Free Web NovelChapter 21: Stranded in the Polluted Zone (2)
Tables toppled, food flew everywhere, and a few people fell out of their chairs. Some started to run. Screams filled the blimp.
The head-shaped monster outside the window started to change, its long black hair sticking to the glass like glue, helping it to crawl along the glass. Its nose and mouth stretched out into a long, sharp appendage. The creature, standing on its hair outside the window, started to nod rapidly, its long appendage pecking at the glass like a woodpecker.
Tap, tap, tap, tap. A series of rapid and eerie knocking sounds filled the air. The blimp’s windows, said to be grenade-proof, quickly developed cracks, like a spider’s web.
The cabin, once filled with chaos, fell deathly silent. All the passengers huddled together, their terrified eyes fixed on the spreading cracks, as if they could stop them with their stares.
In the silence, the only sound left was the tapping, echoing like a chilling reminder of their impending doom.
Tap, tap, tap...
But their horror didn’t stop there.
Suddenly, against the blinding sunlight, a dark cloud appeared, wavering in the distance. As it approached, they realized it was a swarm of floating heads. These monsters had eerily human-like faces, making them all the more terrifying. The faces were plain and ordinary, yet bizarrely strange. They belonged to middle-aged men with unkempt stubble, elderly women with sagging skin and smeared lipstick, or just random guys on the streets. With their hair disheveled, they floated towards the blimp.
"Mu...mutant. It’s a mutant." Someone spoke in a defeated voice, peering out the window. "We, we’ve accidentally wandered into the Polluted Zone."
The faces of all shapes and sizes quickly surrounded the blimp, sticking to the outside windows. Some were laughing, while others were crying with furrowed brows.
Someone threw up, and several betas fainted right there and then.
The blimp’s warning lights started to flicker, casting a haunting red glow as an urgent alarm rang out, "Alert, alert, the blimp has mistakenly entered the Polluted Zone. Everyone, remain calm, take cover and wait for rescue. All alpha teams, assemble immediately."
"Repeat, all betas take cover and wait for rescue, all alphas, assemble immediately!"
...
On the green field the blimp’s shadow had just passed over, a group of fully armed alphas cut through the dense plants to reach a vantage point.
"Is it gone? The blimp?" One of the alphas looked up at the floating green cloud in the sky.
Just a moment ago, a huge luxury blimp had hovered there. The old high-tech mode of transport, glistening with the vestiges of humanity’s past glory under the sunlight, was impossible to miss. But now it had vanished into thin air.
Glancing around, all he saw was the wild landscape spread out beneath the clear blue sky, nothing but a few fluffy clouds breaking the monotony. The warm sun and the peaceful passage of time made everything seem surreal.
The squad leader, Jax, right-hand man to Cass, the head of the Public Security Department, approached. He furrowed his brows, thought for a moment, and then said in a deep voice, "Ren, what do you think?"
A tall, lanky young alpha stepped out from behind the greenery, bounding onto a rock with a single leap, his gaze scanning the horizon with a serious look on his face.
"It’s a new Polluted Zone." Ren watched the cloud in the sky for a while, his expression grim. "It must have formed not long ago, still floating in mid-air, making it difficult to spot. That blimp flew straight into it."
"I heard those were betas being sent to the border." The alphas shook their heads sympathetically. "Poor things, I don’t know if they’ll have a chance to get out alive."
Jax mulled over this. As members of the Public Security Department, they should, in theory, have done something to help. They should at least have returned to the Tower to request a rescue.
Jax’s expression changed several times, and finally he waved his hand dismissively. "Let’s go, it’s none of our business. Our priority is Mr. Chow’s task."
He had been sent by Cass, along with the best of the Public Security Department, on a private mission away from the Imperial Nexus.
Confronted with the sudden disaster, he preferred to pretend he didn’t know and leave as soon as possible.
"Won’t we... won’t we alert the rescue team?" An alpha stammered, "That’s a whole ship of people."
Jax glared at him fiercely. He had little patience for those who lacked judgment and tact.
"If we delay here and something goes wrong with Mr. Chow’s important task, will you take responsibility, Hanson?"
"But, we’re the only ones who saw it. If we don’t report it, they’re done for." Hanson’s voice faded under Jax’s cold gaze, until it was barely audible.
"At least... at least we should send a distress signal," he murmured, his voice no louder than a mosquito’s whisper.
Hanson understood that once a distress signal was sent, they, as duty-bound public security soldiers, could not easily dismiss the situation. Voicing this, however, would surely ruffle Jax’s feathers.
But it was a matter of life and death, an entire blimp’s worth. As a peacekeeping soldier, Hanson felt that if he couldn’t even send a distress signal for these people, he would never forgive himself.
Just as Jax was about to berate him, Ren leapt from the high rock. His sturdy figure descended and, just before hitting the ground, he lightly touched the rock wall with his toes to cushion the fall. Using his momentum, he sprinted in the direction of the disappearing blimp without uttering a word.
"I, I’ll go take a look too. After all... we have to wait for Ren anyway." Hanson, freshly scolded by Jax and struggling to maintain his composure, stuttered and hurried off, not daring to meet Jax’s gaze again. fгeewebnovёl.com
Jax was momentarily speechless in his rage. Though Ren had returned, Cass was busy and had left Jax in charge. Jax was thrilled and looked forward to asserting his authority as leader during this mission. He wanted to make it clear to Ren that their roles had switched and that Ren should now follow his orders.
To his surprise, Ren, who usually seemed quiet and uncompetitive, was unfazed. He didn’t even bother to ask Jax; he simply walked away.
Jax clenched his teeth in anger. Ren was still as arrogant as ever, acting on his own accord without any consideration for Jax.
Bitterly, Jax thought, "I should never have let this guy come back. I’ll make sure to report his insubordination to Mr. Chow. It would be best if he didn’t survive this mission."
The remaining alphas exchanged glances before approaching Jax, saying, "Ren is really out of line. Maybe... we should send a distress signal to the Tower?"
"Yeah, we can’t leave anyway, we have to wait for them."
"Maybe we should go check it out, assist from the sidelines..."
"After all, there are so many lives in jeopardy."
"And a lot of them are betas."
Jax felt even more wronged.
...
Aboard the blimp, Serge was on his knees, stunned. In front of him, a large pool of bright red blood spread slowly, already seeping into his shoes. freёweɓnovel.com
A body lay in the pool of blood, a delicate white dress now soaked in dark red. She was one of his classmates, with short curly hair, faint freckles, and a somewhat sharp tongue. Just moments ago, they were sitting at the same table, dining together.
Serge couldn’t process how everything had happened. First, the glass was pecked through by a strange creature, and as everyone screamed and retreated, a creature with long black hair seized the opportunity to break the glass from behind and storm in.
Everything happened so fast. The freakish mutant with its needle-like mouth sunk into the girl’s soft belly. Right next to Serge, the creature crouched over the lifeless girl, making a chilling sound.
Serge couldn’t bear to look, nor did he want to see the horror before him. He knew he should run and hide, but his body felt hot and cold all at once. His muscles felt weak, and he couldn’t summon the strength to move.
He had no idea how many people had died or how many mutants were on board. All Serge knew was the constant screams, the sound of feet pounding the floor, and bodies hitting the deck.
Suddenly, an ugly and twisted face appeared in his line of sight. The mutant had a bald, middle-aged man’s face with wisps of white hair fluttering on its greasy scalp. The sagging face with heavy bags under its dull eyes stared hungrily at the people behind the glass. It slapped its face against the glass, leaving a streak of slimy drool sliding down.
"What do I do? What do I do now?" Serge felt ice-cold terror grip him, his mind racing.
"You need to think, fast," he told himself.
Images flashed through his mind. He’d seen countless battles between humans and mutants since he was young. Movies, books, broadcasts, even ads were filled with stories of these epic fights. But in those glossy films and dramatic tales, the betas always crumbled beautifully in fear when faced with such monsters. They would wail in terror until a brave alpha swooped in to save them.
As a child, these were the stories Serge knew. Now faced with a real crisis, it’s no wonder his mind defaulted to this scenario.
"So... I just need to cry? Call for help?" Serge’s teeth chattered.
In his heart, he knew the truth. In the movies, the crying, shrieking betas always waited for a hero to save them. But in real life, that wouldn’t work.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the mutant with the needle-mouth raise its head from his classmate’s lifeless body. The creature was much bigger now, with creepy reddish veins popping out under its skin. It chuckled and crawled toward him.
"I need to move," Serge told himself.
