On June 14th, at 22:49, there was just one hour and eleven minutes left until the outbreak.
Ruri gazed at the captivating figure before her with a deep sense of admiration. Moments ago, despite the provocative position Daphne had found herself in, her expression had remained composed. She didn't seem to care at all that Ruri, an outsider, was present, though there was an occasional flicker of grievance or coyness in her glances towards Novak.
Yet, Ruri knew she could never do what Daphne had just done.
"I'll let it slide this time. If it happens again, you'll be with Dane," Novak warned calmly.
Daphne's face paled immediately. The thought of being held together with Dane by Novak's hands—no matter how open-minded she was—was a little too much to bear. Of course, if it was just holding hands, she could probably accept it, as she already had. But if it involved chains or ropes... the image was far more unsettling.
Despite her misgivings, Daphne bit her lip and murmured softly, almost like a whisper carried by the wind: "If you want, I could convince Dane..."
Novak glanced at her in surprise.
What the hell... Why didn't I realize in my past life that this temptress was such a manipulative minx?
After the earlier incident, Daphne didn't dare bring up surpassing Novak in strength again. She understood now—it wasn't a matter of strength or talent anymore.
The night slowly descended over them, its darkness deep and unyielding. In the villa's courtyard, Novak sat at a small tea table under the gazebo, sipping black tea as he gazed up at the sky.
Only a few were present: Novak, Daphne, Nicole, and Ruri, who still looked somewhat bewildered by everything that had happened.
Daphne stood behind Novak, gently massaging his temples with her fingers. The pressure wasn't perfect, but her gesture of obedience was appreciated.
Novak broke the silence, his voice soft, trying to diffuse the tension from earlier. "Has anything happened these past two days?"
"A few things, but they've all been taken care of," Daphne replied.
"Tell me," he ordered.
"A mutant rat, the size of a wolfdog, appeared in the home of Mr. Villar, the head of the Villar Group. It killed his entire family, including the nanny, overnight. The thing was fast—so fast we lost one of our own trying to kill it."
"I ordered all the manholes and sewer entrances sealed off afterward. Only standard toilets are functional now."
Novak listened intently, nodding in acknowledgment.
Despite being an upscale villa complex, De-M-anila Ocean Blue bordered mountains and forests, which meant rats were not uncommon. Moreover, the area had its own sewer system, leading out into the lower mountains.
Still, the appearance of a mutant rat so early on made Novak hazy. The danger of these creatures didn't lie in their individual strength but in their overwhelming numbers. While a full swarm of mutant or zombie rats might not form in the Mountain area, early evolutionists would find them one of the most significant threats.
"Some of the elderly residents of the villa, those in poor health, have begun undergoing corpse transformations, even though they haven't been attacked by zombies. No one dares to leave their homes now," Daphne continued.
Novak waved a hand dismissively. "Corpse transformations are expected. There's no rush to clean them up tonight. Tomorrow will be soon enough. By then, half the population here will likely have been reduced anyway."
Killing zombies was the only way to gain experience in the new era. While low-level zombies wouldn't offer much to someone at Novak's current stage, they could still be valuable to others. After all, the future city Novak envisioned couldn't be built by a small group alone.
"There was a bit of unrest at the family building yesterday," Daphne added. "Some people were unhappy about the sudden relocation and wanted to return home. Others tried to trade supplies with us, but I refused. Those people may not let this go easily."
Many things were happening—scattered incidents, one after another. As the end approached, panic and unrest were only growing.
Novak offered occasional comments and suggestions about Daphne's handling of these matters, but overall, he was satisfied with her work. He had always known Daphne was capable. In her previous life, she had singlehandedly established Re-M-anila City, inheriting and managing all the legacies of De-M-anila. Such a feat was nothing short of extraordinary.
Time continued to slip by, minute by minute, second by second.
Novak had been silently counting the passage of time in his mind. Finally, as the night drew closer to midnight and the dawn of a new era, he opened his eyes.
"Bring out Aria and Dane," he instructed. "It's time."
The time had indeed come.
Daphne glanced at her diamond watch. It was 23:51—only nine minutes until the apocalypse would erupt.
Novak took a moment to glance at the group chat:
[Overlord] : "540"
[Your King— Bart]: "539"
[Willow Pagoda Tree]: "538"
[…]
The countdown had automatically been set by the system, with messages posted by six administrators. Every second, someone else in the group was speaking, expressing their excitement, nervousness, and anticipation.
They were the ones standing at the forefront of the times, poised to become the leaders of a new era. These were the first people qualified to rise above the old social order and become the elite in the apocalypse.
No matter their status or identity before, in this moment, everyone was sharing the same emotions—anxious but ready.
They waited together for the end to arrive, for the new world to begin.
Novak, too, waited.
In the stillness of the courtyard, even after Dane and Aria arrived, there was no sound. They sat quietly, while Nicole and Ruri stood behind Novak and Daphne, silent from the start.
By now, they all understood what was about to unfold. Their gazes shifted to the world around them. Though there was nothing but the night sky and the villa's illuminated lights, they still wanted to take one last look at this moment.
One last look at a world defined by civilization and the social order of the past. Soon, they would step into a new age—some without hesitation, others filled with doubts or reluctance—but all would follow Novak into this unknown future.
And at that moment, time reset to zero.
June 15th, 00:00.
It had arrived!