Chapter 47: Something Beneath the Floor

The wind sweeping through the canyon carried a sharp chill as Ethan stood outside the Underground Casino, his clothes still carrying traces of the recent battle. He placed the two dark green Viper Cores into his Survival Space before turning his attention to the Snake King mark on his arm. The strange mark continued to burn beneath his skin, so he repeatedly rinsed the area with clean water, watching as the painful sensation gradually weakened. After several washes, the mark finally dimmed until it was barely visible, and the strange resonance he could feel between it and the Viper Cores also became much weaker.

Ethan lifted his head and looked toward the direction of the Underground Casino. For a moment, he considered returning and giving one of the Cores to Rose, but he quickly dismissed the thought. The Winged Zombie’s behavior was still impossible to predict. It had already been attracted to the Snake King’s aura once, and Ethan couldn’t rule out the possibility that it might suddenly turn around and return to the area. The viper swarm had also retreated, but that didn’t mean every snake had left. A few stragglers could still be hiding among the rocks or beneath the vegetation, waiting for him to expose himself.

More importantly, the Snake King mark was still attached to him. As long as that mark remained, Ethan was essentially carrying a beacon that could attract creatures connected to the Snake King. He had no idea how far its influence could reach or what other mutated creatures might respond to the aura. Returning to the Underground Casino simply because he wanted to give Rose a Core would be an unnecessary risk.

Ethan began thinking about the current strength of the group. Debbie’s Healing Ability had become much stronger, but she was still primarily a support-type survivor and had limited offensive power. Rose’s Plant Growth Ability was useful for cultivation and could potentially become extremely valuable once the Survival Space’s planting area was fully developed, but she wasn’t yet strong enough to handle powerful evolved creatures on her own. Daisy’s Mental Ability was excellent for detecting emotions and sensing danger, but her ability to directly interfere with other people’s emotions remained too weak to have a major effect in a serious battle. Sofia’s ice blades were effective against ordinary zombies and weaker mutants, but they weren’t enough against creatures like the Snake King or the Winged Zombie.

Dr. Elena Vance was different. Her Extreme Ice Flame was powerful enough to freeze and damage extremely tough creatures, but using it consumed a considerable amount of stamina. If she were forced into a prolonged battle, her combat effectiveness would eventually drop. Ethan also had to consider Haley and Nina. No matter how strong the adults became, the two children were still completely dependent on them for protection. One mistake could put all of them in danger.

’It’s better to wait,’ Ethan thought as he looked toward the distant city. ’I’ll return when they’re stronger, or when the Survival Space is capable of supporting everyone for long periods. Until then, there’s no reason to expose them to unnecessary danger.’

He pulled out his walkie-talkie and pressed the call button. After a brief burst of static, Daisy’s anxious voice came through. "Ethan! Is that you? Are you okay? We were worried sick!" There was obvious relief in her voice, but also concern that she had been trying to hide. Ethan told her that he was fine and that the viper swarm had been dealt with, then instructed her to keep everyone inside the Underground Casino and not allow anyone to venture outside. He explained that he wouldn’t be returning for now and would wait until the area was completely safe before considering a return. Daisy hesitated and began to protest, but Ethan cut her off gently, telling her to stay where she was and take care of everyone. After making sure she understood, he ended the call.

With that matter settled, Ethan turned away from the Underground Casino and began walking toward the logistics park in the eastern part of the city. His priorities had not changed simply because he had escaped the latest danger. He still needed more Cores, another suitable gift target, and as many useful supplies as he could find. Fuel was particularly important because both the equipment inside the Underground Casino and the generator connected to his Survival Space consumed diesel. The group’s long-term survival depended on having enough resources to maintain those systems.

By five in the afternoon, Ethan finally reached the East City Logistics Park. The sun was already beginning its slow descent toward the horizon, but there was still enough daylight to search the area. He kept his sword firmly in his hand as he passed through the entrance, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings for movement. The logistics park had clearly been abandoned in a hurry. Cardboard boxes were scattered across the roads, many crushed beneath the tires of abandoned vehicles, while several enormous shipping containers had been knocked out of position and were now leaning against one another at awkward angles. Dark brown bloodstains covered parts of the concrete, most of them already dried and blackened by the sun.

The scene suggested that there had been a violent struggle here after the apocalypse, followed by extensive looting. Ethan moved from warehouse to warehouse, checking each one carefully. Unfortunately, his search quickly became disappointing. The shelves had been stripped bare, boxes had been torn open, and even the corners had been searched thoroughly. Whoever had come here before him had taken almost everything of value. There wasn’t a single drop of diesel left, and he couldn’t even find half a bag of compressed biscuits.

"Looks like I wasted my trip," Ethan muttered with a frown.

He was about to leave when something in the corner of the innermost warehouse caught his attention. Several wooden crates were stacked together beneath a dirty canvas sheet. They were positioned behind some discarded equipment, making them easy to overlook unless someone deliberately searched the area.

Ethan walked over and pulled the canvas away. His expression immediately changed when he saw that the seals on the crates were still intact. Large letters had been printed across the sides: HIGH-QUALITY CROP SEEDS.

He opened the first crate and found several sealed plastic bags filled with plump rice seeds. The next contained potato seed tubers, while another was packed with different varieties of vegetable seeds. There were five crates in total, and none of them appeared to have been opened since they were stored here.

"Now that’s lucky."

A smile appeared on Ethan’s face as he stored all five crates inside the Survival Space. These seeds might not be useful immediately, but they could become extremely valuable once he figured out how to properly develop the cultivation area inside the Survival Space. If he could eventually grow rice, potatoes, vegetables, and other crops himself, the group’s dependence on outside food supplies would decrease significantly.

Ethan left the logistics park as the sun sank lower, casting the sky in a deep orange-red glow. He had barely stepped through the main gate when he heard hurried footsteps coming from behind him. The sound was followed by a familiar, furious voice that made him stop immediately.

"Ethan! I knew it was you!"

Ethan turned around and saw Jack standing at the intersection with more than twenty men behind him. The group had clearly come prepared for a fight. Some carried steel pipes, others held machetes, and two men at the back were carrying modified shotguns. Blaze stood beside Jack, his face still pale from his previous injuries. His movements were somewhat stiff, suggesting that his body had not fully recovered.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he studied them. He tightened his grip around his sword but remained calm. His Ability energy was fully restored, and his Gravity Control was ready. Compared with the threats he had faced recently, this group posed little danger to him.

"What a small world," Ethan said coldly.

Jack’s scarred face twisted with hatred. He raised his arm and pointed directly at Ethan before shouting to the men behind him, "Everyone, we’re killing him today! Once he’s dead, his Space Ability should drop out. Who knows how many supplies he’s carrying?"

The men immediately charged.

More than twenty people rushed down the street at once, raising steel pipes and machetes as they closed the distance. Their footsteps thundered against the pavement, and several men shouted as they prepared to surround Ethan.

Ethan didn’t retreat.

Instead, he calmly activated his ability.

"Gravity Control."

The moment the ability took effect, the gravity beneath Jack increased fivefold. Jack had been charging forward at full speed when his body suddenly became impossibly heavy. His knees buckled, and he slammed into the ground as if an invisible boulder had been dropped onto his back. His face struck the dirt hard enough to break two of his front teeth.

Jack desperately tried to push himself up, but the increased gravity kept him pinned to the ground. His hands scraped uselessly against the dirt as he struggled to lift his head, producing only muffled sounds through his mouth.

"Jack!"

Blaze’s expression changed when he saw what had happened. Despite the pain in his injured arm, he immediately activated his Wind Ability. A violent whirlwind erupted around his body, lifting dust and debris into the air as several razor-sharp Wind Blades formed within the swirling air. With a furious shout, he sent them flying directly toward Ethan’s face.

Ethan’s expression turned cold.

"Spatial Cut."

A streak of white light tore through the air and collided with the incoming Wind Blades. Sharp cracks echoed through the street as the attacks clashed, and fragments of compressed wind scattered in different directions. Before Blaze could launch another attack, Ethan stepped forward and activated Spatial Cut again.

The white slash traveled directly toward Blaze’s left arm.

"Ah!"

Blaze screamed as the attack severed his arm cleanly at the shoulder. Blood sprayed across the pavement, and the severed limb fell beside him. For a moment, Blaze simply stared at it in horror, his face completely drained of color. Then survival instinct took over. He grabbed the severed arm with his remaining hand and turned to flee.

The whirlwind surrounding his body intensified and lifted him partially off the ground, dramatically increasing his speed as he disappeared down the street.

"Trying to run?"

Ethan took a step after him, but the remaining men immediately rushed toward him, forcing him to abandon the pursuit. He stopped holding back and swung his sword with deadly precision. The narrow street quickly filled with screams as the men who had arrived with confidence began collapsing one after another.

The battle lasted less than three minutes.

More than half of Jack’s men were either dead or lying injured on the ground. The survivors finally lost the courage to continue fighting. They abandoned their weapons and fled in different directions, leaving Jack behind without hesitation.

Ethan walked toward Jack, who was still pinned against the ground by the increased gravity. He stopped beside him and lowered the edge of his sword against the back of Jack’s neck.

Jack began trembling violently.

His mouth was still filled with dirt, and his earlier arrogance had completely disappeared. "Don’t kill me... Ethan... I was wrong..." His voice shook as he struggled to speak. "I have plenty of supplies at the repair shop. I’ll give you everything. All of it. Just don’t kill me."

Ethan looked down at him without any sympathy.

"You kept targeting my supplies. You tried to kill me more than once." His voice remained completely calm. "Did you ever think about what would happen if you failed?"

Jack’s body shook harder.

Ethan continued, "And there’s another problem. If I kill you, I can simply take those supplies myself."

He applied a small amount of pressure with his sword.

Jack’s body jerked violently before becoming completely still.

Ethan waited for a moment to make sure he was dead, then searched the body. He found half a bag of compressed biscuits and the Desert Eagle he had seen before. Unfortunately, the pistol was already out of ammunition.

He looked toward the direction Blaze had escaped, but there was no sign of him anywhere. Ethan wasn’t particularly concerned. Blaze had lost an arm and was fleeing alone through a city filled with zombies and mutants. Whether he survived was no longer Ethan’s problem.

"The man can run, but his hideout isn’t going anywhere," Ethan muttered before turning toward the repair shop Jack had mentioned.

Ethan knew the place. Before the apocalypse, he had taken his car there for repairs, so he had a general idea of where it was located. When he arrived, he found the gate hanging slightly open. The entire place was eerily quiet, with no signs of the men who had been using it as a base.

Ethan pushed the gate open and stepped inside.

Several abandoned vehicles were scattered around the yard, their bodies covered in dust. More than a dozen oil drums had been stacked against one wall, and the strong smell of gasoline and motor oil hung heavily in the air.

He immediately went over to inspect the drums.

His eyes lit up.

They were filled with diesel.

Ethan quickly stored them all inside the Survival Space. The generator inside the Survival Space and the equipment at the Underground Casino both relied on diesel, so this discovery solved one of his immediate problems. The amount of fuel was enough to keep their equipment running for quite some time, assuming they used it carefully.

He continued searching the repair shop and eventually entered the office. Several crates of canned food were stacked against the wall, along with two crates of bottled mineral water and a collection of ordinary tools. Ethan didn’t waste time sorting through everything. He stored all of it inside the Survival Space, knowing that even seemingly insignificant items could become useful once the outside world completely collapsed.

He was preparing to leave when he suddenly felt a faint vibration beneath his feet.

Ethan stopped.

A few seconds later, a dull sound came from somewhere below the concrete floor.

Thump.

He remained motionless and listened.

A second sound followed.

Thump. Thump.

His expression immediately became serious.

The noise was coming from underground.

It wasn’t the random movement of a loose pipe or some settling debris. It sounded like someone was deliberately striking something beneath the floor at a slow, steady rhythm.

Ethan’s body tensed as he carefully listened for another clue. The sound seemed to be coming from a cellar located in the corner of the repair shop. He moved toward it and soon discovered a heavy iron plate embedded in the floor. Two oil drums had been placed directly on top of it, as though someone had intentionally used them to keep the cellar sealed.

Ethan stared at the iron plate.

This didn’t look like an ordinary storage cellar.

Someone had gone out of their way to keep whatever was underneath hidden.

"Is someone down there?"

He tightened his grip around his sword and slowly approached.

Another dull knock came from below.

Thump.

Then another.

Thump.

The rhythm remained steady. It wasn’t hurried, and it didn’t sound like someone desperately trying to escape. Whoever or whatever was underneath seemed to be striking the metal with enough control to maintain the same rhythm.

Ethan crouched beside the iron plate and placed his palm against it.

The metal was cold.

The moment his hand touched the surface, the sound became much clearer. The vibrations traveled through the iron and into his palm, confirming that something was definitely moving beneath the floor.

His mind immediately ran through the possibilities.

Had Jack and his men imprisoned someone here?

Was there a survivor trapped underground?

Or had they discovered something during the apocalypse that they had deliberately kept hidden?

Ethan took a slow breath and prepared himself for whatever might be waiting below.

Then he gripped the edge of the heavy iron plate and lifted it.

A wave of damp, moldy air immediately rushed out of the opening.

The cellar below was completely dark. Ethan couldn’t see more than a few feet into it, and the sudden silence was even more unsettling than the knocking had been.

The moment the plate was removed, the knocking stopped.

Ethan remained crouched beside the opening, sword ready in his hand as he stared into the darkness.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then he heard a faint scraping sound from somewhere deep inside the cellar.

Something had moved.