The Undead and Unstoppable Apocalyptic Queen novel Chapter 296

Chapter 296 Burn the Bridge

Chapter 296 Burn the Bridge

Malik’s gaze swept across the room like a blade. “Anyone staying with me?”

The place went dead quiet. Nobody wanted to move first. They all just stared at each other, waiting for someone else to make the call.

Then, a man pushed his way to the front. “Malik, I’m with you. Always was.”

Another one snorted. “Told you from the start–women can’t lead. About time

you

woke up.”

A third one spat at the floor. “Those people downstairs? They’ll throw you in front of the horde and call it strategy. I’m not following them to my death.”

One by one, more of them joined him. Thirteen… maybe fourteen in total.

Eva didn’t even need to count. They were Malik’s men—the real muscle of Ridgefall Camp. They were never hers. Malik had kept them in line, not her.

Now that he’d turned on her, there was no chance in hell they’d stay.

Malik gave a sharp, humorless laugh. “Good. Split the supplies. Most of it came from us anyway. You’re not taking a d*mn thing that belongs to us.”

Eva’s hands curled into fists, but she didn’t say a word.

In the beginning, everything had been pulled from the Ridgefall Mall. It was hers, technically. That didn’t matter anymore. Those days were gone. Her stash had been eaten through months ago. The only food left came from Malik’s raids.

After the split, her side was left with next to nothing.

Malik didn’t stop there. He grabbed the so–called “apology gift” Theresa sent for Mario–100 pounds of rice and ten boxes of instant noodles.

Every last pack of instant noodles–fifty in total–got dumped into boiling pots. Over 100 people clawed for scraps, slurping up noodles and licking the bowls clean. Even crumbs off the floor didn’t stand a chance.

The 100 pounds of rice? Malik hauled all of it away as if it were his brother’s grave goods. Not a single grain was leaving with Eva’s group.

Eva almost stepped in.

Her hand twitched… then dropped/What’s the point? He won’t listen, not anymore.

Malik’s voice cut through the air again. “Since we’re splitting, you’re done here. This place is ours now. Every last inch of it.”

“Mr. Stark, that’s insane!” Ray snapped, his face flushed with anger. “This camp belongs to Ms. Hunter!”

“Insane?” Malik sneered, flames flickering in his palm. “You want fair? I’ll show

you

fair.”

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Chapter 296 Burn the Bridge

Eva raised her hand. “Enough. We’re leaving.

Her eyes stayed on Malik for a moment, sharp at first… then they dulled, settling into that cold, steady kind of calm that only comes when there’s nothing left to fight for.

She didn’t spare him another glance. She turned and led her people out–no hesitation, no protest–just quiet footsteps.

Malik stayed rooted there, the flames in his palm flaring like they shared his fury. As soon as Eva’s shadow disappeared, he turned and slammed the fireball into the stash of food.

“Mr. Stark! Are you out of your d’mn mind?!” one of his men shouted. “You’re burning what we’ve got left!

They rushed to stomp out the flames, but Malik didn’t care. He marched into the office and wrecked everything in sight.

“D*mn it!” His roar rattled the walls. “D*mn it! D*mn it!”

He smashed a chair, breathing like he’d run a mile.

“You never cared! Not once! You hear me, Eva? You never gave a d*mn!”

The words echoed back at him, raw and jagged, like they were cutting his own throat.

Downstairs, Theresa had just finished her late–night ration and finalized the storm team’s formation when she saw movement by the stairwell.

A large group was coming down.

Graham and his team tensed, ready to draw their weapons, until Theresa spotted Eva leading the group, waving.

Theresa moved forward to meet her. “What happened?”

Five minutes later, she got the full story.

Malik had split off with thirteen men–seven of them were ability users–leaving Eva with the rest.

Ninety people, most of them weaker or untrained, now stood behind Eva.

They had chosen her.

Theresa crossed her arms. “Fine. You stick close tomorrow. We don’t babysit. If you get yourselves killed, that’s on you. This is your one shot. Don’t blow it.”

Eva nodded. “I got it.”

Theresa studied her for a moment, weighing her up. Eva had backbone, and Theresa could respect that. Taking her and her people in wasn’t charity–it was a calculated move.

Theresa never fooled herself into thinking she was some kind of hero. Survival wasn’t about playing saint. As long as she was still standing, keeping others alive was just a good strategy.

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Chapter 296 Burn the Bridge

Morning came fast.

Theresa’s crew was up early, dishing out a breakfast heavier than usual to boost everyone’s energy. The smell alone was enough to make Eva’s people stare.

Their own stash was a joke after Malik stripped them bare. Eva ran the numbers, weighed the risk, and made the call. They finished every last bit. No sense in rationing scraps when tomorrow wasn’t promised

Theresa walked over, holding a canteen. “If you’re short, borrow from me. Pay it back later.

Eva almost smiled for a second, imagining the Blazing Sun Alliance as Theresa had described it.

Maybe there’s hope after all. A place with real food–meat, vegetables–where no one has to claw over scraps. A place strong enough to hold it all together.

“No,” Eva rejected. “We’ll manage. Once we’re out, we’ll see it for ourselves.”

She wasn’t about to lean on anyone–not yet. Not until she saw that promised place with her own eyes.

For now, they’d survive on their own, even if it meant crawling through hell to get there.