𝕎𝔸𝕐 𝔹𝔸ℂ𝕂 ℍ𝕆𝕄𝔼 ||𝐃𝐔𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐋||

Chapter - 23

The atmosphere was hushed, and a sense of foreboding hung in the air, shrouding the deserted roads in an eerie gloom. Their vehicles rolled along the desolate streets, their engines echoing like mournful cries, each step taking them deeper into the heart of uncertainty.

The roads were lined with a haunting sight - abandoned vehicles left to decay, their broken windows and opened doors telling tales of a hurried escape from an unknown terror. The remnants of a once-thriving civilization lay frozen in time, now overgrown with encroaching foliage reclaiming the territory that once belonged to humanity.

Yeon-hwa, sitting in one of the vehicles, couldn't shake the somber atmosphere that surrounded them. As she peered out of the vehicle, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of sadness and dread. The world she once knew had been irrevocably altered, and the remnants of its past now stood as ghostly witnesses to the havoc the spheres had wrought.

As they journeyed further, the road ahead became increasingly impassable, blocked by a cluster of abandoned cars entangled in a morass of slowly growing vegetation. The platoon's progress was halted, and the weight of the situation settled upon them like a heavy fog.

"Lieutenant," Sergeant Won-bin approached him after surveying the area. "We'll need equipment to move this."

Lieutenant Lee looked ahead of him, his expression grave. "Let's search the area first," he instructed, his voice tinged with an undercurrent of concern.

With those words, the platoon members disembarked from their vehicles, stepping into a world long abandoned. Yeon-hwa took a deep breath, her sphere detector clutched tightly in her hand, its soft beep the only sound breaking the silence.

She couldn't help but feel a heaviness in her heart as she noticed the remnants of what used to be a vibrant and lively neighborhood. She spotted the poignant reminders of the lives that once thrived in this place. Baby strollers, little bicycles, and toys lay scattered on the ground, a stark contrast to the desolation that now surrounded them.

A melancholic ache gripped Yeon-hwa's heart. The contrast between the remnants of childhood and the bleak reality of their present situation filled her with a sense of sorrow. The world outside had been swallowed by an encroaching darkness, and the once-bustling streets now lay in desolation.

Her thoughts lingered on the lives that once thrived in this place, imagining the laughter of children, the chatter of families, now silenced. The devastation of the spheres was an indiscriminate force, showing no mercy even to the most vulnerable and innocent. The image of those forgotten toys and remnants of childhood left a lasting impression on her, reinforcing the gravity of the mission they were undertaking.

Her determination to protect her dear ones and eliminate each and every sphere grew stronger, knowing that they were fighting not just for their own survival, but for the safety of everyone they held dear.

With every step she took, Yeon-hwa remained vigilant, her eyes scanning the area for any potential threats. Her mind was focused on the task at hand, but her heart couldn't shake off the sorrow she felt for the world that had been lost to the relentless invasion of the spheres.

With Lieutenant Lee leading the way, they ventured into the unknown, traversing through the abandoned streets. The world around them felt like a place forgotten by time, a stark reminder of the immense stakes that lay before them.

Yeon-hwa clutched her sphere detector tighter, her eyes focused on the device, trying to figure out how exactly it works. Her eyes remained intently trained on her sphere detector as she continued to walk, her mind focused on detecting any potential spheres that may be lurking nearby.