Apocalyptic World: Surviving with my husband and my cute little babies-Chapter 160: The heartless Elena

The boy was crying desperately as he tugged at Lydia’s clothes, trying to pull her toward their unit.

"Sister, please help my mom! Sob... Sob..." he begged, his voice filled with anguish.

Seeing his distress, Lydia felt a strong urge to help him.

However, she knew that if she acted openly, the residents would likely seek her assistance whenever they faced a problem.

So, she composed herself and informed Elena about the situation.

The residents who witnessed this scene felt helpless, as they were grappling with their own problems.

When Elena appeared, the first thing she noticed was the residents trying to convince Lydia to help the boy.

She raised her brows, finding the scene laughable. The residents seemed to have forgotten the rules of the Paradise Shop.

’I think the residents need a reminder about the rules.’

"What’s this commotion?" Elena asked, her cold voice cutting through them.

The residents were startled by her sudden appearance, confused about how she had entered the unit.

Upon hearing her cold tone, they shuddered, fearing they had annoyed her and that the shop might close and disappear.

No one dared to speak anymore.

The boy looked at Elena with a hopeful stare and said pitifully, "Sob... sob... my mom won’t wake up."

Elena did not look at the boy but rather glanced around at the residents and said, "Why would I care? This shop is not for charity. Get him out of here. Crying won’t help you in this disaster. Go back and take care of your mom."

The residents were stunned by her heartless response but remained silent, unsure of how to react.

"Why?" the boy was shocked; he had thought she was a good person since she had helped him once.

"Rule of my shop. Plus, who are you to me?" Elena replied coldly.

Deflated by her harsh words, the boy didn’t know what to do. He simply walked out of the Paradise shop, looking pitiful.

"The performance is over. If you want to trade, please continue," Elena said, addressing the residents before moving to find a secluded spot.

Using her [Telepathy] skills, Elena contacted Lydia, asking her to join her later to check on the boy’s situation.

"Hand over your task to your mother first; I’ll summon you later."

Lydia understood that Elena was merely acting to frighten the residents. She knew her benefactor was generally benevolent toward kids.

"Alright," she replied, calling her mom to take over.

Meanwhile, the boy walked back to his unit, crying pitifully and shaking from the cold weather.

He hadn’t had a decent meal in the past few days since his mom fell ill.

Fortunately, the shop provided free soup for kids, allowing him to have a warm drink.

But now, having annoyed the shop owner and with his mother still sick, he felt helpless and confused about how to survive.

At just five years old, he still needed to rely on adults, but the world felt cruel and unforgiving, making it difficult for him to survive.

This was the scene Elena witnessed as she used her [Blink] skill to teleport into the corridor.

Well, this skill was incredibly useful.

As she observed the boy’s lifeless eyes, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for him.

Elena had seen many like him in her past life, and this boy mirrored the same hopelessness she had encountered before.

"Hey, can you still move?" Elena asked as she noticed the boy sitting on the stairs, seemingly reluctant to get up. His posture suggested exhaustion, and she could see the struggle in his eyes.

Hearing someone speak, the boy was startled and turned to look at the sister who had once spoken coldly to him.

He felt a mix of wariness and confusion, unsure of how she had managed to bypass him unnoticed.

Yet, despite his apprehension, there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes as he wondered if she might offer him assistance once again.

However, that hope quickly faded; he no longer wanted to risk the pain of rejection.

Instead, he chose to retreat into himself, seeking solace in the comfort of his own company, away from the world that felt so overwhelming..

"Come on, I’m here to help you and your mom," Elena said gently, mindful of his fragile feelings.

She approached him and retrieved a bunny-shaped warm suit to fight his shaking body.

"Let’s put this on to keep you warm. Remember, as long as you don’t lose hope and strive, you can survive," she continued, her voice soothing.

Finally, the boy spoke, feeling the warmth of the clothes enveloping him.

"What can a kid like me do?"

Elena smiled and replied, "You can work for me, and in exchange, I’ll provide you with food. What do you think?"

"Really?" he asked, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes.

"Yes, I never lie. Now, come on. Let’s check on your mom; it’s way too cold here," Elena encouraged, eager to learn more about him.

The boy quickly stood up and looked at Elena with gratitude.

"By the way, what’s your name?" she asked.

"Me? I’m Erick."

*****

Meanwhile, at the military base, General Kaiser watched Brother Elias, who was engrossed in his daily meditation.

"Come on, Elias! We’ve been stuck here at the military camp for almost three weeks. Let’s visit the brat again and investigate that mysterious shop that sells anything in their area," General Kaiser chattered incessantly, trying to tempt Brother Elias into going to Ethan’s home.

"Enough! Can you stop bothering me? I’m trying to see and check what the heavens are up to again," Brother Elias replied, clearly annoyed.

Since the mutated pests had appeared in the old warehouse, the military had been preoccupied defending their base from these creatures, leaving Brother Elias with little time to meditate as he joined the fight against the mutated pests.

But soon after, a snowstorm swept through, transforming the city into a frozen world.

With finally having time to meditate, Brother Elias found himself increasingly frustrated.

Despite his efforts, he hadn’t received any new visions since the moment he aided Ethan and Elena during the rescue at the Marine Research Institute.

"You’ve been meditating, but still no results. Let’s visit them; maybe it will give you some clarity," General Kaiser suggested.

Brother Elias considered his words; perhaps he was right.

"Alright, we’ll visit them tomorrow. Prepare the equipment for transportation, and since it’s nearby, it shouldn’t take too long."

"Finally, you agreed," General Kaiser exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face.