The Apocalypse Took Everything, This Time I Hoard It All First
Chapter 30: Awakening

Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Awakening

Luna Dawson’s face flushed hot in an instant.

She’d always been rather particular about her appearance. In her current state, with her wet hair wrapped in a towel, she looked like she’d just scrambled out of the bathroom.

Rollo, on the other hand, was incredibly enthusiastic. The moment he spotted the group at the door, he excitedly wiggled his plump backside and trotted over, weaving between their legs and letting out soft whimpers, begging to be petted.

Luna Dawson watched, dumbfounded. ’When did Rollo get so close to these people?’

Just then, Kevin Keane crouched down, his fingertips gently stroking the fur on Rollo’s back. He looked at Luna Dawson and teased, "Quite the sleeper, aren’t you, Boss?"

Aaron Palmer immediately broke into a smile, his voice filled with sincere delight. "Miss Dawson, it’s so wonderful to see you’re all right!"

"Good evening."

"Good evening."

Lynn Shelby and Blake Blue chimed in as well, a subtle note of relief in their voices.

Mrs. Dawson hurried out from the kitchen. The moment she saw them, her face broke into a warm smile as she rushed forward and took Blake Blue’s hand.

She said warmly, "Oh, Blake, dear! You all came all this way to see Luna again? Come in, come in! Luna’s all right now. You’ve all gone through so much trouble these past few days. Her waking up is the best news we could ask for. It’s just about dinnertime, so you must all stay and eat with us!"

As she spoke, she gently but firmly guided Blake Blue toward the dining table, then turned and waved to Kevin Keane and the others. "Kevin, Lynn, Aaron, don’t just stand there! Come, sit down! Please, make yourselves at home!"

Seeing how warmly her mother treated them, and how effortlessly familiar Rollo was with them, Luna Dawson was utterly astonished.

’What on earth happened during the days I was unconscious?’

Fortunately, the house was spacious enough. The large, round dining table Luna Dawson had ordered was just big enough to seat everyone.

The table was already laden with an array of delicacies: a large platter of glistening red-braised pork, tender stir-fried beef with wild rice shoots, savory and rich eggplant with minced pork, a pot of creamy corn and pork bone soup, and a spicy chicken and river snail dish.

There were two platters of every dish, ensuring everyone could easily reach the food.

Wayne Dawson had also simmered a large clay pot of seafood congee. It was bubbling gently, and the billowing steam carried a savory aroma throughout the dining room, which was already filled with an enticing fragrance from the several small dishes of delicate condiments placed beside the pot.

The moment Luna Dawson neared the table, the aroma of the food hit her, and her mouth instantly began to water uncontrollably.

She hadn’t had a proper meal in days and was now ravenous. She felt like she could eat a horse!

"Wow, Brother Evan, Miles, do you guys eat this well every day?"

Aaron Palmer’s eyes lit up as he stared at the feast, unable to hide the envy in his voice.

After all, none of the four of them knew how to cook. The supplies in their villa consisted of instant foods and snacks, and when they went out, all they had were compressed biscuits and military-style rations.

"You bet!" Miles Dawson said, lifting his chin proudly. "And this is us being frugal on Uncle’s orders, since it’s the apocalypse and all. Before this, our meals were way more lavish."

"Just eat and stop talking so much," Michael Olson said, giving him a resigned look. He casually picked up a piece of perfectly marbled braised pork and placed it in Aaron Palmer’s bowl. "Eat up. Help yourself."

"Dig in, everyone!" Wayne Dawson called out warmly as he came out of the kitchen, still wearing his apron. Seeing them looking a bit reserved, he encouraged them, "The more the merrier at the dinner table! There’s still more food in the kitchen, so please, eat your fill. We can always make more if we run out!"

Luna Dawson quickly ladled a large bowl of seafood congee for herself. She took a small spoonful of minced celery, sprinkled it over the top, and gently stirred it in.

She scooped up a spoonful of the congee, blew on it until it was just warm enough, and took a delicate sip.

The thick, smooth congee, rich with the umami of shrimp and dried scallops and a subtle fragrance of rice, slid down her throat. The savory-sweet flavor made Luna Dawson close her eyes in bliss.

Kevin Keane’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to Luna Dawson. Seeing the joyful expression on her face as she ate, the corners of his mouth curled up into a slight, unconscious smile.

Mrs. Dawson kept piling food into her four guests’ bowls, worried they were being too polite to help themselves.

They watched as the steaming food, filled with the comforting warmth of a home-cooked meal, was placed in their bowls.

A tremor ran through each of them, and they thanked Mrs. Dawson, their voices a bit mechanical and unnatural.

Kevin Keane, Lynn Shelby, and Blake Blue were all orphans. Only now did they finally understand what kind of home it was that Luna Dawson and Evan Olson were fighting so hard to protect.

It was a home that was warm and harmonious, bustling with life and filled with the comforting signs of domesticity.

Luna Dawson kept her head down, focused on devouring her food, but she was all ears, quietly listening as the others took turns recounting the events of the past few days.

It turned out that on the morning of the second day she was unconscious, Evan Olson had fallen asleep on the sofa in the security room. Seeing this, Miles Dawson quickly carried him upstairs on his back to his room.

Not long after, the others also fell unconscious one by one, leaving only Miles Dawson and Hector, who had since woken up, to keep watch.

Just then, the group from the neighboring villa, who had already woken up, came over to ask about the situation.

They volunteered to take over the night patrols, helping to watch over the unconscious residents and saying it was to repay the kindness Evan Olson and Luna Dawson had previously shown them.

During those few days, everyone who woke up had, one after another, awakened superpowers.

No one dared to stay idle. They hunted any zombies that approached the villa during their patrols, which served as both real combat experience and training for their superpowers.

Even Rhonda Dawson, who was usually the most timid, had been taken out by Wayne Dawson and had killed three zombies, with Kevin Keane’s group taking turns following nearby to protect and patiently guide her.

They also recounted a harrowing encounter. Blake Blue had been out hunting zombies with Miles Dawson and Mrs. Dawson when, completely unexpectedly, a mutated creature appeared. A tiny, mutated hummingbird suddenly dove down, heading straight for Mrs. Dawson.

In the nick of time, Blake Blue reacted with lightning speed, decisively shooting the mutated bird down.

At that point, they had never encountered a mutated creature before; all their attention had been focused on the wandering zombies. The attack had come without any warning.

Fighting side-by-side for just a few days had already forged a strong bond between them. After this incident, Mrs. Dawson felt a deep, heartfelt gratitude toward Blake Blue.

Blake Blue already had a naturally righteous and trustworthy air about him. He was reliable and humble, a man of few words, yet highly competent in everything he did.

His looks and demeanor had completely won Mrs. Dawson over; now, she treated him as if he were her own son.

Just as Luna Dawson was privately processing all this new information, Miles Dawson suddenly called her out.

"Sis! Chubby Lulu and Little Tiger must have awakened superpowers, so what’s yours?"

She looked up to find everyone staring at her, their eyes filled with curious anticipation.

Luna Dawson put down her chopsticks and slowly raised her hand.

In the next second, a crystal-clear orb of water materialized out of thin air in her palm.

"It’s a Water Ability! That’s fantastic! We don’t have anyone else with that one!"

Evan Olson’s eyes lit up. It was just like in his past life, and his voice was filled with delight.

"Also... I think I awakened two superpowers."

After she spoke, Luna Dawson gently placed her hand on the dining table next to her.

Before anyone could react, the entire dining table—and the feast laid out upon it—instantly vanished into thin air.

Little Tiger, who had been perched on the edge of the table gobbling its food, yelped as it fell, only to be deftly caught by Luna Dawson.

The scene drew a collective gasp from the onlookers, their eyes wide with unconcealed astonishment.

Luna Dawson had already thought it through. ’From now on, we’ll all be going out to gather supplies and hunt zombies together. If I keep my spatial ability a secret, it won’t just be inconvenient—it could easily lead to unnecessary suspicion.’