Chapter 11: Adorable Demon

David's finger tensed on the trigger the moment the hooded figure stepped into view.

A tall silhouette emerged from the shadows, face obscured beneath a dark hood, hands slowly raised in surrender.

"Who are you?" David barked, aiming the pistol directly at the stranger's chest.

The figure halted, voice calm and low. "Ah… I'm just heading outside. I don't mean any harm."

The deep baritone echoed slightly in the hollow air of the mall. Ethan blinked in surprise, leaning toward David.

"Bro, is your voice naturally that deep… or are you faking it?" he asked with blunt curiosity.

Betty's lip twitched beneath the hood.

'Seriously? That noticeable? I thought it was just a little deep…'

She kept her arms raised and moved cautiously down the stairs, each step calculated.

'Tch. Do these guys not realize that gunshots will attract every damn zombie nearby? Idiots.'

David narrowed his eyes, watching the hooded figure descend slowly. No sudden movements. No signs of threat.

Just a strange, silent presence.

'What a weird guy…' he thought, lowering the gun slightly but keeping his guard up.

As Betty passed them, the faint flicker of tension remained in the air—until she finally reached the door.

With one final glance over her shoulder, she muttered under her breath.

'Let's just hope they don't get curious about what's under the hood…'

Betty quickly descended the stairs, boots thudding softly with each step. Outside, the sky had deepened into a smoky black—dim, but not completely blind. She could still see the outlines of the broken world around her.

She reached her truck, unlocked the door, and slipped inside, casting one last glance at the mall.

'Thank god that man didn't shoot. If he had, this place would be crawling with zombies by now…'

Her gaze shifted to the phoenix mark glowing faintly on her arm.

Without hesitation, she pressed her palm against it—and vanished.

The scent of earth and grass greeted her as she opened her eyes.

She lay flat on a soft, grassy field, blue sky stretching endlessly above her. Birds chirped in the distance. The calming rush of the waterfall hummed nearby.

"Uff… that was exhausting," she groaned, stretching as she sat up and cracked her neck.

But the moment she turned her head—she froze.

Vegetables, fruit, and clothes were scattered all across the ground like a tornado had thrown a tantrum in the middle of paradise.

Her tired smile was helpless.

"Great. Now I have to clean up all this mess..."

Just as she stood up to begin gathering the scattered items, a voice called out from the direction of the forest.

"Little demon! Please release me! I beg you!"

The voice was high-pitched and panicked.

Another voice followed, clear and adorably stern.

"No! Not until you tell me, you little bird, where's my mom? If you don't tell me, I will beat you!"

Betty's lips twitched.

That voice was unmistakable.

Sophia.

Suppressing a laugh, she walked toward the sound. As the trees parted, the scene that greeted her made her freeze—then nearly double over in laughter.

Sophia stood with arms crossed, cheeks puffed out in a pout. And in front of her, hovering in a small cage of vines that she must've somehow built… was Calista, the majestic little phoenix—currently looking more like a feathered prisoner than a divine creature.

Betty raised a brow.

"Well, looks like my daughter is enjoying herself here huh?"

Calista flapped her wings, clearly distressed.

"Make her stop! She tied me up with vines! I was only greeting her and she caged me!"

Sophia turned, eyes lighting up as she saw Betty.

"Mommy! You're back! This birdy won't tell me where you went!"

Betty smiled warmly and walked over, gently patting Sophia's head.

Sophia puffed her cheeks again, but then grinned and hugged her tightly.

"I missed you, Mommy, and arent I was sleeping on the sofa. Where is this place, Mommy?"

Betty hugged her back and blinked, caught off guard by Sophia's question. A conflicted expression crossed her face.

'How do I explain this to her? That we're technically in a mystical pocket dimension guarded by a sassy phoenix? And this is my cheat code gifted by some phoenix with a strange fetish.'

She cleared her throat and crouched down to Sophia's level.

"Ah, Sophia… this place is our new home—for now. Just until Mommy finds a safe place in the real world."

Sophia tilted her head, confused. Her small hand pointed at the lush jungle surrounding them.

"But Mommy… there's no home here."

Betty followed the direction of her finger, sighing as realization hit.

'Right… there's not even a tent out here, I guess I need to go out again.'

Before she could respond, Calista's muffled voice came from the tangled vine trap she was still hanging in.

"Hey! Little demon! If you let me go, I'll show you where your house is!"

Sophia spun around with an irritated scowl.

"Shut up, little bird! I'm talking with Mommy! Can't you see!?"

Betty blinked, taken aback by Sophia's fierce expression. She couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at her lips as she gently patted the girl's head.

"You're such a little warrior," she whispered fondly.

Then she turned toward the still-struggling Calista.

"So… what do you mean by 'show you our house'?"

With that, she began pulling the vines loose, slowly freeing the trapped phoenix.

As the last vine fell away, Calista flapped her wings and shot into the air, feathers ruffled and glaring dramatically at Sophia, who stuck out her tongue in response.

Calista huffed, ignoring her.

"Come with me," Calista called, flapping her wings as she led the way through the trees. "Although it's small and a bit rusty, the house is still in livable condition."

Betty stepped forward, lifting her foot to follow—only to pause.

Sophia hadn't moved.

She turned around and tilted her head, noticing the little girl frozen in place, cheeks puffed out in silent protest. Betty blinked, then crouched down in front of her, gently pinching her cheeks.

"Dear, what's wrong? Why aren't you moving?"

Sophia huffed and pouted harder, glaring up at her with misty eyes.

"Mommy… why is your pretty hair so short now? What happened to it?"

Betty blinked, then exhaled a soft sigh of relief, smiling at the real reason behind her daughter's sudden hesitation.

'Ah… so that's what this is about. I thought she was in pain or something.'

Her lips curled into a grin as she reached out and affectionately ruffled Sophia's soft hair.

"Outside is really dangerous, sweetheart," she explained. "That's why Mommy had to cut it—to stay safe. I didn't want anyone to recognize me. Do you not like it?"

Sophia quickly shook her head, eyes wide with urgency.

"No! That's not it! I like it! You look really cool! Like a secret agent!" She lifted her small hand and spread two fingers apart. "B-But… I liked your old hair a little more…"

She dropped her voice to a whisper, as if confessing a great secret.

Betty's heart melted at her daughter's sweet attempt to comfort her despite her feelings.

She smiled warmly and pulled Sophia into a gentle hug.

"Thank you, my little angel. I promise, once it's safe… I'll grow it out again just for you."

Sophia nodded, hugging her back tightly.

Calista, who had flown ahead, sighed irritably.

"Are we going, or do you want to live on dirt with this demon?"

Betty stood, still holding Sophia's hand, and glared at her softly.

"Lead the way, Calista, and don't speak ill of my daughter, or else I will roast you alive."

Calista quickly turns and starts flying away, seeing her glare.