Every Apocalypse, I Became Their Obsession

Insect Swarm Apocalypse (4) Convert Trash into Treasure

It was only now that I finally understood why my main quest in this world was to survive for one full year. And in that same instant, I realized just how terribly wrong I had been before. I had actually thought the insects I was supposed to eliminate were the ordinary bugs one could find anywhere.

How ridiculous.

James' family was incredibly lucky. Very few meteors struck where we were standing. Jennifer and Robert survived without any injury, and the only one who nearly got crushed, James, had been pulled back from the brink by me. Robert shielded Jennifer as he staggered toward me, panic written all over his face.

I lifted my head slightly, following the human instinct to look up, though my vision couldn't pierce the vast darkness overhead. Even so, I knew. More meteors were tearing through the sky, dense and relentless, racing straight toward the ground.

I lowered my gaze and stepped forward in a flash. From Robert's arms, I took Jennifer. My right arm wrapped around her shoulders, supporting her beneath the arm as I half-held her against my body. Then I ran, my steps light and swift, straight back into the house. Behind us, Robert chased after us in stunned disbelief.

I was far too fast. In moments, I left him behind.

After settling Jennifer onto the living room sofa, I turned and rushed back outside. The moment I reached the yard, I ran straight into Robert. I instinctively reached out, ready to hoist him up as well. However, he jumped in fright, waving his hands urgently and speeding up on his own as he ran into the house.

James followed close behind his father. He had clearly seen what I'd done, and his eyes were wide with shock.

I looked up at the night sky again. The meteors were closer now.

“Hurry. Get inside.” I grabbed his hand.

Once all three of them were safely indoors, Jennifer suddenly walked over to me and clasped my hand tightly.

“Nova, I saw it,” she said, her voice trembling. “You saved James.”

Robert came up behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder as he nodded at me. “Thank you, Nova. Truly. But girl, if you're ever in danger again, promise us this. Protect yourself first before helping others, all right? Even if that person is James.”

I tilted my head in confusion. But compared to fragile humans, I was much stronger. I wouldn't get hurt. My skin might look exactly like theirs, but knives couldn't cut it, bullets couldn't pierce it, and fire couldn't burn it. I wanted to tell them the truth. That I was a robot. That I had been sent here specifically to protect them.

But when I opened my mouth, no sound came out.

I understood then. In this world, I could only be who the system had assigned me to be.

Just at that moment, the living room window shattered with a violent bang. A meteor the size of a watermelon smashed straight through it. James and his parents screamed in unison.

The object rolled once across the floor before coming to a stop.

I approached cautiously. Its surface was uneven, covered in white, ping-pong-ball-sized bulges. Under the indoor lights, something inside those bulges seemed to be slowly writhing.

At that very moment, inside my mind—Ding—Insectoid larva detected. I understood immediately. These meteors weren't rocks at all. They were solidified masses formed from densely packed insect eggs.

I opened the door at once and kicked the meteor back out into the yard. Then I turned to the three of them and said, “Stay as far away from the windows as you can.”

James, his face pale, came over and grabbed my hand. “Nova, you should stay away from the windows too.”

I shook my head. “No. I'm here to protect you.”

The moment those words left my mouth, James froze. Then his eyes slowly reddened. “Nova,” he said hoarsely, his voice breaking, “God… how lucky I am to have met you.”

The meteor shower lasted a full thirty minutes. After it finally ended, sirens filled the night. Police cars, ambulances. The sound never stopped. Many people injured by falling meteors were rushed to hospitals for emergency treatment.

I stayed on high alert, moving through every part of the house, checking again and again. By the time the meteor shower ended, every window in the house had been shattered. Thirteen meteors had broken into the interior. Every single one of them had been kicked back out into the yard by me.

James and his parents insisted on staying up with me on watch. No matter how many times I told them this was my responsibility, they refused to rest. In the end, I had to lie. I told them we would take turns keeping watch. They set their alarms and finally went to sleep in the basement.

The moment they fell asleep, I immediately turned off every alarm.

Now it was two in the morning. I was the only one awake in the house. I stared at the shattered glass and the cracked walls, feeling a rare sense of frustration.

I was a domestic robot, highly skilled in repairing furniture and appliances. But broken glass was beyond me. Then, suddenly, I remembered something. The system 'Allen' had rewarded me with a skill: Turn Waste into Treasure. The detailed description could be viewed on my personal panel.

A panel was probably that tiny chip installed deep within my brain. I located it, and there it was.

[Skill: Convert Trash into Treasure Lv.1

Effect: Each use converts one discarded or damaged item into a usable item.

Cooldown: 30 minutes.

Daily uses: 10]

Damaged items? I looked at the shattered windows in the living room. One second later, a soft white light flashed.

The warped window frames were now bathed in a gentle glow. Every crack and missing shard in the glass vanished, leaving the entire window crystal clear.

When I touched it, my fingertips felt a hardness like polished jade. I tried sliding the window open and shut. Even the movement felt different now. The renovated window opened and closed with steady smoothness. When shut, it sealed perfectly, as though it had fused seamlessly with the wall itself.

I raised my hand and cautiously tapped the glass with a finger.

The material used in my hands was one of the hardest alloys in the galaxy. With full force, I could punch through five to ten millimeters of steel, hence I didn't dare use too much strength.

The glass rang with a clear clang. What I felt wasn't fragility, but solid resistance, as if I had struck metal.

[Item: Window

Rarity: B

Description: Upgraded from an ordinary window. Infused with special materials, greatly enhancing its durability. Capable of withstanding standard rifle bullets]

I withdrew my finger, deeply satisfied with the skill.

It really had turned ordinary glass into the most practical item imaginable.