Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 72: Let’s Get Out Of Here.

Chapter 72: Let’s Get Out Of Here.

Kato, still seated, chuckled softly, his gaze fixed on Scarlett. "See?" he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Humans. Always humans."

"Are you crazy?" Louise yelled, storming forward and shoving the old man away from Scarlett. The force sent the elderly man sprawling to the ground, landing hard on his buttocks. "Who are you to stop us?" Louise demanded, his voice thick with anger.

’I told you,’ came Kato’s voice through the mind link, laced with a smirk. ’Humans are the most dangerous creatures. At least monsters attack us head-on. Humans, though, the ones you’d never expect will betray you or stab you in the back when you least see it coming.’

The old man scrambled to his feet, the bloodied knife still clutched tightly in his trembling hand. Scarlett’s blood dripped from the blade, leaving faint red streaks on the dusty floor. His expression was a twisted mix of desperation and resolve.

"I’m serious about this," he growled, his voice unsteady yet firm. "None of you are leaving."

As he spoke, the heavy gates of the prison slammed shut with a metallic clang. The sound echoed ominously through the tense air, and Louise spun around, realizing that other survivors had sealed the exits. They stood with grim determination, armed with guns and whatever weapons they could find.

"These people are really insane," Garvin muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening in anger. His gaze flicked to the locked gates. "We installed those security systems ourselves, with passwords, but they’ve changed the codes. Can you believe that?" He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

A woman from the group of survivors stepped forward, her hands steady despite the gun she pointed directly at Louise. Her eyes burned with a fierce light that spoke of desperation and fear. "You should understand us," she said, her voice trembling slightly but growing steadier with each word. "We can’t trust anyone in this apocalyptic world anymore. People always promise they’ll come back for us, but they never do. They abandon us. Or they end up dead."

She paused, her lips pressing into a thin line before continuing. "You people, with your powers, you’re our last hope. If you leave now, we won’t survive. We don’t believe you’ll come back. Victor had powers too, just like you. Look at what he became. What if the same happens to you?"

The other survivors nodded in agreement, their faces set with a mix of hope and fear.

Another woman spoke up, her hands gripping a weapon tightly. "Even if we don’t die from a monster attack, we’ll starve to death when our food runs out. You’re all we have left."

"Get the hell away!" Maya suddenly shouted, stepping forward with fury blazing in her eyes.

"Don’t move another step!" the old man barked, raising the knife threateningly. "I’ll stab you, right here, and turn you into one of those monsters. Do you really think your companions would want to see you turned into something mindless and feral?"

Maya froze, her eyes narrowing dangerously, but she didn’t move. The tension in the room was suffocating, as thick as the blood that had already been spilled.

Kato, standing slightly apart, finally began to clap, the slow, deliberate sound cutting through the charged silence like a knife. His applause was mocking, a cruel smirk curling his lips.

"Well, well, well," he drawled, his tone dripping with derision. "I was only waiting for you humans to show your true colors, just as you always do. And now that you have, I hope Scarlett and the rest of us have seen enough to learn a valuable lesson."

Kato walked closer to Scarlett, his eyes sweeping over the survivors with disdain. "You humans," he continued, his voice hardening, "you love to use people as tools. The moment someone becomes an advantage to you, you cling to them. But the second they lose that usefulness, you turn your back on them without hesitation."

Kato’s voice grew colder, his smirk fading. "Unfortunately for you, I’ve had my fill of people like you. My best friend, the one I thought would stand by me in this hellish apocalypse betrayed me. That betrayal led to my second death. You people, with your selfishness and deceit, make monsters seem like saints in comparison."

The room fell silent, his words hanging heavy in the air. The survivors exchanged uneasy glances, but their resolve didn’t waver. The tension remained razor-sharp.

Scarlett heaved a heavy sigh, her gaze lingering on the terrified faces of the survivors. She understood their behavior and couldn’t entirely blame them. They were only trying to protect themselves, which was natural in this chaotic, apocalyptic world. Yet, a part of her despised them for their cowardice and selfishness in this moment.

"Let’s get out of here," Scarlett said softly, her tone laced with weariness. She walked toward the gate, her eyes fixed on the metal door that had been locked with a password. Without hesitation, she raised her hand, summoning flames that danced across her palm. The fire engulfed the cable controlling the password lock, melting it in moments. With a resounding clang, the gate creaked open.

"Awwww," Kato drawled, a sly smirk playing on his lips as he leaned against the doorframe. "She doesn’t even want to punish you all. Isn’t that sweet? She really does have a kind heart. I wish she were more like me, though." He chuckled darkly, his gaze sweeping over the petrified survivors. "Anyway, have a great life. Or whatever’s left of it."

He turned away from the trembling crowd and followed Scarlett and the group as they moved toward their exit.

But just as they were about to leave...

Bang!

The sharp crack of a gunshot shattered the silence. Maya and Louise staggered, clutching their stomachs as blood began to seep through their clothing.

Scarlett, Larry, Ethan, and even Kato heard the gunfire. At first, they assumed the survivors had fired at them instead , hence they didn’t react, as they knew the wounds would heal quickly thanks to their regenerative abilities.

Kato, however, growled under his breath, his golden eyes narrowing. "Told you," he hissed, his voice venomous. "That old man deserves to die."