Chereads / Blue Plague: Escape from Ground Zero / Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Lost in the Ducts

Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Lost in the Ducts

Li Yi, Wang Wei, and four others gathered around the ticket counter, carefully studying the map of the ventilation system. The chosen team members were small and agile: maintenance workers Xu Peng and Xiao Zhou, female security officer Zhao Rui, and ex-soldier Zhang Lei.

"This is the layout of the maintenance ducts," Xu Peng said, pointing to the diagram. "Each corner is reinforced with support brackets, which can be used for leverage. But be cautious around these temperature sensors—they're connected to the main control system. If triggered, they could set off alarms across the ventilation system."

Wang Wei shone his flashlight over the map. "This 45-degree incline looks like trouble. Climbing up is one thing, but how do we get back down with all the supplies?"

"There are maintenance footholds here," Xu Peng explained, pointing. "They're designed for repairs, so they can act as temporary supports. But to be honest, they haven't been tested in years, so I can't guarantee their strength."

They equipped themselves with basic tools: high-powered flashlights, radios, nylon ropes, and backpacks for food supplies. Each wore lightweight protective suits scavenged from the security office, providing minimal protection against the duct's sharp edges and cold metal walls.

"Remember," Xu Peng emphasized, "if you hear any unusual metallic vibrations, stop immediately. These infected are highly sensitive to electromagnetic fields, and the ducts act like giant acoustic conduits."

The entry point was in a restroom ceiling. Zhang Lei boosted Xu Peng, who deftly unscrewed the access panel. The inside of the duct was pitch black, with only the distant whoosh of airflow, like the breath of a giant unseen creature.

"I'll go first to scout ahead," Xu Peng whispered. He climbed inside with practiced agility, his flashlight beam creating eerie reflections on the stainless steel walls.

One by one, the others followed. The duct was even narrower than expected, just wide enough for an adult to crawl. Every movement had to be deliberate, as the slightest noise echoed painfully in the confined space.

"The first 30 meters is a straight section," Xu Peng's voice came from ahead. "At the first bend, we'll take a left. Be careful of the ceiling sensors."

The group moved slowly. The temperature inside the duct was unnaturally cold, with frost forming on the metal walls. Every touch left a clear handprint on the icy surface.

Suddenly, Zhao Rui stopped. "Listen!" she whispered.

Everyone held their breath. A faint vibration came from a distant branch of the duct, a sound like something crawling—mixed with the eerie creak of twisting metal.

"Don't make a sound," Xu Peng gestured urgently.

The vibrations grew louder, accompanied by a screeching noise that set their nerves on edge. In the shadows beyond their flashlight beams, something seemed to be watching.

"Damn it," Zhang Lei muttered softly. His protective suit had caught on a bolt sticking out of the duct wall.

The faint sound of tearing fabric reverberated through the ducts, amplified into a piercing echo. The crawling noise stopped abruptly, replaced by an unsettling silence.

"Turn off the lights!" Xu Peng ordered.

In the pitch darkness, they saw an ominous glow seep through a branch vent. A faint blue light illuminated the metal walls as an infected creature approached, holding a metal rod that it dragged along the ceiling's fixtures.

The duct's temperature seemed to drop even further. The rhythmic clanging of the rod created vibrations that reverberated throughout the ducts, like a primitive sonar system.

Xu Peng motioned for everyone to press tightly against the walls. Their shallow breaths formed faint puffs of mist in the freezing air, each one a potential giveaway. The infected was now less than ten meters away, its eerie blue glow spilling through the duct seams and casting unsettling patterns on the steel walls.

Zhang Lei carefully adjusted his position, trying to free his suit from the bolt. His trembling hands betrayed his fear as cold sweat threatened to freeze on his skin.

Suddenly, one of the temperature sensors emitted a soft electronic beep. The sound echoed in the duct, transforming into a strange hum. The infected stopped, its glowing eyes piercing the darkness.

"It's searching," Xu Peng mouthed silently. The faintest noise could act as a beacon in the blackness.

Zhao Rui bit her lip hard, suppressing any sound. She noticed the infected changing its search pattern. The metal rod scraped against the duct wall with deliberate, rhythmic motions, generating subtle vibrations. The pattern felt intentional, like a crude yet effective detection network.

"There!" Xiao Zhou whispered breathlessly. In another branch of the duct, another blue light flared to life. More infected were converging.

Xu Peng's mind raced. According to the map, the next maintenance hatch was 20 meters away, but reaching it would require passing through this area. Time was slipping away, and a second infected was closing in.

At that moment, the main ventilation fan roared to life. The heavy blades churned the air, creating a deep, resonant hum that reverberated through the ducts.

"Move!" Xu Peng seized the opportunity, signaling the team to advance quickly. The fan's noise masked their movements as they crawled through the precarious section.

As they passed the danger zone, a sharp metallic crash echoed behind them. Glancing back, they saw a pale arm reach into the duct through a torn opening, its skin glowing with sinister blue circuits.

"Go, go, go!" Xu Peng shouted, abandoning stealth. The infected had clearly detected them, and their only hope now was speed.

Ahead, the duct sloped upward at a 45-degree angle. Frost coated the smooth steel, making every step treacherous.

"Grab the support brackets!" Xu Peng gasped. The maintenance footholds groaned under their weight, the sound of stressed metal sending chills through the group. Below, the blue glow of the infected grew brighter as they climbed.

Zhao Rui gritted her teeth as the sharp metal edges of the duct cut into her hands. Xiao Zhou, behind her, braced her boots with his shoulders to help her keep balance.

"Listen!" Zhang Lei hissed. Amid the fan's roar was another sound—a rhythmic pounding. It wasn't mechanical.

"They're jumping up!" Xu Peng's face turned pale. "The infected are trying to climb!"

"Just 20 more meters!" Xu Peng urged, his voice strained. "The maintenance platform is at the top!"

A loud metallic tear echoed from below. Through the duct's seams, they saw the infected ripping through weak points in the structure with unnaturally twisted limbs. The glowing blue energy beneath their skin illuminated their grotesque faces.

"Get up there now!" Zhang Lei yelled, pulling out a fire axe. "I'll hold them off!"

"No way!" Zhao Rui turned back, throwing her backpack upward. She drew her baton, standing shoulder to shoulder with Zhang Lei.

Xu Peng reached the platform first, securing a nylon rope to help the others. Xiao Zhou climbed up, assisting in anchoring a makeshift pulley system.

The entire ventilation system emitted a sharp, piercing whine as every temperature sensor was triggered. Flashing red lights illuminated the ducts in rapid bursts.

"Climb! Now!" Xu Peng shouted. Zhang Lei and Zhao Rui backed up the incline, fending off pale arms that reached through every seam and gap. They stepped onto the swaying footholds, their every step threatening to collapse the fragile structure.

At the last moment, Zhang Lei grabbed Xu Peng's rope and pulled himself up. Zhao Rui used her momentum to vault onto the platform just as the final foothold gave way, crashing into the duct below with a deafening clang.

The five collapsed on the maintenance platform, gasping for air. Through the ventilation grate, they could see the food storage room just ahead. But for now, no one had the energy to think about it—the nightmare of their climb still fresh in their minds.

"These things…" Zhang Lei wiped cold sweat from his brow. "They're getting smarter."

Xu Peng nodded. "It's like they're being controlled. Like remote-operated machines."

"We need to grab the supplies and get back," Zhao Rui said, glancing at her watch.

The group crawled toward the storage room's exhaust vent. Behind them, in the suffocating darkness, the blue lights of the infected still flickered ominously. Suddenly, a massive explosion echoed from the arena above, drawing the infected away from the ducts.