9 The Apocalypse

It was the night of the 4th of July, the year 2XXX.

The moon in the sky suddenly turned bright blue and heavy rain washed the Earth for endless hours.

Mu Qingqing was leisurely reading in Lilian Mo's apartment while Mizuki Rei was sitting on the couch, stroking his fiancée's hair.

"Qingqing, stop reading. It's late. You'll hurt your eyes." Mizuki Rei said, frowning. Although he didn't know why his fiancée invited him to her friend's apartment, Mizuki Rei doted on Mu Qingqing a lot so he didn't refuse.

The door to Lilian Mo's room slammed open with a bang, startling the two.

Lilian Mo got out, wearing black long sleeves paired with some pants and dark combat boots. Her short hair fell across her face, grazing her chin. There was a sword strapped on her back and a belt on her waist where she kept her daggers.

The couple was speechless when they saw her. Was she going out to murder someone?

Lilian Mo strode towards Mu Qingqing and snatched the book away.

"Get up and get dressed. It's half an hour before midnight. The meteor will fall two hours from now."

Lilian Mo dumped the clothes on Mu Qingqing before looking at Mizuki Rei, raising a brow.

"You like Mu Qingqing, right? Dress into this." She also handed a set of clothes to him.

The couple shared a look, not knowing what to do.

"Momo, it's late. Why do we need to change into these clothes?"

Lilian Mo did not answer. She strode into the living room and pulled the curtains open, showing them the bright blue sky and distant blue light.

"What...what is that?" Mu Qingqing ran to the window to look at the sky, trying to make out what the giant blue thing was.

Mizuki Rei didn't run after her but curiosity got the better of him and he calmly looked at the window. He was also surprised when he saw the blue sky and a bright blue dot from a distance.

Lilian Mo stared at humanity's bane.

"That is a meteor. It will land on Earth tomorrow at 1:30 am in the morning. It will signal the dawn of the apocalypse. More than 60% of the population will perish."

Many people will fall ill with high fevers that did not subside until hospitals became overcrowded and fully booked.

On the morning of the 5th of July, year 2XXX, those that did not recover from the fevers all turned into strange monsters which were known as mutants.

Their bodies turned dark green, red eyes protruding as they grew sharp fangs and claws that only beasts were known for. The monsters did not possess any type of consciousness, thirsting only for blood and flesh.

They would kill all humans in sight and bite into their flesh, breaking their necks, tearing their bodies apart until nothing was left. Those who were bitten were infected and also turned into mutants.

The blue planet called Earth became a living hell as mutant monsters roamed the land, killing people and dyeing the ground with blood.

"Momo.." Mu Qingqing turned at Lilian Mo with her heart pounding in her chest.

"I told you that I will never lie to you." Lilian Mo slowly glanced at her with blank eyes.

"In my past life, we were separated. When I found you from the breeding facility, it was already too late. After I saved you, you were so broken you lost all hope and killed yourself."

Lilian Mo glanced at Mizuki Rei. "You weren't there for her." She said through gritted teeth, making him stiff. She was quiet for a few seconds before turning to the night sky.

"The heavens gave me another chance. If the two of you want to live, follow me and I will protect you."

Mu Qingqing trembled. Mizuki Rei placed a hand on her shoulder and said in a soft voice, "Qingqing, let's go change."

Mu Qingqing was still trying to process what Lilian Mo said. A thought crossed her mind and she turned to Lilian Mo.

"Momo, what about my parents? We should-"

"They won't survive." Lilian Mo said without mercy. "They would not survive the fever and would instead turn into mutants. Do you want to see them turn into monsters?"

Mu Qingqing fell to her knees. Mizuki Rei went to help her up and tried to calm her down.

"Qingqing, don't worry. I'll protect you..."

Lilian Mo went to her room. "Don't open the door for anyone. Grab a bag and stuff all the food and clothes you can carry. There are knives in the kitchen. I don't need to elaborate, do I?"

She disappeared into her room and locked the door, allowing the couple some time for themselves.

She entered her space and harvested the crops, bringing them into the warehouse. She planted a new batch of seedlings and pulled an empty bottle from her bag. The bag was only there for decoration. It didn't really contain anything aside from a small pack of biscuits, one set of clothes, and a water bottle.

Lilian Mo filled the empty bottle with water from the spring. She got out of the space and exited her room.

She nodded at the two, noticing that they've changed into the clothes she gave them. She could see them packing food in a backpack.

Lilian Mo handed the bottle to Mu Qingqing.

"Drink half of it and give the other to Mizuki Rei."

"Momo.. thank you." Mu Qingqing said in a soft voice. She unscrewed the cap and drank half of the liquid. Lilian Mo grabbed the bottle before it could fall along with Mu Qingqing who fell to the floor and clutched her chest, a soundless scream in her throat.

"Qingqing!" Mizuki Rei said with worry. "What did you do to her?"

Lilian Mo handed the bottle to him. "Drink it. The pain in exchange for a stronger body. You choose."

Mizuki Rei's eyes became conflicted. He looked at his fiancée who was lying on the floor while in pain.

"You can continue hesitating until you die in the hands of the mutants." Lilian Mo said coldly. These words finally shook Mizuki Rei out of his trance.

He shakily accepted the bottle and drank its content.

He also fell to the floor, sweating from the huge amount of pain invading his system.

"Don't lose consciousness. The benefits are better if you're awake." Lilian Mo warned them.

The process took almost one and a half hours.

The couple was sweating when it was all finished. Lilian Mo wiped Mu Qingqing's forehead that was filled with sweat. The girl looked at her and smiled cheekily.

"Momo, you really are the best. You always take care of me. If only Momo is a man, I'll definitely marry you."

"Qingqing!" Mizuki Rei said to his fiancée, a jealous look in his eyes.

Mu Qingqing laughed aloud while Lilian Mo helped her stand up.

"Momo, I feel so strong all of a sudden! It's like I can run for hours without stopping. What did you make me drink, Momo?"

"Water." Lilian Mo said coolly.

"Get some rest. We still have a half an hour before that thing falls to Earth." She pointed at the approaching meteor. The two nodded and sat down.

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