Apocalypse Baby-Chapter 52: Apologies

The revelation that players could earn points by killing each other was a game-changer.

Alex’s mind churned with thoughts. ’If points can be gained this way, there’s a high chance people will focus on killing each other instead of hunting real monsters.’

He grimaced. Not every human was sane.

Among them, there were bound to be murderers, serial killers, or psychopaths who would see this as an opportunity—a twisted playground with no laws, and no consequences.

Without rules to hold them back, the worst of humanity could rise to the surface.

Alex’s gaze darkened as his thoughts turned to the man with the scythe.

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That killer hadn’t even been aware of the tutorial’s rules, yet he’d massacred every player who appeared with him.

What would someone like that do now, knowing there were rewards for such actions?

Alex shifted his focus to the group around him.

He observed each face carefully.

Some looked nervous, others focused, a few determined—but who among them might be the psychopath? The crazy one? The one with the potential to snap?

His lips pressed into a thin line as a chilling thought crossed his mind. ’It could even be me. I’ve already considered killing them a couple of times.’

Before he could dwell on the idea, the tower suddenly began to tremble.

The vibration was subtle at first, but it quickly grew stronger.

"W-What’s happening?!" someone shouted, panic evident in their voice.

The tremors intensified, and the tower started to descend, slowly lowering itself like an elevator.

The uneven movements caught many players off guard.

Some lost their balance and fell to the floor.

Others crouched instinctively, gripping the ground to avoid toppling over.

But Alex stood firm, his footing steady despite the rumbling ground

. He felt something soft curl into his hand—a gentle but firm grip.

He glanced down to find Nancy clinging to him for balance.

Her fingers wrapped around his hand tightly as if afraid to let go.

Alex raised an eyebrow, and Nancy quickly turned her face away, avoiding his gaze.

Her expression, however, was easy to read:

"I’m only holding you for safety."

Alex smirked slightly but said nothing.

His attention shifted to the other tower in the distance

. He could see it trembling and lowering just like theirs. The realization struck him—the tutorial was officially beginning.

The tower they stood on sank deeper and deeper into the ground, its descent slow but steady.

The grinding of stone against stone echoed through the air, making the tension even worse.

Finally, the tower came to a stop with a loud thud.

The top of the tower was now perfectly level with the forest floor below.

For a moment, no one moved.

The players exchanged nervous glances, unsure of what to expect next.

Then, one by one, people began to rise to their feet, brushing themselves off and looking around.

Alex took in their surroundings, his sharp eyes scanning the area.

Towering trees stretched up to the sky, their dense canopy blocking out most of the sunlight.

The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and leaves.

They were in the heart of a massive forest.

"Alright," Jonah’s voice broke the silence. He stepped forward, his tone calm and commanding. "First things first. We need to find a place to camp—somewhere close to water if possible. Food is also going to be a priority."

"How are we supposed to find food in a place like this?"

Thompson asked, crossing his arms with a skeptical look.

"By hunting monsters, of course," a bulky man replied with a deep laugh, his voice brimming with confidence.

Alex glanced at the group, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

’Hunting monsters, huh?’

He didn’t need to worry about that.

Unlike the others, he had access to the shop where he could simply purchase meals with points. Survival would be easier for him, but he wasn’t about to announce that and draw more attention to himself.

None of them had leveled up yet, and without leveling up, they couldn’t unlock the shop.

Alex couldn’t tell them that.

Even though he was starting to feel the pangs of hunger, he resisted the urge to buy food from the shop.

Doing so in front of the others would definitely draw unnecessary attention, and that was the last thing he wanted right now.

This was exactly why he wanted to leave the group. Being on his own meant he wouldn’t have to hold back or worry about what they might think.

Jonah’s voice broke through Alex’s thoughts.

"Alright, first things first—let’s move. We don’t know what might be lingering around here. Everyone stay alert. Anything could pop up."

"I’ll stay in front to scout for monsters using my detection ability," Ash the archer volunteered confidently.

Jonah nodded. "That would be appreciated. Keep us informed of anything unusual."

With that, the group began to walk, carefully weaving their way through the dense forest. Alex followed along, biding his time and waiting for the right moment to slip away.

He glanced at the others, gauging the distance between them.

If he could create enough space, he could activate [Stealth Walk] and vanish into the shadows without anyone noticing.

But his plan had one major problem: Nancy.

She was walking close—too close.

Her pace matched his step for step, her presence unwavering at his side. If he suddenly disappeared, she would notice immediately.

Alex sighed inwardly, his eyes flickering toward her. Her face was calm, but there was a subtle tension in the way she held herself like she was ready to react to any danger.

’It doesn’t matter,’ Alex thought to himself. He could leave if he really wanted to.

Nancy’s awareness wouldn’t stop him.

But then a strange realization settled over him.

He didn’t want to leave.

Not like this. Not if it meant making her worry.

Alex shook his head slightly, as if to clear his thoughts. ’What’s wrong with me?’ he wondered.

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Why?

Did he actually enjoy being in the midst of others? of her?

’No Alex stay focused.’ He tried to convince himself.

The thought gnawed at Alex as he trudged along with the group.

For someone who always preferred being on his own, this was unusual.

"Alex."

A soft voice startled him, pulling him out of his thoughts.

He turned toward the source and was surprised to see a familiar face—a middle-aged woman, one of his former coworkers.

Evelyn... That’s her name, right?

"Hey," he replied flatly, not meeting her gaze.

In truth, he didn’t feel like talking to anyone from his workplace.

It brought bad memories.

Alex braced himself for her to berate or criticize him for what he’d done earlier.

That was usually what people did—point out what they didn’t like about him.

But what she said next caught him completely off guard.

"I just... I wanted to say I’m sorry," Evelyn muttered, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly.

Alex’s eyes widened in surprise.

’What?’

She didn’t stop there.

"I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness," she continued, her voice wavering. "But I really am sorry... for just standing there. For watching while you were suffering and not doing anything."

Alex turned away, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"You don’t need to apologize," he said flatly, trying to mask the mix of emotions stirring within him.

But Evelyn wasn’t deterred.

"I do," she insisted, her voice softer now but laced with urgency. "I don’t know when I’ll lose my life here. And as much as I want to survive and reunite with my daughter… I doubt I’ll make it."

Her words made Alex pause.

"It’s selfish of me, I know," she admitted, her eyes glistening. "But if I have to leave this world, I’d like to go with at least one less regret. That’s why I’m apologizing."

Alex exhaled deeply, letting her words sink in.

She sounded so... genuine. So mature.

Unlike the others who had contributed to his misery, Evelyn had never mocked him, spoken rudely, or taken advantage of his lowly position.

She had always stayed in the background, quiet but kind.

Maybe that’s why forgiving her didn’t feel so difficult.

He glanced at her, his hardened expression softening slightly. He couldn’t blame her for what he’d gone through. He knew all too well what would have happened if she—or anyone else—had tried to intervene back then.

They would’ve lost their jobs or been demoted, just like that.

And Evelyn had a daughter to think about—a daughter she always used to talk about with pride. He remembered the way her face would light up when she mentioned wanting to give her little girl the best life possible.

If she had stood up for him, she might have lost her job. Her daughter would’ve suffered for it.

Even now, Alex could tell how much Evelyn worried about her daughter. That worry was written all over her face.

And somehow, that made her apology feel even more real.

Alex nodded, his expression softening as he understood Evelyn’s emotions.

"You should worry more about yourself, Evelyn," he said firmly but not unkindly. "Focus on surviving and reuniting with your daughter."

Evelyn lowered her gaze, her shoulders slumping as doubt clouded her face. It was clear she didn’t believe she’d make it out alive.

Alex noticed her hesitation and continued, his voice steady and reassuring.

"Let the thought of meeting your daughter again be your motivation. I believe that’s strong enough to keep you going in this world. And, for what it’s worth… I’ve never felt resentment toward you for what happened to me."

Evelyn’s eyes widened, shimmering with unshed tears.

The weight of his words hit her hard. A single sob escaped her lips, and she began to cry softly, muttering, "Thank you… thank you."

Alex gave a small nod before stepping forward, leaving Evelyn behind to collect herself.

Nancy trailed after him, her gaze fixed on his back. He could feel her eyes burning into him, more curious and intense than before.

He stopped and turned to face her, one brow raised.

"What?"

Nancy blinked, startled by his sudden attention. "Nothing," she said, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "It’s just… you’re a better person than I expected."

Alex tilted his head, unimpressed.

"You thought I was a bad person?"