All Chapters of Reborn Before The Climate Apocalypse : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The air inside the abandoned gas station utility room reeked of copper, rot, and burning diesel. Outside, the screeching of dozens of infected tore through the stormy night, their clawed hands beating against the thin steel doors."Mia, hand it over! Give me the key!" Jason’s voice cut through the flickering emergency light. He didn't look at my face. His eyes were glued to the heavy silver key card held tightly in my bloody fingers—the master key to the underground military shelter across the highway."Jason... I can't walk..." I rasped, clutching my torn jacket over my abdomen. My blood pooled dark and thick against the cold concrete floor. "My leg is broken... You have to help me up...""Carry you?" A sharp, high-pitched laugh echoed from the shadow behind the shelving units.Sabrina stepped out wearing the heavy goose-down winter coat I had scavenged three days ago. She didn't have a single scratch on her. In her right hand, she held my medical kit; in her left, my last bottle of

The glass-walled conference room of Carter Logistics was dead silent.Four senior board members sat around the mahogany table, staring at me like I had suddenly sprouted a second head. Across from them sat Marcus Vance, the lead representative for Apex Global Private Equity, holding a fountain pen mid-air over a stack of legal documents."Let me get this straight, Ms. Carter," Marcus said slowly, adjusting his silver rimless glasses. "You want to complete the full transfer of your controlling shares... today? Within the hour?""By noon, Mr. Vance," I said, tapping my knuckles against the polished wood. "And I don't want stock options, convertible bonds, or structured payouts. I want the twelve point five million dollars wired directly into my liquid cash holding account in full."My Chief Financial Officer, Arthur, practically choked on his espresso."Mia, are you out of your mind?!" Arthur sputtered, dabbing his mouth frantically with a napkin. "Carter Logistics is experiencing a rec

The heavy three-inch steel vault door of my underground bunker sat nestled into the granite hillside, surrounded by thick pine trees. Outside, the sky had turned a sickly, bruised shade of orange, and the distant sounds of sirens, crashing cars, and echoing gunshots rattled across the valley.I was standing in the reinforced entryway, holding a high-powered LED tactical flashlight and adjusting the strap of my crossbow, when my [Passive Biological Scan] suddenly flared blue behind my eyelids.Warning! Two human lifeforms approaching rapidly.Warning! Viral contamination detected on target 01 (Viral Load: 88% — Rapid Mutation Imminent)."Mia! Open up! MIA, OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!"A desperate pounding rattled the heavy steel hatch from the outside.I flipped on the exterior CCTV monitor mounted on the concrete wall.Jason was leaning heavily against the reinforced door, his face completely pale, sweat dripping off his forehead. The hoodie he wore was soaked in dark, blackish-red blood arou

The forest floor was dead silent. The pitch-black ink in my eyes slowly receded, shrinking back into normal dark brown pupils, though a strange, iridescent purple sheen flickered deep inside them. Ding! [Awakening Complete!] [Host Ability: Darkness Lv. 1 (Initiate Stage).] [Current Energy: 10/100.] [New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Tendrils & Dark Shield.] I raised my right hand, flexing my fingers toward a thick pine tree three yards away. "Alright, pitch-black magic, let's see what you can do. Go get 'em!" Nothing happened. A solitary dry leaf fluttered down from a branch and landed right on my nose. I blew the leaf off with a huff and shook my hand violently like a clogged spray paint can. "Hello? System? Did I miss the instruction manual? Do I need to say 'Open Sesame' or perform a sacrificial dance?" Ding! [System Advice: Ability activation requires focused intent and directional energy projection, not verbal begging.] "Nobody asked for your attitude!" I snapped a

The Electricity Zombie perched atop the crushed police cruiser like a demented, blue-glowing gargoyle. High-voltage arcs danced across its shoulders, snapping against the metal roof with loud, terrifying CRACKS."Hey! Sparky!" I shouted, holding up my dark-infused hunting knife. "You got a permit for those fireworks?!"The zombie let out a metallic screech, raising both arms.BZZZZT—BOOM!A thick bolt of blue lightning shot from its palms, scorching the air as it streaked directly toward my chest!"Shadow Step!" I yelled.ZIP!I dissolved into black mist a fraction of a second before the lightning struck.KABOOM!The asphalt where I’d been standing exploded into a cloud of smoking gravel and melted rubber. I materialized five yards to the left, tumbling across the pavement and coming up into a low crouch behind a overturned bus."Okay, note to self: lightning is fast!" I wheezed, shaking out my ringing ears. "System, how much energy do I have left?!"Ding![Current Energy: 80/100.][S