How Zombies Survive in the Apocalypse-Chapter 247

Arian was resting with the soldiers who had retreated to the San Fernando defense line.

[Zombies are currently confirmed to be occupying most of the northwest. With no particular movement, we’re spreading the defense line widely.]

[Understood. Any additional reports?]

[It seems they’re controlling the zombies.]

[Confirmed. Do you need additional troop support?]

[Due to spreading the defense line widely, the central road defense line connecting directly to the barrier has thinned. We request support of one platoon.]

[I’ll send them quickly. Over.]

"Can I know the expected arrival time of the support troops?"

Arian asked the radio operator and the unit commander.

"Since they said they’d send them as quickly as possible, they should arrive within an hour."

"I see. Then, I’ll rest for a bit."

The unit commander nodded at Arian’s words.

The construction of the defense line was progressing smoothly.

They were able to install plenty of Claymores and anti-personnel mines along the line.

Although tens of thousands of zombies would swarm in, it was expected that they could defend sufficiently as no mutants had been seen so far.

Meanwhile, Ava was in the midst of issuing various orders while looking at the tactical map and consistently conducting searches inside the barrier.

[This is Woodland Hills! EL is pushing the frontline! Repeat, EL is pushing the frontline!]

An urgent radio message came in on the general channel.

Ava immediately sent an urgent radio message.

[What’s the battlefield situation?]

[They’re rushing in while setting fires with flamethrowers! Some fanatics are rushing in with C4 strapped to their upper bodies, snipers are hurriedly dealing with them!]

[Damn it! Is defense possible?!]

[We expect defense to be possible. What’s the status of other defense lines?]

The unit commander of San Fernando’s radio was also heard.

[This is San Fernando defense line, in a standoff with zombies. No particular movement!]

[Santa Monica also all clear, mutants are not mov-]

[Santa Monica? Respond!]

The radio from the Santa Monica defense line suddenly cut off.

And after a moment, an urgent radio message came in.

[Mutants are charging towards the defense line! Repeat, mutants are charging towards the defense line!]

[Pour all firepower to deal with the mutants! They must not cross the defense line!]

[Understood!]

"Damn it all!"

Ava tried to calmly and coolly grasp the situation that had suddenly unfolded.

EL forces are pushing the frontline, and suddenly mutants are charging.

This could mean that EL’s prepared strategy has begun.

However, the zombies are not moving.

Unable to pay attention to that part as well, Ava hurriedly called her aide.

"Aide! Gather support troops! We’re starting to reinforce the 3rd defense line!"

"Yes, Commander!"

Just as the aide who heard Ava’s order was hurriedly leaving the command post, Aiden’s voice began to be heard on the radio.

[Commander, can you hear me? This is Aiden, please respond.]

[This is the Commander! What’s the matter?]

[Found fanatics. Currently tracking them... zzzt zzzzt]

"Aiden? Hey! Aiden!"

As Ava was shouting towards the radio,

Boom!

Whiiir!

Crackle!

With the sound of something exploding, all electronic devices in the command post sparked and went dead.

"What’s this?"

Boom! Boom!

The sound of something collapsing was heard outside the command post.

Ava hurriedly ran out of the command post.

And before her eyes, the worst situation was unfolding.

* * *

Crackle! Crackle crackle!

"Commander? Respond, Commander."

Aiden tried to call Ava on the now dead radio, but only static sounds were heard from the radio.

The soldiers keeping watch around approached Aiden.

"Is something wrong?"

"Seems there’s a problem inside the barrier."

The soldiers sighed at Aiden’s words.

"Let’s put aside worrying about inside the barrier, Ava will handle it well."

"Is that so? Can we trust that?"

A soldier who seemed to have family inside the barrier said.

"Ava is not an incompetent commander. You can trust her. Right now, we need to pursue these guys and prevent something bigger from happening."

Only then did the soldiers nod.

They had discovered the fanatics 10 minutes ago.

They were moving while carrying several large bags.

Aiden was following them little by little along their direction of travel when he reported to Ava.

"Let’s go, we’ll ambush them from behind."

At Aiden’s words, the soldiers’ eyes shone as they followed him.

As Aiden, who had been running for a while in the direction the fanatics were heading, saw their figures a few hundred meters ahead, he reduced speed and sent one soldier each to the left and right, and gave hand signals to the soldiers for him and another soldier to be able to ambush them directly from behind.

’When I attack first, fire immediately. And keep one alive.’

Aiden slowly took cover between broken cars, sticking as close as possible to their rear.

The fanatics were chattering and giggling among themselves about something good, not looking behind, so Aiden raised his rifle and aimed at the head of a fanatic carrying a bag.

"Phew..."

Aiden confirmed that the soldier who followed him was in position, and gave a little time for the other two to get into position.

And then.

Bang!

Splat!

The bullet accurately hit the head of the fanatic carrying the bag.

"En-enemy! You son of a-!"

Ratatata! Bang bang bang bang!

Immediately, bullets rained from the left and right, and Aiden also pulled the trigger hard to deal with the fanatics.

Without a chance to resist, the fanatics fell.

In the meantime, one fanatic who was only shot in the thigh and arm was groaning and rolling on the ground.

Aiden didn’t approach them immediately but took some time to keep watch around.

Because you never know where other fanatics might pop out from.

After a very short time, Aiden whistled briefly.

Then. Two soldiers from the left and right approached the fanatic while watching all directions.

"Clear!"

When one soldier shouted, Aiden came out of cover, approached the fanatic’s corpse and opened the bag.

"Hmm... C4."

Aiden put down the bag full of C4 and approached the living fanatic, pressing hard on his shot thigh.

"Ugh, uwaaargh!"

Aiden, regardless of whether the fanatic screamed or not, grabbed his neck with one hand, lifted him up, and then threw him back down.

"Ha, huuuuh"

The fanatic made an unintelligible sound, seemingly in considerable pain.

Aiden approached him again and pressed on his thigh once more.

"Aaaagh!!"

"Now, let’s hear what your purpose is."

Aiden said quietly.

At that, the fanatic’s eyes widened and he suddenly started laughing.

"Hehe! Hehehehe!!"

As the fanatic laughed, Aiden stepped on his thigh even harder.

"Ugh...! Ack! Hehe... hehehe!"

"Do you intend to say nothing?"

The fanatic kept laughing even while groaning in pain.

Bang!

Thud.

Aiden, without hesitation, put a bullet in the fanatic’s head.

Looking at the eyes of the falling fanatic, Aiden sighed lightly.

"C4, huh. Are they planning to destroy the barrier? That amount should be enough to make holes at least."

The other soldiers had the same thought while looking at the C4 in the bag.

"It’s probably to avoid the barrier gate where troops are concentrated, and maybe also to make holes here and there to disperse our forces."

One soldier shared his opinion.

The soldiers, including Aiden, nodded as if agreeing with his opinion.

"Let’s take the C4 for now, I think it’s best for us to head towards the barrier like this."

Aiden thought it would be better to run straight to the barrier and inform them of the situation, rather than returning to Santa Monica, because of the variables that could occur in a situation where radio communication was dead.

One of the soldiers picked up and carried the bag.

Aiden immediately started running towards the barrier.

* * *

"What? You can’t contact the command post by radio?"

The unit commander approached Arian, who was resting, and explained the situation.

Arian got up from the field bed and came outside.

Everything was quiet.

No surrounding noise could be heard, only the sound of the wind blowing.

Arian felt something uneasy.

"There might be a serious problem, should I go check?"

Arian could head towards the barrier faster than anyone else here.

As she was pondering what to do, a shout was heard from the direction of the defense line.

"Prepare to fire!!"

Arian ran to the defense line hurriedly.

In front of her eyes, the zombies that had been standing still until now could be seen approaching the defense line very slowly.

The wave of zombies approaching the defense line slowly, very slowly, suddenly started approaching quickly.

"Damn it! Annihilate them!!"

As the unit commander’s voice rang out, hundreds of guns began to spit fire.

Ratatata!!

Tadadadadang!

Uuuuh!

-Kill! Kill!

-Kill those bastards!

The zombies’ howls, the noise of raining gunfire, and the unit commander’s shouting voice.

Everything mixed together tormented Arian’s ears.

Then, the sound of something being smashed was heard from near the left side of the defense line.

Boom!

As Arian turned her head, strong explosions began to erupt from some zombies.

Bang bang bang!!

As consecutive explosion sounds that seemed to burst her eardrums were heard, Arian ran towards the broken defense line without hesitation.

"They’re wearing bombs!! The zombies are wearing bombs!"

One of the soldiers was shouting towards the radio at the top of his lungs.

And, taking advantage of the gap when the defense line’s gunfire loosened due to the strong explosions, zombies began to pour in.

Arian unhesitatingly drew her machete and began slicing the zombies entering the inside of the defense line.

Some soldiers were stunned by the impact of the explosions, so to protect them, Arian swung her machete like crazy, slicing dozens of zombies.

Thanks to Arian’s efforts, a brief moment was gained, and other soldiers began to come to their senses.

"Reorganize the formation! Take positions! Open fire!"

Ratatata!!

Tadadang!

Gunfire started again, and the swarming zombies began to fall one by one.

"Arian! Queen! Where are you!"

As Arian heard the unit commander’s voice looking for her, she appeared in front of him in an instant.

"We can hold here! Please go to the barrier!"

"Will it really be alright?!"

"We’ll defend this place even at the cost of our lives! The command post’s radio hasn’t been restored! Something might have happened! Go!"

"Alright!"

The unit commander handed Arian a backpack containing blood packs.

Arian put on the received backpack and expressed her gratitude.

"Please take care of the barrier!"

"Make sure to survive with everyone! I’ll be back soon!"

With those final words, Arian ran towards the barrier like a beam of light.

The unit commander silently watched her figure and saluted.

Then he gripped his rifle tightly and ran towards the pouring zombies.