Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 122: Let’s See What She’s Made Of.

Chapter 122: Let’s See What She’s Made Of.

Gavin gulped audibly, the realization hitting him like a punch to the gut. "I... I could’ve died if I’d fallen in there completely," he stammered, his voice shaking.

"Well, thank your stars that you didn’t," Ethan whispered to Garvin, his voice low. Garvin nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the scene before them.

The group stood in stunned silence, their eyes still glued to the deadly trap at the center of the pit.

The blonde-haired man, who appeared to be the leader of the pit’s inhabitants, stepped forward. He held himself with calm authority, though his expression betrayed a hint of weariness. "My name is Ryder Cole," he said, his voice firm but carrying a touch of friendliness. "And this is our refuge. We’ve been living here for months."

"Months?!" Scarlett and her group echoed in unison, their eyes widening in shock.

"Yes," Ryder confirmed with a nod, his tone grave. Before he could elaborate, the man with sleek black hair stepped forward, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp with observation.

"There’s no way out of this pit," the black-haired man said, letting out a heavy sigh before forcing a warm smile. "I’m Hunter Grey." His voice was lighter than Ryder’s, and the smile seemed like an attempt to lift their spirits, even in the face of grim circumstances.

Scarlett and her group exchanged glances before taking turns introducing themselves. Their voices were guarded, their movements cautious under the curious gazes of the other survivors gathered in the dimly lit pit. There was no point hiding their identity not when Scarlett had sensed that Ryder and Hunter were just S ranked chosen members.

Ryder offered them a faint smile and gestured toward a cluster of makeshift seats fashioned from salvaged debris. "You should sit," he said. "You’re here because you have powers. That much is obvious. No ordinary human could make it through this forest alive."

Scarlett hesitated before sitting, her group following suit. They remained wary, ignoring the whispers and furtive glances from the others around them.

Hunter leaned casually against the pit’s rough wall, his tone conversational but no less serious. "Some people survive by sheer luck. Others... not so much. They usually end up as a monster’s next meal," he explained. His eyes flicked toward the trap at the center of the pit, its glow casting eerie shadows across his face. "Most of the survivors here were rescued by us once we go to the street. It’s rare, though. Those creatures don’t leave much behind."

Ryder folded his arms across his chest, his gaze steady. "This forest is... unique," he began, his voice measured. "It’s made of human flesh and blood. The monsters generally don’t bother coming here. They assume most humans can’t escape them, so they don’t waste their energy chasing anyone to the forest. But that changed when people with powers started arriving." His eyes lingered on Scarlett and her group. "They know they have opponents now, so they’ve started hunting us here. That’s why we set up the trap. Any monster that comes here dies."

"Did you hear that?" Larry whispered into Scarlett’s ear, leaning close. His voice trembled slightly. "He said there’s no way out of the pit, and they’ve been living here for months. We’re screwed."

"We’re not," Kato said from behind, his voice steady and confident. "Scarlett is the queen of monsters, remember?" His words seemed to calm Larry’s racing heart, if only slightly.

Breaking the uneasy silence that had settled over the group, Garvin spoke up, his voice sharp and laced with incredulity. "Did you guys even try to find a way out of this pit, or did you just decide to give up?" He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "And how do you deal with this god-awful smell? Even with a face mask, it’s unbearable."

Ryder’s shoulders slumped slightly, his voice heavy with resignation. "Only Hunter and I have powers. Everyone else here is a regular human. With the number of monsters swarming the cemetery...It’s where we believe the exit lies. But the buildings around it aren’t just buildings. They’re alive monsters in disguise. If it were just Hunter and me, we wouldn’t stand a chance against all of them. It’s suicide to try."

"So you’re just sitting here waiting to die?" Garvin asked, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

Hunter gave a humorless chuckle. "We’re waiting for more people with powers to show up. It’s the only way we’ll have any hope of fighting back. But even with the four of you here, I’m sorry to say we’re still outnumbered and outmatched."

Ryder rubbed a hand over his face, his frustration palpable. "The truth is, we’re surviving, not living. And every day that passes, we inch closer to becoming a monster’s meal. Even though we set traps to kill them, no one knows how long that would last."

Scarlett’s sharp eyes flicked between Ryder, Hunter, and the other survivors. She could feel the oppressive weight of despair hanging in the air, pressing down on everyone like a suffocating fog.

"I understand your concerns," Scarlett finally said, her voice calm yet filled with unwavering confidence. "We have five people with powers now, and together, we can come up with a plan to escape this monster domain."

Ryder raised an eyebrow, his skepticism clear. "And how exactly do you plan to do that? We’ve been trying for months and gotten nowhere. To be honest, we’ve accepted our fate. The more monsters come here and get killed by our traps, the more coins we earn. Those coins let us purchase resources, so at least we don’t starve."

Scarlett smiled faintly, a fierce glint in her eye. "I believe we can come up with a strategy that gives us a real fighting chance."

Kato stepped forward, arms folded across his chest and a wide smirk on his face. "Yeah! We didn’t come all this way to get stuck in some pit for months like you guys. We came down here to save survivors and then get the hell out once we’re done."

By now, Ryder, Hunter, and even the other survivors had their attention fixed on Scarlett and her group. Despite their doubts, there was an unmistakable spark of curiosity in their eyes.

"What’s your plan, Scarlett?" Hunter asked, raising an eyebrow. His curiosity was evident as he leaned slightly forward.

Scarlett’s expression hardened with determination. "The plan is simple. I’ll go out there and draw the monsters to a central location. Once they’re gathered, the rest of you will use your powers to take them down. I could defeat them all myself, but you need to earn some coins too. We’ll make this work...together."

Ryder let out a laugh, his tone dismissive. Hunter joined in, chuckling under his breath, and soon, the other survivors couldn’t help but follow. The laughter spread through the pit, a rare sound in the grim environment, though it quickly died down as they remembered the danger of attracting attention.

"You’re serious?" Ryder asked, still trying to suppress his amusement. "You want to go out there alone and draw all the monsters to you? What exactly are you, young lady? I’ll admit, you’re the first woman I’ve met with powers, most of the others are men. Honestly, it’s hard to believe. Maybe you’re some kind of mistake? Or..." His voice turned mocking, "Are you a transgender or something?"

The pit filled with another wave of laughter, though this time it was laced with condescension. Ryder seemed especially entertained by his own comment, and the other survivors followed his lead, chuckling nervously.

Kato’s voice cut through the noise like a blade. "If I were you, I’d shut up and listen," he said as he rose to his feet, his tone sharp and commanding. He gestured toward Scarlett. "Yeah, she has powers...powers that make yours look like child’s play. Scarlett is more than just another person with abilities. She’s the queen of monsters."

The laughter died instantly. Ryder and Hunter exchanged uncertain glances before Ryder spoke again, his tone edged with disbelief. "The queen of monsters? What are you even talking about?"

Kato smirked, exuding confidence. "Scarlett can control monsters. She hasn’t tested it in front of us yet, but I believe in her. She’s the reason we’re still alive, and she’s the reason we’ll all get out of here."

Ryder’s expression shifted from skepticism to outright shock. "That’s impossible," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "And you believe her? Even though she hasn’t shown you anything?"

Scarlett stood, her piercing gaze locking onto Ryder’s. "My goal was to find other survivors, and now that we’ve found you, the next step is to eliminate the monsters."

Kato chuckled, folding his arms again. "We’ll handle it, with or without your help. But trust me...you’ll want to see what she’s capable of."

Scarlett turned to her group, her expression serious. "Once I gather the monsters, you’ll know. Their growls will be loud enough to shake the ground. Be ready when the time comes."

"We’ve got your back," Larry said, his voice steady.

"I’ll follow you," Garvin said, standing alongside Scarlett.

"No, Garvin," Scarlett replied with a warm but firm smile. "My invisibility spell won’t be active, and I can’t risk you getting hurt or worse. This is something I have to do alone." Her tone left no room for argument, and Garvin reluctantly nodded, his concern evident.

As Scarlett prepared to leave, Kato gave her a slight bow. He wasn’t sure why he did it, but it felt right. Scarlett acknowledged it with a nod before vanishing from the pit in a blur of movement, her presence gone in an instant.

The group sat in silence, the weight of her words settling over them. Ryder and Hunter exchanged uneasy glances, the doubts they had moments ago now giving way to a flicker of hope.

"Let’s see what she’s made of," Ryder murmured, more to himself than anyone else.