Evie nodded in response, her gaze following Ren as he hurried out of her room. She watched him go, feeling a wave of weakness wash over her as she struggled to keep herself upright.

As Ren disappeared from view, Evie's thoughts turned to her uncle's warnings about evolution and the apocalypse.

Could this be what he was telling her before?

The air around her felt stifling, each breath a struggle as she battled against the oppressive heat. She gasped for air, her lungs burning as if seared by a flame, and she coughed violently in response.

Despite the discomfort, Evie forced herself to remain calm, drawing on every ounce of strength she had left. She knew she needed to conserve her energy if she was going to fight this heat.

Evie's movements were sluggish as she crawled towards the mini fridge, each inch feeling like an eternity as she battled against the oppressive heat.

With trembling hands, she grasped a bottle of water, the cool liquid offering a brief respite from the burning sensation in her throat.

But even as she drank, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease gnawing at her insides.

Something was undeniably wrong, and the uncertainty weighed heavily on her mind.

Summoning the last of her strength, Evie reached out to her bedside table and pulled open the drawer. Nestled among her belongings was the [Green Card] her uncle had given her.

"Take this. This is the [Green Card], and it will ensure your safety in the next world, and by that time, I'm sure you will already evolve."

Her uncle's words echoed in her mind.

The notion of a "next world," the "apocalypse," seemed absurd under normal circumstances, but faced with the current situation, Evie couldn't dismiss the possibility that what her uncle said was true.

With a gasp, Evie clutched the [Green Card] tightly in her hand, her breaths growing shallower with each passing moment.

Despite the increasing difficulty in breathing, her thoughts remained fixated on Ren, her concern for him overshadowing even her own well-being.

"Ren . . ."

Evie took solace in the belief that Ren must have already evolved, given his apparent resilience to the extrheat.

It was a small comfort amidst what was happening, but it was enough to muster a weak smile on her lips.

For a long moment, Evie gazed at the [Green Card] in her hand, the weight of its significance sinking in.

Then, as her vision began to blur and her strength waned, her eyes fluttered closed, succumbing to the exhaustion that consumed her.

Meanwhile, Ren stood in the private elevator, the descent feeling endless as he made his way to Leonel's apartment.

With each passing floor, his apprehension grew, compounded by the lack of phone service and the ominous silence that enveloped the area.

As the elevator dinged, signaling Ren's arrival, he stepped out into the hallway, only to cto an abrupt halt.

What greeted him was a scene straight out of a nightmare.

Strange figures, neither fully human nor entirely alien, shuffled back and forth in the corridor. Their heads were grotesquely transformed into oversized mosquito-like appendages, complete with bulbous eyes and elongated, pointed mouths.

Shave burnt marks on their skin, while others had their skin peeling away in grotesque layers.

Ren's heart pounded in his chest as he watched in horror. These abominations were like something out of a horror movie, and the sight of them sent a shiver down his spine.

As if sensing his presence, the creatures turned their attention towards him, their movements jerky and unnatural.

A cacophony of buzzing noises filled the air as they began to advance towards him, their twisted forms contorted into grotesque expressions of hunger and malice.

Fear gripped Ren's chest like a vice. There was no way he could take on this horde of abominations and he definitely didn't want to.

With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Ren knew he had to act fast if he wanted to survive.

Ren's heart pounded furiously as he rapidly pressed the close button of the elevator door, his mind racing with a cocktail of fear and panic.

In all his life, he had never felt so scared and surprised at what he saw, the sensation akin to being trapped in one of those horror movies where the protagonist was besieged by zombies.

"Close, you fucking thing!" Ren hissed, his voice echoing off the walls of the confined space as he willed the elevator to shut out the horrors lurking outside.

Each vibration of the elevator felt magnified, sending tremors coursing through his body. Whether it was from adrenaline or sheer terror, Ren couldn't discern.

A pointed tip wedged itself between the closing doors, halting their progress. Panic surged within Ren as he realized that if even one of those creatures managed to pry the doors open, he would be at their mercy.

Instinct kicked in, and Ren's body moved before his mind could fully comprehend the danger. With a swift motion, he lashed out, delivering a powerful kick to the creature's elongated mouth.

There was a sickening crack, accompanied by a piercing hiss that reverberated in Ren's ears, leaving them ringing.

But the kick had the desired effect, causing the creature to stagger back, allowing the elevator doors to finally close.

As the elevator ascended back to his apartment, Ren gasped for breath, his chest heaving with the exertion of his escape.

He couldn't believe that this was really happening — that just moments ago, he had been immersed in the virtual world of COVENANT, only to find himself now running for his life from these nightmarish creatures.

What was happening? How had things spiraled out of control so quickly?

Ren closed his eyes, attempting to steady his ragged breathing as he pondered his next move.

Though the creatures in the hallway had becindistinguishable from their human counterparts, there remained a subtle resemblance in their hair, their stature, and even their attire.

It was enough to send a shiver down Ren's spine, a chill of recognition that left him reeling.

His mind immediately leaped to a terrifying conclusion: those figures, so eerily reminiscent of humanity, were none other than Leonel's family.