Chapter 37: The Ominous Pursuit
Swosh! Two bloodshot eyes snapped open, revealing a network of thin red veins that pulsed across the whites. Beneath them, small bags of skin hung heavy, a testament to exhaustion. This was Niko—tired, anxious, and on edge ever since Adele had left, screaming like a madwoman into the night. Though he’d unintentionally fallen asleep afterward, he kept waking, startled by sounds that weren’t really there. His nerves were frayed, leaving him with the eerie feeling that something bad was lurking just out of sight, waiting to happen.
It was a feeling he couldn’t shake, like the paranoia that creeps up after watching a horror movie alone at night, or walking down a dark, deserted street. The air itself seemed thick with tension, making him feel like prey under constant threat.
But this time, Niko was certain he’d heard something. His eyes darted around the dimly lit sewer space, scanning the shadows. I’m not going crazy like Adele, am I? he murmured to himself, shaking off the unease. Yet, his heart pounded with doubt, as though warning him of something imminent.
Just as he was about to dismiss it as a trick of the mind, Niko caught sight of movement—Kyle and Priya, both wide-eyed and alert, their gazes mirroring his own unease. It wasn’t just him. They had heard it too.
Before he could call out to the others, a piercing scream shattered the silence.
"AHHHH!" It was Adele. Her voice, unmistakable, echoed from somewhere outside, filled with raw terror.
Everyone in the sewer bolted upright, confusion and fear filling their eyes as they scrambled for their weapons. The scream was followed by another, this one more chilling—filled with desperation and the unmistakable sound of agony.
“Oink!”
“Oink!!!”
The unsettling pig-like grunts followed, reverberating through the tunnels in a way that made everyone’s skin crawl. These weren’t like the boars they had faced before. There was something darker, more malicious in the sound—something that promised danger far worse than what they'd previously encountered.
“Let’s help her!” Andrea said, urgency in her voice, but the looks she got from the others stopped her cold.
Singh’s face twisted into something ugly. “No! We need to get the hell out of here as quick as possible. That bitch brought them here! And I’m telling you—she brought more than just those dumb boars. Move, now!”
Without hesitation, the group surged forward, following Singh’s lead deeper into the mountain. Niko’s heart raced with every step, the image of Adele’s terrified face flashing in his mind, her screams still echoing as the sounds of bones snapping and flesh tearing filled the sewer behind them. He didn’t look back.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“What do you mean, more than just the boars?” Ivanic demanded, his voice sharp as they ran.
“There’s something leading this damn attack! Some weird humanoid monster with a pig’s head. It’s smart—way smarter than those boars. Even a level ten mercenary couldn’t beat it!” Singh’s voice quivered with fear, and they picked up their pace.
“OINK!”
The sound echoed again, closer this time, and Zheng’s eyes widened in horror. “They’re in!”
Niko felt his blood run cold. He had been gaining confidence in himself and his abilities, but facing something that not even higher-level players could defeat? That was a death sentence.
“Those damn Protectors!” Priya cursed, her voice filled with rage. “If I survive this, I swear I’ll tear them apart for abandoning us like this! How could they do this?”
“They don’t owe us anything,” Kyle said bitterly, though his voice shook with the same fear. “It’s our fault for trusting them. We should’ve known better.”
Niko agreed silently. He had been naive. They all had. In this world, where survival came at any cost, trusting anyone—especially those in power—was a mistake. Humans, no matter how noble they seemed, could be greedy and cruel. And in this world, that cruelty had no limits.
Their frantic escape came to an abrupt halt as the tunnel forked ahead. On one side, a path stretched deeper into the mountain, while to their left, an air-locked door stood shut with a large lever protruding from it.
“OINK!!!”
The sound was terrifyingly close now. Everyone’s nerves were on edge, their fear palpable.
“Open that door! We can’t keep running, it’s right behind us!” Ivanic shouted, urgency filling his voice.
Candreva rushed forward, grabbing the lever with his hands and yanking it hard. But nothing happened.
“Ugh!” Candreva grunted, pulling with all his strength, but the lever refused to budge. The fear in his eyes grew as he turned to the others. “It’s stuck!”
“OINK!”
Bang!
The sound of something massive hitting the walls of the sewer made everyone flinch. The monster was closing in. They didn’t have time.
Suddenly, Dharma, who had been silent this whole time, sprinted forward. Without a word, he gripped the lever with both hands and pulled with everything he had. A low, grating noise filled the air as the ancient mechanism creaked to life, slowly turning until the door groaned open.
“Move!” Fumito screamed, and everyone rushed inside, shoving themselves through the narrow opening. Once they were all inside, the second airlock door slammed shut behind them, locking from their side.
Bang!
“Oink!”
The terrifying sounds continued, and the group could hear the thudding of the creature against the door, as if testing the barrier. The eerie oinks and crashes sent shivers down their spines.
Breathing heavily, everyone collapsed to the ground, grateful for the momentary safety. But the silence that followed was just as unsettling. It hung thick in the air, oppressive and full of unspoken fear.
“Where are we?” Niko asked, his voice low, as he glanced around the new space they had found themselves in. His body trembled with exhaustion, but his mind was still on high alert. He didn’t trust this sudden quiet—not after everything they had just been through.