ECHOES OF MYSTERY: THE FROZEN HORDE

Pushed back by the relentless onslaught of zombies, the group struggled to hold their ground. The metal shields groaned under the pressure, the weight of the undead forcing them inch by inch towards retreat. Grunts and heavy breaths filled the corridor as the four friends and the army team fought to stay together, their formation straining against the unyielding force. The suffocating stench of decay and the cacophony of snarls surrounded them, leaving no room for thought, only survival.

Jaeyeon clenched his teeth, his frustration bubbling over like a pot on the verge of boiling. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of the shield, his irritation reaching its peak. The unrelenting assault, the lack of options, and the sheer hopelessness of the situation ignited a spark of defiance within him.

“Ugh, why don’t you things just leave us alone?!” he yelled, his voice reverberating through the narrow corridor. The sound echoed over and over, layering upon itself in an eerie repetition.

Then, without warning, the chaos ceased. The zombies froze mid-motion as if time had stopped for them. Their gnarled limbs and grotesque faces remained locked in unnatural poses, like macabre statues in a gallery of death. The abrupt silence was deafening.

Eunhye, who had squeezed her eyes shut, peeked cautiously. Her breath hitched as she noticed the horde standing eerily still, unmoving. She glanced around the circle, meeting the wide-eyed stares of her friends.

“Let’s move,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her throat felt dry, and she swallowed hard, the sound loud in the oppressive silence.

The others nodded in agreement, their movements careful and deliberate. Shields held tightly, they advanced through the corridor. The frozen zombies loomed around them, their grotesque forms an unnerving backdrop to the group’s cautious steps. Not a single creature snarled or groaned; they stood lifeless, their eyes dull and void of hunger.

Finally, the group reached the end of the corridor and entered the room beyond. As they stepped away from the horde, the army team removed the shields, their arms trembling from exertion. Sweat dripped from their faces, and their shoulders slumped as they collectively exhaled, relief washing over them like a wave.

Sae Joon Hyun approached the door they had just passed through. With a heavy sigh, he pushed it shut, the metal creaking ominously as it sealed them in. The zombies outside remained unmoving, their eerie stillness lingering even after the door clicked into place.

Yuri slumped to the floor, her legs giving out beneath her. The blue glow of the room bathed everyone in a cold, unfeeling light, emphasizing the exhaustion etched into their faces.

“I don’t know how you guys managed to control the zombies,” a voice said suddenly, shattering the silence. One of the side doors creaked open, revealing Ro-eun, his figure silhouetted against the dim light beyond. He stepped into the room, his expression unreadable. “But we can still ask them to come back here and chomp on all of you.”

The female army officer who had earlier outlined the plan stepped forward, her weapon already raised. “Hands up, mister,” she commanded, her tone firm and unyielding.

Ro-eun smirked, his casual defiance irritating in the face of their predicament. “The world’s gone mad,” he replied. “The law won’t work anymore.”

“Oh, the law will work,” the officer shot back, cocking her gun. “You will make it work.”

At her signal, the rest of the officers trained their weapons on him, a unified show of force. The friends, though weary, followed suit, their gazes hardening.

Before Ro-eun could respond, another figure emerged from the same door—Bangsuk, his demeanor as cocky as ever. He stood behind Ro-eun, a sly grin playing on his lips. “You’re really going to force the law here? When there are man-eating creatures right outside the door?”

“You’re coming with us,” the female officer snapped. “Your opinion does not matter.”

Before either man could react, a quarter of the officers surged forward with practiced precision. In a flash, Ro-eun and Bangsuk were subdued, their wrists bound by handcuffs with a speed that left no room for protest.

“You think this will stop us?” Bangsuk sneered, his grin faltering only slightly.

“You won’t even have the chance to try,” the officer retorted coldly.

The officers hoisted the two CEOs to their feet and began moving toward the front door. Ro-eun and Bangsuk exchanged a glance, frustration flickering in their eyes as they realized their remotes—meant to control the zombies—were now out of reach.

As the door opened, the group stepped cautiously into the corridor. The zombies remained frozen, their lifeless poses unchanged. Moving carefully, the team treaded around and between the horde, their every step measured to avoid triggering any reaction.

At the end of the corridor, the ceiling door loomed above. The group worked in tandem, half of the officers and friends exiting first. The remaining officers followed, guiding the two handcuffed CEOs.

For the first time in hours, the air felt lighter, but no one dared to relax. The frozen horde was behind them, but the terror of what had just occurred lingered, a chilling reminder that the worst might still be yet to come.

The group cautiously emerged from the hidden passage, keeping a watchful eye on the two CEOs, Bangsuk and Ro-eun, who were firmly restrained. The tension in the air was palpable as they moved toward the waiting jeep parked just outside the building.

The female officer who had laid out the shield strategy earlier barked orders. “Half of you stay here and secure the area. The rest, with me.”

Nods of understanding rippled through the group. Half of the team escorted Bangsuk and Ro-eun into the jeep, ensuring the men had no chance of escape. The remaining team re-entered the building through the main entrance, heading back to assist Boram and the other officers still inside.

Climbing the stairs, Sae Joon Hyun’s mind churned with unease. Memories of their earlier entrapment in this building surfaced. He recalled vividly how, in one of the first encounters with the zombies, they had been trapped in a room. The undead hadn’t attacked him or Eunhye back then; instead, they had focused solely on breaking down the door. That behavior puzzled him then, and it puzzled him even more now, considering the earlier moment when the zombies suddenly froze mid-attack.

Beside him, Yuri moved cautiously but kept a sharp eye on her surroundings. Her voice cut through the silence. “They froze. Just like before. Why?”

Sae Joon Hyun shook his head slightly. “I don’t know. But we can’t afford to overthink this now.”

Their ascent was steady but deliberate. On reaching the eighth floor, they were met with Boram and her team, who were huddled together, strategizing their next move. Boram’s gaze lifted, sharp and analytical. She hadn’t yet decided how to move forward without drawing unnecessary attention or alarming the doctors and personnel they suspected were still inside the building.

Sae Joon Hyun stepped forward, his voice measured. “If they’ve got surveillance, they already know we’re here.”

Boram nodded grimly. “Two exits. Front and back. We can’t let anyone slip through.” She signaled to a portion of her team. “You, cover the back door. No one gets out.”

The soldiers moved swiftly and silently, their weapons at the ready. Just as Boram raised her hand to order the remaining officers to fire upon the nearest zombies, Sae Joon Hyun’s voice broke through the quiet.

“Wait. Jaeyeon. Say something to them.”

Jaeyeon blinked, startled. “What?” His voice carried a mix of confusion and apprehension as his gaze darted toward Sae Joon Hyun.

Sae Joon Hyun’s tone was firm. “Something about you... It’s like they respond to you. Maybe because of what you’ve become. Just try.”

Though questions swirled in Jaeyeon’s mind, he didn’t have time to voice them. The urgency of the situation left no room for doubt. He exhaled, grounding himself, and then spoke in a loud, commanding voice.

“Don’t move. All of you!”

The tension was electric. Soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, their fingers hovering over triggers, prepared for the worst. If Jaeyeon’s words failed, the noise might trigger the zombies into a frenzy, turning their hesitation into an all-out attack.

But to everyone’s relief—and astonishment—the zombies obeyed. They froze in place, motionless and eerily quiet.

“That was reckless,” Boram hissed at Sae Joon Hyun, her voice low but laced with frustration.

Sae Joon Hyun shrugged, though his expression betrayed a flicker of relief. “It worked.”

With the zombies momentarily neutralized, the group pressed onward, climbing higher through the building. Finally, they reached the fifteenth floor. The air here was heavy with a foreboding silence. The hallway was dimly lit, and the faint stench of decay lingered in the stale air.

Eunhye, breathing shallowly, whispered, “It doesn’t look like anyone’s escaped yet.”

Sae Joon Hyun, Jaeyeon, Yuri, and Eunhye exchanged knowing glances. They remembered their previous encounter in this very building. The doctors, trapped with the zombies, had been left behind.

“They’re probably still in that room,” Sae Joon Hyun muttered.

Eunhye tightened her grip on her weapon, her voice steady but low. “We need to be careful. If they’re still there, there might be a truckload of zombies waiting for us.”

The group nodded in agreement. With silent precision, they readied themselves for what lay ahead, knowing the next step could mean the difference between survival and annihilation.