. None of her team had taken any action yet, and had only explored the situation. They were waiting for her to give the order.


    "How many?" She asked before she asked 2025 to run a scan across the building to find out exactly how many residents had turned into zombies.


    "At least five residents have already turned overnight, and from what we have heard, there might be more." Kevin replied.


    The very next moment, 2025 also updated her on the result of system¡¯s scanning. [Master, a total of nine residents have already turned, and eleven more are showing signs of turning. As for the remaining thirty-two residents, fifteen have unlocked some sort of powers, five more will unlock soon, and the rest are just...]


    "Great," Grace muttered in a tone that was devoid of any emotion. Her dark green eyes swept over her team, assessing their readiness. "We clean house. Efficiently. No delays, no mistakes."


    She then turned to Davian, who had joined her moments earlier. His had a calm expression on his face, looking just as emotionless about the entire situation as her. "You are with me. We will top ten floors. Rune will handle the lower ten floors with Kevin. No mercy. Kill anything that¡¯s turned or infected."


    She then quickly divided the team into two groups, a total of nine people in her team and eleven in Rune¡¯s.


    "What about the survivors?" Nina asked. There was no sympathy or hesitation in her voice or expression, she just wanted to know incase she had to play a savior.


    Grace let out a small sigh before she answered, "They are not our concern. If they get in the way, remind them who¡¯s cleaning up their mess. We don¡¯t have time to babysit."


    Davian¡¯s lips twitched, but he said nothing. He was fully aware of how little patience she had for the residents of their building. After all, these people made sure to be a pain in their lives during the initial few months of the disasters.


    "Where¡¯s Doc?" Rune asked when he noticed that Kian hadn¡¯t joined them despite the whole building filled with so much chaos.


    "Dr. Kian and the rest of the team are staying on our floors. They will keep the research team in line and away from this mess. The last thing I need is Professor Neil playing the hero while we are neck-deep in this shit." Grace informed.


    Though she didn¡¯t really believe that Professor Neil would try to be so benevolent when he knew exactly how dangerous the situation was, she still didn¡¯t want to take any chances with the research team.


    With her orders clear, they all quickly split into two groups and headed to their assigned areas within the building.


    -


    The Top Ten Floors ¨C Grace and Davian¡¯s team


    The top three floors of the building were already secured, and no one had turned into a zombie on either nineteenth and the eighteenth floor. The seventeenth floor was already empty, hence the team made their way to the sixteenth floor where system had detected the presence of two zombies.


    The hallway was eerily silent except for the occasional distant scream. Since the power had been cut again, it left the hallways dark except for the little natural light that was coming through the tightly shut glass windows.


    As usual, the air was heavy with the stench of decay, but it was a smell Grace had long since stopped noticing.


    They moved in silence, keeping their steps precise and deliberate. Grace spotted the first zombie crouched over what was remained of a resident. Its grotesque, rotting body was visible to her enchanced eyesight. Without hesitation, she raised her rifle and pulled the trigger.


    The zombie collapsed instantly, with its head blown apart by the shot. She stepped over the body without so much as a glance. Her focus was on scanning the rest of the hallway.


    They didn¡¯t want to make too much noise, and thus checking on each apartment wasn¡¯t a solution. That¡¯s why 2025 decided to step forward and showed them the exact location of the second zombie that was present of the sixteenth floor.


    "It¡¯s also feeding," Davian murmured, keeping his voice low but steady as he located the second zombie the moment they stepped into the apartment at the very end of the hallway.


    Since the door was left wide open, they just stopped inside in silence, avoiding alerting the creature.


    Grace nodded and gestured for him to take point. Instead of using the gun, he took out a dagger and moved swiftly toward the zombie that had its back to them. Moments later, his blade gleamed right before as he plunged it into the back of the zombie¡¯s head with deadly precision.


    The creature slumped forward, lifeless, and Davian withdrew his blade before wiping it clean on the sleeve of a discarded shirt.


    "Two down," Grace muttered in a tone that was devoid of satisfaction. "Keep moving. We have more to clear."


    They continued down the hallway, systematically clearing each floor. The rooms held either cowering survivors or more of the infected. Grace didn¡¯t waste time comforting the survivors. She ordered them to barricade themselves in their rooms and stay out of her way.

 Chapter 192: Securing the Residential Area

    The Lower Floors ¨C Rune¡¯s Team


    While most of the top floors had turned silent, the lower floors were filled with chaos as most of the residents of the top floors had moved downstairs.


    Rune led the charge as he and his team appeared on the tenth floor. Though he wasn¡¯t one to use guns, he still took out one for this particular situation as firing his magical bolts would be too much.


    His shotgun boomed loudly as he took out two zombies that were attempting to break down an apartment¡¯s door. Loud screams erupted across the floor before it quitted down completely.


    Kevin and Nina followed close behind him, their own guns steady as they both picked off another that lunged at them from a side corridor.


    "This almost feels like practice," Silas remarked as he crushed a zombie¡¯s skull with the butt of his rifle.


    "Less commentary, more killing," Rio snapped as he reloaded his shotgun.


    Since they didn¡¯t have 2025 with them to help them locate the zombies, they all relied on Rune who seemed to know exactly where to find those ugly creatures.


    The team moved in perfect sync, covering each other as they cleared room after room. The lower floors had a higher concentration of the turned, but it was nothing they couldn¡¯t handle after everything they had been through in the past several weeks since the Blood Rain.


    - - -


    By the time both groups met back in the lobby, their clothes were splattered with gore. Still, they all carried either calm or excited expression on their faces.


    "All clear on our end," Rune reported whilewiping blood from his sleeve with some cloth he found.


    "Same here," Grace replied as she handed over rifles to the team. "But we are not done. The rest of this residential area is crawling with zombies, and we can¡¯t let them overrun this block. Gear up - we are heading out."


    They only took out those who had already turned into zombies. As for those who would soon turn, they needed a plan as killing them at this point could create way too much unease and chaos.


    Grace had 2025 monitor the situation of these particular people and had informed her team stationed at the top floors to handle the situation if any of them would turn into a zombie while she and the others were away.


    So with their building secured, she led her team into the freezing chaos outside. The snowstorm from the previous night had blanketed the streets in white, but the stark red of blood stood out in horrifying contrast.


    Several zombies were roaming freely on the streets, and their guttural growls echoed through the icy air.


    They killed as many as they found on their way to the military station of their area which was located merely a block away from their building.


    The stationed soldiers, who had grown somewhat familiar with her team ever since the first zombie breakout, were already struggling to handle the situation.


    The moment they noticed Grace and others, they quickly approached. It was way too obvious that they were more than happy about the help they would be getting.


    "Thought you all would show up," Captain Harlow said in his usual rough voice. "We have taken down over two dozens already that we found around the streets, but the real problem are the ones inside these buildings."


    He didn¡¯t even bothered to confirm if Grace and her team was there to help or not, he just assumed that there would be only one reason for them to step out in the current situation.


    Besides, looking at their appearances, it wasn¡¯t hard for the soldiers to guess exactly what they had done before arriving at their station.


    "Then we wipe them out," Grace replied coldly. "We can¡¯t let them overtake this place."


    Captain Harlow gave her a sharp look but didn¡¯t argue. He had learned early on that neither Grace nor Davian were ones to waste time with pleasantries. Or to say that the entire team was like that - cold and distant.


    Without wasting any time, Grace worked with Captain Harlow to form a plan. Since Davian had both knowledge and experience in taking out such kind of missions, he took the lead in suggesting and finalizing the strategy.


    Along with Grace and Captain Harlow, he divided the area into zones before diving their team with the soldiers in three different groups.


    Grace led Team A to the northern sector, which included a cluster of apartment buildings and narrow alleys where they found a big group of undead.


    Davian led Team B to the southern sector, and Rune led Team C to clear out the perimeters of the Greenstone Residential Area.


    The first building Grace entered was eerily quiet. She led the way with her rifle steady as she scanned the hallway. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "First room," she said curtly, gesturing to Nina and Kevin.


    Nina moved swiftly before kicking the door open while Kevin covered her. Inside, they found two zombies hunched over a body, their grotesque faces buried in flesh.


    Grace fired the first shot, her bullet finding its mark in the skull of the larger zombie. Kevin took down the second one with a clean headshot.


    "Clear," Nina confirmed, stepping over the corpse.


    They continued down the hall, clearing each room with ruthless efficiency. Most of the apartments were empty, but a few held cowering survivors who stared at them with a mix of fear and desperation.


    "Barricade yourselves inside," Grace warned them, her tone devoid of sympathy. "If you come out, I won¡¯t hesitate to shoot."


    The survivors nodded frantically before scrambling to lock their doors.


    "That was harsh," a soldier muttered under his breath as they moved to the next door.


    Grace shot him a cold glance. "We don¡¯t have time to babysit. If they can¡¯t follow simple instructions, that¡¯s on them."


    The mission continued for long hours as the three teams continued to take down those who had turned into zombies overnight the past several hours.


    By the time evening arrived, the streets of Greenstone Residential Area were eerily silent once again. The three teams returned to the military station once they were done cleaning their respective areas.


    "Good work," Captain Harlow with a hint of smile as he looked at the three teams. "This area is secure-."


    "For now." Grace added before the man could have finished celebrating.

 Chapter 193: Working with Captain Harlow

    "For now."


    These words left Captain Harlow and his fellow soldiers confused. Turning to face Grace, the man asked, "Why are you saying so? Is something else going to happen?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After getting to know Grace and how she worked, Captain Harlow and his team had come to realize that they could trust this woman and her words just as much as Davian¡¯s.


    Since Grace herself wasn¡¯t looking forward to handle those who were showing symptoms of turning into zombies, she decided to take Captain Harlow¡¯s help to solve the issue.


    "Because soon this place will be once again swarming with zombies. Some have turned during the past few hours, and others will continue turning. There¡¯s no really solving this issue until we have taken care of it from its very root." She explained, noticing the way a frown appeared on the Captain Harlow¡¯s face.


    "Are you saying that more residents are going to turn into zombies?" He asked, studying her closely.


    This time, Davian finally decided to step in as Grace couldn¡¯t reveal too much without making the Captain and his team curious about her identity.


    "I¡¯m not sure if you are receiving any updates from your seniors, but my connections within the higher government have shared a really interesting piece of information. These recent transformations are happening because of the Shadow Rain that took place months ago. Those who got in contact with that rain are beginning to either get access to some kind of superpowers, or transform into zombies."


    Captain Harlow and his team was visibly taken aback by this news. Considering they all were normal soldiers, they indeed had no way of learning about what was going on within the higher government. And based on Davian¡¯s identity, they all knew that this man definitely had his connections in the higher government and even within the military.


    "What should we do then? There¡¯s no way we can tell exactly which resident is going to turn into a zombie and which one will not-"


    "We can." Grace said while interrupting Captain Harlow. And once again, she succeeded in leaving the poor man baffled with her words.


    "How can you do that?" One of the soldiers asked, looking actually curious to hear her answer.


    Grace shifted her attention toward the one who asked the question before she began answering, "Two of my own turned into zombies few days ago. We have doctors in my team too, and they have closely observed the full period of transition of those two. I¡¯m sure the doctors in my team can locate those who are showing signs of transition once they will have a look at them."


    She had chosen her words wisely, creating a whole story to make Captain Harlow and his team believe that nothing really strange was going on at her end.


    The soldiers exchanged another look between them before Captian Harlow spoke. "Let¡¯s say that these doctors in your team can indeed recognize those residents who are going to turn, but just based on that, we can¡¯t go around killing people. It will create chaos. And what if we ended up hurting someone innocent?"


    "Of course, we aren¡¯t going to hurt anyone innocent." Grace quickly explained, not wanting Captain Harlow to cancel her plan.


    "Then how are you planning to handle this situation?" Captain Harlow asked as he focused his full attention at Garce.


    Instead of answering immediately as she already had a plan, Grace took her team and pretended to appear lost in thoughts. She didn¡¯t want the Captain to think that she had everything planned from the very beginning.


    After what seemed like a few long minutes of silence, she finally clicked her fingers to show that she had thought of something and suggested. "How about we move the residents of one of the remote buildings into others, and use that building to keep all the residents whom the doctors will find under the process of transition."


    Before Captain could have said anything, Rune decided to play a little part in the play. "That sounds like an amazing idea to me. Instead of having these dangerous people spread across this residential area, it¡¯s better to have them all in one place where the soldiers can keep an eye on them."


    Davian also nodded his head and added, "That¡¯s a good suggestion. We can kill those who will transform into zombies and let those go who will not after keeping them under observation for a few weeks."


    All eyes turned to Captain Harlow as they waited to hear what the man had to say. And what else he could say hen even Captain Cool was in favor of the idea that sounded perfect to handle the situation. After all, he was the last person who wanted to face another situation like what he did today.


    With a deep inhale, he nodded his head both in agreement and approval. "Alright. Let¡¯s go with your plan."


    With that being said, they wasted no time and began planning their next big move. They selected a twelve-storey building with a total of seventy-two single room apartments.


    Next, with 2025¡¯s help, Grace selected down the apartments with the most infectants and asked Captain Harlow to begin their checking from there.


    With both her team and Captain¡¯s team combined, it became easier to handle the residents as they were called out of their apartments to get checked. Because of the soldiers, very few people tried to make a scene, and even they calmed down into silence once they realized that no one was there to handle their tantrums.


    "I¡¯m surprised that you are putting so much effort in keeping this entire residential area safe." Rune said as he joined her in the corner of the fifth building they were currently checking.


    Grace sneaked a glance at Dr. Kian and Maria working on the other side of the lobby while she replied to his statement. "We can¡¯t have this place swarming with zombies as it will only create problems for us."

 Chapter 194: Things Changed at Greenstone

    Grace, her team, the soldiers, as well as the residents of the Greenstone Residential Area had to pull an all-nighter that night, but it eventually ended up working in their favor.


    Several residents kept - either transforming into zombies, or unlocking some kind of superpowers, within every few hours of span.


    The next few days were filled with immense calculations, planning, startegizing, and almost no rest, but it ended up helping them in keeping the Residential Area safe from another big zombie breakout or any other big mishap.


    The temporary quarantine system worked surprisingly well. The designated building housed over forty individuals who were initially identified as being in different stages of transformation.


    With constant monitoring by Captain Harlow¡¯s soldiers and Grace¡¯s team, they managed to prevent any sudden outbreaks and took care of those who eventually transitioned.


    The residents, who were initially fearful and resistant, gradually began cooperating when they realized that the soldiers and Grace¡¯s teams were only trying to help them. The fact that no innocent lives were lost under this plan also helped a lot.


    While it took less than twenty-four hours for Dr. Kian and Maria to identify the infected residents with 2025¡¯s help, it actually took about a month before all the identified residents completed their transitions.


    By the end of this one month period, the rest of the Country was heavily swarming with zombies. There were scared, and confused people who had unlocked superpowers. There were also those people who were scared of both the zombies and the people with superpowers as both were proving to be equally dangerous but for different reasons.


    The military was struggling to keep the situation under control, and the government was only proving to be useless the more time passed by.


    But among all these chaos, Greenstone Residential Area was actually slowly but steadily improving. Despite it not being her initial plan, Grace decided to take over the area after discussing the matter with her men and rest of the team.


    While she started working with Captain Harlow and his team to reinforce the Greenstone Residential Area, Professor Neil and his research team finally began their work just as they promised her.


    Dr. Kian and Maria also joined the research team, and Grace finally introduced 2025 to the research team. She told them that 2025 was her AI assistant and kept the creature¡¯s true identity and appearance secret.


    2025 was not only supposed to help the research team with their study, but also to keep them from making any mistake. And having Dr. Kian and Maria working with them only made Grace worry less.


    By the third week, she found herself and her team conducting daily group meetings with the hundred and seventy-two residents of Greenstone Residential Area where she helped them understand both the zombie outbreak and the sudden emergence of superpowers.


    The more time she spent with the residents and the soldiers, the more she was earning their trust and loyalty. Slowly, the residents were realizing that she was their only chance at survival in a world where everyone had abandoned them.


    Among these hundred and seventy-two residents, only forty-nine people actually unlocked superpowers, and even among them, only four had powers strong enough to be worth mentioning.


    Still, none of these four carried a power that could have made Grace interested enough to offer them to join her team. Besides, at this point, she had an entirely new plan for the Greenstone Residential Area.


    One particular evening, Grace found herself facing Kevin and some other team members who were curious to know what she was planning to do with the Greenstone Residential Area.


    "This place has good infrastructure, good location, and we have already spent quite a lot of effort in keeping this place safe as well as the residents here. After working so hard, I feel that it will be a waste to just leave this place behind." Grace spoke out her real thoughts.


    "But we are eventually going to leave this place." Aleena pointed out the obvious plan they had for their future.


    Grace shrugged her shoulders before replying, "We will. But for the time being, we are still living here. Maybe by the time we will leave, this place will be strong enough to hold on its own. And we might even be able to keep this place as our another base."


    Her teammates looked thoughtful as they pondered on her words, trying to see the picture she was seeing.


    It was Silas who spoke next. "Your plan sounds kind of good, Boss. But making this place a base, that can support us, will need a lot of hard work and attention."


    Grace nodded her head in agreement. She too had realized the same, but that didn¡¯t make her falter in her decision of turning Greenstone Residential Area into a base for her future plans.


    - - -


    Though Grace was clearly occupied with Greenstone, she still made sure to continue paying attention to other important tasks, and one of them was the task of searching for the mutated plants.


    Grace and Rune continued looking for the plants throughout the Starship Country. At this point, they knew that the Blood Rain had - either killed the mutated plants, or turned them into monsters. But they continued their search because they were also collecting samples of Blood rain¡¯s mutation.


    They not only collected plants, herbs, roots, and vines, but also some animals that showed signs of mutation to study them.


    While the Blood Rain had immediately transformed Humans into zombies, the plants and animals that came in its contact were taking their time to complete their transition.


    It wasn¡¯t until they completed their search in the Starship Country and finally headed to Country k, where the Shadow Rain happened recently, did Grace finally started finding the mutated plants. With every new day of search, she ended up finding more and more such unique plants that were undergoing mutation.


    She only handed one or two samples to the research team for study and shifted the rest inside her space to grow them into their full capability.


    It was on her fifth day of search when she came across an entire clearing filled with such plants that were undergoing mutation.


    [Master, almost all of them are dying. You need to shift them inside the space immediately.] sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 195: Mutated Vegetation

    The clearing was a strange, almost surreal sight. Dozens of mutated plants were growing there wildly. While some were thriving, others seemed to be struggling to stay alive with the virus that was changing its very core from deep within.


    The air was thick with an unnatural energy, with a mixture of decay and life. Some plants were glowing faintly, casting a soft luminescence over the ground. But then there were others that were surrounded by a sort of darkness that signaled their closeness to end.


    Grace crouched beside a cluster of vines that were pulsing with a faint, rhythmic glow. The leaves were shimmering, and their surfaces were covered in what looked like liquid silver.


    [Master, almost all of them are dying, even the ones looking like they are thriving. You need to shift them inside the space immediately.] 2025¡¯s voice chimed in her head.


    Grace didn¡¯t waste time. With a thought, she activated her spatial storage, and opened a shimmering portal beside her. Then she carefully began transferring the plants one by one, ensuring that none were left behind.


    It was at that point when she noticed that some of the plants were trying to resist, their roots clung to the soil as if reluctant to move. Still the system effortlessly shifted all of them inside the Infinte Realm.


    Rune had been observing her silently while standing by the side. "These plants are unlike anything I have seen before," he muttered as he carefully observed a plant that had golden leaves.


    Grace turned her attention to him and asked, "Not even in other planets you have been to during your missions?" She was curious and it seemed like Rune didn¡¯t mind sharing the information.


    He slowly shook his head and let out a small sigh before answering, "I have seen countless types of vegetation, some even magical, but these... these are indeed so new to me."


    She nodded her head, realizing just how important these mutated plants were. "That¡¯s why we need to save them before they completely wither."


    As she continued looking for more plants in the area, 2025 took the chance to analyze the plants they just shifted.


    [Scan complete. Identifying plant species¡­]


    One by one, the little creature began listing their names and potential uses.


    [Lunar Bloom ¨C A flower that absorbs moonlight and can enhance a person¡¯s energy levels when brewed into tea.]


    [Nightshade Thorn ¨C A vine that produces venomous thorns capable of paralyzing targets.]


    [Void Lily ¨C A rare flower that can neutralize zombie toxins when properly refined.]


    [Shadow Veil Moss ¨C A moss that, when consumed in small doses, can enhance stealth abilities.]


    [Phantom Ivy ¨C A creeping vine that emitts a scent capable of inducing hallucinations when crushed. ]


    Grace paused her search for a moment as she listened. She was realizing how these weren¡¯t just mutated plants, but valuable resources. Some could be used for healing, others for combat, and some even had strategic applications.


    She informed 2025. "We are taking everything."


    2025 was just as excited as she was, and quickly replied. [Understood, Master.]


    With renewed urgency, they continued searching the area for more mutated plants. Within an hour, they ended up securing all the vegetation that was showing signs of mutation in the area.


    * * *


    Since Grace and Rune spent too much time in collecting the plants, they were late for dinner. But as she informed the other two men about her findings, the atmosphere immediately turned lively.


    Grace knew that while she had been working hard, Davian, Rune, and Dr. Kian had been going through a rough time as well since all three of them were putting in their everything to help her in her plans.


    That¡¯s why, she kept trying to acknowledge their work and support, motivate them, and to give them a comfortable atmosphere every evening when the four of them returned to their apartment to catch some much-needed rest. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once the dinner was over, the four of them spent about an hour sitting in the living area and just chatting about several matters - some light and some important.


    It was about ten o¡¯clock when Grace finally entered her bedroom, but instead of heading to sleep, she entered the Infinite Realm to continue working on the mutated vegetation she found.


    Not wanting to waste any time, she headed straight to the special greenhouse she had prepared for the mutated plants. The entire place was empty except for a single bed where about eight to ten plants were growing healthily, and three out of them were the original ones she found near the military base.


    Fortunately, the fragments of roots that the system saved from those three original mutated plants, ended up working and new plants grew out of them.


    Since it had been two hours when she found these plants and shifted them inside, it also meant that it had been two days since they started evolving in the Infinte Realm.


    Without wasting any further time, Grace used the system to plant all the vegetation into the greenhouse and noticed how the magic happened in front of her very eyes.


    The pure energy of Infinte Realm worked and turned those dying plants into healthy ones.Their withering leaves perked up, and their roots stretched into the fertile soil as if to breathe life again.


    Grace knelt beside the Lunar Bloom, and watched as its petals, which had been curled inward in distress, slowly began to open, revealing a core that was glowing ike a miniature moon.


    [Master, all plants are stabilizing. Growth projections indicate a 72% increase in vitality over the next 48 hours,] 2025 reported.


    She exhaled in relief. "Good. Keep monitoring them."


    Grace moved from plant to plant, testing different watering techniques and adjusting their light exposure. Some required darkness to thrive, while others absorbed energy from their surroundings.


    [Master, this Void Lily is such a fascinating one. It will react to the presence of infected blood, and will neutralize toxins almost instantly.] 2025 shared the new insight on a particular plant.


    "This could be a cure," Grace murmured to herself as she turned her attention toward the Void Lily plant.


    Each one of these plants was a treasure, and if she could cultivate them properly, these plants would become an advantage just like some others she already had bagged for the one big plan that had been brewing ever since she woke up in this timeline.


    By the time she left the greenhouse, she had dozens of thriving mutated plants.


    * * *


    The next morning, Grace joined her team and Captain Harlow¡¯s for meeting. They all gathered inside the meeting room in community building.


    Over the past few weeks, Greenstone had gone from a frightened, disorganized settlement to a place with structure and security.


    Now, she had a plan to make it even stronger.


    "Good morning, Boss." Lieutenant Mark said as he and some of the other soldiers entered the meeting room. His companions greeted her as well, all addressing her as "Boss". Over the past couple of weeks that they had been working together to secure Greenstone, the soldiers had started addressing her just the way her team did.


    "Morning, everyone." Grace returned the greetings as she took her seat and the others filled in as well.


    For the next half-an-hour, they discussed the ongoing progress of the Residential Area. All the residents have been moved to live in Block D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, and M. The soldiers also moved into one of the buildings in Block E.


    There were a total of fifteen blocks in the Greenstone Residential Area, and each block had anywhere between four to fifteen buildings - including residential apartments, community buildings, clubhouses, wellness centres, shopping centers, school buildings, and all.


    "The residents have settled down in their new homes. What are we going to do next?" Captain Harlow asked as they finished talking about the residents moving.


    "Our priority should be strengthening our perimeters to secure this place. Because of the location, we haven¡¯t seen a surge of zombie hordes coming our way, but it¡¯s just a matter of time. I¡¯m sure sooner or later, we will see it happening sooner or later."


    "But how can we secure our perimeters? The wall isn¡¯t high enough to stop anyone from climbing over it because the electric fence on it is no longer working. The wall is also broken in some places." One of the soldiers counted down the main issues they had at hand.


    It was Davian who answered, as he had already formed plans and discussed them with Grace and their team the previous night. "We can start by fixing the wall and increasing it¡¯s height. Since we can¡¯t use technology for our safety, we will go with what we have."


    "But we will need construction materials to build the wall." Captain Harlow pointed out.


    "Don¡¯t worry. We will take care of it." Davian spoke, earning a nod of understanding from Captain Harlow who didn¡¯t bother to inquire more about the matter of materials.


    The meeting ended twenty minutes later and everyone moved out to carry out their assigned tasks.


    "So, what¡¯s the plan?"

 Chapter 196: Raiding the Factory

    Grace and Davian walked out of the community building and stood there while everyone else headed to start their day.


    "So, what¡¯s the plan?" Rune suddenly appeared behind her and asked the question. At the same time, he draped his arm over Grace¡¯s shoulders and tilted his head to look at her face when she turned her head towards him.


    "What plan?" She asked, not feeling bothered by how casually he was showing the public display of affection. She had started to realize that instead of always pushing him away, it¡¯s much easier for her to just get used to it.


    "The one where you are going to rule this place." Rune replied while moving to stand in front of her. And despite the shift in his standing position, he kept his hand on her shoulder.


    This time, Grace tilted her head to the side and asked with a little smile, "Do you think my plan will work?" She genuinely wanted to know his opinion on the matter. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rune¡¯s expression turned serious as he answered in a sincere voice. "It will... but only until the monsters are out of the picture. You know that a high wall will be far from enough to keep this place safe from those creatures, right?"


    A sigh escaped Grace¡¯s lips and she nodded her head in response. She knew exactly what he was talking about as she too had been thinking about this matter.


    "I¡¯m sure we will find a solution. Let¡¯s take things one at a time for now. Okay?" Davian stepped in to dismiss the heavy silence that descended over them.


    Grace nodded her head, and Rune did the same, but then added, "My dad over here, is right. Let¡¯s not worry about that matter for the time being. We should focus on how to get the construction materials."


    The immediate glare he received from Davian only made him chuckle, while Grace just shook her head at his mischief. Getting on Davian¡¯s nerves had become Rune¡¯s favorite daring sport these days.


    Her gaze scanned the area where they were currently standing, and her brain began to formulate the next phase of their plan. The wall was their biggest weakness, and if they didn¡¯t reinforce it soon, it would only be a matter of time before they would be facing a full-scale attack from the infected or even other survivor groups looking to take advantage of their safe sanctuary.


    "We need a reliable plan to bring in the construction materials," Davian said. "We can¡¯t just produce them out of thin air and hope for everyone to not question about their source."


    He then turned his attention toward Grace and asked, "Are you planning to use your stock?"


    Grace immediately shook her head in a negative response before adding, "Unless it¡¯s the only option left, I don¡¯t want to use our stocked supplies. We are barely half an year into the apocalypse, and there are still supplies available out there."


    Both Rune and Davian seemed to approve her plan as neither the two of them were also in favor of using the stocked supplies for reinforcing a place that wasn¡¯t even in their original plan.


    "I have already looked into possible sources." Garce informed them. "There¡¯s an abandoned construction supply factory about fifteen miles east of here. Just like every other place, it was also shut down when the disasters began, but according to 2025¡¯s scans, most of the materials inside are still intact."


    A smirk formed on Rune¡¯s lips at this peace of information. "Perfect. And I assume you already have a plan on how to retrieve them?"


    "Of course." She crossed her arms. "We¡¯ll take two trucks, a handful of tge soldiers and our team. We go in fast, load up, and get out before anything - or anyone - notices us."


    It was Kevin, who had just walked up to join them, who put forward the question. "Why the soldiers?"


    "So that no one will get question the source of those materials." Garce answered and the man nodded his head in understanding.


    "When are we heading out for our next mission then?" Rune asked, sounding so sure that he would be a part of this mission as well.


    "We will move at dawn. We will hit fast, get what we need, and leave. No unnecessary drama... of course, unless we end up facing those zombies."


    Davian gave an approving nod. "Sounds good. I will drive one of the trucks. Let Maven handle the second one."


    Grace allowed a small smile. "I figured as much."


    The good thing was that after the rain disaster, Grace decided to take out a couple of vehicles from her space and parked them in the underground parking of Building K12. This helped them in easily carrying out such missions where they needed to drive one of these vehicles in front of the soldiers and the residents.


    Reinforcing the wall and safety measures of Greenstone Residential Area was just one of the many problems of the place that needed to be sorted, but Garce was taking the approach of one at a time.


    And the most important matter for the time being was to secure the residential area to keep it safe from the zombies lurking outside.


    * * *


    Just like it was planned, at the first light, the convoy departed Greenstone Residential Area.


    The two trucks made their way through the snow-covered roads that were making it hard to drive, but the two highly-skilled drivers were able to keep things under control without encountering major obstacles.


    When they finally reached the factory, Grace could tell immediately that no one had come anywhere near it in what seemed like months.


    "Stay alert," she murmured as she hopped out of the truck.


    2025 had already scanned the area and informed that there was no one else there, but the soldiers didn¡¯t need to know that particular piece of information. Besides, according to 2025¡¯s scan, there was a zombie hoarde just ten minutes away from their current location.

 Chapter 197: Reinforcing Greenstone

    The team moved in cautiously, with their weapons ready. The soldiers spread out to secure the area while Grace, Davian, and the rest of her team headed toward the main warehouse.


    The massive structure loomed over them. Its metal walls were dented but still stood strong.


    The effects of the flood were clearly visible on the materials inside, but it was the best they could get at this point.


    "Let¡¯s not waste time." Grace said as she turned to face her team once they were inside. "Seth, Rio, and Aleena - take inventory of the most valuable supplies. The rest of us will start loading."


    As they moved deeper into the warehouse, they found stacks of cement bags, steel reinforcements, wooden planks, and construction tools. Some were heavily damaged, but most were still usable.


    Just as they started loading the first truck, a distant sound made everyone freeze.


    A low groan echoed from the far end of the warehouse.


    Grace turned sharply, scanning the shadows. "We have got company."


    She immediately called 2025 through the mindlink. "You said they weren¡¯t close by!"


    The little creature was shaken - first by the sudden alert the system made, and then the accusing voice of its master that echoed inside the space merely a second later.


    The half eaten strawberry dropped on the ground and it quickly opened the digital screen to scan the area again. "M-master, it¡¯s the system¡¯s fault. I didn¡¯t do anything!" It quickly cried out in its defense, only to realize that Grace was no longer listening to it.


    "Of course these ugly things are here. They just can¡¯t seem to let us do anything in peace." Aleena groaned as she prepared her rifle just like everyone else was doing.


    Merely moments later, figures emerged from the darkness - dozens of them.


    Zombies.


    "Shit," one of the soldiers muttered, and raised his weapon, getting ready to take down the infected.


    "Form up! Don¡¯t let them corner us!" Grace ordered, immediately taking charge while 2025 took over the job to update her on the number of zombies and the situation of the surrounding area.


    The soldiers moved into position, and formed a defensive line as the first wave of zombies lunged forward. Gunfire erupted in the silent factory, sharp and precise.


    Grace fired shot after shot, dropping the infected before they could get too close.


    Rio cursed under her breath. "There¡¯s more coming!"


    Grace risked a quick glance at 2025¡¯s scan. The undead weren¡¯t the only threat. "We have got live enemies approaching from the west - probably scavengers!"


    "Great," Kevin muttered. "Now we are popular." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Davian clenched his jaw. "Do we hold or retreat?"


    Grace thought fast. "Keep loading the trucks. We will deal with them as we go!"


    The scavengers weren¡¯t too big of a deal for them, but she wanted to avoid killing humans unless it was the only option left.


    The next few minutes were filled with pure chaos. The infected kept coming, but the team held their ground. When the scavengers finally arrived, they hesitated at the sight of the already ongoing fight.


    "Let¡¯s go before they get bold enough to engage," Seth suggested.


    With one last push, they threw the remaining supplies onto the trucks and jumped in. Davian and Mavian floored the gas, and they sped out of the warehouse, leaving the chaos behind.


    "That was too close," Kevin muttered as he reloaded his weapon, ready to get into action if needed.


    "But we got what we came for," Grace said with a hint of satisfaction in her voice.


    Fortunately, the way back to Greenstone was silent and eventless as they didn¡¯t encounter any more zombies or even humans. They do notice a few wild animals or stray animals walling around, but they hadn¡¯t transitioned yet to pose any real threat.


    The moment they returned to Greenstone, the task of construction began as they now knew just how close the enemies were.


    Under Grace¡¯s leadership, the soldiers and volunteers worked tirelessly to reinforce the perimeter.


    The first priority was to fix the wall, and once it was done, they began with increasing its height. The existing barriers were only about one and a half meters high - far too easy for the stronger infected to climb over.


    With the new materials, thoufh somewhat damaged, the residents and soldiers began increasing the height to four meters. Thick steel reinforcements were embedded into the structure, making it more durable.


    Wooden planks were used to create temporary barricades at weak points while cement was mixed to patch up the cracks and damaged areas.


    It was grueling work, but the morale was high. Everyone knew that their survival depended on the wall to some degree, and hence, they put in their everything.


    As days passed, the walls began to take shape. In the meantime, Grace was creating more plans to strengthen the security since the wall alone wasn¡¯t enough.


    Once the primary construction was complete, she moved onto phase two - the Nightshade Thorn.


    The vine, with its venomous thorns, was perfect for added defense. If any infected, or hostile humans, tried to climb over the walls, they would be met with excruciating pain and paralysis.


    While the vines couldn¡¯t be grown in the outside world, she came up with a new plan with Professor Neil and Dr. Kian¡¯s help. They used a regular vine that could withstand the heavy cold and injected the Nightshade Thorn plants harvest into it.


    These normal vines were then grown all across the wall and Grace used the water of spirit spring to irrigate these vines which helped them to grow quickly and spread across the walls.


    Within a week, the entire perimeter was lined with the deadly plant.


    By the end of the month, Greenstone had transformed, slowly turning into a fortress.


    With the walls fortified, Grace turned her attention to the next phase of securing Greenstone - perimeter patrols.


    She divided the soldiers into rotating shifts to ensure that the wall was manned at all times. Sniper nests were established at key vantage points, allowing them to take down any approaching threats before they got too close.


    Scouting parties were also formed, sent out daily to monitor the surrounding areas for potential dangers.


    It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was a massive step forward.

 Chapter 198: Rune Got Called Homeless

    "They need food... proper food." Dr. Kian¡¯s voice filled the silent living room of their apartment.


    "I know." Grace replied with a soft sigh. She knew that the food and water was going to be their second step toward making Greenstone a base she could use for her future plans.


    Ever since the rain disaster, the general public was dependent on the military supplies for food. While they were able to loot the supermarkets and convenience stores at the beginning, it was no longer an option for securing food as the rest of the supermarkets had been emptied of food by the government and military.


    Five months into the apocalypse, the general public was completely dependent on the government and military for food, water, and other necessary supplies like - medicines, clothes, and such.


    While the military was initially distributing regular supplies every week and government had set up several helping booths, the sudden zombie outbreak disturbed both these sources.


    The booths were no longer there because of the zombies. Besides, the general public was terrified of stepping out of the safety of their houses and becoming zombies¡¯ snacks while trying to hunt for food of their own.


    As for the MRE packets that military used to distribute twice every week, it too had been disturbed because the soldiers were busy handling the zombies.


    Ever since the zombie breakout, the military had distributed supplies only twice. And while they distributed stock enough to last a week or two, it wasn¡¯t enough since there had been no other supply arrival for nearly a month.


    "The more I think about the problems we are going to face for the residents of this place, the more I start questioning if it¡¯s really a good idea to put our time and efforts on this place. After all, our base will be ready within next two months, and we will be able to leave this place."


    It was Valeska who voiced her thoughts as she finished going through the daily report of the Greenstone. Captain Harlow had been making sure to update Grace and Davian on everything his team and the residents were doing on the daily basis.


    "Are you questioning your Boss¡¯ decision then?" Rune asked, taking the rare chance to put Valeska in an awkward situation. But he soon realized that he underestimated the woman, and her loyalty and trust for Grace.


    Valeska turned her sharp gaze at Rune, looking at him with a gaze that was devoid of any sort of real emotions. It was hard to tell whether she was mad about his unnecessary question, or not.


    "I was just sharing my personal opinion on the matter - what I¡¯m feeling. I never said that Boss has made a wrong decision, or that she couldn¡¯t handle this increasing list of problems." Her tone was just as calm as her gaze.


    She turned her attention toward her phone as she added the next sentence. "I don¡¯t know how things worked at your place, but me and my fiends don¡¯t go around questioning any of our Boss¡¯ decision. We trust her blindly."


    Instead of replying to her directly, Rune turned his attention toward Grace. "Look at her. She¡¯s indirectly calling me homeless."


    "When did I-"


    Valeska just stared at Rune with her jaw hanging open in complete shock. Just when she believed that she wasn¡¯t going to let him get to her, he did something so pout of context that she failed to catch herself in time.


    "Rune. Stop it." Grace said as she shook her head a little. But despite her choice of words, there was no real anger or command in her voice.


    She received a pout from Rune, but fortunately he dropped the matter there as Davian chose that moment to enter the apartment. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I¡¯m done reviewing the report, Boss. I¡¯ll be taking my leave now." Valeska announced as she stood up from the dining table and with a nod at Grace, Davian, and Dr. Kian, she headed out of the apartment.


    Since all four of them were now together to finally discuss the next part of the big plan, they settled down in the living room with cups of herbal tea that Dr. Kian just brewed for all of them.


    "Before we begin discussing the matter of food, let me share an update from our ongoing research. It seems like the animals will be able to start transitioning within next two weeks." Dr. Kian revealed what he and Professor Neil had recently confirmed.


    "Then it¡¯s even better that we are done securing the perimeters of this place. The wall will be more than enough to hold the turned animals." Davian said as he and Grace exchanged a look and the latter nodded her head in agreement.


    Unless the transitioned birds decided to make an appearance, the wall was more than enough to keep zombies, infected animals, and any other uninvited being out of the Greenstone. And even if the infected birds did decide to turn up at their doors, the snipers would be enough to handle them.


    "I seriously hope that the Veil will hold on for as long as possible." Dr. Kian said as he thought about the reason for which they had to eventually leave Greenstone.


    It was Rune who responded to him, mostly because he was the only person who knew what was going on with the Veil. "For now, the Veil is showing no signs of giving in to these disasters. The only crack in the Veil was within the territory of Starship Country, and ever since I mended it, no other disaster had happened here that can actually affect the Veil."


    He took a deep breath before adding, "Unless some big disaster happens here to reopen that crack or create another one, or the ongoing disasters around the globe ends up weakening the Veil enough to make it give in - we can consider ourselves safe from those monsters."


    There were nods of understanding and relief from other three before Davian decided to bring the discussion to the biggest issue they were facing at the moment.


    "So what¡¯s your plan for the food and other supplies?"

 Chapter 199: Kind and Ruthless

    "Well... the safest plan is to start growing our own food." Grace answered while looking around at the men.


    A frown appeared on Davian¡¯s face as he heard the suggestion. "You know that it will not be easy because of the weather. The only reason our rooftop garden is surviving is because of the special facilities it has... and also because of Kian."


    When Grace didn¡¯t speak immediately and just stared at him in silence, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "You got a plan already, don¡¯t you?" He knew her more than enough to understand the silence he just received for questioning her suggestion.


    Grace let out a small sigh as she finally spoke. "Of course." She summoned the digital screen of the system in front of the men with a thought, letting them see the details of her plan.


    "Let¡¯s break down the issues we will be facing in this plan." She began. "Supplies - just like how we got the construction materials, there are still sources out there from where we can get supplies needed to start a greenhouse - soil, seeds, fertilizers, tools, pots, and all."


    Military and Government had only secured food, water, clothes, medicines, and such supplies from the supermarkets, stores, and factories, they hadn¡¯t touched other items yet. Hence, there were still stores and factories out there from where they could find the materials they would need.


    "Second - temperature. There are various ways to handle that." Grace continued with eliminating the issues one-by-one. "We can use basements to set up the greenhouses as they are warmer compared to other areas. We can also use scavenged materials to insulate the walls and floors. Most importantly, I got a mutated plant that produces a liquid that can create warmth. We will mix it in the soil to increase the temperature." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The men just listened in silence, amazed at the depth of research she had done just so the residents of Greenstone would be able to eat properly. And while she had her reason for helping Greenstone, it was also true that she wasn¡¯t really desperate to save this place. She didn¡¯t have to if she didn¡¯t want to.


    "Third - sunlight. While I can¡¯t make the sun appear, we can use hand-cranked or pedal-powered generators to create power that will be able to replace the requirement of sunlight. Or we can also use fire and reflectors."


    Grace quickly sneaked a peek at the list to see what was the next issue before continuing. "Fourth - water. We are going to send out teams from now on to collect firewood and will use it to melt the ice to water the plants. We have also found a plant that can make the water toxin free. So, it will be available both for drinking and irrigating the plants."


    She continued with the list of issues and their solution she had come up with 2025¡¯s help, and by the time she was done, all three men were looking at her with gaze filled with amazement and pride.


    Silence lingered for a few moments before Davian finally exhaled, shaking his head in disbelief. "You really don¡¯t do things halfway, do you?"


    It was something Rune used to say to her a lot, but it turned out that she could even leave Davian surprised at certain moments with her skills.


    She just shrugged her shoulders simply as if what she had done was no big deal.


    Dr. Kian chuckled softly as he leaned back against his couch. "That¡¯s an understatement. She¡¯s got everything covered."


    Rune, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke. "It¡¯s a solid plan. But its execution is going to be difficult. We¡¯ll need people who know how to handle plants, and not just any plants - these are going to be grown under extreme conditions. Greenstone can¡¯t afford mistakes."


    "I already have a solution for that." Grace tapped on the digital screen, and another list popped up. "Greenstone has a few former agricultural researchers among the survivors. I checked the records. If we recruit them for the task, they can help with setting up and maintaining the greenhouses."


    Davian nodded thoughtfully. "That¡¯ll definitely make things easier."


    Grace continued, "But it won¡¯t be enough. We need protection as well. Once people will learn that we are growing food, they are going to come for it. Some might ask, but others¡­ they will try to take it."


    Even though the residents of the Greenstone had united to deal with the ongoing disaster, Grace knew better than to believe that they wouldn¡¯t falter when it would come to food. They all knew the desperation that had taken root in the world. Hunger had made people unpredictable, dangerous.


    Rune frowned. "We will have to increase patrols around the building. Set up additional security measures."


    "Agreed," Davian said. "We¡¯ll reinforce the entrance to the basement. Make sure only authorized people can enter. Maybe even set up some traps for added security."


    "Good," Grace approved. "Though we might not need to start worrying about this matter for the time-being. It will take time for harvests to turn out, and until then, no one will try anything."


    A heavy silence settled again as they all processed the scale of what they were about to do. While growing veggies in the Greenstone would take care of the future need of food, they still had to solve the issue of food until the first harvest.


    "And what about the immediate need for food?" Rune asked, bringing their attention to the obvious issue.


    Grace let out a small sigh before she answered, "If they want food, they will need to step out and fight for it. I¡¯m not planning to spoon-feed them. I will help them and show them the way, but they have to earn everything on their own if they want to survive this."


    Davian smirked before asking, "I¡¯m sure this includes the plan of setting up the greenhouse as well." He wasn¡¯t really asking since he already knew the answer.


    A similar smirk appeared on Rune¡¯s lips as he added, "That¡¯s why we follow her. She¡¯s kind while being so ruthless."

 Chapter 200: Project Greenhouses

    Over the next few weeks, Greenstone Residential Area underwent a transformation unlike anything the residents were expecting.


    What had once been a desperate group of survivors struggling to stay alive - was now turning into a functional, and self-sustaining community, all thanks to the structured system Grace was putting in place.


    But survival in an apocalyptic volcanic winter was never easy.


    After securing the perimeters of the Residential Area, the second step to secure Greenstone¡¯s future was ensuring its people could fight for their own survival.


    From the very next day, Grace launched a new project with Captain Harlow¡¯s help where her team and his soldiers took charge of training the residents. They ensured that those who volunteered for raid teams could handle themselves when faced with danger.


    Most of these people had never fought before, had never been in situations where their lives depended on how quickly they could react. But hunger and survival were powerful motivators.


    "Again," Captain Harlow barked as a group of survivors struggled through a drill. "You need to be fast. One second too late, and you are dead."


    The residents pushed themselves beyond their limits. They learned to move in teams, cover for one another, and retreat when necessary.


    The best thing among all this was that out of hundred and seventy-two residents, hundred and forty were young people between the ages of twenty-five to forty. This made training them easier.


    It was about a week and three days later when the first team was finally confident enough in their skills that the first scavenging raid was launched. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The team had a total of ten residents, along with a few soldiers, who ventured out to secure food, medicine, clothes, and other daily necessities from abandoned supermarkets, warehouses, and supply depots that hadn¡¯t yet been looted.


    While Grace and her team didn¡¯t accompany them on the mission, she still provided them with thorough instructions, some weapons, two trucks, and a map with landmarks marked.


    "Are you really going to sacrifice the vehicles and the weapons?" 2025 asked her through the mindlink as it watched the system updating the status of the inventory.


    "If they succeed, it will not be a sacrifice, but a great investment. And if they ended up losing, I¡¯ll just consider this a lesson for myself." Grace answered as she stepped away from the floor-to-ceiling window of her living room from where she was watching the trucks leaving the residential area.


    And to everyone¡¯s surprise and joy - the mission turned out to be a success. The team returned with a decent haul.


    There was food - enough to last Greenstone at least for a week. Warm clothes, mostly blankets, coats, and boots. Some medicines and a five bags of rice that was frozen.


    But what surprised Grace the most was what happened next.


    When the team returned, they handed everything over to her. She was expectin at least some hesitation, maybe a few residents hoarding supply for themselves, but instead, they placed their trust in her without question.


    She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the crates of food and supplies before shifting her gaze to the team. "You are giving it all to me?"


    One of the younger members, Lukas, grinned softly. "You are the one who came up with this whole survival plan. We trust you to handle distribution."


    A woman named Nadia nodded. "If we want Greenstone to survive, we have to work together. We get it now."


    Grace stared at them for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle. Trust. It was a dangerous thing in this world. But if they had chosen to trust her, then she wouldn¡¯t let them down.


    From that day forward, the raid missions became routine.


    There were casualties, of course. Injuries from zombie attacks, skirmishes with other survivors, and the ever-present danger of animals that had started transitioning very recently.


    While the latter two weren¡¯t too dangerous, the same couldn¡¯t be said about zombie bites. But with the help of Void Lily, one of the mutated plants Grace had secured, even the most serious wounds were treated before the transition could begin.


    Everytime a zombie bit a human, it left behind the virus in that human¡¯s body that forced the transition. However, this transition needed about four to five hours to complete.


    Hence, as long as the bitten person could be treated before four hours, the person could be saved. So far, only Void Lily had been able to make this impossible happen, and only Grace had access to this plant and this knowledge.


    While the raid teams were securing food and medicine, another team focused on securing firewood and charcoal. These resources were critical for keeping Greenstone warm as the volcanic winter worsened.


    While all those people, who had unlocked superpowers, were now able to withstand hunger and cold to certain degrees, there were still a lot of normal people within Greenstone who still needed food and warmth to stay alive.


    - - -


    While the soldiers and residents of the Greenstone were working hard to survive, Grace decided to take care of the other big plan she had created - setting up the greenhouses.


    She chose the basement of Building C4 as the primary location for the greenhouses. The building had four floors underground which provided more than enough space to cultivate food for the two hundred people living in Greenstone.


    But it was only when she actually stepped into the basement that she realized just how much manual work was required for the project as she wasn¡¯t inside her space and couldn¡¯t do everything just by clicking on a digital screen.


    The basement floors were cluttered with debris that came with the flood, some sections even partially collapsed. The first task was to clear out the space, reinforce the walls, and set up makeshift insulation using scavenged materials like plastic sheets, wooden planks, and old blankets.


    A group of twenty residents and five soldiers joined her, Dr. Kian, Rio, and Valeska as they began the Project Greenhouses.

 Chapter 201: Trouble at the Doorsteps

    Since temperature in volcanic winter was dangerously low, keeping the greenhouses warm was a priority. Grace utilized the mutated plant she had acquired - one that produced a liquid capable of generating heat. She mixed it into the soil to help maintain a stable growing temperature for the plants.


    Because of the thick layers of volcanic ash in the sky, the sunlight was blocked which didn¡¯t left natural photosynthesis as an option. So they relied on the artificial lighting.


    They set up a combination of - hand-cranked and pedal-powered generators which could provide a consistent energy source, fire-based reflectors using metal surfaces to amplify light and heat, and glowcap mushrooms which were rare mutated fungus Grace had found. These mushrooms emitted a faint natural glow and could be used to provide a minimal light source for the plants.


    With no direct access to fresh water, they started melting the ice and then purified it using another mutated plant that produced a powdery harvest which could neutralize toxins in water.


    Despite having a strong team of twenty plus people who were working hard, it took about two whole weeks before the first seedlings were planted. It was mostly because of the amount of work they had to do, and also because it took four to five raids to secure enough soil, fertilizer, seeds, and other materials for the greenhouse.


    They grew - spinach, kale, lettuce, chard, mustard greens, carrots, turnips, beets, radishes, sprouts, micrograms, and about secen varieties of mushrooms, along with a few fruit trees that could survive.


    The first time a single leaf of spinach unfurled, Captain Harlow let out a laugh. "I never thought I¡¯d be so damn happy to see a vegetable."


    Grace smirked in response. "Enjoy the moment. It will be weeks before you get to eat any of it."


    As the days passed, Greenstone Residential Area started becoming stronger.


    The three raid teams continued securing food and medicine. The security team kept the perimeters secured and ensured no external threats could enter Greenstone.


    The greenhouse team maintained the crops, ensuring they thrived despite the harsh conditions. And then there were those residents who were in none of these teams but were still trying to be helpful in their own ways.


    Over the months, thus last group - that had sixty-seven people in it, cleaned up all the building within the area. They secured all the furniture, clothes, kitchen supplies, food - if any, and such other supplies that could be used.


    For the first time since the apocalypse began, these people started feeling like they weren¡¯t just surviving, but we¡¯re actually living again.


    And that¡¯s when trouble arrived.


    - - -


    One evening, as Grace was inspecting the greenhouse levels, Kevin found her with a grim expression decorating his young and handsome face that had her turning all her attention to him.


    "We have a problem." He announced the moment he was close enough for only her to hear him.


    She glanced at the residents working in the greenhouse before turning back to Kevin. "What kind?"


    "The kind that comes with a heavily armed group heading straight for Greenstone." Kevin¡¯s voice was just as grim as his expression when he announced the depth of this trouble.


    Grace¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but her mind was already calculating the possibilities. "How many?"


    "Too many for it to be a scouting party," Kevin admitted. "Could be twenty, maybe more."


    "They are coming for the food," Rune said as he entered the greenhouse. "They must have heard about us."


    Of course.


    After three long months of constant raids, a lot of nearby areas had started noticing them, and what they were up to. They knew that Greenstone had food now. Greenstone was surviving.


    And that made them a target.


    Grace exhaled slowly, then looked at Kevin. "Get everyone inside. Lock down all entry points."


    Kevin nodded and left immediately to carty out the order.


    As Grace and Rune headed outside, they were met with Captain Harlow who informed them that Davian was already at the wall.


    "We could try negotiating." The soldier suggested.


    "They won¡¯t want negotiations," Rune said darkly. "They¡¯ll want to take everything."


    Grace already knew that. Desperation made people savage. And they weren¡¯t prepared to hand over what they had built with so much difficulty and hard work.


    She lifted her gaze. "We are not letting anyone take Greenstone."


    -


    The entire settlement moved into defensive mode. The main gates were barricaded. The snipers took position on the rooftops nearby the perimeter. And the general public was ordered to stay away from the perimeters and continue with their work.


    As the enemy group came into view, Grace studied them from the guarding area built on top of the wall. She noticed how this group was well-equipped, armed, and were moving with purpose.


    A man, probably their leader. stepped forward before calling out, "We know you have food. Hand it over, and we won¡¯t kill you."


    Grace was unable to hold back her smirk. It was hard not to when looking down at such people who couldn¡¯t analyze the situation properly. She wondered what gave that man enough courage to speak such nonsense.


    [Scanning completed.]


    2025¡¯s familiar voice filled her head at that moment, pulling half of her attention toward the information that the little creature started relying to her the very next moment.


    [The man who just spoke has level three fire power. The woman standing at his left had level two power of strength. There are three more people in the team with superpowers, all at level one - fusion, rock, and strength.]


    Listening to 2025¡¯s assessment, she could finally understand why the leader down below sounded so sure about his threat.


    She leaned forward and placed her elbow on the railing in front of her, placing her chin over the back of her palm. Her voice was filled with mockery as she spoke loud enough to be heard by those standing two meters below her.


    "Have you mastered your fire already? Are you sure you will not end up setting one of your own people at fire by mistake if we ended up battling?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 202: Rise of Fractions

    The man¡¯s confident smirk faltered, just for a second. He hadn¡¯t expected her to know about his fire ability.


    A person with level three fire power could release a few puffs of fire at most, and yet, here was one bluffing as if he could set up the entire Greenstone on fire. Grace couldn¡¯t help but shake her head at the man¡¯s fake confident.


    But unlike the man, the woman at his side, the one with enhanced strength, shifted slightly while her muscles visibly tensed. Looking at her, Grace could tell that she was more cautious than her leader. Her sharp eyes were scanning the defenses around the wall. She wasn¡¯t underestimating them, and that meant she might actually be the dangerous one.


    Rune chuckled beside Grace. "Well, now they know we are not just a bunch of helpless survivors."


    The fire-user¡¯s expression hardened as he straightened. "You think this is a game? If you don¡¯t give us what we want, we¡¯ll take it by force."


    Grace let out a soft sigh and stood upright, her expression turning serious. "You could try," she said, keeping her voice calm but firm. "But let me warn you. You are standing in front of trained soldiers, well-armed fighters, and people who have fought to survive countless battle against the zombies."


    She lifted her hand and gestured toward the buildings around them. "See those rooftops? Snipers. See those barricades? Traps. And lastly... do you really think your team is the only one with abilities?"


    The man stiffened.


    "I know about your fire. I know about the strength users. I know about the fusion and rock abilities hiding in your ranks." Grace tilted her head slightly. "What else do you think I know?"


    A flicker of doubt crossed his face. He glanced at the woman next to him, then at his men. The confidence they had before was wavering.


    "We can¡¯t just back down now," the strength-user muttered under her breath, but Grace caught it.


    The man clenched his fists, making sparks flicker at his fingertips. "You are bluffing."


    Grace smiled. "Am I?"


    She nodded slightly to Rune.


    Rune pulled out a small smoke grenade and tossed it over the wall. The moment it hit the ground, a thick, violet-colored smoke exploded into the air.


    Panic rippled through the enemy group instantly.


    "Poison!" someone shouted.


    They stumbled back, and started covering their faces, coughing violently as the thick haze engulfed them. But the truth was - it wasn¡¯t poison. It was just a harmless smoke screen.


    But the enemies obviously didn¡¯t know that.


    Grace turned away from the railing. "They are not worth wasting bullets on. Let them run."


    Rune smirked and called out, "Pack up your little campfires and go home before you burn yourselves."


    The enemy force hesitated, but as the smoke continued swirling around them, their uncertainty started turning into fear. One by one, they started retreating. The woman with enhanced strength grabbed the fire-user¡¯s arm and pulled him back. "We are leaving."


    With one final glare toward Greenstone, the fire-user spat at the ground. "This isn¡¯t over."


    "No," Grace murmured as she watched them flee. "It¡¯s just beginning."


    It took barely minutes before the group disappeared from their sight, returning to whatever place they came from.


    Grace let out another small sigh and turned away, heading back to continue with her day.


    * * *


    The attack proved one thing - Greenstone was no longer just fighting the natural disasters and the infected.


    They were now fighting people.


    "People are watching us now," Captain Harlow said later that night when the two teams sat down for a meeting in the Community Hall. "If they know we have food, more groups will come. Some will want to trade, but others¡­ won¡¯t ask nicely."


    Rune leaned back in his chair. "Then we make sure no one sees us as an easy target."


    Davian, who was sitting across from Grace, crossed his arms while adding his thoughts. "We need to start thinking beyond just survival. We are about nine months in the apocalypse, it¡¯s time we expect trouble."


    Captain Harlow nodded his head in agreement. "If we stay isolated, we will eventually get overrun."


    Grace considered their words carefully. She had planned for many things - food security, medical resources, combat training - but she somehow failed to consider the part where humans would start trying to get their hands on what she was building within these high walls.


    She wondered if all this chaos would attract military or government¡¯s attention toward Greenstone. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If she wanted Greenstone to survive, she needed more people - strong ones with rare superpowers.


    She leaned forward as she finally spoke, "Then we start by scouting out more residents for our place. Find out who¡¯s strong, who¡¯s weak, and who¡¯s desperate every time people come to our doorsteps from now on."


    Rune grinned as he seemed to have understood her plan. "And if they are hostile?"


    Grace¡¯s eyes were cold as she answered wiyhout hesitation. "Then we make sure they regret crossing us."


    * * *


    In the following weeks, the defenses of Greenstone Residential Area were doubled.


    More watchtowers were built at key locations around the perimeters. A second wall was reinforced with salvaged metal and wood. More traps were installed, making surprise attacks nearly impossible. While the training of the residents continued to ensure no one was defenseless.


    At the same time, the greenhouses kepr expanding. The second level of the underground was now fully operational, which brought twice as much food production.


    More scouting teams were sent out, but they weren¡¯t meant to just raid for supplies, but also to observe what was happening around Greenstone.


    And just as what Grace was expecting, the scouting teams discovered two other major survivor groups nearby:


    The first one called themselves Ironclads. It was a former military unit that had set up a heavily fortified base in an abandoned bunker about ten kilometers from Greenstone.


    Then there was the Thornhill Colony. It was a group of over 300 survivors who had taken over a large hospital and turned it into a functioning settlement.


    Just like Greenstone, there were more survivors uniting to create a fraction or safe sanctuary of their own.

 Chapter 203: Glowing Stone

    One Year Since Rain Disaster


    - - - - - - -


    The world changed over this long period.


    But not the volcanic winter that still loomed, shrouding the sky in an eerie gray haze.


    During this one year, most of the cities had fallen into silence. Their streets were buried under layers of ash, ice, and decay. The infected now ruled these lands - mindless, tireless, and always hunting for new victims.


    Survivors were either dead, hiding, or fighting to carve out a place for themselves.


    Grace?


    She was fighting... literally.


    * * *


    The small city ahead of her was nothing more than a graveyard.


    Buildings were standing in broken silhouettes, shattered windows and crumbling facades giving them the look of open-mouthed corpses.


    The wind howled through the skeletal remains of civilization, and it also carried the distant moans of the undead with it.


    Grace tightened her grip on her modified assault rifle as she stepped through the snow-covered streets. Her black tactical gear was perfectly blending into the shadows, while she effortlessly kept her movements soundless.


    [Multiple lifeforms detected.]


    2025¡¯s voice echoed in her mind.


    [At least 47 standard infected, 8 Beasts, and 3 Fast Movers within a two-block radius.]


    The numbers sounded like a challenge.


    A slow smile spread across her lips. She had been getting bored while continously taking care of Greenstone and its residents. She had been working like a ruler, while she wanted to be a warrior.


    That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t lose the opportunity of slipping away and coming to this abandoned small city to warm up her skills after an entire week of staying away from the real fun.


    She was about to cross an alley when her ears picked the sound right before the first infected lunged from the shadows of a collapsed store. Its rotting arms were outstretched, and mouth was dripping with blackened blood.


    Grace moved before the thing could even react.


    She swung her dagger in a swift arc, and severed its head cleanly from its body. The corpse dropped instantly, but she was already moving forward, stepping over it like it was nothing.


    Another four zombies rushed toward her from the same alleyway. They were fast... and clearly hungry.


    But she was once again ready. Instead of using the dagger again, she reached out to her power to deal with the group of four.


    In a blink, two shimmering blades of violet light appeared in her hands. They were extensions of her will, something she had become so comfortable to use. With a flick of her wrist, she launched the first blade at the lead zombie. The dagger impaled the creature straight through its forehead.


    The second blade arced through the air as she spun, and it sliced through the next infected¡¯s torso with a single motion.


    The last two zombies barely had time to react before she switched to her gun, and placed a bullet between both of their dead eyes.


    Four down.


    Forty-three to go.


    She counted in her head as she made her way ahead. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The street soon erupted into chaos as the rest of the infected became aware of her presence after her not-so-silent killing spree just moments ago.


    They started coming from all sides. They were dragging themselves out of buildings, emerging from beneath abandoned vehicles, all the while their moans turned into frenzied screeches.


    And then-


    A deep, guttural roar shook the air as from the wreckage of a collapsed bus, an Infected Beast* emerged.


    *(A/N: Infected Beasts are those normal animals of earth that turned into Beasts either because of the Shadow Rain or the Blood Rain)


    It had once been a bear, but now it was something else entirely. Its fur was matted with decay, and patches of exposed bone glistened beneath the torn flesh. Its eyes burned with a sickly yellow light, and its jaw had elongated into something monstrous, filled with serrated teeth.


    It sniffed the air - and then... it charged.


    Since Grace was already aware of its presence, she held her ground without showing any shock.


    At the very last second, she twisted her body to the side, narrowly avoiding the massive claw swipe that would have torn her in half.


    She landed on one knee, and raised her gun-


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The bullets ripped into the Beast¡¯s exposed ribcage, but the creature barely flinched.


    [Warning: High durability detected.]


    "Yeah, I noticed," Grace muttered as she kept her gaze fixed on the Beast.


    It roared again before lunging once more.


    Grace threw herself backward, landing into a roll just as two Fast Movers burst from the building beside her. She created a long spear of pure energy as she spun on her heel and hurled it at the nearest Fast Mover.


    It pierced straight through its skull, making the creature drop on the ground instantly. But the second Fast Mover was already on her, its claws slicing toward her throat.


    CLANG!


    Grace blocked the hand with a dagger, feeling a vibration up her arm from the impact.


    She twisted the blade and dragged it through the creature¡¯s wrist as she severed its hand. It shrieked in rage, but before it could react, she drove her knee into its chest, then fired a point-blank round straight into its forehead.


    The Fast Mover dropped just as the Beast came crashing toward her again.


    Grace rolled to the side, coming up onto one knee. She was done playing around with the mad bear.


    She focused her power. Her mind started forming a massive halberd of pure violet energy in her grip.


    As the Beast lunged again, she stepped forward and swung with all her strength. The blade met flesh and a sickening crack echoed as the halberd tore through its skull, cleaving it in half.


    The Beast collapsed mid-charge, its massive body skidding across the pavement.


    Silence.


    The other zombies froze while their rotten brains processed what had just happened.


    Grace exhaled while straightening. Blood was dripping from her weapon, pooling at her feet.


    And then, she noticed something shiny emerging from the Beast¡¯s corpse.


    She narrowed her eyes, and stepped closer. It was a small red stone that was glowing with an unnatural, almost hypnotic light.


    [Scanning¡­]


    2025¡¯s voice came almost immediately.


    [Analysis complete. Identified as a Spirit Stone.]


    Grace stilled.


    A Spirit Stone?

 Chapter 204: Mystery of Spirit Stone (I)

    Grace didn¡¯t have time to dwell on the red glowing stone that just got a name through the system¡¯s scanning.


    The streets were still swarming with the infected and if she stopped to ask 2025 for answers now, she was going to be torn apart in seconds.


    She let 2025 take care of the stone while she turned her full attention back to the fight.


    It was at that very moment when a low, guttural growl came from behind her. She immediately spun around just in time to see two Beasts charging at her from opposite sides.


    One was a wolf Beast. Its fur had burned away, revealing grotesque sinewy muscle underneath. The other was a monstrous stag with jagged antlers that were twisted like sharpened bones. And both creatures were moving fast.


    Grace acted on instinct. She dropped to the ground as the wolf Beast made its way to her first. She slid between it¡¯s legs, narrowly avoiding its massive, snapping jaws. As she moved, she twisted her body and fired three precise rounds into its underbelly.


    The bullets ripped through its exposed flesh, but the damn thing was still moving, making her realize that the bullets she just fired were not enough to take the thing down.


    She whipped the dagger out, and flipped it in her grip before plunging it straight into the beast¡¯s neck. A strangled howl left its throat before it collapsed.


    But she had no time to celebrate as the stag was nearly on her. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She barely had a second to react before it swung its massive antlers at her. Its jagged points aimed straight for her ribs. She immediately summoned an energy shield and threw it up between herself and the fierce attack.


    The impact sent her skidding backward, her boots digging into the cracked pavement.


    But the stag was already charging at her again.


    This time, she didn¡¯t bother dodging. Instead, she leaped onto its back while gripping the ridges of its mutated spine for support.


    It bucked wildly as it tried to throw her off, but she had already created her next weapon. This time it was a sword of energy. With one powerful swing, she severed the stag¡¯s head from its body.


    The monster crashed to the ground. Its lifeless form twitched for a few moments before going still.


    Grace¡¯s breathing was slightly ragged as she pulled herself upright. After all, taking down these Beasts was not same like taking down the zombies or even Fast Movers.


    Thinking of something, she quickly checked, but realized that this time - there were no glowing red stones coming out of the dead Beasts.


    Her brows furrowed slightly. So the first Beast was the only one that dropped a Spirit Stone? She didn¡¯t have time to think about it further as more infected were closing in.


    For the next ten minutes, the streets of the city were nothing but a bloodbath.


    Grace moved like a phantom as her gun continued to spit precise and deadly shots. Her blades also carved through the infected with ruthless efficiency.


    She was switching between weapons seamlessly - daggers, guns, riffles, her thought-formed weapons.


    She left neither the zombies nor the remaining Fast Mover. As for the last Beast, it was an Infected panther. It lunged at her from a rooftop, its claws aimed for her throat.


    Grace didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, shd raised her gun and fired a single shot right through its skull.


    Unlike the wolf, the panther crashed to the ground, unmoving. The silver bullet did the job the lead ones couldn¡¯t.


    Grace exhaled, and tried to shake off the tension. She then checked its corpse, but found no sign of a Spirit Stone.


    Her mind was racing with questions. Why had only one of them left behind the stone?


    Before she could have begun to try and figure it out, a portal tore open in the middle of the street.


    A spiraling vortex of dark blue energy flickered in the air, making the very fabric of reality bending at its edges. And then... Davian stepped through it. He was there to take her back since she was done cleaning the city.


    His dark green eyes flicked over the destruction around him, taking in the corpses that were littering the ground while black blood soaking the snow covered pavement.


    A slow smirk tugged at his lips as he spoke. "You have been busy."


    Grace rolled her shoulders as she let her weapons disappear from her hands. "Took you long enough."


    He chuckled while stepping aside to let her pass. "I opened the first portal to bring you here. Now I¡¯m taking you back."


    She took one last look at the ruined city, and then stepped into the portal. The world shifted around her, and in the blink of an eye, she was back.


    The moment she arrived back in the living room of her apartment at Greenstone, she barely exchanged words with anyone and stepped immediately inside her space while her body still hummed with the adrenaline from battle.


    Inside her villa, she finally allowed herself a moment of silence. The battle had been long, and kind of exhausting.


    She undressed, and stepped under the hot water, letting it wash away the blood, the ash, and the grime. And for a few brief minutes, she wasn¡¯t a warrior, wasn¡¯t a leader - just a woman standing under the spray, letting herself breathe.


    Within twenty minutes opas per the clock of Infinte Realm, she was done showering, getting dressed, and dropping her clothes in the washing machine on her way out.


    When she finally stepped out of her space and returned to the apartment, Davian was still in the living room.


    Rune was also lounging on the couch with his usual lazy smirk, just like she left him moments ago. She walked over to the duo while pulling the Spirit Stone from the space.


    The moment that red stone appeared, both men¡¯s attention immediately snapped to it.


    Rune sat up straighter. "What is that?"


    "That," Grace said, pointing at the glowing red stone that was levitating in the mid air, "is what I found after killing a bear Beast in the city."


    Davian¡¯s eyes narrowed. "I have never seen anything like it." He confessed as Rune leaned in with a curious expression on his face. "What does 2025 say about it?"


    Grace arched her eyebrows at his unexpected question. "Alright, 2025," she said. "Tell me exactly what this Spirit Stone is."

 Chapter 205: Mystery of Spirit Stone (II)

    There was a brief pause before the little creature appeared in the living room, probably ready to answer Grace and the men¡¯s question.


    [Launching in-depth analysis¡­]


    The system¡¯s mechanical voice filled the silent living room, pulling everyone¡¯s attention toward it.


    [Analysis completed.]


    Grace took in a deep breath and settled down on the big couch next to Rune. And then, 2025 began an in-depth explanation about the glowing red stone.


    "Spirit Stones are formed inside the bodies of Beasts that have mutated due to Shadow Rain...not Blood Rain." It provided the first shocking revelation.


    Grace¡¯s brows furrowed. "Shadow Rain?"


    Rune let out a low whistle, pulling everyone¡¯s attention toward him to hear what he had to say. "Didn¡¯t we think that all Beasts were the same? Except for the Monster Beasts*. But you are now saying some are different depending on what rain turned them?"


    *(A/N: Monster Beasts are the Beasts that belongs to the dark world/void present between all realms and planets)


    "Correct."


    2025 continued, answering Rune¡¯s question.


    "The mutation process of Beasts exposed to Shadow Rain is far longer and more complex than those that started turning almost overnight from Blood Rain. While Blood Rain Beasts mutate rapidly, becoming aggressive and unstable almost immediately, Beasts exposed to Shadow Rain went through a slow transformation over time... almost half a year. The longer the process, the more energy from the rain gathers inside their bodies. Eventually, this concentrated energy solidifies into a core, forming what is now known as a Spirit Stone."


    Grace tapped her fingers on the armrest of the couch. "So, every Beast that has turned because of Shadow Rain will probably contain a Spirit Stone?"


    "Yes. However, not every Beast will have a Spirit Stone that can be extracted. If a Beast is killed before its mutation reaches the final stages, the energy won¡¯t be fully solidified, meaning there will be no stone to retrieve."


    "That explains why I didn¡¯t find another stone after killing the rest," Grace murmured, also recalling that some of those Beasts were turned by Blood Rain.


    Davian exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "That also means these things are rare. If every Shadow Rain Beast we have killed so far didn¡¯t leave a stone behind, that means the conditions for their formation must be strict."


    "Correct. Spirit Stones are extremely rare and powerful." 2025 confirmed the speculation.


    Grace tilted her head slightly. "Powerful how?"


    "That is yet to be determined. The system currently shows that there may be different types of Spirit Stones, but their exact uses can only be uncovered through testing."


    Rune arched an eyebrow. "Different types?"


    "Yes. The system has detected potential variations in Spirit Stones, but without further samples, it is unable to categorize all types at this time."


    Grace turned her attention toward the glowing red stone, focusing her power to pull it toward her. The next second, the stone was in her hand.


    She allowed herself to feel its presence for a moment before she asked her next question while rolling the stonebetween her fingers. "This one¡­ what do you know about it?"


    2025 responded instantly.


    "Further scanning of the Spirit Stone confirmed that this is a Level Four Red Spirit Stone."


    Rune¡¯s gaze sharpened and he enquired, "There¡¯s a level system?"


    "Yes. Spirit Stones are categorized based on the strength of the Beast they originated from. The stronger the Beast, the higher the level of the stone. The bear you fought was classified as a Level Four Beast, so its stone has retained that power level."


    "That means there are levels beyond four?" Davian asked.


    "Yes. Currently, the system estimates that Spirit Stones could range from Level One to Level Ten or higher, though no known samples of higher levels have been recorded yet... obviously. " Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace hummed as she allowed herself to absorb this new information. The idea of Level Ten Beasts roaming out there wasn¡¯t exactly comforting.


    She tapped the red crystal lightly against the armrest. "And the color? Does that mean anything?"


    "A critical discovery has been made regarding the red Spirit Stones." 2025 stated, but then went completely silent as if trying to build tension before the big reveal.


    "They carry elemental energy of fire."


    Silence filled the room.


    Grace, Davian, and Rune all exchanged a look.


    "Fire?" Rune finally asked.


    "Yes. Red Spirit Stones contain pure fire elemental power. How this energy can be extracted or used is currently unknown, but it is confirmed that each Spirit Stone may hold different elemental properties based on their color."


    Grace frowned slightly. "So if this red one is connected to fire¡­ there might be Spirit Stones of other colors with different elements?"


    "Correct."


    Davian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "That makes these stones even more valuable than we originally thought. If someone figures out how to harness that elemental power, we are talking about weapons, energy source... hell, maybe even abilities being enhanced."


    Grace¡¯s mind also started racing with the possibilities.


    If these stones could somehow be used, then whoever controlled them would hold an incredible advantage in this apocalyptic world.


    Rune let out a low laugh. "So let me get this straight. Not only are these stones stupidly rare, but they also come in levels and might be tied to different elements? That means the next time we go hunting, we might end up with a Level Five or higher stone that controls, say¡­ lightning or ice?"


    "That is a possibility."


    Grace let out a slow breath, and she gripped the red Spirit Stone a little tighter. "Then we need to test it," she finally said.


    Davian raised an eyebrow. "Any idea how?"


    She smirked before replying, "I¡¯ll think of something."


    Davian¡¯s eyes darkened slightly as he looked at the stone still pulsing faintly in her palm. "One thing¡¯s for sure," he murmured. "If these things are real¡­ then others will start finding them too."


    Grace nodded. "Which means we need to stay ahead."


    As she stared at the glowing red crystal, something inside her told her - this was only the beginning of this new chapter.

 Chapter 206: A Surprise Visit

    Grace closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, allowing herself to enjoy the sweet melody that was playing on her phone.


    It was late in the afternoon and she was all alone in her apartment after finishing a hot shower following another trip to a town where she fought with the infected. But much to her dismay, she didn¡¯t come across even a single Beast that carried a Spirit Stone.


    Rune was out on the training ground where the residents of the Greenstone were training as usual.


    As for Davian, he was out on a field trip with his team. He went out only after making sure that she was safely back in her apartment.


    Thinking about her men, Grace found her thoughts shifting to Dr. Kian. It had been over a week since she last saw him. And while she¡¯s always too busy with work to think about her private and romantic life, she still couldn¡¯t help but miss him.


    Ever since the renovation of the military base in Hilton City finished three months ago, Dr. Kian shifted there with Maria, Professor Neil and the rest of the research team because of the big and well-equipped research lab Grace had set-up in the base.


    Over these past three months, Dr. Kian usually visited Greenstone during weekends. But because of the new discovery of Spirit Stones, he wasn¡¯t able to visit this weekend that just passed.


    The deep breath that she just took, left her as a sigh, making it obvious that her thoughts and mood had taken a sour turn.


    She couldn¡¯t help but shake her head at herself. When these men were around her, she¡¯s always too busy with work to pay them any proper attention. But when they were away, she couldn¡¯t help but miss them.


    She was still lost in her thoughts, probably way too much, as she completely failed to notice the presence behind her - not until a pair of strong arms surrounded her waist from behind and pulled her back flush against a hard chest.


    A gasp escaped her lips, shock taking over her as she went stiff.


    "Relax. It¡¯s me." The man whispered against her ear, his warm breath fanning the side of her neck.


    "I know." Grace replied as she allowed herself to relax against him. "I¡¯m just shocked that I didn¡¯t notice your presence." She was honest about what really troubled her.


    Dr. Kian tightened his hold around her as he spoke, "That¡¯s because I¡¯m good at sneaking, and you seemed really lost in your thoughts. Besides, you are in the safety of your apartment, it¡¯s normal for you to let your guard down here."


    Grace nodded her head both in understanding and agreement. "You are right. I indeed have my guards down."


    She turned in his arms to face him, fixing her gaze on his ocean blue ones. "How come you are here though? Today of all days?" She asked while finally acknowledging his sudden visit.


    A small smile spread across Dr. Kian¡¯s lips as he answered honestly. "Well... I was missing my girlfriend and wanted to see her. So when I contacted a certain person, he came to help me."


    He then leaned slightly closer before whispering his next words. "He even told me that my girlfriend is also missing me."


    Grace was unable to hold back the smile that immediately spilled on her lips. She shook her head lightly, being fully aware that the certain person Dr. Kian just mentioned was none other than Davian. "He¡¯s right. Your girlfriend has been missing you a lot."


    "Really?" Dr. Kian asked as he gazed into her eyes, searching for the answer he was seeking.


    "Mmm."


    Grace hummed softly in response and watched as that small sweet smile returned to his lips instantly.


    He didn¡¯t need any more confirmation as he could already see it in her eyes, or feel it in the way her body unconsciously leaned closer to him.


    It had been too long. Far too long.


    His hands once again tightened slightly on her waist, and his fingers brushed over the fabric of her shirt as if to remind himself that she was here - real, and so warm in his arms.


    Grace¡¯s breath hitched as she felt the shift in his demeanor. It was almost magical. The air around them changed, thickened. It was suddenly charged with an intensity that neither of them tried to suppress.


    Her hands moved on their own accord, coming to rest against his chest. This allowed her to feel the steady beat of his heart beneath her palms. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was hers or his that was racing faster - maybe both.


    "You are staring," she whispered, realizing her voice was softer than usual.


    Dr. Kian¡¯s lips quirked up at the corners. "I am."


    He made no attempt to hide it. His gaze was drinking her in, moving from her dazzling eyes to the curve of her lips, before trailing further down to the delicate arch of her throat.


    "Why?"


    "Because I missed you," he admitted without hesitation.


    Her fingers curled against his chest, gripping onto the fabric of his shirt as something deep inside her stirred. It felt like a slow burn that was now igniting into a full-blown fire.


    "Show me," she found herself whispering even before her brain could have processed those words.


    The challenge in her tone was all it took. Dr. Kian moved, leaning in to close the remaining space between their faces. His lips claimed hers in an instant, with no hesitation, no restraint - just pure, raw hunger.


    Grace gasped softly against his mouth, but she didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, she melted into him. She pressed her body against his as her fingers slid up his chest to grip the back of his neck, pulling him even closer.


    Dr. Kian groaned into the kiss, and his grip on her tightened as if he wanted to pull her inside of him, fuse their very existence into one.


    His lips moved hungrily over hers, demanding, devouring.


    His tongue brushed against her bottom lip, and Grace parted her lips instinctively, allowing him in.


    The moment their tongues touched, a wave of heat surged between them. It was so intense that it nearly stole the breath from her lungs.


    She whimpered softly, and the sound sent a jolt of pleasure straight through him.


    Dr. Kian backed her up until she was pressed against the nearest wall. His hands started roaming up her sides, memorizing every inch of her.


    Her heart was pounding against her ribs while her fingers tangled in his hair as she pulled him impossibly closer. As her nails scraped lightly against the nape of his neck, he groaned at the sensation, and deepened the kiss. His tongue moved to tangle with hers in a slow, intoxicating rhythm.


    It wasn¡¯t just a kiss.


    It was a claim, a declaration, a silent promise that neither time nor distance could change what they felt.


    His hands moved down, gripping her thighs as he lifted her effortlessly, pressing her against the wall as she wrapped her legs around his waist.


    Grace gasped as she felt the full, hard press of his body against hers, causing heat to pool in the pit of her stomach.


    "Kian," she breathed against his lips. Her voice was shaky but also filled with want.


    He growled softly as his mouth trailed away from her lips to press open-mouthed kisses down her jawline, her neck, her collarbone. His breath was hot against her skin.


    Her head tilted back, giving him more access as his lips brushed over her pulse point, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin before he sucked lightly, marking her.


    A shiver ran through her.


    "You are making it hard to stop," he murmured against her throat. His voice was rough, filled with need.


    "Who said I want you to stop?" she whispered back, her fingers tightening in his hair. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dr. Kian¡¯s body tensed at her words. It was clear that his restraint was just hanging by a thread.


    "Grace," he murmured, lifting his head to look at her. His blue eyes were extra dark and filled with a storm of emotions.


    She stared back at him, knowing that her own desire mirrored in his gaze.


    She wasn¡¯t sure for how long they stood there, staring into each other¡¯s eyes.


    One second. One minute. Or maybe more then that.


    But then-


    He was kissing her again.


    It was slower this time.


    Deep.


    Sensual.


    He poured everything into it - every bit of longing, every sleepless night spent thinking about her, every ache he felt from being apart from the very woman he had started to cherish and desire so deeply.


    And Grace kissed him back just as fiercely. Her body arched against his, chasing every bit of warmth he had to offer.


    The world outside faded into nothingness.


    All that existed in that moment was him - his touch, his warmth, and the electric charge in the air between them...

 Chapter 207: Giving In To Desire (I)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace felt the wall solid at her back as Dr. Kian pressed himself harder against her. This time, she was able to feel more than just the hardness of his body. She was also able to feel a certain part of his body that was pressing against the underside of her thigh.


    It felt - hard... and huge.


    Her legs were still wrapped tightly around his waist as he held her effortlessly. His grip on her was firm but reverent. His lips moved over hers in a way that made her feel cherished yet claimed all at once.


    This wasn¡¯t just about longing... this was a collision, an inevitable crash between two people who had been dancing around this moment for far too long.


    Dr. Kian¡¯s hands continued to explore her. It traced up her sides, and his thumbs brushed against the curve of her waist before gliding beneath the hem of her sweater. His touch was fire and restraint, teasing the sensitive skin just above her hips as if memorizing every inch of her.


    A shiver ran through her at the contact, forcing a soft moan to slip past her lips.


    He pulled away slightly, but their lips were barely apart, his breath mingling with hers. His ocean-blue eyes were even darker now, and the weight of his desire was evident in the way he looked at her.


    "Are you sure?" he whispered. His voice was husky, rough with restraint.


    Grace swallowed, aware of how her own heart was hammering in the confinement of her chest. She knew exactly what she wanted without needing to think about it. It was one of those rare moments where she had never felt more certain of anything in her life.


    Instead of answering with words, she decided to let her action speak. She moved.


    Her hands slipped under his shirt, feeling the warmth of his taut muscles, and the steady rise and fall of his breath beneath her fingertips. Slowly, and deliberately, she started unbuttoning his shirt before pushing it down his shoulders, revealing the chiseled lines of his torso.


    Though he was on the lean side, he still possessed a body that was honed by years of discipline and training. Having it bare to her, she couldn¡¯t help but admire it, running her fingers down his chest.


    Dr. Kian let out a soft breath, as if her touch alone held the power to undo him.


    His hands found the hem of her sweater next, but his fingers lingered just long enough to give her a chance to stop him.


    She didn¡¯t.


    She wanted this... wanted him.


    He didn¡¯t need any further confirmation. With one smooth motion, he pulled her shirt over her head, and tossed it aside before his hands returned to her. They once again began tracing the curve of her back, fingers splaying against bare skin as he pulled her closer, deeper, more completely into him.


    Grace let out a quiet gasp at the sensation of skin against skin. The heat between them became almost unbearable yet intoxicating.


    His lips returned to hers, but this time the kiss was slower, deeper, more intense. It wasn¡¯t just hunger, but a promise, a surrender, a silent declaration that there would be no more walls between them.


    His kisses trailed down the column of her throat, forcing anothe moan past her slightly parted lips. His mouth was hot and possessive as he traced the delicate skin with his tongue, yearning to hear more of the sweet noises she waa making.


    Grace arched into him, and her fingers tangled in his hair, silently encouragement for him to keep going.


    And he listened.


    His lips moved lower, pressing kisses along her collarbone before trailing down. He tasted her, teased her, mapping a path across her body as if he had all the time in the world.


    Every kiss, every touch, every slow, deliberate movement sent heat curling in her stomach. It was a slow burn that kept spreading too fast, too deep, too consuming.


    Dr. Kian groaned against her skin. His control was fraying with every passing second.


    "Grace¡­" he murmured her name like a prayer, reverent yet filled with need.


    In response, she finally lowered her legs and climbed down. Taking hold of his hand, she started pulling him in the direction of her bedroom, and he followed after her silently.


    The moment they were inside, she locked the door and led him toward the bed. She tugged him closer and her nails scraped against his back as she pulled him down with her, their bodies pressing into the softness of the mattress.


    She could feel every inch of him, the tension in his muscles, the way he held himself back even though she could tell he was barely hanging on.


    She didn¡¯t want him to hold back.


    "I want you," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as it was raw with emotion, need, and also certainty.


    Dr. Kian sucked in a sharp breath. He had wanted her for so long, had dreamed of this moment, and now that it was here¡­


    Leaning down, he kissed her once again - harder this time, as if to burn the moment into his soul.


    Their breaths mingled as they got lost in the passionate kiss. A haze of heat and desire wrapped itself around them like a second skin.


    Dr. Kian kissed her with fervor, and a deep growl rumbled from his chest. She felt his fingers brushing her hair away from her shoulder before slipping under the strap of her bra and pulling it down.


    Grace inhaled sharply but didn¡¯t stop him. She watched as he pulled back and dragged the second strap down as well. They stared at each other for a moment before he leaned in again, but instead of kissing her lips, his mouth landed on her now bare shoulder.


    Her body responded to his touch instantly, it almost felt like he was making her come to life, as if it had been starved for him. Her heart raced and her breaths came in short gasps. She dug her fingers into the soft sheets under her as if they were the only thing grounding her in the whirlwind of sensations that he was creating.

 Chapter 208: Giving In To Desire (II)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - -


    When Dr. Kian pulled back after placing a kiss on the swell of her left breast, she noticed how dark his irises looked.


    "You are perfect," he whispered hoarsely. His voice was filled with reverence as though he couldn¡¯t quite believe that she was real.


    The intensity of his words and the raw emotion in his voice sent a thrill through Grace that went beyond the physical pleasure. She smiled softly, and reached up to trace her fingers along his jaw. "You are perfect too." She whispered sincerily.


    She watched as his lips curled into a smile before he leaned down to capture her lips in another searing kiss. Her body arched toward his as his hands started their work of undressing her.


    One of his hands slipped under her, unhooking her bra and removing the piece of fabric away, leaving both her breasts bare to him.


    Grace felt butterflies fluttering deep in her belly as he paused for a moment to let his eyes drink in the sight of her. And the way he was looking at her, it almost made her blush.


    "You are beautiful," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He lowered his head to trail kisses down her neck, his lips grazing over her collarbone before he kissed a path down to her chest.


    His hands roamed over her skin, making her moan softly as he caressed her breasts and teased her with gentle, firm touches. His mouth soon followed, his tongue flicking over her hardened nipples before his lips closed around one, sucking gently.


    Grace moaned, loudly this time as sweet tingles erupted across her body at the intimacy. Her hands gripped his hair as she squirmed beneath him. Every sensation he created sent jolts of pleasure through her, each touch more intoxicating than the last.


    But he was patient as he took his time to savor her body, to drive her wild with need as he played with her breasts. She let out a shaky breath when he finally moved lower, his lips grazing over her stomach. Her body trembled with anticipation.


    She watched as he once again pulled back, only to get rid of her trousers and panties this time. Within seconds, she was left completely bare to him.


    "Kian¡­" she gasped softly, and her fingers gripped the sheets more tightly as he lowered his head and his lips planted a kiss on her left thigh. He didn¡¯t rush, didn¡¯t hurry to the inevitable, but instead took his time, making sure she felt his every touch, every kiss, every breath.


    When he finally reached her core, she let out a moan of pure bliss. Her back arched off the bed when she felt the first touch of his tongue over her aching bud. The pleasure almost drove her insane.


    Her moans became uncontrollable as his tongue worked her sensitive flesh. His hands gripped her thighs, holding her in place as he worshipped her body, sending wave after wave of pleasure coursing through her.


    She felt her release building quickly as the tension in her body coiled tighter with every flick of his tongue and every gentle suck on her swollen clit.


    Her hands found his hair again, tugging gently as she lost herself to the sensations. His tongue was relentless as it drove her closer and closer to the edge until she couldn¡¯t take it any longer.


    With a final, breathless moan, she shattered, her orgasm ripping through her with a force that left her shaking, her body trembling beneath him as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her.


    But he didn¡¯t stop. He continued to lick and suck at her until her release finally subsided, leaving her breathless and spent. Only then did he pull back, pressing a soft kiss to the inside of her thigh before crawling back up her body, his lips finding hers in a slow, lingering kiss.


    She was still trembling slightly when he pulled back to look at her. His hand brushed a few strands of hair away from her face. She smiled up at him, her heart swelling with love and affection for the man who had just given her a perfect orgasm.


    "That was¡­ incredible," she breathed, her voice still shaky from the intensity of her release.


    He smiled softly, his fingers trailing over her cheek. "You deserve nothing less," he whispered, his voice filled with sincerity.


    Her heart melted at his words, and she pulled him down for another kiss, softer this time, more tender. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close as they kissed, their lips moving slowly, savoring the connection between them.


    When they finally ended the kiss, she decided to take the reins in her own hands for a while. She moved to a sitting position and he moved along with her. With a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, she forced him on his back before she straddled him and kissed him again.


    Despite his trousers, she was able to feel his erection that was seeking her attention. While her tongue played with his, one of her hands drifted between them and found his hardness.


    Dr. Kian groaned into the kiss as she started working on his pants, unbuttoning it and then pulling down the zipper.


    "We need to get rid of these." She told him as she ended the kiss and pulled away. She tugged on his trouser and boxers and he complied without any hesitation. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as he was just as naked as she was, she also took her time to drink him in. "You got... a really nice body, Doc." She complimented, keeping her tone teasing as she trailed her fingers over his abdomen.


    He inhaled sharply as her hand kept moving lower, keeping his gaze locked on hers.


    Grace leaned down to plant a peck on his lips before she pulled back and turned her full attention to his hardness that was seeking attention. Without any hesitation, she wrapped her hand around it before lowering her face...

 Chapter 209: Giving In To Desire (III)

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - -


    The room was filled with Dr. Kian¡¯s sharp breathing and the sounds that Grace was creating every time she moved her tongue up and down over his hard length.


    Her hands played their part as well, massaging his balls to make him feel further pleasure.


    "Argh!"


    He groaned out loud when she stopped playing around and took him in completely, making the crown of his length hit the very back of her throat.


    She kept moving, taking him deeper with every suck. The only time she pulled away was to catch her breath for a moment, but it was enough for Dr. Kian to pull her up. He rolled them over, making her be the one on her back while he hovered over her. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And then, he claimed her lips again, pushing his tongue deep into her mouth, enveloping her in a deep, passionate kiss that instantly set her body on fire.


    He bit her lower lip gently before his tongue reached out to dance with hers. The soft moan that escaped her lips only fueled the fire in him, and she felt the tension building between them, igniting their need for one another.


    Dr. Kian¡¯s hand slid from the back of her knee to the inside of her thigh, and his fingers traced along her soft skin, igniting a trail of heat as he went.


    When his fingers brushed against her most sensitive area, Grace¡¯s breath hitched. Her anticipation grew as he touched her, his thumb pressing gently against her aching bud while his fingers explored her wet folds.


    When he pulled back from the kiss, her eyes fluttered open at the sensation of his fingers teasing her. He caressed her slowly at first, then more insistently, sending shivers through her body.


    Her lips parted and a small moan escaped as he entered her with his fingers, the wet sounds of his movement barely contained in the silence of the room.


    He then kissed her once again. His tongue captured her soft moans as he deepened their connection. With a skilled hand, he pushed his fingers further into her, eliciting another gasp from her lips as her body responded to his touch. She clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as his fingers worked deep within her, sending waves of pleasure throughout her body.


    His lips traveled down her throat, leaving wet kisses along the way as he reached her collarbone, then her breasts. His mouth lingered there, teasing her hardened peaks with his tongue and teeth.


    She let out a sharp cry when his teeth grazed her nipple, the sensation both surprising and arousing her even more. She trembled beneath him as he continued to suck and nibble the peaks, all the while his fingers maintained their rhythm inside her.


    Pleasure overwhelmed her senses. She could barely think as her body reacted to him, every touch pushing her closer to the edge. "Kian¡­ I need you inside me." She whispered in a breathless and needy voice.


    "As you wish, love. But we need to take care of something else first." He whispered as his fingers rubbed her harder, faster.


    Her mind went blank as pleasure consumed her once more. A sharp, intense release surged through her body and she groaned loudly as her body shook with the force of it. Her back arched off the bed as the waves of ecstasy crashed over her, leaving her breathless and trembling.


    After what felt like an eternity, she slowly came back to reality, her back sinking into the mattress once more. Her eyes were closed as she took deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart. She smiled when she felt Dr. Kian¡¯s soft lips leaving gentle kisses over her belly.


    He trailed his lips up her body, reaching her breasts where his tongue flicked over her nipples, teasing them once again. He gave each one his full attention before moving back up to her mouth, capturing her lips in another searing kiss.


    He ended the kiss and pulled back for a moment. Knowing what he needed even before he said it, she took out a condom from the space and handed it to him, shutting off her shared mindlink with 2025 before the creature could have finished speaking its nonsense.


    Once he had the protection on, he shifted between her legs, and leaned down to kiss her again. Barely a second later, she felt the crown of his length brushing against her entrance.


    Her heart started pounded in anticipation, and she stared at him as he ended the kiss and pulled back enough to look at her while he teased her with slow, deliberate movements.


    When he finally entered her moments later, her eyes fluttered closed at the sensation. She moaned as pleasure coursed through her body, jolting every single cell alive.


    He kissed her chin, then moved to her earlobe, nibbling gently as he continued to push deeper inside her. Her senses were overwhelmed. The feeling of him inside her, combined with the way his tongue played with her earlobe, drove her wild.


    His rhythm started slow, each thrust measured, allowing her to adjust to the presence of him. Her breath hitched with his every movement, and she completely lost control over her moans. Her body moved with his, caught up in the sensual rhythm they created together.


    He pulled out almost completely, leaving her feeling momentarily empty, only to thrust back in harder and deeper than before. She let out a loud gasp as pleasure shot through her. His pace quickened, his muscles rippling with each thrust, sending her closer to the edge once again.


    Her entire body trembled beneath him, her fingers digging into his shoulders as the pleasure became too much to bear. She could feel him reaching his peak as well, his thrusts growing more erratic as they both approached their release.


    Finally, with one last deep thrust, they both reached the height of their pleasure at the same time. Her body shuddered as the world around her dissolved in a haze of bliss. She clung to him as the sensations overtook her, and her head went blank.

 Chapter 210: The Morning After

    The world outside was still cold and unforgiving as the volcanic winter kept the sky heavy with ash and the air crisp with chill.


    But inside Unit 2101 of Building K12, in the warmth of the bed, Grace was anything but cold.


    She stirred slightly, waking up from her deep slumber. The moment her consciousness returned to reality, she felt the slow, steady rise and fall of Dr. Kian¡¯s chest beneath her cheek. His arms were wrapped around her, firm yet gentle, as if he never wanted to let her go.


    A rare feeling of peace settled over her. For over a year, she had been fighting, leading, surviving - never stopping long enough to simply exist.


    But here, now, in his arms, she felt safe and... at peace.


    She tilted her head slightly, letting her eyes roam over his sleeping face. His normally sharp features were relaxed, his breathing slow and even. His dark lashes fanned against his cheekbones, and his lips were slightly parted.


    He looked¡­ peaceful.


    She smiled softly, resisting the urge to brush her fingers through his silky soft hair. But as if sensing her gaze, Dr. Kian¡¯s eyes fluttered open.


    A slow, lazy smile spread across his lips. "Morning."


    His voice was rough with sleep, much deeper than usual, and the sound sent a small shiver down her spine.


    "Morning," she whispered back.


    Dr. Kian shifted slightly, tightening his hold on her, pulling her even closer.


    "You are staring," he murmured.


    She arched an eyebrow as she returned. "So are you."


    His smile widened. "Can you blame me?" His fingers traced slow, lazy circles on her bare back. His touch was warm against her skin. "I finally got you to myself for a night. Not rushing off to fight zombies or Beasts or handle another crisis."


    Grace sighed, letting herself relax against him. "It does feel nice to just¡­ stay in bed."


    Dr. Kian hummed in agreement. "I could get used to this."


    His lips brushed against her forehead, then traveled lower, trailing soft, lingering kisses down her cheek, the curve of her jaw.


    A slow heat curled in her stomach.


    "Kian¡­"


    He hummed against her skin, clearly not planning on stopping anytime soon.


    She gasped softly as he tilted her chin up, capturing her lips in a deep, lingering kiss.


    Their lips moved in a slow, intoxicating rhythm - not rushed, not desperate, just pure, unfiltered want.


    His hands moved over her waist, gripping her hips gently as he pulled her on top of him, deepening the kiss.


    Grace felt herself melt into him, her fingers tangling in his hair as his hands roamed lower-


    Knock. Knock.


    A loud bang on the bedroom door interrupted the sweet, intense moment.


    "Rise and shine, lovebirds!" Rune¡¯s voice rang through the wood, filled with amusement and mischief.


    Grace froze, her face heating up instantly.


    On the other hand, Dr. Kian let out a frustrated groan, resting his forehead against her shoulder. "I swear to god, for the first time ever since meeting him, I¡¯m feeling the urge to throw him down this building."


    Right at that moment, Rune knocked again, louder this time. He clearly had heard what Dr. Kian just said. "Come on, breakfast is ready. And don¡¯t keep me waiting, Grace - I have got a lot of complaints- teasing planned."


    Grace buried her face in Dr. Kian¡¯s chest, feeling mortified.


    Dr. Kian just chuckled before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You okay?"


    "I have never been in this situation before," she muttered.


    "You mean waking up next to your incredibly handsome boyfriend?"


    She shot him a look. And he just grinned in response. "Get used to it."


    Another knock.


    "Alright, alright, we are coming," she called out, her voice slightly muffled against Doc¡¯s skin.


    She reluctantly pulled away, sitting up and reaching for her clothes. Dr. Kian watched her with a lazy, satisfied smirk, clearly enjoying her flustered state.


    "What?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.


    "Nothing," he said, stretching his arms behind his head. "Just enjoying the view."


    "Stop it!" Grace said as she threw a pillow at his face.


    - - -


    By the time they stepped out of the bedroom, Grace was still feeling slightly shy.


    It wasn¡¯t as if she regretted anything - far from it. But the fact that Rune and Davian would now know exactly what happened made her feel¡­ shy and awkward.


    She had been in a relationship with the three of them for over six months, but she had never slept with any of the three since then. Their lives were too chaotic, and their responsibilities too heavy for them to enjoy that pleasure of intimacy.


    And now?


    Now there was no going back. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She wasn¡¯t just their leader, or their partner in survival.


    She was theirs.


    The realization made her heart race.


    She felt Rune¡¯s eyes on her the second she stepped out of the hallway and into the area joining the living room with the dining area and the kitchen.


    The man was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, and a knowing smirk stretched across his lips.


    "Good morning, sleepyheads," he greeted in a tone that was dripping with amusement.


    Grace ignored him and went straight for the coffee, greeting Davian who was preparing breakfast.


    Dr. Kian, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered, grabbing a plate of food as if nothing had happened.


    Rune chuckled. "So, how was your night, Doctor?"


    Dr. Kian smirked. "Very fulfilling."


    Grace nearly choked on her coffee.


    Rune barked out a laugh. "Damn, I should have bet on this."


    She shot him a glare, but he just looked even more amused.


    "Relax, Grace," he teased, propping his chin on his hand. "I¡¯m just happy for you two. And honestly? It¡¯s about damn time."


    Grace sighed, rubbing her temples. "I hate you."


    "No, you don¡¯t." Rune winked.


    She sighed again, sitting down at the table, still feeling awkward but slowly starting to relax.


    Davian placed a plate of food in front of her before pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "Eat. You will need your strength."


    Grace gave him a look. "For what?"


    "For whatever disaster comes next," Rune chimed in, grabbing a piece of bread. "Because knowing our luck? Something¡¯s about to happen."


    Grace sighed, knowing he was probably right.


    The apocalypse never gave them peace for long.

 Chapter 211: Mastered a New Skill

    A week later~


    SPIRIT STONE RECORDS:


    Red Spirit Stones (SS) -


    Level Three: 2 SS


    Level Four: 1 SS


    Yellow Spirit Stones (SS) -


    Level One: 1 SS


    - S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A deep sigh escaped Grace as she stared at the digital screen in front of her, displaying the record of the Spirit Stones that she and her team had collected so far.


    "After all this time, we still haven¡¯t found a Spirit Stone above Level Four." She muttered while removing the screen and heading out of the Villa.


    "It¡¯s been only two weeks since you started looking for the Spirit Stones. Being able to find four such stones so far is already good enough. Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself." 2025 said as it followed after her.


    While over a year had passed in the outside world, twenty-four years had passed in the Infinite Realm. This time frame was more than enough for Grace to build a world that secured all her needs.


    She had warehouses filled with all kinds of harvests that came from the fields that were spread across hundreds of thousands of acres - grains, pulses, vegetables, fruits, herbs, tea, coffee, nuts, fats and oils, sugar and other sweetners.


    She had also secured more than enough stock of - meat, eggs, dairy products, and seafood. Same went for the harvests of fifty-seven different types of mutated plants she had planted in the Infinite Realm.


    This long period also allowed her to reserve enough - solar, wind, and hydro energy. And if all this wasn¡¯t great enough, these twenty-four years allowed her mutated beasts to grow into the most powerful beasts 2025 had ever recorded in both the timelines.


    For next few hours, she worked in the fields before finally stepping out into the outside world to continue her day there.


    But instead of heading downstairs to join others, she headed to the rooftop of building K12. While greenhouse covered the entire rooftop, there was still a small section that was left open.


    Once she was standing in that open area, she focused her gaze on a rooftop a few buildings away. The distance wasn¡¯t too far, but it wasn¡¯t close either. From what she could recall from the map of the Greenstone she had seen previously, this particular building was located at the very centre of the residential area.


    A sharp breath filled her lungs as she centered herself, steadying her heartbeat. Her fingers twitched slightly before curling into fists as she summoned her power.


    It had been nearly a year since she unlocked her powers, and over this long period, she had learned to harness it as per her will. The more she used her powers, the easier it became for her to control it.


    Her vision sharpened as her mind locked onto her target.


    Then, in an instant - the world around her twisted.


    The wind roared in her ears, and her body felt weightless, as if she had been flung into nothingness. Cold, searing energy wrapped around her skin before vanishing just as quickly. Her feet landed soundlessly against solid ground.


    She had moved.


    The rooftop beneath her was not the one she had stood on moments ago. A slow exhale escaped her lips as she adjusted to the shift, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.


    It worked.


    A faint smirk tugged at her lips, but she quickly pushed the thrill aside. This wasn¡¯t the time to revel in her mastery of the new ¡¯skill¡¯ she had been working on for nearly a month by now - teleportation.


    She turned her attention toward the vast expanse of the Greenstone Residential Area. The quiet neighborhood stretched before her, a cluster of buildings housing the people she had chosen to protect. These people had spent months securing food, and other resources, but no matter how much they prepared, a single attack from the unknown could destroy everything.


    And she wasn¡¯t going to let that happen.


    Her fingers twitched again as she channeled her power, her mind sharpening with a single thought.


    Barrier.


    The energy stirred within her, responding to her command.


    Thought-creation was unlike any other ability. It was pure willpower made tangible, and mastering it completely could take years. She had spent countless hours testing the limits of what she could manifest, and now she would attempt something she had never done before - shielding an entire area.


    The wind around her shifted, stirring as if the air itself could sense what she was about to do.


    She closed her eyes, picturing it in her mind - an invisible dome stretching over the Greenstone Residential Area, a protective layer thick enough to withstand external attacks, yet light enough to allow movement within.


    A deep, humming vibration filled the air as the energy surged outward.


    Slowly, ever so faintly, a shimmer appeared.


    It was barely noticeable at first, like the faintest ripple in water, but it was there.


    A thin film of translucent light began to form along the perimeter of Greenstone. It flickered weakly before stabilizing, stretching like an unseen force weaving itself into reality.


    But the moment it took form, Grace felt the toll.


    A dull ache pulsed in the back of her head, and started spreading through her limbs. The energy drain was immediate. It seeped out of her like a slow bleed. Her breath hitched, but she gritted her teeth and pushed forward.


    The shimmer grew stronger, spreading further, almost about one-fourth, then one-third of the area covered. The protective layer was taking shape, wrapping itself around the residential zone like a cocoon.


    Sweat beaded at her temples. Her pulse quickened, and her body started trembling under the sheer weight of the power she was forcing into existence.


    Then, a wave of nausea struck before her vision blurred.


    The rooftop beneath her seemed to tilt, and her stomach twisted violently. She staggered back a step, struggling to maintain her hold.


    Just a little more.


    But her body had reached its limit.


    A sharp ringing filled her ears. The barrier flickered, its thin layer trembling as her grip weakened.


    And then... darkness.


    Her knees buckled, and the world tilted. The last thing she saw was the faint glow of the barrier before her consciousness slipped away, and her body collapsed on the rooftop.

 Chapter 212: Amazing Boyfriends

    A dull throbbing spread through Grace¡¯s head as she slowly drifted back into consciousness.


    The softness beneath her and the warmth cocooning her body told her she was in bed... her bed. A familiar scent was lingering in the air, mingling with the warmth of the room. She didn¡¯t need to open her eyes to know she wasn¡¯t alone.


    "Maybe we are being too soft on her," Rune¡¯s deep voice cut through the quiet. His tone was edged with clear irritation. "She keeps pushing herself to the limit, and for what? She says Greenstone isn¡¯t important to her, yet she nearly killed herself trying to put a barrier around it."


    "Of course it¡¯s important to her," Dr. Kian countered in a soft but firm tone. "She just won¡¯t admit it. She acts like she doesn¡¯t care, but she does - deeply. That¡¯s why she won¡¯t stop."


    Davian sighed softly. His voice was carrying a mix of frustration and concern as he spoke next. "It¡¯s not just about Greenstone. It¡¯s everything. She doesn¡¯t know how to stop. Even when she¡¯s at her limit, she keeps pushing."


    He was silent for a second or two before adding, "Rune is right. We can¡¯t just stand by and watch her do this to herself."


    Grace kept her breathing steady, feigning sleep as she listened to them bicker. It was rare to hear them all this worked up. Usually, these three could hardly be on the same page about anything, but it seemed like she was an exception to their differences.


    A flicker of warmth stirred in her chest, but she kept her face relaxed, hoping to eavesdrop a little longer.


    "You are awake," Rune suddenly announced, shattering her act.


    Damn it.


    She cracked one eye open, just in time to see him leaning over her, arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips. His dark hair was slightly tousled, as if he had run his fingers through it too many times, and his sharp amber eyes held a knowing gleam.


    "How long were you going to pretend?" he asked, tilting his head.


    "I have no idea what you are talking about," she murmured. Her voice was still hoarse from sleep.


    "Right," Davian deadpanned as he stood at the foot of the bed with his arms crossed. His dark green eyes narrowed at her in quiet disapproval. "Because your breathing didn¡¯t change the moment you heard us talking about you."


    Dr. Kian chuckled softly while she tried to not blush. He was seated at her bedside, with his hand resting lightly on the blanket covering her. His eyes softened as he studied her face. "How are you feeling?"


    "Like I got run over by a truck," she admitted, shifting slightly which turned out to be a mistake as the soreness spread through her limbs instantly, making her wince.


    And just like that, all three men were immediately fussing over her.


    Rune grabbed a pillow, adjusting it behind her head. "Here. More comfortable?"


    Davian stepped closer and reached for her wrist, checking her pulse with careful precision. "You are still weak. You should rest more."


    Dr. Kian pressed a cool hand to her forehead, his touch lingering as he examined her with a practiced gaze. "Your energy depletion isn¡¯t severe, but you need to replenish it properly." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She sighed, feeling a mix of guilt and gratitude settle in her chest. "You guys are acting like I almost died."


    "You almost did," Rune countered, surprising her with how his voice sounded sharper than usual. "You passed out alone on a rooftop of an abandoned building, Grace. Do you even realize how terrifying that was?"


    His words sent a ripple of guilt through her. She hadn¡¯t meant to scare them.


    "You are always so careful when it comes to everyone else," Dr. Kian added as he brushed his thumb over her knuckles. "But when it comes to yourself, you act as if you are disposable."


    Davian let out a small sigh before he moved and settled down on the bed beside her. And before she knew it, his firm arms effortlessly pulled her into his lap. "Sometimes, you are insufferable," he muttered against her hair. "But I¡¯m just glad you are okay."


    Her heart skipped a beat and she allowed herself to relax in his warmth.


    Dr. Kian smiled and reached out to brush his fingers over her cheek as he leaned closer. "Don¡¯t think this means you are off the hook. You¡¯ll be explaining why you thought pushing yourself this far was a good idea."


    "Agreed," Davian said as his own fingers trailed through her hair in slow, soothing strokes.


    "But not right now. Right now, we are just going to remind you how much we love you." Rune suddenly chimed in.


    Grace blinked, caught off guard by the words. She swallowed, turning her attention to him. "What-"


    Whatever she was about to say got lost when Dr. Kian pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. His lips lingered, warm and soft, before he pulled back with a small, knowing smile. "No arguments. Just accept it."


    Davian¡¯s arms tightened around her slightly, and he rested his chin atop her head. "If you ever scare us like that again, I swear I¡¯ll tie you to the bed and make you rest for a week."


    Rune chuckled. "Kinky."


    Davian shot him a glare, while Dr. Kian simply sighed. "Can you be serious for once?"


    "I was just saying." Rune said with a grin before leaning in and kissing Grace¡¯s temple.


    Grace shook her head. "You guys are ridiculous."


    "But you love us anyway," Rune teased.


    She was silent for merely a second. "Yeah," she murmured. "I do."


    The three men stilled slightly, as if they hadn¡¯t expected her to say it.


    Then, Davian pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and his arms tightened around her.


    "Now that we¡¯ve established that, how about we all cuddle until she falls asleep again?" Rune suggested with a big smirk.


    Grace was surpised, not by Rune¡¯s suggestion but to see the other two agreeing to it immediately. A soft smile played on her lips as she let herself sink into their warmth.


    It felt extremely good to have three amazing boyfriends.

 Chapter 213: Creating Barrier

    It was the sound of constant alerts on her phone that pulled Grace out of the depths of her sleep. She blinked against the dim light that was filling the room, feeling momentarily disoriented.


    But as seconds passed and her focus adjusted to her surroundings, the memories of the previous night started settling in. She recalled Davian¡¯s strong arms around her, Kian¡¯s gentle touch, and Rune¡¯s usual teasing remarks that accompanied the night before until she ended up falling asleep. Their warmth was still lingering in the air, but there was no sign of any of the three.


    She picked up her phone and noticed that it was already ten past eight in the morning, and the alerts she heard moments ago belonged to the notifications of recent breaking news.


    It turned out two more countries just encountered the unusual rains - Country S saw Shadow Rain about two hours ago, while Country N was reported to be now filled with zombies after the Blood Rain that happened there about five hours ago.


    A sigh escaped her lips while she made mental notes - to stay away from Country N and also to visit Country S within next two weeks to search for mutated plants and animals.


    Silently slipping out of bed, she dressed in her usual combat attire - fitted black pants, a long-sleeved shirt reinforced with light armor, and her favorite boots. As she tied her hair into a high ponytail, her eyes landed on the nightstand where a small container of energy supplements was sitting. It was a silent reminder from Dr. Kian.


    With a little shake of her head, she popped one into her mouth and swallowed it dry before strapping on some of her weapons - a gun, and two daggers.


    She found Rune waiting for her in the living room. Dr. Kian had already returned to base in Hilton City, and Davian went along with him to check on the security of the base and surrounding areas.


    Because of the location of the base, which was in the depths of the mountains, no zombies or humans had ventured in that area so far. Not only that, but there was another military station nearby who were keeping the area safe.


    But while humans and their infected forms were staying away from the mountains, the infected animals were an entirely different story. To keep these beasts away from the base, Davian had set up several traps around the mountain peak where the base was located. And fortunately, no beast had been able to enter the area of the base.


    Talking about the base, Professor Neil and his team had spread their areas of research during the past few months. While they began working with the research subject of mutated animals, plants, and infected, they had started researching on farming possibilities, new medicines and poisons derived from the mutated plants and animals, and even the possibility of creating weapons.


    To support these new areas of research, Grace had been looking for new additions to the research team, and had been able to find only two such experts who ended up accepting her offer and joined the research team.


    The current research team had Dr. Kian and Professor Neil as the chief researchers, and a total of twenty-five experts working under them. While the team and its size sounded good, it was far from enough to help Grace accomplish her big plan.


    "Let¡¯s head to Unit 2203. Some of the other team members are waiting there for us to have breakfast together." Rune informed her and the two headed upstairs to grab breakfast with the team.


    These days, Grace had been going out with her team to fight with zombies. So once they finished breakfast, she headed out of Greenstone with a team of twelve of her members. This time, they headed to a town that was located twenty-eight kilometers south to Greenstone.


    Without Davian¡¯s portal, it took them over two hours to reach the town and that too with several encounters with the infected on their way.


    These usual missions of theirs was not only for eliminating zombies and searching for Spirit Stones, instead, they were using these chances to guide the survivors to the nearest military bases and small fractions that had established themselves over the course of past one year.


    - -


    As soon as they arrived at their destination, Grace left the team to continue with their hunt while she headed on her separate way. Since she knew that her team could handle themselves, she didn¡¯t have to worry about their safety.


    She moved through the abandoned streets with practiced ease. Her footsteps were light against the snow-covered pavement. She was aware of the infected that were lurking in the shadows.


    With her heightened eyesight, she could could see how their grotesque forms twitched at the scent of the living. But she didn¡¯t hesitate. And neither did they as they immediately stepped out to take her down.


    All it took was a silent command in her head and a sharp, glowing dagger materialized in her palm. All these weapons she had been using were the ones she had stocked up before, but she had learned to fuse her energy in them to make the extra powerful.


    With the weapon in her hand, she lunged forward, slashing through the nearest infected. Its body disintegrated into ash before it could even react.


    Another came at her from the side, but a swift pivot and a strike to the head sent it crumbling to the ground.


    She worked through them methodically. Her movements were precise and calculated. Fighting the infected had become second nature to her after doing it for countless times over the past several months.


    By the time midday arrived, she was done clearing half of the town and securing two new Spirit Stones - one red, and one yellow. While neither of the two were above level three, they were still valuable.


    After the constant failure at finding a Spirit Stone of Level higher than Four, she had really started wondering if the system was wrong about its prediction of the existence of Spirit Stones of Level Five and higher.


    But despite her failures, she knew better than to really start suspecting 2025 and her system. Hence, she finished cleaning up the rest of the town with her team and contacted Captain Harlow to inform him about the seventeen survivors they found in the town.


    From there on, it was Captain Harlow¡¯s duty to inform the other military stations about these survivors and help them relocate to a safe place.


    With the mission completed, Grace left behind some food and water with the survivors that was enough to fill their empty stomach for the moment, and headed back to Greenstone with her team.


    Once back at her apartment, she immediately headed inside her space to shower. Once she was done cleaning up, she got dressed and had a late lunch before heading out to spent the next few hours of the outside world working in her space.


    She spent the time harvesting crops, sorting supplies, and storing everything in secured warehouses.


    Meat, eggs, and dairy were processed and packed. Herbs and medicinal plants were carefully categorized. The energy reserves were replenished, and she even mined some more metals.


    It wasn¡¯t until the day in the outside world came to an end, did she finally stepped out of her space and once again headed to the rooftop of building K12. While her plan from the previous didn¡¯t end up well, it made her understand exactly what she was facing.


    She had answers now - she could indeed create a protective ward around Greenstone to secure it from the attacks of infected, humans, and even the monster beasts that were yet to make their appearance.


    All she needed to do was to take a step at a time and not deplete her energy.


    She took a deep breath before stretching out her hands and feeling the power hum beneath her skin.


    The moment she summoned her power and felt it responding instantly, the air around her also crackled as it sensed the energy within her.


    With one more deep breath, she focused her thoughts and power at the task of creating the barrier. It was at that point she realized the portion of the barrier she created the previous afternoon was still present in the air above Greenstone... silent, invisible, and waiting.


    It came to life the moment it sensed her power. Though it seemed weak and very thin, it was still a great progress.


    With her each attempt, the structure of the barrier started growing a little more stable, a little more real. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She focused, pushing past the fatigue, forcing her energy outward.


    The thin, transparent layer flickered, covering another small portion of the area before fading.


    She continued trying for what seemed like next twenty minutes before she finally started feeling that familiar pull of darkness due to energy loss. With one final push of her power, she ended the work there for the day.


    [Barrier creation progress: 12%]


    It wasn¡¯t much, it still was enough to give her hope to continue next evening.

 Chapter 214: Tangerine

    "You are looking..."


    Grace¡¯s hand stilled on its way to pick up a tangerine from the fruit basket as she heard Rune¡¯s words. She turned her head and found him staring directly at her from where he stood merely inches away from her.


    He suddenly inched his face closer, making her heart race as she started worrying that her face still gave away her energy depletion despite all the precautions she took this time.


    Still, she tried her best to look normal and stared back at him, feigning ignorance. At first, he kept looking at her with a serious expression on his face, but then, a smile suddenly spread across his lips, leaving her confused and surprised.


    "... beautiful. You are looking beautiful." He completed his sentence from before, making her realize that she was worrying for nothing.


    Just as she began thinking that she was in the safe, Rune once again surpised her with his next words, proving her just how wrong she was to think that these men weren¡¯t aware of what she was exactly doing when they weren¡¯t around.


    "So... how¡¯s the barrier thing coming through?"


    Her hand was once again on its way to pick up the tangerine when he ended up asking the question. This time, she just gave up on the fruit and turned to face him completely, only to see him picking up the fruit and peeling it while he waited to hear her response.


    "I¡¯m just trying to think of something to protect this place. Seeing it going down after all the work we have put into it... will be a little tiring." She was surpised that she was so against accepting the fact that she actually cared about the residents of Greenstone.


    Rune nodded his head as if acknowledging her words. He then offered her neatly pealed peg and spoke, "There¡¯s nothing wrong with the idea or trying it out... as long as you don¡¯t hold around putting your health at risk."


    Though he used a soft tone, the warning was pretty much clear in his words. He might listen to her every word when it came to other things, but he wasn¡¯t ready to compromise when it came to her and her well-being.


    Grace accepted the peeled tangerine peg from his hand, her fingers grazing his in the process. His touch was warm, steady... almost grounding. She placed the fruit in her mouth, chewing slowly as she watched him preparing another peg for her.


    While his fingers were working on cleaning the piece, his icy-blue eyes held a quiet intensity as he studied her, waiting for her to respond.


    "I know," she admitted, swallowing the citrusy burst of flavor. "I have been more careful this time."


    He hummed softly while his gaze remained fixed on her face. "Good."


    Then, before she could react, he reached forward and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. The simple gesture made her breath hitch, but she barely had time to register it before his fingers trailed lower, tracing along her jaw.


    "Rune?" she questioned softly, sounding suddenly unsure after seeing the shift in him.


    "Do you ever stop thinking?" he murmured. His voice was low and rough, sending a shiver down her spine.


    Her lips parted slightly, but she didn¡¯t get a chance to answer. Because he closed the remaining space between their mouths and kissed her.


    There was no hesitation, no warning... just pure, burning intent as his lips crashed against hers.


    A surprised gasp left her, but he swallowed the sound, deepening the kiss instantly. His free hand, the one that was not holding the tangerine, curled around the back of her neck and pulled her flush against him.


    But it was when she felt his other hand settling on her waist, that she realized the tangerine was long gone from his hold. He didn¡¯t give her more time to ponder on the whereabouts of the tangerine as the kiss consumed her completely.


    He wasn¡¯t gentle, but he wasn¡¯t rough either. It was controlled, deliberate... something that was so like him and yet not.


    She felt her mind momentarily go blank. Her hands moved instinctively, gripping the front of his shirt as she kissed him back despite the shock. Her body was reacting before her mind could catch up.


    The warmth of his lips, the firm press of his body against hers - it all felt overwhelming in the best way possible.


    Rune tilted his head slightly, deepening the kiss further while his fingers tightened around her waist. A low sound rumbled from his chest, and the vibration sent a wave of heat through her.


    When he finally pulled away, it was to rest his forehead against hers. His breath was warm against her lips as he murmured, "The only reason I¡¯m letting you go is because the others are waiting for you. We need to join them."


    Grace blinked, her breath still uneven. "The... others?"


    She realized she was too occupied with the kiss, the man, and how he made her feel just now, to really focus on what he was saying.


    Much to her dismay, he chose that moment to pull away and step back. He looked completely fine, even if he wasn¡¯t in reality. And it bothered her so much.


    How could he do that?


    One moment he was talking to her normally, then he was kissing her like she was his favorite kind of drug, and then he was back to normal all over again.


    What kind of superpower was it? Because she needed it too. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let¡¯s go." He said, offering her another neatly cleaned peg of tangerine that was back in his hand.


    Grace had to close her eyes and inhale deeply before she was finally able to pull herself together to some point. When she opened her eyes moments later, she looked just as calm as him.


    She accepted the peg and followed after him, heading to Unit 2203 where the rest of her team was waiting to discuss an important matter they had recently started paying attention to.

 Chapter 215: Making Alliances

    By the time Grace entered Unit 2203, the long table in the dining area was already filled with plates of steaming food.


    The warm scent of roasted meat, seasoned vegetables, and freshly baked bread greeted her, making her stomach rumble even though she wasn¡¯t even feeling hungry before stepping inside the unit.


    It was Rio who caught her attention first. As she made her way to the table, he smirked at her and teased. "Finally decided to grace us with your presence, huh?"


    Grace just shook her head while a small smile bloomed on her lips. She had known Rio for just as long as she had known Davian. As King Parker¡¯s most trusted man, Rio had always been there with Davian.


    If there was anyone in that room who knew about Grace and Davian¡¯s actual history, accept for the two of them of course, then it was only Rio.


    "Let me guess, you all made Davian do all the cooking." She said while turning her gaze toward Rio once again.


    While almost everyone in the team had learned to cook during the time of disaster, no one could still come anywhere close to Davian¡¯s cooking skills. Hence, all it took was just one look at the table filled with dishes and she knew that Davian had done the cooking. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What? Feeling bad for your boyfriend?" Rio asked, not bothering to lower his voice as he called Davian her boyfriend.


    Though it had been over half a year since she started officially dating Davian, Rune, and Dr. Kian, the four of them never bothered to actually announce their relationship to the team.


    But they also didn¡¯t try to keep it a secret. Thus, there was no surpise that almost everyone in the team knew about the relationship, but no one still openly called them out on it... until now.


    "Why? Can¡¯t I?" She asked, not giving Rio the satisfaction of catching her off guard with his question.


    The shock was clearly evident on the man¡¯s face, and before he could have caught himself, Davian was there with a bowl of rice.


    "Do you want to return to your unit and cook for yourself?" He asked, his gaze warning Rio about continuing with his nonsense.


    Rio was quick to give up. He raised his arms in surrender and shifted his focus to the food. Davian, on the other hand, settled down on the chair on Grace¡¯s left who was sitting at the head of the table.


    "I made your favorites." He told her as he picked up the bowl of butter chicken. He started serving her, adding rice and side dishes.


    "Thank you." She said before taking the first bite, noticing how he was waiting to hear her comment on his cooking. The moment she ate the first bite of the chicken, she couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes and savor the taste. As usual... it was amazing.


    When she opened her eyes, she found him looking at her with a satisfied smile on his lips. He no longer needed her words as her reaction had told him what he wanted to know.


    "Gosh! There are other people here too." Rune muttered as he picked up a pice of chicken from Grace¡¯s plate and shoved it in his mouth.


    Ever since they began their relationship, he stopped sitting at the end of the table and took his place on her right. Initially, he used to sit next to Dr. Kian, but since the doc couldn¡¯t join them for these meals most of the days, Rune had now taken his place on the first chair to her right.


    "Feeling jealous." Davian commented, sparing Rune a quick look before shifting his attention to his own plate that still needed to be filled with food.


    Before the two could have begun throwing their sparky comments at each other, Grace decided to step in and shift their attention to something else.


    "So," she started, running her gaze across the long table, "let¡¯s talk about the factions."


    The table immediately shifted into business mode.


    It was Davian who decided to speak first. "Greenstone has been holding strong so far, but we all know that won¡¯t last if the other factions keep looking at us like a meal waiting to be devoured. We have resources. We have security. That makes us a target."


    "We need allies," Grace said firmly. "It¡¯s not just about defense anymore. It¡¯s about longevity. If we want Greenstone to stand even after we are gone, we need to make sure it has a strong enough network to survive without them constantly having to fight off enemies."


    It was Rune who asked the first question. "But which factions are we looking for?"


    Since Kevin had been assigned to look into this matter, he finally spoke, addressing Rune¡¯s question. "Two stand out the most - Blood Vultures and Royal Road."


    "Blood Vultures are raiders," Seth continued from there as he was Kevin¡¯s partner in this task. "They survive by taking from others. Not exactly the best candidates for an alliance."


    "They might still be useful," Davian countered. "They operate on a code of trade. If Greenstone can offer them supplies they can¡¯t get anywhere else, we can turn them into customers rather than enemies."


    Grace exhaled, tapping her fingers against the table. "And the Royal Road?"


    "They are somewhat neutral," Kevin supplied. "They don¡¯t pick fights, but they don¡¯t involve themselves in conflicts either. It seems like they have a stable food supply they got their hands during the starting of the disasters. But they do lack proper defenses."


    Grace considered this. "So, in short, we can offer the Blood Vultures a trade agreement, and Royal Road security in exchange for long-term cooperation."


    "It¡¯s risky," Rio pointed out. "One wrong move, and we make enemies instead of allies."


    "That¡¯s why we need to start small," Grace said. "We can¡¯t offer these factions anything that Greenstone doesn¡¯t possess. Of course, it¡¯s easy to secure these deals with the supplies I have in possession, but these alliances are for Greenstone, not me. We need to make proper arrangements."


    Rune chose this moment to add his humor in the tense conversation. "Good thing we have someone as devilishly charming as me to handle the negotiations, huh?"


    Aleena snorted. "Right. Because people are so easily fooled by your charms."


    He placed a hand over his heart in mock offense. "You can ask your Boss, I¡¯m incredibly persuasive."

 Chapter 216: Further Planning

    The meeting continued throughout the dinner, and by the time they finished, they had a rough idea about how to progress with this new plan.


    They were already thirteen months into the apocalypse, and once they would start making alliances, it would take several months to strengthen the bonds.


    If she had to calculate, after a couple of more months, more natural disasters might once sgain start knocking at their doors. And once that would happen, it would bring along the threat of damaging the Veil which would give a way for the monster beasts to enter into their world.


    So, before things started turning for the worst, she needed to secure Greenstone and then move into the military base with her team.


    After dinner, she returned to her apartment with Davian and Rune, but instead of going to bed, the three of them continued to discuss the matter of forming alliances.


    While Kevin and Seth had been going out these days to scout information about the nearby factions, 2025 had been taking care of the matter as well.


    "Master, there are a total of fourteen small groups in the nearby cities and town. All these groups are too small, but they are still able to survive by fighting their way through."


    2025 informed as it appeared in the living room along with the digital screen that had a list of information about those fourteen groups it just mentioned.


    "Why are we looking at these small groups of survivors? There¡¯s no point in making alliances with them." Rune looked confused once he noticed the numbers of survivors in these small groups.


    Grace let out a small sigh and nodded her head, acknowledging his words. "You are right. There¡¯s no point in forming alliances with groups that are smaller or weaker than us. But we can think about taking them in. Right?"


    "You want to expand Greenstone¡¯s population." It was Davian who spoke this time. He had been observing and listening silently, and he finally knew what she was planning.


    Grace looked between the two men, observing their reactions to the idea. And they both looked eager to hear what she had planned.


    "Greenstone has dozens of buildings standing empty. We have set up enough greenhouses here that produces veggies and fruits to fill the empty stomachs of hundreds of people. We have found solutions for water and fire. As for other necessities, I can keep providing them to these people - enough for them to sustain through this time. That¡¯s why I think that we should add to our numbers."


    It might sound like she was doing this to increase the strength of Greenstone, but doing so had another reason that she didn¡¯t want to really talk about.


    These small groups out there were struggling. Though they had been able to survive so far, they wouldn¡¯t last long on their own. Hence, adding them to Greenstone was a way to give them a fair chance at survival.


    She waited patiently to hear what the men had to say about her plan. They took their time to weigh all the prons and cons of her plan, but they eventually agreed that it was a great way to help Greenstone in the long term.


    "Since we are on the same page now, I¡¯ll conduct a meeting with Captain Harlow to inform him and the residents about our plan. We will need to get them agree with this plan as well." Grace said as she took another look at the list of groups.


    Davian leaned back on the couch while his sharp gaze remained fixed on the digital screen displaying the details of the survivor groups. "We¡¯ll need to approach them carefully. Most of these groups are desperate. Desperation breeds caution... and sometimes violence."


    Rune nodded in agreement. "We can¡¯t just show up and expect them to trust us. Some of these people have likely been burned before, betrayed or abandoned. We need a strategy to make them see Greenstone as their best option."


    Grace tapped her fingers against the armrest of her chair, her mind already working through the logistics. "That¡¯s why we¡¯ll take it slow. We won¡¯t approach them all at once. We¡¯ll start with one or two groups, extend an offer, and see how they respond. If it works, word will spread. More will come on their own." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rune exhaled, and reached out to rub the bridge of his nose. "It¡¯s a lot of responsibility, Grace. Taking in more people means more risks."


    "I know," she admitted. "But it also means more fighters, more workers, more people to help keep Greenstone running. Right now, we have an advantage with our resources, but that won¡¯t last forever. If we want this place to survive long-term, we need to think ahead."


    He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees as he smirked at her. "So what¡¯s the approach? You want me to use my charm to win them over?"


    Davian scoffed. "Your charm would probably make them run the other way."


    Grace smirked slightly before shaking her head. "We¡¯ll offer what they need most - food, medical supplies, and shelter. But they won¡¯t get a free ride. Anyone who joins Greenstone will have to work, contribute in some way. We can¡¯t afford dead weight."


    Davian studied her for a moment before nodding. "It makes sense. If they see that Greenstone is organized and stable, they¡¯ll be more willing to follow the rules."


    "Exactly," she agreed. "We are not just offering them safety, we are offering them a future."


    2025 finally decided to break its silence. "Would you like me to begin compiling detailed dossiers on the groups with the highest survival potential?"


    "Yes," Grace confirmed. "Prioritize the ones with powers or skills we can use - medics, engineers, fighters. If we are going to expand, we need people who can help us keep Greenstone running."


    Rune rolled his shoulders, as if getting ready for a big mission . "Looks like we have a busy few weeks ahead of us."


    Grace let out a breath, her eyes drifting back to the digital screen. "Yeah. But if this works, it¡¯ll be worth it."

 Chapter 217: The First Meeting

    Later that night, when Grace stepped out of the Infinite Realm after spending another hour there, she found the apartment silent.


    Her gaze landed on the wall clock and she realized that it was almost close to midnight, making her realize the reason behind the silence and lack of activities.


    Instead of heading to bed, she got herself a glass of warm water and moved to the floor-to-ceiling window to stare at the familiar view outside.


    As she drank the water, her mind kept shifting from one thing to another. She was still lost in her thoughts when her ears registered the soft sound of a door opening before someone stepped into the hallway.


    A smile spread across her lips as she waited for the person to come to the living room and find her. She wasn¡¯t sure how long it took - few seconds or minutes, but then she had strong arms circling her waist from behind before someone hugged her.


    "Why are you standing here all alone? What were you thinking?" Davian asked as he took the empty glass from her hand and returned it to the kitchen using a portal.


    Grace allowed herself to relax against him, letting him carry her weight. "I was just thinking about how much my life has changed ever since I woke up in my office fifteen months ago... especially on personal level."


    Though her back was facing, she was able to see his reflection in the glass of the window. Hence, she noticed the smile that spilled on his lips before he spoke. "Does that mean... you were thinking about me?"


    She chuckled softly, but instead of shaking her head to deny, she actually nodded her head to affirm that he wasn¡¯t far from the truth. "I was wondering exactly when you fell for me? No matter how much I try to recall, I can¡¯t seem to find any hints."


    Davian tightened his hold around her, pulling her closer in his embrace as he answered. "To be honest, I¡¯m not sure about it either. All I know is that I never stopped thinking about from our first ever meeting. Before that, I never met someone like you. That day, you left an everlasting effect on me."


    Grace turned her head to side, looking at him from over her shoulder. "I¡¯m sure that you despised me back then. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have come looking for me with that offer of contract marriage. Was that your way of getting my attention?"


    Davian chuckled, but she noticed how he looked slightly embarrassed as she mentioned the story of their that took between them about six years ago.


    Then, she heard him whisper. It was so soft that she wouldn¡¯t have heard it if not for her enhanced hearing.


    "Maybe."


    * * *


    Flashback


    Six Years Ago Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Davian¡¯s P.O.V.


    The grand ballroom of the Silvercrest Hotel was nothing short of extravagant. Crystal chandeliers were casting a golden glow over the room, illuminating the sea of elites dressed in designer suits and dazzling gowns.


    The air was buzzing with the low hum of polite conversations, the occasional clink of glasses, and the soft melody of a live orchestra that was playing in the background.


    Davian King Parker stood near the bar, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. His sharp deep green eyes were busy scanning the crowd. Ever since he entered the business world about half a year ago, he had been attending countless such events - charity galas, business parties, social gatherings... all meant to strengthen alliances between powerful families.


    But tonight, he was here for a different reason.


    Somewhere in this room was the woman he had been keeping an eye on for almost a week. The woman whose name had been whispered through both the underworld and the high society circles. A woman who had made powerful enemies disappear overnight, yet moved through the city as if she were nothing more than a ghost.


    Grace Blackwood.


    The name alone was enough to send a ripple of tension through any man who understood power. The rumored leader of the Blackwood Empire, the underground force that controlled nearly half the country¡¯s illegal dealings. A woman who had built an empire in silence, leaving behind no traces of weakness.


    But tonight, she wasn¡¯t a shadow lurking in the background.


    She was here.


    And Davian had a feeling he had just found her.


    Across the ballroom, a woman in a sleek black gown stepped toward the bar. She moved with a kind of effortless confidence that commanded attention, her emerald eyes were sharp yet unreadable. Her long hair cascaded over one shoulder, framing delicate features that were both stunning and dangerous.


    She was breathtaking.


    And completely unaware of who he was.


    Grace reached the bar and leaned slightly against the counter, her slender fingers tapping lightly against the marble surface. "Whiskey. Neat."


    Davian smirked, tilting his head slightly. "Good choice."


    She turned her gaze toward him, her expression unreadable as she assessed him in a single glance. "And you are?"


    He extended a hand, watching her closely. "Davian King Parker."


    Her lips curled into a small, almost amused smile. "Ah, the Young Master Parker." She didn¡¯t shake his hand. Instead, she simply acknowledged his identity as if deciding whether he was worth her time.


    He chuckled, unfazed. "I would ask what you have heard, but I have a feeling I wouldn¡¯t like the answer."


    The bartender slid her drink across the counter, and she picked it up, taking a slow sip before replying. "You are not wrong."


    Davian leaned in slightly, his voice dropping just enough to create an air of intrigue. "And what about you? Should I be worried about what I might hear if I ask around about you?"


    Grace met his gaze, her eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "That depends, Mr. Parker. Are you the type to believe rumors?"


    He smirked. "I prefer to form my own opinions."


    For the first time, something close to amusement flickered across her face. "Smart man."


    The tension between them was palpable even though this was their first ever real encounter.


    Davian could hardly believe that this strong and confident woman in front of him was the same one whom he met a few months ago.


    Truth be told... this wasn¡¯t the first time he was seeing her. But only he was aware of it.

 Chapter 218: Davian’s Last Mission

    Davian¡¯s P.O.V.


    Seven Months Before the Silvercrest Hotel Party Country C ¨C Military Base


    The night air was thick with humidity, and the scent of rain was still lingering in the wind as Davian adjusted his gear. His team moved in perfect synchronization around him, their dark uniforms blending seamlessly with the shadows of the abandoned docks.


    This was his last mission before leaving the military. One final operation before stepping away from the life that had defined him for years.


    If not for the fact that his grandfather had been constantly threatening for nearly a year by now, he might have spent some more time working for his country instead of taking over his family business.


    Letting out a small sigh, he focused his attention on the mission.


    The intel was clear - an illegal weapon smuggling deal was going down tonight. The target was an unidentified mafia syndicate that had been moving stolen military-grade firearms through Country C¡¯s ports. The plan was simple - intercept, neutralize, and secure the cargo.


    But something about this mission felt¡­ off. And no matter how much Davian tried to ponder on it, he was unable to pinpoint exactly what and where things weren¡¯t aligning.


    "Captain, we have movement," one of his men whispered through the comms.


    Davian signaled for silence while his sharp eyes started scanning the area through his gear¡¯s night vision. Several figures were moving near the shipping containers, working quickly to load crates onto an unmarked truck.


    "Confirming target. They are packing up faster than expected," another soldier reported.


    They know we are coming.


    Davian¡¯s mind sharpened at the realization. Either their intel had been compromised, or their enemies were simply too careful. Regardless, it changed nothing.


    "Move in," he ordered. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Like shadows, his team surged forward at his command. The night exploded with action. There were silent takedowns, suppressed gunfire, and swift movements as they cut through the enemy¡¯s forces.


    But something still kept nagging at him.


    All this seemed way too easy.


    The enemy was fleeing. There was no resistance, no attempt to fight back. It was almost as if¡­ they were never planning to win this fight.


    Then, amid all the chaos that was going on the outside as well as inside his head, he spotted her. A woman dressed in all black. Her long hair was falling messily around her face as she struggled against one of the smugglers.


    She was a hostage.


    His gut clenched.


    She was being dragged toward a shipping container. Her eyes were filled with something between terror and defiance as she looked around. It seemed like she was looking for help... waiting for someone to help her.


    It was the first real complication of the night.


    "Hostage sighted," he murmured into his comm.


    His orders had been to secure the shipment, but he wasn¡¯t about to leave an innocent woman behind.


    Signaling two of his men to follow, he moved swiftly toward her.


    The smuggler holding her noticed his approach and, in a panic, shoved her to the ground before attempting to escape.


    Davian barely spared the man a glance while one of his teammates took him down instantly. His focus remained on the woman.


    She was gasping, and trembling as she pushed herself up. Her hands were shaking as she held her arms around herself protectively.


    He crouched beside her, his voice firm but calm. "You are safe now."


    She looked up at him, and he noticed that she too had green eyes, just a shade lighter than his dark ones. As her eyes locked on his, he noticed something flickering in her gaze for a moment.


    Then she lowered her head, as if afraid to look at him directly. "T-Thank you." Her voice was soft, breathless, but steady enough that it made something in him pause.


    Her hands were bound. Her clothes were slightly torn at the edges, as if she had been struggling for a while. She looked shaken but not panicked.


    Something wasn¡¯t right.


    A hostage caught in a smuggling ring should be either hysterical or relieved. She was neither.


    "How did you end up here?" he asked, watching her closely.


    She swallowed hard, her fingers curling against the ground. "I-I was taken a few days ago. They kept moving me from place to place. I don¡¯t even know where I am."


    The words were perfect. Too perfect.


    His instincts had saved him countless times before, and right now, they were screaming at him.


    "Captain," one of his men called over the comm, "the remaining targets are gone. They abandoned the shipment."


    They¡­ abandoned it?


    Davian frowned. "Confirming - how much did they leave behind?"


    "Only a small portion. They took most of it with them."


    Which meant¡­


    They had planned this escape from the start.


    His eyes flickered back to the woman before him.


    Her story was too convenient.


    A hostage was left behind, unharmed, while an entire smuggling ring managed to flee right under their noses?


    Was she lying?


    But why?


    His grip tightened on his rifle as he studied her. "We will take you back to the base. You can give your statement there."


    Her body tensed ever so slightly.


    Just a fraction.


    A normal hostage would have been eager to escape this place, to get as far away from danger as possible.


    But she was calculating.


    She was waiting.


    He stood, offering her his hand. "Come on."


    She hesitated... another mistake. A real victim would have taken his hand immediately.


    But she did take it.


    And the moment she was on her feet, she stumbled forward, as if too weak to stand properly.


    His arms instinctively caught her, steadying her as she pressed lightly against his chest. "Sorry," she whispered.


    The word sent an unexpected jolt through him. There was something about her... something he couldn¡¯t quite place.


    "Captain," his teammate called. "The truck¡¯s ready. We need to move."


    He nodded, keeping his grip firm on the woman¡¯s arm as he led her toward the exit.


    but then-

 Chapter 219: The Woman who Fooled Him

    The sound of a sharp click made its way to Davian¡¯s ears and his instincts immediately screamed, alerting him.


    But before he could react, a smoke grenade exploded between him and the woman, filling the air with thick white fog.


    "Shit."


    He tightened his hold on her arm, but she was faster than he anticipated.


    A sharp movement, a twist of her wrist... and she was gone, leaving him stunned.


    He coughed against the smoke. His vision was blurred as he scanned the area, trying to look for her. His men were already moving, but she had disappeared into the haze like a ghost.


    "Find her!" he barked, his patience snapping. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But by the time the smoke cleared, she had vanished completely.


    - - -


    Later That Night ¨C Military Base


    Davian was sitting in the command center, staring at the surveillance footage from the mission. His fingers tapped against the desk as he rewound the clip over and over.


    That woman.


    He had been unable to stop thinking about her. The moment she had looked at him, there had been something in her eyes.


    Not fear.


    Not gratitude.


    Intelligence.


    She had played him.


    And he hated it.


    "Sir," one of his officers entered the office room. "Still no trace of the hostage. It¡¯s like she disappeared into thin air."


    Davian exhaled through his nose, rubbing his jaw.


    Of course she had.


    Because she had never been a hostage. At this point, he was sure of one thing - she was one of them.


    And she had fooled him.


    He should have been furious, and he was... to some point... as this was the first time in years when he had been played like this by someone.


    For the first time, he felt like he had met a tough opponent. A smirk slowly made its way to his lips.


    His mission might have ended, and he would be leaving the military in a few days. But he was determined to find her.


    * * *


    Three Months Later ¨C Parker Business Empire Building


    The sleek office of Parker Business Empire¡¯s CEO was filled with the soft hum of a city skyline at dusk.


    Floor-to-ceiling windows were framed with a breathtaking view of towering skyscrapers, but Davian barely spared it a glance. He leaned back in his leather chair, absently rolling a fountain pen between his fingers as he listened - halfheartedly - to his grandfather ranting on the other end of the call.


    "You are twenty-six, Davian! I was already married at your age!" Grandfather Parker¡¯s deep, authoritative voice carried a mixture of frustration and exasperation. "I built an empire with my wife by my side. And here you are, rejecting every single woman I introduce to you!"


    Davian sighed, rubbing his temple. He was only twenty-six, not thirty-six, but he dare not say it to the old man. "Grandfather, I just took over a multi-billion corporation. Maybe you let me handle that first before worrying about my nonexistent love life?"


    "Nonsense!" The old man huffed. "You need a strong partner, someone who will stand beside you and keep you grounded. I have been patient, but my patience is running out."


    Davian bit back a groan. Ever since he had taken over Parker Business Empire three months ago, Grandfather Parker had been relentless about getting him married.


    Every week, new profiles of handpicked ¡¯suitable¡¯ women were sent to his desk. Every other day, his secretary Rio had to cancel blind dates that he never agreed to in the first place.


    And yet, the old man refused to give up.


    "I have already selected three final candidates," Grandfather Parker continued. "You will pick one to meet, Davian. No more excuses. If you refuse this time, I swear on my late wife¡¯s name, I will leave the country and never return!"


    Davian stopped himself from rolling his eyes at the threat. "That¡¯s dramatic, even for you."


    "Do not test me, boy."


    And then... the line went dead.


    Davian exhaled sharply, tossing the pen onto his desk. It seemed like the old man was really at his limit this time.


    A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," he called, already knowing who it was.


    A second later, Rio stepped inside, holding a sleek black folder. "I assume your grandfather just called?"


    Davian shot him a flat look. "You assume correctly."


    Rio smirked as he placed the folder on the desk. "He sent over the final three candidates. Said if you don¡¯t pick one, he¡¯s booking a one-way ticket to Blue Islands."


    "Unbelievable," Davian muttered. He had refused so many women already - socialites, heiresses, successful entrepreneurs. But Grandfather Parker wasn¡¯t giving up.


    "Not interested," he said, pushing the folder away.


    Rio merely smiled knowingly. "You might want to look this time."


    Davian raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"


    "One of the candidates is your grandfather¡¯s absolute favorite. Apparently, she helped him win an argument against a bunch of high schoolers a while back. Since then, he¡¯s been obsessed with her, saying she¡¯s sharp-witted, intelligent, and the only one worthy of being a Parker."


    Davian scoffed. "That still doesn¡¯t make me interested."


    Rio smirked. "Maybe. But there¡¯s no loss in taking a look."


    Something in Rio¡¯s tone made Davian pause. With mild curiosity, he pulled the folder toward him and flipped it open.


    The moment his eyes landed on the first file, his entire body went still.


    Green eyes. Long auburn hair. And a striking yet unreadable expression.


    It was her.


    The woman from his last mission.


    The hostage who had fooled him. The one who vanished into the night, leaving him with more questions than answers.


    Her names was - Grace... Grace Blackwood.


    His pulse kicked up slightly as he stared at the photo. Unlike the last time he had seen her, she wasn¡¯t in torn clothing or bound in fake captivity. Here, she was poised, composed, dressed in a perfectly tailored blazer. She looked every bit like a high-society woman, someone who belonged in elegant galas and exclusive business circles.


    But he knew better.


    She was anything but ordinary.


    "Well," Rio mused, watching his reaction closely, "judging by that look on your face, I assume this one finally interests you?"


    Davian closed the folder with a slow smirk.


    "Call my grandfather," he said smoothly. "Tell him I have made my choice."


    Rio¡¯s eyes widened slightly. "You are actually agreeing to this?"


    Davian stood up, slipping his hands into his pockets as he glanced out the window. A familiar thrill coursed through him.


    She had escaped him once.


    But not this time.

 Chapter 220: Davian’s Proposal

    Back to the Silvercrest Hotel party night-


    The grand ballroom of the Silvercrest Hotel was alive with murmurs of high society. The wealthy and powerful moved in their circles, sipping expensive champagne, exchanging empty pleasantries, and sealing silent deals with nothing more than a handshake.


    Davian stood near the bar, watching.


    Her.


    Grace Blackwood.


    The woman who had played him seven months ago.


    His gaze trailed her movements as she weaved effortlessly through the crowd, her dark gown hugging her figure in an elegant yet sharp way - like a blade hidden beneath silk. Her eyes were unreadable, her expression poised and indifferent, as if nothing in this room could interest her.


    She had ignored him after that little conversation they just had.


    But Davian didn¡¯t mind at all. He just wanted to introduce himself to her before giving her the big surprise he had prepared for her. His lips curled slightly as his gaze followed her.


    Finally, as if sensing his gaze, she turned and their eyes locked.


    Her expression remained neutral, but something flickered in those emerald depths - a flash of suspicion. But unlike him, she didn¡¯t show amusement. Instead, she dismissed him entirely once again and turned away without a second glance.


    He watched, mildly impressed.


    She wasn¡¯t rattled, neither was she interested.


    And she left the party only fifteen minutes later.


    But that was fine.


    Because tomorrow, she wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore him.


    * * *


    Blackwood Empire Building


    The Chairman¡¯s office was a masterpiece of quiet power. It was minimalistic yet luxurious. The glass walls were overlooking the city skyline. The wooden shelves were lined with legal documents and books, and the sleek mahogany desk bore no clutter.


    Everything was pristine.


    Everything was controlled.


    Much like the woman sitting behind the desk.


    When Davian walked in, unannounced but expected, Grace didn¡¯t even look up from her documents. "Mr. Parker," she greeted smoothly in a voice that was devoid of warmth. "I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you so soon again. I assume you are here about last night¡¯s party?"


    He smirked, taking his time approaching her desk. "Not quite."


    At that, she finally glanced up. "Then?"


    He slid a crisp white envelope across her desk while settling down on the chair opposite hers. "A proposal."


    Grace¡¯s fingers tapped against the desk, while her gaze flickered to the envelope before returning to him. "A business proposal?"


    "A marriage proposal."


    The office room instantly turned silent.


    But then - Grace laughed. It was a soft, amused sound, but it was anything but warm. "You are joking."


    He leaned forward slightly, placing both hands on her desk. "I don¡¯t joke about things I want."


    Her emerald eyes gleamed. "And you want to marry me? How romantic."


    "Think of it as a mutually beneficial arrangement," he said smoothly. "It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know what will happen if Blackwoods and Parkers will come together. I¡¯m sure you will be able to enjoy countless benefits from this, and I will finally get my grandfather off my back."


    She tilted her head. "So that¡¯s what this is about? Your grandfather¡¯s obsession with your marriage? You really must be desperate."


    Davian smirked. "Not desperate. Practical."


    Her amusement faded. She pushed the envelope back toward him and stated in an emotionless tone. "Not interested." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His smirk didn¡¯t falter. "I figured you would say that."


    Grace¡¯s expression sharpened. "And yet, here you are."


    "Because I have leverage."


    At that, she stilled.


    Davian pulled out a sleek black folder, identical to the one his grandfather had sent him weeks ago. Only this one contained something far more dangerous.


    He placed it between them on the table and flipped it open. Sitting inside were photographs, documents... evidence of her illegal dealings.


    Weapon shipments. Financial records that tied the Blackwood Empire to certain underground networks. A collection of carefully gathered proof.


    It might not be all, but enough to destroy the crystal clear Blackwood name.


    Enough to make her listen.


    "You have been very careful," Davian admitted, his voice light, conversational. "I have to admit, you were too good at keeping this dark side of yours hidden. It took me a lot... almost everything I could do... to find these. But since even the most powerful can make mistakes, I happen to be very good at finding them."


    Grace leaned back in her chair, keeping her expression unreadable despite the seriousness of the matter. "And what do you plan to do with this?"


    He closed the folder, tapping it once. "Nothing."


    She arched a brow, clearly lost at where he was going with this. But his next statement made his intentions pretty clear.


    "Only if you agree to the marriage."


    The silence that followed was almost suffocating. Seconds turned into minutes, and the two just sat there staring at each other.


    Then, slowly, Grace smiled. It was a sharp, deadly one.


    "You realize I can kill you faster than you can blink," she murmured.


    But Davian didn¡¯t flinch.


    "You can try," he countered. "But the question is... can you afford to make that mistake?"


    A dangerous glint flashed in her eyes.


    Their gazes were locked and the air between them crackled with something - tension, challenge, intrigue.


    Neither of them spoke, nor moved... until, Grace finally stood up.


    Leaning forward over the desk, she placed a single manicured finger against the folder and slid it back toward him.


    "I don¡¯t like being threatened," she said softly.


    "It¡¯s not a threat," he murmured back, his eyes darkening slightly. "It¡¯s a negotiation."


    Their faces were inches apart now, close enough that he could see the faintest trace of amusement in her gaze.


    For a moment, neither of them breathed.


    Then she exhaled, stepping back. "I¡¯ll think about it."


    Davian straightened. "Good."


    And just like that, he turned to leave. But just as he reached the door, her voice stopped him.


    "Tell me, Mr. Parker."


    He paused and glanced back at her.


    "Why are you really doing this?"


    The smirk immediately returned to his lips, and with his gaze fixed on hers, he answered. "Because you owe me."


    And then he was gone, leaving Grace alone in her office, staring after him with unreadable eyes.

 Chapter 221: The Decision She Didn’t Want to Make

    The silence of her office stretched long after Davian left, yet Grace¡¯s mind was anything but quiet.


    She stood by the floor-to-ceiling window and stared out at the city skyline. Her fingers were curled into fists at her sides. The idea of being manipulated, forced into anything, made her blood boil.


    Her first instinct was to eliminate the problem - killing Davian King Parker.


    It was logical. Clean. A bullet between his eyes, a car accident, poison in his drink - she had countless ways to make him disappear. And yet, as she entertained the thought, her sharp mind dissected the reality of it.


    Davian wasn¡¯t just any businessman.


    He was the most powerful businessman on the continent who controlled a vast empire of wealth and influence. Taking him down wouldn¡¯t be simple. On top of that, he was an ex-military man. A man who had spent years leading high-risk missions, surviving dangerous situations, and outmaneuvering threats much deadlier than her.


    Even if she managed to kill him, there would be consequences. His death would bring unwanted attention. The Parker family had too many connections. If something happened to him, people would start digging, and she couldn¡¯t afford that level of scrutiny.


    No. Killing him was not an option.


    Which left her with only one choice.


    She had to agree to his proposal.


    But on her terms.


    * * *


    Davian wasn¡¯t surprised when he received the call from Grace two days later.


    "Let¡¯s meet. We need to finalize the details."


    She chose a neutral location. It was a high-end private club where they could talk without prying eyes.


    When he arrived, she was already waiting for him in a secluded lounge, dressed in an elegant black dress and her eyes unreadable.


    Davian took the seat across from her while a slow smirk tugged at his lips. "So, you have come to your senses?"


    Grace exhaled sharply. "I have come to negotiate."


    He leaned back and amusement flickered in his eyes. "I¡¯m listening."


    She placed a sleek black folder on the table, mirroring the way he had done in her office days ago. "Here are my conditions."


    He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."


    "One," she began in an even voice, "our marriage will stay a secret. You can announce that you are getting married, but my identity will remain undisclosed."


    "Reason?"


    She tilted her head. "Do I need one?"


    He smirked. "Fair enough. Continue."


    "Two," she continued, "I will accompany you in public when required, but we will not live together. We will continue with our separate lives."


    Davian hummed. "I assume that means I won¡¯t be getting a ¡¯loving wife¡¯ experience?"


    Her expression didn¡¯t change. "Not even in your dreams, Young Master Parker."


    He chuckled, almost enjoying how much she despised him.


    "And three," she finished, "the marriage lasts for one year. Once the contract is over, we divorce. No strings attached. And you will hand over every single piece of evidence you have against me."


    Davian studied her for a moment. She was smart... calculative. She was ensuring she had a way out before even stepping in.


    Finally, he nodded. "Agreed."


    Grace¡¯s gaze sharpened. "You will hand over the evidence after the year ends?"


    "I give you my word," he confirmed. "One year, and you walk away clean."


    She didn¡¯t trust him. That much was obvious. But he had backed her into a corner, and they both knew it. She reached into the folder and pulled out the legal documents. "Sign it."


    Davian picked up the pen, his eyes locking onto hers as he smoothly signed his name. Then, without breaking eye contact, he slid the papers back to her.


    "You don¡¯t want to check the papers? What if I have added something you won¡¯t like?" She asked, keeping her expression neutral.


    He smirked again, his confidence not faltering even for a mere second. "You won¡¯t dare."


    She hated it. She hated him.


    "Looks like we are getting married, Mrs. Parker."


    Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Don¡¯t push your luck." But she knew it was too late to back down.


    The process was simple, efficient. Within hours, their marriage was legally registered.


    No lavish wedding, no rings, no romance. Just signatures on paper, binding them in a contract neither wanted... at least, not her.


    And yet, despite the cold legality of it all, something in Davian felt strangely amused by the situation. The Grace Blackwood was now his wife.


    She looked stunning even as she glared at him, her entire demeanor screaming that she hated every second of this.


    He leaned down slightly, whispering, "Smile, sweetheart. We are officially husband and wife now."


    She gave him a sickly sweet smile before stepping on his foot... hard.


    Davian barely held back a laugh as he realized just how much fun he was going to have.


    - - -


    The next day, Grace found herself in the Parker estate, standing beside Davian as he introduced her to Grandfather Parker.


    She had prepared herself for a traditional, old-fashioned man, but the elder Parker was sharp. His eyes, despite his age, were full of wisdom and intelligence.


    She almost didn¡¯t recognize him until he started recounting their first meeting and how he had been wanting to make her his granddaughter-in-law ever since then.


    If she knew back then that helping an elderly while crossing the road would turn out like this, she would have minded her own business and let those teenagers bully him.


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    "Grandfather," Davian said smoothly, "this is my wife, Grace."


    The old man¡¯s eyes gleamed with delight as he spoke, "So, you finally listened to me."


    Grace offered a polite smile, playing the role she needed to. "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Chairman Parker."


    "What Chairman? Call me Grandfather." The old man reprimanded her sweetly, making her nod her head in understanding before she softly murmured - "Grandfather..."


    The old man beamed and gestured for them to sit. "Come, come! Let¡¯s have tea! I want to know everything about my granddaughter-in-law."


    Davian smirked at her as if to say, Time to play nice.

 Chapter 222: Play of Deception

    Grace barely resisted the urge to stab Davian with a fork.


    For the past hour, he had been testing her patience with his absurd displays of affection. Worst of all, she had no other choice but to play along with.


    Every time Grandfather Parker glanced their way, he would take the play up a notch. A hand over hers, a gentle brush of his fingers against her cheek, a whispered word meant to fluster her - he appeared to have done a thorough study on this.


    And to make the situation worse - the old man was watching them closely. He was practically glowing with satisfaction.


    "You two look so in love," Grandfather Parker said, beaming as he took a sip of his tea.


    On the other hand, Grace barely stopped herself from choking on hers. She couldn¡¯t help but question the old man¡¯s common sense.


    It¡¯s one thing that the two of them were putting on an act, but the fact that the old man really believed that they fell in love right after meeting - was an entirely different story.


    She forced a smile while setting her cup down with deliberate care. "Well, Grandfather Parker, Davian is very charming," she said smoothly and reached over to rest her hand on top of Davian¡¯s.


    His deep green eyes flickered with amusement as he immediately turned the tables on her by lacing their fingers together. He then even went as far as squeezing her hand in a mock display of affection.


    "And Grace is the best thing that¡¯s ever happened to me," he used a voice that was dripping with sincerity.


    It was all an act.


    And a convincing one at that.


    If she hadn¡¯t known any better, she would have almost believed him.


    Almost.


    But Grandfather Parker was believing every second of it. He grinned, delighted. "I knew you two were a perfect match.


    Davian nodded his head. "I never expected you to be this good in your judgment about someone."


    The old man ignored him, and turned his full attention to Grace. "You know, my dear, the first time I met you, I thought to myself, ¡¯This girl has spirit!¡¯ Even I was left speechless in front of those kids. But you? You had those high school boys stumbling over their words within minutes!"


    Grace allowed a small, polite smile. "They were being so rude to you. Someone had to educate them."


    Grandfather Parker laughed heartily. "And you did so brilliantly! That¡¯s when I knew - I had to make you my granddaughter-in-law."


    Grace felt Davian¡¯s grip on her hand tighten slightly, as if suppressing his own frustration.


    She tilted her head at him, giving him a saccharine smile. "So, Davian, was this your plan all along? To steal Grandfather¡¯s favorite person away for yourself?"


    He smirked. "What can I say? I always go for the best."


    His thumb brushed lazily over the back of her hand, sending a slow, deliberate warmth up her arm. One that she didn¡¯t like at all.


    She yanked her hand away under the pretense of reaching for a napkin.


    If Grandfather noticed, he didn¡¯t comment. Instead, he leaned forward with his eyes twinkling. "Tell me, Grace, how did my grandson finally win you over?"


    Grace barely stopped herself from choking on thin air. Win her over? What a joke.


    But she had to play her role.


    "Well," she started, shooting Davian a sidelong glance, "he was... persistent."


    This earned her a raised eyebrow from her husband. "Persistent? That¡¯s all I get?"


    She smiled at him, but there was no humor in her eyes as she responded. "Should I say annoying instead?"


    Before Davian could have said anything, Grandfather Parker chuckled. "Ah, persistence! That¡¯s a Parker trait. We always get what we want."


    Grace resisted the urge to retort.


    The old man clapped his hands together, eyes shining with excitement. "Well, now that you are married, when should we start planning the real wedding?"


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    She instantly stiffened.


    Davian, to his credit, didn¡¯t miss a beat. He chuckled while reaching out to place an arm around her shoulders. "Grandfather, you know how busy we both are. A wedding will take time."


    "Rubbish!" Grandfather waved him off. "You can¡¯t expect to keep my granddaughter-in-law hidden from society forever. We must have a proper ceremony!"


    Davian¡¯s fingers squeezed her shoulder lightly in a silent warning when he noticed her clenching her jaw.


    He turned back to the old man. "Grandfather, we will consider it. For now, we just want to enjoy being newlyweds."


    Grandfather Parker huffed but relented. "Fine, fine. But don¡¯t take too long. And, Grace, my dear, when you do decide, just tell me. I¡¯ll handle everything." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace forced another smile. "I¡¯ll keep that in mind."


    With that, she pulled away from Davian just in time to see Grandfather Parker watching them with something close to adoration.


    "You two remind me so much of myself and my late wife," he sighed wistfully. "I knew this was meant to be!"


    Grace felt an unfamiliar pang in her chest.


    He truly believed in this marriage. And somehow, that was more frustrating than Davian¡¯s games.


    The conversation continued, filled with more fake smiles, perfectly crafted words, and Davian¡¯s infuriating hand resting on hers like they were the happiest couple in the world.


    By the time they finally left the Parker estate, Grace was seething.


    The moment they were in the car, she turned to him. "If you ever touch me like that again-"


    Davian stretched lazily, looking unbothered. "You¡¯ll what? Kill me in my sleep?"


    She narrowed her eyes. "Don¡¯t tempt me."


    He grinned, clearly enjoying her misery. "You are an excellent actress, Grace. I almost believed you were falling for me."


    She scoffed. "Keep dreaming."


    His gaze darkened slightly, amusement laced with something else. "Oh, I will."


    The car ride was silent after that, but the tension between them was thick and undeniable.


    And this was only the beginning. For the next year, she would have to endure his presence, his touch, his words.


    End of Flashback!

 Chapter 223: Merging Groups

    Back to present timeline -


    Grace studied Davian¡¯s face closely, her mind busy recalling the bittersweet memories that followed their first meeting and the fake marriage after that.


    Back then, she wouldn¡¯t have expected to actually end up falling in love with this man. Not like he wasn¡¯t tempting enough back then, it¡¯s just they both were too proud to accept that they had any sort of feelings for one another... obviously hatred wasn¡¯t counted.


    "You are looking lost again." Davian pointed out when he noticed how silent she had gone once again.


    Grace inhaled deeply and looked up at him with a bright smile. Then, she surpised him by inching closer and placing a kiss against his jaw before pulling back.


    "What was that for?" He asked, giving her a suspicious look that made her chuckle softly.


    "Good night... my ex-husband." She whispered before turning to leave, but he was quick to grab her arm and pull her back to him.


    His gaze turned darker after hearing her suddenly address him in a way she hadn¡¯t in years. That title - ex-husband - brought a flood of memories that he cherished and regretted a lot at the same time.


    "You don¡¯t say things like that and expect me to let you walk away from me." His voice sounded deeper than usual, and when combined with his intense gaze - it sent a shiver running down Grace¡¯s spine.


    The two of them stood there staring at each other, the air thick with tension between them. All that was needed for one of them to close the gap between them and initiate a kiss... and they would have spent a passionate night in each other¡¯s arms.


    But nothing of that sort happened.


    Eventually, after what felt like forever but were just a couple of minutes, Davian finally stepped away from her. "It¡¯s getting late. You should go and get some sleep. Good night, Mrs. Parker."


    While she used to call him ¡¯ex-husband¡¯ to remind him that they were no longer married, he never stopped calling her Mrs. Parker, it was almost as if he never accepted their divorce in the first place.


    Now, looking at him, she felt that he was going on walk away just like that, but then he surpised her by stepping closer and pressing a kiss against her forehead.


    And then, he was finally walking away from her. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The smile returned to her lips as she stared after him for a minute or two before finally heading toward her bedroom to get some sleep.


    * * *


    The morning just arrived when Grace stepped out of her bedroom. She was fully dressed to start the day which was about to mark the beginning of the next phase of her plan - the expansion of Greenstone.


    As she stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass window of the living room, her emerald eyes swept across the vast, walled-off territory she had worked so hard to build and protect.


    Greenstone now had food, water, shelter, security - everything that struggling survivors lacked. So, to keep it standing against any sort of threat, she needed to increase its strength.


    But first, she had to convince the residents.


    After breakfast, she headed to the community hall with Davian, Rune, Kevin, Aleena, and Rio. Discover hidden content at NovelFire.C?m


    Inside the main hall, a group of key members of the residential area had gathered for the meeting she had called. Captain Harlow and some of his soldiers were also present there.


    She settled down at the head seat of the table before beginning with the topic of discussion after a simple pleasantry. "Greenstone has lasted this long because we have been smart, careful, and selective with who we let in. But the world outside isn¡¯t getting any easier. We need more hands, more fighters, more people who can contribute to making this place even stronger."


    Captain Harlow leaned forward. "Are you talking about merging other survivor groups in the city into Greenstone?"


    She nodded. "Yes. The ones we have scouted. Small groups, those who are barely surviving. But with the right resources and training, they could become assets."


    One of the soldiers decided to put forward his thoughts. "That sounds like a big risk, Boss. More people mean more mouths to feed, more potential threats. Are you really sure about this?"


    Grace exhaled. "I know the risks. But I also know what it¡¯s like out there. Some of these people are barely holding on. If we don¡¯t help them now, they won¡¯t last much longer. And in return, Greenstone gains more capable survivors willing to fight for their own survival."


    One of the community member, a woman in her late thirties, asked this time. "And if they try anything funny?"


    Grace¡¯s lips curled into a knowing smile. "Then they¡¯ll learn very quickly that I¡¯m not someone they want to cross."


    Captain Harlow chuckled. "That¡¯s what I like to hear." He nodded, his sharp gaze meeting hers. "Alright. We can start small. Bring in one group first and see how it goes."


    Grace smiled. "I already have one in mind."


    - - -


    By midday, Grace and her team, some of the soldiers, and a few trained Greenstone members were standing a block away from the seven-story residential building where the first group of survivors had made their sanctuary.


    While Captain Harlow and others needed binoculars to assess the situation, her enhanced eyesight allowed her to easily see the barricaded top two floors of the building.


    But surrounding the building was the real problem - a massive horde of infected. They were drawn to the structure like moths to a flame.


    "This is worse than I expected," Kevin muttered.


    Seth exhaled sharply. "How the hell have they survived this long?"


    "Doesn¡¯t matter," Grace said. "We get them out. Fast and clean."


    The plan was simple - set a diversion to lure the infected away. Secure the building¡¯s lower floors to prevent an ambush. Escort the survivors out safely. The last one was the easiest because all it needed was for Davian to open a portal back to Greenstone.

 Chapter 224: Long-term Project

    Kevin and a couple of snipers positioned themselves on rooftops nearby, setting off controlled explosive charges to draw the infected away from the building. As expected, the creatures snarled and turned toward the sound, their slow, mindless movements shifting their focus.


    With their path temporarily cleared, Grace led the charge into the building. The lower floors were mostly abandoned - rotting furniture, broken windows, and dried bloodstains marking past struggles.


    Reaching the top floors, she knocked on the barricaded door. "We are here to get you out."


    For a moment, there was nothing but silence. But then came hesitant shuffling before a man¡¯s wary voice called back. "How do we know this isn¡¯t a trick?"


    "If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn¡¯t have wasted time knocking," Grace replied bluntly.


    The barricade slowly shifted and the door was finally creaked open, enough for the people inside to take a look out.


    Grace didn¡¯t rush and just waited for the group of survivors to take their time to study the situation. She even had Captain Harlow and his shoulders standing behind her as the military¡¯s presence was seen as a welcoming sight by these struggling survivors.


    Her plan worked because the door was finally pulled further open to reveal a group of seven people. They all were worn otm malnourished, but... alive. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The leader, a man in his mid-forties who introduced himself as Raul, studied her carefully. "Who are you?" He might have guessed that despite the soldiers¡¯ presence in her team, she wasn¡¯t from military.


    "I¡¯m Grace... from Greenstone. I¡¯m here to offer you place in our sanctuary." She went straight to the point without beating around the bush. There was no time to waste.


    Her words were met with surpised gasps from the survivors¡¯ group. They seemed to have recognized the name ¡¯Greenstone¡¯.


    "You... are really offering us a place in Greenstone?" Raul asked.


    Grace nodded. "Food, shelter, security - your group will receive all these. In return, you all will need work just like the rest of the residents of Greenstone. You contribute, you survive. That¡¯s the deal."


    Raul turned his attention to the survivors of his group, only to see all of them nodding their heads urgently. They all knew that Grace¡¯s offer was their only chance at survival.


    They had over thirty people in their group at beginning, but now only seven were left. It was just a matter of time before these seven would have ended up losing their lives as well. Hence, they were ready to grasp any chance at survival they would have gotten, let alone one as good as the one Grace just made.


    Turning his attention back to her, Raul confirmed what Grace had already guessed. "Alright, we are in."


    * * *


    One month later ~


    Grace was standing on the watchtower of Greenstone, surveying the growing settlement below.


    What had once been a small sanctuary for a few hundred people had now become a structured, self-sustaining fortress. With each new survivor group integrated into Greenstone, the settlement was growing stronger day-by-day.


    But expansion wasn¡¯t just about increasing numbers. It was also about ensuring stability.


    More people meant more mouths to feed, more shelters to build, and more resources to secure. She knew that she couldn¡¯t simply keep adding people without making full preparations.


    And as this realization settled in, the expansion became a long-term project.


    For the next few weeks, her team, soldiers, and the residents, focused on renovating the housing units, and setting up new greenhouses. The vegetable gardens were extended, and efforts were made to breed livestock within controlled environments.


    For livestock, Grace took out pairs of hens, roosters, goats, and cows from the farmhouse inside her space. She did pretend to find them during her mission of infected-killing one particular afternoon.


    And at this point, the soldiers and residents of Greenstone had stopped asking her nay sort of questions about the supplies she kept finding during her missions and distributing among them.


    Either they believed her completely, or they just didn¡¯t care as long as they were enjoying the benefits. In short, Grace no longer needed to create a full-planned story about the supplies she was sharing with Greenstone.


    She worked with the residents and soldiers to set up a good shelter for these livestock. While meat was no longer something they could enjoy because of the little livestock they had in possession, they were still able to enjoy eggs and milk which was already a luxury.


    It was during this time that the soldiers discovered an underground water system set up in one of the farthest buildings of the residential area. The system was set up during the construction period of Greenstone and hadn¡¯t been used ever since.


    Upon giving it a try, they succeeded in bringing the system back to life, but the water they got was heavily contaminated with virus. Fortunately, Grace came to their rescue.


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    She set up a big water filter machine and added the mutated plant¡¯s harvest that was able to further clean the water of any sort of remaining toxins.


    But all these developments were requiring a lot of time and effort. Since they were creating a fortress of survival, they needed to plan everything accordingly.


    Another month went by quickly as the expansion work continued, and then another even before anyone realized it.


    Every now and then, snowstorms kept returning - covering the landscapes with a heavy layer of snow and forcing them to stop the works for a day or two, but there was no other danger for the time-being.


    As Greenstone continued its slow but steady expansion, Grace also continued with her task of securing as many Spirit Stones as she possibly could with her body schedule.


    She ventured further into dangerous zones to track and kill mutated Beasts. But none of these hunts were easy as she always had to spend hours battling the infected.


    It was only at this point she was realizing just how high the country¡¯s population was. No matter how many infected she kept killing, it was barely making any difference in their never-ending numbers.


    If she cleared one city today, the same place would be flooding with infected tomorrow or the day after. But this didn¡¯t stop her from killing them.


    With her team by her side, she took down one infected after another, one Beast after another and extracting as many Spirit Stones as she found.


    It wasn¡¯t until the month was almost at its end, did she finally found a Level Six green Spirit Stone.

 Chapter 225: Elemental Power

    Inside the Infinite Realm, Grace sat in the living room of the Villa while she watched 2025 scanned the newly acquired Spirit Stone.


    The bright green gem was pulsing brightly under the system¡¯s advanced scanning device. Its color was richer and more vibrant than any Spirit Stone she had encountered before.


    This was the highest-level Spirit Stone she had ever collected - a Level Six Green Spirit Stone. She extracted it from an Infected lion beast she stained earlier in the day after an exhausting battle.


    This Infected beast displayed an unnatural level of intelligence and strength. Unlike the others she had encountered before, the lion beast was able to manipulate the ground beneath it, using spikes of hardened earth as both shields and weapons.


    It wasn¡¯t until after she had slain it and found the Spirit Stone, did she started wandering if the beast¡¯s strength and power came from the stone.


    "Initiating scan," the mechanical voice of the system chimed. "Analyzing energy composition... assessing elemental properties..."


    The digital display flickered to life, streaming intricate data patterns as the system processed the stone¡¯s unique structure.


    Grace¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as her attention returned to the Spirit Stone. Maybe it was the high level which made the difference, but she was able to tell that this one was nothing like those she found before.


    This one... almost felt alive.


    The stone vibrated slightly, as if reacting to the scan. Faint traces of greenish energy flickered around it, like tendrils of unseen power waiting to be unleashed.


    This made her wonder about those Stones that were around level nine or ten. Just how much powerful they would be?


    A sharp ping echoed through the room as the scan completed.


    "Analysis complete," 2025 announced. "This Spirit Stone possesses an Earth-elemental affinity, exhibiting properties related to terrain manipulation, defensive reinforcement, and potential elemental attacks."


    Grace¡¯s brow furrowed. "Define ¡¯terrain manipulation.¡¯" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The digital screen shifted before displaying a simulation. As new data appeared on the screen, 2025 launched into an in-depth explanation.


    "When activated, the stone¡¯s energy allows control over soil, stone, and plant life within a limited range. Applications include defensive barriers, offensive strikes through hardened earth formations, and potential reinforcement of body structure."


    That explained the lion beast¡¯s hardened body and its ability to summon stone pillars during their fight.


    But what caught her attention wasn¡¯t just the beast¡¯s abilities - but a question that suddenly appeared in her mind.


    She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she was seeing too much into the situation. But then, she decided to just ask it as there was no loss in it.


    "Would I be able to use these powers if I absorbed the Spirit Stone?" Her voice was steady despite the turmoil she felt inside while voicing the question out loud.


    She wasn¡¯t sure exactly what she was expecting in response from 2025 - mockery, a quick denial, or harsh judgment, but the silence that followed was definitely not on her lost,


    She waited and watched as the data on the screen shifted again.


    After what felt like very long two minutes, 2025 finally spoke. "Consumption of Spirit Stones has not been previously tested. However, theoretical analysis suggests that direct absorption of high-level elemental Spirit Stones may grant the user abilities tied to the stone¡¯s core properties."


    Grace inhaled sharply.


    This was new.


    Up until now, they had been only focusing on how these Spirit Stones could be used as external enhancers - like being embedded into weapons, armor, or relics to boost their power.


    But consuming them? No one came close to even think about it... until now,


    Her fingers traced the smooth surface of the stone, feeling the raw energy pulsing beneath. If the infected Beasts could integrate these stones into their bodies and manifest elemental abilities, why couldn¡¯t she?


    "What¡¯s the risk?" she asked.


    "Uncertain," 2025 responded. "Potential dangers include energy rejection, system overload, or unpredictable mutations. However, if successful, absorption could lead to direct control over Earth-elemental abilities,"


    Grace exhaled slowly. This changed everything.


    A new path had just opened before her.


    For months, she had been gathering Spirit Stones without fully understanding their potential. If they could be absorbed¡­ if she could gain elemental abilities beyond just enhanced strength¡­


    Then the limits of human evolution in this post-apocalyptic world could shift to an entirely different path.


    Taking in a deep breath, she calmed herself down. While the idea sounded so good at the first glance, she knew that she couldn¡¯t be hasty about this.


    "I¡¯m not taking any chances with a Level Six stone," she decided. "Not yet. I need more data. Maybe we can use lower-tier stones to experiment with before I risk it myself."


    "Sometimes, you do talk like a master." 2025 tried to compliment in its strange way that always made it seem like the creature was actually mocking her.


    After listening to these compliments for so long, Grace had become used to them. Hence, she didn¡¯t try to waste her time in showing 2025 just how unimpressed she was with that futile attempt.


    Instead, she issued a new command.


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    "Start analyzing every Spirit Stone I have collected so far. If there¡¯s a way to harness their elemental abilities directly, I want to know everything."


    The little creature¡¯s core pulsed in acknowledgment. "Understood. Compiling data now."


    As the system processed, Grace stared at the digital screen while her mind raced.


    The apocalypse had changed the world. But if she played her cards right¡­ she would be able to change it even further.


    There was no denying that if she could think of these possibilities, then others could too. Hence, the only thing in her favor was the time. She hoped that she was the first one to come to this great realization.


    Even a slight head-start was more than enough to help her achieve the ultimate goal she had in mind. She needed to fulfill the promise she made with herself when she died in the previous timeline.


    To rebuild the strongest Empire possible in the name of Rosewoods!

 Chapter 226: Tremors Returned

    "Congratulations on successfully establishing the very first alliance of Greenstone." Kevin said as he approached Grace who was standing all alone in one of the corners of the room. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite the achievement, she was carrying an unreadable and serious expression on her face. While the others weren¡¯t aware of what was going on inside her head, three particular men in the room could tell that she was thinking about something.


    "Thank you, Kevin. You played a great role in this one. Good job." She made sure to praise him since he was the one who put in the most efforts in successfully sealing the first ever alliance of Greenstone.


    Earlier that morning, they finalized their alliance with Blood Vultures. It was an alliance made on equal benefits on both sides - Greenstone would provide them assistance with supplies every once in four months, and they would provide Greenstone with help whenever required or called upon.


    The good thing about this alliance being made with Blood Vultures was that this survival group was located the closest to Greenstone. Being located in the high-end area, Greenstone was far away from the main city area of Sunspire. Hence, most of the crowd was far away from this residential area.


    In this case, an alliance with any other group wouldn¡¯t be able to help them as much as one with Blood Vultures. This particular group needed about ten minutes to reach Greenstone if done by vehicles.


    In this way, Greenstone could count on this alliance in times of need.


    Of course, there were some who worried about the possibility of Blood Vultures abandoning them in the time of need. But Grace assured them that if something like that indeed happened, she would make sure that the betrayers would pay heavily.


    Besides, having an alliance was only a backup plan incase Grace and her team would fail to arrive on time to help Greenstone in future. In such cases, the alliance group¡¯s support would be able to earn them some time.


    Overall, this alliance was a good step in the long journey of making Greenstone one of the most powerful survival fraction in the upcoming years of the post-apocalyptic world.


    "What are you thinking about?" Dr. Kian¡¯s familiar voice pulled Grace out of the depths of her thoughts. Only then did she realize that Kevin had already left to join Aleena and others.


    She turned to face her boyfriend and slolwy shook her head with a smile already spreading across her lips at his presence.


    "Nothing much. Just about the alliance." She wasn¡¯t really lying as she did thought about the newly established alliance when she praised Kevin.


    But as she watched Dr. Kian arching his eyebrows high in question at her lie, a sigh escaped her lips. It was becoming almost impossible for her to lie to these men.


    "I was thinking about Spirit Stones." Her voice was merely above a whisper as she confessed.


    They were into a year and half into apocalypse, and it had been nearly five months since she started looking for Spirit Stones. But even after all this time, she had been able to secure only ten such stones, and except for the green one at level six, all the others had been red or yellow at levels lower than five.


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    "Instead of looking at this in a negative way, you can think of the positive side. Since even you are having such a hard time in finding these stones, the other might be struggling too if they had already come across it."


    She chuckled after hearing his words. He had a unique way of making her feel comfortable about the worst of situations.


    Nodding her head in agreement, she replied, "You are right. I should be looking at the bright side."


    The more time was passing, the less news they were being able to hear from the government.


    At this point, there was barely any new information except for the repeats of the fake promises the government kept making to fool the general public.


    And even with their secret sources within the government, they had heard nothing about them finding the existence of the Spirit Stones.


    "Here. Enjoy some good wine and relax." Dr. Kian offered her a glass of red wine.


    Grace accepted it, joining the team along with Dr. Kian. While they all enjoyed the wine and the delicious meal, they also discussed the list of works for upcoming days.


    * * *


    With so many months gone since Grace first started expanding Greenstone, the results were now undeniable.


    The once small settlement had grown into a fortified stronghold, housing over 400 survivors. Every individual had been trained to contribute in some way - whether in defense, agriculture, construction, research, or any other ways.


    The security teams had doubled, food supplies had increased, and Greenstone¡¯s influence had spread beyond just being a safe zone. Other survivor groups now respected them, while some were even seeking to ally with them.


    But Grace knew one undeniable truth.


    Peace never lasts.


    It started subtly - small tremors beneath the ground, barely noticeable at first.


    Then, one night, the real warning came. The ground began shaking.


    It wasn¡¯t a simple vibration. It was a deep, rumbling force that sent shudders through several cities across Starship Country. Buildings rattled, trees swayed, and for a few terrifying seconds, it felt as if the earth itself was about to split apart.


    Then, just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.


    People looked around in fear, some whispering amongst themselves, others frozen in place, waiting to see if another tremor would follow.


    But as night turned to morning and then mid-day, nothing happened. The tremors didn¡¯t return, letting people calm down and continue with their lived.


    While earthquakes weren¡¯t unheard of, Grace couldn¡¯t help but feel that something about this one seemed different. It could be the timing, or something else, but she had a feeling that it was just the beginning of something far worse.


    And if things indeed started turning for worse all over again, not only would it hinder Greenstone¡¯s progress, but it might also cause damage to the Veil.

 Chapter 227: The Hunt Begins

    A sharp crack tore through the silent streets as space twisted violently, distorting the air above the ruined cityscape.


    Dark energy rippled through it before swirling into a vortex of shadow and violet light. The barrier between realms weakened just enough for seven figures to step through before the portal snapped shut behind them, leaving behind only the faintest trace of lingering magic.


    The moment their boots touched the snow covered ground, an overwhelming stench assaulted their senses - it was of decay, rot, and death.


    The streets were littered with the corpses of the infected. Some were motionless, while others were twitching as they crawled mindlessly through the ruins.


    Dilapidated buildings were looming all around them, with their glass windows shattered and their structures barely standing. Vehicles, rusted and abandoned, were scattered along the roads, some overturned while others covered in dried blood and snow.


    A certain man from the group, a tall man with silver streaks running through his dark hair, inhaled deeply. His sharp gray eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene. "So, this is what became of Earth."


    The woman beside him, wrapped in flowing red robes, curled her lips in disgust. "Humans are truly pathetic. They let their own world crumble to this."


    At that very moment, a sharp growl echoed through the air, followed by the eerie chorus of snarls and shuffling feet.


    It seemed like the city still had infected lurking around, and they had noticed them.


    A horde of undead emerged from the shadows, drawn to the fresh presence of something alive. Their lifeless, clouded eyes were gleaming, and their bodies were twitching unnaturally as they staggered toward the group.


    Some were dragging their broken limbs slong, while others were moving disturbingly fast, their decayed muscles were still functional enough to propel them forward.


    The youngest of the seven, a broad-shouldered man with dark markings trailing down his arms, rolled his neck, unimpressed. "Hmph. Pathetic." His hand twitched, and tendrils of dark energy crackled at his fingertips. "Shall we?"


    Without waiting for a response, he lifted his hand.


    The first wave of infected barely had time to take another step before they were incinerated.


    A pulse of shadow erupted from the man¡¯s palm, spiraling outward in jagged arcs. Every undead caught in its path shrieked in agony as their bodies twisted violently, turning to ash before they even hit the ground. Stay updated through NovelFire.C?m


    Another man raised his hand and summoned a web of electric energy. Blue lightning crackled to life, spearing through the remaining creatures, leaving behind only the faint scent of burning flesh.


    The woman in red sighed as she adjusted the cuff of her sleeve. "Hardly a challenge."


    With a flick of her wrist, the air shimmered and dozens of invisible blades sliced through the remaining infected, making their heads roll across the pavement as their bodies collapsed in heaps of decayed flesh. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The battle - if it could even be called that - was over in mere seconds.


    The leader of the group, the man with gray eyes, watched dispassionately as the last of the creatures crumbled into dust. "A waste of time," he muttered. Then, turning to the woman in red, he commanded, "Nerissa, find them."


    She nodded and reached into her robes to pull out a dark crystal orb. As she cradled it in her palms, the orb pulsed with an eerie glow, the swirling darkness within shifting and twisting as if alive. Murmuring an incantation under her breath, her eyes briefly flashed red as she connected her consciousness to the artifact.


    The rest of the group remained silent and watched as she worked.


    A moment passed.


    Then another.


    The orb flickered as the energy inside it trembled violently.


    But then... nothing.


    The swirling darkness settled, leaving behind an empty void.


    Nerissa¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. "Damn it."


    The man with the scarred face stepped forward, frowning. "What happened?"


    "Their signatures..." Nerissa exhaled sharply and her hold on the orb tightened. "... they are gone."


    The younger man furrowed his brows. "Gone? What do you mean gone? That¡¯s impossible."


    Nerissa¡¯s hands curled into fists. "There should at least be traces of them. Even if they were killed, their energy should linger. But there¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s like they vanished completely."


    Silence fell over the group.


    The leader¡¯s gaze darkened. "Try again," he ordered.


    This time, the man in the high-collared coat pulled out his own enchanted relic - a golden disc engraved with ancient runes. He ran his fingers over its surface, whispering a string of incantations. The runes pulsed faintly before releasing a thin, golden thread of energy into the air, stretching outward like a seeking tendril.


    Seconds passed and the golden thread flickered. Wavered slightly. But then, like a candle being snuffed out, it disappeared.


    His expression turned grim. "It¡¯s no use. There¡¯s nothing."


    The scarred man scowled. "That¡¯s not possible. The first scout group undoubtedly came here. We should at least be able to sense their remains."


    "Unless..." Nerissa¡¯s voice was quiet, her gaze dark with realization. "... someone took them down and erased their presence completely from this world."


    Her words hung heavily in the air.


    For a long moment, no one spoke. Then, the youngest among them scoffed. "Tch. Weaklings. If they couldn¡¯t survive this pathetic world, they deserved to die."


    Nerissa shot him a sharp look. "Don¡¯t be a fool. They were some of our strongest scouts. They wouldn¡¯t have fallen to mere humans or these pathetic creatures."


    The leader¡¯s gray eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Then something else killed them."


    A heavier silence settled over the group at that thought.


    After a pause, the scarred man crossed his arms. "What now? We still need the jade ring. And Rune."


    The leader was quiet for a moment before his lips curled into a slow, calculating smile.


    "We keep looking," he said, his voice smooth, assured. "For Rune. For the ring. And for our missing people."


    His gaze flickered toward the ruined skyline, his smirk deepening.


    "And if we don¡¯t find them... we¡¯ll simply tear this world apart until we do."


    Because they didn¡¯t have the option of failing in this mission. If they wanted to stay alive, they needed to find their lost people.


    With that, the group disappeared into the shadows of the city, their hunt far from over.

 Chapter 228: Completing the Barrier

    [Previoue barrier progress: 69%]


    System¡¯s notification was followed by a deep inhale from Grace. She stared at the dark sky above, watching as the usual invisible and silent barrier shimmered slightly as it probably sensed her power.


    It was half past seven in the evening and she was currently at the rooftop of the tallest apartment building in Greenstone.


    While she had spent the past several months focusing on bringing new survivors into Greenstone, killing infected, and searching for mutated plants, animals, and Spirit Stones, she also didn¡¯t forget about the energy barrier that she was trying to construct over Greenstone.


    But even after several months of constant trying, she was only able to create a barrier that was covering a little over half of the Greenstone while the other half was still open to immediate dangers.


    Of course, these immediate dangers in her mind were the monster beasts that still hadn¡¯t made their appearance. But she knew better than to enjoy the little peace they had for the time-being.


    Because she knew that despite all these advancements Greenstone had made in the past one and a half years, it was still vulnerable. No matter how much food they stored, no matter how strong their people became, it wouldn¡¯t matter if they couldn¡¯t withstand the threats that lurked beyond the Veil.


    Which was why she was pouring every ounce of her strength into building the barrier.


    The successful establishment of this barrier would not only make Greenstone stronger, but it would also solve a big issue she was preparing herself to fail in her big plan.


    A small sigh escaped her lips and her gaze once again returned to the barrier - but it had again disappeared into the darkness. Even during daytime, it remained invisible.


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    Other than her, only her boyfriends were aware of the existence of this barrier.


    She stretched out her arms and closed her eyes as she focused. The energy pulsed through her veins, seeping into the very air and merging with the already present barrier.


    After doing it countless times, the thought creation for barrier now came to her naturally. All that she needed was enough energy to build the barrier. But considering the long days she always had before coming to perform this particular task, it was unlikely for her to be left with enough energy to build more than just a small fraction of barrier with her each attempt.


    Seconds ticked by, turning into minutes. It was half an hour later when she finally stopped at the realization of how low her energy level had gone.


    Despite the extremely cold weather, sweat beads were decorating her forehead from the excessive use of her energy. Her body trembled slightly from the exhaustion as well.


    Not wanting to get lectured by Rune and Davian, she immediately took out a bottle of energy drink from the space and emptied it while listening to the system¡¯s updates.


    [Progress Update: Barrier coverage at 65%...]


    [Barrier extension successful. Current coverage: 49%...]


    [Barrier reinforcement in effect. Current coverage: 59%...]


    Each notification was a small victory, a reminder that she was getting closer.


    * * *


    As if time was working against her, the world continued to shift in dangerous ways.


    Two months later, just as Greenstone was settling into a rhythm, another tremor shook Starship Country.


    This time, it was stronger.


    And thus, despite the safe location of Sunspire City from the earthquake prone zones within the country, the city still experienced the terror of the strong tremors to certain degrees.


    The ground beneath them rumbled violently, shaking buildings, rattling supplies, and sending a wave of panic through the residents.


    Grace steadied herself against the wall as the tremor passed, keeping a calm expression on her face despite the situation.


    Once the tremors stopped and the chaos came under control, she heard 2025¡¯s voice inside her head as the little creature updated her about what the system had found out about the tremors.


    [Seismic Activity Detected]


    [Origin: Western Restricted Zone]


    Again.


    A frown appeared on her face as soon as she heard 2025 announcing the area of origin of the earthquake. The previous tremors that happened just months ago, were also originated from this very same place.


    While there was nothing abnormal about the tremors originating from the same place again and again, she couldn¡¯t help but kept feeling that something wasn¡¯t right about these recent tremors.


    She opened her shared mindlink with 2025 and asked, "Can you confirm if these tremors are because of earthquakes?"


    There was silence for a few seconds before the creature answered. [The similarities are too high too dismiss the possibility. But nothing could be said for sure based on the current data.]


    Grace didn¡¯t speak and got lost in her thoughts until she heard 2025 asking - [Do you think something is not right with these tremors?]


    She let out a small sigh. "It¡¯s just a feeling. But strong enough to make me question if things are indeed as they appear."


    [Maybe you can go out and check the restricted zone once you have enough spare time?] 2025 suggested the only solution it could think of at the moment.


    Grace nodded her head slolwy but didn¡¯t reveal whether she was taking the suggesting seriously or not.


    Whatever the case with these tremors and the restricted zone, at least Greenstone was able to hold firm for the time being.


    And most importantly, the barrier worked as it absorbed some of the impact of the tremors.


    But it wasn¡¯t strong enough yet, and the impact only weakened it further.


    Yet... Grace was determined to master the power of barrier creation. Sooner or later, she was going to do it.


    And as if the universe itself was listening to her determination - two weeks after the latest tremor, she finally did it.


    Standing at the rooftop once again, she focused all her energy into the barrier. The invisible force rippled outward, expanding across the remaining area, strengthening, locking into place like a puzzle finally reaching its last piece.


    Then, she heard 2025¡¯s familiar voice inside her head.


    [Barrier Completed]


    She blinked in surpise, her breath hitching as she took in what she had actually accomplished.


    [Congratulations, Host! The Residential Area is now fully protected by an energy barrier.]


    [Rewards: Enhanced Barrier Control, Energy Recovery Buff, +10% Resistance to External Attacks, and 500,000 points.]


    Grace let out the breath she hadn¡¯t realized she was holding. A deep sense of fulfillment filled her, and the weight of months of effort finally lifted off her shoulders.


    She had done it.


    Greenstone was protected.


    But as quickly as relief washed over her, 2025 decided to shift her attention to the area she still needed to work on.


    [Warning: Barrier durability at 32%. Susceptible to high-impact attacks.]


    That meant if a Beast or an unknown enemy targeted Greenstone, the barrier would hold for a while - but not for long.


    She inhaled deeply, making up her mind to continue strengthening the barrier from the next day onward. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    * * *


    It didn¡¯t take long before Grace realized that the process of reinforcing the barrier was much more complicated than simply expanding it.


    Now that the foundation was in place, she had to fuel it, give it a power source that would increase its durability.


    Fortunately, 2025 was the to guide her.


    [Recommendation: Infuse the barrier with energy sources matching elemental attributes.]


    That meant using Spirit Stones. Specifically, high-level Spirit Stones infused with elemental powers. She could already guess that the stronger spirit stone she would use, the stronger the barrier would be.


    The problem? She had only found one Level Six stone so far.


    She needed more.


    And that meant hunting.


    However, finding high level Spirit Stones was not an easy task, especially when it took her over seven months to find just one Level Six stone.


    The moment 2025 made the suggestion, she knew that it wouldn¡¯t be anytime soon when she would be able to find a strong enough spirit stone. Thus, while she conti used looking for one, she also used her thought creation power to strengthen the barrier as much as she possibly could.


    While she had a Level Six Spirit Stone, she didn¡¯t use it in the barrier for several reasons.


    First - it was the only high level stone she had in possession and 2025 was still running research on it. Second - it could come handy in some other serious situations. Third - Greenstone wasn¡¯t in any direct threat that would have required the protection of an energy barrier.


    Over the next few weeks, Grace led multiple hunting expeditions into the dangerous zones outside Greenstone.


    She and her team tracked down mutated Beasts, each more powerful than the last. At this point of time, some of these beasts had already started developing elemental abilities that originated from their Spirit Stones. This made it easier for them to locate the beasts that were carrying the stones.


    Each battle was grueling, and each victory was hard-earned.


    But each Spirit Stone they collected brought them one step closer to their goal.

 Chapter 229: Possibilities with Spirit Stones

    Two more months went by and before anyone could have realized it, almost two years passed since the rain disaster.


    After such a long period, people had almost given up the hope of the world ever going back to the way it once used to be.


    At this point, they would have felt contended even if the never-ending winter would have finally given them a break from the chill.


    But while the end of volcanic winter seemed like a blessing to the general public, Grace and Davian knew better. If it wouldn¡¯t be snowing, then the world would be facing disasters like drought or wildfires. There was no ending of these disasters. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the previous timeline, the volcanic winter didn¡¯t go away even after five years into the apocalypse. It was still there when Grace took her last breath. It was because of the volcanic winter that Starship Country didn¡¯t go through disasters like wildfires and drought in the first five years into apocalypse.


    Since things had somewhat changed in this timeline, there was no telling if the volcanic winter would last for five years or longer. But while it was still here, Grace wanted to make the most out of it.


    With these two additional months that she spent strengthening the barrier with her power alone, it became sturdy enough to provide an initial line of protection.


    Her hunts didn¡¯t bring her Spirit Stones above Level six, but they weren¡¯t entirely useless. During this period, she found two more Level Six Spirit Stones, one red and the other green.


    She also found a blue Level Five Spirit Stone from a snow wolf, the only Level Five and blue stone she had in possession.


    Compared to these rare ones - she had collected abundance of red and yellow Spirit Stones below Level Five. Experience tales at NovelFire.C?m


    -


    Red Spirit Stones:


    Level One: 10


    Level Two: 7


    Level Three: 13


    Level Four: 6


    Yellow Spirit Stones:


    Level One: 5


    Level Two: 12


    Level Three: 5


    Level Four: 3


    Green Spirit Stones:


    Level Three: 1


    Level Six: 2


    Blue Spirit Stones:


    Level Five: 1


    -


    One more month went by and Grace finally collected another Level Six Spirit Stone, but this one was a yellow one instead of green like the previous two.


    That very night, she sat down in the living room of her apartment with her men and 2025 to discuss about the next step.


    "We have three Level Six Spirit Stones for now. How many do you think will be needed to make the barrier stand against really powerful attacks?" She directed her question at 2025.


    For the past year, 2025 had focused most of its attention on Spirit Stones and how they could be utilized in different ways. While it hadn¡¯t been able to crack all the secerts of these elemental stones, it still had derived a lot of important and useful information after studying the stones and running tests on them.


    "To be honest, you don¡¯t need more than one for the time being. A Level Six Spirit Stone will be enough to enhance the barrier¡¯s durability to the point to make it withstand the full effect of a point nine earthquake. But it could only withstand that much strength only for once."


    2025 answered based on its knowledge and understanding.


    Grace leaned back against the couch, tapping her fingers lightly against the armrest as she processed the little creature¡¯s words.


    So far, she had been under the assumption that she needed multiple high-level Spirit Stones to reinforce the barrier, but if one Level Six stone was already enough to handle a point-nine earthquake... even for only once... then she had more options than she initially thought.


    But that wasn¡¯t the only thing on her mind.


    "You previously said that a green Spirit Stone would be more beneficial," she recalled the conversation she had with 2025 when it first suggested the idea of infusing a Spirit Stone in the barrier. "Why?"


    2025 wasted no time and displayed a holographic projection above the coffee table sitting between the couches.


    The image was of the barrier - a faint outline representing its current form. It was followed by a second projection of the same barrier infused with an elemental core.


    At first glance, not much might seem different to normal eyes. But considering the knowledge and experiences everyone present there possessed, they were able to see the slight but obvious difference.


    "The Earth-elemental properties of a green Spirit Stone will allow the barrier to attach to the natural energy of its surroundings," 2025 explained. "Unlike other elements, Earth magic derives its power from stability - soil, stone, trees, even the air particles containing traces of minerals. If a Level Six Green Spirit Stone is integrated into the barrier, it will no longer rely solely on external reinforcement. It will draw power directly from the land itself, making it stronger over time instead of weakening."


    Grace¡¯s eyes flickered with understanding. "So, instead of a fixed energy source, it becomes a self-sustaining shield?"


    "Exactly," 2025 confirmed. "While the barrier is already durable, its energy is finite. Eventually, it will weaken unless it is consistently recharged. The Earth-element infusion will make that unnecessary. As long as the ground beneath it exists, the barrier will continue to absorb and replenish its own energy."


    Rune, who had been quietly observing the discussion, leaned forward. "That sounds like the best option. Why not do it now?"


    Grace exhaled, rubbing her temple. "Because I still have questions."


    She turned back to 2025. "This still doesn¡¯t answer why we haven¡¯t found any Spirit Stones above Level Six. I have been hunting non-stop for months. If Level Seven or higher stones exist, why haven¡¯t we found a single one?"


    That was the real mystery.


    No matter how strong the Beasts she killed were, their Spirit Stones never surpassed Level Six.


    2025 hesitated for a fraction of a second before responding.


    "That is because¡­ they may not exist. Yet."


    The room went silent.


    Davian was the first to break it. "Explain."

 Chapter 230: Successful Barrier Infusion

    2025 pulled up another projection. This one showed a timeline of the Spirit Stones harvested from different Beasts over the past year.


    "Through extensive analysis of Spirit Stones, I have discovered a common pattern. The longer a Beast survives, the denser its Spirit Stone becomes. However, all of the Level Six Spirit Stones found so far have come from creatures that appear to be at their peak evolutionary stage."


    Grace¡¯s brows furrowed. "Meaning?"


    "There is a possibility that Spirit Stones above Level Six do not naturally exist at this time because the Beasts have not lived long enough to refine them," 2025 theorized. "In other words, Spirit Stones evolve inside a creature¡¯s core over extended periods. The longer the Beast survives, the higher the potential for its Spirit Stone to increase in level."


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    Grace¡¯s fingers stilled against the couch.


    "So you are saying that if I had let those Beasts live for another year or two, their Spirit Stones might have naturally evolved into Level Seven or higher?"


    "That is a highly probable scenario." 2025 confirmed.


    Silence filled the living room as everyone took their time to process this new discovery.


    Finally, Grace exhaled sharply. "So, we might not see Level Seven Spirit Stones for at least another year or two."


    "Correct," 2025 confirmed. "Unless¡­"


    She lifted an eyebrow, curious to know what other information 2025 had about Spirit Stones. "Unless what?"


    The hologram shifted once more, displaying a new diagram. This time, it showed two Level Three Spirit Stones fusing together to form a single Level Six Stone.


    "A recent analysis suggests that Spirit Stones may not only evolve naturally over time but also through forced fusion," 2025 revealed. "For example, two Level Three Spirit Stones could theoretically be merged into a Level Six stone. Similarly, if two Level Six Spirit Stones were to be combined, the result could potentially be the first Level Twelve Spirit Stone."


    Rune straightened in his seat. "You are saying we might be able to create higher Level Stones on our own?"


    "It is a possibility," 2025 confirmed. "However, this is purely theoretical. There is no confirmed method for fusing Spirit Stones at this time. Further experimentation would be required."


    Grace¡¯s mind raced with the implications.


    If they could find a way to merge the Spirit Stones, they wouldn¡¯t have to wait for nature to evolve them, they could accelerate the process themselves.


    It would be risky.


    But if it worked?


    She could create higher level Spirit Stone before the true horrors of the apocalypse even began.


    She inhaled deeply, meeting the gazes of the men around her. "We need to test this. If there¡¯s even a chance of fusing Spirit Stones, we need to figure it out now."


    Rune nodded his head in agreement. "I can assist in running tests. Magic-based fusions have existed in other realms. I can cross-check potential methods."


    Davian smirked slightly. "I knew you would find a way to break the rules of this world."


    Dr. Kian chuckled, shaking his head. "I don¡¯t know whether to be impressed or terrified."


    Grace ignored their comments and turned back to 2025. "We¡¯ll use the lowest-level stones for the first few attempts. If fusion works, we will move on to higher levels."


    "Understood," 2025 responded. "I will continue working on this one and will prepare a controlled fusion test protocol."


    They talked for a few more minutes before concluding the meeting.


    "You might need a lot of energy to fuse the Spirit Stone in the barrier. How about you rest now and we do it the very first thing early in the morning?" Dr. Kian suggested as if he already knew what she was thinking.


    Grace knew that she could never win against these three in an argument about her well-being. Hence, she just silently nodded her head in agreement.


    The four of them went to bed right after that only to wake up and head to the rooftop of the tallest building in Greenstone at five in the early morning.


    The darkness was still lingering and the air was as cold as usual.


    Grace stretched out her hand, summoning the Level Six Green Spirit Stone which instantly appeared in her open palm.


    Its emerald glow pulsed steadily, radiating a quiet but powerful energy. This was the key to strengthening the barrier, to making it self-sustaining.


    "You are sure about this?" Davian asked, watching her closely.


    Grace nodded. "It¡¯s the best option we have. If this works, the barrier will no longer rely on my energy alone. It will absorb power from the earth itself."


    Rune studied the Spirit Stone, his eyes narrowing slightly. "The process won¡¯t be easy. We¡¯ll need to guide the infusion carefully, or the energy might destabilize."


    Dr. Kian adjusted his gloves. "We¡¯ll be monitoring you. If something feels off, stop immediately."


    Grace exhaled, steadying herself. "Understood."


    She extended her hands, focusing her energy into the Spirit Stone. Immediately, the gem trembled in response, as if recognizing her intent. The system chimed softly in her mind.


    [Infusion Process Initiated] sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The barrier around Greenstone, though invisible, reacted. A soft ripple spread through the air, almost like a whisper of power awakening.


    Grace slowly pushed the Spirit Stone forward, guiding it toward the center of the rooftop. It hovered for a moment¡ªthen, as if drawn by an unseen force, it merged into the barrier.


    A wave of energy surged outward. The rooftop trembled beneath their feet as the entire settlement seemed to breathe. For the briefest moment, the barrier became visible - a shimmering dome of green-tinted energy stretching over Greenstone before fading into invisibility once more.


    Then, the system spoke again.


    [Barrier Infusion Successful]


    [Durability increased to 75%]


    [Self-Sustaining Feature Activated]


    Grace let out a slow breath, her fingers tingling from the energy transfer.


    She turned to her men, a small but victorious smile forming on her lips. "It worked."


    They welcomed her with warm and proud smiles. Only these men were really aware of how much work she had been putting into making Greenstone powerful behind close doors, and they admired her for every second of it.


    "Come. Let¡¯s enjoy some good wine to celebrate this achievement."

 Chapter 231: The Strongest Tremors Yet

    It happened just before dawn.


    Grace just walked out of the bedroom, heading toward kitchen, when the world beneath her started shaking. It was almost unnoticeable, but it was there.


    She continued on her way, starting preparations for making a strong coffee for herself and Davian while the tremors continued to shake the world. They might have lasted for more than half a minute before stopping.


    She would have believed the tremors weren¡¯t too strong this time if not for the fact that she herself infused the Spirit Stone in the barrier just days ago.


    She was soon proved right when 2025 updated her on the situation. The tremors this time were more violent than before, but unlike the previous earthquakes, this time, Greenstone barely felt it.


    The digital screen appeared in front of Grace, showing her exactly how the barrier handled the tremors - a faint hum vibrated through the air as the Spirit Stone-infused barrier absorbed most of the shock. The shimmering energy pulsed for a brief second before fading back into invisibility.


    The good thing was that she didn¡¯t have to worry about replenishing the barrier¡¯s strength as it would do it on its own through Spirit Stone¡¯s help.


    [Energy replenishing process began]


    [Time left: 2 hours and 29 minutes]


    Her plan had worked. The barrier was now strong enough to protect Greenstone from these usual seismic disruptions.


    But the real problem wasn¡¯t Greenstone.


    Once the system was done updating her on the barrier¡¯s situation, 7t updated her on the data of the tremors that just passed.


    [Seismic Activity Detected]


    [Origin: Western Restricted Zone]


    Again.


    Grace narrowed her eyes, already pulling up a detailed energy analysis from 2025.


    [Tremor magnitude: 5.7]


    [Depth: 15 km]


    [Abnormal energy fluctuations detected.]


    That was all she needed to see.


    This wasn¡¯t natural.


    Something was happening in the restricted zone, and she wasn¡¯t going to wait around to find out what.


    By noon, she had already assembled a team - Davian, Rune, Rio, Kevin, Aleena, Nina, Silas, and Maven.


    "The closest place I have been to near the restricted zone is Mapleton City," Davian said as they stood in the living room of Unit 2203. His dark green eyes flickered with concentration as he prepared to open a portal. "From there, we can travel the rest of the way by vehicle."


    "Then let¡¯s go," Grace said as she finished strapping her weapons.


    It barely took less than ten seconds before the portal shimmered into existence. One by one, the entire team stepped through it.


    And the moment their feet touched Mapleton¡¯s streets, they were met with chaos.


    The city was infested... heavily.


    The moment they arrived, the scent of rotting flesh and decay hit them. The infected were everywhere - crawling out of broken buildings, spilling into the streets, their guttural snarls echoing through the ruins.


    "Shit," Kevin muttered, already raising his rifle. "We just stepped into a damn hive."


    "We should have seen this coming considering Mapleton used to be such a big city with a lot of population." Grace said as she quickly scanned the area.


    Before anyone could have reacted any further, the first wave of infected lunged.


    Grace moved instantly, summoning a blade of pure energy and slicing through the nearest creature. "Don¡¯t waste time! Clear a path!"


    They didn¡¯t even have enough time to get into a vehicle and drive away. They were stuck.


    Gunfire erupted as the team fought back. Davian and Rune unleashed deadly precision strikes, while Aleena and Nina covered their flanks. Silas moved like a shadow, cutting down anything that got too close, and Rio and Maven worked to maintain their formation.


    "We need higher ground!" Rune shouted over the chaos.


    Even before Grace issued the command, 2025 was upon the task. It barely took seconds before sharing the information it had found with her through their shared mindlink.


    Her gaze immediately shot in the direction pointed out by the little creature and she spotted a half-collapsed skyscraper nearby. "There!"


    With coordinated movements, they cut through the infected and rushed toward the building. Once inside, they barricaded the entrance and finally got the chance to catch their breath while the creatures slammed against the doors.


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    "We can¡¯t stay here long," Maven said, checking his ammunition. "More will come."


    Grace pulled up the digital map of the city. "We need to get out of the city fast. But we can¡¯t use another portal without knowing what¡¯s ahead."


    Davian frowned. "Which means we need to fight our way through."


    "Again," Rune groaned but there was no denying that he enjoyed taking down the infected.


    "It can work as long as we can get into vehicles." Grace said, reminding everyone that it wouldn¡¯t be the first time they would be taking down hordes of infected with their vehicles.


    But while her custom-made vehicles were great against the zombies and even Fast Movers, they weren¡¯t too capable as a weapon when it came to powerful infected Beasts. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How about you pull out the vehicle here and we smack through the wall?" Nina offered with a chuckle. The imagination was definitely wild in her mind as she only started laughing harder.


    "Sssh!"


    Davian silenced them and his alert mode made the others follow him. The moment they all put their attention to it, they noticed what had caught his attention in the first place.


    The chaos outside had gone silent all of a sudden.


    Since they had no way to look outside without actually stepping out, 2025 took over the job to find out what was going on. Seconds later, its soft voice filled the silent air.


    "A group of armed men have distracted the infected by spilling animal blood in a street nearby. And now they are checking this area."


    "Are they soldiers? Survivors?" Aleena asked.


    "They don¡¯t look like soldiers. But something about them says they are more than just survivors. You all should stay alert." 2025 warned before it went silent.


    "Are we going out or waiting here?" Kevin asked, his hand tightening around his rifle.

 Chapter 232: Running from Military

    We will be staying." Grace said as she exchanged a look with Davian, making sure that the two of them were on same page.


    "Rune, Aleena, and Maven - hide and keep watch from the shadows. We don¡¯t have to give away our numbers unless it¡¯s necessary."


    The three nodded their heads and immediately disappeared from the plain sight. Rune also helped in hiding their presence with a spell.


    On the other hand, Grace, Davian, Kevin, Silas, and Nina waited for the armed group to finally find them. They didn¡¯t have to wait for too long before their barricaded door was blown away and a group of seven people stepped inside.


    Their weapons were raised but they didn¡¯t attack immediately, instead, one of the stepped forward and took his time to assess Grace and her team.


    "You are not from here," he stated. "Who the hell are you?"


    Grace also didn¡¯t lower her gun. "We are passing through. No trouble, no fights."


    The man scoffed. "You are too well-armed to be just ¡¯passing through.¡¯ Where are you headed?"


    "None of your business," she said flatly.


    The tension between both groups thickened.


    It was at that moment when Grace¡¯s gaze landed on the watch that was peeking from under the man¡¯s sleeve. Her gaze immediately shifted to his companions and she noticed similar types of watches around some of them.


    "2025."


    She contacted the creature through the shared mindlink. "Is something wrong with those watches?"


    2025 immediately made the system scan the watches before it immediately replied. [These are special watches that works as comms.]


    Right at that very moment, the sound of a helicopter filled the silence.


    "What¡¯s going on?" Kevin whispered, but it was heard by the rest of the team because of their enhanced hearing sense.


    "It¡¯s the military." The man from the other group answered, not because he stood had heard Kevin¡¯s question but because he knew that Grace and her team might be wondering about the helicopter.


    "Military?" Grace asked, keeping her gaze focused on the man and his companions.


    "That¡¯s right. They are looking for survivors. You all got some luck to be found by them today. You can now head to the safe zones set up by the governments instead of struggling out on the streets." The man answered.


    "And what about you and your group?" Davian was looking for more information. Something about this entire situation wasn¡¯t sitting right.


    "We work for the military. Our job is to look for survivors and hand them over to the military. And we have done the job just right."


    For a fleeting second, Davian¡¯s gaze shifted from the group to Grace and they both realized that they were having the same doubts.


    An Unexpected Move


    The atmosphere in the room thickened as Grace and Davian exchanged subtle glances, silently confirming their suspicions. Something was off about this group.


    They claimed to be working for the military, searching for survivors to bring to safety. But why did they need special communication devices hidden beneath their sleeves? And why did their presence feel more like a threat than a rescue?


    Grace didn¡¯t trust them.


    And she had no intention of letting them call the shots.


    Very swiftly, she looked around at her team without alerting the other group. Davian helped her as he distracted them by engaging them into further conversation. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We didn¡¯t know the military was running these search operations. We might indeed be lucky just like you said..."


    All her team needed was a look from her and they knew what she was asking from them. Once she had alerted them, she returned her attention to the other group.


    At that very moment, 2025 warned her that soldiers were climbing down from the helicopter and would be here at any minute.


    Without any further hesitation, she reached into her space and retrieved a small pouch filled with fine, powdery substance. It was a rare harvest from a mutated plant she had carefully cultivated inside the Infinite Realm - one that could induce a deep, dreamless sleep for four to five hours.


    Her movements were swift, calculated. Before anyone could react, she flicked her wrist and released the powder into the air.


    A faint mist spread across the room, shimmering for only a second before it became invisible.


    The opposing group barely had time to register the attack before their bodies started to sway.


    "What the hell-" one of them muttered, blinking rapidly as his knees buckled.


    Another person stumbled forward, gripping his head in confusion before collapsing to the floor.


    One by one, they all fell, their consciousness slipping away as the sleep-inducing powder took effect.


    Kevin smirked, stepping over one of the unconscious bodies. "That was almost too easy."


    Rune, Maven, and Aleena emerged from the shadows. The stealth spell that Rune had put over them faded as they rejoined the group.


    Aleena crouched beside one of the fallen men, her sharp gaze landing on the watch strapped around his wrist. "We need to take one of these for study," she said.


    Grace nodded, already reaching for one. As soon as she unlatched the watch from the man¡¯s wrist, she held it up. "2025, can you make sure this won¡¯t be traced?"


    The little creature was at work immediately and she heard the system responding just seconds later.


    [Processing¡­ Deactivating any tracking signals¡­ Done.]


    Grace secured the watch in her space before turning to the others. "We need to leave. They seem to have already reported our location."


    Kevin took a look at the digital map that was once again open in front of them, his face darkening. "The helicopter is hovering just outside and the soldiers are already making their way toward the building. If we try to escape through the streets, they¡¯ll see us immediately."


    "We won¡¯t be using the streets," Grace said calmly.


    She extended her hands. "Everyone, hold on to each other."


    Without question, the team clasped hands, forming a linked circle.


    Then, with a single thought, she activated her teleportation ability.


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    The world around them blurred.


    And just as the doors to the building were kicked open by heavily armed soldiers... they were gone.

 Chapter 233: Escape Plan (I)

    As the world snapped back into focus, Grace and her team found themselves inside another building on the other side of the block.


    The abandoned high-rise was eerily silent, its walls cracked and windows shattered from past destruction that mostly came from the flood, and earthquakes.


    Considering how close Mapleton City was to the restricted zone, the place where all the recent tremors had originated from, the current destruction of the city was not a surprise.


    Not only that, but Mapleton City was also heavily destroyed by the flood and previous earthquakes. Even the hurricane during the rain disaster left its permanent marks on the city.


    "Move quickly and stay low," Grace whispered as she led the way toward the stairwell.


    The distant whirr of the military helicopter continued outside, its searchlight sweeping across rooftops and streets. Below, the infected lurked in the streets, their movements sluggish yet relentless, drawn to any sound or movement.


    Kevin glanced at Grace as they descended the stairs. "Shouldn¡¯t we head back to Greenstone? We can regroup and figure out what¡¯s happening there instead of running around in an infested city with the military at our tail."


    Grace shook her head. "If we leave now, we might not get another chance to reach the restricted zone. The military is already tightening its grip on Mapleton. If we hesitate, we could lose our only opportunity."


    No one argued further. They trusted her judgment.


    They exited the building through a back alley, staying in the shadows as they moved. Every step was careful, precise. The infected lurked nearby, but the team had enough experience to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.


    After weaving through the city for nearly half an hour, they finally reached an abandoned residential complex several blocks away from where the soldiers were still searching.


    "Inside," Grace instructed, pushing open the rusted entrance door.


    The team swiftly made their way up the stairs, stopping only when they reached the seventh floor. The apartment they chose was empty, but it provided a clear vantage point over the city.


    Grace extended her hands, focusing her energy as she summoned a protective barrier around the apartment. Unlike the massive barrier over Greenstone, this one was quick and easy to form - small but efficient, shielding them from external threats.


    Kevin and Silas blocked the windows, ensuring no one from the outside could see them, while still leaving gaps for observation.


    They all gathered near the covered windows, watching as the helicopter continued to hover over the area. It circled for another ten minutes, scanning for signs of movement before finally retreating into the distance.


    Only then did they breathe a little easier.


    With the immediate danger passed, the team sat down on whatever furniture they found in the room to discuss their situation.


    "That was too close," Nina muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. "What the hell is going on in Mapleton?"


    "The military is looking for survivors," Davian said with an unreadable expression on his face. "But something about it doesn¡¯t feel right."


    Grace turned her attention to 2025. "Glow, see if you can extract any data from the watch."


    [Processing¡­ Running full data retrieval¡­]


    The team waited in silence as 2025 worked.


    Meanwhile, Aleena leaned forward. "If they really are taking survivors to safe zones, why does it feel like they are hunting people instead of helping them?"


    "That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s bothering me," Grace admitted. "In the previous timeline, things played out in a way that changed the world within the first three years of the apocalypse. The moment true chaos spread, the world divided into three groups."


    She traced a finger along the dusty table, drawing three sections in the dirt.


    "The first group was the higher-ups - elites who had wealth, power, and connections. They formed their own safe zones, protected by the strongest fighters, using government resources to ensure their own survival."


    "The second group was the government and military," she continued, tapping the second section. "They became tools for the elites, controlling the world in their favor while maintaining a facade of ¡¯helping survivors.¡¯ But in truth, they only cared about those who were valuable to them."


    Finally, she pointed at the third section. "And then there was everyone else. The general public - they were left to fend for themselves. They were forced to fight for scraps while the higher-ups hoarded resources and the military only protected those they deemed important."


    Silas frowned. "And you think that¡¯s already starting to happen?"


    She exhaled. "It might be. The question is, why are they really gathering survivors? What are they looking for?"


    Before anyone could respond, 2025 chimed in, it¡¯s voice filling the room.


    "Data retrieval complete. Displaying results."


    A digital screen appeared above the dusty table, showing various files and reports. Grace skimmed through them, her sharp eyes catching keywords immediately.


    - Subject Identification: High-Priority Survivors sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    - Evaluation of Physical and Energy Capabilities


    - Transfer to Secure Facilities Only


    - Special Cases Require Direct Clearance


    "They are searching for people with powers." Kevin¡¯s voice was barely a whisper.


    The rest of the team stiffened.


    Aleena¡¯s eyes narrowed. "They are looking for people like us."


    Grace scrolled further through the files, absorbing every detail. The military wasn¡¯t just rounding up random survivors. They were assessing people based on their abilities - strength, endurance, and most importantly... superpowers.


    "These safe zones aren¡¯t for everyone," she muttered. "They are collecting people with strong powers."


    "And what happens to the ones who don¡¯t meet their standards?" Nina asked darkly.


    It was Davian who provided the answer, based on how things turned out in the previous timeline. "They will be forced into slavery, experimentation, or to fight against the infected. It could be any of them - or all of them."


    Silence filled the room.


    Kevin clenched his jaw. "And we just barely avoided walking straight into their hands."


    Grace tightened her grip on the table. "Which means we are running out of time. Whatever¡¯s happening in the restricted zone - it might be connected to all of this. If the government is getting involved this aggressively, something big is coming."

 Chapter 234: Escape Plan (II)

    Silence settled over the apartment as everyone absorbed the weight of their situation.


    The military¡¯s actions in Mapleton weren¡¯t just about gathering survivors - they were selectively taking people based on their strength, abilities, powers, and potential usefulness.


    This was a hunt.


    And if they were searching for people with power, it was only a matter of time before they turned their attention toward Sunspire City.


    Rune crossed his arms. "Then we need to move soon." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace nodded. "We¡¯ll rest here for a few hours, wait for nightfall. Then, we head for the restricted zone."


    She exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. They couldn¡¯t waste any more time.


    "We leave at night," she repeated. "We¡¯ll be less noticeable, and with the military distracted by their search operations, it should be easier to slip through the city."


    Kevin frowned. "Are we sure about this? We already got too much unwanted attention. What if the restricted zone is even worse?"


    She met his gaze, unwavering. "It might be. But we don¡¯t have a choice. Something¡¯s happening there, and I don¡¯t want to wait until it reaches Greenstone."


    Her words left no room for argument. And Kevin didn¡¯t question her decision. He trusted her judgment.


    Silas leaned against the wall and crossed his arms across his chest. "We will need to be careful. If the military is tracking individuals with strong superpowers, they will have ways of detecting energy fluctuations. We can¡¯t afford to stand out."


    "I can handle that," Rune said. "I¡¯ll suppress our energy signatures before we move." Continue your adventure at NovelFire.C?m


    Davian nodded approvingly. "Then let¡¯s rest while we can. We¡¯ll need full strength for whatever¡¯s ahead."


    With that, they settled in for a few hours of rest.


    Grace remained by the window, watching the city. The military had left the immediate area, but she knew they weren¡¯t far. Helicopters still passed overhead every now and then, their searchlights scanning the ruins.


    They weren¡¯t giving up.


    And that made her all the more certain that they needed to get to the restricted zone as soon as possible.


    * * *


    The moment darkness fell over the outside world, Grace and her team prepared to move.


    Rune immediately wrapped them in a thin veil of suppressed energy. This made their presence undetectable - not just to the infected but to any scanning devices the military might be using.


    Davian tested his magic, sending out a faint pulse. The energy barely rippled, blending into the environment. "It¡¯s working."


    "Good," Grace said. "Let¡¯s go."


    They slipped out of the apartment and into the cold night.


    The city was eerily quiet. The infected were still present, lurking in alleyways and abandoned streets, but they were slow and inactive in the frigid temperatures.


    For once, these creatures weren¡¯t the real threat... the military was.


    They moved carefully, keeping to the shadows as they navigated the ruins. Every so often, a helicopter would pass overhead, forcing them to duck into cover until it moved on.


    Because of the military¡¯s presence, they were unable to use vehicles. Hence they could only walk to the restricted zone. But every now and then, Grace used teleportation to cover long distances.


    An hour passed, and they finally reached the city¡¯s outskirts, where the landscape shifted from ruined buildings to desolate roads leading toward the restricted zone.


    "We are clear," Nina whispered.


    Grace nodded but didn¡¯t relax. They had only completed one part of the journey. The real challenge was still ahead.


    "We keep moving," she said. "No stops until we reach the restricted zone."


    The team pushed forward into the darkness, heading toward the unknown.


    ---


    By the time they neared the restricted zone, the temperature had dropped further, making the air thick with frost.


    The land here was different.


    There was no sign of snow. The roads were cracked with deep fissures, steam rising from underground vents. Strange, mutated plant life twisted through the ruins, their leaves glowing faintly in the darkness.


    The energy here was wrong.


    Grace felt it the moment they stepped past the threshold marking the restricted area. A heavy, pulsing force settled over her body, as if the air itself was alive.


    "Do you feel that?" Maven asked, his voice tense.


    "Yeah," Silas muttered. "It¡¯s like the land is breathing."


    Grace connected to 2025. "Analysis."


    The little creature responded instantly.


    "Energy levels abnormal. Unstable elemental activity detected. Potential cause: Unidentified source of Spirit Stone radiation."


    Kevin narrowed his eyes. "Spirit Stone radiation?"


    "Something here is changing," Grace murmured. "This wasn¡¯t happening before."


    From what she learned from 2025, this place was a normal place up until rain disaster, and only after a few months of the flooding did the military barricaded it and put on a restricted board.


    And they needed to find out why.


    The deeper they traveled into the area, the stranger everything became.


    The roads were no longer just cracked - they were torn apart as if something massive had ripped through them. Jagged fissures lined the earth, steaming with residual heat. Trees were twisted and mutated beyond recognition, standing like grotesque sentinels, their leaves glowing faintly under the night sky.


    The air itself was heavy.


    Each step forward felt like walking through unseen resistance, the energy pressing down on them from all directions. It wasn¡¯t suffocating, but it was wrong.


    Grace clenched her fists as she felt the pulsing energy vibrating through the ground.


    "We are getting close to something," she muttered.


    Rune exhaled sharply, his icy-blue eyes scanning the surroundings. "Yeah, I can feel it too. The magic here is... unstable."


    Davian adjusted the grip on his weapon. "Not just unstable. It¡¯s concentrated. Whatever¡¯s causing this is big."


    "Any updates, 2025?" Grace asked.


    "Energy readings are off the charts. Analyzing source¡­"


    The little creature took a few moments before displaying a three-dimensional map in front of them. A large red pulse glowed from a location just ahead.


    [Detected: Unidentified high-level Spirit Stone energy. Estimated location - one kilometer northeast.]


    Kevin let out a low whistle. "That¡¯s gotta be the strongest Spirit Stone we have ever seen."


    Aleena shifted uneasily. "And if something that powerful is just sitting there, why hasn¡¯t it been claimed yet?"

 Chapter 235: The Hidden Pond

    Grace stilled in her tracks as her ears registered Aleena¡¯s question. She wads right - if something so powerful was present in this place, then why it hadn¡¯t been taken away by someone already?


    And it seemed like she already knew the answer. "Since it¡¯s something so powerful, I¡¯m sure it can¡¯t be taken away so easily. No doubt the government is trying to locate powerful people."


    Her team was silent for next few seconds as they processed the meaning behind her words. It was Davian who spoke first. "Do you think they are looking for powerful people to take hold over whatever power is lying hidden here?"


    Slowly, Grace nodded her head in a positive response. "According to the system, the immense power in this place belongs to a spirit stone, which means a really powerful Beast is hiding in this place."


    She turned to face her team before continuing, "The military barricaded this area and announced it as a restricted zone only after the end of rain disaster. That¡¯s also when the first tremor from this area was recorded. All these can¡¯t just be a coincidence."


    "So the military ended up finding out about whatever spirit beast is hiding here and now they are trying to gather enough powerful people who can - either kill the beast and retrieve the spirit stone, or capture the beast." Rune finished analyzing the situation.


    More or less, they had a rough idea about exactly what might be going on with the restricted zone and the government¡¯s plan of finding people with strong superpowers. However, it was still just an assumption.


    "Let¡¯s find this beast then. I¡¯m also curious about why it¡¯s stuck here." Nina said, bringing everyone¡¯s attention to the latter part of her sentence.


    "Since that beast is the one behind the tremor¡¯s, maybe it¡¯s stuck beneath the ground?" Silas voiced out the first convincing reason he could think of.


    Grace let out a small sigh, ready to unveil the answers tonight. "That can be possible. We will find out soon anyway."


    And with that, they once again resumed their journey. After navigating through the broken terrain for next ten or so minutes, they finally reached the edge of a clearing.


    And what they saw made them freeze. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the middle of the restricted zone, hidden deep within the ruins, lay a massive pond.


    But it wasn¡¯t an ordinary body of water.


    The surface shimmered with an unnatural glow, swirling with blue and green energy, as if the very essence of magic had seeped into it. The water wasn¡¯t clear - it was deep, dark, and alive.


    Ripples spread across the surface despite the absence of wind. The energy coming from it was overwhelming, pressing against their bodies like a physical force.


    [Alert: Spirit Stone detected. Source is located deep within the pond.]


    2025¡¯s voice filled Grace¡¯s head as it notified her about the system¡¯s new detection.


    "That¡¯s it," she let her team know what she just learned from 2025. "The Spirit Stone is in there."


    Davian walked closer to the pond and crouched near the edge, scooping up a handful of the glowing water. It shimmered between his fingers before slipping away like liquid light.


    "This is pure energy," he muttered. "I have never seen anything like it."


    Kevin shifted uneasily. "Alright, we found the damn thing. Now, the real question - what¡¯s inside?" Explore more stories with NovelFire.C?m


    Silas exhaled. "If it¡¯s been left unclaimed all this time, then something big... and powerful must be in there."


    Grace felt it too - a presence... a really powerful one. It felt like something dangerous, something powerful, something that was watching them.


    At that very moment, a deep, low rumble vibrated through the ground.


    And it was definitely not an earthquake, nor was it a tremor.


    It came from beneath the water.


    A deep, guttural sound - so low that it resonated within their bones.


    As seconds later the surface of the pond stilled, the air grew thick with tension.


    "Did... did the pond just growl?" Nina whispered.


    Everyone was standing there frozen, waiting.


    The water, which had been glowing steadily, suddenly dimmed, and the energy swirling within it slowed, as if something huge had just shifted below.


    The silence was deafening.


    And then...


    A single massive ripple spread across the pond.


    Grace took an instinctive step back only for Rune to wrap his arm around her waist from behind. He was right there with her, and so was Davian who hurriedly stepped back from the pond as well.


    That was no ordinary energy disturbance.


    Something was down there.


    Something alive... the beast that was carrying the Spirit Stone. Maybe it was an aquatic animal? But from the data that Grace received from the system, this pond only came into existence after the flood. This made it unusual for an aquatic animal to be present here.


    Rune¡¯s voice was quiet, but firm as he spoke. "We need to move."


    No one argued.


    Grace spoke to 2025 through their shared mind-link. "Tell me what¡¯s down there."


    The little creature began to work instantly and the familiar mechanical voice of the system filled her head a second later.


    [Scanning...]


    She was expecting for some kind of breakthrough, but the hesitation she felt coming from 2025 made her worry. And it only got worse when the little creature finally spoke -


    [Unable to identify.]


    The words sent a chill down her spine.


    She had never seen 2025 fail to analyze something before.


    And if even the system couldn¡¯t detect what was beneath the pond... then they were dealing with something far beyond their expectations.


    Davian noticed her silence and the expression on her face first. "Is something wrong?"


    Grace turned her attention to him as she whispered. "The system is still unable to identify what kind of beast is hiding in there."


    He took a slow breath, his voice steady despite the tension. "What are you planning to do next?"


    She didn¡¯t answer immediately. Because for the first time in a long time... she wasn¡¯t sure.


    But one thing was certain.


    They had just awakened something the moment they stepped into the restricted zone.


    And it was waiting for them...!

 Chapter 236: Depths of the Unknown

    Grace¡¯s heart pounded as she stared at the pond, feeling the heavy energy pressing against her skin. Before she could even formulate a plan, 2025¡¯s voice echoed in her earpiece.


    [Grace, you need to go underwater. The Beast is deep inside, and there¡¯s no other way to reach it.]


    Her jaw clenched. She had suspected as much, but hearing it getting confirmed was different.


    "Alone?" she asked in her mind. It¡¯s not like she was afraid of the Beast, she just didn¡¯t want to make a choice that would undoubtedly upset her team, especially Davian and Rune.


    [Yes. The energy levels in the pond are too volatile. If anyone else follows, their chances of survival drop drastically. You, however, can endure it with your powers.]


    Grace exhaled sharply, knowing exactly what the little creature was talking about. Because of the Infinite Realm and it¡¯s different timeline compared to the real world, she had the advantage of practicing and leveling up her power.


    While everyone else in the outside world had been practicing their powers for about two years, she already had decades of practice. Her power level had already evolved to the fullest, and with each passing day, she was getting more and more stronger.


    She was preparing to relay 2025¡¯s idea to her team. But before she could speak - a violent tremor surged through the ground, originating from deep beneath the pond.


    The ground beneath them cracked and the water pulsed erratically.


    And then... the trees around them moved. But they soon realized the trees weren¡¯t just moving... they actually came alive.


    Their branches twisted, their trunks split open to reveal gaping maws lined with jagged wooden fangs. Thick vines shot forward like whips, lashing at the team with terrifying precision.


    "Shit!" Rune cursed, slicing through a vine that came for his throat.


    Kevin dodged a branch swinging toward him, rolling on the ground before firing his rifle at its base. But the bullets barely made a dent.


    "These things are resilient!" he shouted.


    Davian slashed at the nearest tree, flames igniting along the blade of his sword, but even fire wasn¡¯t enough to destroy the monstrous plants instantly.


    Aleena barely managed to dodge a root that tried to skewer her from below. "Boss! We need to move - now!"


    Before Grace could respond, the situation escalated.


    Four massive figures emerged from the darkness of the trees.


    Infected Beasts.


    Each of them mutated beyond recognition, their eyes glowing with hunger, their bodies twisted with unnatural growths.


    The largest one was a hulking wolf with blackened, rotting fur and exposed bones. It threw back its head and howled, sending a wave of oppressive energy crashing over them.


    Grace¡¯s mind raced.


    The easiest choice was to open a portal and get her team out.


    But easiest didn¡¯t mean wisest.


    If they left now, they might never get another chance to claim the Spirit Stone. And handing over such power to the government meant creating troubles for herself.


    As she avoided getting attacked by one of the monstrous branches of a tree, she finally made her decision in that instant.


    "Davian! Hold the team together!" she shouted.


    His head snapped toward her. "Wait, what-?!" S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She didn¡¯t give him time to ask anything further. With a single, powerful movement, she dived into the pond.


    ---


    The moment she hit the water, it was like stepping into another world.


    The temperature dropped instantly, while the energy was thick and suffocating.


    There was no light, only darkness, but her heightened eyesight allowed her to see clearly. A single thought from her made it possible for her to breathe underwater.


    The deeper she went, the more the pressure grew, pressing against her chest like an invisible force trying to crush her.


    But she still kept swimming.


    Seconds stretched into eternity. And then... a shadow moved below her.


    And it was huge.


    Her heart started slamming against her ribs.


    She forced herself to remain still as the massive shape emerged from the darkness.


    And then she saw it.


    A dragon.


    Its body was long and sinuous, like a serpent, covered in black scales with faint streaks of glowing silver running down its length. Its massive eyes burned with an eerie blue light, locked onto her with a gaze that radiated pure power.


    The mechanical voice of the system crackled in her earpiece.


    [Scanning¡­]


    Seconds passed... and then-


    [Identified: Formerly a python. It consumed 89% Shadow Rain and survived, undergoing an impossible mutation process. Conclusion - this is likely the only one of its kind.]


    Grace¡¯s stomach clenched.


    A mutation like this should have killed any animal. No known creature had ever survived such a high percentage of Shadow Rain consumption.


    And yet -


    This dragon had.


    2025¡¯s next words were even more shocking.


    [The Beast is carrying a Level Nine Spirit Stone - the highest level we have ever encountered... or even thinking about encountering anytime soon.]


    Grace inhaled sharply. A Level Nine¡­?


    That kind of power was unheard of. They just came to terms that Spirit Stones above Level Six didn¡¯t exist for now, only to come across a Level Nine one so soon.


    Her original plan had been to kill whatever was down here, retrieve the Spirit Stone, and leave.


    But now...


    [Recommendation: Do not engage in combat. Attempt to tame the dragon. If successful, you will gain an unparalleled advantage.]


    Her grip on the dagger tightened.


    Tame it?


    This wasn¡¯t some ordinary beast. This was a newly evolved dragon, an apex predator of its kind. It was a mythical creature that shouldn¡¯t even exist.


    But... if she could make it submit to her, it would indeed change everything.


    She exhaled slowly, eyes never leaving the dragon¡¯s glowing gaze. Fortunately, it hadn¡¯t taken the step to attack her, yet.


    It seemed to be studying her, just like she was studying it.


    Then, as she reached out -


    ... the dragon finally moved.


    * * *


    Author¡¯s Note:


    The dragon here isn¡¯t the one shown in western fantasy books or movies, but the one shown or described in eastern fantasy. For a better understanding, click on this paragraph comment to see the picture of the dragon. Discover exclusive tales on NovelFire.C?m

 Chapter 237: The Dragon’s Wrath

    The water pulsed with power as dragon¡¯s glowing blue eyes locked onto Grace. Its massive body coiled within the dark depths of the pond. Its presence was suffocating, its sheer size overwhelming. The energy radiating from it felt almost alive, pressing against her like an invisible force trying to crush her into submission.


    But she held her ground... well, as much as one could while being suspended in water.


    And then... the dragon moved.


    It was a slow, sinuous motion, almost lazy - except there was nothing lazy about the way its body tensed. Its massive tail shifted, stirring up the water into violent currents.


    2025¡¯s voice crackled in her mind.


    [Master, it¡¯s reacting to your presence. It¡¯s assessing whether you are its prey or a threat.]


    Either way, it was going to eliminate her. She knew that. And she also knew, if she failed this test, she wouldn¡¯t get a second chance.


    The dragon¡¯s gaze burned into her. She could sense its strength, its overwhelming dominance in this space.


    And yet, she didn¡¯t back down.


    Slowly, carefully, she reached into her space and pulled out a vial - Concentrated Beast Essence. It was a rare magical substance she had recently developed. It was made of the extracts of a mutated plant and crushed level four red Spirit Stone.


    It was something she had been using to momentarily fluctuate the attention of the Infected Beasts¡¯ during the fights. But considering how strong the dragon was, she wasn¡¯t sure if the product was going to work on it or not.


    The moment she uncorked it, the energy exploded outward in the water.


    The dragon¡¯s head snapped forward, nostrils flaring as it caught the scent. Immediately, a low, rumbling growl vibrated through the pond.


    Its body tensed for a moment, and then... it lunged.


    Of course, it didn¡¯t work.


    Grace barely had time to react. She dodged, twisting her body just in time as the dragon¡¯s massive jaws snapped shut inches from where she had been. The sheer force of its movement sent powerful currents rolling through the water, nearly knocking her off balance.


    But instead of panicking, she moved with the current, letting it propel her back as she kept her eyes on the dragon.


    The beast circled her, watching. Testing.


    She knew what it wanted. It wasn¡¯t just attacking out of instinct - it was challenging her. Testing if she was worthy.


    [Master, you need to show dominance,] 2025 urged. [Taming a creature of this caliber requires more than just luck. It must submit to you.]


    Right. But it was easier said than done.


    Yet, she had one advantage - she had fought powerful creatures before. And more than that.. she had killed them. Obviously those beasts were nowhere near like what she was currently facing, but they still counted for something.


    Taking a slow breath, she concentrated her attention and called her powers. Killing the beast would have been easier, but taming it needed a plan - one that she didn¡¯t have at the moment.


    When she set out for restricted zone, she wasn¡¯t expecting to come across a Beast. And when she jumped into the pond to find the Beast, she wasn¡¯t expecting for 2025 to suggest her to tame it instead of killing it.


    Thus, she had no prior planning to deal with the current situation. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As her power came to the surface upon her call, golden light surrounded her, curling around her like ink dissolving in water.


    The dragon froze. Its gaze flickered toward the swirling energy around her, and recognition sparked in its intelligent eyes.


    A beat passed, and then... it attacked.


    The water erupted as the dragon shot toward her like a lightning bolt.


    Grace reacted instantly. She kicked off the pond floor, darting upward just as the dragon¡¯s tail whipped through the space she had just occupied. The sheer force of the movement sent a shockwave through the water, cracking the pond bed below.


    Her heart pounded. She couldn¡¯t afford to make a single mistake.


    Summoning her dagger, she infused it with her energy, same golden energy curling around the blade as she twisted her body mid-water and slashed at the dragon¡¯s scales.


    The impact barely left a scratch. But it did something more important - it got its attention.


    The dragon let out a deep, reverberating snarl. It twisted its massive body, its tail coming around faster than she was expecting.


    She crossed her arms in front of her just in time. The impact sent her flying backward, pain blooming in her arms. But she used the momentum - spinning, redirecting herself in the water.


    She couldn¡¯t rely on brute force alone. She needed to be smarter.


    The dragon watched her, its movements slower now, more calculating. It had felt her strength and power - it wasn¡¯t overwhelming, but it wasn¡¯t insignificant either.


    More importantly, it had felt the Shadow Rain energy within her - the same energy that coursed through its body.


    And that had made it hesitate.


    Grace exhaled sharply, steadying herself. Then... she spoke. "I am not here to kill you."


    The dragon¡¯s massive head tilted slightly, its eyes narrowing. It was listening.


    "But if you don¡¯t submit to me..." Explore hidden tales at NovelFire.C?m


    She let her energy flare, letting it feel her strength. She wanted it to know that she could kill it, if she wanted to. It had been taking her too lightly just because she had been holding herself back, but it shouldn¡¯t take that as her weakness.


    "... I will make you." She finished, keeping her gaze fixed on it.


    A long silence followed.


    Then the dragon moved.


    Not to attack this time, but to test. Not like it hadn¡¯t been doing exactly that all this time - testing her, playing with her. It swam forward slowly, circling her. The tension remained thick and heavy in the water.


    And then, it stopped.


    A deep rumble vibrated through the water. And in that moment, she knew - it had accepted her challenge.


    But it wasn¡¯t about to submit to her... at least, not yet.


    This was only the beginning.

 Chapter 238: Out of Restricted Zone

    Above the Surface ~


    Meanwhile, above the pond, the battle was raging on.


    Davian swung his blade in a wide arc, slicing through the monstrous trees¡¯ thick vines. Fire erupted along the blade¡¯s edge, burning through the unnatural plant life, but more vines kept coming.


    Rune let out a sharp breath, his hands glowing as he activated a defensive barrier around Aleena, who was pinned down by a heavy branch.


    "We can¡¯t keep this up forever!" Kevin shouted as he fired his rifle, his bullets tearing through an infected Beast¡¯s skull.


    "We just need to buy Grace time!" Davian shouted back, his eyes flashing toward the pond.


    But even as he said it-


    The ground shook again.


    And this time... something massive began to rise from the water.


    - - -


    Beneath the surface, Grace felt it.


    The bond forming.


    She could hardly believe that all it took her to convince the Beast was to tell it how it barely had any choice but to accept her offer.


    The dragon had been unable to leave the pond because there was a natural barrier around the restricted zone. It was not only keeping it locked inside, but it also kept the government and military from reaching it.


    Which meant the military and government were still unaware of what was hiding within the restricted zone. All they knew was that something really powerful... and dangerous... was hidden there, and they were gathering enough people to take down the barrier.


    All this was what Grace came up with after 2025 confirmed that the energy she felt upon entering restricted zone was none other than a barrier. It also explained why the dragon hadn¡¯t been able to leave the pond yet.


    What she told the dragon might be far from actual truth, but for the time being, it made most sense as well helped her in putting the dragon on alert.


    She also told it how there was a possibility the government would kill it for its Spirit Stone, while she was offering it a safe place to live, food to enjoy, and environment to get stronger - as long as it helps her in her future plans if and when asked.


    That¡¯s all the speaking she did just moments ago... and the dragon made up its mind instantly.


    The connection snapped into place. And the moment it happened, the dragon moved.


    With a powerful thrust of its tail, it shot upward, dragging Grace with it.


    She barely had time to take a breath before they breached the surface.


    Water exploded outward as the dragon rose.


    Its massive, sinuous body unfurled in the air, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.


    Everyone froze.


    The infected Beasts, the monstrous trees - even her team.


    The dragon hovered above the water, droplets of water cascading down its glistening black scales.


    And on its head, between the two golden horns... stood Grace.


    Dripping wet.


    But glowing with power.


    Eyes locked onto the battlefield.


    "*Enough.*"


    Her voice rang out, calm yet commanding.


    And as if the world itself had heard her, the monstrous trees stopped moving. The infected Beasts hesitated.


    And in that moment, a single truth became undeniable - she had tamed the dragon.


    Realizing that the mission was successful, Grace prepared to get her team and herself out of this place.


    The moment she dismissed the dragon into her space, the oppressive energy surrounding the area vanished.


    But that was both a blessing and a curse. Your journey continues with NovelFire.C?m


    With the dragon¡¯s overwhelming presence gone, the monstrous trees and infected Beasts immediately resumed their attack, as if the pause had never happened.


    "We need to leave, now!" Davian shouted, slashing through a vine that had shot toward him like a whip. Fire erupted along the edge of his blade, burning through the plant, but another vine took its place almost instantly.


    Aleena barely dodged an infected Beast¡¯s claws, rolling to the side before stabbing it in the chest with her glowing dagger. "Boss, get down here!"


    Grace didn¡¯t need to be told twice.


    She leaped off the pond¡¯s edge, landing smoothly beside them. "Davian, open the portal!" she commanded, summoning a barrier to block another vine from reaching Aleena.


    "On it!"


    Davian raised his hand, and energy swirled in the air as a portal began forming.


    The air around them crackled, a shimmering vortex of energy expanding in the middle of their defensive formation. The moment it reached full size, Rune stepped forward.


    "Give me a second," Rune said, his hands glowing with runes of light as he prepared to cast a spell. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace nodded, understanding immediately what he was upto. This was something they had been doing everytime they stepped out of Greenstone. They couldn¡¯t afford to leave any traces behind. Since the military was already looking for a group of survivors that escaped their clutches just hours ago, they didn¡¯t need to give them more clues about what had happened here.


    "Cover him!" Kevin ordered the team as he fired his rifle, shooting down another infected Beast charging toward them.


    The team huddled closer, their movements perfectly synchronized as they held their ground. Aleena threw explosive daggers at the monstrous trees, while Kevin and Grace kept the Beasts at bay.


    Rune¡¯s spell intensified, the runes in the air expanding outward in waves.


    Grace felt the energy pulse as the spell activated - removing their footprints, their lingering energy signatures, all the marks of the weapons they used, and even the blood they had spilled in battle. Within seconds, the restricted zone looked as if they had never been there.


    Except - the barrier was down and the pond empty.


    "Go!" Rune shouted, his spell complete.


    One by one, they stepped into the portal.


    Grace was the last to enter, her eyes scanning the area one last time.


    The military would notice the disturbance - the dragon¡¯s emergence had been too massive to go unnoticed.


    But by the time they arrived... there would be nothing left for them to find.


    With that final thought, she stepped into the portal.


    And the restricted zone fell silent once more.

 Chapter 239: Angry Boyfriends

    The moment Grace and her team stepped out of the portal, they were back in Greenstone, in the living room of Unit 2203. The air was thick with tension, and their bodies were still on high alert from the battle they had barely escaped.


    Davian was the last to exit, and as soon as he did, the portal behind him flickered and collapsed into itself. Rune let out a sigh of exhaustion, leaning against the nearest wall as if he needed the support when he really didn¡¯t.


    "That was too close," Aleena muttered, wiping the dirt from her face that she got while fighting.


    "You are telling me," Kevin grumbled as he checked his ammunition. "That place was kind of a nightmare."


    "And it¡¯ll only get worse," Grace said, running a hand through her damp hair. The trip underwater, combined with the energy she had spent fighting, left her feeling drained. "The military will investigate the restricted zone soon."


    "Did they see us?" Rio asked, glancing at Rune.


    "No," Rune answered, straightening. "I made sure of that. But they will notice the disturbance. They will not be able to track this matter back to us, but it can make the situation worse. We need to prepare for whatever comes next."


    Continue your adventure at NovelFire.C?m


    A heavy silence settled over the group. They had gone into the restricted zone looking for answers, and they had found more than they had bargained for. A dragon. A level nine Spirit Stone. A beast that had mutated far beyond what was thought possible.


    "2025," Grace called out, reaching out through their connection. "How¡¯s the dragon?"


    [Stable. It is in a deep sleep in the depths of the lake. The mutation process it underwent was extreme, but it adapted. Its energy is powerful, almost divine.]


    "Can you wake it up?"


    [Not recommended. It has just bonded to you. If you wake it too soon, it might resist, or worse, go berserk.]


    Grace exhaled slowly. She already had enough problems on her hands, she didn¡¯t need a rampaging dragon inside her space to add to them. "Fine. Let it sleep for now."


    [Understood.]


    Kevin let out a low whistle, bringing her attention back to ongoing conversation. "So, what do we do with a dragon?"


    "Tame it," she said simply. "We need to make sure it fully submits to me."


    "And if it doesn¡¯t?" Silas asked, crossing his arms.


    "Then we are in trouble."


    * * *


    With the mission concluded, everyone headed to their apartments.


    The moment Grace, Rune, and Davian stepped into their apartment, the tension that had been simmering beneath the surface finally exploded. The door had barely shut behind them when Davian turned to face her, his eyes dark with anger.


    "What the hell were you thinking, Grace?" His voice was sharp, colder than usual. "Jumping into that pond alone? Do you have a death wish?"


    Rune, on the other hand, ran a hand through his dark hair before starting to pace around the living room in frustration. "You didn¡¯t even give us a warning! One second you were there, and the next, you were gone!" He stopped abruptly and fixed her with a heated gaze. "You didn¡¯t even left us with a way to protect you."


    Grace exhaled, bracing herself. She had known this confrontation was coming the moment she had made the choice to dive into the pond. And while she understood their anger, she also knew she had done what was necessary.


    "I didn¡¯t have time to explain," she said, keeping her voice calm. "If I had hesitated, we could have all died. The trees were attacking. The infected Beasts were coming for us. The only way to stop it was to go for the source - the dragon."


    "You could have told us!" Davian snapped. "Even in that moment, you could have given us some signal instead of leaving us to panic while fighting off those monsters!"


    "And what if something had happened to you?" Rune¡¯s voice was lower, rougher. "You were underwater, alone, facing a mutated dragon. If it had injured you, what the hell were we supposed to do?"


    Grace stepped forward, reaching out to him, but he took a step back, his jaw tightening. That small action hurt more than his words. Rune was always the one pulling her into his arms, always touching her. For him to move away¡­ she knew she had truly hurt him.


    "I know you are mad," she said softly, looking at both of them. "I would be, too. But you know me. You know I had to make that call."


    Davian let out a sharp breath, rubbing his temple as if trying to reign in his anger. "That¡¯s not the point, Grace. We know you are strong, but we are supposed to be a team. You didn¡¯t act like you trusted us to have your back."


    The guilt settled deep in her chest. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her gaze shifted between the two men, and she felt her heart breaking. She wasn¡¯t offended after seeing them so mad at her for what she did, instead, it actually filled her with a warm feeling. At least, she had now such people around her who cared so much about her.


    Their anger was proof of their love for her.


    "* do trust you," she said sincerely. "With my life. But sometimes, the risk is mine to take. And I will never - never - let anything happen to either of you if I can prevent it. If that means making a split-second decision to protect you, then I will."


    Rune¡¯s hands clenched at his sides, and for a moment, she thought he would continue arguing. But then, with a sharp exhale, he suddenly closed the distance between them, pulling her against his chest in a crushing embrace.


    "You are impossible," he murmured, his voice rough in her ear. "Absolutely impossible."


    She melted into his hold, wrapping her arms around him. "But you still love me," she teased lightly, using the same words he kept telling her all the time.


    "I do," he admitted, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Which is why you make me insane."

 Chapter 240: Sleeping Dragon

    Grace smiled against his chest but didn¡¯t get the chance to respond before Davian was pulling her away from Rune, cupping her face between his hands. His dark green eyes searched hers, still stormy with emotion.


    "You scared me," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "Don¡¯t do that again."


    "I¡¯ll try," she promised, knowing she would likely break it again someday.


    He sighed, then kissed her. It wasn¡¯t soft or hesitant - it was deep, firm, claiming. She sank into it, into the way his lips moved over hers, the way his body pressed against her like he needed to make sure she was truly here, truly safe.


    When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers. "You drive me crazy," he muttered.


    "Join the club," Rune added with a little smirk.


    Davian let out a small sigh and finally lowered his hands. "Go and get changed. It¡¯s already pretty late. I¡¯ll prepare a quick meal so that we can eat and get some rest."


    She nodded her head and immediately headed to her bedroom. It was almost dawn and they had stayed awaken throughout the long night. With how much energy they spent on this mission, they definitely needed good food and sleep.


    She quickly showered and got ready before joining Davian in the kitchen. He had already showered while Rune was now showering. The two of them worked in perfect sync as they prepared a quick meal within half an hour.


    Once they had filled their bellies with food, the three immediately headed to bed.


    - - -


    Days turned into a week, and things remained going smoothly for Grace and Greenstone. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It turned out she wasn¡¯t far from truth when she guessed about things that were going on in Mapleton City and the restricted zone.


    The government and the military were stunned by what happened within a night right under their nose, but no matter how much they tried to find the culprits who broke into restricted zone and took away whatever secret was hiding there, they were unable to.


    Fortunately, Rune had cast a spell on the group they came across in Mapleton to remove their memories of Grace and the team. And he also removed any of their traces from the restricted zone - this left the military with no way to link the incidents to them.


    But while things were going perfect in the outside world, the same couldn¡¯t be said about the situation within the Infinite Realm. Enjoy new adventures from NovelFire.C?m


    An entire week went by but the dragon didn¡¯t wake up even for once. Not only that but it turned out that in its sleep, it had been consuming a lot of the pure energy that was present in the Realm.


    The good thing about this situation was that no matter how much energy the dragon could consume, there would never be a lack of it as the Realm kept replenishing the energy. But the real problem was - why the dragon suddenly started consuming all this energy?


    2025 was quick to find out the answer, and it left Grace stunned.


    "Are you saying that the Spirit Stone Inside it is about to level up? It will soon be a Level Ten Spirit Stone?" She asked, wanting to make sure that she wasn¡¯t overanalyzing what the little creature just told her.


    "That¡¯s right." 2025 confirmed, forcing her to inhale deeply. "It¡¯s Spirit Stone started consuming the pure energy of this world the moment it came here, and after consuming it for the past nearly six months, it¡¯s about to level up."


    While only one week had passed in the outside world, it had been nearly six months inside the Infinite Realm, and throughout this time, the dragon had been peacefully sleeping and cultivating.


    Grace was happy about the news, but at the same time, her head was filled with questions. "Why it can level up by consuming pure energy of this Realm, but my other mutated Beasts can¡¯t even though they have been living inside this Realm for years?"


    All the animals she kept in her Realm from the very beginning, and had them consume Shadow Rain when it concurred, completed their mutation process long ago.


    The two years of the outside world that had went by were worth decades within the Infinite Realm. In these two decades, every single one of her mutated Beast formed a Spirit Stone within their cores, but not a single one had been able to cross above Level Three.


    On the other hand, there were infected Beasts out there who had already reached level six and above. This didn¡¯t make much sense to her.


    But it seemed like 2025 already had an answer.


    "That¡¯s because your Beasts and the ones in the outside world are completely different."


    Grace arched her eyebrows, staring at the little creature for its choice of words. "What do you mean by different?"


    "Let me explain it in this way - you consumed the Shadow Rain and so did the zombies. But while you unlocked superpowers, they turned into the monsters they are now. Why? Because they were out in the rain for too long, because their bodies weren¡¯t strong enough to handle the mutation, and so on."


    She listened carefully as 2025 continued to explain.


    "Now if you try to compare the level of advancement between these two groups - the ones who ended up unlocking superpowers and the ones who turned into the zombies - you will see which one is evolving faster."


    As 2025 pointed it out, Grace did realize that compared to those with superpowers, the zombies were progressing and evolving much faster. While most of the former group was still struggling to understand their powers, let alone leveling up, the latter group was already at the peak of their mutation.


    "And why there¡¯s this difference?" She asked 2025, curious to know why the bad ones were evolving quicker.


    "Because that¡¯s how it works." 2025 answered simply. "The darker, or negative, side of anything always evolves faster. But just because it¡¯s showing results quickly doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s good."

 Chapter 241: The Dragon’s Awake

    Grace pondered over 2025¡¯s words, letting them sink in. It made sense in a way - corruption, decay, and destruction always seemed to spread faster than growth, healing, or cultivation. The infected beasts, like the zombies, thrived on an aggressive, almost parasitic form of evolution, while her mutated beasts had been steadily developing in a more balanced, controlled manner.


    Still, something about the dragon¡¯s rapid evolution unsettled her.


    "So, how long do you think it will take the mutated beasts in here to cross level four?" She asked, curious to know if even two decades of pure energy of Infinite Realm wasn¡¯t worth even two years of bad energy of the outside world.


    "Not long. There are actually two among them that are about to level up to Level Five very soon. Maybe a month or two at most." 2025 finally had a good news for her regarding the matter.


    Grace let out a small sigh of relief. She wasn¡¯t asking for much, she just wanted her beasts to at least be on a level where they could defend themselves against the outside world on their own when the time came.


    "If the dragon reaches Level Ten, what does that mean for us?" she asked as her attention returned to the dragon. "Will it still be under my control?"


    2025 hesitated for a moment as if processing the question.


    "Theoretically, yes," it finally answered after a while. "The bond you formed with it is strong, and since you have given it such a good place to live and cultivate its spirit stone, it might consider this place its home. However¡­"


    She narrowed her eyes. "However?"


    "It¡¯s leveling up too quickly," 2025 admitted. "Even if it remains loyal to you, a Level Ten Spirit Beast is not something to take lightly. Right now, no creature in your realm or the outside world has reached this stage. It will be the first."


    Grace exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. That meant she was treading in completely uncharted territory. No records, no past experiences to draw from. Just pure, unpredictable change.


    "We should prepare," she murmured.


    2025 bobbed in agreement. "That would be wise."


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    She turned away from the little creature and walked toward the lake. With a deep breath, she jumped into the lake, heading straight into its depths where the big beast was sleeping peacefully. It was curled up in a bed of golden mist, its scales shimmering faintly. The closer she got, the more she could feel the power radiating off of it. A steady pulse, like a heartbeat, vibrated through the air.


    Reaching out, she hesitated just before touching its warm, scaled forehead. "What are you going to become?" she whispered.


    The dragon didn¡¯t respond, its breathing slow and even. But in the depths of her mind, she felt something stir - something strong, vast, and awakening.


    * * *


    For the next few days, Grace remained inside the Infinite Realm, watching over the dragon. She adjusted the energy flow within the space, making sure it wouldn¡¯t accidentally absorb more power than it could handle. Meanwhile, outside, Davian and Rune handled Greenstone¡¯s affairs, ensuring everything ran smoothly in her absence.


    Then, on the fifth day, the dragon finally woke up.


    Grace was working in the fields when a deep rumble spread through the Infinite Realm, shaking the ground and making the sky tremble. She turned her head in time to witness the dragon emerging out of the lake and flying high in to the sky.


    Once it was high enough, it stopped moving and just stayed there as if it was waiting for someone... or something.


    "What¡¯s going on?" She asked 2025 that appeared next to her once it too felt the disturbance.


    "I think its about to reach Level Ten." The little creature answered while it made the system note down every single change within the dragon.


    Hearing that, Grace immediately summoned her power in case anything went wrong.


    The very next moment, a bright golden light surrounded the dragon - it was almost blinding, forcing them to close their eyes. Then, a powerful gust of wind rushed through the area, sending waves across the lake and fields.


    And then, everything calmed down, allowing Grace to finally open her eyes. But she found neither the golden light or the dragon. She was about to ask 2025 what happened when she felt a strong presence behind her.


    She turned around right on time to witness the dragon coming to a stop. Her heart pounded as she wondered if she just avoided becoming its snack.


    As her gaze locked with its stormy blue ones, something about it felt¡­ different. It wasn¡¯t just about its power... but its very presence. She also noticed how its eyes had turned a shade darker.


    She wanted to ask 2025 if the dragon had already leveled up, but before she could have spoken, someone else did.


    "Master," it spoke, its voice deep and resonant, echoing in her mind. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grace froze.


    The dragon had never spoken before.


    She stepped forward cautiously. "You can talk?"


    "I have always been able to," it replied, lowering its head to meet her gaze. "But my Spirit Stone was too weak to form proper thought before. Now, I am whole."


    Her heartbeat quickened. If it was self-aware now, that meant it wasn¡¯t just a beast following instinct anymore - it was a fully conscious entity. That changed everything.


    "Are you still¡­ you?" she asked, testing the waters.


    The dragon let out a slow exhale, eyes glowing. "I am. But I am more than I was before."


    She wasn¡¯t sure if that was comforting or terrifying.


    Before she could say more, the dragon suddenly lifted its head, its gaze sharpening. "Something is happening in the outside world."


    Grace frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "The energy beyond this realm is unstable." It turned its gaze upward, as if it could see past the barriers of the Infinite Realm. "Something¡­ is changing."


    A cold feeling crept into Grace¡¯s chest. Without wasting another second, she exited the realm and returned to reality.

 Chapter 242: Sudden Firework Show

    The apartment was empty as it was the middle of the day and the men were out on the fields. But the moment she stepped out of the silence of the apartment, she was able to notice that something was indeed going on outside just like the dragon said.


    Not wasting any more time in descending the stairs all the way to the ground floor, she teleported to the lobby of the building before finally stepping out, and that was when she noticed the crowd gathered there while gazing up at the sky.


    As her gaze followed the direction of their sight, she found herself looking at what almost could pass as a type of fireworks... just a different kind.


    "What¡¯s going on with the barrier?" She asked 2025 when the creature didn¡¯t took the initiative to update her on the situation on its own.


    There was a silence for merely a second or two before it finally responded. [A severe hailstorm is currently ongoing, but the barrier is doing its job and stopping the ice balls from entering Greenstone, creating the view you are seeing at the moment.]


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    Grace observed the scene before her. The sky above Greenstone shimmered as massive ice shards shattered upon the invisible barrier, scattering into harmless, glowing fragments before vanishing.


    The people gathered in the streets murmured in awe and confusion with their gazes fixed on the breathtaking sight.


    To them, it must have seemed like a miracle... or an omen.


    "Looks like we have given them quite the show," she muttered under her breath.


    [You should be prepared for questions,] 2025 warned.


    Grace sighed, rubbing her temple. The last thing she needed was for the people of Greenstone to start questioning why their city remained untouched while the world outside descended into chaos. But she couldn¡¯t exactly step forward and announce, Oh, by the way, I placed an advanced energy barrier over the entire city. You are welcome.


    Of course, the barrier wasn¡¯t going to be a secret for too long, but she still felt that this wasn¡¯t the right time to let the residents know about it. She didn¡¯t want them to start feeling like they had become completely unshakable while they were still learning to live in this new world.


    Before she could think of a way to calm the crowd, a sharp whistle cut through the murmurs.


    "Alright, everyone, get back to work!" a familiar voice boomed.


    She turned to see Davian, his green eyes scanning the gathered civilians with authority. "The sky might be pretty to look at, but we still have things to do. Don¡¯t let a little weather distract you!"


    There were a few reluctant groans, but the people obeyed, dispersing immediately.


    As the crowd thinned, Rune appeared beside her, arms crossed. "This isn¡¯t a normal storm," he muttered.


    "Why do you think so?" She asked, surprised by the determination in his tone.


    He turned his head slightly toward her. There was an unreadable expression crossing his face. "I just can¡¯t shake the feeling that I¡¯ve sensed this kind of energy before."


    Davian¡¯s attention snapped to him. "What do you mean?"


    Rune frowned, his icy-blue eyes dark with thought. "It¡¯s familiar. I can¡¯t place it yet, but I know I¡¯ve felt something like this before."


    A cold weight settled in Grace¡¯s chest. "You think something is causing this?"


    Rune didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he tilted his head as if listening to something only he could hear. "Or maybe someone." Once again he sounded so sure. "And if they are," he murmured, "then they are not just summoning a storm." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    * * *


    Within next ten minutes, she and the men were back in their apartment to delve deeper into the matter.


    The atmosphere was tense as Davian got Dr. Kian and 2025 also appeared to join the meeting. Once the doc was filled on with what was going on, all eyes settled on 2025.


    "The storm isn¡¯t just random," 2025 said. "It¡¯s expanding outward in a circular pattern, almost like¡­" it hesitated before finishing, "...a signal."


    Grace¡¯s brow furrowed. "A signal?"


    2025 nodded. "It¡¯s too rhythmic to be natural. The way the energy is dispersing - it¡¯s almost like someone is sending out a call."


    A heavy silence fell over the room.


    Davian leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. "If someone is trying to call something¡­ who - or what - are they calling?"


    "That¡¯s what we need to find out," Grace said.


    Rune, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. "It might not be an ¡¯it.¡¯"


    All eyes turned to him.


    "What do you mean?" Dr. Kian asked.


    Rune¡¯s expression was unreadable. "What if it¡¯s not an object or a creature? What if someone is trying to call someone else?"


    A deep frown creased Grace¡¯s forehead. "Calling someone?"


    Rune nodded, his posture tense. "The energy in the storm¡­ it¡¯s not just chaotic. There¡¯s something structured about it, like a pulse, a rhythm. It¡¯s as if someone is sending a message."


    Dr. Kian tapped his fingers against the table, his sharp gaze focused on Rune. "And you said it feels familiar?"


    Rune hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes. I don¡¯t know from where or when, but I know I¡¯ve felt this energy before."


    A strange unease settled over the room. If Rune was so sure about recognizing this force, then it wasn¡¯t something random.


    "So, we are dealing with an unknown sender and possibly an unknown receiver. Great." Davian stated in a dry tone, but his eyes were serious. "Any guesses on where this signal might be reaching?"


    2025¡¯s voice cut in. "That¡¯s what I am currently analyzing. However, based on the pattern, I suspect the energy is being dispersed in multiple directions - potentially searching for something or someone rather than simply broadcasting."


    Grace exhaled slowly. "So, not just a signal. More like¡­ a beacon?"


    2025 hummed in agreement. "Yes. And given its power, whoever - or whatever - is meant to receive it is likely just as dangerous as the sender."


    Silence filled the room once more before Dr. Kian broke it. "You all are missing the biggest factor here - someone out there can bring hailstorm and use it for their personal matter."

 Chapter 243: New Rank System

    Someone out there can bring hailstorm and use it for their personal matter.


    Silence filled the room as Dr. Kian¡¯s words hit everyone hard, pulling their attention to that one thing they somehow failed to even notice. Discover hidden stories at NovelFire.C?m


    Grace¡¯s gaze locked with Davian¡¯s, and she realized that he was thinking the same thing as her - could someone be strong to shift the nature as per their requirements? What level of power then it would be?


    Over the past two years, the system had identified over two hundred different types of superpowers that was seen around the places she visited and people she came across, but not once did it noticed a power that could bring hailstorm.


    Finally, Davian let out a small sigh, voicing his thoughts out loud. "That¡¯s a whole new level of ability. Weather manipulation on such a scale? That¡¯s not something we have seen from any survivors so far."


    Grace¡¯s fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of her chair. It¡¯s a habit she had picked up during these tense meetings. "Which means this person - or group - isn¡¯t ordinary. They have power, and they are using it for a specific purpose."


    The thought of it being more than just one person was almost scary. But she pushed it away for the time being and focused on Davian as he continued.


    "And if Rune is right, then they aren¡¯t just signaling blindly. They are trying to reach someone specific."


    A tense silence followed. Sge could see the same question forming in everyone¡¯s mind. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who?


    * * *


    The storm continued for the next few hours, the rhythmic pulsing of energy never wavering. If anything, it was growing stronger.


    Grace and the others had split up to keep watch, each taking a different part of the city to monitor for any unusual activity.


    As she stood on the rooftop of one of the tallest apartment buildings at the northern end, the cold wind whipping at her clothes, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something - or someone - was out there, just beyond the barrier.


    [I¡¯m detecting fluctuations in the energy pattern,] 2025 reported through their shared mindlink. [The signal is¡­ shifting.]


    Her grip on the railing tightened. "Shifting how?"


    [It¡¯s narrowing its focus. Instead of a wide, sweeping broadcast, it¡¯s starting to hone in on a specific area.]


    Grace¡¯s heart skipped a beat. "Where?"


    A pause, and then...


    [Directly east of Greenstone. Less than ten kilometers away.]


    Her mind raced. "That¡¯s close. Too close."


    [Which means whoever - or whatever - they are looking for is likely within that range.]


    Grace pushed off the railing. "I need to check it out."


    * * *


    The others didn¡¯t like the idea of her going alone, so she ended up being pared with Rune while Davian and Dr. Kian remained within the residential area to keep the situation there under control.


    The hailstorm was still ongoing, but not as strong as previously. The ice balls crashed against the invisible barrier, sending bursts of light flickering across the sky.


    Grace used teleportation to get to their destination. She and Rune appeared in what turned out to be a small town located at a distance from Greenstone. And surprisingly, there was no hailstorm attacking this abandoned place.


    Not only that, but there was no sign of even a single infected in the area. The place was eerily silent, and the only sound coming was from the ongoing hailstorm in the distance.


    She and Rune immediately shielded their presence and remained in the shadows while 2025 tried to locate the person, or group, they had come looking for.


    It didn¡¯t take too long for the system to give them an exact location, and within minutes, she led Rune to the place. They were hiding in the shadows of what seemed like a store, when they finally noticed them.


    Right! It was more than just one - exactly what Grace dreaded.


    While they were at a safe distance from the group, her heightened senses helped her in seeing and hearing everything that was going on.


    Now that they were this close, 2025 and the system were finally able to get more and important information on the group.


    [Unknown group: members 7]


    Seven - that¡¯s a lot, especially if they all had powers of the level of summoning hailstorm.


    [Master, you see the woman in black cloak, she¡¯s the one summoning the hailstorm. Her power can¡¯t be found without being able to scan her, but the system shows she might be a Rank - A.]


    Rank A?


    "What about the others?" Grace asked the little creature while her heart pounded against her ribs. This was the first time she had come across someone of this high Rank.


    Recently, the system had categorized people with powers into different ranks. There were a total of seven ranks that could possibly exist for the time being - S, A, B, C, D, E, and K, in descending order.


    Those in Rank K were the ones who either recently unlocked their powers, or had been unable to level up despite everything. These were the lowest at the Rank table.


    Most of the residents of Greenstone were at Level E, while a couple had made it to level D recently after spending most of their waking hours training and learning.


    Grace¡¯s team mates had mostly reached level C. As for her men - Davian was at Rank B since he had carried his powers from his past life. Dr. Kian was at Rank C. And Rune, the system had been unable to tell exactly what Rank he was at.


    As for her, she was somewhere between level A and B.


    [Four out of seven are showing signs to be at Rank A, while the other three might be at Rank B.]


    2025¡¯s response to her question pulled her out of her thoughts. To say that she was left stunned would be an understatement. Not one... but four people at Rank A.


    She could only imagine just how powerful the group would be with four Rank A and three Rank B members. She and Rune stand no chance against them. Probably the entire Greenstone stood no chance against them.


    The realization was terrifying... and eye-opener.

 Chapter 244: Failed Search Operations

    All this time, she kept believing that she was on a steady track of progress, and that no one out there might be able to surpass the strength and safety she was building, and yet, here she was - facing the bitter truth.


    There¡¯s always someone out there better.


    She turned her attention to Rune who had been too silent all this time, and it was only then did she notice that something wasn¡¯t right with him.


    His entire body was tensed, and his fingers were witching at his sides while he stared right at the group.


    "Rune?" She called him gently.


    It seemed like her calling his name pulled him back to reality, and she caught the brief flicker of uncertainty in his expression before he masked it with his usual cool demeanor.


    She studied him, trying to understand his weird reaction. No matter how much she thought about it, there was only one possibility...


    "You know the."


    It wasn¡¯t a question exactly, but she waited for his confirmation. He slolwy turned his head toward her, locking their gazes before letting out a small sigh. He wasn¡¯t planning to keep things secret from her, he just didn¡¯t know what to even say.


    He took his time, and she didn¡¯t press him to speak. After what seemed like a few more moment of silence, he finally spoke, "I don¡¯t know them individually, but I might know exactly who they are and why they are here."


    His gaze then shifted back to the group in the distance and she too turned her attention to them, after all, it wasn¡¯t a smart thing to shift her attention away from the enemy in such a situation.


    Right. She had a strong feeling that these people are no friends of hers... or Rune¡¯s.


    "Who are they then?" She asked when he didn¡¯t take the initiative to tell on his own.


    This time, Rune wasted no time in thinking his words through and just told her what he knew. "They are just like the previous group from my world. And if I¡¯m not wrong, then they are here to look for the sudden disappearance of their people and... me."


    No wonder they carried powers that hadn¡¯t been seen in humans... yet. Grace thought as she analyzed each of the sevn members.


    They did look slightly different now that she was paying attention. Even though they appeared just like any other human, they could easily stood out from the mass because of their clothes and appearances.


    There was a tall man in the group with silver streaks running through his dark hair. He had gray eyes and body of a giant... to say the least. Just by his body, he appeared like someone who could crush Grace with just his bare hands. And he was one of the four possible Rank A members of the group.


    The woman in red cloak looked like a stunning beauty who was forced to turn into an assassin. She had her eyes fixed on the sky above, where dark clouds were looming, as she continued to channel her power.


    Then there was another man with broad shoulders and markings trailing down his bare arms. Another one with a long scar running across his face. A second woman with bright purple hair.


    A bald man who was almost as huge as the one with gray eyes. And finally, one last man who wasn¡¯t as huge as others but carried two swords that made him stand out. He was also the only one in the group who was carrying a weapon... at least a visible one.


    Even in this chilling cold, these seven were dressed like they were out on a summer picnic. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    "We should leave." Grace finally spoke.


    It was clear that neither she nor Rune stood a chance against these people, and it would become a problem if they got noticed by the group. Thus, the best decision was to leave the place immediately.


    She felt Rune tensing behind her. Without turning back, she reached out to hold his arm and gave it a light squeeze.


    "Will they be able to find out what happened to the previous group?" She asked.


    "At some point, they will realize the group¡¯s dead already. It will only increase their suspicion, and their first suspect will be none other than me." Rune was honest with her as he answered.


    She nodded her head in understanding before she asked her next question. "Can you defeat them now?"


    There was a silence that lasted for a few seconds before he answered softly. "No."


    This time, she finally turned around and face him. "That¡¯s why, we should leave."


    Slolwy, he gave a nod of his head before taking hold of her hand that had been holding his arm. The very next moment, the two of them disappeared from their hiding place.


    -


    The moment they did so, one of the seven - the woman with purple hair, whipped her head in the direction of Grace and Rune¡¯s hiding place as she felt a slight shift in the energy.


    But as she tried to feel exactly what kind of disturbance might have caused that shift, she came up empty. Everything was back to normal as if nothing happened in the first place.


    Was she sensing wrong?


    "What is it, Leena?" The man with twin swords asked when he noticed her frowning.


    "Nothing." She answered while giving a little shake of her head. Her attention then shifted to Nerissa who was finally ending the hailstorm as their attempt at getting connected with the previous group turned up futile.


    Nerissa inhaled sharply as she finally retracted her power, summoning such a powerful hailstorm clearly left her drained.


    "Nothing." She said what others had already figured.


    It had been weeks since they started looking for the previous group, but despite searching around different continents and countries around this planet, they had found absolutely nothing.


    And these continous failures meant only one thing - the group was long gone... dead.


    But who could have killed them? - That¡¯s what they needed to find out.

 Chapter 245: Stand By His Side

    "Are you alright?" Grace asked as she entered the room, only to be met with absolute darkness.


    She reached out for the wall, locating the switchboard before switching on the light. She then turned it down enough to allow just a little warm glow to fill the room.


    Only then did she turn to face the room and her eyes flickered toward the coffee table that was cluttered with empty beer cans. Some had toppled over, their contents long drained, leaving behind the faint scent of alcohol lingering in the dimly lit room.


    Rune was sitting on the couch, his posture slouched, one hand gripping the half-full can while his gaze remained fixed on the floor. The darkness that had consumed the space mirrored the storm inside him.


    It had been nearly half a day since they returned from the nearby town where they found the high-rank group, and ever since then, Rune had locked himself inside the bedroom.


    With a quiet sigh, she stepped closer, her soft footsteps barely making a sound against the carpet. She perched herself on the armrest of the couch. Slowly, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension in his muscles beneath her touch. Read exclusive chapters at NovelFire.C?m


    "Are you thinking about them?" she asked, her voice calm but laced with concern.


    Rune remained silent, but the way his grip tightened around the can of beer was enough of an answer. She didn¡¯t need words to know what was weighing him down. Meeting the people from his world - his past - had stirred something in him.


    Her fingers squeezed his shoulder lightly, offering comfort without pushing him to speak. She had begun to think he wouldn¡¯t open up to her when, unexpectedly, he turned his face toward her. The raw emotion in his eyes stole her breath.


    She saw - vulnerability. Guilt. A torment that ran deep.


    "I can¡¯t stop thinking about it," he finally admitted, his voice hoarse. He set his beer aside and reached for her hand, holding it between his own as if grounding himself. "I¡¯m worried about the future. I brought this trouble to you, Grace. If I wasn¡¯t here¡­ if you hadn¡¯t taken me in-"


    "Stop," she cut him off before he could finish that thought. Her fingers curled around his, firm and unwavering. "You are wrong if you think I regret anything."


    His brows furrowed, and his expression turned conflicted. She could see the battle waging inside him - the urge to protect her, to push her away for her safety, and yet the undeniable longing to keep her close.


    "Even if they are stronger than us," she continued, leaning in slightly, "even if they come after us with everything they have, I¡¯m not afraid to stand by your side. I made my decision when I chose to let you into my life. I¡¯m not going anywhere, Rune."


    His breathing hitched, and for a long moment, he just stared at her. Then, in a voice so quiet it was almost a whisper, he confessed, "Sometimes, you make me feel like I don¡¯t deserve you."


    Her heart clenched at his words. The changes in the outside world had changed them all in different ways, but she had witnessed most of this change in Rune.


    "You deserve everything," she whispered, shifting closer until their faces were only inches apart.


    Her plan was to comfort him, but that move of hers caused the air between them to grow thick. It suddenly felt charged with something electric.


    She watched as his eyes flickered down to her lips, and her heartbeat hammered in response. She barely had time to react before he closed the distance between them.


    His lips met hers in a slow, deliberate kiss, as if he was savoring the way she felt against him. It wasn¡¯t just a kiss... it was a confession, an unspoken plea for her to stay, to not let him go.


    She responded instantly, her fingers sliding up to cup his face, her thumb brushing over the sharp edge of his jaw. The taste of beer lingered on his lips, mixing with the heat of his breath as he deepened the kiss, his hands pulling her closer.


    A soft sigh escaped her as he shifted, his arm wrapping around her waist to tug her onto his lap. Their bodies fit together perfectly, the warmth of him seeping through the fabric of her clothes.


    He started tracing his fingers along her back, leaving a trail of fire in their wake as he tilted his head, pressing harder, kissing her with a desperation that sent shivers down her spine.


    Grace clung to him, her fingers tangling into his hair as she let herself get lost in the way he felt against her. The slow, languid strokes of his tongue against hers soon turned into something hungrier, needier. Every brush of his lips, every soft groan against her mouth only made her crave more. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His hands slipped beneath her sweater, skimming over the bare skin of her waist, making her gasp at the contrast of his cool touch against her heat. She arched into him instinctively, her body betraying just how much she wanted this - wanted him.


    Rune pulled away just enough to look at her, his breath ragged. His eyes were dark, pupils blown wide with something primal. "Grace¡­" he murmured, his voice strained with restraint, as if asking for permission, for confirmation that this was what she wanted.


    She didn¡¯t hesitate. Instead, she leaned in, brushing her lips over his once more, a silent answer to his unspoken question.


    That was all it took.


    He groaned softly, flipping their positions in one swift motion, pressing her back against the couch as his body hovered over hers. His lips found the curve of her jaw, trailing hot kisses down the column of her neck, making her shudder beneath him. Her hands roamed over his back, feeling the tense muscles beneath his shirt, memorizing the way he reacted to her every touch.


    His lips continued their descent. Every kiss, every touch, sent her pulse skyrocketing. She arched into him, breath hitching as his hands moved with a reverence that made her feel like she was something fragile, something precious.

 Chapter 246: He Called Her Dangerous

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - -


    The air in the room was thick with heat, charged with something undeniable as Rune hovered over Grace, his breath heavy, his body radiating warmth against hers. Every touch, every glance between them was a silent confession - an admission of want, of need, of something deeper neither had dared to put into words before.


    Grace¡¯s heart pounded against her ribs as he cupped her face, his fingers tracing the delicate curve of her jaw before sliding into her hair. His lips found hers again, softer this time, slow and unhurried, as if savoring every second. She melted beneath him, her hands gliding over the hard planes of his back, feeling the strength of his muscles flex under her fingertips.


    He kissed her deeply, languidly, as if he had all the time in the world to explore her, and maybe he did - because right now, nothing else existed beyond the two of them.


    She let out a soft gasp when Rune¡¯s lips left hers, traveling down her neck, pressing open-mouthed kisses against the sensitive skin. His teeth grazed her pulse, only for his tongue to soothe the spot immediately after, making her shudder beneath him.


    Her hands slid under his shirt, desperate to feel more of him, to touch the bare skin she hadn¡¯t gotten a good feel of in a while. Rune groaned against her throat when her fingers traced the ridges of his abdomen, his breath stuttering for just a second before he sat up, his gaze dark and hooded.


    Wordlessly, he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it somewhere on the floor. Grace¡¯s eyes roamed over his body, taking in the tattoos inked onto his skin like silent stories of his past. She reached out, her fingers ghosting over a particularly part near his ribs, and Rune caught her wrist, holding it still.


    "Do they carry stories?" she murmured, meeting his gaze.


    He exhaled, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Something like that."


    She didn¡¯t ask for more details. Instead, she leaned forward, pressing a featherlight kiss against the markings. He tensed at the sensation, his grip on her wrist tightening just slightly before he released her.


    His lips were on hers again before she could even take another breath, and this time, there was no holding back. His hands roamed over her body, sliding under her sweater, fingertips grazing the bare skin of her waist. The warmth of his palms against her sent a thrill down her spine, and she arched into him, silently begging for more.


    He obliged.


    With one smooth motion, he pulled her sweater over her head, leaving her in nothing but in a pair of sexy black bra and trousers. His eyes darkened as they raked over her, his thumb tracing lazy circles on her hip.


    "You are extremely beautiful," he murmured, his voice husky with desire.


    Grace felt her skin heat at his words, but there was no room for shyness - not when he was looking at her like that, as if she was the only thing that existed in his world.


    She reached for him again, pulling him down until their bodies were flush against each other. The feeling of his bare skin against hers sent a rush of heat through her veins, and when he kissed her again, she felt it all the way down to her toes.


    His hands were everywhere - tracing the curve of her back, skimming over her sides, memorizing every inch of her as if he never wanted to forget. Grace let out a soft moan when his lips trailed lower, down her collarbone, past her shoulder, pressing kisses against the thin fabric that still separated them.


    Rune¡¯s patience was unraveling. She could feel it in the way his fingers trembled slightly as they slipped beneath the waistband of her trousers, in the way his breath hitched when she whispered his name.


    She wanted this - wanted him.


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    She helped him shed the rest of their clothes, the barriers between them disappearing one by one until nothing remained but bare skin and burning need. He hovered over her once more, his forehead pressing against hers as their breaths mingled.


    "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.


    She cupped his face, her thumb brushing over his cheek. "Of course. I don¡¯t have to think when it comes to you."


    Something in Rune¡¯s eyes softened at her words before he kissed her again, pouring every ounce of emotion into it. This wasn¡¯t just about desire - it was about trust, about giving themselves to each other in a way they never had before.


    Sure, they had sex before too, but back then, there was nothing more than just attraction and lost between them. Over the past two years, they had developed a bond that was built on trust, love, and trials.


    And that... made this different - more special and real.


    Their bodies moved in perfect harmony, every touch, every kiss drawing them closer, deeper into something that neither of them had the words to describe. The air was thick with heat, their whispered words the only sounds filling the space between their gasps and sighs.


    He was everywhere - his hands, his lips, his breath against her skin - and Grace felt herself drowning in the sensation of him, in the way he worshipped her with every touch, every movement.


    Time blurred around them, the rest of the world fading away as they lost themselves in each other. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He worshipped her nipples, played with them until both the buds were standing tall and glistening red. Only then did he start moving south, his lips leaving traces of soft, wet kisses down her abdomen and belly.


    He parted her thighs and moved between them, his gaze locking with hers as he lowered his head and blew over her already drenched petals.


    She inhaled sharply, suppressing the urge to press against him and make him give exactly what her body was desperate for...

 Chapter 247: Returning the Pleasure

    Warning: Mature content in the chapter


    - - - - - - - - - - - -


    The air between them crackled with heat, thick with anticipation as Grace lay beneath Rune, her body already trembling from the way he worshipped her.


    "Rune¡­" she gasped softly, her fingers clutching at the sheets as his mouth hovered above her thighs, his breath ghosting over her sensitive skin.


    He didn¡¯t rush. He never did. He took his time, letting the tension coil tighter, drawing out the moment until her body was strung so taut she thought she might shatter before he even touched her.


    A shiver ran through her as his lips pressed against the soft skin of her inner thigh. The gentle scrape of his teeth, which followed next, sent a pulse of pleasure straight through her, forcing her to finally arch instinctively toward him as she silently begged for more.


    He smirked against her skin. "So impatient," he murmured, his voice a deep, teasing whisper.


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    Grace whimpered, her nails digging into the sheets. "Rune, please¡­"


    That was all the encouragement he needed.


    The first touch of his mouth against her sent a shockwave through her, a moan tearing from her lips as he worked her with slow, deliberate strokes. He was skilled - so painfully skilled - knowing exactly how to unravel her, how to make her body respond to every flick of his tongue.


    It had been so long since she last enjoyed his service, that she almost forgot just how good he was.


    Her breath hitched, her thighs trembling as he sucked gently, his hands keeping her firmly in place. The tension coiled tighter, a fire burning in her core, spreading like wildfire through her veins.


    She was losing herself in him, in the way he moved, in the way he made her feel utterly worshipped, and most importantly... in the way his tongue was playing with her clit. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her fingers found his hair, tangling in the soft strands as she gasped his name over and over, her body moving with him, chasing the peak he was so determined to push her toward.


    Rune didn¡¯t stop. He didn¡¯t let up, driving her higher and higher until she could barely breathe.


    Then, with a sharp cry, she shattered.


    Pleasure washed over her in waves, leaving her trembling beneath him, her chest rising and falling rapidly as the world tilted and blurred around the edges.


    But Rune wasn¡¯t done. He pressed soft, lingering kisses against her sensitive skin, letting her ride the aftershocks as he slowly brought her down from the high.


    When she finally opened her eyes, he was already moving up her body, his lips tracing a path back to hers. He kissed her deeply, letting her taste herself on his tongue, and she felt the heat between them reignite instantly.


    She was still breathless when he pulled back, brushing a few damp strands of hair from her face. His gaze was dark, filled with something raw and unspoken, something that made her heart clench in her chest.


    "That was¡­ incredible," she whispered, her voice still shaky from the intensity of her release.


    He smirked, his fingers tracing gentle circles on her hip. "You deserve nothing less," he murmured, his voice rough with sincerity.


    Her heart melted at his words. Without hesitation, she pulled him down for another kiss - this one slower, deeper. She savored the taste of him, the way he fit against her so perfectly, as if they were two halves of the same whole.


    When the kiss ended, she took control. Moving swiftly, she pushed against his chest, flipping them until he was the one lying on his back, gazing up at her with a mixture of amusement and desire.


    A wicked smile played on her lips as she straddled him, her fingers tracing over the hard planes of his chest. He let out a slow, shaky breath as her hands drifted lower, teasing over the waistband of his pants.


    Right. He still had those on while she was butt-naked.


    "You are wearing way too much for my comfort," she murmured, her fingers already working on the buttons, taking her time as she undid them one by one.


    He groaned, his hands gripping her hips as she slid the zipper down. His erection was clearly visible, letting her know that he was just as hungry for her as she was for him.


    She leaned forward and pressed soft kisses against his jaw, his neck, the hollow of his throat. He tilted his head back, exhaling sharply as her fingers wrapped around his erection through the fabric, teasing and testing his control.


    "Grace," he warned, his voice low, almost strained.


    She merely hummed, a satisfied smirk tugging at her lips as she eased his pants down, along with the last barrier separating them. He lifted his hips, helping her rid him of the offending fabric, until they were really skin to skin this time, nothing between them but heat and the unspoken promise of what was to come.


    She took her time exploring him, tracing her fingers over his strong, lean frame, memorizing every marking, every ridge of muscle, every place that made him react.


    He was watching her, his breathing ragged, his hands gripping her thighs as if he was barely holding himself back.


    When she finally wrapped her fingers around his arousal, his breath hitched, and his grip tightened.


    "Grace," he groaned, calling her name again as his head fell back against the pillow.


    She loved the way he said her name, the way he looked at her like she was something precious, something he couldn¡¯t bear to let go of.


    Feeling the need to return the pleasure he just made her experience, she started sliding her hand over his hardness. With each move, she heard his breathing getting sharper and his groans turning hoarse and deeper.


    She traced the veins, letting her fingertips tease him right before jumping into pumping the hard rod. Once she had him completely rock-hard, she leaned forward and took him into her mouth...