The Endgame Chronicles (by Hugh White) novel Chapter 485

Everyone boarded the helicopters and prepared to leave.

Just as the rotors started to spin, Shana suddenly jumped down.

“I’m staying, too!”

She rushed straight into Gideon’s arms.

Gideon froze. “You should go with them. It’s safer.”

“No,” Shana said, gripping his hand tightly. “No matter what happens, I’m staying with you.”

Gideon hesitated, then nodded. “Alright. I’ll protect you as best I can.”

At the very least, she would never be trampled on or bullied the way Nora had been.

The two of them stood on top of the Ark One bunker, waving at Hayley’s group.

The helicopter lifted into the air and quickly disappeared over the endless grasslands.

Inside the helicopter, Stephen watched his former companions fade into the distance and sighed.

“He really shouldn’t have stayed,” he said quietly. “Even as the manager of Level Two, once the base decides to abandon him, he’ll still be abandoned. He should’ve escaped with us. No matter how hard it is outside, it’s still better than staying there.”

Hayley snorted softly. “What did you all do in Ark One, anyway?”

“Level One handled heavy labor. Energy production, food production. We worked from six in the morning to nine at night, every day, no breaks.

“Level Two handled food processing and material processing. Same hours as us.

“Level Three gave orders, assigned tasks, and handled base security. We never really knew their schedule.”

“Level Four was Professor Stone’s labs. They did research there.

“As for Level Five…” Stephen shook his head. “I don’t know. Probably didn’t have to do anything at all.”

“What did you eat?” Hayley asked.

“Two meals a day,” Stephen replied. “Oatmeal in the morning. At night, toast and some greens.”

He paused, then said firmly, “Don’t worry. No matter what it’s like outside, as long as we get to eat, we’ll do anything.”

He had already prepared himself for a world overrun by zombies, where death could come at any moment.

Then, he saw it.

A city lit up in the darkness. Real lights.

The helicopter had flown for hours, from the red glow of sunset into the deep night.

And in that darkness, he saw unmistakable human light.

Not one or two lamps.

Chapter 485

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An entire city. Street after street, glowing.

Tall residential buildings dotted with warm windows, lights stretching as far as the eye could see.

The helicopter slowly descended into a central city plaza.

As it landed, people who had been strolling and relaxing nearby gathered around.

“Ms. Reird is back!”

“Welcome home!”

“Ms. Reid! Come have a drink!”

They held drinks and snacks bought from night stalls, smiling and calling out as they walked over.

Stephen was stunned as he stepped off the helicopter.

Wasn’t the outside world supposed to be nothing but zombies? Hadn’t humanity been pushed to the brink, forced to cling together in desolate wastelands just to survive?

Then what was this?

Had he gone back to life before the apocalypse?

Lydia felt the same shock. She stared at the brightly lit streets and the well–dressed people walking calmly past.

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