Free Web NovelChapter 16: 16 | Monster Outbreak!
The sound was very faint, but Dexter’s Enhanced Hearing caught it from five blocks away.
A long, wailing tone like that of a siren.
Dexter’s confused face immediately changed as he realized what it was.
A monster outbreak siren.
Every city in the country had them — warning sirens designed to alert the population when a dungeon breach occurred.
Dungeons were supposed to be contained, sealed behind gates that the Hero Association monitored. But sometimes, a gate destabilized, a new dungeon pops up or monsters broke through their cages. It was always unexpected and always cause death or injury.
Andrew groaned softly, he had been expecting assassins, didn’t think there would be an actual monster outbreak.
He closed his eyes, as he activated his ability.
Suddenly, every sound within a 200 meter radius flowed through his ears.
"BOOM!" "HOOOWL!" "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" "H-help me! It’s—" "Squelch!"
Andrew’s face paled slightly and the last sound he heard was of a skull cracking and exploding like watermelon squeezed too tight.
The siren was coming from the east — from the direction of the Merchant Quarter and it was getting louder, which meant the breach was spreading.
’I hope it doesn’t reach here.’ Andrew thought nervously. From what he heard, the monsters were likely wolves but he wasn’t too sure.
Most breaches were contained quickly by the Hero Association had response teams that could be deployed within minutes. So the sirens were more of a precaution instead.
But "most" wasn’t "all."
Dexter had live long enough to know not to depend on his luck.
He immediately started to move as he locked the back door, then ran to the the front door and locked it. Then started with the windows locking every single windows in the house. Just in case. He moved the fridge to the front door and barricaded the back door with the dining chair.
Then he checked the locked doors once more to ensure no mistakes.
Mira’s quiet time was ruined by him running around the house. She opened her eyes and glared at him as he passed her wheelchair for the seventh time.
Her brows furrowed in irritation as she asked. "What are you doing?"
Dexter didn’t stop moving. "It’s hopefully nothing, but I’m hearing the outbreak siren in the distance. It’s better to be safe than sorry."
He went to Lyra, who was watching him from the kitchen doorway with a calm expression.
"There might be a monster outbreak nearby," he said, speaking clearly so the glasses could translate. "I need you to go to the bedroom. Just in case."
Lyra suddenly reached for something. It was her phone. Her fingers moved as a robotic voice spoke from the frame of her glasses.
"We are already dead. The monsters would be doing us a favour."
Dexter stared at her, stunned.
The idea that death would be a mercy made him sympathetic.
She’d been trapped in silence and darkness for three years, unable to hear, unable to speak, unable to do anything but exist. Of course she’d had thoughts like that.
Dexter didn’t know what to say. So he said nothing.
Lyra looked at him for a moment longer. Then she turned and walked to the bedroom without another word.
Dexter exhaled and went to Mira.
"Come on," he said, gripping the handles of her wheelchair.
"Did I tell you I wanted to move?" Mira’s voice was irritated.
"Did I ask your permission?"
Mira’s lips curled. "You know, you’re becoming quite abusive."
"I heard you like abusive men." Dexter replied without thinking.
The words left his mouth before his brain could stop them.
The moment they were out, Dexter wished he could take them back.
Mira’s face changed. The mocking irritation on her face changed as her expression turned blank and then chilling cold.
A raging fire replaced them as the crismon eyes locked in Dexter.
Mira’s father was rumored to be abusive. Dexter didn’t know the full story and was simply said to have been a senseless rumor that came out after the news of her being a cripple came out.
He thought it was just a rumor but from Mira’s reaction, it was most likely true.
He opened his mouth to apologize—
But then he heard something.
From two blocks away, the siren’s wail was suddenly drowned out by other sounds. Gunshots, screams and explosions then a very loud and sharp howl.
It was the sound of a monster.
And it was very close.
Dexter’s face changed. He grabbed Mira’s wheelchair and pushed her fast towards the bedroom.
"Lyra!" he called out as he reached the door. "Lock the door from behind!"
He wheeled Mira inside, positioned her chair against the far wall, and stepped back into the hallway. Then closed the door shut and locked it from the outside.
He waited but there was no sound of a lock clicking from inside.
Dexter’s eye twitched.
’Are these girls courting death!?’
He wanted to roar in anger. He’d just told them there was a monster outbreak. He’d just told them to lock the door. And they couldn’t even manage that one simple task?
He forced himself to calm down. Getting angry wouldn’t help. He needed to focus.
’Fine, it doesn’t really matter.’
He turned and ran to the kitchen.
Part of their wedding gift — the pile of boxes that had come from the three families — had contained a decorative broadsword.
It was a ceremonial blade with intricate design made to look beautiful however it wasn’t meant for battle.
Dexter had never bothered to move it and it had been leaning against the wall in the kitchen since the first night.
He grabbed it and frowned.
The metal was cheap, the balance was terrible, and the edge couldn’t even cut through bread.
But it was solid steel, and right now, solid steel was better than bare hands.
He also grabbed two kitchen knives from the drawer and tucked one into his waistband at his back and held the other in his left hand, the broadsword in his right.
Then he stood at the hall way and listened carefully, suddenly his face changed as the kitchen window shattered...
