Magic Space: Struggling to Survive in the Apocalypse-Chapter 75: Mishap, Bear Attack, Earthquake

At 2:30, Officer Graham and the others returned. Evelyn Ford saw they were covered in dirt, but thankfully, no one was injured.

"What happened?"

Quincy caught his breath and said in a low voice, "We ran into some wild buffalo on our way down. We fell while trying to get away, but luckily, we’re all okay."

Officer Graham poured Wendy a cup of water, then held her and comforted her for a long time.

"It’s a shame the gun doesn’t have a silencer," he said. "And there were four buffalo. Even if we’d gotten lucky and killed one, we couldn’t have carried it away. I was more worried we’d fail to hunt them and end up being chased. That would have been the end of us."

’So they ran into the other four buffalo,’ Evelyn thought. She then told them what had happened on her end.

"That Mr. Holloway already sent his men up the mountain to take care of the two black bears. I guess they’re planning to take them back to their RV."

Quincy snorted. "So, does that mean those people before died for nothing?"

’He had a point.’

Around three o’clock, one of the black bears was carried down the mountain. It took eight men to carry it. While some people were still lost in the grief of losing their families, others began to hope that Mr. Holloway might share some of the meat. The bear was carried directly to the front of his RV, which had a refrigerator. A few of his men quickly skinned and butchered the animal, even cleaning the hide.

The families of the four people who had been mauled to death were given some of the organs. No one else received a thing.

The metallic scent of blood hung over the entire convoy. Some rejoiced while others despaired. Just then, a black bear’s roar echoed from the dark, imposing mountain. Suddenly, the ground began to tremble faintly.

A pack of black bears charged down from the mountains. As if seeking revenge for their fallen kin, they headed straight for the source of the blood.

The convoy instantly descended into chaos. People cried and screamed. Some drivers started their engines, ramming into the vehicles in front of and behind them. With over a thousand vehicles gridlocked, no one could move forward or back.

Evelyn Ford’s hands gripped the steering wheel. When a small gap opened up ahead, she immediately started the car and pulled forward. The faces of her companions were grim; they hadn’t expected so many black bears on Broken Cloud Mountain. A few gunshots rang out from the front of the convoy, but they missed the bears, instead hitting two people who were fleeing.

This incident immediately sparked outrage. It was one thing not to unite against the attacking bears, but for those with weapons to turn them on the unarmed masses was unforgivable.

"What do we do? The car’s stuck. Should we get out and run?"

Evelyn Ford pulled several small pouches from her pack. Each contained some medicine she had prepared, a hand-drawn map, a lighter, a pair of night-vision goggles, and a compass. She thrust one into each person’s arms.

"If we get separated, head north. It’s best to stick together in pairs, but if you’re alone, just go north. Remember, Wyrmrest Base is to the north. If you can’t make it there, head for the Southwest or the Northwest."

"Miss Ford, I don’t want to leave you!" Roy Henderson’s hands were shaking uncontrollably. He stared at the bears ahead, mauling people at random, his entire body on the verge of collapse.

"I don’t want us to be separated either, but if we are, don’t panic. Stay calm. The pouches have lighters and night-vision goggles—don’t lose them. Now, everyone, put on your backpacks." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Listen to Evelyn," Officer Graham commanded. "Get your packs on. Stick together in pairs if you can. If you get split up, don’t waste time looking for anyone. Just run. Head north." With that, he strapped Wendy to his chest and hoisted a hastily packed bag onto his back.

Evelyn Ford acted fast. Seeing the gridlocked cars and the people being torn apart by the bears, she threw open her door and jumped out.

Just then, the world began to spin, and the color drained from Evelyn Ford’s face.

"Run! It’s an earthquake!"

’I really want to slap Quincy right now,’ Evelyn thought. ’It’s all his fault for being such a jinx. Now there’s an actual earthquake.’

Broken Cloud Mountain was a treacherous range of steep peaks, strange rock formations, and sheer cliffs. It felt like every path was a dead end. Evelyn Ford forced herself to calm down and dragged the others out of the car.

"Run east! There’s a small plain over there! Run!"

By now, everyone had felt the tremors. An earthquake, right in the middle of a bear attack. The remaining survivors were gripped by a desperate will to live, and they all ran for their lives like madmen. Evelyn Ford stopped worrying about anyone else. She kicked a car door blocking her path, stumbled, then scrambled back to her feet and kept running. The ground began to split open. Someone next to her vanished into a fissure. A hand grabbed her ankle, almost dragging her down too.

It was a girl, around ten years old, staring up with terrified eyes as her legs dangled in the chasm. Evelyn hesitated for only a second before hauling her up. She glanced at the child’s panicked face, then looked back at the people behind them being crushed by boulders rolling down the mountain. Without another thought, she turned and ran.

"Help! Save me!"

"It hurts! My leg!"

"Dad! Mom!"

"Where’s my son? Wei! Wei!"

The violent tremors sent Evelyn sprawling several times. Her forehead was gashed open, and blood streamed down her face and into her mouth.

’My head is spinning... I just want to squat down for a second, just sit for a moment.’

A burly man shoved Evelyn to the ground, trampling over her back as he fled. Pain exploded through her insides. Her limbs felt weak and limp, but she could only stagger back to her feet and force herself to run.

A rock rolled down from behind, slamming into the back of her knee. Evelyn cried out in pain.

She fell again and again, and again and again, she dragged herself up. ’I can’t die,’ she thought. ’I absolutely cannot die.’

Someone ahead of her fell. Before he could get up, he was trampled by the people running behind him. He made one last effort to struggle to his feet, but a rolling boulder crushed him instantly.

RUMBLE... Thunder suddenly cracked across the sky. Seconds later, a torrential downpour began, mixed with egg-sized hailstones. The impact of the ice on her head made her dizzy.

Mina was crying out in distress from inside her pouch, but Evelyn had no time to comfort her. Her body was a mass of wounds. The fleeing crowd was a chaotic crush of bodies. One man was waving a knife, forcing people aside. The blade slashed Evelyn’s arm. On pure instinct, she drove her combat knife into him, killing him. The people nearby stared at her like she was a maniac. Clutching her knife, Evelyn ignored their gazes and dragged her heavy body forward, forcing herself to keep running.

The cries and screams threatened to rupture her eardrums, while the roars of the black bears still echoed from behind. Evelyn spotted one of Mr. Holloway’s bodyguards. He was covered in blood and sprinted right past her. The next second, a falling rock crushed his head beyond recognition.

Evelyn was less than two meters away. His blood sprayed across her face, still warm.

Evelyn glanced back at Broken Cloud Mountain. Its eighteen peaks now looked like eighteen demonic maws, open and ready to devour all of humanity.