Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

Chapter 158: Cave Dwellers

Elsa and Lily exchanged glances after hearing Shane's words.

They didn't have to discuss this matter for long, and they knew what they had to say. Both of them knew that they had to politely decline Shane's invitation to join the shelter.

However, considering that they might not like their answer, they knew that they also had to express their gratitude but emphasizing their contentment with their current situation.

After taking a deep breath, they formulated their words carefully and replied.

"We appreciate the offer, Shane, but we're managing well here." Lily said with a smile.

"Yes… Thank you for thinking of us, but we prefer to stay independent for now." Elsa added.

Shane respected their decision, understanding the challenges of building trust in such uncertain times. Well, he would actually be even more surprised if they just agreed on him. It was also good that they were being cautious. It was no wonder they survived up until this point.

Nonetheless, he still had other tasks to do.

He informed them once again that his group would be clearing out the nearby zombie threats for the safety of all survivors in the area and also to gather resources.

"Alright, we will be leaving this place then…" Shane said as the group in front of him were all warily looking at Shinja, who had a frowning face. Although Shinja wouldn't harm them, they were surely not taking any chances.

Shane could tell from the faces of the representatives of this shelter that they weren't welcomed at all.

Nonetheless, as they were about to leave something, one of the female representatives spoke.

"Shane, if you're planning to gather resources. You might consider the nearby tunnel. It was previously a gold mining site. There are many Zombies there and your group might have a chance against them." Lily suddenly said.

Elsa was surprised to hear her partner say this as she believed that Lily wanted to harm them. However, looking at the monk, the warlord, and the elves behind Shane, Elsa realized that they were indeed a strong group and they might really succeed.

"A previous gold mining site?" Shane repeated as he wanted to know more about it.

Elsa then explained how they discovered that cave and informed Shane about the zombies they might encounter inside.

This cave was only about 400 meters away from them, and it certainly piqued Shane's curiosity. Elsa and Lily's team had only visited the vicinity of the cave, so it remained largely unexplored.

However, they were still aware of the three Zombies that they could encounter within that cave. They were the Crypt Crawler Zombies, Cave Dweller Zombies, and Screamer Zombies.

Shane knew about the Crypt Crawler Zombies but not the Cave Dweller and Screamer ones.

Elsa then explained the Cave Dweller Zombies were dwarf-sized zombies who had adapted to the darkness of the cave. With heightened senses and agility, they were formidable opponents in low-light conditions.

"However, they were still dwarves in my eyes… As long as you hit them, they'll die easily." Elsa said with a confident tone.

On the other hand, the Screamer sounds like trouble to them.

These zombies emit eerie, high-pitched screams that disorient and confuse survivors, making it challenging to locate and eliminate them.

"They're tough, but their scream will not last forever… Just stay strong and wait for it to be over before killing them. They'll scream for about 20 to 30 seconds and will charge for 10 seconds before they can scream again. It's something that we learned in the Regional Chat." Lily added to the explanation.

"Thank you for this information…" Shane replied as he was certainly grateful for the information they shared with them.

After some thought, Shane decided to show his sincerity by giving them 10 Spirit Enhancement Bottle!

"Are you serious?" Elsa's eyes widened as she saw the Spirit Enhancement Bottles. If she consumed them, she would be able to produce at least ten more gallons of safe drinking water! After all, her Spirit Points would increase by 5 points by each potion!

Of course, she doesn't have plans to take all these bottles, as that would be unfair. Nonetheless, these bottles weren't something they could pass up!

Lily looked at the bottles and could tell that they weren't tampered and there was no problem with their contents.

"We're not going to refuse them." Lily immediately said before Shane could reply. Well, she had the worst looting ability among the group. Perhaps, she only had a 1 out of 100 chance of getting a Spirit Enhancement Bottle, while the others were at most 10 to 15 out of 100!

These Spirit Enhancement Bottles would be very helpful for her growth!

Nonetheless, Shane found these bottles quite easy to acquire. So after hearing their confused words, he smiled at them and replied.

"I'm serious. Those bottles are all for you. Please take them." Shane said. This was his way to express his gratitude to Elsa and Lily for the valuable information regarding the abandoned gold mining site that was infested with various types of zombies.

With a sense of cautious anticipation, Shane led his group on the way through the rugged terrain in search of the elusive cave.

After a quick trekking through the wilderness, navigating barely used paths and overcoming obstacles, they finally stumbled upon the entrance to the cave.

The eerie silence that enveloped the area was certainly chilling, hinting at the dangers that awaited them in the dark depths.

As they cautiously approached the cave mouth, their eyes widened in surprise at the sight before them.

A group of dwarf-size zombies, unmistakably the Cave Dweller Zombies described by Elsa and Lily, emerged from the shadows of the cave entrance. These grotesque creatures moved with surprising speed and agility, their unusual forms a stark contrast to the once-human features now distorted by the horrors of the apocalypse.

One of the Cave Dweller Zombies seemed to be chasing after something that had fled from the cave, its growls echoed through the cavernous space.

As the creature turned to retreat back into the depths of the cave, Shane and his team exchanged wary glances, knowing that they were about to confront an unusual foe in a tighter space.

'Those small zombies and the tight space in the cave… They certainly have the advantage." Shane muttered.

With weapons drawn and hearts pounding, Shane signaled for his team to advance cautiously into the darkness, ready to confront the enemies that lurked within the abandoned mining site.

The damp, musty air of the cave enveloped them as they ventured deeper, their footsteps echoed off the walls as they braced themselves for the inevitable clash with the undead that awaited them in the shadows.

***

As Shane and his team entered and walked deeper into the abandoned mining site, the oppressive darkness of the cave surrounded them, broken only by the dim glow of their light orbs, the one that Shane had looted from the Flasher Zombies just a while ago.

Clack… clack… clack…

The faint sound of scuttling echoed through the tunnels, signaling the approach of the Cave Dweller Zombies!

Suddenly, twelve of the outrageous creatures emerged from the shadows, their small figures moved with unnatural speed towards the group!

"Eldrin…" Shane commanded.

The elves, armed with short blades that gleamed in the flickering torchlight, sprang into action with better agility that was certainly fitted to their delicate appearance.

Within the tight space of the tunnel, Shane believed that these elves would be able to move better than Shinja and the Chaloem.

Their movements were like a blur as they engaged the Cave Dwellers, who were used to the darkness and could use the tunnel walls to their advantage!

The first Cave Dweller lunged forward with a snarl, its clawed hands reaching out to grab at Eldrin. With a swift sidestep, Eldrin narrowly avoided the attack, countering with a well-aimed strike that severed the creature's arm.

As it howled in pain or probably frustration, the other elves closed in from all sides, their blades targeted the limbs of the small zombies!

Most of them may be bow users, but they can certainly use their blades really well!

Shane watched the whole duration of the battle as the elves moved gracefully throughout the whole fight, dodging the Cave Dwellers' frenzied attacks with a combination of acrobatic flips and nimble footwork.

'Awesome movement technique… I hope I have something like that in my next Memory Spheres' Shane mused.

The elves' strike was truly calculated and precise, as they dispatched the Cave Dwellers a lot easier than Shane had imagined.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Soon, the Cave Dwellers dropped one by one!

The Cave Dwellers, despite their speed and ferocity, were no match for the skill and coordination of the elven warriors.

Thud!

With a final, decisive strike, the last of the creatures met its end, leaving the cave eerily silent once more!

However, before they could get some rest, Eldrin and the other elves' eyes widened and warned hastily...

"Cover your ears!"