Chapter 147 President announcement

Chapter 147: Chapter 147 President announcement

Back in the corners of the safe zone, figures began drifting through the hallways in clothes that shimmered beneath the chandeliers, every outfit glittering with prestige and luxury. It was supposed to be an important festival. That was all most people knew.

Whether there would be an announcement or not, something significant was clearly going to be said, and everyone intended to look their absolute best for it. The safe zone had been preparing for this event for days.

People who normally walked around in plain clothes had suddenly appeared in expensive dresses, tailored suits, glittering jewelry, and polished shoes. Even those who had barely spoken to each other in weeks were suddenly greeting one another with smiles, pretending that everything was normal. For tonight, everyone wanted to look like they still belonged to a world that hadn’t already fallen apart.

The same applied to Madison and Ava Hart.

The two of them stepped out of their apartment together, smiles plastered across their faces as they made their way down the hallway. Neither smile was genuine.

There was something strained behind Madison’s expression, something that made the corners of her lips look almost painful. Ava wasn’t much different. Her smile was stiff, her eyes constantly shifting around the hallway as if she were afraid someone might recognize the uncertainty written all over her face.

One look at them would have made anyone think they were smiling demons pretending to be human.

But that was exactly what they needed to do. Pretend.

They couldn’t afford to show their fear. They couldn’t afford to show the pain of everything that had happened. Most importantly, they couldn’t afford to look weak.

When they finally reached the main hall, Madison came to an abrupt stop. Her eyes widened.

For a moment, she couldn’t say anything. The hall looked completely different from what she had expected.

People had taken the event extremely seriously. Some women were dressed in elegant gowns covered in glittering stones, while men wore perfectly tailored suits with expensive-looking accessories. Even the ordinary survivors had somehow managed to make themselves look sophisticated. The chandeliers reflected against the polished floor, filling the entire hall with golden light.

Madison slowly looked down at herself, then glanced at Ava. Her expression darkened. Compared to everyone else, neither of them looked particularly special.

"Ignore the stares you get and keep your chin high," Madison muttered, straightening her shoulders. "No matter what happens, we’ll get something out of this mess."

Ava nodded silently.

The two of them walked into the hall together. But something unexpected happened. No one looked at them. Not even for a second.

People were too busy talking amongst themselves, greeting important figures, and positioning themselves closer to the center of the hall. Madison’s expression twitched. She had expected attention. Instead, she was completely invisible.

And somehow, that irritated her even more.

She continued walking toward the main gathering area, Ava following closely beside her.

Then—Bump!

Madison’s body collided with someone. "I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—"

The apology stopped halfway through. Madison’s face instantly turned cold.

Standing in front of her was Bonnie. Luna’s best friend.

Madison stared at her for several seconds. Bonnie was alive. Seeing her here immediately brought one thought to Madison’s mind. If Bonnie was here... Was that useless girl Luna nearby too?

Madison forced a smile onto her face. "You’re alive. To God be the glory."

Bonnie didn’t respond immediately. Her eyes narrowed as she studied Madison. There was no warmth in her expression. No friendliness. Nothing that suggested she believed Madison’s fake concern.

Instead, Bonnie asked bluntly, "Where is your daughter, Luna Hart?"

Madison’s smile nearly disappeared. Her jaw tightened.

What is wrong with this girl? Of all places, why did she have to encounter Bonnie here?

"What is this?" Madison snapped. "Are you out of your damn mind?"

Bonnie simply shrugged. "Maybe I’m asking because you guys treated her like a piece of shit back at the hospital. You almost tried to deceive her out of her inheritance. You think I didn’t notice that?"

Silence fell between them. Ava stood to the side, watching the exchange without saying a word. She had no intention of involving herself.

Bonnie’s eyes remained fixed on Madison. "You abandoned her when she needed you most."

Madison’s expression hardened.

Bonnie continued. "If you don’t find Luna, I’ll yell around this entire hall about how you favor one daughter over the other. I’ll tell everyone about how you abandoned your own daughter." She took a step closer. "Because from where I’m standing, that’s exactly what you guys did."

Madison stared at her. Then, unexpectedly, she laughed.

It wasn’t a pleasant laugh. It was sharp, bitter, and loud enough to draw a few nearby glances.

"Oh, dear." She wiped the corner of her mouth. "Is that a threat?"

Bonnie’s eyes narrowed.

Madison continued laughing. "Seems like you’ve totally lost the plot because this is shit, man. Just shit!"

Her voice became louder. "Stop that pretentious care you show for me because we both know that if you really cared about her that much, this situation where you’re standing here asking me where she is wouldn’t even be happening."

Bonnie’s expression changed.

Madison pointed toward her. "If you cared that deeply, Luna would be standing beside you right now. But she’s not." She scoffed. "You’re in the same boat as me, so stop playing the ultimate judge and trying to make yourself look good. You suck at that."

Bonnie stared at her in disbelief. For a moment, she genuinely didn’t know what to say.

Madison’s expression turned colder. "So go on. Tell them." She spread her hands. "Tell everyone here that I don’t care about my daughter. Tell them everything."

She leaned closer. "In an apocalyptic world?"

Madison gave a humorless laugh. "Let’s be frank. Nobody gives a shit about how much you supposedly care about your family or how good of a person you think you are. People are dying every damn day."

Her voice dropped into a bitter hiss. "Things happen in this particular stage of the world. People abandon people. People betray each other. People die." She shrugged. "That’s reality now."

Madison turned away. "Unless you’re stupidly naive, then we’ll see how long that precious morality of yours lasts."

She was about to walk away when Bonnie’s voice echoed behind her. "Don’t forget what I said."

Madison stopped.

Bonnie’s expression was frighteningly calm. "You all will be destroyed."

Madison slowly turned her head.

Bonnie smiled. "Read my lips. I said you all will be totally destroyed. And that’s a fact that’s going to happen soon."

Madison stared at her for a moment. Then she rolled her eyes. "Enough, girl." She turned her back again. "I don’t want to hear anything coming from those cracked, disgusting lips of yours. You’ve tried your best. Now go."

Bonnie didn’t answer.

Madison didn’t bother waiting. She walked toward the center of the hall, pretending the encounter hadn’t affected her. But inside, her heart was pounding.

She hated Bonnie. More importantly, she hated the fact that Bonnie still had the ability to make her uncomfortable simply by mentioning Luna.

Reaching the main gathering area, Madison picked up a wine glass from a passing waiter and immediately gulped it down. Ava remained beside her.

Madison grabbed another glass. "Fuck," she muttered. "Even without being here, that bitch still gives me sleepless nights." She took another drink. "Stop moping around like a fool and come stay closer."

Ava moved toward her.

Madison glanced over her shoulder. Bonnie was still standing in the distance. Still watching them.

Madison rolled her eyes. She didn’t understand what was wrong with that girl, but honestly, it wasn’t her business. She had more important things to worry about.

Her son. Where was he currently? Was he still alive? Would he be present at this event? Could she find him tonight?

Her thoughts began racing.

Then the music suddenly stopped. The beautiful cello melody that had been filling the hall disappeared without warning.

Silence swallowed the room.

Madison froze.

Footsteps echoed from the far end of the hall. One. Two. Three. Then dozens. The sound became louder with every passing second.

People slowly turned toward the entrance. Madison narrowed her eyes, trying to see through the crowd.

Then she caught sight of a white-haired man. He wore a pristine white laboratory coat, his appearance almost too clean for the world they now lived in. Beside him walked a shorter woman.

Madison’s face twisted with disgust. The woman’s face looked strange. Almost as if the skin had been peeled away in certain places.

Madison grimaced at the sight and quickly looked away. She didn’t want to stare.

But before she could turn completely, another familiar figure appeared through the crowd. Someone connected to Luna.

Madison’s eyes widened. "What in the world?"

Her mind struggled to process what she was seeing.

Ava stepped closer and lowered her voice. "That’s Chris Walton."

Madison looked at her.

"I’ve been hearing rumors that he’s going to be the new person controlling this establishment."

Madison’s pulse quickened. Chris Walton. The name alone carried enough weight to make people nervous.

But before either of them could figure out what was happening, two more figures appeared. The crowd immediately began dispersing. People stepped aside. Someone rolled out a red carpet. Then another.

The atmosphere changed instantly. Whatever this was, it wasn’t an ordinary announcement. Madison could feel it. A simple piece of information wouldn’t have received this much attention. Important people were arriving. Powerful people.

And then another thought struck her. The general’s death. Her son had been accused of involvement. Could this event have something to do with that?

Madison’s heart began pounding harder. She started pacing slightly, unable to control her nerves.

Then the man and woman finally stepped forward. The entire hall became silent.

The man looked around the room before smiling. "I believe everyone here already knows who I am."

His voice carried effortlessly through the enormous hall. He was introduced as the President of the Republic of Northingam, the central ruler of the Eastern, Northern, Western, and Southern provinces. He stood confidently before the gathered survivors.

Then he smiled. "This is it, my people."

Every conversation in the hall disappeared.

The president continued. "I don’t need to waste time repeating my name." He paused. "We are here tonight to address several issues." His expression became serious. "And we are about to take a major step. A step that will change the future of the world forever."

Madison’s breathing slowed.

The president looked across the crowd. "Our goal is simple." He raised his voice. "To save humanity."

The words echoed throughout the hall. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.

The president’s smile disappeared. "All I need from you now..." He paused. "...is your complete attention."

At those words, the entire hall held its breath.