Chapter 157
"What is it?" Suzy leaned in to take a closer look.
Leonard reached deeper into the backpack and pulled out a heavy cloth pouch.
It didn’t match the rest of the contents at all. Through a small opening, a glint of gold shimmered.
He opened it further.
Inside was a jumble of gold jewelry—rings, earrings, even a few slim gold bars.
Suzy’s eyes instantly lit up.
So Curtis had noticed what she needed... and given her everything he had.
The thought warmed her heart in a strange.
It was practical, too. She only wished she could thank him properly for this.
"There’s more." Leonard rummaged again and pulled out several watches.
They were solid gold, set with delicate diamonds. He weighed one in his hand and nodded in approval. "Yeah. Those are real. I bet each one goes for no less than thirty thousand."
He packed everything back into the pouch and handed it to her. "Here. You keep these. I’m sure you have good use for them."
Then he picked up one of the oars, moving to join Thomas.
"Let’s head back," Leonard said, casting a quick glance at their surroundings.
Suzy nodded, securing the pouch. "I’ll help too."
"No need," Leonard said. "Just sit."
"Yeah," Thomas added quietly. "Rest."
Leonard glanced between the two of them. Something felt... different. But he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
Suzy didn’t insist. She sat quietly as the two of them rowed, one at the front, one at the back.
The small boat glided steadily through the flooded streets.
The sky remained heavy and gray, rain falling in a fine, endless drizzle.
It wasn’t as intense as before—just a thin, persistent curtain, tapping softly against her raincoat.
A faint mist hung in the air, softening the outlines of buildings into ghostly silhouettes.
The only sound was the steady rhythm of oars cutting through water.
They passed quite a few survivors along the way.
Some paddled in plastic basins dragged from their homes. Others stood on makeshift wooden rafts. A few had proper kayaks.
Everyone seemed focused on their own destination. No one interfered.
"We’re almost there," Leonard said, glancing ahead. "Once we go around that building, we’ll see our complex."
Suzy followed his gaze. There it was—Starlight Towers, just ahead.
She let out a quiet breath of relief. This trip had been rewarding, but exhausting in its own way.
Right now, all she wanted was her own bed.
Soft, familiar.
If possible, she’d sleep for days. For the foreseeable future, she had no intention of going out again.
Just then, she caught a faint scent in the air. Something smelled familiar. And strangely wrong.
Her expression changed instantly.
Thomas reacted even faster, his voice sharp with urgency. "Acid rain!"
The moment he spoke, the rain intensified. This time, it came far more violently than before.
Droplets struck the water, each impact hissing with corrosion.
Even the boat began to show signs of damage.
Leonard and Thomas rowed hard, pushing toward the nearest building––an office tower, half-submerged.
As they drew close, Thomas swung his arm and smashed the window.
The glass shattered instantly.
That single, decisive strike left both Suzy and Leonard staring in stunned silence.
The window shattered. Just one step forward and they were on the ledge.
Thomas jumped out of the boat first, grabbed Suzy’s hand, and pulled her inside.
Leonard followed right behind.
The moment the three of them rushed into the office building, the rain outside exploded into full force.
It came down like a barrage of stones, rattling violently against every surface. The air filled with a sharp, acrid stench.
Suzy leaned against the wall, breathing hard. "Why is it acid rain again...?"
It felt endless.
Thomas was still holding her hand, his gaze sweeping over her from head to toe, tension written all over his face. "Did any of it touch you? Let me see."
She waved him off. "I’m fine. Really."
And she was. Her reaction had been fast enough—only a few stray drops had hit her raincoat, none soaking through.
But Thomas didn’t relax until he checked carefully, confirming there wasn’t a single trace of corrosion on her.
Only then did he exhale.
Even so, his hand remained wrapped around her wrist.
Leonard, standing nearby, watched the scene unfold, his expression growing increasingly complicated.
Something felt... off. What exactly had happened while he wasn’t there?
This wasn’t normal. Very not normal.
"You two..." His gaze dropped to the hand still holding Suzy’s wrist.
As if sensing it, Thomas finally let go. But the way he did it—slow, reluctant—made it obvious.
Leonard furrowed his brows. Before he could question it further, Suzy spoke up.
"We don’t know how long this rain will last. Let’s find somewhere to stay for now."
The three of them moved further inside.
It looked like an internet company—desks lined with dust-covered computers. The water hadn’t reached this level yet, and the floor was still dry.
They didn’t go far, deciding to wait it out on this floor.
Leonard took a spot by the window, looking out through the glass.
The rain showed no signs of stopping, hammering against the surface, leaving streaks of corrosion behind.
"This isn’t ending anytime soon," he sighed.
Suzy stood by the window for a moment before finding a chair and sitting down.
Thomas naturally followed, taking the seat beside her. Close.
Leonard glanced back, his brows knitting together again.
He opened his mouth, about to say something, but then stopped.
Fine. I’d ask later.
Suzy leaned back, closing her eyes to rest.
Beside her, Thomas sat still as stone, but his gaze drifted to her from time to time, as if reassuring himself she was still there.
Time passed.
Gradually, the sound of the rain began to soften.
Suzy opened her eyes, about to speak, when she heard it.
Footsteps. Someone was approaching.
All three of them tensed at once.
Thomas stood up immediately, placing himself in front of her.
Leonard’s hand moved to the hilt of his blade.
The footsteps drew closer.