Outside the window, the blood-red setting sun dyed the sky an ominous orange-red. Lin Yue sat by the bed, her gaze heavy as she stared at the chaotic doomsday scene beyond. On the streets, zombies wandered aimlessly like walking corpses, letting out hair-raising low growls. Several buildings still burned, their thick plumes of smoke obscuring half the sky and amplifying the horror of the apocalypse.
She couldn't help recalling the sensation of wielding her wood-element ability earlier—those vines, as if granted life, had stretched freely under her mental command, quickly weaving into a barrier. Yet every use of her power was followed by a tidal wave of exhaustion, leaving her legs slightly unsteady and her forehead dotted with fine sweat.
"The energy drain from this ability is too great," Lin Yue murmured to herself. "If I use it too often, I won't be able to hold on for long."
Lin Yao sat nearby, gently rolling a water orb she had conjured with her water-element ability. In the dim light, the orb refracted a faint glow, like a sliver of hope in this dark world. Her eyes held deep confusion, and her voice trembled slightly: "Sister, what's even going on with these abilities? What do we do now? When will this apocalypse… ever end?"
Lin Yue took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She tore her gaze from the window and fixed it on Lin Yao, speaking slowly: "These abilities are our lifeline, but they're also a double-edged sword. In this chaotic apocalypse, people's hearts are unpredictable. If someone with ill intentions finds out we have these powers, it could bring us utter destruction."
Lin Yao nodded heavily, a flash of fear in her eyes. She knew all too well how twisted human nature could become in extreme circumstances. Just then, the water orb in her hand suddenly rippled, as if sensing her inner unease.
"Look," Lin Yao said in surprise, staring at the orb. "It's like it can feel my emotions."
Lin Yue leaned in for a closer look and saw that the orb really did shift subtly with Lin Yao's emotional fluctuations. This discovery filled the sisters with both wonder and worry—these abilities were far more mysterious and unpredictable than they had imagined.
Just as the sisters fell into thought, an especially shrill howl suddenly echoed up from downstairs, a sound like the desperate wail of a soul from the depths of hell. It was immediately followed by the sound of zombies slamming against something more frantically; the door panel creaked and wobbled, as if on the verge of breaking.
Lin Yue's heart jolted. She stood up instinctively, her hands clenched into fists so tight that her knuckles turned white. She stared nervously at the door, her eyes wide as if that alone could stop the zombies from breaking in.
At that moment, Lin Yao, overcome with tension, fumbled. The water orb slipped from her hand and splattered onto the floor with a "plop." The sound seemed格外 loud in the deathly quiet room.
In an instant, more zombie growls surged up from downstairs like a tide, their voices seemingly able to pierce the walls and drill straight into their ears. The zombies, as if drawn by the noise, were swarming frantically toward their location.
A wave of intense panic surged through Lin Yue. Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest, and cold sweat poured from her forehead. In her extreme tension and fear, she suddenly felt the space around her twist and distort—
When she came to her senses, she found herself in a completely unfamiliar place. This was not a world of darkness, but one brimming with life. Soft halos floated in the sky, replacing the sun as a source of light. Beneath her feet was a stretch of lush green grass; in the distance, mountains rose and fell, and a clear river meandered past. The air was filled with a fresh scent, a stark contrast to the putrid stench of the apocalypse outside.
"Sister! Sister, where are you?" Lin Yao's anxious cries came from far away, yet they sounded as if muffled by a layer of water—faint and indistinct.
Lin Yue walked along the riverbank and spotted some unknown but vibrant plants growing there. She knelt down and gently touched a glowing blue flower; its petals trembled slightly, as if responding to her touch.
As she explored, she suddenly remembered the dream she'd had while unconscious—a dream where she could reach out and touch the void, making space ripple like the surface of water. A thought struck her, and she focused her mind, trying to sense the connection between this space and the real world.
As her will flowed, ripples spread across the space, and a glowing door slowly materialized. She took a deep breath and stepped through—
In the blink of an eye, she was back in the room. Lin Yao was panicking, looking around wildly. When she saw Lin Yue suddenly reappear, she let out a mix of surprise and relief and threw herself into her sister's arms.
"Sister! Where did you go just now? Why did you disappear all of a sudden!" Lin Yao's voice was tearful, and traces of tears still glistened in her eyes.
Lin Yue held her sister tightly and told her in detail about her experience in that mysterious world. Only then did the sisters realize that Lin Yue's space ability could actually open up an independent realm.
"This world… might become our sanctuary," Lin Yue said thoughtfully. "But it's also a secret we must guard with our lives."
Lin Yao nodded firmly, her eyes resolute: "I understand, Sister. I'd never tell anyone—even if it costs me my life."
The sisters began discussing how to make use of this newly discovered space. Lin Yue walked to the window and looked at the growing horde of zombies below, her expression grave: "Our food and water won't last much longer. Staying trapped here isn't an option, but it's too late today. We'll figure out how to go out and find supplies tomorrow."
Lin Yao's eyes lit up: "Sister, do you think we can grow things in that space? If we have seeds, maybe we can grow our own food!"
This idea excited both sisters. They immediately started sorting through the usable items in the house, storing food, water, and essential supplies in the space. During the process, they were delighted to discover that time in the space realm seemed to flow differently from the outside world—and the food and water they placed inside remained fresh.
"It's amazing!" Lin Yao exclaimed. "It's like a natural fresh-keeping warehouse!"
After finishing their preparations, the sisters sat in the living room, eating a simple meal while making plans for the next day.
"When we go out tomorrow, we have to be extra careful," Lin Yue said seriously. "I'll use my wood ability to set up defenses, and you'll support me with your water ability. If we run into danger, we'll hide in the space realm right away."
Lin Yao nodded in agreement, though a trace of unease still lingered in her eyes: "Sister, those zombies… they seem more agile than yesterday. I noticed their movements aren't as stiff anymore."
This observation weighed heavily on both sisters. The zombies seemed to be evolving, yet their understanding and control of their own abilities were still far from sufficient.
Night fell completely, and the growls outside seemed to grow even more ferocious. The sisters decided to take turns keeping watch—Lin Yue would rest first, and Lin Yao would stand guard for the first half of the night.
When Lin Yue entered the space realm to rest, she noticed that the river seemed wider than before, and the plants along the bank had grown lusher. It appeared the space was evolving and changing as her ability grew stronger.
This discovery filled her with both joy and anxiety—what other unknown secrets was this mysterious space realm hiding?
(End of Chapter 2)