20: A perilous hunt prompts the military to request assistance.

Chapter 20: Perilous Hunt, Military Request for Aid

The afterglow of the setting sun completely sank below the horizon, and the night fell like a massive black shroud, tightly enveloping the city ruins. The Sharp Blade Squad's armored personnel carrier rumbled over streets strewn with rubble. Its headlights pierced the darkness, illuminating a collapsed road sign ahead, the text on it long since corroded into a blur by the pus of zombies.

Lin Zhou sat in the driver's seat, his fingertips sliding across the Radar screen. Having just sent off the survivor squad, their supplies were nearly one-third depleted. With the remaining ten people facing three high-tier Mutants, the pressure had increased significantly. On the screen, a red dot representing Target No. 3 was moving slowly. It was a Tier 3 Swift Type, extremely fast and skilled in ambushes, surrounded by a pack of Speed Type Mutated Zombies—a tough nut to crack.

“Target No. 3 is in the abandoned subway station ahead,” Wild Wolf's voice came through the intercom. He held a modified sniper rifle, observing the surroundings through a night-vision scope. “There are eight Speed Types guarding the entrance. The Swift Type's energy signature is very well-hidden; it should be lurking beneath the platform.”

Lin Zhou made a gesture, and the squad members immediately disembarked, checking their equipment with practiced efficiency. Their Armor-piercing combat suits glinted with a cold, hard luster in the night, and their weapons, fused with bone blades, shimmered with a chilling light. Everyone’s eyes were as sharp as hawks, reflecting the steadiness of those who had survived numerous life-and-death battles.

“Scarface, take three people and infiltrate through the ventilation ducts to cut off the Swift Type's retreat,” Lin Zhou said in a low voice. “Wild Wolf, find a high vantage point and be responsible for sniping any Speed Types that slip through. The rest of you, follow me for a frontal assault. Remember, don't let the Swift Type get close to you.”

“Understood!” everyone responded in unison, keeping their voices extremely low for fear of alerting the zombies in the subway station.

Five minutes later, the frontal assault team reached the subway entrance. Eight Speed Types were crouching on the ground, their sharp claws digging into the cracks in the pavement. Hearing footsteps, they snapped their heads up, bloodthirsty red light flashing in their cloudy eyes as they lunged forward with snarls.

“Open fire!” Lin Zhou growled. The assault rifle in his hand spat tongues of fire, and a bullet accurately struck the head of a Speed Type. His teammates opened fire simultaneously, the dense sound of gunfire echoing through the empty street. The bodies of the Speed Types fell one after another, splashing dark green pus across the ground.

Just then, a dark shadow lunged from the entrance like a ghost, moving so fast it almost left an afterimage. It was the Tier 3 Swift Type. Its body was more slender than a normal Speed Type, covered entirely in streamlined bone armor, with sharp bone spikes protruding from its limb joints. It lunged straight for Lin Zhou's throat.

“Watch out!” Wild Wolf's sniper rifle suddenly barked, the bullet accurately hitting the Swift Type's hind leg. The Swift Type hissed in pain, its movement faltering slightly. Lin Zhou seized the opportunity, sidestepping the attack, and swung his Fire Axe—imbued with armor-piercing effects—viciously toward its head.

“Pfft!” The axe blade wedged into a gap in the bone armor, and dark green pus sprayed out. The Swift Type let out a piercing screech and turned to flee, only to have its path blocked by Scarface, who had emerged from the ventilation duct. Scarface's machete whistled through the air, every strike aimed at the Swift Type's weak points, forcing it to retreat repeatedly.

The squad members closed in, raining bullets and blades upon the Swift Type. In moments, this incredibly fast Tier 3 Mutant fell into a pool of blood, its massive body twitching a few times before becoming completely still.

【Killed Tier 3 Swift Type ×1, metal points +3000, Experience Points +30000】

【Prompt: Detected high-speed movement gene fragments within this Mutant's body, which can be used to research and develop Enhancement Potions】

Lin Zhou picked up the Gene Collector from the ground and stored the Swift Type's gene fragments. This material was vital for the base's scientific research and could provide a qualitative boost to the soldiers' speed. He glanced at the Radar screen; the remaining two high-tier Mutants were gathered in the abandoned military factory ahead. Their energy signatures were intertwined and stronger than any he had encountered before.

“Target: military factory. Full speed ahead!” Lin Zhou ordered. The squad members quickly boarded the vehicle, and the armored personnel carrier sped toward the factory.

The gates of the military factory were long since rusted, and the area outside the collapsed walls was littered with zombie skeletons. On the Radar screen, the red dots of two high-tier Mutants were entrenched in the central workshop of the factory. One had an energy signature approaching Tier 4—a Tier 3 Tyrant Type—while the other was a Tier 3 Devourer Type, massive in size and skilled at consuming its own kind to strengthen itself.

“These two being together is a huge problem.” Scarface frowned, tightening his grip on his machete. “The Tyrant Type's defense is extremely high, and the Devourer Type can constantly regenerate health. If we try to force our way in, I'm afraid we'll end up dead here.”

Lin Zhou pondered for a moment, his gaze falling on the military factory's warehouse area. “See those oil drums over there? We’ll use flamethrowers to ignite the warehouse and force them out. Wild Wolf, you’re responsible for sniping the Devourer Type's tentacles to cut off its healing path. Scarface, come with me to deal with the Tyrant Type.”

With the plan finalized, the squad moved immediately. Two members carried flamethrowers and quietly circled to the warehouse area, unleashing raging flames onto the mountain of flammable materials. Instantly, fire soared into the sky, and billowing thick smoke surged toward the workshop. The high heat roasted the metal walls, making a sizzling sound.

Angry roars erupted from the workshop, and the two high-tier Mutants were indeed forced out. The Tyrant Type stood five meters tall, its body covered in thick, rock-like bone armor, swinging fists like iron hammers. The Devourer Type looked like a giant octopus, its body covered in writhing tentacles, each lined with suckers that constantly consumed nearby ordinary zombies, its wounds healing at a pace visible to the naked eye.

“Wild Wolf, do it!” Lin Zhou shouted.

Sniper shots rang out, and several of the Devourer Type's tentacles were severed, spraying dark green pus everywhere. It let out a pained roar, frantically waving its tentacles toward Wild Wolf's direction, only to be forced back by a hail of bullets.

Lin Zhou and Scarface took the opportunity to rush the Tyrant Type. The Fire Axe and machete struck its bone armor simultaneously, but only left a few shallow white marks. The Tyrant Type roared and swung a fist at Lin Zhou. Lin Zhou dodged narrowly as the fist slammed into the ground, instantly smashing a deep crater.

“Aim for the joints! The bone armor is thinner there!” Lin Zhou shouted, his Fire Axe hacking viciously at the Tyrant Type's knee.

Scarface immediately understood, his machete slashing at the Tyrant Type's elbow joint. The two coordinated perfectly, continuously attacking the Tyrant Type's weak points until cracks finally appeared in the bone armor, with dark green pus seeping out.

“Now!” A flash of ruthlessness crossed Lin Zhou's eyes as he slammed the Fire Axe deep into the crack and gave his wrist a violent twist.

The Tyrant Type let out a deafening roar, its massive body swaying before crashing to the ground. Simultaneously, Wild Wolf's sniper rifle barked again, and an armor-piercing round accurately struck the Devourer Type's head, ending its life completely.

【Killed Tier 3 Tyrant Type ×1, Tier 3 Devourer Type ×1, metal points +8000, Experience Points +80000】

【Current Level 21 (276040/21000) → Level 25】

【Free Attribute Points +40, Constitution +20, Strength +20, Spirit +0】

The battle over, the squad members slumped to the ground, panting heavily. The continuous high-intensity combat had left everyone exhausted. Lin Zhou leaned against the armored personnel carrier, and just as he was about to tell the team to rest, the vehicle's communicator suddenly emitted a burst of harsh static, followed by a familiar but extremely weary voice.

“Lin Zhou... Commander Lin... This is Zhao Weiguo...”

It was Zhao Weiguo from the Northern Military Region! Lin Zhou's heart tightened, and he quickly grabbed the communicator. “commander Zhao? What happened?”

The voice in the communicator was intermittent, interspersed with the roars of zombies and gunfire. “Our... our camp... is under a massive siege by Fourth-Tier Zombies... those things have group-buffing abilities... our weapons can't hold them back... soldier casualties are over eighty percent, and our ammunition was exhausted long ago...”

Lin Zhou's pupils contracted sharply. Zhao Weiguo had previously mentioned that the Northern Military Region had a large amount of weapons and equipment, but hearing his tone now, they were clearly at the end of their rope. He pressed, “What about your defensive fortifications? Didn't you say you had a steel bastion?”

“Bastion? It was torn to shreds by the Fourth-Tier Zombies long ago!” Zhao Weiguo's voice held a desperate, bitter laugh. “Our so-called regular army is nothing more than a patchwork of remnants from before the apocalypse... the equipment is aging, the personnel training is insufficient, we can't even compare to half of the Red Alert Base... Lin Zhou, I know this is a lot to ask, but I'm still begging you... begging for your support! As long as you are willing to help, the entire Northern Military Region is willing to acknowledge you as our supreme commander!”

Acknowledge him as supreme commander! Those words exploded in Lin Zhou's ears like a clap of thunder. He instantly understood Zhao Weiguo's predicament—the Northern Military Region existed in name only. Zhao Weiguo was at a dead end and was willing to hand over command in exchange for a chance at survival.

Lao Zhou's voice came through the intercom, filled with anxiety: “Boss, the base has detected energy signatures from the direction of the Northern Military Region. There are at least ten Fourth-Tier Zombies and a legion of over ten thousand Mutated Zombies! Rushing there now would be like throwing an egg against a stone!”

Scarface and Wild Wolf also gathered around, their faces full of solemnity. Their squad had only ten people. Even with excellent equipment, facing ten Fourth-Tier Zombies and a legion of ten thousand was a suicide mission.

Lin Zhou fell silent, his fingers tightly gripping the communicator. He knew very well how high the risk of supporting the Northern Military Region was. But he knew even more clearly that if the Northern Military Region fell, the Red Alert Base would be next. Once those Fourth-Tier Zombies were free to march south, the base's defenses would be completely vulnerable.

More importantly, Zhao Weiguo's offer to “acknowledge him as supreme commander” meant he had the opportunity to integrate the remaining forces of the Northern Military Region, truly achieving unification and building an apocalyptic fortress that spanned the entire city.

“commander Zhao,” Lin Zhou's voice suddenly became steady and powerful as it transmitted through the communicator. “I can support you. But I have one condition—from now on, all forces of the Northern Military Region must unconditionally obey the command of the Red Alert Base!”

There was a few seconds of silence from the communicator, followed by Zhao Weiguo's hoarse response: “I agree! I, Zhao Weiguo, guarantee it on my character! As long as we can survive, as long as we can hold this land, I am willing to follow your orders!”

Lin Zhou hung up the communicator and looked at the exhausted squad members, a look of determination flashing in his eyes. “Brothers, the mission isn't over yet. The Northern Military Region is under siege by Fourth-Tier Zombies and is in critical danger. We must go and support them. This isn't just to save them, but for ourselves—to unify these ruins and build a true apocalyptic fortress!”

Scarface was stunned for a moment, then slapped his thigh hard. “Wherever the Boss says to go, we go! What's so special about Fourth-Tier Zombies? We'll just hack them down!”

Wild Wolf also tightened his grip on his sniper rifle, his gaze firm. “For the base! For the commander!”

The other members stood up one after another. Though their faces were covered in fatigue, there wasn't a hint of retreat in their eyes.

The armored personnel carrier started up again, speeding toward the Northern Military Region. Its headlights pierced the darkness, illuminating the unknown and dangerous path ahead. Lin Zhou sat in the driver's seat, looking at the dense clusters of red dots on the Radar screen, knowing full well that this battle would be more perilous than any before.

But he had no choice. In the apocalypse, only by integrating all forces could one truly survive. And Zhao Weiguo's plea for help was exactly the key step for him to embark on the path of unification.

The night was deep, and from the distant horizon, deafening roars could already be faintly heard. A bloody battle that would decide the fate of the entire ruins was about to begin.