Chapter 79: Mitch bit her!

The armored transport skidded along on its side, making an ear-splitting screech against the frozen pavement as a shower of bright sparks flew into the air.

Inside the cabin, the world was completely inverted. Mitch kept May pinned beneath him, his solid torso acting like a cage to shelter her entirely from the raging wind, snow, and flying shards of glass outside.

Forced against his chest, May could feel his warmth radiating through his thin tactical gear...

Damn, this guy Mitch is actually packing quite a lot... Not quite on Ray’s level, but still pretty crazy.

CRASH—!

The multi-ton chassis slammed hard into the roadside guardrail, coming to a dead halt at last.

The sudden deceleration caused May’s body to slide downward uncontrollably, her cheek skimming down his firm chest, past his taut abs, until his thighs clamped tight to catch her.

The position became insanely awkward.

Half of May’s face ended up pressed flush against his lap. With the final few jolts of the vehicle, the distinct outline became impossibly clear.

Silence fell over the space.

Mitch’s whole body went rigid as a steel plate, his breathing coming to a sudden halt.

May could feel it with absolute clarity through the fabric—a surging, intense warmth expanding right against her face, leaving her unable to even pretend she didn’t notice.

Holy shit... this is way too... Though honestly, I’m pretty tempted. If it weren’t for saving face, I would have taken a bite out of it already.

May’s face exploded into a heat hot enough to ignite a fire. She tried to pull back, but Mitch’s legs locked around her like iron pincers, trapping her completely.

"M... Mitch..." May’s voice trembled uncontrollably, laced with tears. "You... let go first..."

The only answer she received was Mitch’s breathing turning increasingly heavy and ragged.

His rapid, chaotic breath fanned against the top of her head, burning with intense heat. Instead of loosening his hold, the sheer tension made his legs clamp even tighter around her.

"This is the second time... you’ve done this to me..." he rasped.

Being experienced in these dynamics, May understood right away—this guy was completely overwhelmed by the moment.

She stopped moving altogether, burying her face into his lap in surrender while her heart hammered furiously against her ribs. She felt a mix of intense embarrassment and frustration, yet deep down, a familiar warmth surged up again.

In the midst of this stifling, awkward silence, Mitch reached his breaking point.

Jumping up slightly to shift his posture, he leaned down and took a sudden bite of May’s delicate earlobe!

It wasn’t excessively hard—carrying a mix of playful punishment and release—his teeth gently grinding against the soft flesh as his warm breath filled her ear canal.

"Ngh..."

A sharp shiver shot through May’s entire body, electricity running straight down to her fingertips.

Mitch went stiff on the spot too.

Realizing what an unhinged thing he had just done, he released her abruptly, scrambling backward off her body until his back was turned to everyone, burying his head near his knees in sheer embarrassment.

CLANG—!

Jack and Ray worked together to haul away the last piece of debris blocking the exit, letting the freezing outdoor air rush inside.

"Is everyone alright?" Ray’s voice boomed from the door frame as everyone clambered out of the overturned vehicle.

May’s legs were too weak to hold her weight, so Ace helped her up with a gentle smile. She rubbed her reddened ear, casting a pitiful, wronged glance toward the culprit huddled like a depressed mushroom in the corner.

Noticing her look, Ace seized the chance to stir up trouble, calling out to Ray who had just climbed inside, "Ray! Mitch bit her!"

The second those words left his mouth, complete silence fell over the group. Every pair of eyes snapped toward the man in the corner who looked ready to bury himself alive.

Mitch shuddered, snapping his head up as he bellowed with a stiff neck: "I didn’t bite her! The... the vehicle jolted so hard I accidentally bumped into her!"

"A simple bump leaves a clear set of teeth marks?" Theo adjusted his glasses, offering a cool, calculated commentary from the side.

Ray walked over with a dark expression, scooping May into his arms. Turning her face slightly, his eyes turned cold as ice when he spotted the distinct, slightly damp light-red bite mark lingering on her earlobe.

"Mitch," Ray grunted in a dangerously low tone.

"I told you it wasn’t on purpose!" Mitch yelled in frustration.

Ignoring his protest, Ray lowered his gaze, his thumb gently brushing across the bite mark as if he intended to claim the spot with his own teeth next—a gesture radiating absolute possessiveness.

"Keep your distance from her from now on."

After flipping the armored transport back onto its wheels, the team patched up their minor scrapes and resumed their journey. Mitch sat in the furthest corner in total self-isolation, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

Half an hour later, the vehicle entered the outer rim of the urban center.

Gray, towering high-rises multiplied rapidly. Beneath the overcast sky, a massive twenty-story structure emerged into view, its faded red rooftop sign reading First Municipal General Hospital, with half the letters missing.

"We’ve arrived," Theo lowered his binoculars, his voice flat and even.

Ray parked the transport a few hundred meters away behind an abandoned bus stop.

Peering through the reinforced windows, the team looked upon the gray-white building, which radiated an eerie, ominous aura beneath the gloomy sky.

"From the third to the fifth floor, the windows are covered in bloodied handprints and human remains hanging off the sills," Theo analyzed calmly, as if reading an autopsy report. "Judging by the state of decay and desiccation, the lower to mid floors are high-density infected zones, likely housing mutated variants."

"The main pharmacy and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are located on the sixteenth and seventeenth floors." He paused, his gaze scanning the top of the structure through his glasses. "The upper levels feature an independent ventilation system, offering an 83.4% probability of relative safety."

Ray listened in silence for a moment before issuing tactical orders: "We split into two teams."

"Mitch, Jack, and I will execute a breach through the main entrance, taking the stairs to draw the horde away from the lower levels."

"Theo and Ace will lead May through the underground parking garage’s fire exit to reach the upper pharmacy directly. Alex, stay behind to guard the vehicle and maintain comms."

However, the moment the team division was announced, May’s heart sank right to her stomach.

Pairing her with Theo and Ace?!

Leaving her—a helpless little rabbit—alone with two top-tier apex predators disguised in human skin?!

Ray had clearly considered this as well.

His brow remained tightly furrowed after giving the orders, his gaze shifting back and forth between Theo’s refined face and May’s pale expression, his reluctance practically overflowing.

Logic dictated that as the team medic and a skilled combatant, Theo offered the highest chance of keeping May safe. Yet his raw possessiveness and instincts roared in opposition within his chest.

"Ray," Theo took the initiative to speak, seeing straight through his hesitation.

Adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses, a refined, gentle smile touched his lips. His gaze rested on May, though his words were directed straight at Ray.

"Rest easy."

"Leave her to me. I guarantee I’ll return her to you without a single scratch."

The promise was delivered impeccably—dignified, smooth, and dependable.

Yet May saw the truth clearly.

Behind those reflective lenses, deep within those usually emotionless eyes, a familiar, dark glint flickered—the twisted, uncontainable thrill of a hunter finally getting the prey isolated.

Cold drafts whistled through the underground parking garage.

Wrapped tightly inside her military overcoat, May walked sandwiched between Theo on her left and Ace on her right, looking less like a protected team member and more like a prisoner being escorted.

"Theo... this place is way too dark," May pulled her collar up, shivering. "There aren’t any monsters down here, right?"

"Quiet down and keep up," Theo instructed from her left, holding a scalpel loosely along his seam line.

A row of abandoned vehicles lay parked in the shadows, their windows shattered and dried black blood splattered across the concrete.

Just as May stepped over a broken bumper, a dark figure suddenly lunged out from beneath a car chassis!

It was a mutated infected with half its face missing, opening its rot-filled jaws wide as it snapped straight toward May’s neck!

"OH MY GOD!"