What if the man begging for mercy was a traitor?
What if kindness in the Apocalypse got you killed?
Damn, Elara didn't come to play—she came to survive.
Piper and Silas sighed in relief as Elara's group returned.
Elara glanced at the stranger.
She walked into the yard without a word.
"I'm going to wash up and change."
"Dinner's cold, Piper—reheat it," she said crisply.
Piper nodded.
Finally losing patience with the man clinging to the gate.
"How many times do I have to say it?"
"The supermarket at the village entrance has food.
Empty houses are everywhere—why haunt us?"
"We don't even know you!" she snapped.
"I'm hurt! Please save me!"
"Let me come with you—I'll do anything!" the man begged, voice trembling.
Elias pushed up his glasses, stepping over calmly.
"What's going on?"
Piper frowned in annoyance.
"He showed up right after you left.
Said his name's Zou Yuan, got hurt saving friends."
"Begged us to give him a ride," she added.
"We're five people—no room in the car. Leave," Jaxon snapped.
Waving him off sharply.
"Piper, reheat the food! I'm starving!"
Piper scurried into the house.
Zou Yuan's eyes flashed with malice.
He studied the three men blocking him.
Couldn't tell who was in charge.
Silas looked gentle, like a scholar—harmless.
Not a leader.
Elias had a stiff, cold face—no smile, no warmth.
Just rigid formality.
Jaxon was young and cheerful—too playful to lead.
Zou Yuan fixed his gaze on Elias.
The most imposing of the three.
"Brother, please! I'll be your slave—anything!"
"Pfft!" Jaxon scoffed loudly.
"My car's faster than you. What use are you?"
"Cut the crap—leave, or you'll regret it!"
"Close the gate," Elias said flatly.
Jaxon and Silas moved in unison to shut it.
"No! Please don't!"
Zou Yuan banged on the wood frantically.
Shoving half his body through the gap.
"Have you no shame?!" Jaxon growled.
His face darkening with anger.
"Please—uh!"
Before he finished, a golden light shot from the house.
It pierced his forehead cleanly.
Zou Yuan's eyes widened in disbelief.
He crumpled to the ground, dead.
Jaxon stared, stunned rigid.
Elias jumped slightly.
Then returned to his stoic expression.
Silas frowned deeply, saying nothing.
"I have no patience. I'm no saint," Elara's cold voice rang out.
She walked out, dressed in leather.
Accentuating her slender, powerful figure.
A wide belt around her waist—stuffed with sharp nails.
"I'll kill more people."
"If any of you can't handle it—take your supplies and go," she said, unyielding.
She glanced at Jaxon, Elias, Silas—assessing them.
Then turned back into the house.
Piper looked conflicted.
Sitting quietly at the table.
They were used to peace, to laws.
Killing Mutated Beasts was necessary.
Killing humans?
It twisted their stomachs.
Elara didn't explain.
Didn't tell them Zou Yuan had pushed his friends into the Beast herd.
This was a test for her allies.
Pass, and she'd share the truth.
Fail, and their paths would split.
No hard feelings.
Elias was the first to enter the house.
He said nothing.
Just picked up his bowl and ate slowly.
As if nothing had happened.
Jaxon followed, pale but determined.
"I can't accept killing casually… but you're not a murderer," he hesitated.
"Trust there's a reason. You saved my life—I'm with you," he said firmly.
"Even if you go to hell, I'll follow," he added, bowing to eat.
Elara looked at him in surprise.
A flicker of warmth touched her cold heart.
Jaxon was worth saving.
Silas entered last, leaning against the doorframe.
His pale face—gentle as polished jade.
"I'm a doctor. Three generations—no patient ever died on me," he said softly.
"For every person you kill, I'll save one. Balance the scales," he said firmly.
"So Jaxon, don't worry—Elara won't go to hell," his eyes steady.
"Brother!" Piper jumped up, hugging him tightly.
She'd been terrified he'd leave.
Silas patted her back gently.
They sat down to eat.
Tension fading.
"Nice! Didn't know you're a doctor, Silas!" Jaxon grinned, nudging him.
"Of course! My brother's a genius!" Piper boasted.
Lifting her chin proudly.
Elara smiled faintly.
A rare softening of her features.
Against all odds, the group was stronger.
Bound by trust.
"Remember the three people chased by Mutated Beasts?" she asked.
They all nodded, curious.
"Was that Zou Yuan?" Jaxon wondered.
Elara sneered, eyes cold.
"His friends didn't abandon him. Carried him, protected him."
"But when Beasts closed in, he pushed them into the herd. Ironically, he survived," she said sharply.
Silence fell.
"That bastard! Should've beaten him half to death!" Piper fumed.
Slamming her fist lightly on the table.
"Killing him was too easy. Should've fed him to Beasts!" Jaxon gritted his teeth.
Relief washed over his face—now he understood.
Elias and Silas said nothing.
Their expressions darkened with disgust.
"I'll kill again. But never innocents," Elara said firmly.
Her gaze clear, unflinching.
"You'll all have to kill humans someday."
"Don't hesitate—spare the wicked, innocents die. That's not kindness. That's being an accomplice," she said.
She meant every word.
Reborn, she wasn't here to be a hero.
Just wanted her family safe.
Even if she had to become a devil.
But she'd never treat human life lightly.
Mercy for monsters was cruelty to innocents.
After dinner, they assigned night watches.
Silas and Piper took the first half.
Elara and Jaxon the second.
Elias was spared—he'd drive tomorrow.
Elara locked herself in a room.
Entering the flower sea space.
She placed new plastic buckets under each beehive.
To catch fresh honey.
Stacked empty containers neatly in a corner.
Thirty buckets of honey sat ready.
Ten liquid, twenty crystallized—all rich with energy.
She sealed them tightly.
Then walked along the path through the flowers.
Wanted to explore the space fully.
Uncover its secrets.
After an hour, the flower sea ended.
Elara looked up, gasping softly.
A massive unknown tree stood before her.
Nearly 100 meters tall.
Crown spanning 200 meters—blocking the sky.
No fruits grew on its branches.
Only large, thick leaves—glossy, vibrant.
Elara didn't recognize the species.
But anything in this magical space must be extraordinary.
For now, she couldn't learn more.
Turned back to the cabin.
Made a mental note to investigate later.
Bees buzzed busily between flowers and hives.
She watched them for a moment.
Then left the space.
In her room, a large golden bubble surrounded her.
Golden energy—pure, warm—flowed into her body.
Strengthening her Superpower.
Dawn broke.
Elara opened her eyes, alert and refreshed.
She and Jaxon took their night watch positions.
Before sunrise, they heard Mutated Beasts growling.
Chewing outside the gate.
Jaxon and Elara exchanged a look.
They didn't move.
Zou Yuan's body was payment enough.
Morning came.
Piper made breakfast.
They ate quickly.
When they stepped outside, Zou Yuan's body was gone.
Only bloodstains and flesh scraps remained.
No one mentioned him—they all understood.
Checked supplies and the car.
Then drove deeper into the village.
Encountered a few Mutated cattle and sheep.
Elara let Jaxon, Piper, Silas, Elias handle them.
Training for battle.
She focused on the cleaned snake tendon.
Channeled her gold-element Superpower into it.
Carefully reinforcing the fibers.
The tendon was flexible but lacked strength.
With gold-element energy flowing through it.
It turned into a shimmering pale gold whip.
She formed a sturdy handle with her power.
Fusing it seamlessly to the whip.
Rolled it up neatly.
Hung it at her waist—her new weapon.