Picking Up My Ex-Wife in the Apocalypse - Chapter 5

In the cave, the only sounds remaining were the crackle of dry wood and the howling gale outside. Suddenly, the fire flickered and died, leaving behind only the faint, acrid scent of tobacco and ash.

Si Qi’s eyes shimmered with a blood-red light. She tilted her head slightly, waiting with a deceptive air of obedience for Si Ruxu to continue.

“Yes,” Si Ruxu said, her voice dropping an octave. “I have the base’s ultimate weapon, along with the data regarding the Great Purge scheduled for two months from now.”

Si Ruxu leaned closer. In the darkness, Si Qi could feel the woman’s breath ghosting over her lips. With her vision temporarily gone, her other senses were amplified to a dizzying degree.

“The Great Purge?” Si Qi finally found her voice, though it sounded distant even to her own ears.

“Two years into the apocalypse, a new order has basicially solidified. Humans, plants, zombies, and animals have formed their own factions. If this was all just the ‘first step’ of an entity far above our level, then the second step is about to begin.”

Si Ruxu paused. “No one knows the true objective yet. But based on the base’s reconnaissance and the calculations of the Precognition-types, a massive culling—targeting both the living and the dead—will trigger in two months.”

“The secret weapon I carry is an Inter-Dimensional Linker capable of entering unstable magnetic fields.”

“From what we know, the initial stage of the Purge is a Black Hole. Inside are smaller sub-worlds. Every time people are sucked in, the survival rate of those who return determines the level of the next natural disaster unleashed on our world.”

“We don’t know the exact ratio or the penalty for a total wipeout. All we know for certain is that those Black Holes contain the power to annihilate heaven and earth.”

Having finished her explanation, Si Ruxu unceremoniously pulled a bottle of water out of her space—the bottle itself was crafted from high-grade crystal. She drank and then elegantly wiped her mouth with a tissue.

Next, she produced a modern coal stove. Once lit, the cave was instantly filled with light and a warmth that was tenfold more effective than the previous campfire.

Finally, she pulled out a bed—a soft, plush double bed. She lay back and adjusted a pillow behind her head. Si Qi looked silently at the cracked salt jar Si Ruxu had been using for water, then at her own crude stone fireplace.

“You’ve been roughing it lately,” Si Ruxu said with a faint smile. “Being with you, nowhere feels like a hardship.”

If this were ten years ago, Si Qi might have believed her.

Si Ruxu casually handed the half-finished water to Si Qi. The moment Si Qi’s fingers touched the crystal bottle, it shattered into dust, and the water splashed onto the floor. Si Qi went silent, looking at Si Ruxu with wide, innocent eyes.

“Don’t worry about it. It was made from a Level 1 crystal,” Si Ruxu said, unfazed. “The power in your body likely senses the coming Purge. It’s desperately absorbing everything it can to level up.” She tossed Si Qi several Level 6 crystals.

The moment they entered Si Qi’s orbit, they were dyed blood-red, swirling around her like loyal satellites.

“What’s the current highest level for Awakened?” Si Qi asked. As a former “ordinary” human, she had been kept in the dark about the elite tiers.

“Currently, it’s Level 7. Beyond that, no one can progress. The base suspects the key to breaking through is hidden within those sub-worlds. Perhaps the secrets of the apocalypse are there as well.”

Si Ruxu didn’t seem particularly worried. She even had the presence of mind to hand Si Qi some cumin and salt, asking her to grill the remaining rabbit meat.

“Make it a bit charred, extra spicy. And can you use some of those wild berries to make a glaze?”

She blinked, adding a sugary, “Thanks, sweetheart.”

Si Qi thinned her lips. She couldn’t imagine what Si Ruxu had gone through in the years they were apart to make her so… thick-skinned. To shamelessly demand a gourmet meal from an ex she’d dumped, in a frozen wasteland no less.

Si Qi took the seasonings and focused on the grill. The flames licked the wood as the meat turned golden-brown, fat dripping onto the coals and sending up small plumes of smoke. She carefully applied the cumin and salt, the aroma filling the cave. Finally, she crushed the wild berries, drizzling the tart, sweet juice over the skewers. The firelight reflected in her focused eyes, creating a scene that felt strangely like home.

Si Ruxu leaned against the headboard, her eyes never leaving Si Qi for a second.

When it was ready, Si Qi brought the skewers over. Si Ruxu took a small bite before insisting on feeding a piece to Si Qi.

It was the best thing Si Qi had tasted in years. In the apocalypse, spices were a luxury for the 1%. Most ordinary people were lucky to just have full stomachs.

It was obvious now that Si Ruxu had been playing “damsel” for a while. She’d let herself get thin and frail until her cover was blown; now that the mask was off, she wasn’t hiding a thing—she’d even brought out the furniture and left her old down duvet in the corner.

Outside, the wind gradually died down. The sunlight held a hint of genuine warmth. The Great Frost was over. The Blood Moon had signaled the end of the disaster, but Si Qi wondered what the connection was between that red moon and the crimson patterns on her own forehead.

Si Qi crawled over to the discarded duvet, wrapped herself up in a ball, and leaned against the wall to sleep. With the Frost over, staying in the cave was no longer safe. They needed to move.

Knowing Si Ruxu had weapons and that she herself was “valuable” allowed Si Qi to drop her guard. For the first time in years, she fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

*****

She woke up to direct sunlight hitting her face. The firewood and straw blocking the entrance had been cleared away.

Outside the cave, Si Ruxu stood in a fresh, pristine outfit. The mutated wolf carcass had been dug out and tucked away into her space.

Si Qi felt a pang of envy. Space abilities really are the ultimate quality-of-life hack.

“Since you’re awake, let’s go. You can leave those rags behind; the base won’t let you go hungry,” Si Ruxu said with a gentle smile. Behind her was a world of white snow, and she—in her light-colored trench coat—was the only vibrant color in the wasteland.

Si Ruxu snapped a bracelet onto Si Qi’s wrist. “This is an ID for the Core Zone. There was no signal during the Frost, but it should be working now. If we ever get separated, use this to find me.”

Si Qi nodded. As soon as the bracelet activated, the screen turned a violent, flashing red.

[S-RANK BOUNTY: 200,000 POINTS!]

Si Qi looked at the face on the screen, then at the woman standing in front of her. After confirming the 100% match, she tilted her head.

“You’ve been blacklisted by the base.”

Si Ruxu’s smile faltered. She looked genuinely embarrassed.

Evidently, while everyone was busy defending the walls, her “disappearance” with a quarter of the supplies had been branded as a high-level betrayal. She was no longer a pillar of the community—she was a traitor on the run.

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