Chapter 20 Family Annihilation
Attached to the update was a photo of the brother’s finger–skin broken, with a purplish–black hue spreading outward.
Commenters were quick to warn Sunnie he’d turn into a zombie, urging her to kick him out immediately.
Iris typed a single, urgent reply: [Kill him! Quick!]
Immediately, the girl replied: [Mr. Midsummer, you’re here! I showed the other comments to Dad and Stepmom. They cut off his finger. They said the wound’s small, so he’ll be okay.]
Frustration boiled over, almost making Iris shout, “Get out of there! Now!”
No reply came.
Spoon in hand, Iris stared at the screen for a full fifteen minutes, the oats and quinoa growing cold as she waited in vain.
Zombie mutation typically struck within 1 to 10 minutes. Those with weak constitutions turned in roughly a minute, while those with stronger bodies and willpower might cling on for up to ten.
Cutting off the injured limb was useless–the zombie virus surged into the bloodstream instantly, contaminating the entire body with no hope of survival.
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The girl’s fate was all but certain.
Her brother would first start gasping for breath, followed by his body turning black and cold, then stiffening for ten–odd seconds.
Killing him in that narrow window might have saved the others –but her biased father and stepmother, who doted on the boy, would never let her harm him.
Those ten–odd seconds of hesitation would be enough to drag them all to hell together.
Shaking her head, she closed the forum entirely, pulling up a lighthearted family movie to watch while she ate.
Iris had given Sunnie a chance–if only the girl had listened, hiding in the convenience store and cutting ties with her family from the start, or forcing herself to kill her brother, she wouldn’t be trapped in this nightmare.
But ninety–nine percent of people were like this.
Trapped in the webs of oppression, they leaped willingly into their own fiery pits, even when consumed by reluctance.
As foolish as she’d been in her previous life.
Luckily, Iris would never repeat that mistake. 2/4
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Anyone daring to oppress her would die.
She’d live freely, do as she pleased, and embrace her true self in this apocalypse.
She didn’t check the post again.
After finishing her meal, she resumed training—starting with light exercises to aid digestion, then moving on to high–intensity strength training once her stomach felt settled.
Seven days slipped by in the blink of an eye.
The routine remained unchanged: train, shower, eat, train.
Eighteen out of every twenty–four hours were spent exercising. Thanks to the scientific rigor of her routine, she grew more energetic the harder she trained.
Her physical fitness improved drastically. Once, a 6.2–mile run would leave her gasping for air; now, Iris finished it without breaking a sweat.
Her strength had doubled–she’d once struggled to carry a 100–pound bag of oats, but now lifted it with one hand.
Her hand–to–hand combat skills had also returned to their peak. Unarmed, Iris could take down five grown men at once; with a
3/4
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weapon, she struck with lethal precision.
After finishing her training that day, she sat down to enjoy braised beef.
She’d used 500 pounds of fresh beef stockpiled before the apocalypse, simmering it in a pressure cooker with various spices until tender and flavorful. Chilled, sliced thin, and served with a dipping sauce, the braised beef was utterly delicious.
Her taste buds had grown more discerning lately–she’d lost all desire for the pre–made sauce mixes and instant mac and cheese she’d stocked earlier.
Why settle for emergency rations when fresh, high–quality food was available?
With supplies abundant, feeding herself was never a concern.
Iris ate the braised beef while Summer enjoyed a large pot of beef bone broth–rich, seasoned only with a pinch of salt, made just for him.
Whatever she ate, he ate too.
The two feasted happily within the safety of the base, while the world outside had long since descended into chaos.
4/4
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Cifte
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
