Chapter 23 He created the zombies.

Chapter 23: Chapter 23 He created the zombies.

No one else had noticed it, but Luna certainly had.

She saw a shadow shuffle across the road with its head hanging low, its movements unnaturally stiff and sluggish.

It was a woman.

Just like everyone else, she was making her way toward the distribution center.

Before anyone realized something was wrong, the woman slipped inside the crowded building, disappearing among the survivors.

A smirk slowly appeared on Luna’s lips.

She knew exactly what kind of disaster had just walked into that place.

The woman looked familiar.

She was the same person who had been bitten by the infected rat right at Luna’s feet.

For whatever reason, she had managed to escape the medical clinic.

There was only one explanation for that.

Either every medical staff inside had already died...

Or they were lying on the floor, severely injured and waiting for death to claim them.

None of the survivors seemed to notice anything strange.

Only Luna did.

That was exactly why she had no intention of lingering around the safe zone.

She needed to finish what she came for and disappear before complete chaos swallowed the entire camp.

"Let’s go to your tent, if you even have one. I don’t want anyone seeing me bringing out my supplies."

Luna spoke calmly while Rowan was still standing in line hoping to receive food.

Rowan narrowed his eyes at her.

The distrust in his gaze was obvious.

"If you have any ulterior motive..." he warned coldly, "...I can guarantee you one thing."

"Certain death."

Unfortunately for him...

Luna didn’t even blink.

"Do you want the food or not?" she replied flatly. "Because you’re wasting my time."

Kai, who had been standing a short distance away, instantly grew nervous.

"You two..." he interrupted hurriedly. "Can’t you still hear all those screams coming from inside? Look at the military. They’re running everywhere."

His voice lowered.

"Something isn’t right."

Perhaps it was the urgency in Kai’s voice...

Or maybe Rowan had finally realized things were rapidly getting worse.

Either way, he gave a reluctant nod.

"Fine."

"I’ll take you to my tent."

...

The survivor camp was an assault on the senses.

The smell alone was enough to make anyone nauseous.

Human waste mixed with piles of filth covered nearly every corner, while rats and other rodents darted between torn tents searching desperately for scraps that barely existed anymore.

Even leftovers had become a luxury.

Kai unconsciously pinched his nose.

"This place..."

He couldn’t even finish his sentence.

After entering Rowan’s tent, the three of them sat on several worn-out pieces of clothing spread across the ground.

The rags served as both chairs and beds.

Luna silently observed the surroundings.

There was nothing.

No blanket.

No mattress.

No proper belongings.

Just enough space to lie down.

Her eyes shifted back to Rowan.

"So..."

"This is how all of you sleep?"

Rowan simply nodded.

"Everyone except the military and the elites."

He laughed bitterly.

"Only the poor suffer in this disaster."

"We’re given one meal a day."

"The rich still get two."

Kai visibly shivered.

"That’s... awful."

Luna, however, didn’t react the way he expected.

To her...

This was simply humanity showing its true colors.

Even at the end of the world...

Power still mattered.

Influence still mattered.

Money still mattered.

Nothing had really changed.

The only difference was that people were dying faster now.

"At least you’re alive."

She shrugged.

"Stop complaining."

"Let’s eat."

"Then we’ll raid that bunker."

Just as Luna reached into her bag to retrieve the supplies...

Rowan suddenly stopped her.

"Before that..."

"I want to ask something."

Luna looked up.

"What?"

"Why do you want to raid the bunker?"

His expression became serious.

"I genuinely want to know."

"You’re a woman."

"So why would someone like you willingly walk into a place that’s basically a death trap?"

Kai immediately nodded.

Exactly.

That was what he had been trying to tell her all along.

The bunker wasn’t somewhere anyone in their right mind would willingly enter.

Luna sighed.

"Don’t tell me you’re about to give me some speech."

"You know..."

"’Leave it alone.’"

"’It’s too dangerous.’"

"’Think about other people.’"

"Because if that’s what you’re planning..."

"I’m really not interested."

Rowan rolled his eyes.

"Me?"

He snorted.

"Fuck that."

"Why would I say something so stupid?"

His lips curved into a grin.

"I need those supplies too."

"In fact..."

"I’d love to see the government’s faces when they discover their precious emergency stockpile has vanished."

"That expression alone would be worth risking my life."

Kai stared at him as though he had just grown another head.

What kind of psychopaths had he gotten himself involved with?

First Luna...

Now Rowan...

Seriously...

How had his life ended up like this?

"You know..." Kai spoke carefully, "if you raid that bunker, a lot of innocent people could suffer."

"This isn’t right."

"We shouldn’t repay evil with evil."

Luna slowly turned toward him.

Disappointment was written all over her face.

Was this guy seriously trying to play the hero?

Did he still think they lived in the old world?

This wasn’t some charity organization anymore.

This was survival.

You either lived...

Or you died.

You hunted...

Or you became prey.

Those were the only rules left.

"Kai."

Her voice remained calm.

"This isn’t why I saved you."

She looked directly into his eyes.

"After everything you’ve experienced..."

"Haven’t you learned anything yet?"

Without waiting for an answer, Luna reached into her backpack.

Moments later...

One can after another appeared.

Instant ramen.

Soft drinks.

Several canned foods.

Smoked turkey legs.

Packaged snacks.

She casually placed everything on the clothes spread across the floor.

Kai blinked several times.

"Pardon...?"

Luna let out a tired groan.

"I know."

"You’re the perfect gentleman."

"The type who believes everyone deserves another chance."

"But look around."

She gestured toward the filthy camp outside.

"The world isn’t sunshine and rainbows anymore."

"One day..."

"I just hope life doesn’t force that lesson into you."

"Because honestly..."

"I’m getting tired."

"So tired."

"I keep explaining the same thing to you over and over again."

"It’s exhausting."

She pushed part of the food toward Kai before handing another share to Rowan.

The moment Rowan saw what had been placed in front of him...

His eyes nearly popped out.

"Are you serious?"

He picked up the turkey leg with trembling hands.

"This..."

"This is actual food."

"Where did you even get all this?"

Luna simply smiled.

"Eat."

"You’ll understand everything eventually."

That was all Rowan needed to hear.

He immediately tore open the ramen, poured in the seasoning, and began devouring it without the slightest intention of slowing down.

Slurp.

Slurp.

Slurp.

Within seconds he looked like someone who hadn’t eaten in weeks.

Kai stared.

Luna stared.

The two exchanged a glance.

"..."

"..."

Luna finally spoke.

"I have a feeling..."

"We just recruited a whale."

Kai nodded instinctively.

"A very hungry whale."

Rowan ignored both of them and continued eating with complete focus.

For him...

Nothing in the world was more important than food at that moment.

Luna couldn’t help smiling.

At least food wouldn’t become a problem.

Not once she completely filled her supermarket space.

Outside...

Voices gradually rose from another nearby tent.

The occupants seemed to be speaking in hushed tones.

At first Luna ignored them.

But they kept talking.

Again.

And again.

Her brows furrowed.

"I seriously can’t wait to leave this place."

She rubbed her forehead.

"It’s like living inside a marketplace."

"Do these people ever stop talking?"

Before anyone could respond...

Rowan suddenly froze.

His spoon stopped halfway to his mouth.

Someone next door had spoken loudly enough for him to hear.

"I did something terrible, Jonas."

The voice trembled.

"I thought I was saving humanity..."

"But I think I made everything worse."

The other person sounded confused.

"What are you talking about?"

Luna immediately became interested.

Kai also leaned closer.

There was a brief silence.

Then...

"Shh."

"Lower your voice."

"I can’t let anyone hear this."

The speaker dropped his voice significantly.

Although faint...

It was still clear enough for the people inside Rowan’s tent to make out every word.

"I was conducting experiments..."

"On a rat."

"I created a virus."

"My research was supposed to help humanity evolve."

"I was trying to prove my theory..."

"But the rat escaped."

"It got loose."

"And now it’s somewhere outside carrying the virus."

Jonas let out a relieved laugh.

"That’s all?"

"I thought you were about to confess to murder."

"It’s just a rat."

"It’s not like it’ll bite anyone."

Silence.

An uncomfortable...

Heavy silence.

Jonas slowly stopped laughing.

"...Right?"

Luna’s expression gradually darkened.

She didn’t need to see the scientist’s face.

She could already imagine it.

In her previous life...

The apocalypse had started completely differently.

Back then...

The virus had originated from an underground facility where illegal drugs and human trafficking flourished.

Someone distributed a newly developed drug to influential figures within the underworld.

The moment they injected it...

Hell was unleashed.

But this time...

Everything was different.

The origin had changed.

This fool...

This scientist...

He was the one who had created the virus.

The infected rat...

It had been the beginning.

The same rat...

That had bitten the woman.

The same woman...

Who had just walked straight into the crowded distribution center.

"...When the virus spreads..." the scientist whispered weakly.

"The victim dies."

"They... die first."

"And after that..."

"They come back."

"It’s transmitted through bites."

A loud scraping noise echoed from the neighboring tent.

Jonas had shot to his feet.

"What..."

"What the hell are you saying?"

Inside Rowan’s tent...

Kai’s eyes widened until they almost bulged out of their sockets.

His lips trembled.

"Don’t..."

"Don’t tell me..."

"He’s talking about zombies."

His voice cracked.

"That guy..."

"He didn’t just create zombies..."

Did he?

Unfortunately...

Luna already knew the answer.

A slow breath escaped her lips.

There was no room left for denial anymore.

The apocalypse she remembered had changed.

The chain of events had shifted.

But the ending...

The ending remained exactly the same.

Humanity...

Was finished