Chapter 149

Jacques burst from the gnarled trees of the snowy mountain, his breath coming out in sharp puffs against the frigid air. He clutched his injured arm, wincing as he stumbled onto the road leading to Paris.

"Finally, I'm back," he said through gritted teeth.

He staggered forward, limping his way towards the city. But something bothered him.

The streets— it's silent. There are no vehicles, no people around. Just the hum of drones buzzing overhead.

What happened here?

"Hey! Hello?" he called out, voice bouncing off the empty buildings.

Nobody answered. Just those damn drones humming again like a ghost at a funeral.

Is he even in the right place or is did he stumble into another world that he didn't know about?

He pressed on, thinking that what's happening here is just his imagination, that this emptiness would disappear once he reached the edge.