Chapter 28 – The Night Before the Hunt
Night fell quickly at the military base, as if the sky itself understood how heavy this day had been for so many. The afternoon meeting hadn't fully settled in Sofia's mind. She stood before the tactical board hanging on the wall of her team's barracks, staring at the strategy notes she had yet to complete. The night air was cold, but not freezing—just enough to make the body crave warmth—but no one could sleep tonight.
Sofia's team had gathered. They sat in a circle on a worn-out mat layered with Yuna's thin rug, each holding a cup of instant coffee or hot water. Their faces were serious, though some tried to mask their anxiety with faint smiles or dry jokes.
Sofia lifted her gaze, looking at each of them—Viktor, Rina, Dito, Kamil, Yuna, and Vivi.
"I want to be honest," she said, breaking the silence. "Tomorrow... we're going up against one of the eleven remaining Rank 3 zombies."
No one responded right away. Only the ticking of an old clock in the corner of the room filled the space.
"Colonel Ren has made it clear. This is a voluntary mission. If any of you don't want to join, I won't be mad. You can stay at the base, help from a distance, or wait for another mission. No pressure from me... seriously."
She looked at them deeply. "I know it's crazy. Rank 3s aren't a joke. Just one of them could wipe out an elite team in minutes. But if we succeed... we won't just be helping humanity, we might also Rank up, grow stronger faster, and maybe... shorten this war."
Silence. Then Viktor took a sip of his coffee and smirked.
"You forgot one thing, Sofia," he said. "We're not joining just because of the mission. We're doing this because you're the leader. And honestly, I'd rather march into hell with you than sit here watching the news."