Apocalyptic World: Surviving with my husband and my cute little babies-Chapter 280: Opposite sides

The two brothers, who had spent almost their entire lives side by side, now stood on opposite ends.

Brother Elias had hoped—truly hoped—to persuade him, but his senior brother’s sharp rebuttal, spoken as if he were some dark villain, cut off any chance of that.

He sighed quietly, realizing that today would mark the end of their brotherhood.

"Such a waste of talent," the abbot leader said coldly. "The monastery raised you well, yet you choose to side with abominations. Tsk, and this is how you repay them?"

Brother Elias chuckled softly. "For that, I am forever grateful. I used to believe every command from the monastery was righteous, so I never questioned anything. But this task... it’s just as absurd as the one from twenty years ago."

For years, he had carried out every mission involving supernatural anomalies—never questioning, always trusting the monastery’s claim that everything was done for the sake of the world.

But his faith began to crack when he was ordered to kill a newborn child—an infant born during a total lunar eclipse.

The child was unlike any other. Out of thousands of pregnant women, she was the only one born at the exact moment the eclipse reached its peak.

According to the monastery, that made her special—not in a blessed way, but because Heaven could not read her fate.

And anything Heaven could not see was immediately branded a dangerous variable that had to be erased.

That was the moment doubt first took root in him. That mission became the crack that split open everything he believed.

For the first time, he saw that the monastery was not as pure as he had once thought.

Since he could not refuse the mission outright, he fabricated a report claiming it was completed, secretly sparing the child from the monastery’s grasp.

It was also the first time he defied Heaven.

And from then on, whenever an absurd task landed on his list, he relied not on blind faith—but on what he witnessed with his own eyes and what his instincts told him.

Twenty years passed, and now the same type of mission had resurfaced—targeting the same child, who had grown into a woman.

The heavens had once again labeled her as someone who must be eradicated.

But this time, he refused openly. He had seen how she lived, how she grew, and he knew Heaven’s claim was false.

Elena—the child he was supposed to kill back then—had grown into a kind, gentle woman.

He remembered the moment he saw her again—on her wedding day, standing beside Ethan. She still carried that golden aura, the unmistakable sign of great virtue and accumulated good karma.

Relief washed over him then, confirming that the choice he made twenty years ago had been the right one.

From that day onward, his doubts about Heaven only deepened. He became increasingly convinced that Heaven was hiding something—perhaps even manipulating them.

So from the moment he saw her again at the wedding, to their unexpected encounter in Willow Village, and even as she traveled beyond City A, he quietly erased every trace she left behind, ensuring her movements remained hidden from the monastery.

That was why it took the monastery so much effort to track her down. Yet despite everything he did, they still managed to find her.

Perhaps Heaven was growing desperate.

He sighed and turned his gaze to his senior brother, who remained now steadfastly loyal to the monastery and Heaven’s commands.

"You only need to follow," the abbot leader said, frustration leaking into his voice. "Why question so much? This is how the monastery has always operated—and the results have been good."

"In your eyes, indeed. Since no matter how I explain it, you won’t believe me, then I’ll have to persuade you in another way... Brother Jay," Brother Elias said, deliberately dropping the title senior brother.

For today, the two of them stood as equals.

Brother Jay lifted his head slightly, disappointment clouding his eyes. To him, Elias had already sided with the enemy.

There was no need for further words—he would eradicate him along with the mysterious man.

Both abbots had made their final judgment, and so the clash between them was inevitable.

Brother Elias cast a brief look at Ethan, who was listening to their arguments yet still refused to trust the abbot.

"Leave, Ethan. And use this talisman—so they can’t track you."

Ethan hesitated, but seeing the sincerity in Brother Elias’s expression, he finally accepted, taking it using his ability.

"Then... thank you for the assistance, Brother Elias."

"No need for thanks. Just make sure to check on General Kaiser when you can. It seems he’s awakening an ability as well," Brother Elias warned, worry flickering across his face as he remembered how his buddy had suddenly collapsed.

They already understood what was happening, but it was still alarming.

The military was vulnerable right now as several officers were awakening simultaneously, leaving only a few capable of managing the evacuation center.

"Alright. I’ll look into it when I have time. Stay safe," Ethan replied before swiftly leaving the area.

Brother Jay saw it and attempted to stop him, but Brother Elias’s relentless interference held him back. He could only watch, furious, as Ethan slipped out of sight.

His anger surged, and in the next instant, the battle between the two abbots erupted, blazing brightly in the dim area.

Elemental powers roared and crashed against each other as the fight intensified.

Ethan, carrying his wife tightly in his arms, witnessed their abilities firsthand.

It was mesmerizing seeing it as a bystander—the sheer force, the colors, the pressure vibrating through the air. It was just like the scenes he had witnessed in his dreams.

But seeing it unfold in reality made everything undeniable: the world had changed.

They were now living in an era of ability users—an era where power held the final word.

Once Ethan was far enough from the battleground, he immediately summoned Lieutenant Fern. He wanted someone stationed nearby to monitor the situation.

"Hide for now. If things take a turn for the worse, try to extract Brother Elias quietly. But prioritize your safety, understood?"

He glanced at young Andrei, who was already brimming with eagerness to join the mission. "Be careful."

Then he looked back at Lieutenant Fern. "Keep an eye on him. If things get dangerous, toss him into Paradise."

"Roger, Chief," Lieutenant Fern replied.

Hearing that, Andrei finally smiled in relief. He wanted to help—and he wanted real experience in the chaotic world they were now facing.

"I’ll be careful, brother," Andrei promised.

Ethan nodded and took off once more. As he moved, the true aftermath of the Ice Age and flood finally revealed itself to him.

The once-frozen landscape had turned into a wasteland—debris scattered everywhere, structures toppled, and cars stacked in chaotic piles like discarded toys.

The stench of decay clung to the air, thick and suffocating, made worse by the rising heat.

He pressed on while carefully navigating the dim path ahead.

A quiet sigh escaped him as he quickened his pace. He needed to reach Building A as soon as possible—so his wife could finally rest somewhere safe.