Harem Legion: Queens of the Apocalypse-Chapter 53 She Came from the Forbidden Rift

Emma. The Anomaly Zone.

Mention her name, and anyone from the previous Ice Regiment would immediately think of that place - because she was the one who came out of it alive.

In the post-apocalyptic world, nothing was more mysterious than the Anomaly Zone.

Back then, Magnus had managed to survive half a year into the apocalypse before he ever heard the name. By that point, it was known far and wide.

The Anomaly Zone - just like the name suggests - was a place where anomalies occurred. Its size, location, and how long it stayed in one spot? All completely random.

They said stepping into it could either bring a heaven-sent opportunity or guaranteed death.

Emma was one of the rare few who got in and made it back alive. But no matter how many times her teammates asked what she saw inside... her face would turn pale, lips shut tight. Eventually, she even cut ties with her closest friend, who wouldn’t stop questioning her about it.

After she joined the Ice Regiment, at first no one noticed anything strange. She kept everything close to the chest, never made a fuss. But once word got out about her link to the Anomaly Zone... things started clicking.

The way she saved lives - never once having her own in danger. In a world like this, that was downright unbelievable.

But none of that compared to what happened that night.

It was deep into the night when Magnus saw her - Emma - alive, sitting in the vehicle. He was sure he wasn’t dreaming. He could see her chest rising and falling.

A chill ran down his spine, but he forced himself to speak up. "Emma? Is it really you? Why... why are you here?"

She stared at him blankly, eyes empty as a void. Then tears slipped silently down her face. She slowly crouched, her thin shoulders trembling.

Magnus had only asked one thing - but just as he opened his mouth to go on, a sliver of sunlight inched its way through the windshield.

Inched. Literally.

One full second - and he could see the sunlight push across the vehicle floor, making its way slowly toward Emma. The moment it reached her, she vanished.

Gone.

All in one second. He hadn’t even finished forming the next word.

Time... was that really a manipulation of time?

Mouth agape, Magnus stared, stunned - his whole reality flipped inside out.

By 4 a.m., Emily stirred. Her bunk was directly across from his, and she’d been lying on her side. When she opened her eyes, she just about screamed.

Magnus was staring right at her - no, at her lower half. Mouth wide open, drooling enough to soak a pillow, with a giant wet stain spreading across the blanket.

He’d been staring for a while, no doubt.

"Magnus, what the hell?!" Emily’s face went crimson. Mortified and furious, she threw her hands over herself - but didn’t dare shout too loud. She didn’t want to wake the others.

Still, with Magnus like that, she had no idea what to say. Even if a woman does like a man, if he keeps staring at that part of her body when they’re not even together yet, no woman would just smile and let it slide.

"I..."

Magnus snapped back to himself. He’d just watched Emma vanish right in front of him - bit by bit. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest.

Then, he saw Emily standing there, hands over her chest, her face red as fire...

His throat went dry. Magnus coughed twice. No clue how to explain any of this. It was like everything suddenly made sense and didn’t at the same time. "I was just thinking... about something."

"Thinking?!" Emily was fuming, voice low but sharp. "You drool when you think? You trying to drive me mad?!"

From the bunk above, Sarah yawned, waking up to the commotion. She turned and caught sight of Emily’s face all flustered, talking to Magnus. Curious, she peeked down, and her eyes widened.

"Whoa! Magnus, why is your blanket wet? Emily, did you two...?"

Sarah’s voice wasn’t exactly quiet. The other girls in the carriage started stirring, some glaring at her for the sudden noise - then they followed her gaze.

Emily was already beyond embarrassment. Now with eyes on her from all sides, words stuck in her throat - and she looked like she might cry.

"It’s not what you think..." Magnus reached out, trying to cover the wet spot on the blanket.

A moment later, a chilly voice drifted over from behind, razor-sharp. "Not what we think? Come on, people have needs. No one here’s gonna laugh at you two for getting cozy."

"Sophia!" Emily shot up, barefoot and fuming. "You better watch what you say! What’re you implying, huh?! What the hell do you mean by needs?!"

Sophia didn’t flinch. "Then tell me where this water on his blanket came from. Don’t try saying he peed - it doesn’t smell like it."

Charlotte had swapped places with Victoria the night before. She walked over, seeing Emily and Sophia arguing across a stunned Magnus. Before she fully got what was going on, she caught Sophia’s jab about the wet blanket.

Charlotte was no fool. A mother herself, she knew exactly what it looked like - but she wasn’t about to say so out loud. "Maybe Magnus spilled water while drinking last night. What’s the big deal? Come on, everyone, go back to sleep..."

Magnus wanted to crawl into a hole. What the hell could he say? Claim it was just drool? Yeah right - who’d buy that?

"I... I probably spilled some water while drinking," he forced out.

"Oh, really?" Sophia chuckled coldly. "Where’s the bottle then?"

Magnus stared blankly, caught off guard. Emily was literally shaking from anger now, didn’t even have the energy to talk anymore. She flopped back into her bed, yanked the covers over her head - whatever, let them think what they want.

The whole place felt frozen in awkward silence. Magnus let out a deep sigh, pulled a pack of cigarettes from under his pillow, grabbed his helmet, and got off the vehicle.

He still hadn’t figured out what the hell was going on with Emma. No time to play the fool in these messy misunderstandings. Think what you want. Back in the last life, he and Emily did have something going on, after all. Let ’em gossip! Screw it.

Right now, one thing mattered - finding Emma. He had to uncover what really happened in that damn Anomaly Zone.