Chapter 7 Hell week (part 3)

The door swung open, then clicked shut as Inspector Lee stepped inside. The room was dim, lit only by the glow of a computer screen where Dr. Lynn sat typing, her fingers moving with quiet precision.

She didn't look up. "Inspector Lee. Didn't expect to see you in Sector 5. What's the occasion?"

She motioned toward the chair across from her, still focused on the screen.

Lee sat, exhaling sharply. "It's about the mountain incident. He's on the move."

Dr. Lynn's fingers froze over the keyboard. For a second, she didn't speak. Then, without looking at him, she murmured, "I see."

Lee didn't elaborate. He just stood. "That's all I came to say."

As the door shut behind him, Dr. Lynn leaned back in her chair. The silence in the room felt heavier now.

She reached for a picture frame on her desk, her fingers hovering over it before finally picking it up. Her eyes softened—just a little.

"So… you're back."

She placed the frame face-down.

Hell Week – Jungle

The jungle was thick, humid, and suffocatingly hot. Every step sank into damp earth, boots squelching as they pushed forward.

"God, this heat's gonna kill me," Private May muttered, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Nobody cares, May. Keep walking," Captain Yumi shot back, eyes scanning the dense foliage ahead. "We've got seventeen miles to cover by the end of the week."

A few steps ahead, Private Lina glanced back. "Actually, Captain, we're already three miles in. That means—"

"Lina, I swear to God, if you keep counting, you're carrying my pack."

Lina shut her mouth.

The squad spread out slightly, keeping within sight of each other. The air was thick with the smell of damp leaves and soil. Somewhere in the distance, an animal let out a low, guttural cry.

Then—

Rustling.

Yumi's hand shot up. "Hold."

The squad froze. The sound came from a cluster of massive leaves up ahead. Something was moving behind them.

Yumi's fingers tightened around her paintball gun as she stepped forward, her boots sinking into the wet earth. The jungle had gone dead silent, save for that faint rustling.

She reached the leaves and carefully pulled one back—

Nothing.

Her jaw tightened.

"Captain, what the hell are you doing?" May whispered. "The others are getting ahead."

Yumi didn't answer. Something felt off. She glanced at the leaves again before muttering, "It's nothing."

Still, she wasn't convinced. Annoyed, she yanked the leaf up again—

Two figures crouched underneath.

Both sides screamed.

Pop-pop!

May fired reflexively.

"Ow! What the hell?!" Herald yelped as bright orange paint splattered across his vest.

Beside him, Rin flinched as another shot smacked his shoulder.

May blinked. "Shit—uh, my bad."

Herald groaned, rubbing his chest. "'My bad'? You just shot us!"

"It was reflex!"

Rin sighed, wiping paint from his sleeve. "You were a cop, right? Shouldn't you have better trigger control?"

May gave a weak laugh. "Yeah, well… training didn't cover jungle ambushes by dumbasses hiding under leaves."

Yumi, still gripping her gun, narrowed her eyes. "Who the hell are you two?"

Herald exhaled, still irritated. "Herald. Captain of the mercenaries."

"Rin. Sniper."

Rin tilted his head toward the squad. "We're the ones hired by the UNC mercenaries to run this hell week of yours."

The squad stiffened.

Sam's words echoed in their heads: Shot or captured results in torture for the rest of the week. And you must retake the course.

Their grips tightened on their weapons.

Five paintball guns aimed at the mercenaries.

"Whoa, hold your damn horses," Herald said, raising his hands. "We're not here to shoot or capture you."

"Why should we trust you?" Private Shin challenged, his rifle trained on Herald.

Herald's expression darkened. "Because we just lost two men in there. And I'm not continuing this damn training until I get my revenge."

The squad exchanged uneasy glances. The jungle felt eerily silent, the thick canopy swallowing even the usual sounds of insects.

Before anyone else could speak, Rin stepped forward. "He's telling the truth."

Everyone turned to him.

"What?" Captain Yumi narrowed her eyes.

Rin kept his gaze on Herald, his voice steady. "Herald's not the type to make up stories. If he says something took his men, then something did."

Herald gave him a sharp nod, appreciating the trust.

Private May frowned. "You actually believe this 'lizard-thing' nonsense?"

Rin exhaled. "We're deep in the jungle. There are things out here we don't know about. Besides, does anything about this place feel normal to you?"

The static-filled comms, the missing men, the unnatural silence—none of it sat right.

"We stick together," Herald said firmly. "That thing hunts well. If we split up, we're dead."

No one argued. The weight of his words settled over them.

"Comms are down," Private Shin confirmed, shaking his radio.

Captain Yumi exhaled sharply. "Alright, listen up. We head to the finishing point while staying out of sight. Move fast, stay quiet, and avoid unnecessary risks."

"Yes, ma'am!" the group responded in unison.

---

15 Minutes Later – Deep in the Jungle

The oppressive heat bore down on them as they moved through the dense foliage. Every step felt heavy, tension thick in the air.

Trying to shake off the unease, Private May glanced at Rin. "Rin, right? How did you know about my police background?"

Rin stiffened. "I—uh—"

Herald smirked. "Oh, that? Rin here loves digging up dirt on people. It's kind of his thing."

May raised an eyebrow. "So… you mean everyone?"

"Yeah, that's right," Herald confirmed with a chuckle.

May crossed her arms. "So he's a stalker?"

Rin recoiled as if she had physically hit him. "Wh—what?! No! That's not—"

The others chuckled, but Rin wasn't laughing. His instincts suddenly flared—something was watching them.

His eyes darted to the dense foliage. Leaves rustled, but nothing was there—just swaying branches and thick undergrowth.

Then—

A rattling bush.

Instantly, everyone raised their weapons, fingers tightening on triggers.

Captain Yumi stepped forward cautiously. Slowly, she peeled back the massive leaf—

Three men in military uniforms stood there, weapons lowered but alert.

Yumi didn't drop her guard. "Identify yourselves!" she ordered.

The tallest of the three stepped forward. "Sergeant Ethan, 13th Garrison, Sector 5."

The others followed suit. "Corporal Jake."

"Private First Class Fama."

The squad didn't lower their weapons just yet. "What happened to you?" Private Lina asked, keeping her stance firm.

Ethan ran a hand over his face, exhaling. "We were stationed four miles from here, patrolling like usual. Then—our senior officer got grabbed."

Fama swallowed hard. "One second he was standing next to us, the next—gone. Something smashed through the window, yanked him out. We barely saw what it was."

Jake added, "We tried calling for backup, but the comms are dead. We had no choice but to pull out."

A heavy silence fell over the group. It was no longer just a training exercise. Something was out there. Hunting them.

Captain Yumi squared her shoulders. "Alright. We stick together. We move fast, we stay quiet, and we don't let our guard down."

No one argued.

The jungle no longer felt like a simple training ground—it was a battlefield now.

Herald exhaled, scanning the three soldiers standing before him. Their faces were tense, uncertain.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked. "Are you three splitting off, or are we sticking together?"

Sergeant Ethan, the highest-ranking of the trio, narrowed his eyes. "And who exactly are you people?"

Captain Yumi stepped forward, her tone calm but firm. "We're the 33rd Special Task Force—currently in training. I'm Captain Yumi. These are Privates May, Lina, Sophie, and Shin."

Ethan's gaze shifted to the other two standing beside Yumi—clearly not part of her squad.

"And you two?"

"We're mercenaries, hired for this mission under the UNC," Herald answered. "Name's Herald—merc captain. This guy here is Rin, my sniper."

Ethan folded his arms. "Mercs, huh? And why should we trust you?"

Herald smirked. "Look, we both know we have no idea how these creatures hunt. Splitting up means we're easier targets. Sticking together gives us a better shot at survival."

Ethan exchanged a glance with his squadmates, Corporal Jake and Private Fama. The logic was solid. After a brief pause, Ethan sighed.

"Fine. We stick together."