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Thank you for reading and have a nice Sunday.
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Chapter 83 – In Danger
Riya walked very slowly, trying to keep her steps as light as possible, not daring to take her eyes off the infected in front of her.
As the distance closed, Riya realized the infected was much taller than she had expected. Even while sitting on the ground, its size alone was enough to make her feel overwhelmed.
Riya wanted to use her weapon, but there was a problem: the noise could attract both the infected and the humans who were hunting them.
Alan wanted to find a vehicle to escape. Staying in this place, surrounded by trees and a few scattered houses, wasn't the best option.
"Watch our back. I'll take care of the infected," Alan said, stepping forward with difficulty.
Riya wanted to object, but seeing how stubborn Alan was, this wasn't the time or place to argue. She stepped aside.
Looking at the massive infected, a wave of electricity ran up Alan's spine from his lower back to the top of his head, making his scalp go numb. Adrenaline sped up his breathing.
When someone is close to death, every sense kicks into high alert.
But Alan suppressed these feelings and kept walking. Turning back wasn't an option, as behind them were people likely returning to reclaim the supplies they had abandoned.
Alan gripped his longsword tightly, steadied his breathing, and blocked out everything else, focusing on a single point.
Finally, just three steps away from the enormous infected, he raised his sword and attacked without hesitation.
Crack!
The infected's head came off easily, but at the same time, a wave of pain caused Alan to collapse to the ground. "Damn pain…"
"Alan, I found some vehicles—but there are people," Riya said, quickly returning after guarding the rear.
"Where are they?"
"Very close…"
Alan looked at Tomas and said, "You'll have to help us deal with them."
"What do I have to do?" Tomas was determined to help in any way he could.
…
"You didn't find the kid?" One of the men guarding the vehicles noticed his companions were taking longer than expected to return.
"Tom's probably gone crazy looking for him—but I bet he forgot all about him once he brought down that helicopter."
"Hmph. Damn it, it's freezing out here."
Crack!
"Help me!"
Roooaarrr!
Just then, Tomas came running out of an alley, chased by a group of infected. The three men who saw him raised their weapons and opened fire.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
But just as they were lifting their weapons—likely preparing to shoot Tomas too—Riya emerged from the other end and shot each of them in the head.
"Clear, Riya. No one else here." Alan scanned the vehicles and didn't forget to slash their tires. "Grab their supplies and weapons before we leave."
He didn't know who those people were, but in a world like this, asking questions was the last thing one should do.
"Let's get out of here. Now." Alan climbed into the backseat to treat his wound as soon as possible before it got infected.
Riya took the driver's seat and quickly drove off before anyone nearby could catch up.
The danger hadn't truly passed—because in unknown places, anything bad could still happen.
"How's your leg?" Riya asked.
Alan, tending to the wound with care, said, "Doesn't look too bad. I'll be fine—if I'm lucky and it doesn't get infected."
"I need to get out of here," Tomas muttered from the front seat, staring out the window at the landscape.
Riya was puzzled. "Why do you want to leave?"
"I was bitten a while ago…"
Alan, who had just finished bandaging his leg, sighed when he heard this. He checked the bite mark on Tomas's shoulder—there was no saving him once the infection started taking over.
"Pull over, Riya."
"We're not leaving him behind."
"It's better now than letting him suffer—and you know it." Alan, in these situations, never let emotion cloud his judgment. As soon as Riya stopped the car, he stepped out, and Tomas followed with a faint smile.
"Any last words?" Alan asked, looking at Tomas, who seemed dazed.
"The ones who killed everyone at my shelter were hunters—a group known for robbing and killing. If you come across them, remember this: every one of them is an absolute monster who doesn't deserve to live."
"I understand. I'll take care of it."
Bang!
Alan fired without hesitation. The infection had clearly begun consuming Tomas, and there was no reason to let him suffer any longer.