The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 78: Ch : Price of Greed- Part 1

Nora dragged Noah back to their designated camp, her fingers digging into his arm.

His face was flushed, the cold air doing nothing to temper his anger. He yanked his arm free, but he didn’t move away. Instead, he stood there, fists clenched, chest heaving.

"Calm down! Can’t you see that you are causing a scene? You will make our behaviour reach father at this rate!"

Nora hissed, her voice low and urgent.

"Calm down? How can I? Selene is right there. I know it. I can bring her back home."

Noah’s voice rose, a little too loud, drawing a few curious glances.

Nora’s expression tightened.

"I know! I know that Selene is here. But even if she is, then what does it change? What are you going to do even if you find her?"

Nora’s words made Noah falter a little bit, but his conviction was still solid.

"I’ll bring her back home no matter what it takes."

He said, his voice raw with desperation.

Nora’s patience snapped. She smacked him on the back of his head, hard enough to make him stumble.

"Idiot. Do you want to get her killed?"

Her eyes flashed, ice-blue and sharp.

Noah froze. The impact of her words hit him like a slap to the face.

"That won’t happen."

He insisted, but the certainty in his voice wavered.

"Really? What do you think Father will do if he finds out we brought her back?"

Nora crossed her arms over her chest.

Noah’s lips parted, but no sound came out.

Nora didn’t relent.

"He’s already made his stance clear. Selene is a deserter. Even if she was kidnapped, he won’t accept her back."

Her words hung heavy in the air. The weight of them settled in Noah’s bones, dragging his shoulders down.

Finally, the anger in his eyes faded, replaced by a dull, aching hurt. He took a shaky breath and let it out slowly.

"But if she needs help. I’ll protect her" ƒreewebɳovel.com

He said, his voice softer now.

Nora’s expression softened. She stepped closer, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Of course we will. That goes without saying. Selene is too fragile, so we need to help her."

She said.

______

On the other side of the camp, Selene’s mind raced. Her heart still thudded painfully against her ribs, a remnant of the close encounter.

She pressed a hand to her chest, fingers curling against the fabric of her coat.

"Breathe!"

Ethan’s voice was a steady anchor. He stood close, not touching her but his presence grounding.

Selene exhaled, long and slow. The fog of her breath mingled with the chilly air.

"I’m fine."

"Liar."

He didn’t push, though. Just stood by her side, his gaze fixed ahead, unyielding and patient.

The atmosphere in the camp was heavy. Hunters whispered among themselves, eyes shifting between the two groups. Even the government officials looked uneasy.

One of them, a man with thinning hair and a perpetual sheen of sweat on his forehead, approached cautiously. He cleared his throat, the sound awkward and loud.

"So, um...When should we enter the dungeon?"

He stammered. The question hung in the air.

Everyone turned to look at the two leading groups—the Vale family representatives and Selene’s team.

Valeria didn’t waste a second.

"We are entering now."

She snapped, her voice cutting through the tension.

Selene’s gaze sharpened.

"No. Entering during the day is dangerous. We need to wait."

Valeria’s lips curled into a sneer.

"Your opinion was neither needed nor wanted. We move"

She turned to her own team, waving them forward.

The hunters on the Vale side hesitated. They shuffled their feet, eyes darting to Noah and Nora. The twins stood still, unyielding.

"No. We’ll wait."

Noah said firmly.

Nora nodded in agreement.

"It’s too risky now. We’re willing to compromise this time."

Valeria’s face turned crimson. She looked between the twins, her expression a mix of disbelief and rage.

"You dare defy me, you masters? Must I remind you that I was put incharge of this mission by your father?"

Her voice rose, shrill and grating. Some of the nearby hunters flinched.

"This is insubordination. I’ll report you both. You’re lowering the Vale family’s name by being cowards."

Valeria hissed.

Her accusation landed heavily, but the twins did not flinch.

"That’s fine. We’ll deal with the consequences"

Nora said, her tone even.

The calm in her voice only stoked Valeria’s anger.

She let out a frustrated noise, her nails digging into her palms. Without another word, she turned on her heel and stormed toward the dungeon entrance.

"Move! If they want to act like cowards, let them. We’ll take the glory."

She barked at her team.

Her group stumbled into motion, their expressions torn between fear of Valeria and wariness of the dungeon’s ominous entrance.

Selene watched them go, her face expressionless.

She could already picture the carnage awaiting them. The dungeon didn’t care about pride or politics—it only consumed.

Ethan leaned in slightly, his voice a quiet rumble.

"Should we stop them?"

Selene shook her head.

"They won’t listen. Let them go."

A part of her wanted to help, but experience had taught her better. Valeria wouldn’t accept help, and dragging more people into the dungeon now would only increase the risk.

"We’ll get them out safely. Isn’t that why you planned this raid?"

Zara murmured. Her eyes were fixed on the retreating Vale group, her expression shadowed.

Orion stayed quiet, his usual humor absent. His knuckles were white where he gripped the strap of his weapon, a silent promise to be ready when needed.

The government official, still lingering awkwardly nearby, wrung his hands.

"Is... is this okay?"

Selene didn’t answer immediately. She let the silence stretch, felt the weight of the decision.

"No. But it’s necessary."

She said finally.

She turned away from the dungeon entrance, signaling to her group to settle in.

"We wait."

Her words were final, and the hunters around them slowly moved back into their routines.

But the shadow of what was to come loomed over them all, a reminder that in this world, impatience could be deadly.

As the sun continued its arc across the sky, they prepared. And Selene, her heart still aching with old wounds, braced herself for the inevitable fallout.