The crystal chandelier above cast a dazzling light, reflecting off the expensive jewelry of the guests.
Piano music filled the banquet hall. Waiters moved gracefully, carrying trays of champagne.
It was a scene of perfect luxury.
Aria sat on a velvet sofa. She held a glass of wine, her fingers pale and slender.
She stared at the red liquid in her glass. Her eyes were deep, like a frozen lake. There was no emotion in them.
"Aria? Are you listening to me?"
A male voice interrupted her thoughts.
Aria looked up slowly.
Standing in front of her was a handsome man in a white suit. Jason. Her fiancé.
Next to him stood a delicate, crying woman. Bella. Her stepsister.
"Aria, please don't be unreasonable," Jason said, frowning. He adjusted his tie, looking annoyed. "Bella is sick. She needs that jade pendant your mother left you. It creates a magnetic field that helps her heart condition. You have so much jewelry; why are you so stingy?"
Bella wiped a tear, leaning weakly against Jason. "Sister, I... I don't want to take it. But my chest hurts so much..."
Aria looked at the couple.
In her previous life, ten minutes from now, the Apocalypse began.
A mysterious red rain would fall. 70% of humanity would turn into zombies instantly.
In her past life, she gave the pendant to Bella.
Later, she found out the pendant was a Spatial Storage item. Bella used the food inside to survive, while she pushed Aria into a horde of zombies to buy time for herself and Jason to escape.
Aria could still feel the phantom pain of teeth tearing into her flesh.
She glanced at the platinum watch on her wrist.
11:58 PM.
Two minutes left.
"Aria!" Jason raised his voice. "Give me the pendant. Now."
Aria put down her wine glass. The sound was soft, but it cut through the tension.
She stood up. She was wearing a black evening gown that highlighted her cold, elegant figure.
She reached for her neck and unclasped the jade pendant.
Jason's eyes lit up with greed. Bella stopped crying instantly, her eyes fixated on the green stone.
"Here," Aria said softly.
She held it out over the balcony railing. Below them was the dark, cold swimming pool.
"What are you doing?" Jason panicked.
Aria smiled. It was a faint, chilling smile.
"Oops."
She let go.
Splash.
The pendant sank into the pool.
"You crazy b*tch!" Jason roared. He raised his hand to slap her.
Aria didn't flinch. She didn't even blink.
She stepped back smoothly, causing Jason to hit the air and stumble.
"Look at the sky," Aria said calmly.
"What?" Jason was red with anger.
Boom!
Thunder exploded. But it wasn't normal thunder. It sounded like the sky was cracking open.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the guests saw it.
The rain wasn't water. It was blood. Thick, crimson liquid poured down, coating the city in red.
12:00 AM.
The piano music stopped.
A scream pierced the air.
At the center of the hall, a waiter dropped his tray. His body convulsed violently. Bones cracked. His skin turned grey, and his eyes rolled back, turning entirely white.
"Roar!"
The waiter lunged at the nearest guest, a wealthy lady in a fur coat. He bit directly into her neck.
Blood sprayed like a fountain.
"Ahhh! Murder!"
"Run! Call the police!"
Chaos erupted. The banquet hall turned into a slaughterhouse instantly.
Jason and Bella were frozen in fear. They had never seen anything like this.
"Aria... what is happening?" Jason trembled, reaching for her hand. He instinctively looked for someone to rely on.
Aria side-stepped. She picked up a silver steak knife from the table.
"The end of the world," she stated flatly.
A turned guest—a zombie—spotted them. It was a large man, drooling black saliva. He charged at them.
"Do something!" Bella shrieked, pushing Jason forward.
"Get away!" Jason screamed. In his panic, he saw Aria standing calmly.
Habit made him try to grab her. He wanted to use her as a shield, just like he always used her money and status.
"Aria, block him!" Jason shouted, reaching for her shoulder.
Aria predicted his move.
She didn't dodge away from him. Instead, she moved closer.
With a swift movement, she kicked the back of Jason's knee.
"Argh!" Jason lost his balance. He fell forward—straight into the arms of the charging zombie.
Crunch.
The zombie bit into Jason's shoulder, tearing off a chunk of meat.
"Ahhhh! Aria! Help me! It hurts!" Jason screamed, thrashing on the floor.
The zombie pinned him down, gnawing on his neck.
Bella was paralyzed with terror, wetting herself.
Aria watched coldly. She didn't feel fear. She felt... impatient.
She walked over. The zombie was distracted by its meal.
Aria raised the silver steak knife.
She didn't aim for the zombie.
She aimed for Jason.
"Why..." Jason gasped, blood bubbling from his mouth. He looked at the woman he thought was a harmless sheep.
"You are too noisy," Aria whispered.
She drove the knife into Jason's eye socket.
Clean. Precision. Fatal.
Jason's body went limp.
Suddenly, a mechanical voice rang in her head. It was the sound she had been waiting for.
[Ding!]
[First Blood achieved.]
[System Initializing...]
[Host trait detected: Cold-blooded, High Intelligence.]
[Talent Awakening...]
[Congratulations. You have awakened the SSS-Rank Talent: The Empress's Plunder.]
[Effect: When you kill a target, you have a 100% chance to plunder their highest attribute or skill.]
[Target: Jason (Human/Infected)]
[Plundering...]
[Stolen Attribute: 5 Luck Points.]
[Stolen Skill: Deception (Level 2).]
A warm current flowed through Aria's body.
She pulled the knife out. Blood dripped onto her high heels.
She turned to look at the zombie, which was now looking up at her, confused that its meal was dead.
Aria smiled. This time, the smile reached her eyes.
It was the look of a hunter seeing prey.
"My turn," she said.