Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 179: It Worked!

Chapter 179: It Worked!

Twenty-Nine Years Later

A young woman with long, raven-black curls cascading down to her waist sat slumped over a desk, her head resting against the smooth surface. She was dressed in a fitted black office gown, and a pair of glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, slightly askew.

Suddenly, a thunderous voice shattered the silence.

"Hey! Get up! You’re sleeping again!"

The sharp reprimand jolted her awake. She shot to her feet, straightening her posture with a startled gasp. Her hands instinctively clasped behind her back as she adjusted her glasses, her dark eyes meeting the disapproving glare of her boss.

The man was middle-aged, balding, and sported a prominent potbelly. His face was set in a deep scowl as he crossed his arms.

"Why are you sleeping on duty again, Hope?" he demanded, his voice dripping with frustration.

Hope quickly bowed her head slightly, her voice laced with exhaustion.

"I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t get enough sleep last night. I took home some unfinished company work, and after that, I had other responsibilities that kept me busy all night."

Her boss scoffed.

"That’s always your excuse! If the supervisors walk in and find you dozing off, do you think that’ll reflect well on us? I’ve had enough of this. Consider this your final warning. If I ever catch you sleeping on duty again, your job will be over. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir. I understand," Hope murmured , keeping her tone respectful.

The man gave an irritated grunt and stormed off toward his office without another word.

The moment he disappeared, a soft chuckle came from across the room.

"He’s always in a bad mood on Monday mornings. Just ignore him," said a blonde-haired woman seated at a nearby desk. She shot Hope a sympathetic smile.

Hope exhaled heavily, rubbing her temples.

"Yeah. Anyway, I’m going to the restroom. I’ll be back soon."

She turned on her heel and walked out of the office, her heels clicking against the polished floor until she reaches the female restroom and pushed the door opened.

Once inside the restroom, Hope made her way to the mirror and stared at her reflection. The fluorescent lights above cast a harsh glow on her tired features. Her dark eyes, once filled with ambition, now held a deep exhaustion. Her skin, marked with stress-induced breakouts, only served as another painful reminder of her struggles.

Her life had never been easy.

She had grown up with neglectful parents who abandoned her, forcing her into an orphanage. At eighteen, she was thrust into the world, left to fend for herself with no safety net. She worked relentlessly, scraping together enough money to put herself through college. But even after earning her degree, finding a decent-paying job proved nearly impossible.

So here she was, working a job that barely covered her rent, with deliveries to make after hours just to afford food.

She let out a humorless laugh.

While others lived carefree, comfortable lives, hers was a constant uphill battle.

Even her love life was nonexistent. No man had ever given her a second glance. Not with this face, one marked by sleepless nights and stress, unable to afford even the simplest skincare.

But despite it all, she reminded herself of the words that had carried her through the darkest times.

"When there’s life, there’s hope."

She whispered it softly, a mantra she had repeated to herself countless times.

"As long as I can work, as long as I can eat, as long as I can pay my rent... then that’s enough."

She inhaled deeply, ready to shake off her emotions, when suddenly...

A sharp, piercing pain exploded in her skull.

Hope gasped, staggering backward as if an invisible force had struck her.

The world around her shifted, warping and distorting in ways that made her stomach lurch. Flashes of something..no, memories rushed through her mind like a violent tidal wave. Images, sensations, voices... all flooding her consciousness at once.

Her breath hitched as she clutched her head, gripping it as if trying to keep it from splitting apart.

And then just as suddenly as it began it stopped.

Hope slowly opened her eyes, her gaze locking onto her reflection in the mirror.

But the person staring back at her was no longer just Hope.

A slow, disbelieving smile curled on her lips.

"It worked..." she whispered, eyes widening in shock and exhilaration. "It really worked. I’m alive!"

The soul of Scarlett that had been embedded in Hope’s body had finally awakened. And with it, memories of the apocalypse came surging back.

Her heartbeat thundered in her chest as she processed the impossible truth.

She had returned.

But just as Scarlett began to revel in her miraculous resurrection, a sinking realization hit her like a dagger to the heart.

She stepped out of the restroom, scanning the office space before her.

Everyone was seated at their desks, their eyes glued to their computer screens, their expressions vacant.

She clenched her fists.

"Damn it... My resurrection wiped their memories."

She swallowed hard, guilt tightening in her chest. These people, her coworkers had survived the apocalypse. They had endured horrors beyond imagination. And now... they had no recollection of it at all.

Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but she forced them back.

No.

She can’t allow that.

Back then, she had been nothing more than Hope weak, powerless, unaware. But now?

Now, she was Scarlett.

And she knew better.

If she didn’t control her abilities, another disaster could unfold. This time, it wouldn’t be an apocalypse of monsters and destruction, it would be a natural disaster born from her own power because of her tears.

Then, another thought crashed into her mind like a lightning strike.

"Garvin."

"I need to find him," she muttered under her breath, determination flashing in her eyes.

She turned, ready to leave the office when...

"Hey! Slacking off again?"

A loud voice cut through the air, halting her in her tracks.

Scarlett turned, her expression cool and composed, a stark contrast to the panic still bubbling beneath the surface.

"Where do you think you’re going?" the voice demanded.

She merely smiled, warmth flickering in her gaze.

"Could you tell me where the exit is?" she asked, her voice calm yet carrying an unsettling certainty.

"What do you mean? Are you new here? Isn’t that the way?" the man barked, pointing toward the right direction. His brows furrowed as he took a good look at her. "Did you hit your head or something? Anyway get back to work this minute!"

Scarlett met his gaze with an unexpected smile, her lips curling in warmth that sent waves of confusion through the man and the other workers within earshot.

"I won’t be working here again. Goodbye," she said, her voice carrying a finality that made their breath hitch.

Before they could process her words, she turned on her heel and dashed out of the company doors.

The afternoon sun greeted her the moment she stepped outside, its golden rays illuminating the bustling city. The air vibrated with the sound of honking cars, hurried footsteps, and the hum of daily life. Yet, within Scarlett’s heart, she knew this peaceful existence would soon shatter. The moment she saw Garvin, the world she had come to know would never be the same.

But she couldn’t afford to waste any more time as she just want to meet the man she had finally fallen in love with.

Either the apocalypse would never come again, since she had destroyed the system, or it would return different, unpredictable. The safe zones might still exist, or they might have crumbled without the system’s support. But one thing was certain: the chosen members still had their powers.

And Garvin.

He would have built what she had asked of him, the only safeguard if another apocalypse were to break out.

Scarlett flagged down a taxi and climbed in. "Anderson Company," she instructed.

The driver gave a curt nod and pulled into the steady stream of traffic.