Read Novel Full Chapter 516: Captured
Chapter 516: Chapter 516: Captured
Jade’s voice softened, almost reverent.
"We are soulmates from another world. That is why we share pain. But because our connection was unstable, your body drew all the sickness and injuries into itself."
Ivy’s patience snapped.
"That is enough. I am not interested in hearing any of this."
His fragile illusion shattered instantly.
She turned toward Silas, whose face had grown slightly pale, and held his hand before looking back at Jade.
"I will not pursue General Frank further," she said coldly. "But if there is one more mistake, I will not hesitate to execute both of you."
Jade stared at her, stunned.
He had expected hatred.
Punishment.
Perhaps even death.
But not mercy.
Silas was equally surprised.
What neither of them knew was that, inside Ivy’s mind, a voice had been repeating endlessly:
’Do not kill Jade now. If he dies, you will die too.’
She did not want to believe it.
Yet for some reason, she trusted it.
...............
Jade, realizing he was truly being released, felt a surge of uncontrollable joy. For a fleeting moment, he even wanted to step forward and kiss Ivy.
He restrained himself.
Ivy clearly would not tolerate such behavior.
..................
Later, when only Ivy and Silas remained, Silas finally asked,
"What happened? Why did you not change your decision at the last moment?"
Ivy shook her head slowly.
"Even if I explain it, you might not understand."
She hesitated, then added,
"I keep feeling as if I am being manipulated. As if someone is guiding my choices."
Silas frowned.
"In a good way or a bad way?"
Ivy fell silent before answering quietly,
"What difference does it make? Manipulation is still manipulation."
Silas sighed.
"A good manipulation can save you. A bad one can drown you."
Ivy thought about it for a long time.
"I... do not know."
"We cannot wait to find out," Silas said.
She nodded.
...............
At that moment, Ivy received a notification.
Her temporal storage system had upgraded.
Excitement immediately surged through her.
’Finally. I need to check what has changed.’
She was about to access it when the system stopped her.
[Upgrade not fully completed.]
Before she could react, another alert followed.
[Warning: A nearly half-evolved intelligent zombie is approaching your base and attempting infiltration.]
Ivy froze.
The system continued, almost hesitantly, as if choosing its words carefully.
[I delayed this notification because you were occupied. I assessed that ignoring this threat could result in a greater disaster.]
Ivy blinked in astonishment.
’It... decided that on its own?’
The temporal storage no longer felt like a lifeless tool.
It felt aware.
Observant.
Almost... human.
However, what made Ivy even more restless was not the warning itself but the decision temporal storage had made on its own.
She frowned slightly.
"Where exactly is this greater disaster you mentioned?"
The response came almost instantly, calm yet urgent.
[The half-evolved zombie has already infiltrated or is within the entry line. It may appear among the civilians at any moment.]
Ivy was taken aback. A chill crept down her spine despite the cooling weather outside.
"I see... thank you," she murmured.
Now she understood why the system had hesitated earlier.
If the creature had not yet entered her jurisdiction, knowing its location prematurely would have caused unnecessary panic.
She might even have considered capturing it for antidote testing.
But the temporal storage’s tone had made one thing very clear.
This being did not come with good intentions.
Trying to capture it alive or force it to consume a half-finished antidote would be nothing short of foolish.
’If it came here on its own... then it is here to attack.’
That thought hardened her resolve.
It was no longer about research.
It was about defense.
Without wasting another second, Ivy turned and rushed toward the gate.
Silas watched her retreating figure, his expression dark and complicated, yet he said nothing and followed closely behind.
If Ivy had turned around, she would have noticed the faint heaviness in his eyes, as if something precious had been quietly taken from him.
A voice in Silas’s mind kept whispering,
You should not stay beside her. Maybe Jade was telling the truth.
He clenched his jaw.
Jade’s strange connection with Ivy... the way they seemed to understand each other without words... it unsettled him more than he wanted to admit.
’No. Stop thinking like this.’
Even as insecurity gnawed at him, he could not bring himself to walk away.
They soon arrived at the entrance checkpoint.
A long line of civilians stretched across the open yard. The air smelled faintly of metal and damp concrete as the temperature continued to drop. Ivy began inspecting people one by one, her gaze sharp, movements deliberate.
Nothing. Nothing.
Then she reached the end of the line.
Zuzu.
The moment he saw Ivy, he immediately lowered his eyes.
Too quickly.
Too deliberately.
Ivy’s instincts flared.
’Suspicious.’
His hands twitched uncontrollably, fingers jerking as if resisting an invisible force. His posture looked unnatural, like his body was being compressed from the inside.
Meanwhile, Zuzu felt as though his entire body would explode if Ivy came any closer.
’She knows. She definitely knows.’
Panic surged.
The moment Ivy stepped toward him, he turned and ran.
"Stop!"
Ivy immediately gave chase.
People in line began murmuring in confusion.
"What is happening?"
"Why is the representative chasing that man?"
As they whispered, the distance between Ivy and Zuzu began to widen.
Before she could close the gap...
Silas shot forward like a released arrow.
In a matter of seconds, he tackled Zuzu to the ground and pinned him down.
Ivy slowed to a stop, a faint smile of relief crossing her face as she looked at Silas.
Then she remembered.
"Careful! He is a zombie!"
Silas instantly shifted his weight back, creating distance.
Zuzu realized his escape had failed. Desperation twisted into violence. He lunged, trying to claw Silas and infect him.
But Silas was faster.
With swift precision, he disarmed the creature, forcing its arm down in a controlled lock that made the half-zombie scream in agony.