CHAPTER 334: CHAPTER 334: MOONA AND MAXI

"How can you sell this to us? I will file a complaint!"

"You want us to eat plastic? Do you consider us fools?"

"What kind of monster are you? Is there no justice now?!"

But the man simply laughed, the sound chillingly nonchalant.

"Well, now you know," he said. Then his smile twisted cruelly. "From today onward, twenty grams of gold will be exchanged for this kind of rice. If you want to buy, stay. If not... leave the base."

His words dropped like stones.

Everyone felt their hearts sink into a cold, merciless abyss.

For a moment, no one spoke, and the atmosphere remained painfully tight.

Maxi’s chest rose and fell rapidly; she wanted to continue arguing, to scream, to expose these people for what they were.

But Moona quickly shook her head and tugged her away before she could escalate things further.

The others in line hesitated, glancing uncertainly at one another, but they ultimately stayed. Some looked resigned, others terrified, and others simply numb.

Seeing this, the person in charge smirked smugly and sat back down, yet his fingers trembled ever so slightly when he gripped the edge of the table.

After all, the base leader had instructed them to mix only one-tenth plastic into the rice. But he and his cronies, driven by greed, had mixed almost fifty percent plastic and increased the quantity to pocket extra profit.

’Who would have thought someone would dare check it? Who would’ve thought someone would raise their voice?’

His jaw tensed as he glanced at Moona and Maxi’s retreating figures with resentment. If the base leader discovered what he had done, there would be consequences, and if he suffered... then he will make these two women suffer too!

Meanwhile, Moona and Maxi were stunned for days after the incident.

They had never imagined humanity could degrade to such a vile level.

As time passed, their situation only worsened. It didn’t take long for them to realize the man in charge held a deep grudge against them.

Whenever they appeared to exchange crystals or purchase supplies, he intentionally raised the price of food, sometimes doubling it only for them.

He even ensured the food they received was worse than what others got. It was petty, vindictive cruelty, and everyone could see it.

Yet everyone stayed silent.

Moona and Maxi remained silent too. They no longer dared to raise their voices, fearing harsher consequences. And so, four to five torturous months passed in the apocalypse.

Then, one day, an announcement echoed through the base on behalf of the leader.

All women willing to become the base leader’s mistresses would receive ten kilograms of rice every month and be given the luxurious privilege of living in an air-conditioned room.

In this blistering heat, such comfort felt like paradise. Many women wavered, and multiple others agreed immediately. But nearly half refused, holding onto what little dignity they had left.

The subordinates of the base leader observed this rebellion quietly.

The very next day, they returned with an updated offer, increasing the monthly benefit to fifteen kilograms of rice.

This time, more women faltered, their eyes filled with hunger and desperation, yet they still resisted.

On the third day, the base leader himself appeared. He didn’t announce anything.

Instead, he stared at the families of the beautiful women in the crowd, his eyes sweeping dangerously over them.

When he found the ones he wanted, he directly approached their families and offered them a deal: one hundred kilograms of rice in exchange for their daughters.

Families who were starving, trembling, and terrified agreed without hesitation.

The women were sold.

And those who had no family at all... the base leader simply sent his men to kidnap them.

Resistance was futile. Those who opposed him vanished quietly.

It was clear... he was abusing his authority, and no one dared to fight back.

’If they rebel, he’ll cut us off... maybe even throw them out,’ people whispered. Being cast out of a base during the apocalypse was no different from stripping naked and inviting zombies to tear them apart.

When Moona and Maxi returned from their hunt that day, they noticed the tense atmosphere immediately. Many women were missing, and some gossiped about the day’s event.

They paused only long enough to piece together the rumors, and then their faces drained of color.

They finally understood the danger they were in.

Without hesitation, Moona and Maxi exchanged a look... a silent agreement forged from fear and instinct. Run.

They didn’t even look back as they fled the base. The moment they stepped outside Starfell Base, they released a shaky sigh of relief, but it didn’t last long.

They began searching for another base, traveling nearly ten kilometers while fighting off waves of zombies. With each passing hour, their strength drained until their breath came in ragged gasps.

Eventually, they found a small store. After killing off the zombies inside, they barricaded the entrance and rested there for a few hours.

But their respite didn’t last. A few zombies managed to breach the place, squeezing through broken windows and cracks in the barricades.

Several times, Moona and Maxi felt the swipe of sharp nails brushing past their skin. If they got scratched or bitten, it would be over. The fear was suffocating.

They fought desperately... until one zombie managed to claw Moona’s arm.

"Moona!" Maxi screamed, terror ripping through her.

But even as she lunged toward her sister, another zombie bit Maxi’s shoulder.

She felt a strange, tingling numbness sweep across her skin, spreading like a chilling fog. Her knees buckled, and she fell.

Moona, heartbroken and enraged, fought off the remaining zombies with trembling hands.

Somehow, by sheer will, she dragged Maxi away from the store. The two sisters stumbled to a hidden spot behind a collapsed wall, barely able to stand.

"We... we were bitten," Moona whispered, staring at Maxi’s injury.

Maxi looked down at her own wound. Bitterness and resignation flickered in her eyes. They both knew what awaited them.

They leaned against each other and closed their eyes.

"At least... at least we’ll finally be done with this cursed life," Moona muttered, her voice barely steady.