My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 406

Once one soldier mentioned the possibility of the noise emanating from the walls, the others quickly reached the same conclusion.

City B had long been a hub for merchants, with many families residing there for decades.

Given the nature of their work, these families often faced constant threats to their safety, as someone was always lurking, ready to rob them of their wealth.

It was likely that many families had constructed their own bunkers, hidden rooms, or compartments in their homes as a precaution against such threats.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if zombies had become trapped within the walls of these houses.

Once they settled on this explanation, the soldiers began tapping on the walls, searching for hollow spots or hidden switches.

It took them two long hours to inspect just five houses. Fortunately, these homes were not large, typically accommodating only a middle-sized family.

However, despite their thorough search, they couldn’t locate any hidden rooms or compartments. Yet, all the tenants reported hearing zombie growls.

It might not have been noticeable during the day, as the streets were alive with hustle and bustle, drowning out the sounds of zombie growls.

However, at night, when everyone was settling down to sleep, the eerie growls became painfully clear, often leaving them with nightmares.

They also tried to investigate any potential hiding spots where zombies could be lurking before making a report.

Like the soldiers, they initially suspected that they were just hallucinating, hearing things as a result of their traumatic experiences.

The weight of their pasts often played tricks on their minds.

However, after hearing similar accounts from others in their neighborhood and even from coworkers living farther away, their concerns grew.

This prompted them to report the issue to the soldiers so they could investigate the source of the zombie growls echoing through the night.

Now, the soldiers were stumped. Despite their thorough search, they found nothing.

As they headed back to their office through a small alleyway to discuss the matter, they heard something.

Rawr!

Grrr!

They froze, exchanging uneasy glances. The growls were unmistakable this time, yet doubt still lingered.

They wondered if their minds were playing tricks on them after hours of fruitless searching and hearing the same eerie sounds repeatedly.

They all laughed at themselves, shaking off the tension and joking about being paranoid. What started as playful banter quickly escalated into a friendly scuffle.

But in the midst of their roughhousing, the supervisor accidentally shoved one of the soldiers too hard. He slipped, his arm catching on a sharp piece of metal protruding from the street.

Blood began to drip steadily, more than expected, as the wound was deeper than it first appeared.

His blood trickled down the pavement, forming a trail that led ominously toward the gutter.

Grahhh!

Suddenly, a louder, more guttural growl echoed through the alleyway—this time unmistakable, almost like an excited scream.

Everyone froze, jolted by the unmistakable sound. It wasn’t their imagination.

One of the soldiers quickly rushed to the injured man’s side, using a handkerchief to wrap his wound, tying it firmly enough to stem the bleeding but not too tight.

As they steadied themselves, their eyes slowly followed the blood trail, now leading ominously toward the gutter.

An uneasy silence settled over them as they realized something was lurking just beneath their feet.

They exchanged nervous glances, their unease palpable. Not far from where they stood, a manhole caught their attention, and without a word, all eyes fixed on it.