After three clearing operations, the two residential compounds had finally been reclaimed, bringing the number of rescued survivors to eighteen.
Aside from little Sophie, all of them were healthy, able-bodied adults capable of working.
That meant the soldiers no longer needed to be distracted by trivial matters like cooking.
When the survivors prepared meals, all they needed was for two soldiers to keep watch nearby.
Taking advantage of the brief lull before dinner, Nathan quickly gathered Ethan Blake and the leaders of the other two squads, leading the soldiers toward the residential compound’s underground parking garage.
He wanted to clear out the underground garage and create a secure space for deploying combat vehicles later on.
He had chosen an underground location mainly to prevent any survivors who might be in the surrounding high-rises from seeing it. He had no intention of exposing his greatest secret.
The System was Nathan’s greatest trump card for surviving the apocalypse. He did not intend to tell anyone about it, not even his parents.
With weapons in hand, the group cautiously approached the underground garage, remaining alert to every movement around them.
In truth, based on what had happened before, if there were any zombies inside, they should have been drawn out long ago.
But at this moment, no one dared let down their guard in the slightest. In the apocalypse, even the smallest mistake could bring irreparable consequences.
After descending the garage’s broad ramp, everyone lowered the multifunction night-vision goggles mounted on their helmets.
Because of the power outage, the interior of the garage was pitch-black.
It was Nathan’s first time using multifunction goggles, and he found them incredibly novel.
He did not know how advanced quad-tube night-vision devices compared, but as far as he was concerned, wearing these monocular multifunction goggles allowed him to see clearly throughout the otherwise dark garage.
With the virus raging, most people had been forced to stay home, and the garage was packed with parked vehicles.
The soldiers swiftly got to work, meticulously inspecting the vehicles one by one and leaving no blind corner where danger might be concealed unchecked.
Nathan also held his AK-12 carbine at the ready and joined the search with Daniel Ward.
Suddenly, a sharp gunshot shattered the garage’s silence. Nathan’s heart tightened, and he quickly turned toward the sound.
Felix Monroe, First Squad’s shotgunner, was holding an MP-443 Grach pistol, its muzzle aimed at an SUV.
Nathan hurried over with Daniel. As he drew closer, he saw a bullet hole in the vehicle’s windshield, surrounded by spiderweb-like cracks.
In the driver’s seat, a zombie strapped in by its seat belt had its head blown apart, brain matter and blood splattered throughout the cabin.
Judging by the scene, the person had likely been planning to go out when the outbreak occurred just after they fastened their seat belt, leaving them trapped inside the vehicle.
For now, these zombies acted solely on instinct and were incapable of delicate movements such as opening and closing doors or unfastening seat belts.
After half an hour of tense work, the underground garage had been completely cleared.
During that time, the soldiers successfully killed three zombies trapped inside vehicles, earning Nathan another six reinforcement points.
Looking at the now-secure garage before him, Nathan opened the reinforcement menu.
After careful consideration, he selected one communications specialist, one Tigr-M standard-wheelbase armored assault vehicle, three Tigr-M armored vehicles, and one KamAZ-6350 8×8 high-mobility cargo truck.
After making his selections, Nathan suppressed his nervous anticipation and told the System to begin a virtual deployment.
[Commander, the selected combat units require a total payment of 2,980 reinforcement points. In addition, virtual deployment incurs an extra charge of 50 reinforcement points per unit. This deployment will consume a total of 3,280 reinforcement points. Confirm deployment?]
Hearing the System’s prompt, Nathan gritted his teeth and said resolutely, "Confirm deployment!"
Though he said that, his heart was bleeding nonstop.
Just like that, he had paid an extra 300 points—enough reinforcement points for a 6×6 high-mobility transport truck!
But he quickly adjusted his mindset and silently resolved that once his strength had grown further, he would switch to airdrops. The reinforcement points he saved could then be used where they truly mattered and deliver their greatest value.
Once the three-dimensional holographic projections for virtual deployment appeared, Nathan continuously adjusted their positions, placing the vehicles in the lanes rather than the parking spaces.
Then, filled with excitement, he silently shouted in his mind, Deploy!
Moments later, several steel beasts appeared in the empty areas of the garage.
Bang, bang. Vehicle doors opened and shut as the drivers quickly dismounted and ran toward Nathan.
Two people got out of the Tigr-M standard-wheelbase armored assault vehicle.
Besides the driver, there was also a communications specialist carrying a compact radio set on his back.
Seeing this, Nathan finally understood. No wonder he had not seen the communications specialist’s holographic projection when adjusting the deployment positions. The guy had hitched a ride in the vehicle.
Before any of them could salute and report in, Nathan impatiently pointed at one of the drivers. "Tell me about your ride."
The soldier who had been called on immediately gave a textbook salute. Then he led Nathan to a long-wheelbase Tigr-M armored vehicle and introduced it with obvious pride. "Sir, I operate a Tigr-M long-wheelbase armored vehicle."
"It is 5.7 meters long, 2.4 meters wide, and 2.3 meters high. Its curb weight is 7.8 tons, it has a payload capacity of 1.2 tons, can tow up to 2.5 tons, and can carry up to nine troops at once."
"For power, it uses a 4.4-liter YaMZ-5347 diesel engine. It can reach a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour and has a maximum range of no less than 1,000 kilometers."
"In terms of firepower and protection, the entire vehicle is fitted with sturdy armor capable of easily stopping close-range 7.62mm rifle fire. It is also equipped with an advanced remote weapon station mounting a powerful 12.7mm Kord heavy machine gun."
After hearing the detailed introduction, Nathan’s eyes immediately lit up.
Unable to help himself, he stepped forward and lightly patted the hard armored steel of the vehicle’s body, then gave its broad run-flat tires a solid kick.
As he looked it over, he kept muttering, "What a beauty. What a beauty. This is what a real man’s ride should be! From now on, we’re vehicle owners in the apocalypse too!"
After that, Nathan carefully listened as the other drivers gave detailed introductions to the Tigr-M standard-wheelbase armored assault vehicle and the KamAZ-6350 8×8 high-mobility transport truck.
The exceptional performance of these vehicles set his blood racing, and an unprecedented sense of security rose within him.
Nathan strode over to the standard-wheelbase Tigr-M assault vehicle, opened the door, and climbed inside. Then he said over the radio channel, "Everyone, mount up!"
At his command, the soldiers swiftly and orderly boarded their respective vehicles.
Vrooom, vrooom. The vehicles started one after another, their powerful engines rumbling through the underground garage. The brilliant beams from their headlights instantly illuminated the entire garage as brightly as day.
Led by the Tigr-M assault vehicle carrying Nathan, the convoy slowly drove out of the underground garage.
When the vehicles emerged onto the surface and stopped within the compound, they immediately drew the attention of the survivors cooking on the fifth floor.
They set down what they were doing, pressed themselves against the windows, and crowded together to peer down.
At the sight of these imposing military vehicles, every one of them was flushed with excitement.
"Look, military vehicles are here!"
"Those vehicles look so powerful and intimidating!"
"Of course they do. Those are the latest Tigr armored assault vehicles. With those, we could mow down a whole horde of zombies just by running them over!"
The survivors chimed in with praise. They all understood perfectly well that the better equipped and stronger the military force was, the more secure their own lives would be.
After parking the vehicles, Nathan checked the time and said to the soldiers, "Eat in shifts, and make it quick. We have an important mission to carry out after dinner!"
The soldiers answered in unison, then quickly headed toward Unit One.
Nathan remained where he was, gazing at the vehicles as he silently planned their next move.
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