<div> Chapter 50: Chapter 50- Froze
 The sun dipped low on the horizon as the group, victorious and exhausted, loaded up the captured vehicles from Darrion’s fallen forces. Julian inspected one of the heavily jeeps, its reinforced armor and mounted supply crates still intact.
 "This one still runs," Julian muttered, starting the engine with a growl. "We’ll use this to transport your squad back to your temporary base."
 Celestia nodded. "Thank you."
 Soon after, the convoy rolled out. Julian drove the lead jeep with Veronica beside him. Celestia sat in the second row, next to Clarissa, while Emma and Aya sat behind.
 As the vehicle moved across the cracked asphalt and ruins of the city, the atmosphere finally lightened.
 "So," Julian began, glancing through the rearview mirror, "that tiny glowing light we followed, was that someone’s skill from your unit?"
 Celestia turned to him slightly, nodding. "Yes. It’s Mira’s ability. She called it Light Bloom. She used to hide it... because she thought it was useless." Her tone softened. "But that skill is what led you to us."
 Julian’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "There’s no such thing as a useless skill. Only undiscovered potential."
 Clarissa smiled at his words, then turned her gaze toward Celestia. "Do you have any hobbies, Lieutenant?"
 Caught off guard, Celestia blinked. "Hobbies...?"
 "Yes," Clarissa pressed gently. "Something you enjoy when you’re not on the battlefield."
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 </div> After a brief pause, Celestia answered with rare softness, "I enjoy calligraphy. And... collecting pressed flowers."
 Veronica raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "That’s... unexpectedly elegant."
 "It suits her," Clarissa added, her tone warm.
 Emma leaned forward, grinning. "And what’s your favorite food?"
 There was a flicker of red across Celestia’s cheeks. "Sweet things. Cakes. Especially strawberry shortcake."
 Aya let out a small giggle. "I didn’t expect that..."
 Then she followed up with a more serious question, "What about the military base? What’s it like?"
 Celestia’s expression darkened slightly. "Not very exciting. The base is overcrowded. Survivors are hungry. The air constantly smells of gunpowder. I was assigned to search for resources and survivors, but we came back with almost nothing... until now." She sighed. "We’ll return to report in, restock ammunition, then redeploy."
 Julian nodded. "We’ll help. If your squad’s willing to keep going, then so are we."
 Veronica crossed her arms with a sly grin. "Of course you’ll help. If a beautiful woman’s in trouble, Julian’s already sprinting to her side."
 Julian gave a sideways glance, smirking. "Naturally. Because they’re mine."
 The vehicle grew quiet for a second before the girls all responded in their own flustered ways.
 Clarissa looked out the window, her smile faint but warm.
 Emma laughed. "Ugh, he says that with such a straight face."
 Aya hid her face behind her hands.
 Even Celestia, the once cold and composed Lieutenant, turned her face away slightly, so no one would see the blush blooming across her cheeks.
 As the convoy rolled into the ruined parking lot of their temporary base, the engines growled low, then fell silent. Dust scattered under the weight of the armored vehicles. The doors opened, and Julian’s group stepped out, followed closely by Celestia’s unit.
 Hans, still lingering near the survivors who hadn’t fled or been taken, recognized the arrival. His eyes widened when he saw the returning group, especially the additional vehicles.
 With forced enthusiasm, he rushed forward, waving. "You’re back! Thank goodness! We were all so worried, afraid you might not return."
 Celestia stepped out of the vehicle with a sharp gaze and a cold expression. Her long silver hair blew slightly in the wind as she walked toward him, every step deliberate. "Spare me your lies, Hans."
 Hans froze, smile faltering.
 "You think I forgot?" Celestia’s voice was sharp, unwavering. "You offered yourself to Darrion’s group the moment things looked grim. You were ready to abandon everyone for your own survival."
 Hans stammered, lifting his hands defensively. "W-Wait! That was just an act, a ruse to keep us alive! I did it for the others!"
 "Enough." Celestia’s tone dropped like a blade. "You betrayed us. And I do not protect traitors."
 The air grew tense. Julian, leaning casually against the side of his jeep, watched silently with narrowed eyes.
 Hans’s voice cracked, desperation bleeding through. "Y-You can’t be serious... You’d leave us to die out there? With the infected everywhere?!"
 Celestia turned her head slightly. "Better to be eaten by the dead than to live as a coward."
 The other survivors behind Hans began to panic.
 "Wait, please, don’t leave us behind!"
 "We’re sorry! We didn’t know what else to do!"
 "Please! Don’t abandon us!"
 But Celestia didn’t waver. She turned to her unit.
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 </div> "Retrieve all our equipment," she ordered flatly. "Take everything."
 Her soldiers moved with trained efficiency. Within minutes, the supply crates, medical kits, and ammo were loaded onto the trucks. The survivors could only watch, powerless, tears and terror in their eyes.
 Hans dropped to his knees as the last vehicle roared to life. "Please... We won’t survive out here!"
 But no one answered him.
 Julian climbed into the jeep, his expression unreadable. As the convoy began moving again, the sound of engines drowned out the hopeless cries behind them.
 And the survivors, left in the shadow of the crumbling shelter, stood in silence, staring at the dust trails of those who would never return for them.
 As the engines hummed and the convoy rolled through the cracked and overgrown roads, the wind rushed gently through the open windows. Julian sat in the front seat, his arm resting casually on the edge, eyes scanning the road ahead.
 Beside him, Celestia remained quiet for a moment, gazing out toward the horizon. The weight of recent choices still lingered in the silence between them.
 Julian turned his head slightly. "Are you alright?"
 Celestia exhaled softly before replying, her voice low and steady. "I feel... relieved," she said. "Leaving them behind was the right decision. No more dragging dead weight."
 Julian nodded slowly. "They would’ve only held us back."
 She gave a small, wry smile. "Still, I’ll probably get chewed out by command once we get back. Mission failed. Supplies short. Survivors, abandoned." Her voice was calm, but her fingers tightened slightly on her knee.
 Julian glanced at her. "You did what needed to be done. You fought. You survived. That’s what matters."
 Celestia looked at him, her silver eyes catching a flicker of sunlight. "You really think so?"
 "I know so," Julian said without hesitation. "They can scold all they want. But they weren’t there. You made the hard call. And I respect that."
 Her lips curled into the faintest smile, a flicker of warmth breaking through her usually icy demeanor. "Thanks... Julian."
 The sound of tires crunching gravel filled the air again as the convoy pressed forward.
 "Next stop to your military base."
 Celestia nodded. "Yeah... let’s go home."
 -------×-------
 Inside the medical ward of the military base, the air was unusually tense.
 Lucia stood beside the medical cot, her brows furrowed in concern as she watched Claus twist and groan in pain. His skin glistened with sweat, his breathing ragged and shallow.
 "This doesn’t make sense," Lucia muttered. "He was getting better yesterday... the medication should’ve stabilized his vitals."
 Elien, kneeling beside Claus with both palms hovering over his chest, shook his head. The soft golden glow from his hands, his rare healing skill, [Nerve Grace], flickered like a dying flame.
 "I don’t understand either," Elien whispered, his voice trembling. "Even my skill can’t calm him down this time. It’s like... his body is rejecting everything."
 Suddenly, Claus let out a scream, sharp, visceral.
 "AHHGg... FATHER... IT HURTS...!"
 Elien’s eyes widened. "Claus...! I’m here. I’m right here, my son. Hold on, I’ll heal you, just stay with me!"
 Lucia stepped forward, her voice tense. "We need to bring him to the medics. Now."
 "No!" Elien snapped, panic thick in his voice. "If they see him like this, they’ll think he’s infected. You know what they’ll do. I can’t risk that!"
 Lucia’s eyes flashed with anger. "And you think letting him die in secret is better?! Snap out of it, Elien!"
 Without warning, she slapped him hard across the face. The sound cracked through the room like lightning.
 Elien froze, stunned. Lucia’s voice quivered with fury and desperation. "You’re his father. Then act like one. Stop pretending your hope will fix this. He needs help."
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 </div> Before Elien could reply, Claus groaned again, this time lower, darker. His body jerked, and the temperature in the room suddenly plummeted.
 Lucia’s breath caught.
 "...No," she whispered, eyes darting to Claus’s trembling form. "This cold... it’s not mine."
 A burst of icy mist exploded from Claus’s body, coating the floor and walls in a glimmering frost. Lucia’s instincts kicked in.
 "Elien, get back!" she shouted.
 Elien blinked in confusion. "What...?"
 But she was already moving, grabbing his arm and yanking him away just as a violent eruption of frost exploded outward from Claus’s body.
 Lucia spun, throwing out her hands. "[Frost]!"
 A barrier of shimmering ice enveloped her and Elien as an overwhelming blizzard-like force burst from Claus. The center of the room froze in an instant, a cocoon of jagged crystal encasing Claus entirely, like a monstrous egg made of living ice.
 Silence followed.
 Lucia stood, panting, her eyes wide with shock. "That... wasn’t just cold," she said softly. "Something inside him... it’s awakening."
 Elien stared at the glacial shell surrounding his son, his face pale. "What’s... happening to him...?"Th𝗲 most uptodate novels are published on free(w)ebnov(e)l.𝒄𝒐𝙢</div>
 

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Chapter 50- Froze

Chapter 50: Chapter 50- Froze The sun dipped low on the horizon as the group, victorious and exhausted, loaded up the captured vehicles from Darrion’s fallen forces. Julian inspected one of the heavily jeeps, its reinforced armor and mounted supply crates still intact. "This one still runs," Julian muttered, starting the engine with a growl. "We’ll use this to transport your squad back to your temporary base." Celestia nodded. "Thank you." Soon after, the convoy rolled out. Julian drove the...

Zombie Domination

Chapter 50- Froze

Zombie Domination - Chapter 50- Froze