True Apocalypse Game

"Legion Commander, what’s happened? All the Evil Spirit Virus samples in the lab have gone berserk! Their activity level is dozens of times higher than normal!"

The Legion Commander pointed outside and said,

"Old Li, see for yourself..."

Then he asked urgently,

"How is the development of the specialized Stone Statue Virus coming along? Can it be deployed now? If not, is there a new type of Stone Statue Virus that acts quickly? It doesn’t matter if it infects survivors!"

Li Tongchen’s expression was grim as he said,

"We’ve developed a new Stone Statue Virus—the fastest-acting and most potent one yet. It’s about four times faster than the original. It can induce the final stage of complete petrification within a week. It’s just..."

He didn’t finish the sentence.

’But is there still time?’

The Legion Commander nodded, understanding that this option was off the table for now. He immediately looked toward Fres and the others. A Salvation Army Warrior who specialized in electronics shook his head and said,

"Full-spectrum jamming devices aren’t that easy to build. The main issue is the power output. It’s not ready yet..."

The Legion Commander looked to the others. Each of them was in charge of a separate project, but now, under his gaze, they all lowered their heads, unable to meet his eyes.

None of their projects were of any use at this moment.

The Legion Commander’s expression suddenly hardened with resolve. He said,

"Don’t blame yourselves. The responsibility for this is all mine. I underestimated the enemy. And after the nuclear plan failed, I didn’t pivot quickly enough to find a new solution... especially neglecting to communicate with those zombie Symbiotes... But now is not the time for post-mortems. We need to leave this base and break through to the north. Immediately! Right now!"

Although they didn’t know what would happen after that tower had risen, it was clearly nothing good. What they had to do now was leave as quickly as possible and reassess their strategy.

Hearing this, Fres hesitated and retorted,

"Legion Commander, I disagree with this plan. We have enough weapons and ammunition in this base to withstand a massive zombie horde. Besides, our defensive capabilities are already formidable. If we really leave, we’ll likely face an immediate attack from the horde. We’ll be more easily picked off by the zombies in a mobile battle!"

Vasily, standing beside him, nodded and said,

"I support the Legion Commander’s order. In a large-scale urban war where the enemy is hidden and we are exposed, hunkering down and waiting for backup will only get us ground to dust. Back in Chechnya, my company was massacred just like that. I suggest we abandon the coastal regions and head for the wastelands of Eagle Country’s Central Great Plains to plan for the long term!"

The surrounding Salvation Army leadership all looked tense. Their expressions showed they were divided, each with their own ideas.

But while they argued, their hands were already moving, following the Legion Commander’s orders to prepare for departure.

They were all extremely intelligent people. They naturally understood that no matter what, they needed a single voice of command, and that voice had to be obeyed.

Even if the Legion Commander’s order was wrong, it was still better than wasting time here.

Even Fres, who wanted to make a stand, was still carrying out the order without question.

The Legion Commander said quickly,

"I’ve already sent a special operations unit to New Haven Port to ready the carrier fleet. They completed their preparations to set sail three hours ago. They’re just waiting for us to board. No matter what, survival is the top priority!"

At these words, everyone’s eyes, including Fres’s, lit up.

Of course!

They had been so focused on a land war that they’d completely forgotten about the carrier fleet.

The zombies might be powerful, but they couldn’t possibly swim out into the Atlantic Ocean to board the ships.

Even those towers, whose purpose was still unknown, probably couldn’t reach warships out at sea.

They were simply out of reach.

And if they had naval superiority, they could carry out bombardments and airstrikes at will. Plus, they’d have incredible mobility. It was far better than waiting here to die!

The dissenting voices, like Fres’s, completely vanished. Throughout the base, the Salvation Army Warriors began to rapidly pack their gear and weapons. Tanks, armored cars, and various military vehicles roared to life. At the Legion Commander’s command, they smashed through the base’s perimeter wall and sped north.

At this point, the terrifying roar from within New York City seemed to become a fluctuating wave, sometimes present, sometimes not, while the ground began to tremble incessantly.

Sitting in an infantry fighting vehicle, the Legion Commander and the others turned to look at the massive tower in New York City, their faces filled with shock.

They saw countless zombies in New York City scrambling up the giant tower. Their bodies seemed to be melting, merging into the tower itself as they climbed!

Countless limbs, eyes, heads, and mouths now protruded from the tower’s surface.

The heads, as if they had instantly regained their human consciousness, began to let out meaningless, agonizing screams.

A scene that could only be from Hell was now unfolding before their very eyes!

At the same time, massive fleshy tumors began to sprout from the tower’s body. These "tumors" then began to squirm and grow wildly, transforming in the blink of an eye into tentacles thousands of meters long that writhed and thrashed about.

The moment he saw the tentacles dance, a terrible premonition flashed through the Legion Commander’s mind.

The ground beneath the convoy, which was just leaving the base, suddenly exploded. A flesh-and-blood tentacle several meters thick shot out from below, wrapping around dozens of nearby Salvation Army Warriors and grinding them into a bloody pulp!

One after another, more tentacles burst forth, lashing out and crushing the surrounding Salvation Army Warriors.

The Salvation Army’s heavy weapons immediately spat fire. Shell after shell was launched, severing many of the tentacles.

The part of the convoy that had already left the base accelerated, fleeing the area. The Salvation Army Warriors trapped inside the base, their eyes bloodshot with battle rage, fought desperately against the tentacles, trying to buy their comrades more time.

But the Legion Commander seemed oblivious to the sounds of battle and the screams of agony. He kept his eyes fixed on the tower in New York City, observing the subtle changes upon it.

Meanwhile, faint arcs of electricity began to appear on the tower, like an electromagnetic pulse. Lights flickered, and the tower’s entire color shifted back and forth between gray and black.

Seeing this, the Legion Commander suddenly said to Li Tongchen beside him,

"Old Li, we’re done for this time... Sigh, I really underestimated them. And I got selfish, always thinking about using this chance to get a good look at Eagle Country’s defense deployments... I forgot what my mission was... I won’t be able to face the Commander after this..."

Li Tongchen gave a bitter smile as well.

"It’s not just you. I’m going to disappoint the Commander too... It’s been peaceful for too long. He handled all the life-and-death situations, and I couldn’t even figure out the Stone Statue Virus... I’m ashamed..."

Sophie, who was now the Salvation Army command headquarters’ secretary, said with some confusion,

"Legion Commander, Elder Li, most of us have already escaped. As long as we control the carrier battle group, we still have a chance. Don’t be so..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the top of the tower in New York City suddenly burst with a blinding light.

In the next instant, the members of the Salvation Army felt a terrifying Consciousness Field descend upon them. It enveloped them like a vast, boundless ocean. They felt like insects trapped in amber, their thoughts slowing to a crawl, even stopping completely!

Then, that terrifying consciousness seized complete control of their bodies.

The convoy, which had been fleeing New York City, abruptly turned around and charged back toward the tower.

Inside the vehicles, all the Salvation Army Warriors, from the Legion Commander to the common soldiers, had vacant expressions. Their minds were aware of their bodies but completely unable to control them. A profound despair surged from the depths of their hearts.

This time, their advance was met with no resistance from the zombies or the tentacles.

Upon entering New York City, they drove unimpeded to the city center. There, the vehicles suddenly stopped, and everyone climbed out.

Then, like mindless zombies, the Salvation Army Warriors, their eyes filled with despair and terror, uncontrollably charged toward the nearby tower. They were snatched up by the giant mouths on its surface, forced to watch as their own bodies were torn apart, chewed up, and swallowed by the tower!

And they could also feel that terrifying, super-consciousness.

It was radiating unrestrained malice and ecstasy!