My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 666

Sparrow absentmindedly scooped spoonful after spoonful of food into his mouth, barely chewing before swallowing like a machine. The man who had brought him the food shook his head slightly before turning to leave. He headed back inside the village house and sat at the table to eat his own portion.

With so many people to feed, the canned goods Sparrow had taken from the shopping mart had been completely used up. The remaining rice from the earthen jar was carefully packed and stored inside a backpack for later use.

After their meal, the Winters’ men took up positions around the perimeter, assigning themselves to keep watch. They kept the perimeter small to eliminate blind spots and ensure nothing could slip past their defenses. Meanwhile, they allowed the civilians—especially the children and the elderly—to rest undisturbed.

Unfortunately, true rest was impossible, as the night was bitterly cold—colder than the night before. Desperate for warmth, the civilians searched the village, going from house to house in hopes of finding usable blankets. However, their search ended in disappointment; most of the blankets had turned moldy and smelled musty, making them unusable.

Fortunately, Sparrow had also gathered some clothes from the shopping mart. Though limited, the adults prioritized giving them to the children to keep them warm. To fend off the cold, they decided to huddle together like penguins, using their combined body heat to stay warm. The children were placed at the center of the group, surrounded by the elderly, then the women, with the men forming the outermost layer as a shield against the cold.

The children and elderly were the most vulnerable to both cold and excessive heat, so the group placed the children at the center of the huddle, ensuring they were warm but not suffocated. The elderly sat around them, followed by the women, while the men formed the outermost layer, bracing against the cold.

With no choice but to sleep sitting up, they curled their legs in front of them, pressing their backs against one another for warmth.

The men on the outer edge shivered from the biting cold, but the others shared whatever blankets they could find that only has little mold in it. Though a little moldy and musty, the blankets were still usable as shield, providing at least some relief from the freezing night.

Sparrow took only a short rest before waking up and sending half of the Winters’ men to get some sleep. With his superior vision, he was more effective than the others at keeping watch—one Sparrow was worth at least half a team when it came to standing guard. No one objected to his decision, and they continued rotating shifts until everyone had managed to rest.

They had hoped that a little sleep would help them recover and shake off the strange fatigue they were feeling. However, to their disappointment, both Sparrow and the Winters’ men realized that even after resting, the abnormal status lingered, refusing to fade.

By the time morning arrived, Sparrow and his team had taken turns resting, ensuring they remained alert.

The civilians also managed to get some sleep—though the night had been cold, it was still far better than the restless nights they had endured before, when fear for their lives kept them constantly on edge.

With Sparrow and his team watching over them, they finally felt safe enough to let their guard down and allow sleep to claim them.

As they stepped out of the largest house where they had huddled for warmth, the civilians stretched their stiff bodies, feeling a bit more refreshed despite the lingering exhaustion.

The foggy morning was so cold that every breath and word they spoke came out in visible puffs of mist. To keep them warm, the adults kept the children and elderly inside the house while the others ventured out in small groups to search the surrounding yards.