The Granary’s Secret

The city granary stood directly before them, its imposing doors tightly sealed shut. A soldier, after a quick inspection, reported, “It’s bolted from the inside. That’s truly strange. Could there be survivors who managed to hide themselves within?”

“Or perhaps those people actually repelled the undead and sought refuge in there?” someone mused. The commander then issued his orders: “Have someone knock on the door and see if there’s a response. If there is, we’ll provide aid. If not, we’ll breach the door and begin clearing the contents.”

“Exactly. If no one’s come out after all this time, there must be something amiss.” The soldiers outside concurred, and a man was dispatched to rap on the door.

“We are the rescue team from the Border Fortress! Is anyone alive in there? If you’re alive, please respond. Just a single sound will do. Are there any survivors? We’ll take you to safety!”

Silence. As the granary offered no reply, everyone’s hearts began to pound. A prolonged lack of response would mean no one living remained inside, and then…

“Prepare to breach the door, and maintain vigilance,” the commanding captain instructed. “The ghouls inside these buildings tend to be far more active than those outside. Be wary of immediate attacks from the undead.” Others in the unit fixated on the entrance, some moving to force the door open, when suddenly, a faint sound emanated from within.

*Thump. Thump. Thump.* A subtle series of thuds echoed from behind the door, audible to everyone. The soldiers exchanged bewildered glances.

“Sir, this…”

“Someone’s responding… No way, right?” Astonishment colored some of their faces. They stood at the door, listening as the sounds continued—*thump, thump-thump*—like something heavy being shifted. It seemed someone inside was moving obstacles away from the door.

They watched the granary entrance intently. Moments later, the blood-splattered door groaned open, slowly revealing a gap.

“…”

“That’s a… Oh, heavens.” As the door widened, a frail figure slowly emerged, taking in the scene before collapsing in utter exhaustion.

“It’s a girl.” A soldier immediately moved to assist her, but was stopped. “Don’t let emotions cloud your judgment; accidents happen.” Heeding the warning, a small team of four cautiously approached. The girl, lying on the ground, had blood-soaked clothes, yet she continued to crawl, murmuring faintly.

“Help…”

“Save me…” Her desperate pleas made it clear to everyone that she was indeed a survivor. Four soldiers stepped forward to support her, while simultaneously maintaining their guard against the darkness within the granary.

“What’s her condition?”

“Very poor. It’s a miracle she survived in there. The granary must have been breached, but she blocked the small entrance. Piles of wheat and weeds formed a makeshift wall… it saved her life.” One soldier, observing the wheat-and-weed barrier within the granary entrance and the fragile girl before them, felt a pang of surprise.

“Save… save us,” the girl continued to whisper.

“The granary… the granary was breached. The priest initially held the line here with the last remaining people, but they couldn’t stop those creatures… There are many wounded who can’t move. The priest left them below, telling me to take some others up to the rafters and then cut off the ladder. He led those creatures away while he was besieged… After that, I went down and blocked the door, but… the wounded… they… they transformed.” The girl spoke in hushed tones. “I couldn’t go back up… they were tearing and howling at each other, some fell down, they weren’t alive anymore… I was scared, truly terrified, so I just pushed those piles of grass behind me to block them… There were also creatures banging on the door outside… I, I…”

“She spent an entire night in that granary, separated from those immobile ghouls by only a few piles of weeds and some crude wooden fences,” the commanding captain stated, sighing. “It’s alright now. We’re here. You’re safe, Sister Antolia. Examine her and help this poor girl recover.”

“Understood.” Anto stepped forward, beginning to heal the young girl with Holy Light. “It’s alright, you’re safe now.”

“I… I truly…” the girl stammered, her face relaxing before she collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Knight Ilivy caught her, while from within the granary, a chorus of moans began to rise.

“Alright, gentlemen, it’s time to face those poor wounded souls,” the commanding captain declared, stepping forward. He sensed the ghouls and undead, drawn by the sounds from the door, slowly gathering. Then, he issued his command: “Everyone assume battle formation! Leave no one standing, protect yourselves, and clear the warehouse!”

****

What should one do when confronting a ghoul? This seems to be a favorite topic among Transmigrators. The undead are highly contagious; often, if a single one is left unaddressed, an entire village can be devoid of life by the next morning. Facing these monsters, which grow in number with every attack, naturally instills fear in most.

Yet, in reality, the undead are not as terrifying as they are often depicted in novels. An experienced military unit, even one with only sixty members, can theoretically, with proper terrain, handle tens of thousands of undead. These adversaries possess questionable intelligence, acting purely on instinct. Their movements are simple and highly predictable. As long as one guards against surprise attacks and can overcome the psychological barrier of their grotesque appearance, even a child could dispatch these mere husks of existence.

Therefore, confronting the undead isn’t particularly frightening. Driven by instinct, they can only perform basic actions, and most were already fatally wounded before their transformation, leaving their bodies incomplete. Striking specific areas can quickly incapacitate them. So, my adventurer friend, remember: dealing with the undead is simple. The true challenge lies in what happens if you’re bitten and leave the wound untreated. Remember, the red and green herbs produced by the Council can rapidly heal your wounds! They are both affordable and widely accessible!

—An excerpt from ‘One Hundred Emergency Methods for Dealing with the Undead,’ a publication by the Continental Council, now on hot promotion! Purchase now and receive a free travel adventure handbook! First come, first served. Thank you for your patronage!