The Bigshot's Superstar Wife - Chapter 144

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.

Athena pushed herself forward, her mind racing for solutions. Suddenly, a flicker of light appeared through the trees, faint but unmistakable.

“Look!” Lisa gasped.

“Quiet!” Athena warned, but her eyes gleamed with hope. The group crept forward, staying low as they approached the clearing.

What they saw nearly made Athena cry with relief, search and rescue personnel, dressed in bright uniforms, moving cautiously through the trees.

“We’re saved,” Darren whispered in disbelief.

“Wait,” Athena said, pulling them back. “We can’t rush in.”

“Why not?” Lisa asked, panic rising. “They’re right there!”

“We need to be sure they’re not… like the others.” Athena’s voice was grim.

They waited, watching the rescuers move in coordinated lines, searching for survivors. They called out in calm voices, urging anyone nearby to reveal themselves.

“They’re real,” Athena finally said, her chest loosening with relief. “Come on.”

Athena cupped her hands around her mouth and called out, “We’re here! Over here!”

The rescuers turned quickly, flashlights flickering toward the group. Within moments, the team rushed forward, wrapping blankets around them and checking their injuries.

Marco was immediately given support, his ankle braced with professional care.

“You’re lucky we found you,” one of the rescuers, a tall man named Sergeant Rowen, said. “We’ve been tracking these trails, someone’s been leaving marks on the trees.”

“That was me,” Athena said breathlessly. “I wanted to make sure we could be found.”

“You saved your group,” Sergeant Rowen said with admiration. “But…” his face darkened. “There’s something… wrong out here.”

Athena stiffened. “You saw them too?”

Rowen’s eyes hardened. “Yes. We found some of those… things.”

Before Athena could respond, a distant growl rumbled through the forest.

“Get down!” Rowen ordered.

The rescuers moved swiftly, positioning themselves between Athena’s group and the shadows creeping toward them.

The faint figures stumbled closer, moving in unnatural jerks. Their skin sagged, their teeth bared in grim, distorted grins. The zombie-like crew.

“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.

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.