Chapter 53: John
While Leo was fighting a brutal battle inside the building, a few hundred meters away, the three men who had been following him earlier were arguing among themselves.
The squinty-eyed man peered toward the eastern part of the city before speaking.
"Boss, further ahead is the eastern zone. I can hear gunfire from here. It sounds like the military is carrying out a major operation."
Beside him, the short man with golden buzz-cut hair kept sniffing the air like a hunting dog. After a few seconds, he frowned and shook his head.
"Boss, there’s too much blood in this area. I can’t track that guy’s scent anymore. It has completely mixed with everything else. He could be anywhere in the eastern zone now." He looked at the bald man and asked, "Should we still go in?"
The bald man rubbed his chin and fell into thought.
Seeing that his boss was actually considering it, the squinty-eyed man hurriedly tried to persuade him.
"Boss, it’s too risky. Even for superpower users like us." He pointed toward the distant sounds of explosions. "That guy could be anywhere in there, and the military is also operating in the area. You know how those military squads are. They’re completely insane. Once they start fighting, they don’t care how much collateral damage they cause as long as they finish the mission."
The bald man hesitated after hearing those words. After thinking for a while, he finally nodded.
"Fine. We’ll deal with that brat another day. It’s not worth taking the risk."
The squinty-eyed man immediately let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Let’s head back then."
The bald man shot him an annoyed look. "Idiot. Since we’re already inside the city, we might as well kill a few mutants and exchange their corpses with the military."
The short man suddenly spoke up. "Boss, why don’t we head to the western region instead? I heard it’s been much safer these past two days."
The bald man’s eyes lit up. "Not a bad idea." He waved his hand. "Let’s go to the western region."
The squinty-eyed man still looked reluctant, but he didn’t dare argue any further. He silently followed the other two as they turned around and headed toward the western side of Rendell City.
Meanwhile, about eight hundred meters away from Leo’s location, the military had established a defensive line.
Barricades made from military trucks, sandbags, and abandoned vehicles completely blocked the streets.
Makeshift defenses had also been erected in the narrow gaps between the buildings. At the front line, heavily armored soldiers stood ground, wielding spears and machetes as they fought against the endless horde of zombies.
Behind them, soldiers positioned on the upper floors of nearby buildings continuously fired their rifles, accurately picking off zombies that threatened to break through the blockade.
Every soldier carried out their duty with precision. Despite facing hundreds of zombies, there wasn’t the slightest trace of panic on any of their faces.
On the rooftop of a seven-storey building sat a handsome young man with short dark-grey hair. Dressed in a camouflage uniform, he sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. Several thick iron rods rested neatly across his lap.
Standing a short distance behind him was a beautiful young woman with brown hair, also dressed in camouflage. Her gaze remained fixed on the young man, admiration evident in her eyes.
At that moment, the rooftop door suddenly opened.
A soldier hurried onto the rooftop before coming to a stop. He immediately offered a standard military salute.
The young man slowly opened his eyes. Without even turning his head, he calmly instructed, "Report."
The soldier lowered his salute and replied, "Reporting to Squad Captain. All preparations have been completed. Our troops have successfully boxed the horde into the designated area."
The young man remained expressionless. "Any sign of the aliens?"
"Negative, sir. Gamma Squad’s sensors have been unable to pinpoint the alien’s exact location. They reported that their abilities are being interfered with."
The young man slowly stood up. As he did, the iron rods resting on his lap floated into the air before gently landing on the rooftop beside him.
"Interference with their abilities means the alien is hiding somewhere inside the horde," he paused briefly before continuing. "Are the water tanks and iron beams in position?"
"Yes, sir. Everything is ready."
"What about the Air Squad?"
"They’re on standby and can deploy at a moment’s notice."
The young man gave a slight nod. "Good. Double-check every preparation. We move in thirty minutes."
"Yes, sir!" The soldier saluted once more before turning to leave.
Just then, the young man spoke again. "Inform the escort unit to take the commander’s daughter back to camp."
The soldier nodded. "Understood, sir."
After the soldier left, the young woman could no longer remain silent. "John, you can’t send me away. I was assigned here to observe and learn from your squad."
John rubbed his forehead helplessly before letting out a quiet sigh. Then, to the young woman’s surprise, he walked over and gently held her hand.
"Rose." His usually cold voice became much gentler. "This operation is far more dangerous than the previous ones. The aliens have become cautious after the last two days. They’ve already begun changing their tactics."
He looked directly into her eyes. "I can’t guarantee your safety this time."
Rose’s cheeks gradually turned red. She looked down at the hand holding hers but made no attempt to pull away. Seeing her hesitation, John continued, "Listen to me this once. I promise... after this operation is over, I’ll let you accompany me wherever I go."
Rose bit her lower lip. She knew just how difficult it was for the usually expressionless John to speak so gently.
After struggling internally for a few moments, she finally nodded.
"...Okay. But you have to keep your promise." She quickly turned her face away, trying to hide her embarrassment. "If you dare break your promise... just you wait."
At that moment, another soldier stepped onto the rooftop. His eyes briefly swept over the pair holding hands, yet neither his expression nor his posture changed in the slightest, as though he had seen nothing at all.
John immediately let go of Rose’s hand and coughed awkwardly. "Take Miss Rose back to camp. Ensure she arrives safely."
"Yes, sir." The soldier saluted before respectfully gesturing toward Rose. "Miss, this way please."
Rose glanced back at John one last time before following the soldier downstairs.
Soon, John was the only one left on the rooftop. He slowly walked to the edge of the building and looked down at the endless sea of zombies below. His calm eyes gradually turned cold.
"No matter what tricks you use, alien... your only ending today is death."
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