Apocalyptic World: Surviving with my husband and my cute little babies
Chapter 236: Gift

Chapter 236: Gift

Elena was supposed to lie down just to help her husband sleep peacefully, but she couldn’t resist the warmth Ethan brought.

Before she knew it, she had slipped into another calm slumber.

’Well, just blame the baby for letting her sleep again.’

A few hours later, Elena groggily stirred awake, sensing someone watching her intently.

She smiled and opened her eyes—only to see Ethan’s enlarged face leaning close, trying to steal a kiss.

"What are you doing?"

Actually, he had woken up earlier and had spent that time simply admiring his wife’s beautiful features.

Not wanting to disturb her, he had quietly gazed at her up close.

The disaster has thrown the world into chaos for nearly six months now. Everything had changed—except his wife.

Her cheeks were still rosy, her porcelain skin glowing softly in the dim light.

The only difference was that her once soft, youthful features had now matured, making her all the more stunning.

He almost lost his resolve and wanted to toss her around playfully, but he held himself back.

His wife was exhausted, and with the baby adding to her troubles, she needed more rest than anything.

Every night, she still needed a midnight snack to satisfy her hunger, which always disrupted her sleep.

Their baby was really too naughty.

Seeing her begin to stir, he gently placed his hands on her belly and gave her a soft kiss on the lips, excited to finally find out what gift she had prepared for him.

Elena gasped, catching her breath from her husband’s enthusiastic affection. "Husband, I can’t breathe."

"Wife, I can’t help it. You’re just too sexy," he replied, his cheeks flushing red.

Elena blinked, stunned.

Aside from her now generously full breasts—probably from milk—her body was round and heavy with a huge belly.

Sexy? That was hard for her to believe.

’Hmph, my husband is really weird.’

"Stop teasing me already. Come on, let’s get up and eat dinner. I’m starving."

Ethan grinned and nodded, then helped her get dressed, all while patiently waiting for her to finally reveal the gift she’d promised.

Elena was about to open the door when she noticed her husband standing in the corner.

She raised an eyebrow and asked, feigning confusion, "What are you doing? Let’s head to the kitchen now."

Feigning sadness, Ethan replied, "Wife, did you forget something?"

She smirked and playfully responded, "Not that I know of. Mind telling me?"

"Maybe... you have something in your pocket that you wanted to give me?" he hinted, clearly hoping she’d finally remember.

She couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing at her husband’s serious yet adorably expectant face.

"Alright, you win. But this gift I’m giving you is a one-time use."

He paused, stunned.

What kind of gift disappears after a single use? And how was he supposed to treasure something that would vanish?

Then she revealed the shadow core and handed it to him, leaving him wide-eyed and speechless.

"This... is a core? Why are you giving it to me instead of using it on the Golden Tablet?"

"Well, you need it more," she replied, and calmly began explaining the process of core awakening.

The more Ethan listened, the more fascinated he became.

This tiny black stone could awaken a real ability within him. He was excited to try it—but also felt a little hesitant.

Since it was a gift from his wife, he wanted to treasure it.

Elena chuckled. "This core isn’t really the gift. The ability you awaken—that’s the real gift from me. So every time you use it, you’ll remember that your power exists to protect our family."

Hearing her words, Ethan’s heart swelled.

A bright smile broke across his face as he hugged his wife tightly, his hand gently resting on her belly.

"Wife, thank you for accepting me and making me whole. I promise—I’ll protect you and our children no matter what happens."

"Alright, I trust you, husband," she replied softly.

Even though she knew Ethan was a responsible man, hearing his words of devotion still warmed her heart.

He nodded, kissed her lips gently, and then clenched the core tightly.

"Wife, what should I do now?"

"Are you sure you want to use it right away?"

"Hmm? What will happen if I do?" he asked curiously.

"Well," Elena began explaining, "after the core’s energy enters your body, it will scan and assess your physical condition."

Following the assessment, a person would feel an intense hunger and need to eat a large amount of food.

This was to prepare for a deep sleep—an essential part of forming the core inside the body.

The longer the sleep, the stronger the awakened ability would be.

In Ethan’s case, since this core was meant to awaken his shadow ability, the process could take a significant amount of time.

Forming a shadow core required great energy and rest.

In her previous life, Ethan had eaten a lot of food before falling into a deep sleep, and it had taken him nearly six days to finally open his eyes.

"Then, I’ll take this core later—once we’re sure everything in the building is under control. Wife, you’re hungry, right? Let’s head to the kitchen," he said, carefully stashing the core in his [Inventory].

Elena nodded and finally stepped outside the room. It was already 8 PM, and everyone was still busy with their tasks.

The others had gone back outside to continue their work—tossing out the mutated pest bodies and applying chemicals to the floor to get rid of the sickening smell of decay.

Ethan and Elena then sat in the kitchen and started eating their dinner, which Grandma Ford had already prepared.

They had chicken soup paired with rice.

"Grandma Ford, have you eaten yet?" Elena asked between bites.

Grandma Ford nodded and served them a side dish.

"We’ve already eaten, along with the kids."

"I see. How’s the situation outside?"

"Those mutated pests are still trying to get in, but not as many as earlier," Grandma Ford replied.

"It’s getting colder as the evening sets in," Ethan said thoughtfully.

"Let’s donate some soup-based food to help warm the frontline defenders."

He’d been fighting alongside the military and volunteer residents a while ago and found them dependable.

Supporting them with something warm to eat was the least he could do to keep their spirits and strength up.

"Let’s call Oslo and have him disguise himself as a Paradise staff representative to donate food and medicine. Also, tell Jetro to do the same at their building," Elena suggested.

"I’ll handle it myself after we eat," Ethan volunteered.

After finishing his meal, Ethan made his way to Oslo’s location—currently stationed on the main floor, where the military was still firing nonstop at the mutated creatures.

From his [Inventory], he retrieved a huge basin filled with steaming fish soup and began distributing it to the soldiers, saying it was courtesy of the Paradise shop.

Cheers erupted from the group, and the tired soldiers gratefully thanked the staff for the warm meal.

Meanwhile, Elena suited up with a mask and stepped outside their unit.

Outside, she spotted Lydia, Jessa, the aunts, and Grandpa working together to clear the hallway.

There were also teenagers helping, moving the pest bodies, and assisting the adults.

Curious, she raised her brows and walked up to Grandpa Caldwell. "Grandpa, who are they?"

Seeing her approach, Grandpa Caldwell smiled and replied, "They’re from Paradise Homes. That young boy there is Keith, their leader. But what are you doing out here? Go back inside—we can handle things."

"Grandpa, don’t worry. I know my limits, and I won’t push myself," she reassured him with a smile before observing Keith.

Unable to argue with her firm yet gentle tone, Grandpa Caldwell sighed and gave in—though not without reminding her to be cautious.

Elena then joined the cleanup effort, taking on the simpler tasks that didn’t involve bending.

Using her [Inventory] in secret, she discreetly stored the mutated bodies and later disposed of them outside the building.

On the other side, the teenagers from Paradise Homes watched cautiously.

Some of them had heard stories about the people on this floor and were wary of crossing them.

They couldn’t understand why their boss—Xander—would assign them to Unit 2702, a place known for housing a group of strong, mysterious individuals with a daunting reputation.

But eventually, they began to relax, especially after Keith used his easygoing charm to ease the tension.

For some reason, his instincts told him that befriending these people was the right move.

Soon, he managed to strike up a conversation with Andrei and Daniel, casually blending in as they all worked together to clean the floor.

It took hours of effort, but eventually, the hallway was cleared.

By then, they all agreed to call it a night and continue the rest of the cleanup in the morning.

Meanwhile, on Ethan’s side, the pests finally began to retreat.

The residents—relieved and exhausted—cheered as they had successfully defended their building.

One by one, they returned to their units to rest.

Though there were many injuries, everyone was fortunate to survive, thanks to the timely availability of medicine.

Once Ethan confirmed that the situation was stable, he and the others quietly slipped away and found a secluded spot to enter the space.

He was eager—it was finally time to use the shadow core.