The Bigshot's Superstar Wife

Chapter 139: Harsh

Dawn broke with an eerie stillness, the jungle shrouded in mist. The storm had lessened, but the damage was done.

The ground was thick with mud, making every step treacherous. Water dripped from the heavy canopy above, the weight of the previous night’s rain still clinging to the leaves.

A bone-deep chill settled over the survivors as they packed what little supplies they had and prepared to move.

Athena took the lead. She had barely slept, her mind racing with strategies and contingency plans.

The creatures might have retreated, but she knew they weren’t gone. They were watching. Waiting.

"We need to find higher ground," she said, adjusting the straps of her bag.

"If the storm worsens again, staying in a low-lying area will be a death sentence. Floods will sweep us away."

The others nodded, exhaustion evident in their faces.

Lisa was hunched over, rubbing her arms for warmth. "What about the crew? They still haven’t contacted us."

"They were supposed to check in at dawn," Darren said, glancing at the handheld radio, which had been silent all night.

"Still nothing. Either the storm knocked out communications, or..." He didn’t finish the thought.

No one wanted to consider the possibility that the crew might have abandoned them.

Marco coughed violently, bending over as he spat onto the wet ground. His face was flushed, his body shivering despite the oppressive humidity.

He wasn’t the only one. Several others were showing signs of fever, probably from the cold, exhaustion, and the relentless exposure to the elements.

"We need medicine," Athena muttered. "Herbs, anything."

"We can’t afford to wait," Darren agreed. "We have to move before another wave of those things come back."

So they pressed forward. The journey was slow, agonizing. The rain had softened the jungle floor into a thick sludge, making every step a challenge.

Some slipped, their hands plunging into the mud, their clothes and bodies coated in filth. Others tripped over unseen roots, barely managing to catch themselves.

An hour into the hike, the first real accident happened. A sharp scream tore through the still air. Your journey continues on Freewebnovel

Athena whipped around just in time to see a woman, one of the quieter participants, lose her footing on a steep incline.

She tumbled downward, arms flailing, before vanishing into the thick underbrush below.

"No, you can’t," Athena said bluntly. "We’ll carry you."

Darren and another man hoisted Marco up between them, his arms slung over their shoulders. They trudged forward, step by grueling step.

Hours passed. The rain had finally stopped, but the jungle was unforgiving. The group was on edge. Every snapping twig, every rustling leaf sent waves of paranoia through them.

They weren’t alone. Athena felt it. She wasn’t sure if it was the creatures from last night or something else entirely, but they were being watched.

The weight of unseen eyes bore down on them, making her skin prickle. Suddenly, a sharp cry echoed through the trees.

One of the men, Joseph, had stepped into something, a snare. A crude trap made of twisted vines snapped around his ankle, yanking him into the air. He dangled upside down, flailing.

"Help! HELP!" he shouted.

Athena reacted first, slicing through the vine with a well-aimed strike of her spear. Joseph crashed to the ground with a groan, clutching his ankle.

"A trap?" Lisa whispered, horrified.

"That means someone..." Darren began.

A rustling in the trees cut him off. Athena spun around, her grip tightening on her weapon. The others fell silent, fear clenching their throats.

Then, a figure emerged from the shadows. Not a creature. A man. His clothes were ragged, his hair unkempt, his eyes sunken from malnutrition. But he was human.

He wasn’t alone. More figures stepped into view, survivors, or something close to it. Athena’s breath caught in her throat.

These people had been here long before them. And from the wary, almost predatory way they were looking at the group... They weren’t friendly.

Lisa instinctively stepped back. "Who... are you?"

The leader of the ragged group smirked. "You’re trespassing."

Darren clenched his fists. "We didn’t know anyone else was here."

"Not many people do." The man’s eyes flicked over their exhausted group, lingering on Marco, who was barely conscious. "Looks like you’re in bad shape."

Athena remained tense, her mind racing. Were these people dangerous? Or their best chance at survival?

The man tilted his head. "You want to live through the night? Then you’ll need us."

Athena narrowed her eyes. She didn’t trust them. But at this moment, they had no other choice.