The heavy diesel engine of the Kia KM-450 tactical truck roared as it burst past Bilibid's main outer gates!
"Vroom!"
The viscous crimson rain had stopped falling a while ago, leaving the flooded streets slick with dark red puddles.
However, the sky overhead had mutated into a heavy, eerie brownish-crimson hue.
A thick, suffocating brown fog hung low across the road, blanketing the trees and abandoned structures in a dense, murky haze.
Elias sat in the front passenger seat, his R4A3 assault rifle held at the ready as his eyes peered through the thick brown fog.
Beside him in the driver's seat, the summoned Squad Leader gripped the heavy steering wheel with seasoned military precision.
Elias looked at the Squad Leader, observing his sharp features, disciplined eyes, and calm demeanor under fire.
These summoned soldiers were far from mindless drones. They possessed complete independent thinking, tactical judgment, and distinct human personalities.
The only difference was that their loyalty to Elias was one hundred percent absolute—they would lay down their lives for him without a moment's hesitation.
"What's your name, Sergeant?" Elias asked, breaking the tension inside the cab as the truck accelerated down Biazon Road.
"Sergeant Mateo Cruz, Supreme Commander!" the Squad Leader answered firmly, adjusting his grip on the wheel.
Elias looked at Mateo, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Do you have your own memories, Mateo?"
"Yes, sir," Sergeant Mateo replied calmly, eyeing the murky brown fog ahead. "We think, feel, and make tactical decisions like any veteran soldier."
Mateo turned his head slightly, his eyes glowing with unshakeable conviction. "The only thing that matters to us, sir, is your safety and your commands. Every man in this squad will die for you before we let a single monster touch you."
Elias felt a deep surge of respect for Mateo and his men. They were not just system assets; they were loyal brothers-in-arms.
Behind them through the thick brown haze lay Southville and the local firing range, where thousands of turned residents had swarmed the roadway.
The squad had already pushed past Southville and the firing range, laying down heavy M249 suppressive fire and firing an M203 explosive round to shatter the horde around the gun club fence.
Elias had shouted at the trapped survivors to fall back toward Bilibid's fortified outer administration building for safety.
Now, the KM-450 tactical truck was driving further down Biazon Road, pushing steadily toward the Daang Reyna connector and Daang Hari.
Along Daang Reyna, the road narrowed significantly, flanked by dense trees, steep ditches, and stalled commuter vehicles hidden in the thick brown fog.
Suddenly, a massive surge of turned infected poured out from the surrounding wooded slopes through the murky haze!
Hundreds of mutated runners and turned workers trapped along Daang Reyna converged on the narrow road!
"Ambush! They're coming down from the slopes!" Sergeant Mateo warned, slamming on the brakes as stalled delivery trucks blocked the lane!
"Screech!"
The heavy KM-450 skidded to a halt in the middle of the narrow pass.
"Dismount and form a defensive perimeter!" Elias commanded!
Elias leaped onto the wet road alongside Sergeant Mateo and five assault riflemen!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
"Rat-tat-tat-tat!"
Elias and his squad unleashed a violent storm of lead into the murky brown fog!
LMG Gunners swept their belt-fed M249s back and forth, tearing through waves of mutated runners charging down the embankments!
"Boom! Boom!"
The two Grenadiers launched M203 40mm explosive rounds, shattering zombie clusters and sending black blood and limbs flying!
Elias moved like a shadow with his 3x Peak Speed, snapping crisp double-taps and driving his heavy tactical knife through zombie eye sockets!
"Crack!"
He delivered a brutal side-kick that pulverized a turned brute's chest, throwing the body into three approaching monsters!
For twenty relentless minutes, Elias and the 1st Infantry Squad stood their ground in the bottleneck, slaughtering one hundred and seven turned zombies!
Directly across the road stood a sturdy two-story concrete commercial building with a heavy steel perimeter gate.
"Clear that concrete building and secure the perimeter!" Elias ordered!
"Riflemen, move in! Clear room by room!" Sergeant Mateo barked!
"Bang! Bang!"
The squad breached the heavy doors, executing four turned workers trapped inside within seconds!
Once the building was completely secured, Elias stepped inside the concrete courtyard.
Elias immediately turned to Sergeant Mateo and his riflemen.
"Squad, harvest all the red cores from the fallen zombies outside!" Elias commanded!
"Yes, sir!" the soldiers answered in unison, drawing their tactical knives and fanning out across the road to methodically extract Red Cores from the one hundred and seven slain corpses!
Within minutes, the soldiers collected one hundred and seven warm, pulsing Red Cores, handing them to Elias.
Elias absorbed the physical cores directly into his System Vault!
***
[Detected: Low-Grade Red Core x107]
[Absorbing Physical Red Cores...]
[System Vault Balance: 107 Red Cores]
[SUMMON REQUIREMENT MET: 2ND & 3RD INFANTRY SQUADS UNLOCKED]
[Deploy 2nd & 3rd Infantry Squads (100 Red Cores)? Y/N]
***
"Deploy 2nd and 3rd Infantry Squads!" Elias commanded mentally!
"Whoosh!"
One hundred Red Cores dissolved from his vault into twin pillars of radiant golden light inside the courtyard!
Twenty-four more fully equipped AFP Infantry Soldiers materialized from the light in pristine digital camouflage fatigues and body armor!
The two new Squad Leaders stepped forward and snapped crisp salutes in unison!
"Supreme Commander, sir! 2nd and 3rd Infantry Squads reporting for duty!"
***
[System Vault Balance: 7 Red Cores]
[TEMPORARY 1ST PLATOON FORMED | 3 INFANTRY SQUADS (36 SOLDIERS)]
[Next Rank Promotion (1LT): 7 / 500 Red Cores]
***
Elias looked at his thirty-six loyal soldiers standing in disciplined formation inside the courtyard.
With three full infantry squads under his direct command, Elias officially organized them into the Temporary 1st Platoon!
"Listen up!" Elias addressed the 1st Platoon with firm command authority.
"We are officially designating 2nd and 3rd Squads to garrison this facility as Forward Operating Base Daang Reyna!"
"Your mission is to secure this entire sector of Poblacion," Elias commanded directly.
"Eliminate all turned zombies along Biazon Road and Daang Reyna, rescue trapped survivors, secure food, medical supplies, and ammunition, and harvest every single red core from slain infecteds!"
"Understood, Supreme Commander!" the 2nd and 3rd Squad Leaders shouted back with absolute discipline. "1st Platoon FOB Daang Reyna will execute!"
With 2nd and 3rd Squads securing FOB Daang Reyna and Poblacion, Elias climbed back into the Kia KM-450 4x4 tactical truck alongside Sergeant Mateo and the 1st Infantry Squad.
"Vroom!"
The diesel engine roared as the KM-450 surged out of the gate, breaking through the final Daang Hari bottleneck toward Imus, Cavite!