Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 173: A Sacrifice.

Chapter 173: A Sacrifice.

{Congratulations, Host. The Permanent Safe Haven has been successfully constructed.}

A wave of jubilation swept through the crowd as cheers erupted into the air. Without waiting for Scarlett’s command, the survivors instinctively rushed toward the entrance of the Safe Haven, their desperation urging them forward. However, just as they were about to step inside, an invisible force repelled them, blocking their path.

Gasps of shock and confusion filled the air as they tried again only to be met with the same resistance. The invisible barrier remained unmoving, impenetrable.

Scarlett’s brows furrowed, mirroring the bewilderment on the faces of her group. The survivors, now looking to her for answers, fell into an uneasy silence.

"What’s going on?" Garvin was the first to break the tension, his voice edged with uncertainty. Without hesitation, he reached for Scarlett’s hand, his grip firm yet questioning. "Maybe we have to go first. We’re the ones who fought the monsters and earned the coins. Maybe the system won’t allow the others in until we pass through."

"That might be true," Ryder interjected, his tone laced with hope and impatience. "You two are the ones who accumulated the most resources. It makes sense that you’d have to cross first to trigger the final access for everyone else."

Scarlett exchanged a glance with Garvin before nodding. Without wasting another second, the two stepped toward the entrance. As they reached out and attempted to walk through, the same invisible force struck them, forcing them back.

The murmurs of the crowd grew louder, a chorus of fear and confusion rising among the survivors.

"What the hell is going on?" Scarlett muttered, her frustration mounting. She turned her gaze upward, expecting the system’s interface to appear with an explanation. But nothing happened. The screen remained absent.

Instead, a slow, deliberate set of footsteps echoed behind them.

Louise.

Scarlett turned just in time to see him approaching, his expression unreadable except for the smirk tugging at his lips. He carried himself with an air of quiet dominance, his sharp gaze locking onto hers as he finally came to a stop before them.

A heavy silence settled over the group.

"Do you really think it would be that easy?" Louise’s voice was calm, yet laced with something cold, something dangerous. His smirk deepened as he glanced at the glowing Safe Haven entrance. "That everyone would just walk in? That this would all end with a perfect little happy ending?" He let out a quiet chuckle, but there was no amusement in it. "You’re mistaken."

Garvin scoffed, crossing his arms. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" His patience was thinning, irritation flickering across his face. He turned his gaze back to the sky, expecting the system to respond. "Alright, system, what’s the deal? What’s stopping us?"

Silence.

The absence of a response sent an unsettling wave through the survivors. Their anxious whispers turned into restless shifting, some glancing over their shoulders as if fearing a new threat.

Scarlett’s jaw clenched. The longer the silence stretched, the more a sick feeling curled in her stomach.

"Is the system broken?" Garvin muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. His voice, though lighthearted, carried an edge of tension. "Or did it disappear before we could leave this damn apocalypse world?" His chuckle was dry, humorless. "Maybe it’s scared we’ll summon the Heavenly Blast before we go, and it doesn’t want to get caught in it."

"I’m the system," Louise finally declared, his voice dripping with amusement before he burst into laughter. "Told you, there’s no happy ending in the apocalypse."

A stunned silence followed his words. Every gaze in the crowd snapped toward him, their initial confusion morphing into rage.

Ryder scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Is your friend okay? You should probably tie him up before he starts losing it completely." He turned his gaze toward Ethan, who was already approaching Louise.

Ethan forced a strained smile as he reached out to grab Louise’s arm. "Forgive him," he said, his voice low, almost apologetic. "He’s gone crazy. The shock of everything must have finally gotten to him, just like it did to some of the others. How pathetic." He gave Louise’s arm a tug, attempting to pull him away. "Come with me, Louise."

But Louise didn’t budge.

Instead, he slowly turned to face Ethan with an eerily wide grin. The moment he did, the glint of his teeth caught the dim light no longer pearly white, but silver. A metallic sheen spread across his jaw, creeping up his face like liquid iron.

Ethan’s breath hitched as he stumbled back, his grip on Louise’s arm loosening. His eyes widened in pure horror as he watched the transformation unfold before him. What the hell...?

Scarlett, noticing Ethan’s reaction, raised an eyebrow. "What’s wrong?"

But before she could finish her sentence, Louise turned his gaze toward them.

Scarlett’s breath caught in her throat.

The flesh on his face was shifting. In the span of mere seconds, his human features melted away, replaced by the cold, unyielding structure of a machine. The smooth, metallic surface gleamed under the flickering light, a perfect fusion of artificial intelligence and something far more sinister.

Scarlett and Garvin’s eyes widened in shock.

Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the metallic transformation receded. Louise’s face returned to normal, as if nothing had happened at all.

"Told you, I’m the system." Louise’s voice rang out, followed by another bout of laughter, his amusement filling the air like a twisted melody. "Do you believe me now, or do you still need proof?"

The survivors stood frozen, paralyzed by the revelation.

Louise’s smirk deepened. "The system has been here, in this apocalypse, with all of you since the beginning... and you never even realized it."

A chilling silence followed his words.

Garvin’s jaw clenched as he muttered under his breath, "How could a human turn out to be the system? Louise has gone crazy." He bit his lip, desperate for some sort of explanation. But Louise had heard him.

With a scoff, Garvin took a step forward. "What’s wrong with you, Louise? If this is some kind of sick joke, you better stop now. No one is interested in your jokes. "

Louise tilted his head, his smirk never faltering. "There was never a ’Louise’ to begin with. I am the creator of this world, the architect of the monsters, and the system that governs it all." His gaze swept over the stunned crowd. "I can take any shape, human, animal, machine. It’s all within my power."

Scarlett clenched her fists, her eyes narrowing as Louise continued.

"I handpicked one special female to become the Monster Queen." His gaze finally settled on Scarlett, his expression darkening. "And why? Because of the vow she made on her deathbed."

The air grew heavier as the meaning behind his words sank in.

Louise took a slow step forward, his presence oppressive. "Her heart burned with vengeance not just against her ex-husband, but against humanity itself. I granted her the power to rule, the strength to lead the monsters of this world. And what did she do?" He sneered. "She betrayed me."

Scarlett remained still, her expression unreadable, but her pulse quickened.

Louise’s voice grew sharper. "Eliminating all the other evil Chosen was the first thing she did to defy me. Do you have any idea how much that angered me?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "Those Chosen were meant to stand by her side, to help her rule. Yet she cast them aside, abandoned her purpose, and turned her back on the very world I built for her." His lip curled in disgust. "All for the sake of goodness. How pathetic."

Scarlett inhaled deeply, then exhaled through her nose, her gaze unwavering. "I knew from the very beginning that the system’s goal was to wipe out humanity. That’s why I fought against it."

Her voice was steady, resolute.

"You really thought I’d stay here as the Monster Queen? That I’d kill humans while protecting monsters?" She scoffed. "That was never going to happen."

Louise let out a slow, bitter laugh. "And you made that abundantly clear when you went against my design." He sighed, feigning disappointment. "But let’s talk about something more important, shall we? A happy ending might not be possible... or perhaps it still could be."

Scarlett’s expression remained hard as steel.

Louise smirked. "Have you forgotten what you are?" He tilted his head. "Even if you turned against the Chosen, even if you eradicated them, the fact remains, you are the Monster Queen."

Garvin stiffened beside her. His grip on her hand tightened as he spoke. "Is that why the Safe Haven won’t open?" His voice was low, controlled, but there was an edge of fear beneath it. "Because Scarlett is the Monster Queen? That’s why we can’t get through the gate?"

Louise chuckled darkly. "Of course." He dragged out the words, letting the weight of them settle over the survivors like a death sentence. "The Safe Haven will only open on one condition, a sacrifice."

The tension in the air thickened.

Louise’s grin stretched wider. "I can’t wait to see your faces when I tell you who the sacrifice is."

Louise’s laughter echoed through the afternoon, a sound that sent shivers down every spine. Then, in a slow, deliberate voice, he spoke.

"If the Heavenly Blast is called upon, it will wipe out everything in this apocalypse, every single evil creature will perish." He paused, turning his gaze directly to Scarlett. "And that includes you."

The words hit like a hammer.

"Scarlett would die?" Ethan whispered, horror creeping into his voice.

Louise nodded. "She’s evil, after all. A Monster Queen who feeds on flesh and blood. Did you really think she’d survive?"

Garvin’s fists clenched. "You’re full of shit." His voice was sharp, filled with anger. "If you’re saying this just to stop us from summoning the Heavenly Blast, then you’re wasting your time."

Louise’s laughter rang out again, sharp and cruel. "Oh, it doesn’t matter whether you summon it or not." His smirk deepened. "Because the truth remains: for every survivor to leave this apocalypse world, a sacrifice must be made."

His next words sent a chill through the air, freezing every breath.

"And that sacrifice is Scarlett."

Silence.

Louise’s voice was almost mocking as he continued, savoring the shock in their faces.

"Her blood is the key to the Permanent Safe Haven door. Her death is the key."