Chapter 34: Separated in the Darkness

November 28, 2058 – Midnight

The night sky cast an eerie darkness over the forest. Inside the camp, tension grew heavier after losing contact with the scouting team. Pan paced back and forth inside the tactical post, his mind racing with all the worst possibilities that could have happened to Cong, Rico, Jenna, and the others.

Meanwhile, out in the ruins, the scouting team was on the run. They had made it halfway to Blackridge's signal source when a horde of blue-eyed zombies suddenly began chasing them. Unlike regular zombies, these were faster, more aggressive—almost as if something was controlling them.

"Run! Don't stop!" Rico shouted, firing at the nearest undead.

But there were too many. The narrow paths between the crumbling buildings slowed them down, and in the chaos, they were forced to split into three smaller groups.

Group One – Cong and Jenna

Cong and Jenna found themselves trapped inside a collapsing building. They managed to barricade the back door with a metal shelf, but the pounding of undead fists against the walls echoed through the room.

"How much ammo do you have?" Cong asked, breathing heavily.

Jenna checked her magazine. "Three rounds left… We need to find a way out before they break through."

Cong peered through a gap in the window and swallowed hard—more zombies were gathering outside.

"We're in serious trouble…"

Jenna met his gaze, her eyes filled with unease. "Can we wait them out?"

Cong shook his head. "No. If they're really being controlled, they won't just leave. We need to find another exit."

Jenna took a deep breath. "Then let's start looking."

Group Two – Rico and Daryl

On the other side of the ruined city, Rico and Daryl were forced into open combat. They ran while shooting, but no matter how many zombies they took down, more kept coming.

"There! Into that alley!" Daryl shouted, pointing at a narrow gap between two buildings.

They darted inside and quickly knocked over trash piles to block the entrance, but the zombies kept clawing their way through.

"We can't hold them off forever!" Rico gritted his teeth. "We need to regroup with the others!"

Daryl glanced back. "Damn it, they're still coming!"

"Then we make our own way," Rico muttered, scanning his surroundings.

His eyes landed on a rusty fire escape hanging from the building wall.

"We climb up!"

Daryl didn't hesitate. They sprinted toward the ladder and began climbing as the undead below snarled and reached for them.

"If they can climb too, we're dead!" Daryl hissed.

"Then we make sure they can't," Rico replied, loading another round into his weapon.

Group Three – Noah Alone

Meanwhile, Noah, the youngest member of the team, was running alone down an empty street. His breath was ragged, his legs ready to give out.

But before he could reach safety, something slammed him to the ground.

Not a human hand—a zombie's.

Noah screamed, struggling as the creature pinned him down. Its long, sharp claws nearly tore into his skin.

"ARGH! NO—!"

A sudden gunshot rang out. The zombie's head exploded, and its lifeless body collapsed beside him.

Gasping for breath, Noah looked up to see his savior.

A figure stood atop a distant rooftop, clad in the uniform of the Dominion of Varex.

Noah froze. This wasn't just a zombie ambush. It was something far worse.

At the Survivor Camp

Back at camp, Pan and the others realized they could no longer afford to wait.

"We can't just send a small rescue team this time," Pan said firmly. "We're going all in."

Mira looked uneasy. "But many people here have never even faced a zombie before."

"They'll learn on the way," Lila replied. "We can't let our team die out there."

With no time to waste, they gathered every survivor, prepared their gear, and organized their formation. Some were terrified, but no one objected.

Just as they were about to depart, a loud noise erupted from outside the camp.

"ARGHHH! WHAT IS THAT?!"

A guard's panicked voice rang out from the watchtower. Pan and the others rushed toward the source of the commotion.

In the distance, beyond the treeline, tall shadows began to emerge.

But these were no ordinary zombies.