Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 171: End Of The Apocalypse I

Chapter 171: End Of The Apocalypse I

Back at the house where Scarlett and Garvin had left earlier, Ethan entered the dimly lit room, his footsteps soft but deliberate.

Louise and Hunter were seated on the two beds present in the room, their bodies still weak from the ordeal they had endured. Ryder knelt between them, his hands glowing faintly as he channeled both his water and fire elements to help stabilize their conditions.

On one of the beds, Jaden and little Hope lay fast asleep, their small chests rising and falling in a steady rhythm, their expressions peaceful despite the chaos they had faced.

Louise was the first to break the silence, his voice laced with curiosity as he raised his head. "Where are they?"

"In the forest," Ethan replied, exhaling a heavy sigh as he took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"You didn’t tell them we’re awake? They were supposed to follow you, weren’t they?" Louise pressed, his curiosity deepening as his brows furrowed.

"I told them already," Ethan answered, another sigh escaping his lips. This time, his expression darkened, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. "They should be coming soon."

Louise narrowed his eyes, studying him. "What’s wrong with you? You look like you just got punched in the gut."

Before Ethan could respond, the door suddenly burst open, slamming against the wall with a sharp thud.

Scarlett and Garvin rushed in, their presence immediately filling the room with warmth and energy.

Louise and Ryder instinctively turned their gazes towards them, and for the first time in what felt like ages, Louise face lit up with joy.

"They’re finally here," Ethan murmured under his breath, his gaze locking onto Scarlett with a mixture of relief and something deeper, something he chose not to voice.

"Hey, guys!" Scarlett and Garvin greeted in unison, their voices carrying an undeniable enthusiasm as they hurried toward Louise and Hunter. Without hesitation, they wrapped them in side hugs, their happiness tangible.

Louise let out a chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief. "I almost thought I’d never get to see the monster queen’s face again." He grinned mischievously before breaking into laughter, his amusement contagious enough that the others joined in, everyone except Ethan and Hunter, who remained silent. "You still look beautiful as usual, Scarlett."

Scarlett smirked. "Thanks, Louise."

Garvin, feigning offense, placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "And me? Do I not look handsome?"

Louise rolled his eyes. "Oh, you do, Garvin. No need to fish for compliments." Then, his expression softened. "I heard you’re a chosen member now."

Garvin nodded, a proud yet humble smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, I am."

"Well, I’m just glad we’re all back together," Louise admitted, his grin widening.

"Me too," Garvin said warmly.

The lightheartedness of the moment was short-lived, however.

Ryder shifted in his seat, his gaze drifting toward Hunter, who had been uncharacteristically silent since their arrival.

Garvin noticed as well. His brows knitted in concern as he tilted his head slightly. "What’s wrong with Hunter? It feels like he’s... not really here with us."

Scarlett and Louise exchanged uneasy glances before Ryder finally spoke up.

"Oh, yeah," Ryder muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "That’s... a problem. The problem we wanted you to see with your own eyes."

Garvin’s eyes darted to Hunter, his concern deepening. "What do you mean?"

Ryder exhaled heavily before continuing. "He’s been like this since he woke up. He hasn’t said a single word. He just keeps staring ahead, as if he’s lost in his own mind." His voice dropped slightly. "It’s like... he’s lost his memories."

Silence filled the room, the weight of the revelation sinking in.

"What?" Scarlett’s eyes widened as she stepped closer to Hunter. "How is that possible?" She reached out, gently touching his face, her fingers grazing his cheek before she tilted his chin upward, trying to meet his gaze. But Hunter didn’t respond, his eyes remained cast downward, distant, as if trapped in a world of his own.

Garvin, who had been quietly observing, finally broke the silence. "What exactly did you two go through?" His gaze shifted to Louise, his expression serious. "The other survivors who went with you aren’t here. That means either they didn’t make it or they’re somewhere else. So what happened?"

Louise exhaled, shaking his head as if trying to piece together fragments of a broken memory.

"Yeah," Ryder chimed in, his brows furrowed. "I and Ethan only found you two lying on the ground near the monster domain. We nearly lost our lives trying to save you." He crossed his arms. "None of it makes sense."

Louise sighed, his confusion evident. "I really don’t know how we ended up there." His voice held an unsettling uncertainty. "And the fact that our bodies were right next to the monster domain without being absorbed? That’s even more baffling. Not to mention that we were just lying there, untouched by the monsters. It doesn’t add up."

He hesitated before continuing, his eyes narrowing as if voicing his thoughts made them even more absurd. "Or... maybe we were dead before but somehow came back to life? Monsters don’t eat dead humans, and the monster domain doesn’t absorb corpses either. So how did we survive?"

Silence fell over the room as everyone processed his words.

"Is that even possible?" Ryder muttered, raising an eyebrow as he tried to connect the dots. "Did you two actually die? Hasn’t it been three days or more since we got separated from you? That means you were just lying there all this time... dead? But somehow revived because we found you?"

He shook his head, disbelief evident in his voice. "That doesn’t make sense. If you were dead, you would’ve stayed dead. And considering both of you are already on your third system...your third lives, it shouldn’t be possible to come back again."

Suddenly, a sharp ding echoed through the room.

A holographic screen materialized before them, casting a faint glow that reflected in their wide, stunned eyes. Now that everyone was aware of the system, the text on the screen was visible to all.

{The moment Scarlett and Garvin called upon the Heavenly Blast, the world experienced a time freeze. During that moment, only the evil chosen members were eliminated. However, everything else in this apocalyptic world that had died before... came back to life. Another chance was granted. Hunter and Louise also died but were revived.}

The words on the screen sent a jolt through everyone.

"What?!" Scarlett and the others exclaimed in unison, their voices overlapping in shock and disbelief.

Ryder blinked, his mind racing as he reread the message, trying to comprehend its full meaning. "You’re saying... everyone who died in this apocalypse has come back to life?" He swallowed hard. "Every single human?"

{Yes. Everyone who had died in this apocalypse has returned to life.}

A stunned silence filled the room before excitement burst forth.

"That means Golden, Matthew, and Rose are back!" Scarlett gasped, her face lighting up with joy. She turned to Garvin, eyes sparkling. "They’re alive!"

Overcome with excitement, she leaped into Garvin’s arms. He caught her effortlessly and spun her around, both of them laughing, their happiness echoing through the room.

"This is incredible," Ryder murmured, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. But as his gaze shifted back to Hunter, the warmth in his expression dimmed. "But then... why isn’t he talking, System? Why does he look like this?" He gestured at Hunter, who remained frozen in place. "I mean, not everyone who was revived is like this. Louise is perfectly fine. So what’s wrong with Hunter?"

{That might be due to shock. Some survivors who were brought back to life are also in the same condition as Hunter. However, they will return to normal once you leave the apocalypse.}

Garvin exhaled, nodding slightly. "I see..." But though the explanation made sense, a flicker of doubt still lingered in his eyes.

Scarlett crossed her arms. "Regardless, we don’t have time to waste. I and Garvin already found a way to eradicate the monsters without needing any survivors or chosen members to interfere. We need to act fast and get rid of them before the survivors face death again."

Ryder nodded in agreement. "That’s a good point. If the revived survivors are in the same state as Hunter, they’re even more vulnerable now. They won’t even realize when they’re in danger, let alone be able to run from it."

Scarlett’s gaze sharpened with determination. "Which is why we start monster slaying from this moment."

Louise raised an eyebrow. "Wait...what do you mean? You and Garvin found another way to eliminate the monsters?"

Scarlett smirked. "Not just any way, we found a method to eliminate them without physically fighting them."

Louise’s eyes widened. "You’re serious?"

Garvin nodded. "Dead serious. The only thing you guys have to do now is spread the announcement. We need to tell the survivors to move toward certain locations that we’ll clear of monsters."

Scarlett added with a knowing smile, "Once Garvin and I activate our skill, we can take out the monsters in one move, earn the necessary coins, and build the damn safe haven."

She then turned toward the system. "System, the safe haven is going to be built by you, right? We just need to provide the necessary coins and enhance the space?"

{Yes, Host.}

Garvin clenched his fist, his determination unwavering. "Good. Then let’s do it now. There’s no point in waiting until nightfall. The sooner we kill these monsters, the sooner we can get the hell out of here."