The Bigshot's Superstar Wife

Chapter 144: The Rescue

There were three crew teams scattered throughout the wilderness, each stationed in secret to monitor and assist the participants from a distance.

They were trained professionals, equipped with medical supplies, emergency communication devices, and the skills to navigate harsh terrains.

The teams were meant to be the unseen guardians of the contestants, stepping in only when things became dangerous. But something had gone terribly wrong.

The first team was gone, their bodies found mangled and torn, as if they had been attacked by wild beasts.

Blood had soaked the ground, and their remains had been strewn across the site like broken dolls. The second team, however, was something far worse.

Athena still couldn’t believe what she had seen.

The second crew team, once living, breathing humans, had turned into something monstrous, zombie-like creatures with glazed eyes and grayish skin.

Their movements were jerky and unnatural, their faces slack yet twisted in expressions of hunger and rage.

"Are we in some twisted horror show?" Athena muttered under her breath as they stumbled away from the fire.

"What if this was never just a survival game?" Lisa whispered back, her voice trembling. "What if they put us here to die?"

"No," Athena said firmly. "That’s not it." But doubt gnawed at her mind. Was this truly a contest gone wrong, or something far more sinister?

The sounds of footsteps, dragging, uneven steps, echoed behind them. The zombie-like creatures were still following, their sluggish but determined pace relentless.

Athena knew they couldn’t outrun them for long.

"We need to find the third crew team," Athena said. "They might still be alive."

"Do you think they’ll be like those... things?" Darren asked, his voice shaking.

"I don’t know," Athena admitted. "But we don’t have a choice."

They kept moving, sticking to the trees for cover. Athena grabbed a sharp stone from the ground and began carving small marks into the bark as they passed.

Deep enough to be noticed, but not so obvious that the infected crew would easily spot them.

"What are you doing?" Lisa asked.

"Leaving a trail," Athena said quietly. "If there’s anyone still looking for us, they’ll know where we’ve been."

Hours passed, their bodies aching from exhaustion and cold. Marco’s twisted ankle had swollen even worse, forcing Darren to practically carry him.

"Stay back!" Rowen shouted.

The creatures didn’t listen. With horrifying determination, they pushed forward.

"Fire!" Rowen barked.

Several rescuers raised their rifles, firing sharp, controlled shots. The gunfire echoed through the forest, shattering the silence.

One by one, the infected figures collapsed, but they didn’t fall easily.

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Even with bullet wounds, some of them still twitched and dragged themselves forward until multiple shots finally stopped them.

"What are they?" Lisa cried.

"We’re still trying to find out," Rowen muttered grimly. "But we’ve lost contact with the other crew teams. Something’s wrong with this whole operation."

Athena felt her chest tighten. "The third crew team... you think they’re infected too?"

"We don’t know," Rowen admitted. "But we’re getting you all out of here first."

With the undead threat temporarily stopped, the rescue team led Athena’s group carefully back through the forest.

The rescuers moved swiftly but cautiously, their weapons drawn at all times.

They walked for hours, avoiding known danger zones and keeping a wide distance from the sites where the infected had been seen.

Athena’s mind raced, this was no ordinary accident or wilderness mishap. Something had turned those crew members into monsters, and whatever it was hadn’t finished yet.

Finally, they reached a fortified rescue station deep in the forest. High fences lined the perimeter, and security guards armed with powerful rifles patrolled the grounds.

Inside, the survivors were given warm meals, medical treatment, and dry clothes. But Athena couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.

That night, as she lay on her cot, she overheard two rescuers whispering by the entrance.

"I heard they’re sending drones out tomorrow," one murmured. "To see if the third crew team’s still alive."

"You think they’re like the others?" the second voice asked.

"I hope not," the first replied grimly. "But if they are... we’ll have to take them down too."

Athena’s heart pounded. The horrors weren’t over yet, and she feared the worst was still to come.