Apocalyptic Rebirth: With a repairman system space, she rises again. Chapter 786 786: The Cousins Meet Again, Finally.

Leah was already in the kitchen, crafting a snack for Ala with swift, practiced movements as the Quinns departed. Ala, her mood visibly improved, trailed Leah like a tiny shadow.

"What sort of sorcery did you weave in there?" Hades inquired as they approached the car. He had half-anticipated Leah bursting from the house, Nimo and his wife in tow, ready to deliver a second, jarring welcome to their stronghold for Moon. "She went from a funeral dirge to sandwich-making in ten minutes. Did you offer Moon a trip to Shardling Lake, like your excursion with Amber?"

"I pledged her a profoundly grim conclusion for Moon, but not the Shardling Lake trip," Sunshine stated plainly, keeping her true machinations concealed. "All you need to grasp is that it will be spectacular. Fireworks. The spectators will be enthralled. Let's just say Leah finds satisfaction in knowing that justice serves as a potent appetite enhancer and energy booster."

Hades expressed his disappointment, voicing it during their transit to the prison base. "I had rather hoped for a Shardling Lake excursion for her. Even a modest one. The three of you are rather amusing when you adopt the guise of tormentors."

Sunshine chuckled, exhaling smoke simultaneously. "We are hardly tormentors, Hades. We are the Avengers."

"Avengers of Shardling Lake," he retorted, a ripple of laughter betraying his mirth. "Do you fathom the number of us who anticipate witnessing Moon suspended above a lake, perhaps accompanied by a potential crocodile? It wouldn't be the worst denouement for her."

She gently stroked the back of his hair, her gaze a blend of fondness and amusement. "I am certain Carson, Poncho, Dwayne, and Phillip are embroiled in this. Someone is undoubtedly taking wagers. I have a wager of my own. What are the odds that Father Nicodemus visits the Steward residence before noon today?"

Hades laughed, tapping the steering wheel. "I wouldn't even need to wager. He paid them a visit yesterday, post-confrontation. Let's just say Dominic made him regret his forgiveness oration with a single, well-placed punch."

Sunshine gasped. Such a cascade of drama, and she had been absent for all of it! "That is utterly unfair," she murmured.

Upon their arrival at the prison, medical personnel provided Sunshine with an update on Moon's condition. Apparently, the patient had refused any examination since regaining consciousness.

"My recommendation is to sedate her," Warden Townsend advised, lowering his voice. "I am already uneasy due to the whispers I've overheard concerning that woman." He confided, "Dominic referred to her as the angel of death."

Sunshine and Hades exchanged amused glances. The description wasn't far-fetched, considering the sheer volume of death Moon had orchestrated across this desolate landscape.

Arwin rolled his eyes. "Calm yourself, Townsend. She is entirely human. She possesses no power to curse you into oblivion or engineer an escape. Sedation is entirely unnecessary."

Despite the assurances, the warden remained unconvinced.

Paula guided Sunshine toward the solitary confinement ward. As they proceeded, Sunshine removed her illusionary mask, revealing her true, unblemished countenance. She intended for Moon to witness her appearance—radiant and robust.

Dominic awaited them just outside the cell. The metallic door was secured from the exterior by an electronic lock. A fist-shaped imprint of Dominic’s likeness served as its most recent, prominent embellishment. "She's been an absolute joy," he stated with biting sarcasm. "Demanding an audience with her 'beloved sister' every five minutes."

Sunshine let out a derisive snort. "Let us have our reunion, then."

Hades and Dominic remained in close proximity as the heavy steel portal hissed open. Sunshine entered, striking an impassive pose before the cell's reinforced glass barrier.

Moon, who had been curled up on the bed, sprang to her feet the instant she saw Sunshine. Initially, her visage contorted with raw, unbridled fury... witnessing Sunshine's healthy, prosperous, and commanding presence was like a dagger to her spirit. Then, her expression underwent a swift transformation.

She adopted the most pitiful, tear-streaked countenance she could contrive. "Suni! Oh, thank heavens!" Moon wailed, pressing her hands against the glass. "You simply cannot fathom the atrocities these fiends have inflicted upon me! The Stewards... they're deranged! They accuse me of harming their offspring, but I was a victim myself! It was Mother who orchestrated it; the apocalypse drove her to such madness!" She faltered, her gaze latching onto Sunshine. "Where have you been? But that matters little now; you must exact retribution upon them, Suni. Expel them from our sanctuary! No, better yet, execute them!"

A soft chuckle escaped Sunshine as Moon uttered the word 'our.' She scrutinized her cousin. "You appear utterly ravaged, dear cousin... that burn will leave a rather unsightly scar."

Moon pursed her lips, then expelled a deep, weary sigh. "You have no inkling of the tribulations I've endured," she began, a torrent of words spilling forth at breakneck speed, weaving an elaborate fiction of escaping molten landscapes, enduring betrayals from all sides, suffering torture at the hands of mutants, and lamenting the immense hardship she faced solely in her quest to locate her "dearest sister."

"I cannot truly empathize with your hardship," Sunshine cut in, her words as sharp and cold as ice. "My existence within my fortress walls has been remarkably comfortable. It's quite a departure from our prior existence, isn't it? Remember when the scars were mine, and I was the one enduring suffering while you reveled in a life of luxury alongside Cassius?"

The ensuing silence was profound and absolute.

Moon's jaw fell slack. Her heart began to pound against her ribs with such ferocity she feared it would shatter. She blinked, once, then twice, her mind struggling to process the revelation. Gradually, the color leached from her face, leaving her as pale as the stark white walls surrounding her.

"You..." Moon stammered, her voice cracking with disbelief. "You remember? You were reborn as well?"

Sunshine let out a derisive, sarcastic laugh. "You absolute fool. You're only just realizing this now! I knew you had been reborn the very instant your avarice led you to latch onto Cassius. I cannot express my gratitude enough that you chose to marry that simpleton instead of Hades. That decision alone was the pivotal move that altered the course of our destinies."

The weight of the realization struck Moon like a physical blow. Suddenly, everything clicked into place; the fortress, the advanced medical supplies, the abundant food, and certain technological advancements. All of it was the work of Cassius's inventions from their previous existence. Sunshine hadn't merely been reborn; she had leveraged her foreknowledge of the future to usurp all the accolades that rightfully belonged to Moon.

"The bracelet," Moon hissed, her fear quickly morphing into a desperate, petty rage. "You sold me a counterfeit! How could you be so heartless?"

Sunshine emitted a low, sinister chuckle. "Heartless!! You ransacked my room to steal it and then bolted from the Quinn estate the moment you acquired it. Were you ever planning on sharing it with me? I doubt it. All my actions were in self-preservation. I have never forgotten, Moon. Never forgotten how you ended my life in our last existence. Not for a single second did I forget the searing pain of that blade piercing my body.

The sole reason I refrained from eliminating you from the outset was the urgency of the situation; I needed to gather supplies and secure a safe haven. However, I vowed to myself that should our paths cross again, I would exact my revenge. And I am a woman of my word."

Moon's legs buckled beneath her. She collapsed to her knees, her hands twisting together in a desperate, pleading gesture. "Suni, please! I'll leave! I'll venture into the desolate drift lands and vanish forever! I promise to never trouble you again. This is a new beginning for us all. I have caused you no harm in this life. Why can't you find it in your heart to forgive a transgression from our past?"