Chapter 29 Not a damsel on distress.

Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Not a damsel on distress.

Due to Kai’s influence, the first horde died down almost immediately, but that didn’t mean it was over. They were reorganizing themselves far too quickly.

Arranging their attacks in an order that didn’t seem to follow any human logic, they refused to let go of the bunker tower.

Luna watched everything happen while calmly planning what to do if her current strategy failed. One thing she had always taken into consideration was never allowing things to spiral completely out of control before taking action. So, as she waited for the exact moment her companions would begin losing their grip on the situation, she was already preparing Plan B.

Kai’s ice had done considerable damage to both the bunker and the zombies, yet the creatures simply rushed toward the shattered windows again. The lucky ones that escaped the freezing spikes squeezed through the openings.

Adrian, whose powers had been fully charged by the Leveling Crystals Luna gave him, slowly widened both hands. His eyes turned into a primal golden color, and a deep guttural sound echoed throughout the bunker as though something ancient had just awakened.

The sound came from the walls themselves.

Luna watched with fascination from her bed, looking less like someone fighting for survival and more like a person enjoying an action movie.

The first two unfortunate zombies lunged forward. Their hands had rotted into bloody chunks while black pus and decaying slime poured from their mouths. They aimed directly for Kai’s throat, claws slicing through the air.

Before they could reach him, an invisible force violently sucked both creatures away.

Boom!

Their backs slammed into the bunker wall so hard the entire room trembled, pinning them there like insects nailed onto wood.

More rushed in.

Adrian simply raised another hand.

One after another, every charging zombie was ripped away from the broken windows and plastered against the walls. They writhed violently, struggling like worms covered in salt, growling with increasing fury.

Then one appeared.

Unlike the others, it didn’t charge.

It looked almost...human.

A younger man with skin beginning to decay and eyes as dark as the abyss quietly stood outside the broken window. His expression never changed as he watched his subordinates being torn apart by Adrian’s magic.

His gaze slowly drifted toward Luna.

They stared at one another for a brief moment.

Then, without showing the slightest emotion, the strange zombie staggered backward and began walking away from the bunker.

Luna grinned.

Oh...

She definitely wasn’t letting that thing escape.

Her eyes shifted toward Rowan.

Without needing another word, the young man stood from where he had been resting. He lazily stretched his shoulders before raising one hand.

Unlike the others, Rowan’s ability wasn’t simply destructive.

It was complete domination.

The moment the strange zombie attempted another step, something invisible struck it.

Its entire body collapsed onto the ground.

It gagged violently.

Its limbs convulsed while thick black liquid poured endlessly from its mouth. The disgusting substance splattered across the ground before twisting into dozens of wriggling worms that immediately began crawling in every direction.

Meanwhile, Adrian maintained complete control over the creatures pinned against the walls.

A dark pulsing vortex slowly emerged behind them.

No one knew where it led.

Not even Adrian.

The portal expanded with a low humming sound before swallowing the zombies whole.

They screamed.

Their bodies were dragged backward against their will as though countless unseen hands were pulling them into another dimension. Flesh peeled away from bone while their skin shredded apart piece by piece.

It looked as if the darkness itself was trying to claim them.

Adrian showed no hesitation.

If that unknown dimension hungered for monsters...

Then he was more than happy to feed it.

Within seconds every pinned zombie disappeared into the portal.

Silence followed.

Only torn strips of skin and thick puddles of black sludge remained where they had once struggled.

The remaining zombies weren’t any luckier.

Kai formed dozens of razor-sharp ice spears that shot across the bunker with frightening precision.

Every spike pierced directly through a forehead.

Heads burst apart.

Limbs were severed.

Bodies collapsed one after another until even more corpses covered the bunker floor.

Then Rowan decided to finish everything.

He slowly twisted both hands before making a loud snapping motion.

Every zombie still climbing through the broken windows suddenly froze.

The leader outside stopped moving as well.

Crack.

Crack!

Crack!!

Bones began breaking from inside their bodies.

Their necks twisted unnaturally until they rotated almost completely around. Arms folded in impossible directions while their skin stretched tighter and tighter.

Soon every single body started swelling.

Larger.

Rounder.

Their rotten flesh puffed outward like bloated balloons ready to burst.

Even the zombie babies weren’t spared.

Despite their tiny size, they remained among the most terrifying creatures Luna had seen.

They moved far faster than the adults, launching themselves toward necks and legs with horrifying speed.

But Rowan had already caught them.

Every tiny corpse floated helplessly in the air.

They screeched.

Moaned.

Thrashed desperately.

Then...

Pop!

Another.

Pop!

Pop!

One after another every swollen zombie exploded simultaneously.

Blood, flesh, organs, and black rotten liquid sprayed across every corner of the bunker.

The stench alone was enough to make someone vomit.

Luna saw exactly what was about to happen.

Without wasting a second she slipped behind one of the empty storage shelves they had cleared while stockpiling supplies earlier.

She waited there until the disgusting rain of blood finally stopped.

When she stepped back out...

Everything was over.

Every zombie had been completely wiped out.

Only mountains of corpses remained.

The heavy smell of rot and decay filled every inch of the bunker, making each breath feel heavier than the last.

Luna frowned.

She sniffed her clothes before making an annoyed face.

For some reason the disgusting odor had clung stubbornly to her outfit.

"I will definitely need a bath."

Walking farther into the room, she looked over the exhausted expressions of her companions.

"Poor babies. Looks like I exhausted you three." Her lips curved into a faint smile. "Don’t worry about tomorrow morning. I’ll make breakfast for a job well done. Good food and plenty of energy. I honestly didn’t expect that performance from you three."

"You completely surpassed my expectations."

It sounded like praise.

Yet somehow...

None of them felt particularly happy.

Not after almost being ripped apart.

Not after discovering just how difficult these monsters were to kill.

Adrian finally broke the silence.

"What exactly was that crystal? I feel...different."

His golden eyes settled on Luna.

"I know you haven’t been answering everyone’s questions, but just do me one favor."

"Answer this one."

The room became silent.

Both of them locked eyes.

Tension quietly settled between them.

Luna remained expressionless.

"Is that your way of saying thank you?" she asked. "For amplifying your useless powers and helping you survive another day?"

Adrian immediately fell silent.

He already knew breaking this woman’s stubborn personality would probably take years.

And unfortunately...

He wasn’t getting any younger.

"My bad."

He lowered his head.

"Thank you for the supplements."

"I really appreciate it."

A satisfied smile appeared on Luna’s face as she walked past him toward the broken windows.

"Thank you too, Luna," Rowan added.

"I appreciate your help."

Kai nodded.

"I do too."

"But next time..." he sighed. "Please act before we’re seconds away from dying."

Luna simply shrugged.

"If you have faith in me..."

"Then you won’t die."

"It’s really that simple."

The four of them moved closer to the shattered window.

Their eyes widened almost immediately.

Corpses.

Everywhere.

Bodies covered every direction they looked.

The smell outside was somehow even worse than inside.

Rot.

Blood.

Decay.

Death.

Even stranger...

There wasn’t a single living human in sight.

Luna tilted her head.

"Have they all died already?"

Kai stared at her as though she had lost her mind.

"This isn’t normal anymore, Luna."

"Your calmness is honestly terrifying."

He pointed outside.

"Just look at what we fought."

"Zombie babies..."

"Worms and maggots crawling out of corpses..."

"If I hadn’t frozen those things they would’ve attacked us too."

He swallowed.

"Humanity might already be gone."

"We could actually be the last people alive."

"Doesn’t that scare you?"

Rowan and Adrian quietly waited.

They wanted the answer too.

Luna remained exactly the same.

Her clothes were still spotless.

Her heels untouched.

Even her neatly arranged hair looked like she had simply stepped out of her bedroom instead of surviving the apocalypse.

She looked back at them.

"So..."

"Should I cry?"

"Should I start screaming and wailing?"

"I should hide in a corner and wait like some helpless damsel for someone to rescue me?"

"Is that what you wanted?"

Rowan and Adrian stayed silent.

Kai, however...

Actually nodded.

"Yes."

"Because that’s a normal reaction."

Luna smiled.

"I guess..."

"I’m just not normal after all."

She pointed toward one side of the bunker.

"There are clean clothes on that shelf."

"Wash yourselves."

"You all stink."

Then she glanced at the countless corpses still lying everywhere.

"And can someone please get rid of these damn bodies?"

"A girl wants to get some sleep."

Rowan stepped forward.

"I’ll handle—"

Adrian stopped him.

"It’s easier this way."

He clapped once.

Another smaller portal appeared.

Within seconds every corpse, every puddle of blood, and every remaining piece of rotten flesh vanished into the darkness.

The bunker became clean again as though the battle had never happened.

Satisfied, Luna returned to reinforcing the damaged windows before giving a small approving nod.

"Goodnight, boys."

"And don’t try anything funny."

Her smile looked sweet.

"But remember..."

"I’m always watching."

"Ten steps ahead."

Kai gulped.

That definitely sounded like a threat disguised as kindness.

He didn’t know whether the others noticed it too, but one thing was certain.

He wasn’t planning on stepping on Luna’s toes anytime soon.

The woman calmly returned to her soft bed.

Despite everything that had happened...

Despite the bloodshed...

Despite the violence...

Not a single drop of blood had touched her.

It was almost unnatural.

The room eventually fell into darkness.

Just before everyone drifted off to sleep, Luna’s quiet voice echoed softly through the bunker.

"Nobody’s keeping watch tonight."

"Sleep."

"You’re going to need your strength."

Without another word, the boys silently nodded.

She might appear cold.

She might act indifferent.

But one thing had become painfully clear.

As long as they remained under Luna’s protection...

She had no intention of letting any of them die.