Chapter 55: Invader
Zack frowned, still skeptical. "Ego, any abnormalities?"
Ego's neutral voice responded instantly. "Sir, there are no abnormalities in the target's pupils, heartbeat, blood pressure, or skin electrodes. It's unlikely she's lying."
The confirmation eased Zack's nerves, but only slightly. "... Sorry," he muttered after a moment, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "I might've gone a little overboard."
Erza waved it off with a grin. "It's fine. But honestly, the way you were so mean to me just now was kinda handsome. When are you gonna be that mean to someone for me?"
"..." Zack froze, utterly speechless. "Let's just keep moving." Shaking his head, he strode forward, leaving Erza smirking behind him.
After confirming Annie was safe, Zack finally relaxed enough to focus on the mission. Together, he and Erza continued exploring the massive Armory. The facility felt enormous, like someone had hollowed out half the mountain. From their intel, Zack knew this wasn't originally an Armory—it had started as a wartime air defense shelter before being converted due to its hidden location.
"This way," Zack instructed, leading Erza deeper into the cavernous factory. Along the way, they passed multiple production areas: one specialized in manufacturing bullets and shells, another in firearms, and even a workshop assembling light armored vehicles.
Eventually, they arrived at the warehouses in the innermost part of the facility. There were five in total: two stored finished products—one for firearms and vehicles, the other for ammunition. However, both were nearly empty, clearly stripped clean before the apocalypse. But Zack wasn't after finished goods; he needed raw materials. His custom weapons, like micro-missiles, required components he had to assemble himself.
To his relief, the last two warehouses he checked were packed to the brim with supplies. The explosives alone—RDX and nitroglycerin—added up to nearly a thousand tons, not to mention the countless other materials. "This trip was worth it," Zack remarked with satisfaction.