Chapter 49: Something is Wrong

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Something is Wrong

After leaving Center Mall, the group immediately headed toward the construction district.

Unlike ordinary shopping centers, the district consisted of several massive warehouse-style buildings that supplied contractors and businesses.

Heavy-duty gates.

Steel fences.

Industrial shelving.

Generators.

Power tools.

Everything they needed to reinforce the apartment building.

As soon as they entered the vehicle, Penelope opened the map on her phone.

"We need a heavy-duty security gate for the staircase."

Ben nodded.

"And steel bars."

Kai immediately added.

"And sandbags."

"Those aren’t sold here." Erik replied.

Kai clicked his tongue.

"Way to crush my dreams."

Ben laughed.

"Brother Kai, perhaps we should focus on realistic dreams."

Meanwhile, the sleeping white wolf cub remained curled up on Erik’s lap, completely unaware that he had become the center of everyone’s attention.

Kai kept glancing over every few seconds.

Ben wasn’t much better.

Even Penelope occasionally stole a look.

Only Erik pretended not to notice.

Eventually, Kai couldn’t endure it anymore.

"Brother."

"Hm?"

"Can I hold my nephew?"

Erik almost swerved the car.

"No."

Kai looked offended.

"Why?"

"He’s sleeping."

"So?"

"So leave him alone."

Kai gasped dramatically.

"Brother Ben."

"Hm?"

"I think Brother has become a helicopter parent."

Ben nodded seriously.

"I agree."

Erik: "..."

Penelope couldn’t help laughing.

Poor Brother Erik.

Fatherhood truly changed a man.

Half an hour later, the vehicle entered the construction district.

Everyone froze.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Something felt wrong.

Very wrong.

The buildings were brightly illuminated.

Shopping carts remained abandoned.

Forklifts sat motionless.

Everything appeared frozen in time.

Yet—

There were no bodies.

Not one.

Erik’s expression slowly changed.

He immediately parked the vehicle.

The playful atmosphere disappeared.

"Kai."

"Hm?"

"Lower your voice."

Kai blinked.

Then he noticed Erik’s expression.

His smile slowly vanished.

"What happened?"

Erik narrowed his eyes.

"Think carefully."

Everyone fell silent.

Ben’s eyes widened first.

"...The bodies."

Penelope froze.

Bodies?

Then her expression changed.

At Center Mall—

People had collapsed everywhere.

Restaurants.

Escalators.

Hallways.

Yet here...

Nothing.

Not a single sleeping person.

Kai swallowed.

"...Brother."

Erik quietly opened the car door.

"Stay close."

His voice had become unusually cold.

"And move quickly."

For some reason, Penelope felt goosebumps.

Brother Erik wasn’t overreacting.

He wasn’t the type.

If he said something was wrong—

Then something was wrong.

Soon, the four entered the nearest warehouse.

Silence greeted them.

Rows upon rows of construction materials stretched endlessly before them.

Steel fencing.

Industrial locks.

Concrete mixers.

Generators.

Power tools.

Ladders.

Toolboxes.

Heavy-duty chains.

Everything they needed.

Yet—

The silence felt oppressive.

Kai unconsciously lowered his voice.

"Brother Ben."

"Hm?"

"Tell me I’m imagining things."

Ben frowned.

"I wish I could."

Even Penelope felt uncomfortable.

She had expected sleeping workers.

Sleeping customers.

Something.

Anything.

But this place was empty.

Completely empty.

"Everyone split up." Erik said quietly.

"Stay within sight."

"No unnecessary talking."

"If anything happens, call immediately."

The three nodded.

Soon, Penelope began storing supplies.

Industrial locks.

Steel doors.

Power drills.

Generators.

Nails.

Bolts.

Lumber.

Heavy-duty hinges.

Large steel gates.

Everything disappeared into her space.

Meanwhile, Kai and Ben loaded carts with toolboxes and hand tools.

Neither joked anymore.

Even Kai had become unusually quiet.

Time slowly passed.

And then—

Clang.

Everyone froze.

The sound echoed through the warehouse.

Kai almost jumped.

"What was that?"

No one answered.

Erik slowly turned around.

His blue eyes had become sharp.

"Did one of you make that sound?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Silence returned.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

Nothing happened.

Kai nervously laughed.

"Haha..."

"Maybe a rat?"

No one laughed.

Because the sound hadn’t resembled something small.

It sounded heavy.

Very heavy.

Then—

Bang.

Everyone froze again.

This time, the sound came from outside.

Ben’s face changed.

"Brother Erik."

Erik’s expression darkened.

"Move."

Immediately.

No hesitation.

Everyone abandoned the carts and rushed toward the exit.

Just as they reached the entrance—

Penelope’s footsteps stopped.

Her pupils contracted.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Hundreds of figures.

Men.

Women.

Workers.

Customers.

Standing outside.

Motionless.

Their heads hung low.

Their skin had turned pale.

Blood vessels spread beneath gray flesh.

And their eyes—

Slowly opened.

Cloudy.

Lifeless.

Hungry.

Kai’s entire body froze.

"No..."

Ben’s breathing became erratic.

"That’s impossible..."

Even Penelope’s scalp went numb.

Morning.

They weren’t supposed to wake up until morning.

Then—

One zombie raised its head.

It stared directly at them.

Its mouth twisted unnaturally.

And suddenly—

It screamed.

The horrifying scream shattered the silence.

As if receiving a signal—

Hundreds of heads snapped toward them simultaneously.

Everyone’s blood ran cold.

Because they finally understood.

Time...

Had accelerated.

And they were no longer ahead of the apocalypse.

The apocalypse had caught up to them.

"Run!"

Erik’s voice snapped everyone out of their shock.

The group immediately retreated into the warehouse.

Behind them, the sea of zombies surged forward.

Their twisted bodies stumbled and collided into one another.

Yet their numbers alone were enough to make anyone despair.

Kai’s face turned pale.

"Brother!"

"There are too many!"

"Second floor!" Erik shouted.

Without hesitation, everyone rushed toward the industrial staircase.

However, before they could reach it—

Several zombies appeared from the adjacent aisle.

They had been inside the warehouse all along.

Ben’s pupils shrank.

"Behind us!"

The first zombie lunged.

Crack!

A spear of ice instantly pierced its skull.

Everyone froze.

The zombie collapsed heavily onto the ground.

Erik stood in front of them.

Blue lightning danced around his body while frost slowly spread across the floor.

His usually gentle eyes had become frighteningly cold.

"Move."

"Leave these to me."

Another zombie charged.

Boom!

A bolt of lightning exploded through its head.

Kai’s jaw dropped.

"Damn..."

"My brother is so cool."

Unfortunately—

A third zombie suddenly lunged toward Kai.

Instinctively—

Flames erupted from Kai’s hands.

Whoosh!

The zombie was blasted backward.

Kai himself froze.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Ben."

"Hm?"

"I think I just committed murder."

Ben almost cursed.

"Kai!"

"Now isn’t the time!"

Before another zombie could attack, several stone spikes burst from the ground.

Crunch!

Three heads exploded simultaneously.

Ben stared at his own hands.

"..."

His expression became complicated.

"Good thing we spent all that time training our abilities."

Despite the tense situation, Kai immediately nodded.

"I agree."

"However, training prepared us for people."

"Not dead people."

Even Erik’s mouth twitched.

Unfortunately—

The horde behind them had already entered the warehouse.

Hundreds.

Perhaps thousands.

And their terrifying roars echoed throughout the building.

Penelope’s heartbeat accelerated.

Her eyes unconsciously landed on her own hands.

Fire.

Ice.

Lightning.

Metal.

Earth.

Wind.

She possessed countless abilities.

Yet...

She wasn’t confident.

These powers didn’t feel like her own.

They were unfamiliar.

Unpredictable.

If she lost control...

She might hurt her family.

No.

Not yet.

She wasn’t ready.

Without hesitation, Penelope reached into her space.

Shing!

A black katana appeared in her hand.

Kai almost screamed.

"Penny!"

"Where did you even get a sword?"

"A few days ago, when I went weapon shopping with Killian." Penny answered.

"Oh, right. I forgot about that." Kai responded

Meanwhile, Erik only glanced at the sword before nodding.

"Good."

"Less noise."

Penelope smiled.

"As expected of brother."

Unlike elemental abilities, she trusted her own body.

Years of rigorous training.

Countless hours of sparring.

Pain.

Sweat.

Discipline.

Those belonged to her.

Not borrowed powers.

Not strange awakenings.

These were skills honed through rigorous training.

The first zombie reached her.

Its rotten mouth opened.

Slash!

Its head flew into the air.

Before the body could even collapse—

Penelope had already stepped past it.

Graceful.

Efficient.

Precise.

For a brief moment—

Even Erik paused.

His little sister...

Had grown up.

And somewhere inside her consciousness—

Oddy trembled.

"Master..."

"So handsome..."

Penelope: "..."

"Wrong."

"Pretty."

"Master is pretty."

Oddy immediately corrected himself.

"Pretty!"

"Scary pretty!"

Meanwhile, Kai stared blankly.

"Ben."

"Hm?"

"I think Princess Peach has become Samurai Peach."

Ben nodded seriously.

"I believe Mario and Luigi have been abandoned."

Even in the middle of the apocalypse—

Neither sibling could stop talking nonsense.

And unfortunately for them—

The real nightmare...

Had only just begun.