’I was given a chance to live... But at what cost...?’
Before she could spiral further, Silas returned, this ti with a man known for his clairvoyant abilities.
The mont he arrived, the air seed to shift.
One by one, he scanned each mber of the family, his gaze sharp and penetrating.
Everyone held their breath. When it ca to Ivy, Silas hesitated.
His fists tightened slightly at his sides. ’I don’t want anyone looking through her like that ...’
But then...
’What if there’s sothing inside her...?’
His jaw clenched. "Check her too."
The clairvoyant nodded, his eyes focusing on Ivy. For a mont, everything felt still.
Then... he paused. A deep frown ford on his face, his brows furrowing in confusion.
He tilted his head slightly, as if what he was seeing didn’t make sense.
The tension snapped. "What happened?"
The man exhaled slowly. "Her body... is different from a normal human’s."
A collective gasp rippled through the room.
Before the silence could turn suffocating, Silas suddenly laughed.
"Well, of course she’s different. She’s chosen by God; how could she be the sa as others?"
Several others nodded quickly, latching onto the explanation as if it were a lifeline. ’That’s nonsense...’
They all knew it. But none of them wanted to question it. Ivy, however, silently clenched her fists.
"Is there any dium inside my body?"
The clairvoyant shook his head. "No. There’s no lump... nothing abnormal like that."
The words lifted a crushing weight. A collective sigh of relief escaped the room.
Soon after, the clairvoyant left. That night, no one dared to leave.
They stayed together, bound by fear and exhaustion.
Outside, the world was descending into chaos.
The flood surged forward like a living beast, swallowing everything in its path.
It had reached a terrifying point, ’Even the highest towers... they might already be underwater...’
Even though the flood had barely affected Ivy’s base, a far greater problem lood.
Humanity itself was collapsing.
The workers, the thinkers, the knowledge holders... everything was being washed away in that rciless tide. Skills, inventions, history... all of it threatened to vanish.
While panic spread among most, Martha stood apart. She simply observed.
Her expression remained calm, almost unnervingly so, as her sharp eyes analyzed everything.
’Panic won’t solve anything... only preparation will.’
Months ago, when the apocalypse had only just begun, Ivy had already anticipated sothing like this. She had ordered Martha to gather and store knowledge, everything.
From building machines to creating chemicals, from basic survival techniques to advanced theories, nothing was left out.
"If humanity loses everything... We’ll rebuild it."
That had been Ivy’s intention. Now, it seed that only Ivy’s base remained as the final stronghold of humanity.
The last flicker of hope.
The most brilliant minds, the most skilled individuals, those who could rebuild civilization, had all been carefully sheltered. Ivy had ensured they were given proper roles, kept safe, and never sent out recklessly.
They weren’t just people anymore. They were the future.
anwhile, those who had fled from the Talon base and taken refuge under Ivy were filled with relief, even joy.
"We survived..."
"We finally have sowhere safe ..."
Their voices carried faint hope, fragile but alive. But Ivy... She felt none of it.
Instead, a deep unease pressed against her chest. ’This isn’t sustainable ...’
Her base couldn’t expand outward anymore. The land had its limits. The only option left was to build upward.
Higher. And higher. But even that ca with its own problems.
The soil beneath them wasn’t strong enough to support buildings beyond fifty floors. The deeper she thought about construction, materials, stability... every solution led to another problem.
Her head throbbed. A dull, persistent ache. Still, she forced it down.
Ember ca first. Ember had woken up.
From the mont Ivy whispered the truth into her ears.... that the so-called child was not a child but a tumor... a dium planted by so superior being... Ember had stopped struggling against abortion.
It was hard for an emotionally sensitive person to even believe it, but... Ember believed her. Imdiately.
’She trusts . ...’
Because Ivy had lived through things none of them could comprehend. Compared to them, she understood those beings far better.
Without hesitation, Ember had agreed. "Remove it."
Her voice had been weak but firm. And truthfully... she had already suspected sothing.
The dreams. The entity visiting her. The unnatural healing.
And most of all...
"He asked for your blood ..."
That had been the red flag. A warning that scread danger. It couldn’t be ignored. Only then did Ivy realize why Ember had suddenly changed her mind so decisively.
It wasn’t just trust. It was instinct.
Relief had briefly touched Ivy’s heart. ’Now that the dium is gone... she’ll finally be safe ...’
But she had judged too soon. The very next day... Ember’s condition worsened.
Pearl arrived, holding a knife, her face pale and confused, her eyes filled with worry.
The mont Ivy saw her, her expression hardened. "What happened?"
Her voice was cold, sharp enough to cut through the tension.
Pearl broke down instantly, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"I don’t know... just a few minutes ago she was fine... and then suddenly... she started screaming in pain..."
Ivy’s fists clenched. "What did you feed her?"
"Just... an apple..."
"Is there anything left?"
Pearl shook her head frantically. "I cut it into pieces and fed it to her... the core... I threw it away..."
Before she could finish, Ivy had already moved. She rushed to the garbage. But when she looked inside...only ashes remained.
She froze. A cold chill crept down her spine. Slowly, she turned back. Pearl raised her hands nervously.
"I... I don’t know what happened ..."
Ivy didn’t respond. Her gaze shifted.
Keith stood nearby, staring at Ember, his eyes filled with a strange, unreadable depth. Too calm. Too focused.
’Sothing’s wrong.’ ...’
Without another word, Ivy spoke. "Both of you... leave."
That night, Ember’s condition stabilized. But Ivy didn’t relax.
Not even for a second.
She personally monitored every piece of food given to Ember, her mind racing.
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