Chapter 21: Encounter a Mutant zombie

Caius stood by the window, observing the chaos outside. The morning light cast a strange glow over the scene, but he remained focused. Trent was pacing around the small room, clearly restless.

"Can you keep it down?" Caius said, his voice calm but firm. "It's hard to think with you moving around like that."

Trent stopped and turned to him, a grin on his face. "What's the rush? We've got time."

Caius sighed softly, shaking his head. "Time is not on our side. We need to plan our next move."

"Alright, Mr. Serious," Trent replied, crossing his arms. "What do you suggest?"

Caius took a moment to gather his thoughts. "We should check the upper floors for an escape route. It might be quieter up there."

"Sounds good," Trent said, finally sitting down on a nearby crate. "Lead the way."

They climbed the stairs slowly, careful not to make any noise. Once on the second floor, Caius scanned the area.

"It seems clear," he said, maintaining his calm. "Let's find a window."

Trent followed him, still looking a bit anxious. They found a window overlooking the parking lot, where a few zombies were aimlessly wandering.

"We could jump down," Caius suggested, assessing the situation. "But we need to be cautious."

Trent nodded, a bit more serious now. "You're right. Let's take our time."

"On three," Caius said, keeping his voice steady.

As they jumped down. Trent's stomach growled loudly, echoing in the quiet room. He rubbed his belly and looked at Caius. "We should find some food first. I can't think on an empty stomach.

But just then, Caius's own stomach rumbled, surprising him. He felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. He was hungry too, but he didn't want to admit it.

"Looks like someone's hungry! Is that your dragon roaring?"

Caius rolled his eyes. "I'm not hungry. That was just a weird noise."

Trent chuckled, shaking his head. "Come on, Caius. Even you can't deny that. We should find some food."

Caius frowned, trying to ignore the rumble in his own stomach. "We need to find a way out of the facility first. Food can wait."

Trent grinned. "But how can we think when our stomachs are empty? We need to feed our dragons!"

Caius glared at him, feeling annoyed. "I said I'm not hungry! You're acting like a child."

Trent laughed again, clearly amused by Caius's irritation. "Alright, fine! But let's at least grab a snack while we figure out our escape plan."

Caius sighed, knowing he couldn't keep up the act any longer. "Fine. Just let's hurry before I change my mind."

With that, they headed out, ready to search for supplies while bickering like old friends.

"What's wrong with you anyway? Are you on your period?" Trent asked, raising an eyebrow.

Caius glared at him, annoyance bubbling up. "Don't act like you did nothing wrong earlier!"

Trent burst into laughter. "Let's just forget about that and feed our baby"

Caius sighed, unable to suppress a small smile. "Fine. But we're still looking for a way out after we eat."

"Deal!" Trent replied, his energy returning. "Let's find some supplies."

Caius and Trent moved cautiously down the hallway toward the cafeteria. The sounds of chaos faded as they approached the door.

"Let's be quick," Caius whispered, glancing at Trent. "We can grab some food and get out."

When they stepped inside, the sight shocked them. A small group of people was gathered around the tables, their faces pale and anxious.

"Uh-oh," Trent muttered, his eyes wide. "Looks like we're not alone."

Caius frowned. "We need to find somewhere. Let's take what we can and go."

Trent nodded but then hesitated. "What if we just take their food? They look busy."

Caius rolled his eyes. "That's stealing, Trent. We can't just take their stuff!"

Trent smirked. "Come on, they won't miss it! Besides, we need to eat."

Before Caius could respond, he felt a strange sensation prickling at the back of his neck. Something wasn't right. He quickly grabbed Trent's head and pulled him down.

"Duck!" Caius hissed.

Just as they crouched, they heard a low growl. Caius peered around the corner of the door. What he saw made his heart race. A zombie was sitting at one of the tables, its body slumped like a frog. Its long, slimy tongue was stretching out, reaching toward the group of people.

(Appraisal Activated)

[STATUS]

Tounge Reaver Zombie(Mutant)

Rank B

Trent squinted. "Oh man, that's disgusting."

They watched as the zombie's tongue snapped back and the people heads fall down and roll to the ground.

"We need to get out of here," Caius said urgently. "This place isn't safe!"

Trent nodded, still mesmerized by the scene. "But what about food?"

Caius shot him a glare. "Food can wait. We're in danger!"

Suddenly, one of that luckily avoided the zombie touge, let out a scream. The zombie's tongue lashed out again, grabbing at them. Caius and Trent quickly backed away from the door, their hearts pounding.

"Now do you see?" Caius said, breathing heavily. "We have to leave—now!"

"Okay, okay!" Trent agreed, still looking back at the chaos. "Let's go!"

Caius and Trent dashed down the corridor, adrenaline pumping through their veins. They were just about to turn a corner when they heard a loud slurping sound behind them.

They turned to run, but the mutant zombie had already spotted them. Its long tongue shot out like a whip, narrowly missing Caius as he ducked just in time.

"Run!" Trent shouted, pushing ahead.

They sprinted down the hallway, the sounds of the mutant zombie growls echoing behind them. Caius glanced back and saw the zombie lunging toward them again.

"Quick! Hide!" Trent pulled Caius into a small alcove, barely big enough for both of them.

Caius leaned back against the wall, his heart racing. Trent crouched in front of him, their faces uncomfortably close.

"Where is it?" Caius whispered, trying to control his breathing.

"Just a sec," Trent murmured, leaning out to peek around the corner. Caius could feel Trent's breath against his neck, sending an unexpected shiver down his spine.

Both of their heartbeats pounded in the quiet space, the tension thick between them. Caius felt awkward, acutely aware of how close they were. He shifted slightly, trying to create some distance, but there wasn't much room.

"Stay still," Trent whispered, his voice low.