The armored vehicle came to a halt approximately 400 meters from the gate, concealed in the darkness.
Wang Ye stepped out of the vehicle and used binoculars to survey the scene ahead.
The gates were tightly shut, with a row of bright spotlights illuminating a 100-meter radius in front of them. Atop the gate's platform were four heavy machine guns, manned by about twenty heavily armed guards patrolling the area. However, the number of guards was noticeably fewer than what Sergeant Peyton had described.
It seemed the Umbrella Corporation had diverted some personnel to ambush them at City Hall.
After assessing the situation, Wang Ye returned to the vehicle and addressed the group.
"As expected, they've pulled most of their guards away from the gate. This is our chance—while their defenses are at their weakest. Alice will drive the armored vehicle forward while I take out their heavy weapons. That way, the armored vehicle can pass through safely. As for the gate, we've got plenty of grenades to blast our way through!"
Strapping a dozen grenades to his waist, Wang Ye quickly crept along the wall toward the gate. The armored vehicle followed from a safe distance, staying about 100 meters behind in the shadows.
Reaching a position just outside the range of the searchlights, Wang Ye took cover behind an abandoned car. He tied several grenades together to amplify their power and hurled them at the machine guns atop the gate.
With a deafening explosion, the heavy machine guns were obliterated. He followed up by throwing a tear gas grenade.
The guards, caught completely off guard, were overwhelmed. The gas stung their eyes, rendering them blind and disoriented.
Before they could report the attack, another powerful blast tore through the gate below, knocking them unconscious—or worse.
Wang Ye dusted off his hands and sprinted back to the approaching armored vehicle. Climbing aboard, he signaled Alice, who immediately revved the engine and drove the vehicle at full speed through the now-destroyed gate.
A New Threat
"Something's heading toward Raccoon City—and fast!"
Alice, still at the wheel, spotted a bright light streaking through the night sky, moving toward their previous location like a meteor.
"That's probably Umbrella Corporation's nuke. Push the engine to its limit—we're too close to ground zero!"
Wang Ye noticed the growing light in the distance and urged Alice to accelerate.
The engine roared like an enraged beast under the strain of full throttle, propelling the vehicle forward at a blistering pace.
Before long, they had put ten kilometers between themselves and Raccoon City.
Suddenly, a brilliant flash lit up the sky. The group donned protective goggles, specially designed for such emergencies, and watched in stunned silence.
For a moment, time seemed to stop.
Umbrella Corporation's atomic bomb detonated 300 meters above City Hall, creating an enormous fireball. The intense heat of the nuclear fission incinerated everything within a kilometer.
A purplish-white flash followed, accompanied by a deafening explosion. Even at their current distance, the sound was bone-shaking.
In an instant, a massive gray mushroom cloud, nearly 5,000 meters in diameter, rose into the sky. Beneath it, a towering column of white smoke surged upward, eventually separating from the mushroom-shaped top.
The entire city was reduced to rubble, leaving nothing but ash in its wake.
"Incredible, isn't it?" Wang Ye removed his goggles and tossed them aside, glancing at the group, who were still staring at the mushroom cloud in shock.
"This is just the beginning. Scenes like this will soon play out across the world. Today marks the true start of the apocalypse."
The Journey Continues
As the morning sun rose in the east, its warm light illuminated the bloodstained armored vehicle speeding down the national highway toward Erger City.
Inside, the group sat in silence, weighed down by the horrors of the previous night.
They had witnessed the unimaginable—humans transforming into flesh-hungry zombies, animals mutating into horrifying monsters, and the emergence of nearly indestructible bio-weapons like the Tyrant.
And behind it all was Umbrella Corporation, the world's leading enterprise, whose twisted ambition for a "perfect" future had brought the world to ruin.
Who could have foreseen that, to cover up the viral outbreak, they would resort to an atomic bomb? And who could have guessed that the explosion would accelerate the virus's spread rather than contain it, unleashing chaos on an unprecedented scale?
"Erger City is just ahead," Wang Ye said, studying the map. "We need to stock up on supplies before the virus takes over here too."
He turned to the group, his tone firm yet reassuring.
"Don't lose hope. I know last night was overwhelming, but we're still alive. As long as we're alive, there's a chance for good things to happen."
The group looked at Wang Ye, their faces etched with despair, their spirits crushed.
"This isn't the time to give up. Now that you've met me, you won't die so easily."
Wang Ye smiled, his confidence infectious.
"The Hydra Special Strike Team is now recruiting. Who's interested?"
"I'm in!" x8
The group answered in unison, exchanging faint smiles for the first time in hours.
"Good!" Wang Ye exclaimed.
"The Hydra Special Strike Team only accepts those who are brave, righteous, kind, and decisive. Your current strength doesn't matter. Once you pass the trials, strength will no longer be an issue.
We have five ironclad rules:
No killing the innocent.
No bullying the weak.
No disobeying orders.
No acts of sexual violence or plundering.
No betrayal of trust or loyalty.
Breaking any of these rules means death. Can you accept this?"
Wang Ye's sharp gaze swept over each person as if he could see into their souls.
"Yes!" x8
"Good! Welcome to Hydra."
Wang Ye pulled out eight vials of glowing blue serum from his belt.
"These are the foundation of Hydra's strength. Each of you, take one."
The group cautiously accepted the serum, their expressions a mix of curiosity and excitement.
"This is our specially developed super-enhancement serum. It's designed to amplify the body's abilities. This Type IV serum can increase your physical strength to four times the peak of an ordinary human.
It's simple to use—just inject it into your veins."
The group nodded and rolled up their sleeves to administer the serum. Contrary to their expectations, there was no pain—only a refreshing sensation, like a cool stream coursing through their bodies, leaving them invigorated.
(End of Chapter)
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