Hearing that there was finally a team that would save them, the feeling of dread that was weighing on Thomas' heart rose instantly.
He breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god!"
Without waiting too long, he immediately packed his laptop and notebook. Then put it in the backpack.
General Lennard carries nothing but his gun but he isn't sure he can stand up to everyone who's changed into something beyond that door.
"Now what, General?" Thomas asked, his eyes that had always seemed sleepy now opened wide with a gleam of fear.
"We wait. We can't get the president out of here," said General Lennard.
Thomas bit his lips. Her face looks worried. "I hope they can get there quickly."
"HAAAAA!!!"
Suddenly there was a sound of shouting that was so loud and frantic that it sounded from outside.
Thomas and General Lenanrd were startled by an almost human-like sound, yet too loud for a human's throat. The resemblance made them both feel even more frightened.
"Shit, what is that, General?!" Thomas asked.
"How am I supposed to know?" replied General Lennard.
Actually, they both have a bit of a guess that is not much different from one another. It sounded like the voice of one of the humans who had changed due to the foreign power that might just be Magic. But they don't know what humans turn into and don't want to imagine it.
Now, all they have to do is stay indoors while hoping that whatever is outside doesn't notice them or can't get inside until the rescue team arrives.
~~~
They got out as soon as the truck stopped. The troops were equipped with weapons and full armor, ready to carry out major operations. Because when they saw what happened in this hospital, they were sure that this preparation was not excessive at all.
The hospital section was filled with dismembered corpses in several places. Blood smeared on the walls and pillars, adding to the impression of horror in this place even stronger.
The squad number ten includes Adrien, Erend, and Billy.
"God..." one of the soldiers stared at the scene in front of him with wide eyes full of horror and a deep frown.
"Captain, the president, and General are in this place, right?" another soldier asked while looking up at the tall windows.
"Yes. They're on the tenth floor," Adrien replied.
"What the hell is going on here?" the other soldiers asked with bewildered expressions. "Monsters?"
Adrien chose not to answer. "Come on. Let's get the president and General out."
They marched into the hospital with careful steps. Every step they take seems to be full of danger. They think that monsters can come out at any time from behind the pillars or doors.
Suddenly from behind the ceiling a human hand full of blood came out. They wanted to shoot immediately but hesitated because it was a human hand full of blood from a lot of scratches.
"It's human!" one soldier said. He immediately grabbed a stool and jumped onto the bench to save whoever was trapped behind the ceiling.
However, what came next was a bloody spike from the same position which immediately impaled the young soldiers.
*CRAAAT!*
The soldiers' eyes opened wide. He still had time to watch as the ceiling was ripped open by the creature inside. The creature came out; his face is that of a human but with a horn on his forehead. The same horn that had impaled the soldier's body.
"SHOOTS!" Adrien shouted orders. The rifle was raised towards the creature and they started shooting.
Bullets rained down on the ceiling and tore through it, allowing the creature to fall. They immediately fired at the creature until it used up the bullets in their magazine.
The creature fell and floundered on the hospital floor with bullets all over its body.
Six of the soldiers breathed frantically, they didn't expect to find such a monster here. Just a few steps after they entered the hospital, one of their members had died impaled by the monster.
However, Adrien, Erend, and Billy already suspected that something like this would happen. They still felt shocked but not as bad as they were.
"Shit!" one of the soldiers swore loudly. Frustration and fear were visible on his face.
"Let's continue," said Adrien.
"Sorry to interrupt, Captain. But we can't solve this alone. We need more people," the soldier said to Adrien. Six other people looked at him with the same eyes.
Adrien met their gazes and considered for a moment.
"Alright," Adrien finally said. "You guys can stand back and call for help. Me, Drake, and Brook will continue."
"What? Just the three of you?" the soldier asked.
"Yes. We can't take risks. The longer the president and general are there, the greater the danger that threatens them," Adrien replied. "We'll be going now. You don't need to worry. Nothing will happen to you even if you don't come."
Afterward, Adrien invited Erend and Billy to go with him, deeper into the hospital.
The six soldiers stared at their backs as they walked away. Yet they have no desire to follow. They cast glances from the three of them as if swallowing the shame they were feeling.
"Let's go and ask for backup. What's here far exceeds our capabilities."
After hearing the words of a soldier with the highest rank, they immediately turned around and left the hospital.
On the other hand, Adrien, Erend, and Billy are now climbing the fire escape to go to the tenth floor. Their body that had been enhanced by Magic made climbing that long ladder no longer a problem.
"That was a good decision, Captain," Erend said, praising his captain.
"I'm not letting people who don't know what they're getting into get any deeper, Drake," Adrien shot back.
They continued climbing the ladder. But the situation is so calm. In a hospital filled with humans who have turned into monsters, this is not a good sign.
"Why so quiet?" Billy asked in a whisper.
"Maybe they went outside?" Erend suggested an answer.
"So another monster came out onto the streets," said Adrien in a gloomy tone.
"Wait, but why are there so many humans in this hospital who become monsters even though we don't see a lot of them outside?" Billy asked.
Adrien and Erend frowned when they realized that Billy was right.
"You're right," Erend said. "You said something happened to the president before he was brought here, Captain?"
"Yes," answered Adrien. "Why?"
Erend didn't answer right away. After being silent for a few seconds, he said. "I just have a bad feeling. Maybe... something that happened to the president was caused by Magic. Given the current situation."
"That makes sense," Adrien said.
"If indeed the president as someone who wields supreme power in this country is affected by Magic, what will happen to this country?" Billy said, exposing the grave danger that might come.
Recognizing the pressing need to prioritize the rescue of the president and General Lennard, they collectively agreed to set aside further discussion on the matter. A sense of apprehension lingered within them, knowing that if what Billy said is proved accurate, this issue would potentially plunge everything into a state of utter chaos.
Finally, after a long time climbing the stairs, they arrived at the tenth floor. Adrien turned to Erend and Billy, "We can't rely on our guns now. So we better prepare ourselves to use our Magic."
Erend and Billy nodded. He especially gave those words to Billy because this was not a situation that Erend would be threatened with.
Adrien opened the emergency door slowly. But the creature inside didn't give him time to settle. A red tentacle-like raw flesh caught his hand and pulled him in.
"Captain!" Billy cried. He gritted his teeth and then dashed inside. His eyes widened when he saw what was in there.
The tenth-floor corridor was filled with humans who had turned into monsters with strange and terrifying shapes.
Their bodies distorted, bones jutted from various places to form blades or spears, and their skin peeled off. All those mutations make them hardly recognizable as humans anymore. All the monsters were originally patients of doctors and other hospital staff.
Adrien was attacked by one of the monsters who grabbed his hand with its tongue that had turned into tentacles. Luckily, Adrien managed to react in time and fired his gun at the monster's head.
*BANG!*
*BANG!*
*BANG!*
...
Adrien fired multiple times, causing the monster's brains to scatter onto the wall behind him. After the monster died, the tentacles that bound Adrien's hands fell. The monster fell to the ground and didn't move. Fortunately, they can still be killed with bullets.
Other monsters roared and groaned; they were charging toward Adrien with the ferocity of wild beasts who saw Adrien, Billy, and Erend who had just entered the corridor as prey.
Billy opened fire, and he spends his bullets on all those monsters, yet he was only able to kill a small number of them whereas inside the corridor there were probably around fifty monsters.
Erend step up. "Just use your Magic, Bill."
~~~
Follow current novℯls on f(r)eewebnov𝒆l