Free Web NovelChapter 9: Chapter 9 Base upgrade initiated
Aria and Lila didn’t even notice that the truck that had been following them earlier was no longer behind them—not until they arrived home.
"Huh? Where’s the truck, Mama?" Aria was the first to ask, her brows furrowing as she looked around, confusion and curiosity written all over her face.
"Yes, Mama... where are they?" Lila added, glancing around as well.
Ivy didn’t hesitate.
"They’ll be here soon, darlings," she replied smoothly, adjusting the bag on her shoulder. "They had a bit of trouble on the way. You girls didn’t notice because you were focused on your tabs... you even took naps before waking up again. It’s only normal you didn’t realize."
Aria blinked, then nodded slowly. Lila followed after a second.
Children were easy to convince.
Still...
Ivy let out a quiet breath as she turned away.
There was absolutely no point trying to explain the truth to them.
How was she supposed to say it?
There’s a voice in my head... a system I can see... something no one else can.
Even thinking about it made her chest tighten slightly.
It sounded insane.
Absurd.
Dangerous.
Yes, she could prove it—she could pull out items from thin air and show them.
But not yet.
Not when they were still this young.
"Let’s go inside, darlings," Ivy said gently, pushing those thoughts aside. "It’s getting late. I need to prepare dinner. And don’t worry... once this place is properly refurbished, you’ll love it here."
The girls nodded obediently.
...
Once inside, Ivy headed straight toward the kitchen, with her daughters trailing closely behind her like always.
She couldn’t even tell them to go and rest as she knows they wouldn’t agree.
"Should I slice or dice the tomatoes, Mama?" Lila asked, holding her small plastic knife tightly in her hand. Despite its size, it was sharp enough to cut through vegetables.
Even though the air raid shelter wasn’t fully furnished, the kitchen was still usable. Ivy had cleared out a few things earlier in the morning, making enough space to work comfortably.
I’ll renovate the kitchen properly soon, she thought, a faint smile touching her lips.
"Slice them, darling. Thank you," Ivy replied warmly.
While Lila carefully sliced the tomatoes, Aria stood by the sink, washing the vegetables with focus far beyond her age.
There was no proper water supply yet.
Ivy had to buy two kegs of water...one for cooking, the other for bathing, at least for the time being.
It wasn’t ideal.
But it was temporary.
Everything was temporary.
---
Soon, the three of them were done preparing their simple meal—homemade hamburgers and freshly made orange juice.
They sat together and began eating while watching their favorite show on the small television.
For a moment...
It felt normal.
Peaceful.
Almost like the world wasn’t ending in less than two weeks.
But Ivy couldn’t relax.
Not completely.
Not when she knew what was coming.
---
Once they were done eating, Ivy stood up almost immediately.
Her gaze shifted toward her eight-year-old and six-year-old daughters, who were already clearing the dishes without being asked.
A soft, bittersweet smile formed on her lips.
While other children complained about chores...
Aria and Lila found joy in helping.
Anything to ease their mother’s burden.
Anything to make her smile.
That alone hurt more than it should.
With one last look at them, Ivy turned and walked out of the shelter, stepping into the cool night air.
---
Ding!
{It’s time to set the razor wire you purchased.}
{You now have thirteen days left until the apocalypse.}
Ivy swallowed hard.
Her throat felt dry.
"Alright... I’m ready," she murmured under her breath.
The system interface flickered to life before her eyes, displaying a detailed layout of how the razor wire should be arranged.
{You only need to place them at the designated points. I will handle the installation.}
Ivy nodded slowly.
"Understood."
Closing her eyes briefly, she focused.
The razor wire stored in her system responded instantly.
One thought—
And it appeared.
Massive coils of razor wire materialized one after another, neatly positioning themselves exactly where they were meant to be laid.
Ivy stepped back slightly, her heart pounding faintly as it began.
---
Before her very eyes, the wires started moving.
Not by human hands or machines but by something invisible.
Something unnatural.
Layer after layer, the razor wire installed itself along the old, rusted fence that surrounded the shelter.
The transformation was terrifying.
What had once been weak and unreliable...
Was now turning into something deadly.
Something unforgiving.
Anyone who dared to climb over it would be shredded without mercy.
---
Hours passed.
Ivy remained there the entire time.
Watching.
Observing.
Occasionally giving minor commands—though truthfully, the system didn’t even need her input. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
Sweat formed along her forehead.
Her body ached slightly, despite the fact that she had done nothing but stand and watch.
But it wasn’t physical exhaustion.
It was mental.
Emotional.
The kind that crept in quietly and settled deep in her bones.
Her gaze drifted briefly toward the shelter behind her.
The girls should be asleep by now...
A flicker of longing passed through her chest.
She wanted to go back inside.
To lie beside them.
But she couldn’t.
Not yet.
---
Ding!
{Transformation almost completed.}
Ivy straightened slightly, her attention snapping back.
The razor wire had fully surrounded the shelter now.
In the blink of an eye—
Everything changed.
The fence completed its transformation.
---
Ding!
{Mission Completed.}
{Base Upgrade Initiated.}
Ivy froze.
Her breath caught.
"Oh my God..." she whispered, shock flashing across her face.
But it wasn’t over.
Not even close.
---
The razor wire began to tremble.
A faint blue glow spread across it—starting from one end and quickly traveling across the entire structure.
Ivy’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"What... is this?" she murmured.
The glow intensified.
The wires began to change.
Evolve.
Their surface hardened, shifting into something far stronger than ordinary metal.
Denser, sharper and unnatural.
What stood before her now was no longer ordinary razor wire.
It had transformed into something else entirely.
Silver steel...thick.
---
When the glow finally faded, silence returned.
Slowly, cautiously, Ivy stepped closer.
Her heart pounded harder with each step.
She reached out and touched it.
Cold.
Solid.
Unyielding.
She leaned her back lightly against it, pressing just enough to test its strength.
It didn’t budge.
Not even slightly.
Not a single vibration.
Nothing.
Ivy exhaled slowly, her fingers tightening slightly against the metal.
Even hundreds of monsters...
Wouldn’t be able to break through this.
