Chapter 25 The Odd Quartet
William had already cleared the small road between the tennis court and the playground of zombies.
He smoothly reached the entrance of the tennis court. Perhaps due to the fewer people at the beginning of the apocalypse, from the outside, it didn't seem much different from usual.
However, William felt a bit anxious deep down. He feared that the key to the secret realm might not be here. After all, in his past life, he had hidden not far from here but had paid no attention to any unusual light.
Suddenly, a burst of intense gunfire erupted from the south side of the city, causing William, who was about to enter the tennis court, to pause. Judging from the sky tinged red by the flames in the distance, where the headquarters of the armed police forces were located, it seemed that the city's armed forces were organizing a counterattack.
William didn't feel much joy. He knew that although the national armed forces would remain a significant power in the world, they lacked the ability to change much. Rescue efforts were limited to a small scale. Apart from a few large-scale operations in the early stages of the apocalypse, there were no more coordinated actions against human enemies.
This was inevitable because human enemies were too powerful. For a decade after the apocalypse, humanity remained on the defensive.
After silently wishing them good luck, William entered the tennis court.
With the city in darkness, the tennis court was pitch black. If William hadn't been an evolved individual, he couldn't see at all. As he crossed the hall, William dealt with two zombies, likely former staff left behind, without encountering any other dangers.
The tennis court was divided into two levels. The first floor housed the competition area with a single court surrounded by several stands. The facilities were advanced, often hosting city-level tennis matches. The second floor was mainly for training and teaching, with standard courts but no stands.
The first floor was almost empty, with the end clearly visible. Everything seemed normal, with no signs of anything unusual.
William's spirits plummeted as he found nothing on the first floor. With half his hope gone, he suppressed a faint sense of loss and quickly ascended to the second floor.
The second floor was divided into three areas, a rest and bathing area and two court areas. He began searching each area counterclockwise, but the results left him increasingly disappointed.
He thought, ' Could it be that the key to the secret realm isn't here after all? Or have the teachers and students lied to me?'
Before long, he had checked both independent court areas, yielding no results.
Only the smallest remaining area, the rest area, was left unsearched.
With his last shreds of hope, William approached. Just as he reached the doorway, he suddenly flashed behind a partition, where voices could be faintly heard from the rest area.
"After looking for so long, what should we do? Don't just stay silent like this."
The voice sounded anxious, with a hint of reproach.
A moment later, another person said, "What should we do? It was you who suggested coming to see what it was in the first place. Now that someone's dead, we don't know what to do."
William thought, 'This person clearly holds some resentment toward the first speaker, but what did they mean by someone being dead?'
William remained still, listening carefully.
"Who would have expected this situation? Who would have thought that crazy dog will bite him! Leon, I tell you, watch your tone when speaking to me. The person who died was my brother, not yours. It's not your place to lecture me."
"Alright, let's cut the chatter. Let's quickly figure out a plan. Should we all go in together and kill that crazy dog, or should we leave immediately?" The third voice had a strong nasal tone, making it somewhat uncomfortable to listen to.
"Let's listen to this officer," Leon Roberts whispered.
Quietly approaching, William discovered four people standing outside a lounge, three men and a woman. From their conversation, it seemed that the woman was actually a police officer.
Their phones were all lit up, casting the room in bright light as if it were daytime, allowing William to easily witness a scene that quickened his heartbeat.
In a bathroom in front of these people, there was a subtle energy fluctuation emanating! Through the gap in the bathroom door, strange light seeped out, which was easily noticeable!
William was unfamiliar with this energy fluctuation, but precisely because of this, he speculated that it might be the fluctuation of the key to the secret realm.
After all, in his previous life, he had seen many things but had never encountered the Enclave.
However, he thought, 'What did they mean by a crazy dog? And someone being dead?'
"It was too bizarre tonight, including whatever is inside there. My suggestion is that we charge in!" The female officer pulled out a gun from her waist.
"Charge in? Officer, are you serious? What about that crazy dog inside?" Leon shouted, taking a few steps back, clearly reluctant to enter.
"Don't worry, you don't have to go in first. I'll go in and take out that crazy dog. I was caught off guard last time, but this time I'm prepared. It should be fine."
The female officer furrowed her brow, her tone not entirely confident, indicating even she had doubts.
Tonight was too strange, with monsters outside and a crazed dog appearing after they took refuge here.
"Alright, let's go." The first speaker, the youngest of the group, around twenty-three or twenty-four, seemed to have gained some courage upon hearing someone was willing to go in first.
"Wait a minute."
William stepped forward, halting the four individuals.
He thought, 'Huh! There's no way I'll let them enter and obtain the key to the secret realm. Otherwise, all my efforts throughout the night will be wasted.'
The key was more important than anything else, so William had no reason to miss out on it.
"Who are you?" The female officer reacted swiftly, turning toward William with her gun aimed, her hand steady, giving off a sense of danger once she locked eyes with him. It was evident that she was well-trained and capable.
Surprised by the officer's prowess, William raised his hands, indicating he meant no harm.
The female officer squinted, coldly inquiring, "What's your name? What do you do? Where is your ID" She rested her finger lightly on the trigger, ready to shoot if William made any sudden moves.
In a world that had drastically changed, with danger everywhere, the female officer had to be cautious, especially considering William was carrying a machete and covered in blood, looking like a dangerous individual.
William reluctantly smiled, thinking, 'ID? That thing is useless now!
'However, at the beginning of the apocalypse, many people still hold onto habits from peacetime, which is understandable.'
"I mean no harm. I'm also seeking refuge here. I overheard your conversation and found it quite intriguing," William said calmly, "I have some martial arts training. How about I lead the way? The officer can follow behind, giving you time to react in case of any mishaps. What do you think?"
