Ye Fan, having meticulously surveyed the situation the day before, understood that the ambitious task of sniping nearly a thousand zombies with his twelve-member team and a loyal dog required a meticulous selection of the perfect location. The vicinity of the hotel was promptly ruled out due to the overwhelming number of zombies, abandoned vehicles, and ominous cement piles scattered around. Adding to the complexity, another hotel and a deep trench posed insurmountable challenges. After a careful evaluation, the optimal spot was identified—just one house away from the last hotel. It was a moderately sized building with windows on all sides of the second floor, creating an ideal environment for setting up defensive operations.
Taking charge, Ye Fan led his team in a strategic maneuver, carefully positioning a minibus on the first floor to obstruct the entrance and prevent zombies from surging into the building. The imposing Warrior truck and the sturdy mining truck, equipped with an anti-aircraft machine gun boasting two thousand rounds of ammunition, were deemed essential components of their tactical plan. Assigning Wang Hu as the designated machine gunner and positioning Luo Fei upstairs for defense, Ye Fan meticulously arranged every detail.
With everything meticulously in place, Xu Haoran took the wheel of the mining truck and set their plan into motion. The colossal metal shovels attached to the front of the mining truck plowed through several buses blocking the road, creating a resounding rumble that immediately seized the attention of the zombies.
The swarm of zombies surrounding the small building, although not the fastest, exhibited an unwavering determination as they steadily advanced toward the mining truck. The tension in the air reached its peak as Ye Fan shouted the command, "Fire!"
Wang Hu, protruding his head from the bulge of the mining truck, skillfully set up the long double-barreled anti-aircraft machine gun. The immediate pull of the trigger unleashed a chaotic storm among the zombies. The anti-aircraft machine gun, designed to shoot down low-flying aircraft, proved to be ruthlessly lethal to the flesh and blood of the approaching undead.
The impact of the machine gun was gruesome; almost every zombie hit disintegrated into scattered pieces, rolling and falling into the distance. From the second floor, Ye Fan observed the spectacle and turned to Xu Haoran, who was steering the mining truck, inquiring, "Will Wang Hu's zombie kills be enough for him to rise to the star level quickly?"
"Sir, no. He is using the on-board machine gun of the mining vehicle. The star upgrade is also attributed to the mining vehicle itself," Xu Haoran responded dutifully.
Curiosity piqued, Ye Fan sought information on the worth of the mining truck, learning that it was valued at one thousand five hundred gold. Engaging in mental arithmetic, he calculated that achieving a star upgrade, valued at three times the vehicle's cost, would require the elimination of 450 zombies, each contributing ten gold to the count.
The relentless machine gun assault knocked numerous zombies to the ground, but their tenacious vitality allowed them to quickly rise and resume their relentless advance towards the mining truck. After approximately four or five minutes, the machine gun fell silent, the rate of fire having reached an impressive 600 rounds per minute. Ye Fan's explicit order to Wang Hu was to spare no bullets and kill as many zombies as possible during their assembly.
As the ammunition was depleted, and the zombie swarm showed minimal reduction, Ye Fan decided to escalate their efforts. An armor-piercing incendiary bomb was launched, resembling a small explosive bomb, creating a blazing fireball in the zombie swarm. More than a dozen zombies were engulfed in flames, transforming into torches and stumbling until they eventually collapsed to the ground.
A series of fiery explosions echoed as two additional incendiary bombs were fired, igniting a succession of flames within the zombie horde. Satisfied with the results, Ye Fan directed the mining truck towards the small building where the team had strategically positioned themselves.
The mining truck, towering almost parallel to the second floor, facilitated the seamless entry of Xu Haoran and Wang Hu. While Ye Fan checked the upgrade progress of the mining vehicle, he acknowledged the limited utility of the mining truck amidst the dilapidated vehicles surrounding them. Fortunately, the soldiers comprised the main force in the ongoing battle, paving the way for the upcoming climax.
Having lost over 200 zombies, the remaining corpses persisted in their relentless approach towards the small building. Ye Fan issued a directive to Xu Haoran and Wang Hu, emphasizing accuracy as they prioritized shooting. Xu Haoran, a seasoned scout, and Wang Hu, having earned two promotions, opened fire simultaneously, momentarily disrupting the zombies' forward momentum.
Zombies tumbled into the street, falling in front of the small building. Out of ten shots, at least five resulted in headshots—an impressive feat when targeting moving adversaries. However, the sheer number of zombies, estimated at six or seven hundred, posed a formidable challenge as they continued their relentless advance.
Glancing at the clock, Ye Fan noted there were still ten minutes until twelve o'clock. Anticipating the approaching deadline, he issued a collective action order, urging everyone to unleash their firepower freely. A cacophony of gunfire erupted as the soldiers, including Ye Fan himself armed with his 54 pistol, took aim at the zombies below.
The exchange of gunfire continued until eight bullets were depleted from Ye Fan's pistol. He observed the targeted zombie, bearing multiple wounds and a broken arm, persistently advancing, acknowledging the need for further practice in shooting moving targets.
Surrounding the small building, the zombies, unable to find an entrance due to the minibus blockade, aimlessly wandered in frustration. Seizing this opportunity, the soldiers strategically shot from the windows and patiently awaited the three-minute refresh time for their bullets.
Observing the zombies encircling the building, Ye Fan found the sniper operation less daunting than anticipated. Suddenly, Xiaotian, the canine companion, pricked up his ears, alert to the group of corpses in front of him. Animals, with their innate acumen, displayed resilience even in the presence of numerous zombies, indicating the potential emergence of a more formidable threat.
Abruptly, Xu Haoran reported, "Sir, mutated zombies have appeared." Ye Fan hastily surveyed the scene and witnessed the approach of towering mutated zombies, their size exceeding two meters, with some reaching an imposing 1.9 meters.
"Don't worry, just kill them when the bullets are refreshed," Ye Fan reassured the team. Several colossal zombies approached, autonomously dispersing and encircling the house, seemingly unable to locate a viable entry point.
"Bullet refresh in one minute," Ye Fan announced as the tension among the soldiers mounted. Everyone maintained a vigilant posture, gripping their guns, and awaiting the opportune moment.
In a sudden twist, a zombie catapulted from the group of corpses. It was a female zombie, exhibiting movements far more agile than the ordinary undead. With ape-like agility, she leaped over two meters, grasping the window on the second floor. Swiftly, she propelled herself further, crashing through the window and into the building.
"Not good!" Ye Fan's heart raced; it was undoubtedly a mutated zombie. Deviating from the strength-focused mutations observed in male zombies, the agility of female zombies was notably enhanced.
Li Biao, the soldier positioned at the window, found himself defenseless with an empty gun. Reacting quickly, he wielded the butt of his gun to fend off the zombie onslaught. However, the agile zombie dodged the strike, swaying its black claws through the air, and ruthlessly tore a chunk of flesh from Li Biao's chest.
Li Biao groaned in pain, stepping back as the zombie redirected its attention towards Ye Fan. With everyone's guns now devoid of bullets, tension soared, and the situation grew increasingly precarious.
"Wow~~!" Xiaotian, the vigilant canine companion, lunged forward, sinking his teeth into the zombie's calf. Slowed down by the unexpected canine interference, the agile zombie's black claws neared the tip of Ye Fan's nose, sending shivers down his spine.
Xiaotian, with a swift motion, tore off a sizable chunk of flesh from the zombie's calf, successfully halting the imminent attack. On the other side, Xu Haoran swiftly moved to reinforce. As a seasoned scout, he executed a mid-air kick, collaborating seamlessly with Xiaotian. Exploiting the zombie's unsteady footing, Xu Haoran's kick propelled the zombie backward towards the window.
seizing the opportunity, Xiaotian lunged forward, colliding with his formidable mass, and ejected the zombie out of the window. Following up on the momentum, Xu Haoran reached for a grenade from his waist, pulled the ring, and hurled it at the airborne zombie.
"Goodbye!" he exclaimed. A fiery explosion erupted in the air, obliterating the female zombie into a spray of fragmented remains.
Xu Haoran and Xiaotian, working in unison, had successfully defeated the agile and formidable zombie. As the tension eased momentarily, Ye Fan noticed the bullets had been refreshed. Seizing the moment, he retrieved a newly refreshed serum and tossed it to Li Biao.
"I will inject myself, and others will give me a hard beating!" Ye Fan declared, frustrated by the close encounter with the agile zombie.
The resounding sound of gunfire reverberated, sending shivers down everyone's spine. The soldiers, yesterday having surpassed the halfway mark in their upgrade progress, now found their bullets fully restored, enabling unrestrained gunfire. Ye Fan, keenly observing the soldiers' performance, noticed one individual standing out—Luo Fei.
In the forefront of the battlefield, Luo Fei's precision in marksmanship and ferocious firepower surpassed expectations. After depleting the second magazine, Luo Fei achieved a star upgrade, marking a significant milestone.
Ye Fan observed in astonishment as Luo Fei retrieved a drum magazine from his backpack—a colossal, disc-shaped magazine boasting thirty rounds. The army soldier, now a one-star upgrade, possessed a staggering one hundred and eighty bullets every day.
With a relentless barrage of firepower, Luo Fei showcased his prowess. The zombies in his line of fire were knocked out, creating a temporary vacuum. Ye Fan couldn't help but feel a surge of hope for the success of the sniper attack.
Amidst the chaos, Ye Fan discovered a potential game-changer—a drum magazine, a significant advantage in firepower. Curious, he inquired, "Luo Fei, how many bullets does your drum have?"
"Sir, I have thirty rounds in the gun, thirty rounds in one magazine, and one hundred and twenty rounds in one drum!" Luo Fei responded, revealing the staggering ammunition capacity of a one-star army soldier.
A realization struck Ye Fan: a one-star army soldier now possessed a formidable arsenal of 180 bullets every day. The relentless tongues of fire from Luo Fei's gun wreaked havoc on the approaching zombies, creating a vacuum in their ranks.
Ye Fan, filled with a renewed sense of optimism, acknowledged that there was hope for the success of this sniper attack. The soldiers, armed with freshly refreshed bullets and Luo Fei's exceptional firepower, continued their relentless assault on the approaching zombie horde. The resilience and resourcefulness of the team were on full display as they faced the challenge head-on.