Building My Empire in the Frozen Apocalypse (Riley Carter) novel Chapter 21

ter 21 Ghouls at the Gate

Chapter 21 Ghouls at the Gate

No. Those weren’t people.

In the glow of the eternal flame burning on the fire pit, Riley finally got a clear look at them.

+35 Free Coins

They moved hunched over, their skin a sickly purple–gray, bodies wrapped in tattered scraps that might’ve been clothes once. Some were missing arms. Others had heads tilted at wrong angles, pressing against the fence in positions that made her skin crawl.

“Creak… creak…”

Withered arms stretched out, fingers like sticks, shaking the wooden fence back and forth. Their nails scraped pale marks into the wood.

Slow movements, sure. But there were so many of them. A solid ring of at least a couple dozen.

“These are… Ghouls?”

That system prompt from earlier flashed through her mind.

“Fences. You’re gonna need these.”

“So that’s what it meant.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs. Palms sweaty around the axe handles.

If it’d been just a few, maybe she’d have risked charging out, taken a swing.

But this many packed in a circle? Who knew what these things carried. One scratch and maybe you turn into one of them.

She watched for a minute. They didn’t seem smart. Didn’t look like they had the strength to tear through her defenses either.

Just drawn to the light and heat, trying to squeeze their way in. That flimsy–looking wooden fence? System rules made it hold.

“Long as the fence holds, I’m good for now.”

Riley breathed a little easier, but she stayed locked in.

Had to keep watch. If any section started giving, she’d need to patch it fast. Or brace it herself.

Thought about upgrading to stone. Checked the materials. Two hundred stone blocks. She had maybe sixty left.

Then-

“Owoooo-!! Waka!”

00

4

|||

1/3

20:15 Mon, May 4

Chapter 21 Ghouls at the Gate

A panicked animal cry cut through the night, coming from somewhere further out.

Riley’s head snapped toward it.

20

+35 Free Coins

Near the tree line, maybe a hundred fifty feet from camp, a small figure was jumping around like crazy.

It was Sylvie.

She looked like she wanted to charge in. But every time she tried getting closer, a few Ghouls roaming the edges cut her off.

“Hey-! Run-!”

Even with the wind howling, Riley caught the words. Clumsy. Broken. But human.

One second she shifted into this sleek, stretched–out mountain lion, trying to use speed to break through. Made it a few strides before more Ghouls crawled up out of the snow and blocked her.

Next second she was that goofy–looking brown bear, standing on hind legs roaring, trying to scare them off.

Didn’t work. Ghouls didn’t scare.

They just kept coming out of the dark.

Riley’s jaw tightened.

Was she trying to warn Riley? Or trying to fight her way in to help?

“Guess those bread handouts meant something.”

Something warm flickered in Riley’s chest. Then panic hit right after.

Because Sylvie’s situation was getting worse fast.

More Ghouls than she’d thought. They kept coming from everywhere. The camp had the fence, so they couldn’t get in. That meant the lively moving target outside became the main attraction.

The circle was closing.

Brown bear swiped, sent one Ghoul flying. Three more grabbed on, clawing at fur.

“Roar!”

The girl yelped in pain, shifted back to human, scrambled up a dead tree.

Ghouls didn’t leave. Started climbing over each other, making a sick pyramid.

More shambled over. Surrounded the tree. Sealed it off completely.

“Damn it.

00

T

O

2/3

20:15 Mon, May 4

Chapter 21 Ghouls at the Gate

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify