Chapter 13

The night had settled into an eerie calm, but it didn't lull me into a false sense of security. The world had become a dangerous place, and quiet often meant something worse was lurking. As the others slept, I found myself pacing the living room, checking the windows and ensuring the villa's defenses were still intact.

The triplets, now a week old, were tucked away safely in their makeshift nursery. Their peaceful little faces and soft breaths were the only things that kept my anxiety at bay. I whispered a promise to them: You'll be safe. I'll protect you no matter what.

But as I stood near the window, scanning the dark expanse of the villa's yard, a faint sound reached my ears. It was subtle at first, a rustling, followed by the low growl of something primal. My heart sank. Something was out there.

"Not tonight," I muttered under my breath, reaching out with my plant abilities to feel the earth around the villa. The vibrations were unmistakable. A group of creatures, fast and purposeful, was heading straight for us.

I ran to wake the others.

"Everyone, get up!" I banged on the doors, my voice low but urgent. "Something's coming. We need to be ready."

Mu Tian and Jian Ren were the first to emerge, their eyes sharp despite the grogginess of interrupted sleep. Mu Zu followed, her shadow powers flickering around her like a second skin. Jian Mei and the rest of the Jian family quickly joined, their expressions grim.

"What is it?" Jian Ren asked, already sparking lightning between his fingertips.

"Mutated animals," I said. "I think it's a pack of wolves. They're testing the perimeter."

The group moved quickly, knowing the stakes. We spread out to our designated positions—some outside the villa to intercept the threat, others remaining inside to protect the triplets.

The first howl echoed through the night, long and haunting. It was followed by several more, each closer than the last. My stomach churned as I peered through the barricaded window and caught my first glimpse of them.

The wolves were grotesque, their bodies unnaturally large and covered in patchy, matted fur. Their eyes glowed a sickly yellow, and their jaws were lined with teeth too sharp and too many for any natural predator. Their movements were predatory and calculated as they circled the villa, looking for a weakness.

"Here they come," Jian Ren called out, stepping forward with his lightning crackling like a storm.

The wolves charged, a blur of mutated muscle and aggression. Jian Ren unleashed a bolt of lightning, striking the first wolf dead in its tracks. Its body convulsed before collapsing, smoke rising from its charred flesh. But the others weren't deterred. If anything, the death of their packmate seemed to make them angrier.

Mu Tian stood his ground near the barricades. With a grunt, he raised his hands, and the earth responded. Thick walls of stone erupted from the ground, blocking the wolves' advance. But they were relentless, clawing and biting at the stone with unnatural strength.

Jian Mei unleashed a wall of fire to drive them back, but one of the wolves leaped through the flames, singed but undeterred. It lunged toward her, only to be intercepted by Mu Zu's shadows, which wrapped around its limbs and pinned it to the ground.

Inside the villa, I stayed near the triplets, keeping one ear on the battle outside and the other attuned to the babies. Their soft coos and shifting movements reassured me they were still asleep, blissfully unaware of the chaos outside.

One wolf managed to breach the defenses, its massive frame slamming against the villa's reinforced door. I moved quickly, summoning vines from the earth to wrap around its body, squeezing until it could no longer move. Its snarls turned to whimpers before it finally fell silent.

The battle raged for what felt like hours but was likely only minutes. One by one, the wolves fell, their mutated bodies collapsing under the combined efforts of the group. When the last one was taken down, the silence returned, broken only by the heavy breaths of everyone inside and out.

Mu Tian leaned against one of his stone barriers, his muscles tense but unyielding. Jian Ren stood nearby, his hands still crackling with residual energy. Jian Mei and Mu Zu worked together to drag the wolf carcasses away from the villa, while Jian's father used his earth powers to bury the remains far from the perimeter.

Inside, I checked on the triplets, my heart finally beginning to slow. They were still asleep, their tiny chests rising and falling in perfect rhythm. I stroked each of their foreheads, silently thanking whatever power had kept them safe.

When the others returned, we gathered in the living room to assess the situation.

"We need to strengthen the defenses even more," Jian Ren said, his voice heavy with determination. "If these wolves found us, others will too."

"We'll make it happen," Mu Tian agreed. "But we also need to figure out why they're attacking. Is it random, or are we attracting them somehow?"

As they discussed strategies, I couldn't shake the unease growing in my chest. The wolves were only the beginning. The virus was spreading faster than anyone could have predicted, and the mutations were getting worse. If we didn't adapt quickly, the next attack might be more than we could handle.

I stood and looked out the window, my gaze fixed on the horizon. The world was changing, and we had no choice but to change with it. For my babies, for my family, and for our future—I would do whatever it took to keep us all alive.

The following morning brought a heavy sense of unease. The attack on the villa had been a sobering reminder that we were no longer dealing with just mindless zombies. The virus was mutating the natural world, turning animals into terrifying predators that were as much a threat as the undead. It meant our work was far from over.

The triplets were up early, their tiny cries pulling me from restless sleep. I stumbled into their nursery, exhaustion weighing on me like a stone. But the moment I saw their little faces, my resolve hardened. I scooped up Yue, the youngest, who was fussing the most, and held her close.

"You three have no idea what kind of world you've been born into," I whispered, rocking her gently. "But I'll make sure it doesn't take you from me."

The rest of the house was already awake, their movements purposeful as they prepared for another day of reinforcing the villa. Jian Ren stood by the window, his jaw tight as he scanned the area for any signs of movement. His father and younger brother were already outside, inspecting the perimeter.

Mu Tian and his wife were in the kitchen, discussing how best to ration the food supplies. Meanwhile, Chen Na was organizing the medical supplies we'd managed to gather before the collapse. Everyone had a role to play, and it was clear no one intended to rest until the villa was an impenetrable fortress.

"Morning," Jian Ren said when I approached. He turned to me, his expression softening. "How are you holding up?"

"Tired," I admitted, bouncing Yue on my hip. "But that's nothing new. The triplets are doing well, though."

His gaze shifted to Yue, a small smile tugging at his lips. He reached out, brushing a finger gently over her tiny hand. "She's strong, just like her mother."

I felt my cheeks flush but didn't respond. Instead, I handed Yue to Chen Na, who had just entered the room. "Can you keep an eye on them for a bit? I want to check on the others outside."

"Of course," Chen Na said, taking Yue from me with practiced ease. "Go, but don't overdo it. You need to take care of yourself too."

Outside, the work was already underway. Jian Ren's father, Jian Zhihao, was using his earth abilities to construct a secondary wall around the villa, creating an added layer of protection. His movements were slow and deliberate, each section of the wall rising smoothly from the ground.

Mu Tian was reinforcing the existing barricades with steel, courtesy of Jian Ren's metal abilities. The two men worked in sync, their combined strength creating a formidable defense.

"I think this will hold for a while," Mu Tian said as I approached. "But we'll need to keep patrolling. If those wolves were just a scouting party, there could be more coming."

"They're adapting," I said, frowning. "It's like they're learning from us. We can't afford to let our guard down."

Jian Ren joined us, wiping sweat from his brow. "We should also start working on weapons. The ones we've been using aren't going to cut it against something bigger or smarter."

"I've been thinking the same thing," I said. "There's only so much we can do with makeshift tools. We need something more permanent."

Jian Zhihao looked up from his work, his expression grim. "Then we'll need to scavenge. The villa is secure for now, but we can't rely on it forever. We'll need more supplies, weapons, and maybe even a second safe house."

His words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the reality we were facing. The villa was strong, but it wasn't invincible.

The rest of the day was spent preparing. The wolves' bodies had been buried far from the villa, their nucleuses extracted and stored for future use. Jian Mei, with her fire abilities, was working on creating a small forge to craft new weapons. Mu Zu had taken up scouting the nearby area using her shadow powers, ensuring there were no immediate threats.

By evening, the villa felt more secure than it ever had, but the tension hadn't lifted. We all knew it was only a matter of time before another challenge arose.

I spent the evening feeding and bathing the triplets, their giggles and coos a balm to my frayed nerves. When they were finally asleep, I returned to the living room, where the others had gathered.

"We're as ready as we can be for now," Jian Ren said, his arm draped over the back of the couch. "But we need to start thinking long-term. We can't just survive—we need to rebuild."

His words resonated with everyone. The apocalypse wasn't going to end anytime soon, and surviving one day at a time wasn't enough. We needed to create a future, not just for ourselves but for the triplets and anyone else who might find their way to us.

"We'll figure it out," I said, my voice steady. "We've made it this far. We'll keep going."

Jian Ren's gaze met mine, a flicker of determination in his golden eyes. "Together."

As the others murmured their agreement, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. The world outside might have crumbled, but within the villa, we had strength, unity, and hope. And as long as we held onto that, there was nothing we couldn't overcome.