I Have a Modern Weapon Gacha System in the Zombie Apocalypse-Chapter 56: Fort Magsaysay

Meanwhile, in another operation, Ryan, along with the original squad, Ethan, Cole, Jake and Mason and Noah, were already airborne.

The Black Hawk pushed forward at low altitude, cutting across terrain with steady speed. The rotors beat a constant rhythm above them, the cabin vibrating just enough to remind everyone they were moving fast.

Ryan sat near the open side, one hand resting on his rifle, eyes fixed outside. Below them, the ground passed in a blur—patches of forest, broken roads, scattered vehicles left where they had stopped days ago.

Herrera sat across from him.

Secured, but not restrained.

His injured leg was braced, bandage clean, but he stayed still, conserving movement. His eyes moved between the men, then out the open side, tracking their path.

"You’re flying low," he said over the noise. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Ryan didn’t look at him.

"Less chance of getting picked up early," he replied.

Herrera nodded slightly.

"Fort Magsaysay has eyes," he said. "Even now. Radar’s not what it used to be, but they’re still watching airspace."

"Good," Ryan said. "That means they’re still functioning."

Jake shifted slightly near the door, checking the horizon.

"Fifteen minutes out," the pilot’s voice came through the intercom.

Ryan tapped his headset.

"Copy."

He looked back at Herrera.

"You call it in before we get too close," he said. "We’re not walking into another missile."

Herrera didn’t argue.

"I’ll handle it," he said.

Noah leaned slightly forward from his seat.

"What kind of perimeter are we expecting?" he asked.

Herrera took a second before answering.

"Layered," he said. "Outer patrols—if they still have the manpower. Then fixed positions closer to the base. Expect checkpoints, defensive emplacements, anything they could set up fast."

"Meaning?" Mason asked.

"Meaning they’ll assume you’re hostile until proven otherwise," Herrera replied.

Cole let out a short breath.

"Yeah, figured that."

Ryan shifted his posture slightly, leaning forward just enough to catch the pilot’s voice again.

"Terrain ahead?" he asked.

"Mixed," the pilot answered. "Forest patches, some open ground. Roads are partially blocked from what I can see."

Ryan nodded once. "Things are looking good so far."

Twelve minutes later.

"That’s it," Herrera said, voice quieter now. "Outer perimeter."

The Black Hawk pushed forward, lowering just a bit more to stay under any possible radar sweep.

"Slow it down," Ryan said.

The pilot eased off slightly.

"Copy. Reducing speed."

Ryan looked at him.

"Make contact," he said. "Announce us before we cross any deeper."

"Roger."

The pilot switched frequencies, hand moving across the panel as he adjusted comms.

"This is Eagle One, Eagle One," he transmitted. "Unidentified rotary-wing inbound to Fort Magsaysay sector, bearing south, low altitude. Requesting identification protocol."

No reply.

The Black Hawk continued forward, the base now starting to form in the distance—structures barely visible through the trees, outlines of larger buildings and open grounds.

Ryan looked at the pilot.

"All frequencies," he said.

"Copy."

The pilot cycled through them—VHF, UHF, emergency channels.

"This is Eagle One calling Fort Magsaysay on all available frequencies," he transmitted. "Inbound with friendly element. Request immediate response."

It was static again, and again.

No acknowledgment, not even a challenge or a warning.

Inside the cabin, the mood shifted.

Ethan adjusted his grip on his rifle.

Jake glanced out again, scanning more carefully now.

"This doesn’t feel right," Noah said.

Ryan didn’t answer.

He looked at Herrera.

Herrera was already looking back at him.

Something had changed in his expression.

"They should’ve answered by now," Herrera said. "Even if comms are degraded, someone should be monitoring guard channels."

Ryan leaned slightly forward.

"Meaning?"

Herrera didn’t answer immediately.

His eyes shifted toward the front, toward where the base should be.

"...They’re either not hearing us," he said slowly. "Or there’s no one left to answer."

"How could it be, it’s fine yesterday right?" Ryan said.

"Yeah, but a lot of things could have happened when I was out," Herrera said. "Whatever the case, this is serious."

"Well, we will have visual contact soon. That’s the last resort of us announcing our arrival to Fort Magsaysay."

Three minutes later.

The Black Hawk pushed past the last stretch of trees.

The base opened up in front of them.

At first glance, the layout was there—runways, open fields, clusters of buildings, vehicle bays. The structure of Fort Magsaysay was still recognizable.

But it wasn’t intact.

Smoke stains marked sections of the ground. Parts of the perimeter looked torn open, not clean breaches, but sections where something had forced its way through. Vehicles were scattered across open areas, some burned, others abandoned mid-position like they had been left in a hurry.

"Jesus..." Cole muttered.

Ryan didn’t speak.

"Lower altitude," he said.

The pilot brought the Black Hawk down slightly, enough to get a clearer view without committing too deep.

The details came into focus.

Bodies.

They were scattered across the compound—near entrances, along roads, around vehicles. Some still in uniform. Others already turned.

Movement spread across the base.

Infected.

Dozens of them.

More than dozens.

"What the fuck happened here..." Ryan muttered.

Herrera took a look and his eyes widened upon the desolate scene.

"Fort’s gone," Mason said.

"That doesn’t make sense..." Herrera said under his breath.

"Doesn’t matter if it makes sense," he replied. "It’s what’s in front of us."

Then, something moved differently.

"Hold, what was that?"

The pilot steadied the aircraft.

"Where?"

"Left side, near those barracks," Ryan said, pointing.

The pilot adjusted slightly, bringing that section into clearer view.

At first, nothing stood out.

Just infected moving across the ground. And then a blur.

Something cut across the space between two buildings so fast it didn’t register as a body at first.

"There," Jake said. "There, again."

The thing reappeared.

This time, slower.

It moved low to the ground, limbs striking in sharp, controlled placements. Its body was darker than the others, almost blending into shadow even under open light.

"What the fuck is that..."

Its head turned towards the flying helicopter and its head blossomed like a flower as it screeched.

"Shit!"