Semua Bab The Apocalypse Hoarder: Bab 511 - Bab 520

Christopher had wrapped himself in tight layers of clothing. It was not that cold underground, yet he had zipped his jacket to his chin.If the hallway had been brighter, Ilyana would have seen the bruises on his face and the crescent-shaped marks left by fingernails."Christopher."She had wondered why she had not seen him earlier.He led her to a remote storage room. The lights were dim, and the darkness offered a fragile sense of safety."Ms. Brandt, this base is fucked up. You have to get us out of here." His voice broke, and he could not keep himself together.Shock rippled through Ilyana. She steadied him and asked, "Tell me what you found."Christopher wiped his eyes. "Because of some special assignments, I sometimes get taken to Ark Sector Two."One day, I saw several people in white protective suits carrying two long bags. I got curious. The bags looked like sleeping bags, but the shapes inside looked like people. So I followed them. Do you know what I saw?"His voice

Ilyana kept her face blank as she surveyed the lab. A massive machine dominated the room, occupying nearly a quarter of the space. Its steel bulk and thick piping connected to a web of smaller components that spread outward like veins.It was late, and the night shift ran thin. The workers who had carried in the bodies drifted aside to chat. One even pulled out a handheld console and began playing a game.The atmosphere felt disturbingly relaxed. No tension lingered in the air, no trace of solemnity. Everyone focused on individual tasks. No one paid Ilyana any attention.Two men hauled the grotesque corpse to a furnace-like unit and shoved it inside. A low rumble rolled through the room.Moments later, the thick pipes along the machine's side began to flow. A milky, viscous liquid poured out. A large metal barrel below collected every drop.The sight struck Ilyana like a blow, and her stomach churned. That white paste looked exactly like the food she had received on her first day.

After searching the scene, Ethan and Malik felt a heavy weight settle in their chests. The area had been cleaned too thoroughly. There was no blood, no remains.Only two possibilities remained. Either Hailey and Keegan had been taken alive, or they had been killed and their opponent had possessed the time and control to clear the battlefield before leaving.Neither outcome offered comfort.A soldier jogged over. "Sir, I found snowmobile tracks."Ethan and Malik exchanged a look. "Take us there."They followed him and soon saw them. Faint tread marks cut across the snow, not yet fully buried.Relief flickered between them."Follow this, and we'll find where he lives.""No time to waste. If the snow covers it, we lose the trail."They assembled the unit and mounted their sleds, following the tracks across the white expanse.In the endless snowfield, any human trace stood out like a signpost. It did not take long to reach the perimeter of Cloudcrest Manor."Stop." Ethan signale

"Just this bunch? They don't even qualify."Cyrus had already assessed them. They had no heavy weapons, only rifles and grenades. He did not need to step outside. The bunker's defenses alone could withstand a year of sustained fire without a single breach."Bring me a chair."Bullets howled outside, but Cyrus remained calm. He had Scarlett drag a chair over, then sat by the window with his legs crossed, watching the assault as if it were a performance.His composure unsettled both women. Even though they knew the glass could withstand large-scale blasts, the relentless barrage still made their hearts pound.Outside, the rescue squad began to sense something was wrong."What kind of house is this? It feels like a fortress.""We've been shooting forever. Not a door broken. Not even a cracked window."The soldiers stiffened. They had encountered a real problem.Ethan and Malik exchanged a look."This opponent isn't easy," Ethan said quietly. "I'm certain now. Whoever is inside h

The surveillance cameras sat concealed behind ballistic glass. No one could damage them from outside.From within the bunker, Cyrus had a clear view of the entire perimeter. Every movement the soldiers made unfolded before him.The rescue team conducted a meticulous sweep. After a full inspection, they found nothing they could exploit.They regrouped and reached a conclusion. The structure resembled an iron turtle shell. Its materials rivaled those of a modern wartime bunker.Malik summarized, "Its only weakness is that it has no offensive capability. That's fortunate. It's clearly a bunker built purely for defense.""In a wealthy district like this, it's not surprising," someone added. "Rich people get paranoid. Or they make too many enemies. So they spend absurd amounts of money building something like this."Ethan listened, then nodded slightly. "That explains the traps on the road. Now that we've cleared them, they can only sit inside and take the hits."He sneered, "Fine. W