The Bigshot's Superstar Wife-Chapter 168: Team Up

The soldiers scrambled to reinforce the entrance, dragging metal crates and debris to block any openings.

Their hands shook as they worked, their exhaustion evident. Athena positioned herself near the front, gripping her sword tightly as she listened to the distant wails growing closer.

The screamers were coming. Athena had heard of these creatures before, but she had never encountered one.

The stories were always the same, once a screamer let out its unholy cry, an unstoppable horde would descend upon the location.

Those who weren’t torn apart by the zombies were killed instantly by the piercing sound of the scream itself.

"We need a plan," Athena said, glancing at the soldier who had first spoken to her.

"Lieutenant Reed," he introduced himself hurriedly.

"We’ve been stuck here for weeks. We were part of a convoy headed for the northern military base, but we got cut off. We’ve been holding out, but every night, the screamers get closer."

Athena nodded, taking in the state of their defenses. They were running low on ammunition, their supplies were almost depleted, and half of them were injured.

"We can’t stay here," she said. "If we fight, we die. If we run, we might have a chance."

Reed exhaled sharply. "Easier said than done. The screamers don’t let anyone escape. The moment they lock onto you, they’ll hunt you until you’re dead."

Athena’s mind worked quickly. The warehouse complex was large, with multiple exits. If they could create a diversion, they might be able to slip away unnoticed.

"We need bait," she muttered.

Reed frowned. "What kind of bait?"

Athena’s gaze landed on an old military jeep in the corner. "That."

She moved quickly, yanking open the hood and inspecting the engine. It was old, rusted, but still functional.

If she could hotwire it and rig it with explosives, they could send it barreling down the road and draw the horde away.

One of the soldiers, a younger man named Parker, crouched beside her. "You know how to do that?"

Athena smirked. "You’re about to find out."

Within minutes, she had the jeep wired to a remote detonator. She filled the back with whatever fuel and flammable materials they could find, ensuring maximum destruction.

"Once the horde follows the explosion, we make our move," she instructed.

The others nodded grimly. Then, the first screamer arrived. It stood at the entrance, silhouetted by the dim moonlight.

Unlike the zombies she had encountered before, this one was different.

Its limbs were unnaturally long, its fingers twitching as if waiting for something. Its eyes, sunken and black, were locked onto Athena with eerie intelligence.

And then, it opened its mouth. The sound that followed was unlike anything Athena had ever heard. A piercing, high-pitched wail that made her ears ring violently.

She staggered back, gritting her teeth as the soldiers around her clutched their heads, some collapsing from the sheer intensity of the noise.

The walls shook, glass shattered, and outside, an answering chorus of groans and snarls filled the air. The horde was coming.

"NOW!" Athena shouted, forcing herself to move.

She slammed her fist against the jeep’s ignition, and the engine roared to life. Without wasting a second, she put it into gear and sent it speeding down the road.

The screamer snapped its head toward the sound, its mouth twisting into an unnatural grin.

It let out another shriek, and the horde immediately shifted direction, charging after the runaway jeep. Athena didn’t wait to see the explosion.

"Move!" she yelled, dragging one of the fallen soldiers to his feet.

The group bolted through the back exit, sprinting as fast as their bodies allowed.

They had to put as much distance between themselves and the horde as possible before the diversion wore off.

Behind them, a deafening boom erupted, sending flames and debris soaring into the night sky.

The force of the explosion rattled the ground beneath them, but Athena didn’t stop running. The plan had worked. But they weren’t safe yet.

As they reached an abandoned highway, Athena slowed, scanning their surroundings. The road ahead was littered with wreckage, but beyond that, she could see a forest.

"Head for the trees," she ordered. "We need cover."

The group followed without question, their breathing labored. Athena could hear the distant echoes of the undead, but for now, they had bought themselves time.

They ran until their legs burned, until the highway was far behind them and the dense foliage of the forest surrounded them. Only then did they allow themselves to rest.

Parker collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. "Holy shit… that was insane."

Reed wiped the sweat from his brow. "That was the closest we’ve come to death."

Athena leaned against a tree, her sword still in her grip. "We’re not out of the woods yet. The screamers are smart. They’ll eventually realize we tricked them and come looking."

Reed nodded. "Then we keep moving."

Athena agreed. But as she looked up at the dark canopy above, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something, or someone, was watching them.

The apocalypse had turned the world into a nightmare. And the worst was yet to come.

They continued their journey north, moving cautiously through the wilderness. Athena hunted for food while the others rested, making sure they had enough supplies to last.

Days passed, and the further they traveled, the more desolate the world became. They came across ghost towns, burned-down settlements, and fields of abandoned vehicles.

No signs of life. No hope of rescue. Then, on the seventh day, they saw it. The northern military base.

Read 𝓁at𝙚st chapters at ƒrēenovelkiss.com Only.

It was massive, surrounded by towering walls reinforced with steel. Guard towers loomed above, their searchlights sweeping the perimeter.

From a distance, they could see movement, soldiers patrolling, civilians huddled near the gates. A functioning society. Relief flooded through the group.

"We made it," Parker whispered, his voice full of disbelief.

Athena narrowed her eyes. Something felt… off.

As they approached, she noticed that the guards weren’t just watching for zombies. They were watching for people. And they weren’t letting anyone in.

A group of survivors stood near the gates, pleading to be let inside. The guards responded by raising their rifles.

Athena’s stomach twisted. This wasn’t a safe haven. This was a fortress. And not everyone was welcome.

Reed clenched his fists. "What do we do?"

Athena exhaled slowly. She had fought through hell to get here. And she wasn’t about to be turned away.

If the military thought they could deny her entry, they were sorely mistaken. She was going in, one way or another.