Alana pressed her lips together, tension flickering across her face before she spoke.
"Even if what you saw is true, we shouldn’t rush into this. Acting recklessly could make things worse."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "And how certain are you about all of this?"
Felix t her gaze without hesitation. "I wouldn’t have ford this group... or agreed with Silas... if I hadn’t seen those mories myself."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Ron, June, Nora, and Pearl exchanged confused glances before all eyes returned to Felix.
He exhaled slowly, then spoke again, his tone steady but serious. "I’ll explain everything... but from this point forward, I need your absolute cooperation."
They nodded, though uncertainty still lingered in their expressions.
Felix’s gaze darkened slightly as he began. "It started the day Ivy ca to ... asking to see her past."
He paused briefly, as if recalling the scene in vivid detail.
"At that ti, I could only see up to a certain point... the mont she lost consciousness." His voice dropped lower. "She was surrounded... by a swarm of zombies."
Ron’s eyes widened as he leaned forward slightly. "Was that... her end?"
Felix shook his head slowly, his expression turning even more grim. "No."
A cold silence followed before he continued, his voice carrying a weight that made the air feel heavier. "You see..."
As Felix finished speaking, a heavy silence settled over the group.
Nora, Ron, Pearl, June, and Alana stood frozen, their expressions stiff, their breaths shallow as if the very air had turned dense.
All of them had tears in their eyes. Ivy’s past was truly unbearable...
Who would have thought that the person who changed so many people’s lives was never helped by anyone?
But what made their heart tighten was... what happened to Ivy after she was all alone.
Nora was the first to react, her brows knitting together as she stepped forward slightly.
"If... if that’s really the case... then what are we supposed to do?"
Felix didn’t hesitate. His gaze remained steady,
"The plan has already been discussed... with him. We just need to follow it."
Pearl’s eyes flickered.
She exhaled slowly before looking back at Felix. "Then you should explain it clearly."
Her tone sharpened slightly. "Tell us everything... from start to finish."
Felix nodded once, then began laying out the entire plan in detail, his voice low but unwavering.
Each word seed to deepen the tension in the room.
When he finally finished, Pearl frowned deeply, her arms crossing unconsciously as doubt clouded her expression.
"There are too many uncertainties," she muttered, then looked straight at him. "This plan could collapse at any mont. There are far too many variables."
Felix t her gaze without flinching.
"We don’t have another option."
His voice was calm, but firm enough to leave no room for argunt.
Nora clenched her fists tightly.
"With my ability... I’ll do everything I can."
She inhaled sharply, her voice turning resolute. "And if that’s not enough... I’ll push my cultivation further."
Ron nodded beside her, his expression firm. "I’ll do my best too."
But behind his calm words, mories surged within him.
A girl... standing against danger without hesitation.
The one who had given him hope... and even extended that hope to his little sister.
The one who had protected him when he had nothing.
’If it wasn’t for Ivy... I would’ve died that day... surrounded by those robbers...’
His chest tightened as he recalled it, a faint tremor passing through him. Taking a slow breath, he steadied himself.
’No matter what happens... I’ll protect her.’
Yet, there was sothing that continued to bother him.
Felix had told him that he possessed a power, one especially suited for Ivy.
But Ron couldn’t feel anything. No awakening. No sign. Nothing.
He lowered his gaze to his hand, staring at it quietly, a faint helplessness creeping in. ’...Do I really have anything at all?’
...............
anwhile, Henry struggled his way back toward the cave, the biting cold clawing at his skin like invisible needles.
His fingers had gone numb, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Brutal didn’t even begin to describe it.
The cold was so overwhelming that, for a fleeting mont, Henry almost gave in.
’I should go back... just return to that warm, beautiful base...’
The thought tempted him, wrapping around his mind like a comforting illusion.
But he resisted.
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself forward.
Then, suddenly, his gaze fell upon the small balls Ivy had given him earlier. Curiosity flickered in his tired eyes.
He picked one up, its surface smooth yet slightly firm under his frozen fingers.
’She said... to squeeze it...’
With a bit of effort, he pressed it. The mont it burst, it vanished without a trace... no sound, no residue.
And then... warmth.
A gentle, soothing warmth spread through the air around him, wrapping him like an invisible embrace. It wasn’t hot, nor was it cold. It was perfect.
Balanced. Comforting in a way that made his tense muscles finally relax.
Henry blinked in surprise, exhaling slowly as his breath no longer ca out in mist.
’...This... is incredible.’
Realization struck him instantly. ’These are temperature-control balls... she made them for us.’
Quickly counting, he noticed there were exactly as many balls as mbers in his team.
A faint smile appeared on his face despite the harsh surroundings.
Even the zombies chasing him had reduced!
Soon, he reached the cave.
Inside, he found Alia, Scarlett, Chloe, Arial, Aiden, and Jack gathered together.
The mont Jack saw him, his eyes lit up as he rushed forward eagerly.
"Did you bring anything to eat?" His voice was louder than usual, filled with desperation. "I’m starving!"
Even with all their preparations, it hadn’t been enough. No one had expected that entering the cave would accelerate their hunger so drastically.
Their cultivation had increased at an alarming speed... but it ca at a cost.
The faster their energy grew, the faster it consud their reserves. That was the only reason they endured this harsh environnt.
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