Chapter 10

The labor was long and painful, but after what felt like hours of intense struggle, the first of the triplets was born, followed closely by the others. The room was filled with the sound of newborn cries as Jian Ren and the doctor worked swiftly to make sure the babies were healthy. It was an emotional moment, despite the chaos around us, as I held my babies for the first time, a sense of relief washing over me. 

But that relief was short-lived.

As I lay in the dimly lit room, exhausted and holding my babies, the muffled sound of the TV from the living room caught my attention. The voices on the screen were clear enough to hear, and what I heard made my blood run cold.

"…Reports are coming in from all over the country. Something is happening. People are turning… strange. Authorities are urging everyone to stay home, lock doors and windows, and avoid going outside. If you see anyone acting violently or aggressively, avoid them at all costs."

I felt a chill crawl up my spine as I looked toward the window, the storm still battering the house outside. Something was happening. I could feel it in the air—something that wasn't just the storm.

Jian Ren's father, who had been standing by, now turned to the TV. His face was pale, his usually stoic expression now a mask of concern. "Get the cars ready," he said, his voice low and commanding. "We need to move everyone to the villa outside the city. It's safer there."

The urgency in his voice left no room for debate. We couldn't stay here, not with what was happening. The baby's cries still echoed in my ears, but the world outside felt like it was collapsing, as if everything I had known was about to shatter.

We quickly gathered what we could, grabbing bags of supplies and essentials. Jian Ren's family, along with Mu Zu and Chen Na, all packed into the cars, making sure everything was ready to go. The storm raged on, but we had no choice—if we stayed here, we were risking everything.

I climbed into one of the cars, holding the three babies close to my chest. I couldn't stop thinking about what the TV report had said—people were turning violent. Was this the start of the apocalypse? The very one I had known would come, the one I'd tried so hard to prepare for?

We drove in silence, the roads slick with rain and mud. It was a tense journey, and I couldn't help but glance back at the babies every few minutes, their tiny forms a reminder of what was at stake.

When we finally reached the Jian family's villa, it felt like a fleeting moment of safety. The villa was large, isolated, and built to withstand the kind of storm that had raged for hours. We pulled inside, the gates closing behind us with a heavy thud that somehow didn't feel reassuring.

Everyone made their way inside, exhausted but trying to remain composed. Jian Ren's father immediately began organizing things, and the doctor was called in to check on everyone. But that's when the true horror began to unfold.

The doctor, who had been so kind and steady, suddenly began to act strangely. He swayed on his feet, his face pale and sickly. His hands twitched, and then, in a horrifying moment, he lunged toward one of the servants, his eyes wide and crazed.

It was like something out of a nightmare. The servant screamed, but it was too late. Jian Ren's father reacted quickly, pulling out a gun and shooting the doctor dead before anyone else could be attacked.

"Stay inside and lock every door," Jian Ren's father barked, his voice hard. "No one goes out, no one opens the windows. We're safe here for now, but we need to be ready."

The atmosphere in the villa shifted dramatically. What had been an air of concern now turned into a desperate vigilance. Everyone was on edge, wondering what had just happened, but too afraid to speak it aloud. What if this wasn't just some isolated incident? What if it was the start of something bigger?

That night, I couldn't sleep. I kept my babies close, rocking them gently as I tried to calm myself. But then, I noticed something strange.

Jian Ren's niece, a sharp-eyed and intelligent girl, was the first to show signs of change. She suddenly got a fever—one so high that she could hardly stay conscious. Her mother, in a panic, tried to get her to drink water, but nothing helped. Within hours, Jian Ren's father, the pillar of strength in the room, also fell ill. Feverish and weak, he had to be helped to bed.

And one by one, the others began to fall ill, including Mu Zu and Chen Na, the two people I had counted on most. Even the rest of Jian Ren's family, who had always been so strong, were succumbing to a mysterious fever. It was as if something was infecting them, taking them out one by one.

But I wasn't sick. The fever didn't come for me. For some reason, I was immune. 

I could only watch as everyone fell into a deep, restless sleep, their bodies burning with fever, and I had to take charge. With the babies in my arms, I moved quietly through the villa, keeping an eye on everyone. I made sure they were comfortable, applying cool cloths to their foreheads, but my mind kept spinning, wondering how long this could go on. 

The babies were a constant source of comfort, but they too needed care. I fed them, changed them, and rocked them to sleep. Even with everything happening around me, I focused on what I could control—ensuring that the babies were healthy and that the others would wake up soon.

Days passed, and the fever showed no signs of abating for the others. It wasn't just a fever—it was like something was draining the life out of them. It was then that I realized the truth. The world outside had begun to change. People weren't just getting sick—they were becoming something else entirely. 

I waited in the villa, isolated from the chaos outside, wondering if the storm would pass and if my friends and family would wake up to find their powers awakened as well. But one thing was clear: I was the only one who was unaffected by this. And with three babies to care for and an entire family depending on me, I couldn't afford to fall ill.

It was a heavy responsibility to carry, but I knew it was the only way to survive this. Whatever this was, the world was changing, and it was up to me to keep my family safe until we could figure out what had really happened.