Chapter 32: Return

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Return

Not long after Seraphina Sullivan left, she had no idea that back in the auto repair shop, Summer Lynn was slowly opening her eyes in the backseat of the SUV, staring in the direction she’d gone with a complicated expression...

When the tall silhouette of the tower crane came into view, Seraphina Sullivan’s tense nerves finally began to unwind.

She looked up at this temporary "home" and suddenly felt a powerful sense of homecoming.

’From now on, I’m not leaving unless I absolutely have to.’

She vowed to herself as she climbed the tower’s ladder, ’I’m staying right here until this instance is over.’

Once Seraphina Sullivan was finally back in the familiar operator’s cabin with the hatch locked behind her, she collapsed onto the soft cushions, completely relieved.

By now, her Space was filled with all sorts of supplies: piles of military-grade canned goods, compressed biscuits, bottled water, and even the shelving units and medical supplies she had swiped. It was more than enough for her to live comfortably for the remainder of the instance.

Seraphina Sullivan first slept soundly. When she awoke, she looked out from the tower crane’s window, gazing down upon all of Eldoria Town.

In the days that followed, no matter how many Players she saw darting through the town or how loud the sounds of fierce battles grew, she remained steadfast in her high-altitude fortress, refusing to come down from the tower.

But Seraphina Sullivan was not idle.

With a secure stockpile of supplies, she began to boldly use her [Clothes Making] Skill, experimenting freely with all sorts of material combinations.

"I have plenty of materials anyway. It’s a good chance to get some practice," she muttered to herself, pulling the remains of parasitic Aberrations, metal parts, and special fabrics she had collected from her Space.

What surprised her most were the clothes she made from the parasitic Aberration material.

They actually stretched and morphed like living things, ultimately forming a snug, dark black windbreaker.

[Parasitic Windbreaker]

Effect One: Carnivorous Self-Healing (The windbreaker can repair any damage by consuming flesh and blood).

Ability Two: Increases the wearer’s reaction speed by 10%.

Ability Three: Has a deterrent effect on low-level insects, preventing them and other parasitic creatures from getting close.

"This is incredible..." Seraphina Sullivan stared at the pitch-black windbreaker, unable to believe that clothes like this could be made from a parasitic Aberration.

She stroked the faintly writhing texture on the suit’s surface. Although the sensation was unsettling, its effects were undeniably amazing.

Especially its three distinct abilities,

In the days that followed, she continued to make clothes using the materials she had found.

This allowed her to create several more peculiar garments.

And the effects of these clothes would prove useful in specific situations.

[Metal Fiber Bulletproof Vest] (Made with metal hardware + bulletproof fibers)

[Fireproof Overall Suit] (Made with fire station fabric + special coating)

[Disguise Cloak] (Slightly changes color to match the environment)

After completing each piece, she carefully tested its effects before sorting it and storing it away.

In future instances, these special garments could very well be the key to her survival.

Occasionally, Seraphina Sullivan would think of Summer Lynn, her brother, and Nicholas Jensen, wondering if they were still alive.

But she would quickly shake her head and push such pointless worries aside. In the Doomsday Game, it was hard enough just to take care of yourself.

On the morning of the tenth day of the Parasite Apocalypse, the system’s notification sound rang out right on schedule:

[Instance Mission Complete]

[Main Mission—Survive Ten Days: Achieved]

[Ding! Acquired EXP +200]

[Ding! Survival Game - Alien Apocalypse - Instance Concluded!]

[Ding! Worker Talent - Stealing Master Agreement - Ability Activated!]

[Please select one of the two Tailor Profession Abilities: ’Quick Sewing’ or ’Clothes Making’.]

Without hesitation, Seraphina Sullivan chose [Quick Sewing].

With that settled, Seraphina Sullivan let out a long sigh of relief. A smile she hadn’t worn in a long time spread across her face as she watched the rising sun outside the window.

In those ten days, she had not only stockpiled enough supplies and acquired a slew of special equipment, but more importantly, she had gained another combat skill to protect herself.

As the white light of teleportation enveloped her, Seraphina Sullivan took one last look at the tower crane’s operator’s cabin—her home for the past ten days.

It was crude, but it had given her an invaluable sense of security.

’The next instance will definitely go more smoothly,’ she thought to herself as her figure gradually faded into the light.

In the next instant, Seraphina’s vision blurred, and she found herself back in her small apartment in the real world.

The sunlight streamed through the window, and the hands on the clock had barely moved. Just like last time, ten days in the instance had passed in the blink of an eye in the real world.

She glanced down at the experience gain notification.

[Instance "Parasite Apocalypse" successfully cleared.]

[Acquired EXP: 200]

And the text after her Level read:

[Level 1 (400/500)]

’Another 200 EXP...’ Seraphina mused, stroking her chin. ’So it seems like clearing an instance gives a fixed 200? If I clear one more, I’ll level up. I wonder what will change then.’

Seraphina eagerly imagined the new abilities or permissions that might come with leveling up, but the unpleasant odor clinging to her quickly brought her back to reality.

After being cooped up for ten days in the tiny, few-square-meter operator’s cabin, she didn’t smell very pleasant, despite her best efforts to keep clean under the limited conditions.

"Shower first!" she declared, pulling off her hair tie. Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

’And I should get this hair cut short.’

While waiting for the water to heat up, Seraphina habitually picked up her phone to scroll through the news.

’Society hasn’t collapsed in the real world yet; water and power are still working.’

The internet was still quiet, and discussions about the "Disaster Game" seemed to have died down again.

The few posts from self-proclaimed Players that occasionally popped up were quickly scrubbed by the authorities.

"Everyone’s gotten smarter, huh..." she chuckled, recalling the news reports about assassinated Players.

Becoming a Player in the Disaster Game was dangerous, to be sure, but with this extraordinary Power came an undeniable opportunity.

Seraphina sighed in comfort the moment the hot water streamed over her.

She carefully inspected her body for any traces left by the instance, only to find that her most significant injury had been the Spirit Shock from the Parasitic Worm.

’Looks like a new problem has come up,’ she thought. ’How do I defend against mental attacks? I have to prepare for that. What if other Players have a Talent like that?’ Seraphina had no desire to be subjected to someone else’s Mind Control.

She mused while drying her hair, ’I gained a lot over these ten days, but the mental exhaustion is still very real...’

After blow-drying her hair, Seraphina grabbed an ice-cold cola from the fridge, curled up on the sofa, and began to take stock of her gains from the instance:

1. The [Body Transformation Pills]. Her transformed body now had significantly improved speed, constitution, and reflexes.

2. The various firearms made by Nicholas Jensen.

3. A sizable collection of special outfits she had crafted herself near the end of the instance.

4. Miscellaneous supplies.

As if suddenly remembering something, she took the dark red [Parasite Battle Suit] out from her Space.

Seraphina carefully put it away, deciding to thoroughly test the effects of her new equipment in the real world later.

Night fell. Seraphina Sullivan stood on her balcony, gazing out at the countless lights of the city.