CHAPTER 20 - VILLAGE

Mark and Jhohan descended from the forest, the sun began to rise and the city below them started to quiet down as the monsters went into hiding. The only sounds that could be heard were the distant helicopter blades slicing through the air and the eerie silence of a once-bustling metropolis.

Mark, trailing behind Jhohan, couldn't help but marvel at her martial arts skills. "Spectre, how are you able to move like a pro?" he asked, curious as to how she could effortlessly glide through the forest like a predator.

Jhohan turned back to face Mark, puzzled. "What do you mean?" she asked, trying to make sense of his question.

Mark couldn't help but laugh as he started to mimic her movements. "Like, how can you learn to move like this?" he said as he punched at the plants they passed, imitating Jhohan's swift movements.

Jhohan laugh as she watched Mark's funny actions. But when Mark challenged her to show off her skills, she didn't hesitate to impress him.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jhohan executed a 720-degree kick that landed perfectly on a tree branch in front of her. "Did you mean like this?" she said with a smirk, feeling proud of herself.

Mark's jaw dropped in amazement. "How did you do that?" he exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Show me more!"

Not wanting to disappoint, Jhohan looked around for a new challenge. Her eyes landed on a branch high above their heads. "Could you hit that?" Mark asked, pointing to the branch.

Jhohan didn't even hesitate. She gracefully executed a backflip kick, hitting the branch and sending it flying towards Mark, who caught it with a surprised look on his face.They continued their descent, laughing and joking around, enjoying a brief moment of lightheartedness in the midst of chaos.

"Look out! There's a village over there,"Mark exclaimed, standing atop a large rock and pointing to a small settlement in the distance.

Jhohan joined him on the rock, scanning the surrounding area. Suddenly, she heard a low rumble and immediately went on high alert, ready to defend themselves.

"What was that?" she asked, her hand moving to her weapon.

Mark's stomach growled again, and Jhohan realized with a laugh that the noise had just been his hunger pangs.

"Come on, let's go to the village," Jhohan said, turning towards Mark. "We can find some food there."

Mark chuckled awkwardly, "Sorry, Spectre. I guess I'm just starving for food."

As they approached the village, memories flooded back to Mark. "I've been here before," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Jhohan led the way, and they soon came across a gruesome sight: the scattered remains of livestock and crows feasting on the dead bodies. The area was eerily quiet, with only the sound of crows and the clanging of cans on a wooden gate due to the wind. As they entered the village, they found the small market completely desolate, with bloodstains in every corner. They walked cautiously, Jhohan's weapon at the ready, on high alert for any potential threats.

Mark spotted an old wooden axe on the door and grabbed it, making a sharp noise that caused Jhohan to whip around with her weapon raised. They cautiously crept through the silent village,until they heard a sound from one of the surrounding houses.Spectre signaled for Mark to watch her back as she slowly opened the door, ready to take on whatever lay inside.

Meanwhile, Mark turned his attention to the back of the house as he noticed something there. He looked behind the house and saw a barn.Curious, he made his way over and opened the door.

As Jhohan scanned the house, she realized that Mark was nowhere to be found. An eerie feeling crept over her as she continued to search, following the trail of blood into the kitchen. The room was a mess, with rotten fruit and broken glass strewn about.She backtracked to find Mark and saw an exit at the back of the house. She heard Mark shout, she looked at the window and quickly made her way outside to see him frantically gesturing towards the barn.

"Spectre!" she heard Mark shouting from inside the opened barn. She ran inside and found Mark hanging upside down, caught in a trap..

She quickly assessed the situation and grabbed the bag from the ground, hoisting it onto her shoulder.

and began following the rope to free Mark from the trap. Jhohan found where the rope was tied and began to untangle it, while Mark was still twirling on the rope. Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted her.

"Who are you?" the man asked. Jhohan froze, but Spectre quickly stood up and turned around slowly. She saw five men pointing their guns at her.

"Throw your weapon!" a loud voice commanded, coming from a big, old man. Jhohan slowly removed her gun and threw it to the ground, along with the knife on her side.

The old man ordered them to surrender all their belongings, including the bag Jhohan had thrown on the ground.

The big old man stood tall at a height of 7 feet, towering over his Group. He had a thick white beard that covered most of his face and short white hair that was neatly combed back. His sharp eyes were magnified by his round eyeglasses, giving him a look of wisdom and experience. The old man wore a makeshift metal armor that seemed to be DIY-ed, covering his chest and arms. In his hand, he held a menacing M16 assault rifle that looked like it had seen its fair share of battles.His clothing consisted of a white shirt, long pants, and sturdy boots.Despite his age, he exuded an aura of strength and authority, making it clear that he was not to be underestimated.

The old man signaled to his comrades to retrieve the weapons and bag from the ground. One of them checked the contents of the bag and discovered something unfamiliar. He handed it to the old man and said,

"Chairman, look at this."

The old man took the bag and inspected its contents. He pulled out some syringes and showed them to Jhohan.

"What is this used for?" he asked.

"I'm a scientist," Jhohan replied.

"That's an antidote I made for the infected of the Cephaloneuroplasm microorganisms. The Cephaloneuroplasm are tiny creatures that turn humans into monsters. Please keep it safe."

The Chairman carefully placed the injection back into the bag and zipped it up. He walked over to Jhohan and took the weapon from the man. "Where did you get this?" he asked, examining the futuristic gun and checking the bullets in the magazine.

"We obtained it from an underground facility while escaping," Jhohan replied. "It's a SharpZScar rifle."

The SharpzScar rifle is a sleek and modern weapon, with a futuristic appearance that exudes power and precision. Its black finish is accented by a white stripe on the side, which adds a touch of style and sophistication to the overall design. The rifle features a long barrel and a slender, ergonomic grip that fits comfortably in the shooter's hand. The sharp bullets are carefully crafted to pierce through even the thickest armor, and the magazine is shiny and reflective, adding to the rifle's imposing presence. When held, the SharpzScar feels balanced and sturdy, with a weight that is both substantial and manageable.

The old man tossed the weapon to one of his comrades and then turned his attention to the digital map. "What is this?" he asked Jhohan.

"That's a map of the underground city," she answered.

Mark interrupted them, pleading for help to get out of the trap he was hanging from.

"Can you please help me out here?"

The old man signaled for his comrades to free Mark, and one of them cut the rope, causing Mark to fall to the ground with a loud thud.

"Ouch," Mark groaned as he stood up.

The old man then commanded his men to get them and they walked to the back of the village where the old man opened the entrance to a bunker. They entered it, and the old man switched on the lights. They walked forward until they reached the next door, and the old man pulled a lever that caused chains to work, and an elevator began ascending towards them. They entered the elevator, and descended underground to the shelter where they found many kids playing around and some people looking at them as they walked through the passage filled with rooms. At the top of the passage, some people were busy making weapons, with the sound of metal being pounded by a hammer. They turned right until they reached the room where the chairman and his family were living.

As they entered the room, they were met with the warm embrace of a family. Twin little sisters ran up to the old man and kissed him on the cheeks, calling him "Grandpa". An old woman was busy cooking in the kitchen and looked up with a smile as they entered.

The atmosphere in the room was cozy and inviting. The chairman commanded his men to leave Jhohan's belongings and put them aside, including the gun. The men left the room, leaving Jhohan, Mark, and the old man, who began removing his gauntlet and chest plate.

"Please, have a seat," the old man said, his voice surprisingly calm despite the circumstances.

As they sat down at the table, the two kids sat silently near the door, staring at Jhohan and Mark curiously. The old woman served food with a smile, and the aroma of the freshly cooked meal filled the air.

But just as they began to enjoy their meal, the old woman broke the silence with an unexpected question, "Are you a couple?" Jhohan quickly replied, "No, ma'am, I'm just helping him."

"Don't call me Ma'am, just Grandma," the old woman corrected with a chuckle.

"I thought you were a couple. You both look so cute together," the old woman said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Your noses and eyes are almost the same. If you had children, they would surely be beautiful," she added with a smile.

Jhohan and Mark felt a sudden awkwardness in the air, but Mark quickly tried to change the subject and explain their true relationship. "No, no, we're not a couple," Mark said hastily. "She's just helping me because I'm infected with-"

Before Mark could finish his sentence, Jhohan quickly interrupted him, shooting him a warning glance. ""He has a problem inside him, an infection of anger that forces him to avenge his mother's death."

The old woman's face softened with empathy, "Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear that. Your mother died?" she asked, turning to Mark.

Mark nodded, his expression grave.

Suddenly, the old woman's attention was diverted to two little girls who had been silently watching them. "You know, you two remind me of my twin grandchildren," she said with a smile, and began to tell a story of a recent monster attack on the village. Twins couldn't hear what they were talking about.

The old woman's eyes widened as she recounted the terrifying experience.

"Two days ago, I was on my way to the market when the village was suddenly attacked by those monsters," she began, her voice shaking.

"I saw people ripped apart by those monsters. I ran back to my house and quickly closed the door. My daughter, the mother of the twin girls, saw me and asked me why I was rushing. I immediately told her that there were monsters outside rampaging the village. She opened the door, but I stopped her."

As she continued, the room fell silent, with everyone hanging on to her every word.

"Her husband heard us and asked what was happening. I told him about the situation. My daughter said that the twins were playing outside. Her husband immediately ran outside searching for the two kids. My daughter followed him, and I followed them too. The people were running everywhere, and as we were following them, I tripped over a dead person."

Her voice broke as she continued, "I saw the kids hiding beneath the table, crying. I immediately stood up and approached them. I managed to get them out just in time."

"When we were running back towards our house, we stumbled upon the monster as it landed right in front of us. I thought that was going to be our last moment," the old woman said, her voice trembling with emotion.

The Chairman sat beside her and comforted her before continuing the story.

"I was in the barn feeding the cows when I heard the rumors. I quickly ran back to the house, but I couldn't find anyone. I grabbed an axe and started searching for them. Then, I saw my wife and the kids on the ground, with a monster approaching them. I cut off its head and helped them up, walking back to our home. Once inside, my wife told me about our daughter, but when I was about to go outside to look for her, she stopped me. Unfortunately, a monster managed to break through the window, and I had to fight it off. I managed to kill it, but not before it scratched me with its claws," the old man said, showing them the bandaged wounds on his stomach.

The old man continued, "We decided to run to this bunker. My grandfather used it with his family when they were hiding from the wars during their time." He paused for a moment, lost in thought, and then continued with the story.

"When my wife and the kids successfully entered, I saw some people running for their lives. I called out to them to get inside, hoping that my daughter and her husband were among them. I waited for them to enter until the last person, but the situation forced me to close the door. I saw the survivors crying, and I walked over to my wife. She asked me about our daughter and hugged the kids. We heard the sound of a helicopter and gunshots, and the people became more panicked. I stood at the door and sent them here underground to avoid hearing sounds from outside."

He then took a deep breath before continuing. "But I chose to stay at the door, still hoping for my daughter and her husband. I stayed there until morning when the village began to quiet down. I opened the door and went outside. Five men joined me to check the village. I saw many dead bodies scattered, including those of the armies. I told my men to collect all the weapons they could find. One of my men found his pregnant wife lifeless. Then, suddenly, I heard someone calling me. He said, 'Chairman, we found your daughter and son-in-law.' I immediately ran to them and found my daughter's body separated from her feet, while her husband was holding her hand."

"We buried them near our ancestors and all the other dead people," he ended the story, still feeling the pain. The twins came over to them and asked, "Grandpa and grandma, are you okay? We're starving."

The old woman wiped away her tears with her hand and said, "Yes, my babies, we're okay," holding their cute cheeks. "Are you hungry now? Wait, I'll get the food." The kids sat beside Mark.

Since the kids were starving, the old woman decided to eat with them. After she prepared all the food and the plates for everyone, she asked, "Who will pray for today's food?" The two kids answered together, "Me!"

"Okay, babies, you two pray together," she said.

The twins prayed, "Dear God, thank you for this food..."

While they prayed, Mark looked at them and remembered his twin sisters. "Thank you for all the blessings, Amen!"