Chapter 4

The armored vehicle slowly ascended to the surface. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but desolate ruins and endless yellow sand.

The vehicle set off towards the area where uncontaminated vegetation had been discovered last time, in search of any remaining green plants that might have been overlooked.

Along the way, Melody and Faisal were chattering away in the back seat, constantly mocking me about how the surface wasn't all that dangerous.

I recalled how earlier, when I discovered Melody in the search party, I wanted to send her back.

But she shook off my hand.

"There's nothing dangerous on the surface. I think you just want to go on missions alone so you can hoard supplies for yourself. Every time you go, you're gone for three or four days. How is it possible you only bring back two bags of canned food?"

Faisal sneered at me contemptuously.

"Melody, you're thinking too highly of him. I think he's just a coward afraid of dying. Don't worry, once we're on the surface, I'll protect you!"

I remained silent, only able to continue driving.

As night fell, I found an abandoned supermarket to serve as a temporary resting place.

After parking the vehicle, Melody and Faisal were immediately excited to go explore.

I only told them to come back quickly.Melody dismissively waved her hand, clearly uninterested, and walked off with Faisal.

Not long after, Melody and Faisal returned with disappointed looks on their faces, grumbling incessantly.

"How come there's nothing here? The surface is so boring."

After a quick meal, I reminded them to make sure they locked the car doors tightly when they went to sleep.

There were mutated plants on the surface that could drag people away while they slept.

Although not fatal, being separated from the armored vehicle on the surface meant certain death, as there would be no way back to the underground chamber.

Melody and Faisal didn't take me seriously, thinking I was just trying to scare them.

How could plants drag people away? Had I been watching too much sci-fi TV?

I'd said my piece, so that night I deliberately slept in the driver's seat, ready to drive off in case of an emergency.

Late into the night, after I had fallen asleep, I suddenly heard rustling noises coming from the back of the vehicle.

The sounds were sticky and nauseating, and the car was rocking back and forth.

I hazily awoke from my dream, and glancing in the rearview mirror, I saw two naked bodies entwined and writhing together.

I could hear Melody's muffled gasps, apparently worried about being discovered.

Faisal, however, was playfully nibbling on her ear and teasing her."How about it? Isn't it more thrilling to do it in front of your husband? Don't worry, he's asleep. We won't get caught."

In an instant, I felt nauseated, my stomach churning violently.

Even though I had long suspected that Melody and Faisal's relationship wasn't simple.

But witnessing their live sex show so directly, I couldn't quite handle it for a moment.

My heart felt like it was being sliced by a knife.

Melody and I had been married for 5 years. Although she had a spoiled temper, I always thought she at least loved me.

But watching this scene before me, I just felt like a fool.

Suddenly, Melody let out a moan of pleasure and lifted her head, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror.

She immediately scrambled off Faisal in a panic, hastily picking up her clothes from the side and putting them on.

Startled by her sudden movement, Faisal turned around and saw me, clearly flustered as well.

Melody, while dressing, carefully watched me as she tried to explain.

"Briar, listen to me. It's not what you think."

I looked at her coldly, my tone surprisingly indifferent even to myself.

Perhaps I had long anticipated a day like this would come.

"Go on."Melody opened her mouth, but couldn't bring herself to say anything, clearly realizing that there was nothing left to say in this situation.

Seeing the look in my eyes when I gazed at her, she suddenly became somewhat angry and embarrassed.

In a fit of reckless abandonment, she clung to Faisal and glared at me furiously.

"Yes! It's exactly what you see! Faisal and I have been together for a while now! If you weren't always out on missions, I wouldn't have ended up with Faisal!"

"Briar, I'm sick of you, you brute! What do you have that can compare to Faisal?"

Faisal, also acting like a victor, embraced Melody and kissed her provocatively while looking at me.

"Melody, I've always said that this kind of man isn't good enough for you. You should have been with me long ago."

It felt like something was tearing at my heart. I had been desperately taking on missions for her sake.

Yet in her words, it had become the reason for her infidelity.

I nodded, looking at her.

"Are you finished? If so, let's get divorced when we get back."

When Melody heard me mention divorce, a flash of anger crossed her face.

"Who are you to say we're getting divorced! If anyone's leaving, it's me... Ah!"Melody suddenly let out a startled cry, her body lurching forward as if someone was pulling her from behind.

I immediately focused my gaze, only to see a vine as thick as half an arm squeezing through a narrow gap in the rear door, wrapping around Melody's ankle and attempting to drag her out.

"Ah! Help me!" she screamed.

I mentally cursed these two idiots! They must have left the door cracked open earlier to air out the car after their tryst.

There was no time to dwell on that now. I quickly jumped out of the car to save Melody.

With one swift motion, I sliced through the vine wrapped around her ankle and shoved her back into the car.

I yelled at the two to start driving immediately.

These mutated vines weren't deadly, but they were relentless. Once they locked onto a target, they'd pursue it endlessly.

Melody had never encountered anything like this before. She was so terrified she could barely speak, breaking down in hysterics.

"What the hell is this thing?! Why won't it leave us alone?!"

I stood guard at the rear door, hacking away at the climbing vines while explaining,

"It's a mutated vine. It won't stop until it catches someone."

After I said this, there was a brief moment of silence behind me, followed by the sound of Melody's sobs.

But in the next instant, I felt a forceful shove against my back.

I lost my balance and tumbled out of the car, the vines swiftly entwining around my body.I was momentarily stunned into silence, only able to raise my eyes to look at Melody.

Her expression transformed from fear and shock to venomous hatred, finally settling on a vicious glare as she spoke with a quivering voice.

"Your death can save us both! Who told you to discover my affair with Faisal? Who knows if you might get us killed later!"

"Since that's the case, you might as well die now!"

With that, she slammed the car door in my face and quickly drove away.

My eyes widened in disbelief as the protective suit on my body tore when I fell from the car.

My skin was suddenly exposed to the air.

I recalled the horrific fate of those who died from radiation poisoning, and my heart instantly filled with despair.