Drax shook his head, panting, and said, "I checked, and it seems like someone has shut down many zombies right in the basement of this building! And there are mutants I've never seen before, with terrifying power…"
The clanging sounds grew closer, along with the piercing screams unique to zombies. They mixed in with the heavy rain outside, creating a chilling atmosphere just by listening.
In the hallway, Ayla even screamed, "Gosh! They're breaking through the iron railings to come up…"
Drax also pointed at the window opposite and shouted, "Boss, behind you! The window!"
Riona turned towards the sound and saw a green mutant clinging to the previously dim window.
It looked human but wasn't quite human, covered in sticky black pus, with limbs twisted weirdly. Its bloodshot eyes bulged out, one of which had fallen, hanging only by a bloody nerve. It looked utterly terrifying and disgusting.
Riona's pupils tightened, and she hurriedly grabbed a machete.
Soren's expression turned slightly stern. As the leaping mutant broke through the window, he raised his hand and flames surged out.
In the next moment, a fierce blaze enveloped the mutant. It let out a sharp, agonizing scream before burning into ashes.
Riona was astonished. 'So Soren's superpower has awakened already? No, with his sharp reaction speed and his smooth action, the power must have awakened it long ago.'
Now Riona was confused why Soren had fought with her for so many years using only guns and swords.
She had seriously considered him a nemesis, yet now it seemed that he was just playing along?
For a moment, Riona didn't know how to react. She had been well aware of the power of the Awakened, but this level of killing power was still new to her...
She had her team, a dozen of people, usually needed to fight for a long time to kill such agile mutants, yet Soren had finish it in an instant.
Before anyone could react, Ayla hurriedly pulled Drax inside, then slammed the door shut and reported to Soren in a hurried tone, "Boss, dozens of mutants are coming! The stairways on both sides are blocked! And there are many Mutant-Rs!"
Riona was extremely frightened. Mutant-R, a newly emerged advanced zombie type, had their weakness not in the head but scattered sparsely throughout the body. Even if dismembered, the terrifying mutant limbs remained highly aggressive.
For those bitten by Mutant-Rs, the mutation rate was one hundred percent, and even a scratch from them had a one-third chance of causing mutation.
No vaccine had been developed yet.
With a panicked face, Drax looked at Soren and said, "What do we do now, boss? There's no way out!"
Drax had already been curious why there were no people scavenging the abundant resources nearby. Now, it seemed that it was all because of the terrifying mutants hidden here.
Soren realized the gravity of their situation. He might handle this many mutants alone under normal circumstances, but right now, he obviously didn't have the energy for a drawn-out battle.
Each mutant had its own strengths: some were tough-skinned, others fast, some had numerous tongues, and some could even spit venom that turned people into mutants...
In a fight with them, he might survive, but the other three would surely die.
As the sounds drew nearer, Soren didn't hesitate. He went to the window, looked down quickly, and commanded, "Let's go through the window."
Their car was right outside. Ayla got it instantly. She sprinted and leaped through the shattered window, landing on the car roof, then quickly jumped inside. Starting the car, she yelled, "Guys! Quick!"
The jump from the second floor posed a real risk without superpowers. Drax hesitated at the window for a couple of seconds. Before he could muster the courage, Soren kicked him out, shouting, "Idiot, jump!"
"Argh—"
"Thud!"
Mutants with bizarre heads were now appearing in the corridor. Riona, feeling helpless, sat on the hospital bed, clutching her machete, her heart racing...
Usually, mutants were a rare sight, appearing solo. She couldn't fathom what kind of danger zone they were in to encounter so many mutants.
She was weak from losing too much blood, her fresh wounds barely stitched. She could barely even get off the bed now, let alone fighting or escaping.
In this dire moment, even a second's delay could cost Soren his life. 'Will he take me with him?' Riona wondered.
As a horde of mutants burst through the door and flooded in, Riona closed her eyes in despair.
At that critical moment, she felt a cold, sticky touch on her arm, and then was swiftly lifted into a warm, broad embrace.
For a brief second, a wall of fire erupted, and they leaped out of the window.
The wind roared past her ears, and large raindrops pelted her face. When Riona loosened her grip from around his neck and opened her eyes, their car was already speeding away.
Soren, holding Riona, stood atop the armored car. Behind them, the shattered hospital window spewed out weird mutants. They were oozing pus, their faces grotesque, mouths wide open, charging at them.
Above them, dark and oppressive clouds loomed; below the clouds lay the ruins of concrete buildings. The heavy rain kept pouring, washing over the muddy ground and dried grass, and also the terrifying monsters that roamed about...
This was the apocalypse, rarely sunny, always filled with blood, danger, and death.
Riona, looking at the scene behind the car, felt her heart pounding for a long, long time. It wasn't until Soren put her in the back seat of the car that she finally snapped back to reality.
Soren then climbed in as well. He was drenched from the rain, his black hair messy, a droplet of water falling from the tips, landing on his soaked white robe.
He leisurely took off the wet robe, slowly drying it with the flames from his palm. The back of the car quickly filled with mist.
Noticing Riona's gaze, he smiled and asked, "Thrilling, wasn't it?"