The White Hand headquarters was no longer calm.
Deep beneath the ruins of the city, screens flickered violently as data streamed in—combat logs, biometric readings, lost signals. A massive table dominated the room, surrounded by masked officials and high-ranking operatives.
At the center of the chaos stood a man known only as Sanitizer.
His white gloves were spotless.
Too spotless.
He stared at the screen showing the last transmission of the scout leader—Luo's silhouette frozen mid-frame.
"…He survived," Sanitizer said calmly.
One of the analysts swallowed. "Not only that, sir. Subject L overpowered Scout Unit Alpha. The scout leader is… unresponsive."
Sanitizer slowly removed one glove, examining his hand as if bored. "Interesting."
Another officer leaned forward. "Should we initiate Protocol Cleanse?"
Sanitizer smiled faintly. "No. Not yet."
He turned toward a screen showing Lily's unstable water readings and Aria's vanished core signature.
"The variables are aligning," he said softly. "Let them grow."
The room fell silent.
"Because when they break," Sanitizer continued, "we'll harvest everything."
---
Far away, in the broken cityscape, Aria stood alone on the edge of a collapsed highway.
She was human again.
Her breathing felt fragile. Her limbs felt weak. And yet—her eyes were sharper than ever.
She clenched her fists.
Zombie cores…
The cloaked figures' words echoed in her mind.
> Balance.
Choice.
Power on your own terms.
She had felt it—the core wasn't just energy. It was information. Memory. Evolution condensed into a single crystallized will.
"If I understand them," Aria whispered to herself, "then I won't need to be a monster to fight monsters."
Her team gathered behind her, uncertain but loyal.
"We're not going back to the lab," she said firmly. "We're learning the truth about zombie cores."
They nodded.
And somewhere deep inside Aria, a quiet determination formed—stronger than rage.
---
Back at the villa, the night was quiet.
Too quiet.
Luo stood in the backyard, moonlight washing over the cracked stone tiles. Lily stood opposite him, nervous, hands slightly raised.
"Okay," Luo said quietly. "No panic. No force. Just feel the water."
A bucket sat between them.
Lily stared at it. "I still think this is a terrible idea."
"Probably," Luo replied. "But uncontrolled power is worse."
Mia watched from inside through the window, arms crossed, pretending not to care.
Yuna sat nearby, pretending to scroll through a broken phone—but very clearly listening.
Lily closed her eyes.
The water trembled.
At first, nothing happened.
Then—ripples.
The surface lifted unnaturally, twisting as if responding to her breathing.
Lily gasped. "It's… listening."
Luo nodded. "Don't command it. Guide it."
The water rose slowly, forming a fragile arc before collapsing back into the bucket with a splash.
Lily laughed breathlessly. "I didn't flood anything!"
"That's progress," Luo said, smiling.
For a moment, something stirred in his chest again—a familiarity he couldn't explain. Like he'd done this before. Long ago.
He pushed the thought away.
Not now.
---
Inside, Mia sat alone on the stairs, hugging her knees.
Say it, she told herself.
Just say it.
She watched Luo laugh softly with Lily through the glass.
Her heart tightened painfully.
"I like you," she whispered to the empty room.
Then shook her head.
No. Not now. Not like this.
She stood up, wiping her eyes before anyone could notice.
---
Later that night, the group gathered around the table for a rare quiet meal.
Canned food. Warm soup. Silence.
Until—
"I have something to say."
Yuna raised her hand awkwardly.
Everyone turned to her.
She took a deep breath, cheeks red. "I… used to have a crush on Luo."
Silence.
A spoon dropped.
Lily blinked. "…Excuse me?"
Mia froze.
Luo choked. "WHAT?"
Yuna bowed her head. "Before the world ended! When we streamed together! I never said anything, but—"
Mia stood up so fast her chair fell. "YOU TOO?!"
Lily stared at Luo slowly. "How many girls do you attract without realizing it?"
"I DON'T KNOW," Luo shouted back, panicked. "I swear I didn't do anything!"
Yuna waved her hands. "I'm over it! Mostly! Probably!"
Mia groaned, rubbing her temples. "I hate this apocalypse."
Lily leaned back, smirking. "So he really has always been like this."
Luo buried his face in his hands. "Please… just eat."
Despite the chaos, laughter slowly filled the room.
---
After dinner, Yuna approached Luo quietly.
"There's something else," she said.
"What is it?" he asked.
Her expression turned serious. "One of my streamer friends survived. I got a signal weeks ago. She was moving with refugees… near White Hand territory."
Luo's jaw tightened. "That's dangerous."
"I know," Yuna said firmly. "But I won't abandon her like my family abandoned Mia."
Mia overheard from the hallway.
Her expression softened—just a little.
Yuna looked Luo straight in the eyes. "I need your help."
He didn't hesitate.
"I'll help you," he said. "We don't leave people behind."
Mia exhaled slowly.
Lily smiled faintly.
Outside the villa, the wind howled.
Somewhere in the darkness, White Hand watched.
And deeper still, forces beyond humanity continued to shift—patiently waiting for the moment everything would collide.
---
END OF CHAPTER 12