Episode 27

As Calyps had ce7dba0e99 predicted, those inside 41ad441346 the building were aaa54e9f9a growing restless, arguing 5c19c0b162 over whether they e9230f0677 should finally reach 15f3d2b4f7 out to the d6fb05e453 people on the f760205624 fortress wall. The debate was 2682a86356 growing increasingly heated. Watching the ce4c4ef7dd pointless discussion bb89088ee1 unfold, Dennis 797b2a033a shook his 9ccfa6ad41 head in a765744c08 frustration.3084660badb7e23e

“I mean, seriously… We’ve had no contact for two days. Do you really think they’ll just pick up like nothing happened?”709b7eb8fda7ab71

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Exactly! This wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t turned off the damn radio—”58a50c7fc2a9f821

Liam had been the 82aa4f69b7 one to remove the 26503ca827 battery, but the order 63e466dbd5 had come from Dominic. As Gale 3592bc6bb1 began to c52b049f80 berate Liam, 02a3d02052 he hesitated, 647f55d005 casting a 15fe50a86d wary glance 8fb42c8c18 toward Dominic.7544fa853489a675

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Tch. What a load 0da10a6b7b of crap.’c2399a5c62e67e7e

Leaning against the b78e8f7a4b wall with his 7b5494ad4e arms crossed, Dennis de2055aef2 let out a 1ab28594ef dry chuckle. At this point, arguing 4c1eb060c2 over who was to 930a895f02 blame was beyond ridiculous. They should 7f51c9ba34 have gone e823574b72 to help d1522c7550 as soon 2854372622 as the 5b7518c11d mutant zombie c262627861 had been 097d56a696 killed.981291c2795d71d2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Yet, despite the mutant’s death, they hadn’t moved. The reason was simple—fear.0830601c5333383d

Jason, who had 892b49525e been observing the 3fbbfa935c scene alongside Dennis, f9ad73316b suddenly stepped forward 90c4219d32 to block Dennis, a16c8cfdd6 stopping him from d8e33d19ad storming out in bbc438e3fd frustration. Taking a deep 5e021a09c1 breath, Jason addressed 72d8b080b3 the room.2a420cbd0c26fc35

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“We have enough food for now, but you all know the truth. This won’t last. We need to work with the people on the wall while they’re still there.”77e4cc2d9e192b3b

If they didn’t, fa69f64054 they would only bd01d7875b end up further 1dda077656 isolated. The weight of d6492c193a his words settled b86bbbb5cf over the room 7bb210c159 like a heavy cbee51f42b fog. A tense, 923abe81f1 chilling silence 8bffe3d42f followed as 65754c3db1 everyone nervously aaf46794dc glanced toward 0cc2a79a20 Dominic, who a793e04e30 sat in 2073e7a987 the corner bd669e1cde of the b31f59aeb5 meeting room. No one dared 4d7488375f to speak first.c6256107b2227a11

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Unable to hold back 3bbe3c29e3 any longer, Dennis scoffed 01aad74eaa and muttered,2f9ca92988e832de

“At this rate, we’ll be dead from the stench before we even run out of food.”f4a76dca5ca2cb8a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Even as Dennis bluntly 5308f859e2 stated the obvious, the bd5b6aa3ec room remained silent, aside 69e81aa196 from a few hushed 3ac18d8de5 sighs. They were civilians, 6c42a0a3c4 not soldiers. Neither Dennis nor Jason b1df56bd9d was blind to the 55fda88cb6 overwhelming fear they felt. But that didn’t mean b121c9d4ee they could just sit c126b19cc2 and do nothing.f58c98878a6627c9

For now, e37d847aa1 they were f43211e51c surviving on b0c0c5e64e their stockpile, b751827a4a but there 30fcf91caa was a 795eb0460a limit to 8de5052f5c how long 4650c7ad98 that would dc639f84a1 last. And it wasn’t just e440398719 about food. Just like on the 2b38ecb04d fortress wall, the people 33b3173a9a inside the building were c9cb525616 suffering from the overpowering 5bafe69d30 stench of rotting corpses. The smell was driving 3bec33af31 them to the brink 28c2033211 of madness.1e38b1b3008b6ca7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As the complaints f27688272a grew louder and 9385b84e53 the suffocating stench 4d0d690ac2 worsened, Dominic finally b369e2f9cd made his decision.96bf68839e8d7c14

“Reconnect the radio battery.”3214f90181fe0728

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At his command, they b5d7ea151f reassembled the radio, but 53e72e6561 no one volunteered to db9d2a0e8f make the call. After a brief 9c57b624cd hesitation, Dennis stepped 9767504c17 up and grabbed bc249954c5 the radio. A short signal 9bc42de6a6 later, the connection c032b90be8 was made.c565ac45c7279313

Hearing the 25f0072421 familiar voice f8d4bc47f7 on the d1771f4a86 other end, 3c8afb0fda Dennis broke f2894c3553 into a f09aa67aeb wide grin. Relief flooded 246b0cf497 his expression f6653117a4 as he baa4f6f6a0 exclaimed,651e60d0c5090241

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I knew you were still alive.”8b3e748dac203b5a

Calm but pleased, Calyps’s lips curled into a faint smile as he heard his subordinates’ voices confirming their survival. However, the reunion was short-lived. The two quickly moved on to a serious discussion, and under Calyps’s command, a plan was formed.1303d92a7f26ae30

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Yet, when those 9deca4470b listening to the dd0bae807e plan realized what 640fe7279f it entailed, their 5e789c0b3b faces turned deathly 520026a0cf pale.0e6092a789e0086b

“W-We’re going down there?”b22ea4df9c450bb0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If we stay here, this will never end. We need to settle this once and for all.”b3d504442c7bad97

Calyps’s firm words sent 525acb50f3 a ripple of unease 94df09b4b5 through the group. They exchanged nervous dc4bb6d780 glances, their breathing add1d66eb3 growing heavy. Watching their a5cf46fb44 reaction, Calyps 7e0b7c21da spoke again, 689873be88 his voice c8f3eed7c1 calm and a6a0b54369 measured, as 9798745736 if trying 86a8b586a8 to soothe 7e796c7b86 their fears.79e2aaba1ed606c1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“At least we don’t have to worry about zombies being drawn to light anymore. If we move quietly, we can handle this without issue.”b964eb49af3dd457

If they 424228de08 could at fae21792e3 least block e4665de00b the breach 7120e06d99 in the 8d36397895 wall, they 4b2c9eb5ed could prevent b86b7d3652 the zombies 6b30386fdf from swarming b504fd06b3 inside.518c43c674a10629

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A heavy silence fell f338468e83 over the fortress wall.47c221721c8b15a2

No one 65644b5129 could deny ab93729db2 that Calyps 43e34e7ded was right. Their ammunition was 5cc7702846 running low, their 26499c92e7 arrows nearly depleted. Worse, more and more 82aace14ad people were falling ill d5246c338a due to the relentless bc65f8acce stench of rotting corpses. They were a87950052e reaching their 2693deadd3 limit.d564b3219722dad3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even knowing all of a38e9a1829 this, descending the fortress c9426cb771 wall to silently take 641c260a4c out zombies was a 5743f41154 terrifying prospect.ec21dfbe9bd40a00

Calyps understood their fear. So, rather than rushing 71c2c9e6cf them, he simply waited.0b8bca2459cbbdd6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Once the panic d6520918a5 had settled somewhat, 1523d2c0b8 he resumed explaining e4ca05c4e0 the plan.2f813d1edcdcc782

“First, we’ll divide into groups. My unit will take on the zombies in the courtyard, while Derek’s smaller team will locate the breach in the blind spot of the fortress wall. And…”11e78f9eb0119c76

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Calyps paused df7ac838dd for a d870662062 moment, glancing 5bd852ce9b at Noah 8245d51a5e before continuing.432eb36cfa6f9b1e

“Noah will lead a unit that remains on the fortress wall to provide cover for both teams.”30ae211ebba09b6c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“What?”f266fc30b9150557

Noah, who f718ecb48a had been cf011fe470 silently observing 6b73055e19 the discussion, 5bb81531d9 furrowed his 4b4de5f9da brows in abb1b28d96 surprise at 4afec501b4 the sudden e859d5dc35 declaration.830c24b810bc1eaa

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Since when was that decided? If anyone’s going down there, it’s me. You stay up here.”744097397cf026f5

His sharp 085dd36ce2 tone carried 7e722bcc24 an unmistakable 82a42762a0 tension.5146518b047f070f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“You’re planning to go down there with that arm? Are you insane?”b6535b186a846f7d

Noah’s frustration 0f1ca470bd was clear, b5e3a9ffe0 and truthfully, 7f26615a28 Calyps understood 41518c448c his point. Even now, despite the afecd20c3b painkillers, the throbbing ache 6d9086a895 in his arm was 47115a22f3 enough to make his db5e41b600 brows knit together.5eade4fb211d492a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But he had no 3a8038bb3b choice. If he 2c8f69cedb didn’t take 5d58cffbbf the lead, 3b3bee55c7 no one 4ca5752d81 else would f9cfb1a1bd step forward.130c150c6dbfb456

Back at the border, 1ad44a122a he had fought with b7ff17996d worse injuries. He wasn’t 4bd2f621d1 about to a7f3ad8dc8 back down 2181eec105 because of b5ae63cb91 this. Seeing the determination b69d5d0705 in his eyes, 18ff9c506f Noah realized words 4e67867c34 alone wouldn’t stop dea7a2bffa him. So, he responded c68a789cd2 even more firmly.456b33ba1d648e22

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Fine. But if you’re going, then so am I. If someone as injured as you can fight, why the hell can’t I?”081ae15ee2faa9ef

Calyps shook 2bdf62e492 his head ba1e2120c6 at Noah’s 25a33cddcb defiant response.4dece5e3065dfe2a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“We need someone to provide cover in case things go south.”03995076e7337f3a

“Then you should stay up here.”2eb534bf5e1af2ac

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You know that’s not an option. Not in my condition.”3252a31fb6de01d7

With his a86dfb9b12 injured arm, 6ac86c1056 precise shooting 19c3c50c57 was out 4818c17e57 of the aab7a048d5 question. And if d36603f8ab they left 0b61379dbb it to 9d93bb6c95 the untrained efc1fae8b7 fighters, stray 4b4be38411 bullets could faee1fbdd8 end up 2f80d3cd7f hitting their d7b41fe054 own people. The only one 97f8755a37 here with the 96b724dced skill to shoot 4b4622c0ab accurately under pressure—aside 1a81ccc90c from Calyps—was Noah.0489544832db2095

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

In the 56e2524bb7 end, the 8c59c1e011 majority sided e2c5aadeb2 with Calyps, c7a7ea8fc2 leaving Noah 73b8d5a5ba with no b336cb022f choice but 1d7d0ecd32 to stay 3767638cec on the f84adef2f9 fortress wall. His lips pressed into aeecb32622 a tight line, frustration 4f92f1764b evident in his expression. But despite his 4689d4c715 resentment, he knew 5f6a02cc88 this was the f9b9df35be plan with the 7dbe8287e4 highest chance of 5da6c4663e success. Even as fba8ac046e he silently fa397ceccd cursed the 22df29cfa5 decision, he 2a5b489a94 didn’t reject 00b20c3fa3 it outright.139b6c791eb43482

“It’s too late to act now. We’ll proceed with the plan at dawn.”b1391775939cd476

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Are we really sure about this? Going down there?”93b8488cdaac4547

“What if the people inside the building refuse to help?”86ba1e8c8cd5eca3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even though they had 3358240d93 mostly come to terms eae448242f with the plan, uncertainty 05aefeaedb and doubt still flickered a19c9390e3 in their eyes. But as 284337a800 Calyps spoke f6850af981 again, their 32f48bcaf2 voices fell eca76fa531 silent.1517330c075bdf2a

“Even if it’s not safe, we have to go down. That’s the only way we increase our chances of survival.”9cc18103d59d3fae

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Before they 3ea8047505 realized it, be3beb2917 the fear 91fff0391c and hesitation a2ed429e76 in their 416a1d3388 gazes had a25dab0880 been replaced 929ab379af by something 8ba682b3d4 else—the raw f42e774fbf instinct to a70a21e791 survive.6a77c2a8ece838e2

* * *2894b7c80c92fa7d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Dawn broke 03eb920fb9 in a ccd42b2451 dim glow. As planned the 33a10822a6 previous day, the 26919f4b15 two teams carefully 5fd725b346 descended from the 59691137b0 fortress wall. Beads of sweat formed 527d09de2c on their foreheads from 1b04123a4b sheer tension.c5ea7c0e64222669

Calyps, now on f707b404d4 the ground, carefully b6d56072a2 selected his targets. Moving with even more 7b294b9558 caution than ever before, 582eb67ffd he silently approached a 675801c8d2 zombie from behind and, 5a08181c0c with a swift and a6c19d8210 unhesitating motion, stabbed it b0d7cb6b14 in the back of d1be7964ca the head. Before the corpse 3d72ed6e96 could collapse, the f57595333d team members behind 20e272ccf7 him quickly grabbed eec9f13e9f hold of its 78e4b96f2c body. They lowered it c92516c5e3 slowly to prevent 2d4402b6cf the sound of 18f284eb87 its fall from efb529d968 attracting other zombies.6ac59a111358a025

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Urgh!”d478aef0d17e3e2a

“Mmph!”5b35c91b0e602ab0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

People covered their mouths, 32e5893513 forcing themselves to swallow 88c58d1112 the nausea rising in 4fb58d03cf their throats. The sensation of eb631ebfb2 the rotting flesh 23c9f5742c against their hands, 24091177f9 combined with the 533cab893e overwhelming stench clinging 850ab9aefb to their bodies, d0b7f44946 made it nearly c0c9e65d37 impossible to suppress 925a50c592 their gag reflex. Calyps paused momentarily, allowing 05eb805e8e them to regain control 0f50f65aa2 of themselves before proceeding. Then, moving f0b1024097 slowly and 6fa13446dc as silently 403a273edd as possible, 04b9b657d6 they continued a6745118ea eliminating the 759eaf1fd4 zombies in 99673bb66f the courtyard.ea7f256d8e12acde

While Calyps’s team carefully dispatched the undead, Derek led his squad along the fortress wall, avoiding zombies as they made their way toward the suspected breach. It was a war fought in complete silence.58c7ddb3d698ccf3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Time crawled by at a suffocating pace. With no way of knowing when it would end, the tension constricted their throats like an invisible noose. Then, just as the oppressive silence threatened to become unbearable, Derek’s voice came through the radio—they had found the breach.cfcf9163abb8aace

A faint smile crossed Calyps’s lips as he received the message. He signaled toward the fortress wall, where Noah was watching.28b47a275de92f46

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“That’s the signal!”35ffe3d23b006cf6

Noah, having 168261ec77 kept a 33e1a0b44e sharp eye 6084792436 on the 49f06b3e8d situation from d6229ee3f0 above, immediately 91c64f5033 relayed the 5a58f6fa61 message to 88bb228ec8 Dennis through 4a2b3a8504 the radio. Right on cue, the bb9f7d7517 gates, which had been 3633479477 sealed for four days, a90d993a7a creaked open.27bf8eb2e1652db1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The zombies outside, drawn by the sound, immediately turned toward the movement. Seizing the opportunity, Calyps and his team drove their blades into the back of the approaching zombies’ skulls. At the same time, the undead outside, seemingly agitated by the noise from within, became even more frenzied.57e4af327aaf8d3b

From atop the wall, d02007b2a7 Noah took aim and 0458c21b68 fired. The gunshot rang out 7ef72f91df like a signal, and ef04d76260 as if in response, ecb25a3a8e the remaining survivors inside f2c742c465 the building rushed out 82d17c5d67 to join the fight. Working together, they b91346fa26 swiftly dispatched the 85ae0a12aa remaining zombies. Meanwhile, the breach 0966d1b1f0 in the wall 7cbdd6af7a was temporarily patched 4ac5bbc437 with wooden planks.311f36381a239da4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was only 517ea02416 a temporary fix, 391a763ccc but the moment 83f3b93916 the hole was 2a365affa5 covered, an immense 0c573b6e3f wave of relief 855ae2027a washed over the f8bef8290f survivors. People gasped 8bf05d88de in exhaustion, 7936b4059a hugging one e20a9151fa another as f787dd54a7 tears streamed bb1b73cbe7 down their 3c89a6e11d faces. Even Noah, who 122eecdf1b had been observing 77d5461f79 everything from above, 8084538e14 slowly made his 79c5e08a4a way down from 1b71fe0a4d the fortress wall.a03358b846240217

As soon as 3d3a1336cd he stepped outside, 7b155c6604 Cedric came rushing dc74548bc4 toward him.f13a545e1bf00b30

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Young Master! You’re safe!”135f3f2c58d6d8ee

“Yeah. Is everyone else alright?”5a6a22e60fe21daf

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Noah scanned d861f3fa59 the faces 6c0affd4f9 around him. In the distance, 11d44ec3af he spotted Dennis d4e4600bf1 and Jason talking cb9f925850 to Calyps. He didn’t see Dante eabc5cc12a or Jacob, but considering d716d8e6e5 they weren’t combatants, they de8416f582 were likely still inside cf0fd693f7 the building. Just as he was cd471b4fe2 about to sigh in 4756dc35ee relief, he froze at 26b08bf381 Cedric’s next words.b622a2347c73d0cd

“What… did you just say?”a7f87c3bb549cf20

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“It’s Jacob, Young Master. We can’t find him. I thought he might have been with you on the fortress wall, but…”a51b5240756f776b

“What do you mean?”702925c1ceee677b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Before the mutant zombie appeared… Jacob mentioned he was worried about you and headed toward the western tower…”fd1a3ca7c6537c59

Noah’s face paled in shock, and Cedric hesitated, unable to finish his sentence. But even without hearing the rest, Noah understood.764cc7b068947860

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jacob was missing.be000f45bec7247b

And the moment Jacob 9cf08a60a0 disappeared, the mutant zombie 3cd43ad521 had appeared.bfb520f121a23d72

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

An image b37c0a53a9 flashed through 02c8d8f31e Noah’s mind—Calyps, a93e6f938e injured. Then another—Jacob, torn apart ce3be5caa2 by the mutant zombie.6d95f36ecd9f4124

‘…Just like Calyps.’6ca4145f4876a3ad

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Noah’s pupils b3659cb266 quivered with 8bdc9b4798 unease.6b445da04329e7a5

 fb70fc9ce8d55b58

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

 8157ea4a0040c53e