The next day was worse. The once mighty city was now a desolate wasteland of rubble and ruins, the air thick with the smell of smoke, blood, and decay. The ground was littered with bodies—soldiers and civilians alike—while the skies were a dull, ash-filled gray. Monsters and alien patrols roamed the streets, hunting down survivors.Underneath the shattered remains of a once-bustling marketplace, Lieutenant Zhang Wei crouched in the shadows, his breath shallow, trying to stay as silent as possible. Beside him, a small group of survivors—men, women, children, and the elderly—huddled together, trembling with fear. The only sounds were distant screams and the occasional rumble of debris falling from above."Stay quiet," Zhang whispered, his voice barely audible. His fingers tightened around the rifle in his hands. "They'll pass by if we're lucky."Private Liu, still shaken from yesterday's battle, knelt nearby, keeping watch through a crack in the wall. His face was pale, and his eyes darted nervously across the street outside. "I don't know how long we can keep doing this, sir," he murmured, glancing back at Zhang. "We're running out of food and supplies."Zhang didn't answer. His mind was focused on the mission: survive. Protect the civilians. Keep moving. They had no base, no reinforcements, and no communication with the outside world. It was just them, hiding in the ruins, scavenging what they could, and praying the monsters didn't find them."Commander Lin, do you copy?" Zhang whispered into the radio. Static. He hadn't heard from Commander Lin since the airstrike the day before. He feared the worst.Suddenly, the muffled sound of footsteps echoed through the street above them. Zhang froze. So did the others. A baby whimpered in the arms of its mother—a young woman named Mei, who held her child close, her face pale with fear."Shh, it's okay," Mei whispered, rocking the baby gently, trying to calm it down.The footsteps grew louder. Heavy, thudding steps that could only belong to one of the demons or alien patrols. Zhang raised his hand, motioning for silence. Everyone held their breath.A large, shadowy figure moved past the crack in the wall, its hulking form barely visible. Zhang could see its molten skin glowing faintly, like embers beneath ash. It was one of the smaller demons, scouting the area.For a moment, the demon paused, sniffing the air. Zhang's heart pounded in his chest. If it found them, they were as good as dead.But then, the demon moved on, disappearing down the street.Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief."We can't stay here much longer," Sergeant Chen's voice whispered from behind a pile of debris. His face was tired and bloodied from yesterday's fight, but his spirit hadn't wavered. "We need to find a safer place.""Agreed," Zhang replied. "But where? The whole city's crawling with these things."Before they could discuss further, a new voice spoke up. "We can go to the tunnels."It was Corporal Huang, a young mechanic who had joined the military just before the war broke out. He'd been one of the engineers responsible for maintaining the city's underground network. "There's an old subway system that runs beneath the city. It's not on any of the maps the aliens have. We can hide there, regroup."Zhang considered it. It was risky, but staying out in the open like this was suicide."Alright," Zhang said. "We move at night. Gather whatever supplies you can. We'll need food, water, and medical gear."Private Liu nodded. "I'll check the nearby stores. See if there's anything left."As the group prepared to move, Zhang noticed an older man sitting by the wall, his head bowed. Doctor Li, one of the few medics left in the city, was silently tending to the wounds of an elderly woman, his hands moving with practiced precision."How's she doing, Doc?" Zhang asked quietly, crouching beside him.Doctor Li looked up, his face grim. "Not well. She's got an infection. Without proper antibiotics..." His voice trailed off, and he shook his head. "We're running out of medicine, Lieutenant. I can only do so much with what we have."Zhang cursed under his breath. "Do what you can. We're moving out soon."As night fell, the group began their slow, cautious journey through the ruins. They moved in small, quiet groups, staying in the shadows, avoiding the patrols. Zhang led the way, his senses on high alert, his rifle always ready.Alongside him was Corporal Huang, guiding them toward the entrance to the tunnels. Behind them, Private Liu carried a pack full of scavenged supplies, while Sergeant Chen helped Mei and her baby navigate the uneven terrain. Doctor Li and a few others brought up the rear, keeping an eye on the injured and elderly.Suddenly, a scream pierced the air, echoing through the streets. Zhang froze, signaling the group to stop."What was that?" Private Liu whispered, fear in his voice.Another scream, this time closer. A woman's voice, pleading for help."We have to keep moving," Zhang said, his voice tight. "We can't—""Sir, we can't just leave them!" Sergeant Chen interrupted, his voice filled with urgency.Zhang knew he was right. But every second they stayed, they risked being discovered."Alright," Zhang said, making a decision. "Chen, Liu, with me. The rest of you, follow Corporal Huang to the tunnels. Keep the civilians safe. We'll catch up."The group hesitated, but after a nod from Zhang, they moved on, disappearing into the shadows.Zhang, Chen, and Liu moved quickly, heading toward the source of the screams. As they rounded a corner, they saw it—a group of civilians, huddled together in an alleyway, surrounded by three demons. One of the demons—a massive, horned beast with glowing red eyes—was dragging a woman toward it, her screams filling the night air."Fire on my command," Zhang whispered, raising his rifle. "Now!"The three soldiers opened fire, bullets tearing through the air. One of the demons roared in pain as Zhang's shots tore through its chest, but the others quickly turned, their glowing eyes locking onto the soldiers."Move! Get those civilians out of here!" Zhang shouted as he fired another burst, hitting one of the demons in the leg.Sergeant Chen rushed forward, grabbing the terrified civilians and pulling them to safety. Private Liu covered him, his rifle barking as he unloaded into the nearest demon.But the fight was far from over. The largest demon, the one dragging the woman, let out a deafening roar and charged at Zhang, its massive claws tearing into the ground as it closed the distance.Zhang didn't flinch. He aimed his rifle, firing at the demon's head. But the creature was fast—too fast. Before he could react, the demon was on him, its massive arm swinging down.Zhang barely had time to dodge as the demon's claws smashed into the ground where he'd been standing. He rolled to the side, raising his rifle again, but the demon was relentless."Chen! Liu! I need backup!" Zhang shouted as he scrambled to his feet.The demon swung again, and this time, Zhang wasn't fast enough. The creature's claws raked across his side, and he felt the burning pain as his blood soaked through his uniform.But Zhang didn't stop. Ignoring the pain, he raised his rifle one last time and fired. This time, the shots hit their mark. The demon let out a final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing to the ground, its lifeless body twitching.