Chapter Fourteen: The Mission

Chapter Fourteen

Two days later, the base issued a mission: the squad with Mei was to join forces with fifty mutants and one hundred soldiers to carry out a sweep in a small town southwest of Moonlight Base.

The town was not large, with barely a thousand households, but it boasted a food processing factory that specialized in canned fish, various fruit preserves, and ready-to-eat chicken drumsticks and marinated eggs. Reportedly, in the month before the apocalypse, the factory had received a sizable order that had yet to be shipped, so its stock should be plentiful.

To motivate participants, the base promised an incentive: each person would receive fifty contribution points upon accepting the mission, then another one hundred fifty points upon completion, along with a can of fish and a can of water. Furthermore, aside from canned goods, fifty percent of any additional loot collected would belong to the individual.

Upon hearing they could go on a mission, Lin Shaojie leapt up in excitement. After receiving the contribution points, he immediately took Ye Jingxuan to the base hospital to have his wounds tended. The remainder of the points he entrusted to Qu Wenjuan, instructing her to use them for food while he was away.

The next morning, all participants gathered for a breakfast provided by the base: fried rice with greens and ham. Afterward, they prepared their gear and set off.

The journey to the town was not short—even by car, it would take most of the day. With the sweep and cleanup, they expected to be gone for at least three days.

Mei brought only her bow, two quivers, and a small, bulging pack to disguise her spatial ability.

Seated in the military truck, Mei idly plucked at her bowstring. Besides Lin Shaojie, three other teammates with abilities shared the vehicle; the rest were soldiers in camouflage. Yang Hao was among them, serving as the team leader for this mission.

No one spoke; most either brooded over their own thoughts or rested with closed eyes. However, several soldiers covertly observed Mei. Her age was clearly young, but she was dressed in a neat black short dress layered with a beige shawl, nude tights, brown ankle boots, and her fair face glowed with health—a stark contrast to the more unkempt outfits and sallow complexions around her.

Was this child really here to fight zombies?

She looked more like she was headed for a picnic!

"Little sister, aren't you afraid?" One young soldier finally couldn't resist asking.

Mei was caught off guard by the question, looking at him in confusion. "Afraid of what?"

"Zombies! Aren't you scared of them?"

"It's alright—just a bit disgusting." Mei considered the appearance of zombies: generally humanoid, but covered in rotting flesh, blood, and pus—utterly revolting. She was puzzled by their reactions. "They used to be people, after all, not some strange unknown creature. What's there to be afraid of? Besides, even if I'm scared, would that stop them from biting me?"

The soldier was at a loss for words, because her logic held water. People feared zombies not only because they ate humans, but mostly because of their grotesque appearance. Strip away the rotting flesh, and they'd just be skeletons—not so frightening.

With this reasoning, everyone's fear of zombies eased somewhat.

Yet the young soldier stubbornly muttered, "But girls are usually terrified of these things."

"Because they're far away from me!" Mei's eyes curved into a charming smile. "For a zombie to reach me, it has to dodge my arrows and get past the people in front of me. What's there to fear?"

Once again, the soldier was left speechless.

His comrades, seeing his crestfallen face, burst out laughing. Yang Hao didn't interfere, instead looking at Mei with admiration. Regardless of her strength, her temperament alone promised she would become formidable in time.

Lin Shaojie was swept up by the cheerful atmosphere, setting aside his worries and joining in with the soldiers. His open, straightforward nature made him a hit with the veterans, and soon he was one of them.

At noon, the convoy stopped for a break so everyone could attend to their needs and have lunch. Only then did Lin Shaojie realize that no meals were provided during missions—and he had brought no food. He was dumbfounded.

Returning to the truck after her own break, Mei found Lin Shaojie sitting awkwardly in a corner. She took a bottle of water from her pack, soaked a towel, and wiped her hands clean before offering it to him. "Do you need this?"

Lin Shaojie shook his head, watching her put away the towel and pull out two buns, handing one to him and eating the other gracefully.

Lin Shaojie looked at the bun in his hand, then at Mei, who was quietly eating. He suddenly felt useless—though she was just a child (a delightful misunderstanding!), she was the one caring for him, an adult.

Silently, he resolved that he would protect Mei with his life during this mission. It was the only way he could repay her.

At half past three in the afternoon, the convoy finally reached the outskirts of the town.

Unfolding the map, it was clear the food processing factory was in the southeastern corner of the town, with a river to the south. To save costs, the factory had dug a fish pond on the eastern side near the water.

Their own position was in the northeast. Cutting straight through the town would be the fastest route, and if there were supplies at the factory, it would be convenient for the vehicles to enter and transport them.

With the route set, the next step was to consider how to clear the zombies efficiently. Although their main target was the factory, all supplies would be handed over to the base, which was not particularly enticing. What really attracted them was the freedom to search for supplies in the town—half of which they could keep.

Yang Hao understood the motivations of the mutants and ability-users, and since they weren't his soldiers, he couldn't order them around. While the soldiers were the majority, their ammunition was limited. In critical moments, they would rely on the mutants and ability-users.

After some thought, he decided to focus all firepower on clearing the path to the factory first. If all went well, everyone could spend the night in the factory, search the town for supplies the next day, and head back early the following morning.

The orders were given, and everyone agreed.

Once preparations were complete, the group was divided into three teams, each with three ability-users, fifteen mutants, and thirty soldiers, with the remainder guarding the convoy.

After forming teams, Yang Hao directed the first team to lead the attack. Mei and Lin Shaojie were among them.

The two, along with another fire ability-user, stood atop the vehicle at the center of the formation, surrounded by soldiers with guns. The other mutants and soldiers were on the ground, ready to engage the zombies directly.

As Mei stood atop the truck and fired her first arrow, the battle began.

Soldiers opened fire, taking out the leading zombies with headshots. But there were simply too many; despite the hail of bullets, many still pushed through. At this point, the mutants surged forward with weapons, engaging in close combat while soldiers provided covering fire.

Lin Shaojie, on the truck, unleashed wind blades into the zombie horde, felling them like wheat. The fire ability-user hurled fireballs, which exploded among the zombies, leaving those nearby battered and broken.

Mei's arrows were not suited for mass attacks, so she didn't shoot frequently. Each arrow either assisted a mutant by taking out a zombie behind them, or helped the snipers eliminate mutated zombies hiding within the ordinary ones.

After about an hour, as most began to tire, Yang Hao ordered the prepared second team to replace the first.

With the first team's kill count, the second quickly advanced into the town. The narrow streets prevented zombies from swarming en masse, making defense much easier than in the wild. The soldiers and mutants rotated, holding out much longer than the first team.

When the third team joined the fight, they had covered half the planned route.

It seemed likely they would reach the factory before nightfall, but suddenly, chaos erupted among the forward teams.

"Attention, everyone: an advanced mutated zombie has appeared. First and second teams, prepare for battle!" Yang Hao's voice came through the truck's intercom.

Hearing this, Mei grabbed her bow and leapt onto the roof, seeing the third team in disarray. A zombie, far more agile than the usual mutated kind, rampaged through their ranks, wrapped in a layer of golden light. That light allowed it to ignore all attacks and slaughter at will.

"The third team can't hold it! There's a metal-type zombie ahead—their attacks can't break through its defenses!" Mei quickly alerted the others.

The soldiers readied their weapons, those assigned to disembark took their positions.

Yang Hao swiftly ordered the first and second teams to reinforce the lines, then personally led a group to encircle the metal-type zombie. Several skilled mutants and ability-users coordinated, soon trapping it. Though they couldn’t kill it immediately, they prevented it from harming anyone else.

Lin Shaojie, a wind ability-user, was faster than most and joined the team fighting the metal zombie.

Mei remained atop the truck, eyes fixed on the metal zombie. She soon noticed the light shield flickered momentarily at the point of impact whenever it was attacked, but quickly restored itself.

Drawing her bow to its fullest, Mei patiently waited for an opening. She needed to avoid hitting anyone else, and strike the weak spot in that fleeting moment—a difficult task.

She studied the rhythm and habits of the attackers, ultimately choosing Yang Hao as her cue. When his dagger slashed once more, a glowing white arrow flew from Mei’s bow!

Yang Hao stabbed at the zombie’s head, but again failed to injure it and quickly withdrew. Before his hand could pull away, an arrow grazed his hand, striking the exact spot he had just attacked.

Everyone watched in delight as the arrow penetrated the zombie’s shield, piercing its head. The zombie let out a shrill scream as the golden light vanished.

Yang Hao, quick as ever, struck again with his dagger, severing the zombie’s neck and finally killing the metal-type creature.