When he arrived, the logistics hall was empty, shrouded in dead silence.

That crystal, which he had carefully selected and which had once radiated a soft, gentle glow, had long since lost its luster in the carriage. It was like a withered hope, scattered silently in his hands.

Anxiety spread in his heart as he stood in the logistics hall, his gaze sweeping over every corner.

It wasn't until he saw a customized combat boot lying on the ground outside the storage room that his heart seized; fear and regret washed over him like a tidal wave.

The urgency in his brain urged him to push the door open quickly, but he was terrified of facing the truth. His feet felt as if they were filled with lead, unable to move.

Finally, Silas gritted his teeth and, enduring the unbearable agony, pushed the door open.

In the dim storage room, he saw Selene sitting on the floor, her clothes disheveled, her expression as dead and silent as ashes.

Her skin was covered in bruises and scratch marks. As a man, he knew all too well what had happened.

The crystal in his hand slid silently to the ground—the sound of it hitting the floor was the sound of his heart breaking.

Acid rain poured down outside the window, pounding furiously against the glass, as if trying to cross the barrier and smash into his already shattered heart. In the darkness, he couldn't see her expression, only hearing her ask softly: "Where have you been for these last few hours?"

Her voice wasn't hysterical, nor was it manic; it was just suffocatingly calm.

Yet, that very calmness was like a sharp knife, gutting his heart completely.

Silas felt as if he were suffocating. The acid rain washed over the windows, but nothing could wash away the regret and pain within him.

He wanted to speak, but found his throat constricted, unable to utter a single word.

Endless regret and heartbreak churned in his chest.

Selene rose and moved toward him; he instinctively took a half-step back.

Both of them froze.

Her tears slid silently; the grievance and disappointment in her eyes were like blades, stabbing straight into his heart.

In the end, Silas stepped forward and pulled her tightly into his arms.

His face was cold, devoid of expression, but the tears she left on his neck were so scalding they seemed to burn his reason and tear his soul to shreds.

The life that followed was like a faded black-and-white photograph, devoid of any vitality.

He wanted to hold her like he used to, but was stung by her terrified reactions and looks of disgust, gradually distancing himself from her.

The once gentle Selene became sensitive and suspicious, their arguments were constant, and their former love was devoured by hatred and misunderstanding.

Silas had once thought he could ignore it, until a month later, when news of Selene’s pregnancy arrived, and he had foolishly clung to the hope that it might be his child.

On the night Andy was born, the forged genetic test report sent by Yara had completely shattered his illusions—the child’s gene sequence did not match his.

He had subconsciously believed Yara, thinking Selene had produced that report to force him to acknowledge a child that wasn't his.

He could no longer maintain his facade of gentleness; his heart had completely lost the desire to judge. He no longer wanted to care about her, burying the guilt that had been buried deep in his heart.

That night, Silas sat quietly on the sofa, staring into the void for the entire night.

He had convinced himself: This is not my child; Selene owes me this.

Chapter 10

Yet, the crimson paternity test report in Silas’s hands, with the blood-red, eye-piercing authoritative seal of the base on the last page, finally tore open the long-sealed truth.

He trembled as he flipped out the report Yara had sent him back then, page by page.

The clumsy traces of tampering, the obvious loopholes—how had he turned a blind eye to them back then?

Every single flaw now felt like a sharp knife, gouging his heart.

Liquid blurred his vision, dripping onto the paper and blurring the ink. Only now did he realize how ridiculous he had been.

"Beep, beep."

The communicator in his pocket vibrated. Silas steadied his breathing and took it out to check.

Seeing the content of the message, his brow furrowed instantly. He bolted upright, knocking over the coffee table, and rushed out the door regardless of the pain in his legs.

The text message Selene had sent:

【Silas, we shall never meet again.】

The farewell message left him flustered and panicked. An unspeakable sense of unease surged from the depths of his heart, rushing to his throat, choking him into silence.

In his panic, Silas fell hard, scraping his knees, but he crawled up regardless to go to his car. His trembling fingers dialed Selene’s number over and over, but it was never answered.

He dialed her number repeatedly, wanting to tell her everything.

But why was no one picking up? Pick up, Selene, please!

Silas drove the armored vehicle, searching the roads, feeling somewhat lost as to where she could have gone.

Ever since that incident, she had bid farewell to her beloved career as a purification master. She seemed to lose interest in everything, gradually moving away from crowds and cutting off all social connections.

Every day, other than the time spent with Andy, she would simply sit at home and stare at her purification manuscripts.

Silas searched while driving, heading to the medical station. Ignoring the surprised looks of others, he grabbed the nurse at the door, held up the intimate photo of the two of them on the communicator, and asked with red eyes:

"Have you seen her come by?!"

The nurse was startled by his disheveled, nervous appearance and shook her head repeatedly: "No, no I haven't!"

Getting no answer, Silas left directly to continue searching, completely ignoring the surprised looks of those around him.

Colleagues watched the retreating 'Ice Face' Doctor Silas in shock. They had never seen him so emotional, and all for a woman—something they had never seen any sign of at the medical station!

Without hesitation, Silas went to the apocalypse survival academy they had both attended, the base cafeteria where they had their first date, the old alley where their former safe house was located, the central park where they had confirmed their relationship…

He still found nothing.

He slammed his fist against the steering wheel, struggling to suppress his breathing, but the pain in his heart was like a rusty knife, constantly slicing at his heart with dull, relentless agony.

Suddenly, he remembered what Selene had said during a base celebration firework show for repelling a zombie wave, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator, driving toward the abandoned district outside the base.

In his memory, colorful fireworks burst in the sky, turning into a massive downpour of flames.

Selene had looked at an elderly couple nearby who relied on each other, her eyes full of envy.

"If one day, I were to leave first..."

She pointed toward the deep ruins with a look of release, "Just scatter my ashes in the forbidden zone where zombies cannot tread."

"I will turn into the wind and the rain to stay by your side, alright?"

Liar… Liar!

I won't let you leave! You were the one who promised to always be by my side, I won't allow it!

Silas searched the ruins with red eyes, looking everywhere he went. Until, exhausted and as the sky turned dark, he saw a long-haired silhouette standing on the edge of a cliff.

It really looked like her.

Ecstatic, he rushed over, shouting her name at the top of his lungs.

"Selene Rivers—"

The person startled, looking back at him in confusion.

The unfamiliar face hit Silas’s hot, expectant heart like a bucket of cold water, sending him to the bottom of despair. He stood frozen, at a loss.

He didn't explain, just turned to walk away numbly, but from behind came the girl’s hesitant words:

"Are you looking for someone? I came from the left and saw a lady’s ring and a communicator on the ground over there. Do you want to…"

Silas’s heart skipped a beat. He suppressed the ache in his legs and ran in the direction she pointed. The unease in his heart grew stronger and stronger, as if heralding a dark future.

The distance was not far, right in the area she had mentioned back then.

Silas looked at the wedding ring and communicator lying on the ground, his knees went weak, and he fell to the ground, unable to utter a single complete sentence. The cruel inference turned into a long blade, constantly slicing open his chest.

It was forcing him to face the bloody reality.

Chapter 11

The setting sun was like blood, the clouds on the horizon stained a jarring, vivid red, as if the firmament had been torn asunder, silently shedding tears of blood.