My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 351

Most of these people were veterans, so Sparrow trusted that after allowing themselves a brief moment to mourn, they would pull themselves together. They didn’t have the luxury to falter or stop, as that would only lead to one outcome—death. And if that happened, it would dishonor Rose’s sacrifice.

Cough! Cough!

"We have a heartbeat!" someone shouted from the group administering first aid. Instantly, everyone perked up, straining to catch a glimpse of Rose.

’It seems there won’t be mourning just yet, but maybe later,’ Sparrow thought. It might sound callous, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up. The real battle was still ahead—Rose was still fighting the virus that was overtaking her system and threatening to eat her brain.

Although she remained human for now, she was drifting in and out of consciousness, moving between the brink of death and her current state.

"Do you see it?" Clyde asked, inching closer to Sparrow as he fixed his gaze on Rose’s face. The black veins still marred her neck and cheeks. Meanwhile, Sparrow was preoccupied with the unfolding situation, rearranging their schedule and mission timeframe as he strategized their next steps for continuing the road ahead.

Sparrow raised an eyebrow, humoring Clyde but unsure of where he was headed. He remained still, deep in thought, as Clyde continued. "She was bitten, but instead of going into cardiac arrest, she should have turned by now. It’s been over half an hour since the bite—between the battle in the storage room and the time others spent attending to her. This delay is unusual."

"Usually, when someone is bitten, they turn into a zombie almost instantly due to the rapid spread of the virus through the bloodstream," Clyde explained, his tone matter-of-fact. "But if we look at her now, she appears to be in a sort of half-turned state. It’s almost like the virus has stopped spreading, though that’s unlikely.

I’ve seen enough of this to know that if the virus was active, it wouldn’t be on hold. Wouldn’t it?" Clyde shrugged, acknowledging that everyone surrounding Rose had likely witnessed similar horrors.

It almost seemed like no one had considered this issue before, perhaps because their minds were too rattled by the situation.

"What did you just say?!" Sparrow’s voice rose sharply, his head snapping towards Clyde in shock. Clyde quickly raised both hands defensively, his expression a mix of apprehension and urgency as he gestured for Sparrow to calm down.

"Relax, I’m not trying to curse her or be insensitive. I just noticed something unusual," Clyde said, his tone more measured. "We’ve all seen people get bitten and turn into zombies within moments. It rarely takes more than half an hour. So why is she different?"

"Is this the first time something like this has happened? Could it be because of her immunity? That seems unlikely, but it’s worth considering. I’m just trying to help by pointing out what I see, without any emotional bias. I might come off as detached, but I’m only offering my observations." Clyde paused, focusing his attention back on Rose, who was convulsing again.

"No, wait! You actually raised a valid point," Sparrow said suddenly, drawing Clyde’s attention. Clyde sighed in relief, having feared that Sparrow might misinterpret his concerns as a political maneuver rather than a genuine observation.

Clyde’s theory had sparked a glimmer of hope. They began to consider the possibility that Rose might indeed be undergoing a forced awakening due to the life-threatening situation. Perhaps her survival instincts were boosting her chances of awakening, which could explain why the transformation had seemingly stalled.

"Perhaps her body is forcing her to awaken as a defense mechanism," someone suggested. "The sudden drop in temperature might be a way to slow down or halt the spread of the virus while she’s undergoing this forced awakening."

"But since it’s a matter of survival, her body might have opted for an unconventional method," another person added. "This could explain why Rose’s body is struggling to cope, leading to her experiencing cardiac arrest." As the group followed this line of thought, they exchanged uneasy glances, their initial relief giving way to growing anxiety.

Whether she was undergoing a forced awakening or her immune system was having a final struggle with the virus before succumbing was still uncertain. For now, they could only wait and hope. Regardless of the outcome, if Rose’s body failed to overcome the challenge, she would inevitably turn into a zombie. All they could do was pray that this was indeed a forced awakening and that she would succeed.

With this new perspective, they carefully placed Rose inside the truck and took a quick break to eat. Heads hung low, each person was lost in their own thoughts and anxieties. Conversation dwindled, especially the somber discussions about Rose and the current situation. The gravity of their predicament weighed heavily on them, leaving everyone acutely aware of their dire circumstances.

Despite their concerns, they knew they couldn’t return without completing their mission. After their break, they resumed their journey. This time, their travel was notably smoother compared to their departure from the city. The road to Port City, connected to a provincial highway, was wide and largely deserted, making for a much more straightforward and uneventful trip.