NOVEL NEXT Chapter 147: Leech
This time, her mother didn't chase her. She only watched Annie until she disappeared down the path. Then she sneered and walked back inside.
The room they lived in was better than most, thanks to Annie's strength and her ability to fight. Other families didn't dare to mess with them. They had more space, stronger walls, and even a private kitchen.
Her mother sat in a chair, thinking deeply. 'I can't control Annie forever. She's getting stronger. One day, she'll turn against me. I need a way to hold her down.'
Her lips curved into a cruel smile. 'Her little brother. As long as I have him in my hand, she'll never dare to defy me.'
The thought made her relax. She hummed as she walked to the kitchen. She opened a container, and inside was a bag of rice. The very rice she had claimed was gone. She scooped out a generous portion, added some pickles, and began to eat slowly, savoring every bite.
'Annie can hate me all she wants,' she thought. 'As long as I have the boy, she'll never escape my control.'
Annie soon went to vent her frustration. Compared to others who trembled and cried when facing zombies, she was much more composed. In fact, before the apocalypse, she had been a trainer.
She was also skilled in taekwondo and tai chi. She had joined many martial arts competitions, and that confidence carried into this new world.
Her superpower was super strength, but in truth, she had another secret ability. She could teleport. Annie had never told anyone about it. She only let people see her strength.
With teleportation, she could handle zombies much faster than others. She discovered something too. If she absorbed more zombie crystals, her power would grow, and she could rank up.
But even after absorbing so many, she was still stuck at the threshold. She had not even reached level one. Annie knew this was normal. Many people were in the same situation. It might take a month or more before anyone advances.
With that in mind, she fought harder. She collected more than three hundred crystals in a short time. For most people, that would be a big achievement.
But Annie did not feel proud. She remembered the figure she had seen near Ellora Hills. A woman with cascading pink hair. Ivy. She fought with calmness and skill.
In only one hour, Ivy had taken down more than two hundred zombies. Annie could only manage thirty to forty in the same time.
'Ivy is really amazing,' Annie thought. 'If I had the chance, I would like to be her friend. But… my home is a cage. My mother would never let me go. She feeds on me like a leech, and without me, she would never survive.'
Thinking about her mother made Annie's head ache. Still, she pressed on.
After four hours of fighting, she collected six hundred crystals. Her body was tired, but her mind was heavier. Instead of celebrating, she went to the registration office.
"Can I buy more food?" Annie asked.
The officer looked at her and checked her record. He saw that she had already exchanged five hundred grams of rice earlier, along with one packet of pickles. He shook his head.
"That is the daily limit for superhumans," he explained. "No one can exchange for more."
Annie bit her lips. "What about bread? Or something else?"
The officer gave her a kind look, but his voice stayed calm. "I'm sorry. Rules are rules." He then lowered his voice slightly. "But if you want more… the black market is always open."
Annie's eyes narrowed. She knew what he meant.
Still, she had no choice. She gritted her teeth and went to the market.
The prices there were outrageous. Food that normally cost five hundred crystals now cost one hundred each. Annie felt her chest burn in anger, but in the end, she paid. She bought four kilograms of rice.
She did not take all of it home. Carefully, she hid two bags for herself in a secret spot, then carried the other two home.
As soon as she opened the door, she saw her mother lounging, eyes sharp like a hawk.
Her mother's gaze fell on the bags of rice. Her whole face lit up, and without a second thought, she jumped up and rushed toward Annie.
"Give it to me!" her mother snapped, reaching out.
Annie quickly stepped to the side, keeping the bags out of reach. Her grip tightened. She stared at her mother with calm eyes, though inside her chest her heart beat faster.
'She's just like a vulture,' Annie thought. 'Always waiting to take what's mine. Always thinking I'm nothing but her tool.'
Her mother's face twisted. "Don't you dare hide food from me! I'm your mother!"
Annie straightened her back. She didn't yell, but her voice was firm. "This rice is not for you. Forget about eating even one grain."
Her mother froze for a second, not used to Annie talking to her like that. Then her lips curled into a bitter sneer.
"You dare talk to me like this? Do you think you're strong just because you can fight some zombies? Without me, you wouldn't even be alive!"
Annie didn't flinch. She held the rice tighter. "No. Without me, you wouldn't be alive. You know it."
The words hung in the air. Her mother's face darkened, but Annie didn't back down.
'I've had enough,' Annie thought. 'She can scream, she can curse, but this time she won't take everything away from me. I need to keep at least some food safe, even if it means standing against her.'
Her mother took a step closer, her hand twitching as if she wanted to snatch the bag by force. Annie moved slightly, her eyes never leaving her.
"If you try," Annie said quietly, "I will kick you out of the house!"
"Annie! Have you forgotten because of who I am suffering like this? It was you and your brother! If it weren't for you both, I would still be enjoying my life!"