Apocalyptic World: Surviving with my husband and my cute little babies-Chapter 282: Searching and Gathering

Everything was going completely against their expectations.

First, the artifact that was supposed to appear in Willow Village never showed up.

Then, the woman they had been searching for was still missing. And now, another variable had entered the picture.

The only comfort they had was their stockpile of food.

But even that raised a troubling question— for how long would those supplies really last?

According to the futures foretold by their elders, this disaster would not end anytime soon. Worse, it would grow longer, harsher, and far more dangerous.

Because of this, the elders repeatedly peered into the future, each time burning away their own life force in search of the best path forward for the clan.

Jack frowned, sinking into deep thought.

All the visions had remained unchanged until a year ago. Tracing them back, he realized everything had begun when they failed to obtain the artifact in a remote village.

From that moment on, the future started to spiral out of control. And now, it had shifted once more—marked by the sudden emergence of three new figures.

The thought alone gave Jack a headache. He needed to find a way to secure their clan in this new era.

At the same time, he had to tighten his grip on the military forces around City D—especially those who had begun awakening abilities.

To control them, he would need more supplies. Enough to manage them, restrain them, and force them into obedience.

Soon, more people would awaken. Ability users would rise. And when that happened, someone had to stand in front.

In short, he intended to make them his cannon fodder.

"Wait," Jack said abruptly, turning toward the elder. "Has anyone verified Elder Xu’s vision?"

Elder Xu stiffened, a flicker of embarrassment flashing across his face.

He had been loyal to the clan his entire life—risking his life again and again for its future. His visions had always been nearly flawless.

To doubt him now was no different from questioning his worth.

"I may be old," Elder Xu said coldly, "but my visions have never been wrong. I have no reason to lie."

His voice softened, filled with an almost painful longing.

"What I saw was beautiful. The land was alive—thriving as if disaster had never come. And there were three figures... standing there, laughing, enjoying themselves."

Silence fell over the room. The clan members were deeply shaken. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"This..." one of the elders finally spoke, his voice trembling. "In my last yearly divination, I clearly saw destruction. The land turned barren. The world became a dead zone."

What Elder Xu described was completely different.

The contradiction gnawed at him so intensely that he nearly felt the urge to burn his life force once more—just to see the future with his own eyes.

"Elder Xu, please continue. Tell us more about these three figures."

He was deeply interested in them. After all, possessing such figures would mean control over food, resources, and survival itself.

"I... I couldn’t see them clearly," Elder Xu admitted. "Their forms were blurred, but I believe they were children—or at least very young. In every angle of my vision, I only saw their backs as they wielded their abilities."

He took a slow breath before continuing.

"I saw the first figure raise his hands, and the darkened sky instantly turned into a warm, sunny day. I saw the second figure command the animals, letting them roam freely. As for the last one, the moment his feet touched the ground, the land that was meant to be dead burst back to life, with plants blooming everywhere."

Elder Xu shook his head. "It sounds unbelievable, but that is what I saw. The world itself had returned to its original state."

That was why he had suggested prioritizing the search for the three figures, even setting aside the woman from the earlier visions. Compared to anything else, they were far more valuable.

He narrowed his eyes and added, "These three wield abilities tied directly to nature. And the woman we are searching for... she was in the background, watching them. I believe she knows them."

At that moment, realization struck Jack. The woman was no longer just a missing piece—she was the key.

His instincts screamed that she played a vital role in altering the future. Perhaps she was even connected to the missing artifact itself.

It was as if every unanswered question converged on her existence.

"Forget searching for the three figures for now," Jack said decisively. "Focus everything on finding the woman. I think she is the link to everything. And capturing her may bring us far greater benefits."

He paused, his voice turning cold. "The meeting is adjourned."

Before anyone could respond, he turned and left, his steps quick and urgent as he headed straight for his granddaughter, Trixie.

When he arrived, he found her eating messily, stuffing food into her mouth without the slightest concern for manners.

He sighed, disappointment flickering across his face—but he held back his scolding. At the very least, she was no longer lying in bed all day.

"Trixie, tell me everything you know about that woman—Elena. Everything."

Then, fixed her with a sharp stare. "And spare me the insults this time. I don’t want mockery or exaggeration. I want real information. Do you understand?"

The elder had once divined Trixie to be lucky, as she would help their clan in this apocalypse, but everything seems to be turning opposite the moment she went to retrieve the artifact way back in the village, and that woman Elena always pops out as if they were destined to be enemies.

It seems they were interconnected. So, he wanted to find out about her.

******

While the Heathers were searching for ways to secure their survival in the apocalypse, a group of unknown creatures—resembling grotesque lizards—had also gathered, whispering in an unfamiliar tongue deep within a dark, foul-smelling cave.

They had been hiding there for nearly a year, turning the cave into a filthy, pungent nest barely fit for survival. Waiting for their kin to hatch and for the spiritual energy to surge as a new cycle began.

At the same time, they remained on edge for the call from their superiors—the signal that would finally mark the start of the invasion.

"The cycle has begun, yet our master has not awakened," one of the lizard-like creatures hissed, its voice filled with impatience.

Their master possessed the ability to convert spiritual energy into dead-type energy, a power that would allow their kind to walk the world openly.

Without him, their movements remained severely restricted. Worse still, the lack of dead energy made it difficult for them to even use their abilities.

"Be patient, my brothers," a half-breed crocodile creature said, trying to calm them. "The spiritual energy is still insufficient but when the time is right, we will reshape this world into our own."

He had evolved faster than the rest. His body had taken on a twisted, humanoid form. Three long arms extended from his torso, each fully scaled like a crocodile’s limb, oozing with black, foul-smelling pus.

If Elena were to witness this scene, she would be utterly stunned.

The very creatures she despised—the so-called aliens—had already begun to gather in secret.