Ryan’s right shoulder dipped, and with a sharp turn, he swung the heavy weapon in his hand. The force sent the snake crashing to the ground. In one swift motion, Ryan stomped down hard on the snake’s head. A loud crunch echoed as its body twisted around his foot, writhing violently.
Seeing how fast and strong Ryan was, Echo said nothing, following him as they continued forward.
Up ahead was a more open hilltop. If Bill, Tiger, and the others could pick up their signal, the helicopter might have a chance to spot them there.
Echo trusted Ryan’s instincts-he wouldn’t take a random path.
As her energy waned, Echo realized she was struggling to keep up with Ryan’s pace. He had already slowed down to accommodate her, but now she was falling further behind. In her rush to keep up, she slipped and tumbled toward the nearby bushes.
She only had time to raise her arm to shield her face before losing control and falling into the thicket.
“Careful,” Ryan’s cold voice came just as a strong arm caught her mid-fall.
Before she even had time to react, his arm tightened around her waist, lifting her effortlessly.
In the blink of an eye, she found herself on Ryan’s back.
“Hold on tight,” Ryan said as he hoisted her up, his hands quickly returning to their tasks-one gripping his heavy weapon, the other ready for any unexpected threats.
He began climbing the hill, carrying Echo with him.
Echo didn’t hesitate. She had no strength left, so she wrapped her arms around Ryan’s neck and locked her legs around his waist. Tilting her head to keep an eye on what was behind them, she held her gun in one hand, ready to cover their backs in case Ryan couldn’t.
“Echo, Echo, is that you? Talk to me!” Bill’s anxious voice crackled through her earpiece as they ran.
Echo’s eyes widened, and she responded quickly, speaking in rapid bursts. “I don’t know our exact direction, no clue on the coordinates. We’re heading up a bare hilltop, nothing growing there. Ryan and I should be there in about thirty minutes. Hurry up!”
She rattled off everything she could about their current location and their goal, hoping it would help Bill and the others find them in time.
“Got it! I’ll start a full search immediately. Stay safe,” Bill’s voice came back, relieved.
Echo could hear him barking orders, and she knew the helicopters were likely on their way.
Just as Echo finished the call, a sudden roar erupted to their right. The sound of trees snapping and crashing filled the air.
A massive creature-something that looked like a cross between a rhino, a tiger, and a bear-burst out of the forest, charging straight at them.
Echo didn’t even have time to blink. She hadn’t yet made out the details of the creature before Ryan, with her on his back, had already aimed his gun at the massive beast.
A deafening bang followed, and the monster’s head jerked violently, instantly becoming a bloody mess.
But despite the wound, its charging body didn’t slow down-it seemed even more enraged, barreling forward with increased fury.
The sound of its roar, mixed with the snapping trees, made the whole scene even more terrifying.
Ryan’s face remained cold and deadly serious. He kept firing at the beast’s vital points while swiftly moving to the side, carrying Echo with him to avoid a direct confrontation.
It was smarter and more efficient to dodge the creature’s attacks rather than face it head-on.
Finally, with a loud crash, the massive body collapsed just before reaching them.
The brute force of the creature was undeniable, but advanced technology proved even more powerful. This wasn’t a test of who was the king of the jungle.
While Ryan was busy dealing with the beast, Echo kept her focus on watching their rear, lying flat on his back, completely in sync with him. She didn’t need him to remind her to cooperate.
Somehow, with just one glance from Ryan’s cold eyes after he’d lifted her onto his back, she understood exactly what he needed. That instant connection between them left her wordless but precise in her role, staying alert as he handled the danger ahead.
Just as the monster fell, a nearby bush rustled suddenly. Without thinking, Echo’s finger squeezed the trigger of the gun she’d been holding tightly. Whether it was more mutated animals or radiation-exposed natives, they couldn’t afford to wait for these threats to gain momentum-once they did, she and Ryan would have no chance.
Sparks flashed in the air, and the sharp sound of gunfire echoed in her ears.
The force of the recoil shocked Echo’s arm, making it go numb. It wasn’t at all like the movies, where shooting looked easy and stylish, with every shot hitting its mark.
The moment Echo fired, Ryan spun around, his long arm grabbing her hand to steady her aim. He quickly fired his heavy weapon in the same direction Echo had aimed.
In an instant, the bush burst into flames, and a horrible scream rang out.
Without even checking, Ryan kept moving forward with Echo on his back. His specially crafted, high-tech gun was more than enough to handle anything, whether it was a mutated native or something else-judging by the size of whatever it was, that shot would have finished it.
“You only have thirty rounds,” Ryan said coldly as he continued his rapid climb toward the hilltop, still carrying Echo.
Hearing this, Echo instinctively tightened her grip on her gun. This wasn’t some action movie where the ammo never ran out. In reality, she had a limited number of bullets, and after that wild spray of gunfire, she had no idea how many were left.
It was her first time using a gun.
She’d seen plenty before, but never had to fire one, let alone handle the kind of military-grade weapon she couldn’t even name. But now, she had to learn-fast.
Being by Ryan’s side meant no room for fear, no room for hesitation. If she couldn’t protect herself or fight back, death would be right around the corner.
Echo nodded and said, “I know.”
“There are eleven rounds left,” Ryan said without looking back as he carried her.
Echo was surprised to realize that Ryan hadn’t even seen her fire the gun. He could tell how many rounds she had left just by sound. She raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything, focusing on her area of responsibility. Now wasn’t the time for admiration or surprise.
They ran, fast, watching the mountaintop get closer and closer.
As the view opened up, Echo felt her heart pounding powerfully. The closer they got to their target, the more she needed to stay calm and collected.
Bang!
Suddenly, a loud crash shook her, and the impact almost knocked her off Ryan’s back. She quickly turned her head to see what was happening.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a figure rushing toward Ryan like a lightning bolt, arms outstretched to grab him. The powerful fingers were aimed right at Ryan’s shoulder, which meant they were also dangerously close to Echo’s face.