Chapter 26 The Dog Guarding the Treasure
There were occasional noises coming from the street behind the tennis court, mostly human screams of anger and despair, along with the pitiful cries of those unwilling to die.
Occasionally, there were moments of intense fighting sounds, constantly reminding the five people inside the tennis court that it was the end of the world.
Apart from the female police officer, the three men looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and uncertainty.
William looked young, with a handsome appearance and clear eyes that would leave a good first impression on anyone. However, the bloodstains on his body were too glaring, and the machete he carried seemed peculiar. It seemed to have a faint halo.
It was already midnight in the deserted tennis court, with monsters outside preying on humans. The sudden appearance of a stranger like this would naturally trigger such reactions from everyone.
Especially since, even though chaos had only reigned for a short time, these fleeing individuals had already witnessed much human ugliness.
They couldn't guarantee whether this sudden arrival posed a threat to them. Perhaps this kind of vigilance had not yet solidified into a rule, but the concept of one's own kind being dangerous had already emerged in everyone's subconscious.
William shrugged and said, "See? You have guns in your hands, which should be enough to ensure your safety. If you agree, I'll take the lead, facing the danger myself. What more concerns do you have?"
.
Having just lost a companion, even the female police officer with a gun had little confidence in the upcoming actions. Now, someone volunteering to face the danger was a very tempting proposition.
Of course, all of this stemmed from these people's curiosity and longing for the mysterious object in the bathroom.
After experiencing the brief but catastrophic attack that had changed the world in a matter of minutes, the survivors had reason to believe that miraculous things would continue to happen.
In fact, there was indeed something miraculous in the bathroom.
The three men behind were clearly intrigued, while the female police officer hesitated. Due to her profession, she instinctively guarded against William.
"You've already lost one person, right? Because there's a mad dog inside, right? If that's the case, I think a knife would be much more useful than the gun in your hand."
With these words from William, the tension did not subside, especially with the gun in the female police officer's hand aiming at him. William had not expected to still feel pressure in the face of a gun.
After some thought, the female police officer finally agreed and made a request.
"Alright, come over slowly, turn your back to us, and then draw your knife."
William nodded, walked slowly to the bathroom door, turned his back to the four people, and drew out his machete.
"What kind of knife is that?"
The man with a heavy nasal voice couldn't help but ask about this strange weapon that seemed to shimmer with light.
"A knife for killing."
William's answer made the four people tense up immediately.
As William had passed by these people just now, a hint of murderous intent had crossed his mind. He could take out all of them and claim whatever was inside for himself.
But truth be told, William wasn't entirely confident. The female police officer was clearly professionally trained, and while she might not match a One-Star Evolver in physique, her combat skills and marksmanship could definitely rival William's. If he were to strike suddenly, the outcome was uncertain.
More importantly, even after a decade in the post-apocalyptic world, William was not the kind of demon who would kill his own kind for any reason. Deep down, he still held onto his humanity and principles.
His response was merely a warning to these people. Whether they could understand it was up to them.
When danger subsided, greed often reared its head. If these people tried to snatch the key to the secret realm later, William wouldn't mind killing them.
The female officer said, "Don't play tricks."
He didn't care about her words and pressed his hand lightly against the bathroom door, slowly pushing it open.
A glaring pool of blood met their eyes, splattered on the surrounding walls. This sight momentarily startled the individuals holding phones for light, causing them to freeze in their tracks.
As the door swung wider, a body lay in the pool of blood, twisted in a manner that suggested extreme terror at the moment of death.
Low growls continued to echo, prompting William to follow the sound. A sandy-colored dog crouched on the ground, baring its fangs toward the people at the door, ready to pounce.
" It's this mad dog! It's the one that killed my brother!"
Seeing the hound ready to leap, the three men behind William panicked. Some retreated in fear, others sought cover, and one even hid behind the female police officer, turning her from the last in line to the first behind William.
But at that moment, William had no attention to spare for them. His gaze was entirely drawn to a silver glow behind the dog, in the corner of the wall.
It was the key to the secret realm!
William had never seen such a thing before, but at first sight of the silver glow, he knew it was the key to the secret realm!
Beneath the silver glow, a long object was faintly visible, causing William's heart to quicken.
Suppressing his desire for the key, William knew he had to deal with the dog first. To him, an unmutated ordinary dog posed little threat.
However, upon closer inspection, he felt something was off.
This seemed to be a mutating dog; its body had grown larger than a normal dog's, with its limbs thick and powerful, its teeth sharp, and its eyes tinged with a reddish hue. These were all signs of mutation.
What made William feel strange was a sense of familiarity with this dog.
He thought, 'How does this dog resemble...'
As William scrutinized the dog, it also gazed back at him. Initially poised to attack, it suddenly whimpered and looked at William with evident confusion.
Standing up, the dog's sudden movement startled the four individuals behind William once again. However, William raised his palm, signaling them not to move.
The dog slowly approached William. Upon seeing him not reacting, it lowered its head to sniff his calf. As it did so, its tail behind it began to wag rapidly, and its large head even began to nuzzle against William's leg!
