Zombie Queen transmigration into a book

Chapter 182: There’s no surviving that

Then a thought struck Eva, and she quickly rose from her squatting position, her hands already turning cold and red from the cold.

"All the beasts wouldn’t go into hibernation...right? We still have to hunt for meat, right?" she asked hopefully. Though she liked seafood, she preferred the latter.

Ethan and Julian stayed silent; they had never experienced this weather and didn’t know what hibernating meant.

They had always found it suspicious when Eva said seemingly nonsensical things, suggesting she was either unaware of their world or strangely knowledgeable about the surface.

But they were not about to let that thought show on their faces or ask questions that might put her in a difficult position, so they decided to treat everything she said as common knowledge and simply adjust accordingly.

"We’ll only know once we enter the forest. First, we need to change into warmer clothes. I feel the cold will only get stronger the further we go in," Ethan replied, leaning in to carry her back—but Julian was faster this time.

Eva tried to stay optimistic. There had to be beasts in such a vast, expansive forest. She slipped into her space to find a thick jacket, only to realize she didn’t have one. In the end, she layered three other tops over what she was already wearing before reappearing outside.

Julian had a fur pelt he hadn’t yet turned into a jacket, so he took it out and wrapped it around himself. When Eva reappeared in his arms, he noticed her clothing and adjusted the fur to cover them both.

Ethan, on the other hand, felt no need to put on extra clothes and followed them into the forest, their feet crunching through the snow.

True to his word, the air grew colder, and Eva shivered, burying her face in Julian’s chest for warmth. "We have... to rest... in my space tonight," Eva muttered through chattering teeth.

Julian hummed in response; he was cold but not as affected as Eva. He felt she might take a while to adjust to the weather.

Ethan cleared the branches and vines blocking their path, and they traveled farther without encountering any beasts. The terrain grew difficult to traverse, and they were forced to find a clearing to rest.

The trees surrounding them were different from the ones they had passed at the entrance; from the roots to the tops, their branches were lined up like porcupines along their trunks.

Eva quickly brought them into her space. She settled into the foldable chair, staring out at the swaying crops as her body trembled from the cold. The warmth of her surroundings soon eased the chill, leaving her comfortable and revitalized.

Ethan handed her a cup of warm water. "Are you feeling okay now?" he asked, concern in his voice as he rubbed her slightly cold feet.

"A warm meat broth would cure me. Tell the chef to add enough chili," Eva ordered with a relaxed sigh.

She rested her bare foot against Ethan’s chest, clearly at ease.

"Yes, ma’am," Ethan said with a light chuckle, gently adjusting her feet to keep her comfortable. His action made Eva stiffen slightly, a strange warmth running through her.

She tried to pull her leg away, but he began massaging her insteps, sending a dull, numbing sensation through her body, leaving her able only to moan weakly.

"Is the pressure enough?" Ethan asked with a smirk curling the corners of his mouth as he stared into her watery eyes.

"Uh-huh..." Eva could only make that sound to feel comfortable enough to move a finger.

Julian walked out of the tent bare-chested. After the long distance they had traveled on foot, he had sweated a bit in the heat.

He stared at Eva’s pale, sleek feet for a moment, desire flickering in his eyes, before reluctantly turning away and asking.

"Eva, what do you want for dinner? I’m going to the kitchen." Julian’s words pierced through the haze of desire about to cloud Eva’s mind.

She straightened up and withdrew her legs from Ethan’s warm hands. "Ahem... Spicy meat broth. The food should be spicy. I need to warm up for the exploring we have tomorrow."

Eva responded in a hoarse voice, then cleared her throat and rose to her feet, nearly stumbling forward as her knees weakened beneath her.

Ethan caught her by the waist before she could fall. "No rush. The chef still has to prepare the meal," he said in a concerned tone, though his eyes held a teasing glint, fully aware he was the cause of her state.

Eva buried her face in his chest, embarrassed, then pinched him on the waist to vent.

She regained her composure. There was no need to feel shy; he’s her husband, and with that thought, her embarrassment faded slightly.

"Let go. I need to take some clothes off. It’s already making me sweat," Eva said, tapping his hands to get him to release her, beads of sweat already forming on her forehead.

Ethan pecked her on the lips before letting go. He went to the stream to wash up before dinner — he was the only one who didn’t feel the cold.

The sky darkened over the island, while space remained bright, like a permanent wallpaper.

They ate dinner and planned to rest after the long day. Eva was too tired to remind Ethan to fulfill his end of the deal by transforming into a cat. She lay sprawled across the bed, one arm flung loosely to the side as she fell into a deep sleep.

....

Meanwhile, the other island faces its first attack from the sea.

Today was like any other day; people filled the camp, either busy with construction or other duties.

As the sky darkened, huge shadows crept out from the sea and onto the sandy shore.

The patrolling guards, whose job was to keep children and daring adults away from the sea, were the first to notice.

"Is it just me, or are the shadows moving?" One of the guards patted his companion, who looked toward the sea in confusion before his gaze shifted to one of caution.

"Clack clack!"

The sound alerted the other guards, and some rushed back into the camp to inform Madam Grace and the rest.

The shadows seemed to notice that their presence was no longer a secret and rushed forward.

As they drew near, they became visible in the light coming from the camps.

"F*ck, a giant crab!" someone yelled in shock.

Thinking back on the crab meat he had eaten for dinner, he wondered if it was their parent coming for revenge.

The others were stunned as well, not expecting a larger version of the crabs they had eaten, but this one was more dangerous.

Its pincers gleamed with sharpness in the light, hinting at its ability to cut through steel.

"If one of those things manages to land on us... we’re finished. There’s no surviving that," a guard said gravely, pointing at the claws snapping shut as the creature scuttled forward.

The others swallowed, turning ashen with fear as they imagined being sliced through.

"Are we really going to wait here? What if Madam Grace doesn’t get here on time...?" One of the guards left his words unfinished, letting them fill in their imagined scenario as he edged backward.

But before their fear could run wild, Grace and a crowd of dungeon raiders rushed toward them from afar.

Their hearts settled, and they returned to the camp peacefully as soon as Madam Grace took charge of the situation.

Earlier, Grace was in the middle of a conversation when a guard nearly barged into her tent without knocking.

"Madam, countless shadows are emerging from the sea and moving onto land. It may be a beast attack," the man reported breathlessly, his words broken by heavy panting after running a long distance without stopping.

Grace’s expression changed, and those seated around her straightened at once, their gazes turning sharp.

"Leo, bring some dungeon raiders over. Let’s go," Grace instructed, then dashed out of the tent.

Leo called out to those he could find, instructing others to pass the message along. With that, they all ran after Grace.

At the moment, they stared at the countless enormous shadows of crabs in shock and disbelief.