Infinite Regeneration In The Apocalypse-Chapter 132: Gloria I

The driver grunted acknowledgment and started driving without saying anything else.

At that exact moment, before Vogue could settle into his seat properly, two people suddenly opened the vehicle doors on both sides and slid into the back seat, trapping Vogue between them. A fourth person entered through the front passenger door.

Now there were four people surrounding Vogue completely, blocking any easy escape route.

Vogue’s face remained completely expressionless as he asked in a calm, measured tone,

"Who exactly are you people supposed to be?"

The driver sneered at him through the rearview mirror, his scarred face twisting into an ugly expression of contempt.

"Keep your mouth shut and don’t cause problems," the driver growled menacingly. "But if you’d prefer a more dramatic death with some struggling involved, feel free to try resisting. Just because we’re near the Citadel Administration building doesn’t mean we can’t easily kill you right here if you become annoying."

Vogue extended his senses carefully and assessed the strength of the four kidnappers surrounding him. They were all at the Peak Stellar Soldier stage, just one step below becoming Stellar Knights themselves. Dangerous opponents for most newly awakened people.

Vogue nodded his head with a slight smile and made an exaggerated zipping motion across his mouth with his hand, indicating he would stay quiet as instructed.

The four kidnappers visibly relaxed slightly, apparently satisfied that their victim wasn’t going to cause trouble. They began driving Vogue away from the busy downtown area toward the industrial outskirts of the city.

During the journey, the kidnappers laughed and talked amongst themselves, occasionally making mocking comments directed at Vogue.

"How does a weakling like you even acquire treasures like that? Did you fuck the universe or something?" one of them asked with cruel amusement. "You must have gotten incredibly lucky during your trial to find items way above your level."

Another kidnapper added,

"Yeah, it’s really unfair that trash like you gets Evolution Fruits while skilled warriors go without. But don’t worry, we’ll make better use of whatever you’re hiding than you ever could."

After listening to their mocking for several minutes, Vogue finally spoke up with genuine curiosity.

"Before I die, can I at least know who sent you to kidnap me? I’d like to understand who wants me dead and why."

The kidnappers looked at each other and then burst out laughing as though Vogue had told a hilarious joke. The man sitting to Vogue’s left pulled out his phone and showed him the screen.

On the display was Vogue’s registration photo along with all his personal information. Below that was a bounty notice offering one million credits for his capture or confirmed death.

"See that?" the man said gleefully. "One million credits just for bringing you in! Someone really wants you gone, kid. That’s a fortune for a simple kidnapping job!"

Vogue stared at the bounty and chuckled softly.

"So much money just for me? I’m flattered, really."

He leaned back in his seat and smiled wider.

"Though I suppose it’s a complete waste having this conversation with you people."

His expression suddenly shifted to become completely indifferent and cold. His voice dropped to a flat, emotionless tone.

"Explode."

His body immediately exploded.

"KABOOOOOOM!"

The entire vehicle, along with everything in a fifty-meter radius around it, exploded in a massive crimson wave of destruction. The explosion created a mushroom cloud of fire and smoke that rose high into the sky, visible more than 5 kilometers away.

Vogue woke up with a soft gasp as his consciousness suddenly jumped from the exploding clone in the warehouse to the backup clone he had left sitting cross-legged in his apartment room. The transition was disorienting for just a moment before his awareness fully settled into the new body.

He was back in his small room, seated in meditation position exactly where he had left this particular clone hours ago.

Vogue didn’t feel any particular concern or regret about the clone that had just exploded along with the four kidnappers in that warehouse. Those men had all been Peak Stage Stellar Soldiers, just one step below becoming Stellar Knights. Under normal circumstances, fighting four opponents of that caliber simultaneously would have been a genuine challenge that could test the true limits of his current strength.

But why would he waste valuable energy and time actually battling four Peak Stage Stellar Soldiers in direct combat when he could simply eliminate them instantly with a suicide explosion?

Vogue stood up from his meditation position and walked into the small kitchen area of his apartment. He was actually quite hungry despite his transformed body’s reduced need for food. Three days of evolution followed by registration activities had left him with an appetite. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

He filled a pot with water, set it on the small electric stove to boil, and pulled out a package of instant pepper noodles from his nearly empty cabinet. Basic food, nothing fancy, but it would serve its purpose.

Just as the water reached boiling temperature and Vogue was about to add the noodles, there was a sudden knock on his apartment door.

Vogue paused with the noodle package in hand and sighed deeply. He had a pretty good idea who would be visiting at this hour.

He set down the chopsticks he’d been holding, turned off the stove temporarily, and walked over to open the door.

Standing in the hallway was Nurse Gloria, looking as beautiful as ever in casual clothes rather than her medical uniform. Her expression showed a mixture of relief at seeing him and annoyance at his recent behavior.

Seeing her standing there, Vogue’s lips automatically curved upward into a genuine smile.

"You’re here."

Nurse Gloria made a cute snorting sound and pushed past him into the apartment without waiting for a proper invitation.

"Of course I’m here. Where else would I be?"

It was her first time actually entering Vogue’s living space, and as she looked around at the small, cramped room with its minimal furniture and nearly empty shelves, she couldn’t help but feel a wave of pity wash over her.

The apartment was tiny, barely large enough for one person. The bed was small and old, the blankets thin and worn. There was almost no personal decoration or belongings visible anywhere. The kitchen consisted of a single electric burner and a few mismatched dishes. Everything spoke of someone who had been living in poverty for quite some time.