Read Novel Full Chapter 505: Final Verdict
Chapter 505: Chapter 505: Final Verdict
Silas’s expression did not change. His gaze remained cold, steady, and unyielding.
"This is not my decision to make," he replied. "Only Ivy has the right to decide her fate. If you wish to help her, then go and beg Ivy."
His voice hardened slightly.
"Otherwise, you can forget about continuing to live in that base."
The words fell like a final verdict.
Vlad lowered his head, shame and helplessness mixing in his chest. He turned again, preparing to leave, but Silas spoke once more.
"And another thing," he added. "Do not try to pressure Ivy into forgiveness. Do not create a situation where she feels forced to accept an apology."
His eyes narrowed faintly.
"Whether she forgives Raya or not... is entirely her choice."
Vlad could only nod.
Meanwhile, Raya remained silent in his arms, not daring to argue, not daring to resist.
The fear inside her had already settled into something far heavier than punishment.
Regret.
She finally understood just how disastrous a bargain she had nearly made.
...................................
Meanwhile, Ivy returned to the base.
By the time she arrived, everything had already returned to its original state.
The barricades stood firm, the lights glowed steadily, and the earlier chaos seemed almost like a distant nightmare.
The reason the zombies had flocked toward the base earlier was not an accident.
It had happened precisely because Ivy had deliberately walked far away and used her superpower at a distant location.
The energy she released there caused the zombies to avoid that region entirely and rush toward the base instead, unintentionally drawing even more of them together like moths to a flame.
To add fuel to the fire, she even instructed Bella to guide them.
By now, Bella had grown strong enough to command a portion of the zombies.
Her control was still unstable, like a child learning to walk, but the progress was undeniable.
With enough time and precision, she would soon be able to control far greater numbers.
This information filled Ivy with genuine excitement.
’If Bella can stabilize her control... then once the antidote is completed, we can distribute it to every infected person.’
In Ivy’s mind, the future had already begun to change.
With Bella beside her, she could gather the zombies, administer the antidote, and restore them back into humans one by one.
She could also make sure that the zombie doesn’t harm the humans anymore.
What she did not realize was that another danger had already begun to move toward her base.
......................
Elsewhere, Isla observed the infected under her command.
She looked at the gathered zombies and asked, "What information have you collected so far?"
Then she paused, realizing her mistake.
"They cannot understand human language," she muttered.
With a slight frown, she began producing low, guttural growls, mimicking their sounds.
The noises were harsh and unnatural, scraping against her throat, but the zombies immediately reacted.
They responded.
After several exchanges, Isla managed to interpret their fragmented signals.
A large number of zombies had gone toward Ivy’s base under mysterious circumstances, only to return later without clear explanation.
This intrigued her.
"Something is happening inside that place..." she murmured.
Suddenly, she decided she needed an insider.
If one of her controlled zombies could enter the base, she would gain direct information about everything Ivy was doing.
Her gaze swept across the infected she had personally created.
Among them were two or three half-zombies who retained fragments of intelligence. But none of them were suitable.
Then her eyes settled on one particular figure.
Zuzu.
The creature had once told her its name, though it barely remembered anything else from its former life.
What pleased Isla most, however, was its absolute loyalty. If she ordered Zuzu to go west, it would never step south. If she told it to wait, it would remain motionless for hours.
Perfect obedience.
"In a way... you still resemble a human," Isla said thoughtfully, circling him.
With a little cleaning, some clothing, and careful makeup, Zuzu could pass as one of the survivors. He could easily enter the base unnoticed.
The only obstacle would be the registration process.
As she considered the problem, an idea suddenly formed in her mind.
A cold smirk appeared on her lips.
............................
Back at the base, Ivy sat on her bed.
The exhaustion she had been suppressing finally caught up with her.
Her muscles ached, her head throbbed faintly, and before she even realized it, she had fallen asleep.
For the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to rest.
She truly needed it.
Especially after the visit by Vlad.
In fact, Vlad had come to apologize to Ivy and even begged for a lighter punishment, promising that he would keep an eye on her and prevent her from doing anything stupid in the future.
Ivy didn’t plan to swallow back the grievance she had suffered, and hence she had decided to stay silent.
Her silence was enough answer, and Vlad could only say in a choked voice,
"I had pampered her too much, and I will respect your decision, but before that I have an offer to make."
With that he proposed a deal.
Ivy was tempted hearing it and stated that she would respond in three days.
After he left, she felt energy getting drained from her body.
Some time later, Silas entered the room.
When he saw Ivy sleeping, his expression softened immediately. He walked quietly, careful not to make a sound, and gently draped a blanket over her.
Up close, he noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes.
A flicker of anger rose within him.
’Because of Raya... she had to carry all of this alone.’
He clenched his jaw, recalling how close they had come to losing everything because of that mistake.
After watching Ivy rest for a moment longer, he exhaled slowly and turned away.
"If nothing else," he murmured, "she should at least wake up to a proper meal."
With that, he headed toward the kitchen, determined to cook something himself.