Chương 137: End of the Line for a Hero

"Hopefully we get some clear skies after the rain... don't forget to collect the runoff..." Vince walked toward the distance with his group, casually tossing instructions back to Ben, but he didn't get a response. That wasn't like Ben at all. Curious, Vince looked back, only to find Ben staring wide-eyed at the distant horizon as if he'd just seen a ghost. Vince followed his gaze. The night sky was pitch black; there was nothing there.

"What's—" Sensing something was wrong, Vince took two steps back. He barely got the words out before Ben turned to him, looking fraught with tension. His voice was hoarse with shock, coming out in ragged bursts.

"No... that's not thunder... those are... those are explosions!"

"Explosions?"

"You sure?" Zoe and Vince, being the closest, asked simultaneously. Hearing this, even Zack, who was standing behind Ben, looked up at the sky. He listened intently for a moment before chiming in.

"Now that you mention it, Ben, that really does sound like ordinance."

"Explosives don't sound like thunder. One comes from the sky, the other from the ground. Explosives are... sharper." Vince decided it was better to be safe than sorry. He stepped closer to Ben and fired off a series of questions.

"Could it be cars? Maybe the gas station?"

"Doesn't fit..." Ben shook his head, his expression grim.

"The distance is too far. If it were the gas station, we'd see the glow of the fire from here. Only high-yield explosives could carry a sound this far..."

"Explosives... the military... Stay here, I'm going to check it out!" Vince's mind raced, connecting the dots instantly. He gave his orders to Ben's crew, then spun around and grabbed Zoe and Claire, who were stuck to his side. He called for Cody and Seth, and the group sprinted back to the clinic.

"Cody, Seth, clear out the front seats of the RV. Here are the keys to the van..." Vince snatched a set of keys off a table in the clinic and tossed them to Cody.

"Grab a jerrycan of gas. Use the funnel and top off the RV... Zoe, Claire, help them out. If things go south, we move out in the two RVs. Forget the van." After his recent farming runs, Vince had plenty of gasoline and diesel drops in his inventory. Losing the van was a price he was willing to pay for speed.

"Wait... is it really that dangerous? If it's the military, shouldn't they be here to rescue us?" Claire asked, her nerves instantly frayed by Vince's intensity.

"Doesn't feel like a rescue... regardless, we prep for the worst. Better to have it and not need it..." Vince turned his head, his eyes meeting Zoe's bright gaze." Dage! I'm going with you! I can fly!" Zoe cut him off before he could speak. She stared into Vince's eyes, her expression dead serious.

"You... you're more useful here! Guard the others!" Vince hesitated for a split second. Zoe could fly, but her range and duration were too limited. He decided to leave her as their insurance policy. He gripped her shoulders firmly, gave them a quick, reassuring squeeze, and spoke with absolute gravity. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Got it, Dage!" For once, Zoe didn't argue. She gave a sharp nod and adjusted the strap of her leather bag. Vince had been wanting to roast that weapon bag ever since he saw it—where the hell did she find something that fit two Flying Blades so perfectly? But now wasn't the time. He'd save the banter for when he got back. With the team briefed, he snatched his solid, heavy short-spear from against the wall and sprinted toward the alley entrance. Passing the supermarket, he saw Ben and Bruno still standing outside.

A few more survivors had gathered around them. Ben was holding a flashlight, and seeing Vince charging back, he hurried to intercept him.

"Vince... should we gather everyone, or...?"

"Don't start a panic yet. Get the essential food and water loaded onto the trucks. Be ready to move... Right! Bruno!" Vince gave a quick brief, but then remembered something. He reached into his pocket and produced two spherical Common Revitalization Crystals. He tossed them to Bruno; the stones shimmered like stars in the moonlight.

"Eat them!"

"Got it!" Bruno caught them with his good hand, his eyes wide. He was shocked that Vince had so many of these things to spare, but he didn't hesitate for a second before throwing them into his mouth. Vince watched as the visual overlay showed Bruno's Health and Max HP beginning to climb simultaneously. It confirmed his theory. These crystals were useless for anything other than healing. He only needed to keep one for Cody just in case. He still had six left in his inventory; that was plenty.

Giving Bruno two would jumpstart his recovery, healing his internal trauma and mangled arm. If a crisis hit, having a powerhouse like Bruno sidelined by injuries would be a waste of potential.

"If people show up, guard the food! If zombies show up, guard your lives!" With that final instruction, Vince didn't look back. He sprinted toward the alleyway. With his monstrous physical stats, a full-tilt sprint on his own two legs almost hit thirty meters per second! He blurred past obstacles, the wind howling in his ears. In the blink of an eye, he passed the gas station. It was dead silent—no trouble there. It was further out... Toward the outer ring road, a faint orange glow flickered against the horizon.

Something was tearing through the darkness...

"Colonel! The engine's stalled! We're dead in the water!" Chaos reigned inside the command vehicle. From the forward cockpit, the driver's frantic shout filtered through to the rear.

"Those were our last two blocks of C4! Did the dog make it in!?" Joseph completely ignored the report of the engine failure. He stared intensely through the APC's reinforced observation slit while questioning a young soldier in the back. The young man was gripping a remote controller, a bundle of fiber-optics and wires snaking from its base. The screen was now pitch black, displaying a single line of text: SIGNAL DISCONNECTED.

"It got in! It blew the perimeter wall from the inside! I don't know if it took that thing out!" the soldier yelled, looking at the dead screen, then peering through a side window at the rising smoke. He looked almost manic with excitement.

"God-fucking-dammit!" The middle-aged officer, known for his unwavering composure, finally snapped and swore. But as his gaze swept over the familiar faces inside the APC, his tone softened.

"Observer, did Colonel Evelyn's group make it out?"

"They're... they're clear! We lost one assault vehicle, but the explosion forced the horde to contract eastward! The trucks, the buses, and APC Two all broke through!" The soldier in the elevated gunner's seat shouted excitedly. But then, realizing their own predicament, his face fell. He slumped back into his seat, falling silent.

"I gave the order. If you're looking for someone to blame, blame me..." Joseph fished around in his gear and somehow produced a half-crushed pack of cigarettes. He let out a weak grin and handed one to every man in the vehicle.

"That thing... its range is massive. Far more than anything we've encountered. It completely drowned out the radios. If we hadn't driven this far in, the fiber spool for the robot dog wouldn't have reached..."

"Joseph, that doesn't sound like you... What were our orders? Protect Colonel Evelyn and her team until they reached the QZ. Evelyn is clear. We're done for, but at least we died for a reason. Don't start acting like a martyr now, I'll lose respect for you..." A middle-aged officer took a cigarette, lit it, and took a long, deep drag. He gave Joseph a bitter smile.

"All these years in the service, and this is the first time I've smoked inside an APC. Feels good... If this were last year, you'd have thrown me in the brig for this."

"Who gives a damn about your skin," Joseph muttered, tossing the pack to the officer. He let out a heavy sigh.

"I just feel bad that you three are still so young." The two younger soldiers in the back remained silent. No matter how brave they were, nobody actually wanted to die.

"Colonel, it's a bit late for that talk..." the young driver said, turning his head back toward Joseph. He was the only one who could see the sea of infected through the ballistic glass, and the only one who could see the chaotic, flailing limbs of the mutant dancing in the firelight. The string of fear had been pulled so tight it finally snapped, leaving him strangely calm.

"Hey, do we have any rounds left in the autocannon?" the middle-aged officer suddenly asked his commander.

"A few dozen. Why? You think you're gonna blast us out of here? You want me to get out and push?"