Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 150: That’s Human Meat.

Chapter 150: That’s Human Meat.

With one final glance at the eerily silent building, Kato turned and disappeared into the night.

By the time he returned to the tent, Scarlett was still busy petting little Hope, who was now wide awake.

"What took you so long? Were you able to eat?" Scarlett asked the moment Kato stepped inside, her eyes still focused on Hope as she gently stroked the child’s soft hair.

"Yeah," Kato replied, lowering himself onto the bed with a sigh. "Kind of ran into some bad soldiers. You wouldn’t believe it, some of them are part of the survivors, pretending to be victims while waiting for the right moment to strike. But I took care of them." He lied smoothly, keeping his tone casual.

Scarlett’s fingers stilled momentarily, but she said nothing, prompting Kato to continue.

"A monster appeared too," he added, running a hand through his damp hair. "No doubt it used to be human before turning, probably bitten and transformed. I handled that as well and checked the other survivors to make sure no one else was infected or at risk of turning soon."

Scarlett finally looked up, meeting Kato’s gaze with a knowing expression. "I heard the monster’s cries," she admitted. "And the screams of people. I was already coming to check when Hope woke up. But then I caught your scent coming from that direction, and I figured you’d already dealt with it."

"Yeah, you don’t have to worry about that anymore," Kato assured her before exhaling heavily. With a slight flick of his fingers, he used his elemental ability to drain the moisture from his clothes, drying them instantly. He then lay down on the second bed, stretching out as exhaustion settled over him. "Goodnight, Scarlett. You should get some rest. Tomorrow is another long day."

Scarlett hummed in response, watching him for a moment before turning her attention back to Hope, who was now drifting off to sleep.

___________

Morning arrived swiftly, the golden rays of the sun filtering through the small window of the tent and casting a warm glow over Scarlett’s face.

She stirred, rolling onto her side before slowly opening her eyes. A soft smile graced her lips as her gaze landed on Hope, who was still fast asleep, her tiny chest rising and falling rhythmically.

"You’re growing so fast," Scarlett murmured fondly, brushing a stray lock of hair from Hope’s delicate face.

Stretching slightly, she sat up, her eyes scanning the tent only to realize that Kato was gone.

The scent of roasted fish drifted through the air, teasing her senses. Following the delicious aroma, Scarlett stepped outside and found Kato crouched near the fire, skillfully roasting several fish over the flames.

"You’re finally awake," Kato said, flashing her a warm smile as his gaze met hers. "I figured you’d be hungry, so I made breakfast before we hit the road. Hope kept waking up during the night, so I knew you didn’t get much sleep."

Scarlett chuckled softly as she settled into a nearby chair. "Babies are like that," she said, stretching out her arms with a yawn. "They sleep a lot during the day but wake up frequently at night. It’s just how they are."

"They’re like tiny vampires," Kato remarked with a grin before bursting into laughter.

Scarlett arched a brow, clearly not following his train of thought.

"You know," Kato continued, still chuckling. "Vampires rest during the day but hunt at night. Babies are basically the same, except they’re crying for milk instead of blood."

Scarlett rolled her eyes playfully, shaking her head.

Clearing his throat, Kato shifted gears and carefully dished out the meal, placing a serving in front of her. "Anyway, I know my cooking isn’t as good as Ethan’s, but I’d say I still make a pretty decent meal."

Scarlett smiled, picking up a piece of the roasted fish. "Thanks, Kato," she said sincerely before taking her first bite. "And for the record, you’re a great cook."

Kato smirked, leaning back and popping open a bottle of beer. He took a long sip before speaking again.

"I was thinking about something last night," he said, his tone turning serious. "Rather than saying you’re my sister, what if we tell them you’re my wife instead?"

Scarlett froze mid-bite, blinking at him in confusion. "What? Why?"

Kato sighed, swirling the bottle in his hand before taking another sip. "To get Garvin and your son out of there, we need to be smart and work together seamlessly. If I introduce you as my sister, they’ll keep us separated. We won’t share the same room, and they won’t let me spend much time with you. That means you’d be left in the dark about most things because they wouldn’t expect me to have told you anything beforehand."

Scarlett’s brows furrowed, but she remained silent, letting him continue.

"But if you act as my wife," Kato explained, "we’ll have an excuse to be together often. They won’t question why I’m sharing information with you, and they definitely won’t try to keep us apart. No one would want to separate a man from his wife, especially in this kind of environment." He let out a slow, deliberate sigh. "It makes sense strategically."

Scarlett tapped her fingers against the table, considering his words. "I don’t see much logic in this, but whatever," she finally said with a dismissive wave. "If you say acting as your wife is the best way to do this, then fine. You know how this organization operates better than I do, so I trust your judgment."

Kato nodded in agreement.

"We only have to pretend for a short while anyway," she added, shoving another piece of fish into her mouth. "Once we’ve taught those motherfuckers a lesson, all this pretending will be over."

A smirk tugged at Kato’s lips as he took another sip of his beer. "Exactly."

Once Scarlett finished eating, Kato had already packed up the tents and their other belongings. She adjusted Hope in her arms, securing her comfortably against her chest. With Scarlett’s invisibility spell cloaking them, the three of them set off on their journey once more.

_______________

Meanwhile, at the Eclipse Organization

Garvin remained tied to a chair, his wrists bound tightly, his mouth gagged with a thick cloth. The room was shrouded in darkness, the air thick with the scent of damp walls and stale blood. The only sounds were his own muffled breaths and the faint dripping of water somewhere in the distance.

Then, suddenly, the door swung open with a creak, and the dim light from the hallway spilled into the room, casting eerie shadows across the walls.

"You can all leave," Scorpion ordered, his deep voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

The guards standing by the door nodded obediently before exiting the room. One of them flipped the switch on the way out, and harsh white light flooded the space.

The moment the door clicked shut, Georgia stepped forward, her lips curling into a warm yet unsettling smile.

"Nice to see you again," she purred, crouching in front of him. In her hand, she held a white plastic container. "I brought you something to eat."

Without hesitation, she reached forward and pulled off the blindfold wrapped around Garvin’s head. Then, with slow, deliberate movements, she removed the cloth from his mouth, finally allowing him to breathe properly again.

As Garvin gasped for air, Georgia wasted no time. She lifted the lid off the container, releasing a strong, spicy aroma into the air. Inside was a pile of meat, coated in a thick layer of pepper and sauce, its oily surface glistening under the fluorescent light.

"You haven’t had anything since yesterday," she noted, picking up a fork and stabbing a piece of the meat. "You must be starving."

She brought the fork to Garvin’s lips, and without thinking, he took the bite, chewing hungrily. The flavors exploded in his mouth, spicy, rich, yet oddly unfamiliar.

Georgia laughed, watching him devour the food. "You really were hungry after all," she teased, continuing to feed him piece by piece.

Garvin knew they weren’t going to kill him. Not yet. Not until Scarlett arrived. So there was no point in rejecting the food. He needed his strength if he was going to escape when the time came.

Soon, he had finished every last bite in the container. Only then did he realize something was off. The meat had an odd texture, slightly tougher than anything he had eaten before. There was a strange aftertaste lingering on his tongue, something he couldn’t quite place.

As the realization settled uneasily in his stomach, Scorpion leaned in closer, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement.

"How was the meat?" he asked, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.

Garvin swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "It was... good," he admitted hesitantly. Then, unable to shake his unease, he added, "What kind of meat was that, though? I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything like it before. It... it didn’t seem fully cooked either."

Scorpion smirked.

"Oh yeah, that’s human meat," he said casually.

A wave of horror crashed over Garvin, his stomach twisting violently. His breath hitched, and the next second, he was retching. He doubled over in his chair, vomiting uncontrollably onto the cold concrete floor.

Georgia burst into laughter, her voice ringing in his ears.

"Come on, you’ve already eaten it," Scorpion scoffed, stepping back to avoid the mess. "Might as well let it stay in your stomach. It’s not like we’re going to give you any more food."

Garvin gagged, his entire body trembling as bile rose in his throat. His mind screamed in revulsion.

"What kind of meat did you think you were eating?" Georgia taunted, still laughing. "Beef? Pork? You’re in our hands now, sweetheart. Nothing here is as it seems."

Garvin’s breath came in sharp, ragged gasps. His whole body felt cold, his hands clammy with sweat. He had eaten human flesh. The thought alone made his stomach churn all over again.

But before he could react further, Georgia suddenly moved closer, reaching for the ropes that bound his wrists.

"Now that you’re done eating," she said, her voice dripping with amusement, "it’s time for you to do something for me."

She began loosening the restraints on his hands, completely unfazed by the fact that he was still vomiting uncontrollably.