Chapter 56 Stranded Xiii

Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Stranded Xiii

Ethan could hear the whispers drifting around him.

He didn’t need to guess who they were talking about.

It was him.

For the first time since meeting Luna’s group, genuine regret settled heavily in his chest.

Looking back now...

What he had done had been unbelievably stupid.

He had acted out of pride without thinking about the consequences.

Luna possessed abilities beyond anything he had ever seen.

She could move people to safety in the blink of an eye.

She had those strange glowing panels that appeared out of nowhere, an endless supply of weapons, impossible vehicles, and resources that no ordinary person could explain.

Meanwhile...

What did he have?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

He had spent all his time talking back to her, provoking her companions, refusing help, and acting as though he could survive perfectly well on his own.

Now...

He was finally realizing how foolish that arrogance had been.

If Luna abandoned him here, there would be no one left to save him.

His gaze wandered toward the enormous fissure left behind by the earthquake.

The endless darkness below seemed ready to swallow anything that came too close.

Ethan quietly lowered his head.

He didn’t even want to face the others anymore.

He already knew what they thought of him.

Nothing good would come from looking into their eyes.

A few moments later, footsteps echoed across the broken ground.

He instinctively knew who it was before looking up.

Luna.

Kai followed closely behind her.

After hesitating for a few seconds, Rowan also walked over to join them.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

"Ethan."

Luna called his name.

He slowly raised his head to meet her gaze.

"We’re leaving."

She paused for a moment.

"And I don’t think you should come with us."

The words struck him harder than any monster ever could.

His face immediately lost all color.

Kai stared at Luna in complete disbelief.

Even he hadn’t expected that.

Sure...

He disliked Ethan.

The man had been rude, selfish, and impossible to deal with.

But leaving someone behind in a collapsing city...

That was practically a death sentence.

"Luna..."

Kai spoke carefully.

"Are you really sure about this?"

Luna immediately raised a hand, stopping him before he could continue.

"I can’t let him come."

Her voice was calm...

But the anger beneath it was unmistakable.

"I almost lost all of you because of him."

She pointed directly toward Ethan.

"Do you even realize that neither you nor Rowan would be standing here if my system hadn’t returned at the last second?"

"You both would’ve fallen into that crack."

"You would’ve died."

"So no..."

"I’m not changing my mind."

"I’ve made my decision."

Her fists trembled slightly.

"Maybe after he’s left alone for twenty minutes and realizes he can’t survive by himself..."

"He’ll finally understand everything we’ve been trying to do for him."

"Because right now..."

"I’m still so damn angry."

The frustration she had been suppressing since the rescue finally burst out.

Her expression hardened with every word.

Rowan quietly stepped closer.

"Luna..."

He spoke gently.

"Look at me."

"Calm down."

"Breathe."

He carefully reached out, intending to steady her shoulders.

Instead...

Luna instinctively pushed him away.

Rowan staggered backward several steps.

The sudden movement tugged against the fresh bandages wrapped around his injuries.

"...Ah."

A quiet cry escaped him.

Luna’s expression changed instantly.

The anger disappeared from her face.

"Rowan!"

She hurried over without hesitation.

"Were you hurt?"

She grabbed both of his hands, carefully examining him for any reopened wounds.

"I’m fine," Rowan answered with a faint smile.

"It just pulled a little."

Luna let out a relieved sigh.

"I can treat you again once we leave."

"This place isn’t safe anymore."

Without realizing it, she gently rubbed his arm, checking for additional injuries before finally looking back toward Ethan.

Only then did she notice him.

The usually cold, silver-haired young man stood completely motionless.

The stubbornness that had filled his eyes before was gone.

Instead...

There was only sadness.

A deep sadness that made him look strangely fragile.

Luna narrowed her eyes.

"Seriously?"

She folded her arms.

"I’m talking to you, and now you’re giving me crocodile tears?"

"Stop it."

"That isn’t going to work on me."

As she spoke, she mentally called for her system.

Before the familiar panel even appeared...

A loud mechanical hum echoed across the ruined street.

The amphibious vehicle materialized nearby, its sleek metal body reflecting the dim afternoon light.

Ethan stared at it in shock.

She was serious.

She really intended to leave.

Without thinking, he hurried toward her.

"Luna..."

His voice came out surprisingly soft.

It was the first time he had ever spoken her name without sarcasm or hostility.

Rowan was still standing close beside Luna.

His hand remained loosely wrapped around hers, unconsciously seeking reassurance after everything that had happened.

Luna glanced down before lightly poking his forehead.

"You’re becoming too clingy."

"Give me a second to deal with this."

Rowan chuckled weakly before finally letting go.

Nearby, Luna turned toward Kai.

"Kai."

"Help Adrian into the vehicle."

"We’re wasting time."

"Every minute we stay here puts all of us in even more danger."

Kai nodded immediately.

Without another word, he supported Adrian and guided him toward the waiting vehicle.

As everyone began moving, Rowan looked back toward Ethan once more.

"...You’re really leaving him?"

Even Kai hesitated.

He couldn’t help speaking up again.

"Luna..."

"Are you certain?"

Luna sighed heavily.

She genuinely didn’t understand when everyone had suddenly started sympathizing with Ethan.

Had they already forgotten everything he had said?

Everything he had done?

His constant negativity.

His refusal to help.

His selfish attitude while everyone else fought for their lives.

Someone could have died because of him.

Yet somehow...

She was now the bad person.

"I’ve already made my decision."

Her voice became firm once again.

"And it’s final."

"We’re leaving."

"So everyone..."

"Move."

"If you want to stay behind with him, that’s your choice."

"But I’m done arguing."

She turned around and began walking toward the amphibious vehicle.

The engines automatically started as the system activated it.

Rowan quietly followed beside her.

Ahead of them, Kai had already helped Adrian climb inside before locking the door behind them.

As Luna approached, she instinctively glanced around the ruined surroundings.

Only then did she fully realize how much the landscape had changed.

They had originally been trapped inside a basement.

Now...

The earthquake had completely torn the building apart.

Entire sections of the house had collapsed.

Walls no longer existed.

The cracked foundation had split open, exposing the outside world.

Massive fissures stretched across the earth in every direction.

Some ran parallel.

Others zigzagged unpredictably through the streets.

Several crossed over one another, making the ground resemble shattered glass.

Nearby buildings continued collapsing one after another.

Concrete blocks finally gave up under the relentless shaking.

Dust clouds rose into the air.

Pieces of steel and broken walls crashed toward the streets below.

Inside the vehicle, Kai looked through the side window.

His expression tightened.

"Ethan..."

The young man was still outside.

He had started running toward them while dodging the falling debris crashing around him.

Rowan climbed into the vehicle next.

Only Luna remained outside.

She was about to step inside when—

"Please!"

Ethan’s desperate scream echoed across the ruined district.

She stopped.

"Please don’t leave me!"

His voice cracked.

"I’m sorry!"

"I’m really... really sorry, Luna!"

"I know I acted like an idiot!"

"I know my attitude was terrible!"

"But I can’t survive here alone."

"I know I can’t."

His hands rubbed together anxiously as though desperately begging for another chance.

Luna slowly looked away.

Her heart wavered for only a moment.

No.

Not yet.

Words alone weren’t enough anymore.

If he truly regretted everything...

He had to prove it.

"I don’t believe you."

Her answer was immediate.

"And I won’t believe you so easily."

The moment those words left her mouth—

Thud!

Ethan suddenly dropped to both knees before collapsing face-first onto the broken ground.

He remained there without moving.

His forehead pressed against the cracked concrete.

His hands trembled.

"I’m sorry..."

His voice shook uncontrollably.

"I was a jerk."

"I was selfish."

"I deserve everything you’ve said."

"But..."

"I don’t want to die."

His breathing became uneven.

"I..."

"I want to live."

"I want to keep living the life my sister never got the chance to."

His shoulders began trembling.

"I was hurting."

"So much."

"I couldn’t accept that she was gone."

"I took that anger out on everyone."

"Especially you."

"I know that doesn’t excuse anything."

"It never will."

"But..."

"Please..."

"Forgive me."

"I’ll change."

"I swear I will."

For the first time since meeting him...

Every single word sounded genuine.

He didn’t even try standing up.

He simply remained there, waiting for whatever judgment Luna decided to give him.

Silence settled over everyone.

Even Kai and Rowan watched without speaking.

Then—

CRACK!!

A deafening sound echoed overhead.

Everyone instinctively looked up.

High above Ethan, one of the enormous slabs of broken concrete finally lost the little support it had left.

The gigantic rock tilted forward.

Then...

It came crashing down.

Straight toward Ethan’s head.