After setting up his dungeon, Carn brought Merlin, Rosa, and Gawain into the dungeon core chamber, designating it as their central base of operations. He encouraged them to expand the space freely and create private chambers to suit their needs.
Rosa and Gawain eagerly got to work. Merlin, however, expressed a desire to remain in the dungeon core chamber to study its properties, which Carn had no issue about the request.
Satisfied with the arrangements, Carn ascended back to the surface. Because of the exertion from using a grand spell, he was mentally exhausted and he needed rest. Dropping onto the living room couch, he quickly fell into a deep sleep, completely oblivious to the world around him.
.
By the time dinner approached, Gwen and Wong returned home with a bright grin on their faces.
The negotiation with the law firm had been a success. For a modest fee of $25,000, the lawyers agreed to handle the blind trust, tax issues, and CPA responsibilities that always haunted every lottery winner. Considering their impending windfall of $60 million each, the cost was a small price to pay for peace of mind.
Upon entering the house, they spotted Carn lying on the couch, snoring like a 40-year-old man. Though he appeared lazy, neither Gwen nor Wong complained. After all, this "golden goose" had ensured their newfound wealth and safety.
Smiling, they left him to rest and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The house filled with the comforting aroma of home-cooked food, and the sisters chatted as they worked.
After dinner was prepared, Gwen decided to unwind by watching TV. Turning it on, she tuned into a news channel. Her relaxed demeanor vanished almost instantly when the screen displayed scenes straight out of a zombie movie.
The news anchor’s voice trembled as she narrated the unfolding horror in New York City. A massive rift had unleashed hordes of undead creatures into the heart of the metropolis. Monsters rampaged through the streets, turning the city into a war zone. Man-eating ghouls crouched over lifeless bodies, feasting on the flesh of dead civilians. Skeletal soldiers in worn-out armor emerged from apartments, shops, and subways, dragging corpses toward Central Park, where piles of bodies formed several small mountains.
Police and military forces had erected defensive perimeters, attempting to halt the onslaught within New York’s premises. However, their bullets proved ineffective against the relentless advance of sprinting zombies.
The camera feed, taken from a news helicopter hovering above the carnage, captured the exact moment the last line of defense crumbled. Soldiers were overrun, and their screams reached the ears of a news reporter in the loud helicopter, terrifying her.
As if the chaos wasn’t enough, the zombie army showed no signs of stopping. They surged westward, threatening to breach New Jersey. In a desperate bid to slow their advance, local hunters and military personnel destroyed key bridges across the Hudson River. Explosions echoed through the city, sending plumes of fire and debris into the air.
Meanwhile, hundreds of surveillance drones hovered over the Hudson, monitoring the monsters’ movements. Military helicopters and fighter jets roared through the sky as they provided supports to the fighters on the ground. Sirens wailed across the city, and people in New Jersey panicked, migrating out of town in mass.
Gwen sat frozen in shock. Wong entered the room, and her face turned white as she saw the screen. The sisters exchanged uneasy glances.
Instead of worrying about the pending apocalypse, both asked the same question.
"Will we still get the money?" Gwen asked.
"Are the lottery still valid?" Wong also worried about the money.
They paused. Then, they turned toward Carn.
Wong sighed deeply and fetched the softest slipper from the shoe cabinet. She smacked his face with it, jolting him awake.
"Wake up, Carn. Shit happens, lah."
"Huh? What?" Carn scratched his face and sat up. Still groggy, he looked around, "What up, Ma?"
Wong and Gwen pointed at the TV, "Look at the news."
"Hmm?"
Carn rubbed his eyes and adjusted himself.
Meanwhile, the news channel continued to replay the footage from their cameras, including the clips from home drones in the area. They all captured the destruction and carnage, left behind by the zombie army.
Carn thought he was watching a movie until the helicopter camera briefly captured a footage of flying humans and a 10-meters tall giant meat monster. He recognized the giant, which usually accompanied every undead vanguard unit.
"I see. It has begun." Carn’s expression turned solemn. He turned to his mother and Gwen, preparing to explain about his dungeon.
However, Wong asked Carn the most important question, "Carn, can we still cash the lottery?"
This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.
"…"
Carn blinked several times and looked at his mother with wide eyes. A moment later, he massaged his temples and sighed.
"If the military can suppress the undead army invasion, then yes. You should be able to claim the money."
"Good." Wong was relieved, "Then, go help the army! Make sure the soldiers win. If the US loses, we can’t claim our lottery ticket, lah!"
"…"
Carn foresaw it, knew it, but he still facepalmed. After letting out another long sigh, Carn decided to have a face-to-face talk with his mother.
"Mom, Miss Gwen, sit down. We need to talk."
Both Gwen and Wong sat in the living room, wondering what Carn wanted to say.
Carn took a deep breath and calmly explained about a dungeon that he had recently created, which would ensure their safety in case the zombie army or the authorities found this place. However, the accommodation was still under construction.
Secondly, Carn told Wong about his father’s whereabouts.
"Dad is still alive and kicking. He’s hiding in Atlanta at the moment, and he was complaining that he couldn’t reach you."
Hearing that Han hadn’t kicked the bucket yet, Wong was overjoyed. However, her expression was still dark, and she made a sick joke.
"Haiya… Too bad, lah. I thought I got to keep 60 million dollars to myself. If your father knows I win the lottery, the money will be gone in a month, lah."
Carn rolled his eyes, "Cut him some slack, Ma. He has his fair share of issues."
"If his issues involve another bitch, I’ll divorce him on the spot, lah!"
Carn wanted to say something, but he decided not to continue with his father’s topic. For the sake of his father’s wellbeing in the aftermath, it would be wise not to reveal too much information about his father’s previous life.
"Alright. Since people need me, I’ll go do something about the undead. Oh, do me a favor, if the news says something about the destruction of Georgia’s nuclear shelter or the assassination of the elites, can you contact me? Do you still have my phone number?"
Wong shrugged, "I already destroyed my phone, lah."
Carn looked at Gwen, who bitterly smiled and promised him, "I’ll contact you if that happens. But how are you going to travel a thousand miles?"
"Eh, it will only take an hour or so if I go out at night."
"A thousand miles in an hour?! What are you, S*nic the Hedgeh*g?!"
"I’m SCP-173… with intelligence and cheat skills."
"…"
The family continued chatting until 9 PM. After both women had enough and called it a day, Carn visited the dungeon core.
.
Arriving at the glowing chamber housing the dungeon core, Carn summoned Gawain and Rosa to discuss his plan and inform them of the recent developments.
"The undead army has made its move, and I’m about to go and stop them."
Rosa and Gawain immediately stepped forward.
"Let us accompany you, master!" Rosa volunteered, eager for action.
"Yes, we want to fight by your side!" Gawain was ready for his long-awaited revenge.
Carn, however, shook his head, stopping them on their track.
"Both of you will stay here and guard the dungeon and Gwen’s house."
"EH?!" Rosa was disappointed
"But why, my lord?"
Carn sighed, "Think about it. We’ve officially established this dungeon and announced our presence to the world. Even though most humans can’t sense us, some former demon lords and loose entities are still out there… such as Fleur."
At the mention of the name, Rosa’s expression darkened. Her usual calm face turned ugly for the first time.
Gawain laughed nervously, "Didn’t you turn her into a gargoyle, my lord? Can she even harm us?"
"Harm me or the dungeon core? Impossible. But harm you? That’s another story. She’s greedy, bitchy, and extremely vengeful. She’s gonna rush here to steal the dungeon core if she knows I’m not home."
"…"
"While I’m gone, I’ll keep an eye out. But if she does show up, it’s your job to stop her. I’ll set traps to help. The rest is on you two."
Without waiting for their response, Carn approached the dungeon core. He placed his palm against it, and a golden light spread from his hand as he injected 1,000 gold marks of Aether. The core reacted instantly, casting shimmering runes onto the walls.
For a brief moment, the golden script illuminated the chamber, briefly revealing trap mechanisms throughout the dungeon. Rosa and Gawain caught a glimpse of the runes, and though they only appeared for a second, their meaning became clear to both of them.
Rosa’s eyes lit up with renewed determination. "We’ll teach that bitch a lesson, master!"
"If she dares come here, we’ll handle her, my lord!" Gawain grew more confident.
Carn nodded, "Good. Make sure she regrets it if she tries anything. This dungeon and my family’s safety depend on you."