On the main road leading to F City International Airport, the roar of engines converged into a torrent of steel.
Fifty Marine Corps armored vehicles lined up in a long dragon, the chain guns on their roofs rhythmically spitting tongues of fire, tearing into pieces any zombies that tried to approach along the way.
"D-9 calling D-1, road conditions ahead are good, clearing remaining roadblocks. Over."
On one of the lead armored vehicles, a Marine Corps machine gunner was focused on controlling the turret. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of figures moving in the window of a three-story residential building by the roadside.
They were three survivors—Wang Hao, Wu Yuxuan, and Sun Meng. They were dressed in rags and looked haggard, clearly having been trapped there for a long time. Seeing this well-equipped human army, they felt as if they were seeing their saviors, frantically waving rags and flashlights in their hands.
"We're alive! Save us!!"
"Please! Take us with you! There's no more water here!"
Their screams seemed insignificant amidst the sound of gunfire.
The machine gunner frowned and did not turn his weapon; instead, he quickly made a tactical gesture—pressing his palm down, signaling them to lie flat. Behind him in the convoy, the automatic fire control systems of several armored vehicles were scanning for threats; if their movements were too large, they might be misidentified as Mutants and shot.
"D-9 calling D-1, survivors found in surrounding buildings, they are calling for help, requesting instructions. Over."
The cold and emotionless voice of a Black Watch Commander came through the communication channel:
"D-1 copies. D-9, remember your mission. Our primary goal is to ensure the main battle Special Infected units in the rear have an unobstructed path and reach the airport within the scheduled time. We are not a charity, nor a rescue team. Give them the direction and let them head to the Blue Zone themselves. Over."
The machine gunner was silent for a second, then turned on the loudspeaker, his voice piercing through the street coldly:
"Civilians attention! Do not approach the convoy! Head east along the main road to the safe zone (Blue Zone). Proceed on your own! Repeat, proceed on your own! Any approach to the convoy will be treated as a hostile act!"
After speaking, the armored convoy did not slow down at all, engulfed in dust and exhaust, roaring past the building without hesitation.
...
Perspective shifts to F City International Airport.
As the sarcoma in the underground control center was destroyed, the swarm of zombies, which previously had some tactical coordination, instantly lost its "brain." They reverted to beasts following only instinct, drawn by the dense gunfire within the airport, surging frantically from all directions.
But Black Watch had already established a wall-like defense line relying on the terminal and runways. Ammo crates were piled like mountains; if a barrel turned red, they'd swap it; if an ammo belt went empty, a new one was just a reach away.
Meanwhile, in the very center of the zombie tide on another street, two white figures were performing an art called "massacre."
Super Soldier No. 2 moved like lightning. With one punch, the air produced a sonic boom. A zombie in front of him didn't even have a chance to react before its chest was pierced through, and then it was torn in two with one hand.
Super Soldier No. 1 was even more violent; he grabbed the ankle of a Special Infected Special Infected and used it as a massive morning star, swinging it wildly through the swarm. Every swing swept away a patch of zombies, with severed limbs flying everywhere.
This was Dynasty Warriors-style mowing. In the face of absolute power, numbers were meaningless.
The two of them forcefully cleared two wide "bloody paths" through the dense zombie tide.
Just then, the ground began to vibrate.
"All units at the airport, attention. Reinforcements 'Stealth Unit' are about to arrive on the battlefield. Do not hit friendly forces. Over."
On the horizon, the torrent of steel composed of armored vehicles, main battle Special Infecteds, and that terrifying thermobaric tank finally arrived at the battlefield.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The main guns of the Special Infecteds fired in unison, and huge explosions erupted behind the zombie swarm. Under the pincer attack, the already chaotic zombie tide instantly collapsed.
The thermobaric tank codenamed "re barium can," protected in the center of the armored cluster, slowly rotated its three hellish barrels.
The dark muzzles were aimed at the massive, maggot-like surging tide of zombies in the adjacent street.
No warning, only destruction.
"Vrrr—"
Accompanied by a low sound of air pressure release, a thermobaric shell shot out of the barrel.
In an instant, the world changed color. First, there was an extreme darkness that seemed to suck away souls, followed by a blinding white light a hundred times brighter than the sun.
"BOOM—!!!"
The violent explosion instantly sucked all oxygen from the street, followed by the release of a fire ball of thousands of degrees and a high-pressure shockwave. The massive swarm of zombies didn't even have time to scream before they were instantly vaporized and crushed. The entire street seemed to be wiped away by an invisible giant hand, leaving only scorched ground and burning residue.
This was no longer a battle, but a one-sided cleansing.
...
F University Fortress, Command Center.
Lin Xuan stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window as the pleasant electronic notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully taking F City International Airport; strategic goal achieved.]
[Rewards issued: Military Base x1, Biomass +10,000.]
Lin Xuan glanced at his attribute panel, watching the Biomass continue to rise; it was currently approaching the 50,000 mark. But he didn't show much ecstasy; instead, his expression was grave.
"Before, killing an ordinary zombie gave 0.01 Biomass, now it's 0.1..."
Lin Xuan muttered to himself, his finger lightly tapping the glass.
"This means they are also getting stronger; their genes are optimizing, and the energy they contain is increasing. There are already more than ten types of Special Infected recorded in the archives."
He took a deep breath and cast his gaze toward the airport's location on the holographic map.
"System, immediately deploy the 'Military Base' at the original site of F City International Airport."
[Command confirmed. Resources deducted. Deployment starting.]
The next second, the originally dilapidated terminal of F City Airport was rapidly reinforced and transformed into a solid fortress. The runways were repaved, and towering watchtowers and automatic defense cannons rose around it. Massive barracks, armories, and vehicle repair shops sprang up from the ground.
A modern military fortress stood upon the ruins in just a few minutes.
A faint smile finally appeared on the corner of Lin Xuan's mouth. This Military Base came with special attributes; as long as they were within the base's range, the soldiers under his command could enjoy an infinite supply of ammunition.
In addition, as long as the base was not destroyed, it would automatically refresh troops and equipment every day: one thousand Marine Corps combat soldiers, two hundred logistics support personnel; main battle equipment included six standard Marine Corps Special Infecteds, four Black Watch exclusive main battle Special Infecteds, three Attack Helicopters, plus fifty Black Watch Soldiers.