The shadow stepped out of the darkness, revealing a large body with shield-like, layered skin. Its glowing red eyes scanned the surroundings before letting out a loud roar.
"Evolved zombies!" Cong shouted while shooting without hesitation.
The bullets struck the creature's body, but only caused it to stagger slightly. The creature attacked with surprising speed, forcing Pan and Rico to retreat.
"Aim for its joints!" Pan shouted, taking a grenade from his belt.
The grenade exploded at the creature's feet, causing it to stumble. Dail seized the moment to attack, shooting the back of its head, finally stopping it.
However, before they could relax, footsteps were heard from the opposite direction.
"We're surrounded," Rico said in a tense tone.
Pan signaled to retreat to a safer spot. "We need to find a defensible position. Move now!"
After reaching a good defensive position, the zombies following them were finally burned.
November 10, 2058 – Night
The sky darkened as Team Aegis continued their journey to the central base. A cold wind carried the stench of death from the border they had just left. The atmosphere among them was tense. Even Rico, who usually joked around, walked in silence, gripping his weapon tightly.
Elis, carried by Dail, tried to break the silence. "Is the central base a safe place?" she asked quietly, almost in a whisper.
Dail gave a small smile, though his eyes showed exhaustion. "Yes, it should be. There are many soldiers and equipment there to protect everyone."
Pan, walking ahead with firm steps, glanced slightly behind. "If the central base is still standing, we'll be safe there. But we can't let our guard down." His eyes scanned the road ahead cautiously.
Cong, holding a night-vision scope, suddenly stopped and raised his hand as a signal. "Major, there's something ahead. Looks like... a small building. Maybe a guard post."
Pan signaled to stop. "Let's check it out. Stay alert. Rico, stay in the back. Cong, get ready up front."
The Abandoned Building
The team approached the small building slowly and cautiously. The lights that usually illuminated the guard post were off, and the door stood wide open as if inviting them in. The walls of the building were covered in moss and suspicious claw marks.
"What happened here?" Rico asked while inspecting the corners of the room. He kicked a tin can that made a loud noise, making everyone tense.
Dail found something on a nearly collapsing table. "Look at this. Someone's diary."
Pan took the note and read it quickly. The handwriting was hurried, almost illegible. "They came from the north. No one could stop them. If you find this, don't go to the central base. It might already be over."
Cong, hearing Pan read the note, frowned. "Does this mean the central base has fallen?" His voice was filled with concern.
Pan clenched the note tightly. "We don't know for sure. But we still have to go there. If anyone survived, they need our help."
"What if we're too late?" Rico asked.
Pan gave him a stern look. "We can't just give up. This is our duty."
The Night Attack
After leaving the building, the team continued their journey, more cautious now. Their footsteps echoed in the quiet night, as if every small sound could invite danger. Elis, asleep on Dail's back, breathed quietly, though the situation around them was anything but peaceful.
Suddenly, the silence of the night was broken by heavy footsteps behind them. The sound was faint at first but grew closer and closer.
"They're coming!" Cong shouted, aiming his rifle at the darkness.
Zombies emerged from the shadows, their numbers far greater than they had anticipated. Some moved slowly, but others, especially the evolved zombies, ran with terrifying speed. Rico immediately threw a grenade at the swarm, creating a large explosion that destroyed several zombies.
"Don't let them get close!" Pan commanded loudly.
The battle was intense. Evolved zombies appeared among the group, moving faster and attacking with greater strength. Cong managed to shoot one of the evolved zombies in the head, but others kept approaching at an unbelievable speed.
"We can't keep this up!" Rico shouted. "We're running out of ammo!"
Pan quickly scanned the surroundings for an escape route. In the distance, he spotted a small bridge that seemed sturdy enough.
"Over there! Let's use the bridge to set up a barricade!" he ordered.
The team quickly moved toward the bridge, shooting to clear the way. Dail ran with Elis on his back, while Cong and Rico protected them from the advancing zombies.
Once they reached the bridge, Dail gently lowered Elis, who woke up from the sound of gunfire. "Elis, wait here for now. We'll secure this place with a barricade."
They used nearby car wreckage to create an emergency barricade. Once ready, the four of them began shooting at the zombies that were drawing nearer.
But just as Team Aegis started shooting at the zombies in front of them, Elis tugged at Dail's shirt. "Dail, something's moving over there!!!" she said, pointing toward their rear.
Dail, looking closely, realized they were being surrounded by zombies from the other direction. "Major, we're surrounded by zombies on both sides!!!" he said, starting to shoot at the zombies.
Pan, hearing that, moved to help Dail on the other side of the bridge. "Arghhh... Cong, Rico, you stay and hold your position. This side is for me and Dail to handle!"
Eventually, the remaining zombies tried to get closer, but they managed to stop the attack.
The Long Night
Breathing heavily, the team rested behind the barricade. Elis sat next to Dail, her face tired but still filled with curiosity. Her eyes looked at Pan with interest.
"Will they come back?" Elis asked in a soft voice.
Dail patted her head. "Maybe. But we'll protect you."
Pan looked at his team seriously. He could see the exhaustion on their faces, but he knew they had no choice but to keep moving. "We can't keep going like this. If the central base really has fallen, we need to think of a new goal."
Cong looked at Pan. "Are we going to the Omega Zone, Major?"
Pan nodded slightly, though doubt was evident in his eyes. "That might be our only option. But for now, we need to find out what happened at the central base. Whether it's still standing or already destroyed by this pandemic. If it's fallen, we still need to find any survivors."
The atmosphere that night was heavy with tension. Although the zombies were defeated for now, their threat still loomed. With heavy hearts, the team prepared to continue their journey in the morning, holding on to a slim hope and unwavering resolve to survive.
Cong watched a small building in the distance through his scope. "There's a guard post ahead. We could check it for supplies."
Pan signaled for the team to move, and they cautiously approached the building. When they reached the door, Rico pushed it open slowly. The door creaked as it revealed a dark room inside.
"Whoever was here is gone," Rico said while observing the surroundings.
However, as they stepped deeper inside, the sound of something falling came from the corner of the room. Everyone immediately raised their weapons, prepared for any threat.