Global Survival: I Have Endless Skeletons-Chapter 188: The Reunion.

Ardyn struggled to remain standing.

His legs trembled under his weight, threatening to give out at any moment.

Each breath he took was shallow and strained, as though even the simple act of breathing had become a burden too heavy for his weakened body.

Since the day they were brought to this place, they had never once been allowed to leave the dark, suffocating tunnels of the mine.

There was no rest.

No mercy.

Worse still, they were given neither food nor water.

Instead, they were driven forward by the crack of whips, forced to mine endlessly like beasts. Those who slowed down were punished. Those who collapsed were dragged aside like useless trash.

Ardyn did not know how much longer he could endure such torment.

His body was already at its limit.

It was only a matter of time before he collapsed like so many others.

His gaze shifted to the woman beside him.

His wife.

Once, she had been radiant—full of life, warmth, and beauty.

Now...

A sharp pain pierced through his chest.

The feeling ran deeper than physical pain. It clawed at his very soul.

Her face was pale.

Her body frail.

Her once-bright eyes were dim, clouded with exhaustion and suffering.

As a man.

As her husband.

It had been his duty to protect her.

And yet, he had failed.

The weight of that failure crushed him.

Regret gnawed at his heart like a relentless beast.

He hated himself.

Hated his weakness.

Hated his inability to shield the people he loved.

He felt unworthy even to look at her.

But he forced those thoughts aside.

This was not the time to break.

If he lost himself now, then everything would truly be over.

He had to remain strong.

For her.

For their family.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Ardyn steadied himself and moved closer to his wife.

Sensing his presence, Serene turned toward him.

For a brief moment, her expression softened.

But what she saw made her heart ache.

Her husband, once strong and dependable, now looked like a man who had aged decades in mere days.

His muscular frame had withered away.

His eyes, once filled with confidence and warmth, had lost their luster.

What remained was pain.

Exhaustion.

And a quiet, lingering despair.

"Dear... everything will be alright," she said softly, reaching out to hold his hand.

Her fingers were cold.

Weak.

Yet her touch carried a warmth that steadied his trembling heart.

Even now, she tried to comfort him.

Even now, she chose hope.

Deep down, she knew the truth.

This place could very well become their grave.

And yet, she did not regret their choices.

They had done everything they could for their children.

They had tried their best.

Given them everything within their power.

If this was the end...

Then she could accept it.

But there was one thing she could not let go of.

One worry that refused to fade.

Elara...

Her youngest child.

How will she survive?

What will she eat?

Who will take care of her?

The thought tightened around her heart like a cruel vice.

Two of her children had already entered the Abyss.

Whether they were alive or dead, she did not know.

And now, her youngest was alone.

No family.

No protection.

No one to rely on.

As a mother, how could she find peace?

Sensing the storm of emotions within her, Ardyn tightened his grip on her hand.

He wanted to reassure her.

To tell her everything would be fine.

But the words died in his throat.

Because he knew they would be a lie.

They were trapped deep within the wilderness, far from the safety of the city.

Even if, by some miracle, they escaped this place...

How would they survive outside?

How would they make their way back?

The truth was cruel.

Unless they were set free. There was no escape.

"...Father... Mother..."

A voice suddenly echoed through the crowd.

At first, neither Ardyn nor Serene reacted.

There were many parents among the prisoners. It was only natural for someone to be calling out to their family.

"...Father... Mother..."

This time, the voice was closer.

Clearer.

Something about it was familiar.

Their brows furrowed slightly.

Almost instinctively, they turned toward the direction of the voice.

And then, they froze.

Their eyes widened in disbelief.

Their jaws slowly dropped.

Standing not far from them was a young man.

His appearance had changed.

His aura had changed.

But there was no mistaking it.

"...Thoren...?" Serene’s voice trembled.

Thoren stood still, staring at them.

His parents.

The people he had been searching for.

The people he feared he might never see again.

They looked so thin.

So fragile.

He could see the outline of their bones beneath their skin.

Their condition, it shattered something inside him.

Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.

Before he even realized it, his feet were already moving.

He closed the distance between them in seconds.

"...F-Father... M-Mother..." His voice shook as he spoke.

Serene slowly raised her trembling hand and touched his face.

"Thoren...?" she whispered.

"Mother..." he replied softly.

"My son!"

In the next instant, she pulled him into a tight embrace.

Her body trembled as she held him, as though afraid he would disappear if she let go.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

She didn’t care how he looked.

Didn’t care how he had changed.

All that mattered was that he was alive.

She had thought she had lost him forever.

But now...

He was here.

Right in front of her.

Ardyn stood beside them, frozen.

His mind struggled to process what he was seeing.

How is this possible?

Why is he here?

Countless questions flooded his thoughts, yet none of them had answers. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Huh—"

Before he could think further, Serene suddenly grabbed him and pulled him into the embrace.

The three of them stood together.

A broken family, reunited in the most unexpected place.

Around them, the other prisoners stared in stunned silence.

They could not understand what was happening.

The guards, too, were confused.

Their gazes shifted toward their boss, silently questioning.

Is this... some kind of reunion?

They wanted to ask.

But seeing the dark expression on their boss’s face, none of them dared to speak.

After a few moments, Thoren and his parents slowly separated.

Serene wiped the tears from her face.

A radiant smile appeared, filled with hope and relief.

For a brief moment, it was as though the horrors surrounding them no longer existed.

"Son... what are you doing here?" Ardyn finally asked, his voice still filled with disbelief.

"Of course," Thoren replied calmly, "I came for you."

"You came... for us?" they asked in unison.

Thoren nodded.

"Now isn’t the time to talk," he said.

His gaze shifted.

Locked onto the fat man standing in the distance.

The boss.

Now that he had found his parents, there was only one thing left to do.

Make them pay.

The temperature in the air seemed to drop.

The moment Thoren’s cold gaze fell upon him, the boss shuddered violently and stumbled backward.

"Y-Young Sir... I—"

"Kill."

The word was soft.

Yet absolute.

Before the boss could finish his sentence, the two undead servants moved.

A flash of motion.

And then, a head flew into the air.

Blood sprayed across the ground like a crimson fountain.