"What the Hell Is This Monster?"

Deep within the Metro, the air was thick with dampness and the smell of rust.

Step, step!

Three surviving SWAT officers raced through the dark passageway, their boots thudding dully and urgently through dust and puddles.

Huff. Huff!

Their ragged breathing, mixed with the metallic clatter of guns and equipment, echoed through the long, narrow tunnel like an invisible alarm warning them—

Time was running out.

At this point, concealing their trail was no longer an option. All three knew that if they hesitated any longer, Blood Cross might catch up to the shelter before they returned, leading to its fall.

This mission was supposed to have been a routine supply reconnaissance and resupply operation, yet it had turned into a rout.

The loss of half their comrades had stretched everyone's nerves to the breaking point, but what weighed on them most was that they had not heard their captain's final explosion.

Several improvised bombs had been their last hope of survival.

Yet now, there had been neither Firelight nor a blast. Everything seemed to have been swallowed by the darkness.

"Captain... what happened to...?"

As he ran, one SWAT officer could not help lowering his voice. Unease and fear laced his words, and he did not dare voice his worst suspicion.

The other merely remained silent, his fingers clenched so tightly around his rifle that they had turned white.

They all understood that if even their captain had failed to self-destruct and had perhaps become a Blood Cross infected as well, the shelter's safety would be completely exposed.

When that happened, even the strongest iron doors deep underground would be nothing more than coffin lids that could not hold back what lay outside.

They did not dare think any further and could only quicken their pace.

Not long afterward,