Otherwise, once the creatures underground begin to riot, whether it's Hayes or Jameson, emperor or immortal—everyone on this land is doomed.
None of them will get out.
[Go down go down go down go down…]
That soul-summoning clamor rose again at that exact moment, as if it had heard Hayes speaking.
Albert tried his best to ignore it and asked casually, "So… are you taking me down there too?"
"You?" Hayes seemed surprised by the question. He paused, then asked back, "Do you want to go with me? Your injuries aren't healed yet."
Hayes himself wasn't sure what to do.
Albert was like his portable tranquilizer—best kept within arm's reach at all times. If Hayes only considered things from his own perspective, of course bringing Albert along would be the most reassuring option.
But just his luck—Albert had been injured only a couple of days ago. Bringing such a defenseless man into the bunker was no different from delivering him straight into a tiger's jaws.
Nobody knew what was underground. If things were truly that dangerous, Hayes might not even be able to protect himself, let alone an unarmed Albert.
"…I'm almost healed, I think."
Who could resist a big, fluffy cat?
Albert restrained himself, rubbing lightly against Hayes's soft, thick chest fur. Afraid Hayes would notice something odd, he kept the movement very small and played dumb. "I feel like… maybe because I've been eating a lot of meat these past few days? 'You are what you eat,' right? My wounds healed fast. They don't hurt much anymore."
Albert didn't want to lie to him deliberately. Honestly, Hayes' personality was unpredictable at times, but he treated Albert pretty well. When Albert was injured, Hayes had even let him lie on his belly—
…though a big reason for that was probably because Hayes wanted to rub against him too.
But if Hayes learned the truth, he would definitely notice something off. Then how was Albert supposed to explain all those strange phenomena?
Thinking of this, Albert blinked. "If all of you are going down, what's the point of me staying up here? Who knows—maybe I can even help a little."
Hayes's gaze immediately grew serious.
He looked Albert up and down twice. His blue eyes were beautiful and mysterious, like translucent glass beads—holy and imposing, as if they could pierce straight through Albert's soul.
"But you're just a blade of grass," the beautiful big cat tilted his head. On that face—normally cold and regal as a glacier—there was even a touch of confusion, as if he couldn't fathom what possible help Albert could provide.
Just a blade of grass.
A blade of grass.
Grass…
Albert fell silent for a moment. He wanted to refute him, but no words came out.
He had let his guard down.
"At least I can help you, can't I?"
After two seconds of silence, he immediately changed tactics, fully embracing the pitiful pretty-boy persona. "If you go underground, and no one's watching me… what if a spider or something grabs me again? By the time you come back, I'll be gone."
"If you take me with you, I won't cause trouble. If something dangerous happens, you can just run—I'll grab onto your tail from behind…"
As he spoke, he simply rolled once across the snow leopard's firm, solid front, burying his head against Hayes's chest—earning a mildly irritated stare from the other.
Albert's voice was warm and velvety, with a natural magnetism. His diction was precise, his tone gentle and refined; even when he pleaded, it sounded like flirting.
Not to mention—he smelled good.
Hayes's ears twitched twice on their own, as if he could hardly endure it.
Despicable man.
The snow leopard narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Do you think I'm your pillow? You asked for this yourself—don't blame me later for not warning you."
But Albert wasn't afraid at all. Instead, he smiled even more sweetly at Hayes. "Okay. Just don't leave me behind."
It took them an entire day to prepare. On the morning of the third day, led by Jameson's people, they reached the entrance of the bunker.
The entrance had once been built on the ground, backed by a raised slope.
After that unprecedented "earthquake," it had sunk along with the collapsing base, and now only the upper third of the arched doorway remained above the surface. A normal adult had to rely on a rope dropped down into the bunker to climb in.
Barely five hundred meters away stood the ruins of the military government's main building—now completely collapsed.
Everything in sight was desolate. Only the mutated shrubs and weeds had grown wildly to adult height, making the scene resemble a dark green "wheat field."
Albert and Hayes both noticed footprints—signs of trampling—on the patch of grass near the bunker entrance.
"Watch out for the things underground… and for Jameson," Miguel whispered.
Jameson stood not far away, watching them speak. His expression was almost a smile, as if he knew perfectly well they were talking about him.
The two groups finally met at the entrance.
"Well then, Commander Hayes—who goes first?"
Hayes shot him a cold glance. "We take turns. Don't try anything."
This was only a temporary alliance; there was no need for empty politeness.
Hayes sent one of his men down first to check the situation. When a whistle finally echoed from below, Hayes nudged Albert, signaling him to go second.
Then Hayes followed.
A few minutes later, several of Jameson's mutants began climbing down one after another.
As they waited for everyone to come down, Hayes turned on his flashlight and quickly examined the underground structure of the bunker.
What unfolded before them was a long, straight underground passage. The tunnel was also arched, about six to seven meters wide, three meters tall, and the ground slanted noticeably to one side.
"The bunker walls are made from special materials—they can withstand heavy impact. That's why they didn't shatter into dust like the military government buildings."
Hayes left two soldiers behind to wait for the others, then led the rest forward as he continued, "The ground collapsed, and the bunker must have sunk at least a few dozen meters… maybe even more."
The farther they walked, the more they felt the incline beneath their feet increasing.
It wasn't strange for the tunnel to slope downward—the entrance had always gradually extended into deeper ground. The strange thing was… it was too steep.
Steep enough to make everyone feel a little unnerved.
No one knew how long they would have to stay inside. Many of them were carrying weapons and a heavy supply of rations, dragging their bodies downward with extra weight.
The entrance grew farther away. Darkness settled around them. The air carried that deep, earthy smell unique to underground spaces.
Beams of countless flashlights cut across the tunnel walls, stretching their shadows into warped, unsettling shapes.
For a long time, no one spoke. Only the sound of heavy, uneven breathing echoed around them.
The atmosphere grew heavier and heavier.
Until Hayes's expression suddenly shifted. "Listen—"
Pa-da, pa-da.
From somewhere deep in the tunnel came the faint, flickering sound of wings beating—like huge umbrellas slicing through air.
Not just one or two.
A whole flock.
In the darkness, inside the tunnel—pairs of crimson, glowing eyes suddenly appeared!