Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 87: What’s With The No Clothes Policy?

Chapter 87: What’s With The No Clothes Policy?

The golden light of dawn bathed the forest in a soft, radiant glow. The sun rose higher into the sky, offering little solace as the growls of monsters echoed louder with each step. Scarlett and her group continued onward, their weapons gripped tightly in their hands, ready to face whatever danger lay ahead.

Garvin walked beside Scarlett, glancing at her from time to time. Her furrowed brow and tight jawline betrayed the worry she tried so hard to hide. He knew her concern wasn’t for herself but for the survival of humanity. It pained him that he couldn’t do more to ease her burden. At the very least, he was here, by her side, through this nightmare.

His hand brushed against hers, sending a jolt through him. It was unintentional or so he told himself. Yet, instead of pulling away, he gently took her hand in his, his grip firm but hesitant, unsure of how she would react. Scarlett turned to him, her piercing eyes questioning, but after a moment, she swallowed hard and looked away.

She didn’t pull her hand back, and for that, Garvin was grateful. Truthfully, Scarlett needed someone to hold her hand. In a world as bleak and uncertain as this, that small act was a reminder she wasn’t alone. She was thankful it was Garvin who took the initiative, even if the gesture felt strange. He was the only person she knew from before, before the apocalypse.

"Are you okay?" Garvin asked softly, his voice carrying concern. "We’ve been walking for what feels like forever. Maybe we should take a break?"

Scarlett chuckled lightly, her voice tinged with exhaustion. Gently, she freed her hand from his grip. She noticed the flicker of disappointment in his eyes but chose to ignore it.

"If you’re tired, just say so," she replied, a teasing edge to her tone. "I know you’re not used to this kind of struggle back on Earth. I wouldn’t blame you if you needed to rest."

"I’m fine," Garvin said quickly, though his legs felt weak beneath him. "I just want to make sure you’re okay."

Behind them, Maya groaned audibly, her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere. "Are we going to keep walking forever? It feels like we’re just going around in circles! My legs are killing me." She clung to Larry’s arm, her weariness evident. "Can we please take a break?"

"Yes please. Just a fifteen minutes rest." Louise chimed in, exhaustion etched on his face.

No one responded. Scarlett, Larry, Kato, and Ethan pressed on as though they didn’t hear her. Their faces betrayed no hint of fatigue.

"Damn it!" Louise muttered under his breath, his frustration barely contained. He stumbled but kept going, forcing his body to comply.

Scarlett’s crimson eyes glowed faintly as the map materialized before her. Symbols danced across its surface, vivid red marks indicating danger and the more they keep walking, the more the growls of monsters grew louder.

Larry, gripping his weapon, spoke up. "This doesn’t make sense. We can hear them, but we haven’t seen a single one yet. Isn’t that strange?"

"I was thinking the same thing," Maya chimed in, her voice trembling slightly. Her eyes darted nervously around the forest, her weapon raised. "Maybe they’re just far away, and we’re only hearing echoes? I don’t know... but it’s creepy."

Scarlett’s gaze remained fixed on her map. Her mind raced as she analyzed the glowing markers. There are monsters here, no doubt about it. But... they’re trapped. Captured. By whom? The thought sent a chill down her spine.

Her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. Another lunatic like Victor, perhaps? Scarlett thought bitterly. Another wasted chosen one... someone else who has turned against their purpose. The frustration burned in her chest, but she forced herself to focus.

She kept moving with her groups following her and suddenly she stopped walking startling the others who had puzzled expression on their faces.

"What’s wrong?" Garvin was the first person to ask, his voice etched with worry and concern.

The map’s red markers converged at a single point, glowing brighter than the rest. Scarlett’s breath hitched as she pinpointed their exact location.

"I knew it," she muttered under her breath. "The monsters are trapped... but why? And by whom?"

"What is it? Did you figure something out?" Maya asked with trembling voice.

"The monsters are being captured by someone." Scarlett replied.

"That explains it then. There are no monsters in this forest since they have all been captured at an exact location. We should get away from here then" Louise said, his voice tinged with frustration and unease. "There’s no point attacking monsters that have been captured by other people. We should go ahead and look for our own monsters to kill."

"You mean you’re too weak. You’ll probably end up as monster food," Kato chimed in with a smirk, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"You..." Louise began, his face reddening with anger.

"Just follow me," Scarlett interrupted, cutting Louise off before he could retaliate. Her tone was sharp and left no room for argument. She turned and resumed walking, her determined strides forcing the others to follow, though heavy sighs and muttered complaints lingered behind her.

After what felt like endless miles, the group stumbled upon a large, fortified compound. The structure loomed before them, surrounded by high walls topped with barbed wire, it’s entrance marked by a massive, heavily reinforced gate.

The growls of monsters grew deafening. Scarlett’s crimson eyes narrowed as she surveyed the compound, her instincts on high alert.

"This is it," she said in a low, measured tone. "This is where the monsters are being held."

"Damn," Louise muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Are we really planning to rescue monsters just so that we kill them?"

"Is this another organization like Victor’s?" Maya asked, her voice, a mixture of curiosity and frustration. "Or could it be Victor’s"

"Victor wouldn’t build something this obvious. He’s too smart for that." Kato replied with a smirk. He walked toward the gate, his hand brushing the rusty lock. "Besides, this gate is unlocked. It’s like they’re inviting people in."

"Inviting people in so they can feed them to the monsters," Louise said with a shudder, his unease growing. "We should get out of here while we still can."

Ignoring his protests, Scarlett approached the gate, her movements swift and deliberate. With a firm yank, she threw it open, the metallic screech echoing through the forest. The others flinched at the noise, terror flashing in their eyes.

"Do you really want to go in there?" Maya asked, swallowing hard. "Do we have to?"

"Exactly," Louise chimed in, his tone desperate. "Why should we go in?"

Scarlett turned to them, her expression calm but resolute. "Because this is another organization," she said, her voice steady. "One led by someone with powers. We can’t ignore this."

Kato and Larry, who had already sensed the faint but undeniable energy of another chosen one, nodded in agreement. Without hesitation, they followed Scarlett into the compound.

Garvin, Maya, and Louise exchanged nervous glances before reluctantly stepping through the gate. The moment they were all inside, the gate slammed shut behind them with a resounding bang.

Maya let out a startled yelp, and Louise cursed under his breath.

The air was thick with the pungent stench of decay, the unmistakable scent of monsters. The growls intensified, reverberating off the walls of the building.

"This smell..." Louise gagged, covering his nose with his hand. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a small face mask, securing it over his nose and mouth. "This isn’t helping," he muttered, still visibly struggling with the odor. "I might actually die from this."

The group stood in the middle of what appeared to be an empty warehouse. The space was devoid of furniture, save for massive metal containers lining the walls. Each container was large enough to hold a fully grown monster, their reinforced steel exteriors gleaming faintly in the dim light.

"There’s nothing in these containers," Garvin observed, his eyes scanning the room. "If there were, we’d hear them thrashing around. These growls are coming from somewhere else."

"And where’s this so-called organization?" Maya asked, gripping her weapon tightly. "It doesn’t feel like anyone’s here."

Before Scarlett could answer, two figures emerged from the shadows. A woman with raven-black hair and piercing brown eyes stepped forward, dressed in dark trousers and a fitted blue top. Beside her was a tall man with neatly braided black hair and striking green eyes, clad in a white shirt and black pants. Both were armed with rifles slung casually over their shoulders.

"Hey," the woman greeted, a smirk playing on her lips. "Not bad. Most people run the moment they hear those growls. But not you. Guess that makes you brave."

"Yeah," the man added, his tone amused. "We unlock the gate to let people in, but they never make it past the entrance. Too scared to face what’s inside. We’ve been waiting for someone like you, someone who isn’t afraid."

The man studied the group closely, his gaze lingering on Scarlett. "You all don’t look like you’re affected by the apocalypse at all." His voice held a hint of suspicion.

"That’s because there are people with powers among them," came a voice from the shadows, interrupting their exchange. All heads turned as a tall, lean man stepped into the dim light. His piercing blue eyes gleamed with intelligence, and his dyed red hair fell loosely around his sharp features.

Scarlett’s breath hitched as the man strode forward. He was naked, his confident stride only adding to the unease of the moment.

Garvin quickly covered Scarlett eyes with his hand, not wanting her to see the red haired man huge stuff which was dangling between his legs.

Maya’s face turned crimson as she quickly averted her gaze. "Damn," she muttered under her breath. "What’s with the no-clothes policy? And seriously... that’s one hell of a..." She caught herself, clamping her mouth shut.