"Huh! This is freshly baked bread!" Shin exclaid, grabbing the loaf Elena brought in a plastic bag. "Where did you get it?"
Elena, holding the insulin pen tightly in her hand which rested on the bedsheets, looked down and lied. "I just... stole it from sowhere."
"Wow... incredible! That ans tomorrow we'll eat until we're full too!" Shin grinned. "And oh—before I forget. We've got good news."
Elena lifted her head, her eyes widening.
"Granny leveled up!!" Shin bead. "Can you believe it? She completed that quest like it was nothing! And don't even get started on how overpowered she's gotten—her reflexes are insane now. Honestly, she moves faster than I do, and she's an old woman!"
"Old woman?" Suzune scoffed from the side. "I'm no old woman, boy! I still got so charm left in ."
Shin chuckled. "You sure do! If the old man was here, he'd vouch for that."
Elena looked at them laughing, and concentrated her gaze on Suzune. She sounded happy. In fact, she looked more alive than she had in days.
"I'm glad you're okay," she whispered to herself, smiling softly.
The three of them shared a spaghetti al, followed by tea made from the sugar and leaves Elena had gotten from Akira.
This peace... the laughter—it made everything worth it. The emptiness she had felt earlier after being used as a cumming tool seed to dissolve, replaced by a comforting warmth in her heart.
Later that night, they drifted off to sleep. At dawn, Shin set out early, determined to complete his own quest—though it hadn't been going well. Not only had he failed to et any won, but he didn't even know how to ask them to have sex with him, and give up their skills if he did. In this world, that kind of request was almost impossible. Still, he had to keep his hopes high.
After all, his life depended on it.
As soon as Shin left, Suzune sighed—and coughed. Violently.
She had been holding it in, but now it burst out. Blood splattered from her throat as she gasped, her eyes wide with panic.
"Suzune-san!!" Elena jolted up from the bed.
Blood had stained the floor. Tears welled in Suzune's eyes, yet she turned to Elena with a weak smile.
"Don't worry, girl. I'm fine," she murmured.
Elena felt her gut twist. The way Suzune had acted yesterday... it had seed like she was in perfect health.
She clenched her fists. How could she have believed that lie?
Reaching under the pillow where she had hidden the insulin, she pulled it out.
"I brought your dication, Suzune-san. Let inject you."
Suzune blinked in surprise. "Where did you get that?"
"That doesn't matter," Elena said firmly. "Where should I inject it?"
Suzune showed her trembling arm, and Elena pressed the pen against it without hesitation.
Suzune felt a light sting, then relief.
"Here," Elena said, handing her the insulin pen. "You know how much to take. Don't ration it—I'll bring more. Since you've already leveled up, there's no need for you to push yourself. Eat when you're hungry. Rest when you need to. Leave the rest to . I'll bring more food and more dications."
Suzune reached out with a shaky hand and accepted the pen.
"Thank you, Elena. I don't know how you managed to get both insulin and food for us. That must be why you ca back late... but I'm truly grateful." She bowed slightly.
Elena gently stopped her from bowing. "Don't bow. I'll do anything for you... Suzune-san."
She flashed her a smile before she took out the smartphone she had gotten from Akira under her pillow, ready to go out.
Suzune opened her mouth to ask, but Elena pressed a finger to her lips. "No questions, alright?"
A beat passed. Then Suzune nodded. "Alright."
"Thanks. And please... don't tell Shin about any of this. Promise?"
She held out a pinky. Suzune linked hers to it. "I promise."
With that, Elena left the basent, moving carefully through the streets, avoiding anyone who might try to kill her—or worse, force themselves on her, like those creeps she t the other day at the central hospital.
Alone in the basent, Suzune reflected on how far they'd co. She was thankful for Shin and Elena. But fear still gnawed at her—what if they couldn't complete their quests?
Only six days remained until the Second Elimination Round.
If those two fail to level up and die... then what would be the point of surviving if the ones she loved didn't?
Trying to push the pain that's eating her up from the inside aside, Suzune decided to get so fresh air. She walked out into the streets, her skill activated, not caring much who saw her.
She wanted to visit their old ho—just once.
As she made her way through the streets, a few people saw her and took off running like terrified deer.
They called her the OP old hag.
That na alone struck fear into survivors. Just hearing "the OP old hag is coming" made people scatter in every direction.
But Suzune had no idea she had beco such a terrifying legend in this twisted world.
Eventually, she reached what remained of their old house. The charm and warmth it once had were gone. Doors broken. Windows shattered.
She stepped inside, her heart heavy—until she spotted a family photo on the floor. Burnt around the edges, but still recognizable.
It was her, her husband, and Shin—the photo they took so years back during a family camping trip.
She touched it. Tears stread down her face.
That life was gone.
She slipped the photo into her grey regalia dress and looked around. Everything else had either been destroyed or stolen.
After hours of quiet rembering, she took out the insulin Elena had given her, injected herself, then tucked it away again.
It was ti to head back before the kids returned.
anwhile...
The news of a powerful old hag was spreading like wildfire among the survivors.
Even the major factions—the Scavengers and the Rulers (Darren's crew)—heard about her.
Both were eager to find this warrior... and persuade her to join their ranks.
And both were prepared to do anything to find where she lives and get her.
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