Free Web NovelChapter 44: Chapter 44 One hour of rest is over
"I have been able to secure a large amount of supplies enough to last for months. In truth, what remained in the supermarket could sustain someone for years, but I have only taken what I could reasonably carry and manage for now. There was no need to be greedy. I could always return later when i need more."
Ivy gaze lingered on her phone as she read the Scarlett message. Then she played the video underneath it.
Scarlett was still inside the supermarket.
Shelves stacked high with food and drinks surrounded her, untouched and abundant but outside...
Monsters.
Their figures roamed restlessly beyond the glass doors, their growls deep, guttural, and chilling. Even through the recording, the sound was so loud and unsettling that Ivy instinctively lowered the volume, not wanting her children to hear.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the phone.
Immediately, she began to type.
Don’t go home yet, Ivy wrote quickly. The outside is filled with monsters. The supermarket still appears safe for now. Stay there as long as you can. If you must leave, try at night when most of them might be less active or resting.
She paused, then added more firmly:
And whatever you do, don’t make any noise. Avoid anything that could attract their attention. Even the smallest sound could draw them to you. Stay hidden. Stay quiet.
With that, Ivy sent the message.
But no reply came. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Her brows furrowed slightly as she checked the timestamp again.
One hour ago.
A faint unease settled in her chest.
I hope she sees this... Ivy thought, swallowing hard. I hope she’s still safe.
Letting out a quiet breath, she set her phone aside and picked up her iPad instead.
“Mommy... Hope is done eating. She fell asleep,” Lila said softly.
Ivy turned immediately toward her daughters.
Aria stood nearby, carefully holding little Hope in her arms, trying her best to support the baby’s weight. Hope was fast asleep, her tiny mouth slightly puffed, her cheeks rounded as if she had stored the milk inside them.
A gentle warmth filled Ivy’s chest.
Without wasting a second, she stood and walked over.
“Thank you, my angels,” Ivy said warmly, her voice soft with affection.
She leaned down and kissed Aria and Lila on their foreheads before gently lifting Hope from Aria’s arms.
Cradling the baby close, Ivy returned to the couch and sat down.
“I need to burp her,” she murmured quietly. “If I don’t, she might spit up while sleeping.”
Aria and Lila nodded in understanding before grabbing the TV remote. Within seconds, their favorite cartoon filled the room, their attention instantly captured.
A light chuckle escaped Ivy as she watched them.
For a brief moment... things felt peaceful but then, a memory surfaced.
During the last apocalypse...
Signals had disappeared, networks had gone down while the world had fallen into silence and darkness.
Ivy’s expression slowly hardened as she remembered.
She and her children had nearly lost their sanity from the isolation alone.
Without hesitation, she picked up her iPad again and began downloading everything she could think of.
Movies.
Her favorite shows.
Novels.....romance, werewolves, apocalypse survival stories... anything that could entertain her or even teach her something useful.
Then she moved on to her children’s needs.
Cartoons, educational programs, games, age-appropriate books.
She even downloaded music.....soft lullabies for Hope, playful songs for Aria and Lila, and calming tracks for herself.
Her iPad had a massive storage capacity....one terabyte and it handled everything easily.
Files stacked one after another as downloads progressed.
“I’ll transfer their shows to their tablets later,” Ivy muttered to herself, exhaling softly.
Soon, she was done selecting everything.
All that remained was to wait as the downloads completed.
A few moments later, Hope let out a soft burp against her chest.
“There we go...” Ivy whispered gently.
Carefully, she carried the baby to the room and laid her down in the crib, adjusting her position comfortably before leaning down to press a soft kiss to her rosy cheeks.
Just as she turned....
Ding!
{One hour of rest is over, Host.}
{It’s time to continue your training.}
Ivy didn’t argue.
Silently, she changed into her exercise outfit....a fitted top and comfortable trousers. She pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail before stepping out of the shelter.
Inside, her children remained completely absorbed in their cartoon, unaware of her departure.
Outside, the air felt heavier.
Ivy walked toward the training mat, her steps steady.
Ding!
{Each keg of water weighs 5 kilograms, Host. The two you will be using total 10 kilograms.}
{You are to carry one in each hand and walk around the shelter. Fifty laps.}
Ivy froze for a split second.
Fifty laps?!
Her throat went dry, but she swallowed hard, determination quickly replacing hesitation.
All my exercises today involve fifty...
Her grip tightened slightly.
Then so be it.
I’m ready.
Without another word, she stepped forward, bent down, and lifted the two kegs filled with water....one in each hand.
The weight pulled at her arms immediately.
But she didn’t drop it.
