The Day Love Betrayed Me and Never the Plan 28

The heavy snow blurred Chloe’s view, but she could still feel the cold, frozen world outside. 

It looked like the snow was deeper than yesterday. It seemed they’d be stuck here for a few more days. She crawled back under the covers, reached into her backpack, and pulled out a first–level zombie core from her spiritual space. Quietly, she started absorbing it. 

Emily was already awake. She gently rubbed Chloe’s shoulder from behind. 

Chloe turned her head to meet Emily’s misty eyes. Chloe whispered, “Anything wrong?” 

Emily pressed a finger on her lips, signaling for Chloe to be quiet, and she pointed toward the room next door. “Those four girls are right next to us.” 

Chloe’s eyes lit up, and she immediately shot up from the bed, the iron frame groaning under her. 

Emily jumped in surprise. “W–What are you doing?” 

Since they’d met the day before, Chloe had always been calm, never too happy or upset. She always seemed relaxed, and that made Emily feel safe. But now, seeing Chloe react so suddenly, Emily instinctively curled up in the corner, trembling. 

‘Oh no, this demoness is about to explode. Is she going to kill me? Please don’t kill me!‘ Emily thought. Chloe grabbed Emily by the collar with one small hand and lifted her like she weighed nothing. 

Emily’s mouth dropped open in shock. ‘God, is she secretly a superhero?‘ she wondered. Before she could even process what was happening, Chloe had already tossed her back onto the bed and tucked her in gently. 

“Listen carefully. What are they saying?” Chloe flashed a sharp grin, her teeth glinting like a snake sizing up its prey. 

Maybe it was because Chloe hadn’t smiled in so long, or it just didn’t fit with her cold vibe, but Emily was so freaked out that she started shaking under the covers. 

“Please, demoness. I mean, Chloe, don’t kill me, okay? I swear I won’t be a burden. I’ll take care of myself!” Emily whimpered. 

Chloe stared at her, totally confused by the outburst. “Can you actually hear what the girls next door are saying?” Chloe asked again. 

Emily nodded vigorously from under the covers, squeezing her eyes shut and twitching her ears. She was close to tears. “They said… they’re going to kill me sooner or later. I saw their room. There’s nothing in there, just half a bucket of water.” 

She suddenly stopped talking, her head jerking up in shock. She met Chloe’s eyes, now wide with surprise and excitement. Emily’s lips parted exaggeratedly, and her eyes went comically wide. “I–I can see them!” A chill ran down her spine, and she shivered uncontrollably. 

Chloe finally broke into a real smile. ‘Did I just find a hidden gem?‘ she thought. “Close your eyes again and focus. See how far your ability can reach,” she said. 

Emily didn’t hesitate. She shut her eyes tightly and concentrated–longer this time. Her face turned pale, and suddenly her eyes snapped open. She grabbed Chloe’s hand with panic in her voice. “On the eleventh floor, the hallway has zombies!” 

“So, your range is about 30 feet now?” Chloe asked. The eleventh floor was exactly that far from their room. 

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“Yeah, more or less,” Emily replied nervously. 

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Chloe’s excitement was hard to hide. She gently cupped Emily’s face, her tone turning serious. “Listen, you’re officially a powered human now, a spirit–powered one.” 

“Spirit–powered human? I’m a powered human, too?” Emily looked up at her, eyes wide with disbelief. 

Chloe pointed to a glass bead on the table. “Don’t overthink it. Just focus and see if you can move that glass bead with your mind.” 

Emily took a deep breath and stared at the bead, concentrating all her energy on it. Her first attempt failed. 

So did the second. 

“Don’t worry. It’s tough at first,” Chloe assured her. “Just relax. Clear your mind, and have some hot milk to help you calm down.” She handed her a steaming mug. 

Having a spirit–powered human on her team could totally change the game, especially in a fight. Plus, Emily was pure–hearted, a rare find in the apocalypse. 

Emily drank the hot milk, and with Chloe’s patient guidance, she started to relax. Her nerves slowly eased. She took a few deep breaths, locked her gaze on the glass bead, and whispered, “Rise!” 

To her amazement, the bead slowly lifted off the table, hovering in the air and spinning. 

It dropped back down, but Emily was so overwhelmed that tears welled up in her eyes. “I–I’ve got powers. I really have powers!” she cried. 

When the apocalypse hit, Emily thought she was done for. She never guessed she’d end up with powers. She’d already lost her parents, gotten yelled at and shoved around by her uncle and aunt, and barely made it into Hevenseale University on a scholarship, finally escaping those toxic relatives. 

She thought things were turning around, but then the world ended. It felt like the universe had it out for her. But now, against all odds, it turned out the universe hadn’t abandoned her after all. 

‘I can’t believe this. This is seriously the best thing that’s ever happened to me, she thought. 

One minute, Emily was crying, and the next, she was laughing through her tears. “Chloe, if you ever need to run, take me with you? I’ve got powers now. I promise I won’t be dead weight.” 

Panicking at the thought of being left behind, Emily blurted out, “I can cook and do laundry, and I can sense danger nearby. Seriously, I’m useful!” 

Chloe’s face turned serious suddenly. She turned her back to Emily, clasped her hands behind her, and said slowly, “You can come with me, but there’s one condition.” 

“Tell me! If I can do it, I promise I will,” Emily said quickly. 

“I need someone I can trust with my life, someone who won’t stab me in the back,” Chloe said firmly. 

Emily quickly said, “I swear, I’d never do that. Please, you have to trust me!” 

“Second, I don’t need a bleeding heart,” Chloe added. 

Emily had almost let those four girls in last night just because she couldn’t stand seeing them suffer. She wasn’t a bleeding heart, but she definitely had a soft spot for those in need. 

Chloe suddenly spun around, locking eyes with Emily. “You’ve got three months to prove yourself. Pass my test, and you’re in. Part of the crew.” 

Even in her previous life, when Emily was strong, she never trusted anyone to watch her back lightly. One wrong choice, and it was game over. 

Emily nodded with determination. “Okay!” 

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Chloe flashed a sly grin and hooked her finger. “Your first mission today is to take out the zombie hiding around the corner on the eleventh floor.” 

“Huh?” Emily said. Her face crumpled, and she looked at Chloe with wide, pleading eyes. “But I have no idea how to use my powers in a fight.” 

Chloe flicked her forehead sharply. “Don’t be silly. Powered humans are way stronger than normal people. You’re not a brute–force type, but your strength is ten times what it was. Plus, you’re small and fast. Taking out a regular zombie should be easy for you.” 

Emily gulped, forcing a smile that looked more like she was about to cry. She nodded stiffly. “Okay,” she said, not wanting Chloe to ditch her. 

“Don’t be scared. I’ll be right there with you. If things go south, I’ll step in and pull you out,” Chloe said. 

“Thanks,” Emily murmured, managing a small but grateful smile. 

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