RTS System in the Apocalypse-Chapter 58: Start — Operation: Hive Buster

The chilling winds of the northeastern breeze couldn’t stop the heated march of an army from the southwestern bridge. They advanced in an orderly manner, shocking the land with their thunderous steps.

The Light APC slowly led the way.

Inside were the sniper team and the four pairs of Guardian GIs. On the floor sat the sniper’s weapon cases and the Guardian GI’s MK19 Grenade Launcher parts.

Carrying it on foot burdened them. Hans didn’t want these soldiers to arrive in the battlefield tired and weary.

Outside, the Army Soldier assigned as the machine gunner enjoyed the view, looking forward in blasting the hive’s remains into pieces.

The soldiers on foot cursed that man for his luck. Although carrying rucksacks had been their staple activity, a little respite and comfort wouldn’t hurt for them.

Hans closely followed at the rear, sitting comfortably inside the armored SUV. His vision focused on the panel that slid in front.

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Soldiers: 100 Conscripts, 40 Army Soldiers, 8 Attack Dogs, 20 Scouts, 4 Snipers, 2 Engineer, 5 Medics (2 female, 3 male pairs), 10 Machine Gunners, 4 Guardian GIs

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System, do you not consider starting any missions at all? Hans was confused. All RTS games always had an objective, yet he hadn’t receive a single prompt from the system.

[ The Commander can only be issued missions once the Radar has been physically built. ]

This is the tutorial, huh? He glanced at the soldiers who had split from the formation, entering the warehouse’s entrance gates.

A dried mass of flesh remained on the concrete.

Hans wanted to vomit.

"Bulldog One," he spoke, wiping the saliva dripping from his lips. "This is Overlord. How long until arrival?"

The comms buzzed, "Shouldn’t be long, Commander. Road is a little bumpy. Can’t do much about it."

"Acknowledged," Hans replied. "Continue as is."

Red dots continuously appeared on the Radar map, then vanished after a while.

"The scouts are doing a great job," he complimented.

The entire march advanced uninterrupted, stopping at the end of the warehouse sections. In the distance stood a block of commercial and residential buildings.

Farther were spores that filled the skies, dyeing the entire industrial area in an orange hue.

The sniper team alighted from the APC, regrouping with their spotters. As they entered their designated buildings—

Back at the armored SUV, Hans’s expression darkened. The countless red dots blimped on the stretched road ahead. They cluttered on two areas—the fish port and the fish processing center.

"Echo Actual and Echo One, this is Overlord. What’s the hive’s status, over?" Hans asked.

"An army of sausages," Dmitri replied while observing the mountain of overflowing flesh inside the fish processing center.

They swelled like a pimple on the windows, waiting to pop.

"That meat shield had grown thick as well," Adrian added, scouting through the binoculars. "This thing is adapting faster than a human. Oh, it seems they spotted us."

Suppressed gunfire echoed from the comms. Hans knew that the time has come.

"All units, proceed to formation!"

The troops advanced in haste, yet the zombies were even faster.

A horde crashed into the narrow streets, filling up the 10-meter wide space with the relentless undead.

"Spear One, taking position. Units, engage when ready!"

"Spear Two, in position."

"..."

Hans pulled his intercom away. The mixed transmissions almost blew his ear.

At that moment, Spear One’s machine gunner grunted. The M249 SAW’s muzzle stared at the incoming threat.

With a pull of the trigger, the 5.56mm bullets reaped through the crowd. Dozens of zombies crumbled under its power.

A clear path was quickly made, leaving behind the trails of blood and scattered limbs upon its wake.

Spear One charged ahead, followed by Bulldog One. The other squads flanked on the sides, dealing with their own battles against rotting flesh and murky blood.

Spear One’s squad leader listened in on the sudden silence.

"All Spear Units, this is Overlord," Hans returned. "Watch the rooftops!"

Right as he said that, hissing sounds followed. Spear One’s squad leader raised his head, his eyes widening at the sight.

Child zombies vaulted over the ledges and latched onto the walls with their sharp claws.

Lashers rushed to the edge, elongated tongues readied for the catch. But the groaning sounds that left their mouth were soon overpowered by gunshots.

"Army Soldiers, focus on those specials!"

Smoke popped off the lashers as bullets punched holes in their lungs. Their corpses gruntled even in death, unable to accept their own untimely death.

The scaling child zombies ragdolled into the ground, watching their head get squashed by the concrete.

"All units, second wave incoming," Dmitri took over, frowning at the rumbling streets. "Careful, these zombies are running at full speed!"

"Rargh!"

The first zombie revealed itself, running on all fours, red-eyed. Saliva flowed from its mouth, growling in anticipation.

Then, a bullet zipped through. Its head popped; its body fell.

The Machine Gunner grinned as he gunned down the stampeding zombies himself. By the time it was over, the trigger clicked, yet another wave came upon them.

"Reloading, cover me!" The Machine Gunner said.

The Conscripts and Army Soldiers took over. From the MP5 to the M16A4, the zombies all fell the same.

But it didn’t stop there—

"Throwing grenade!"

It flew in an arc, landing at the foot of a new wave. Six zombies blasted off the explosion, their limbs flying around.

Then came the next one.

And the next.

And the last.

When the smoke cleared, no zombie remained in one piece.

"All clear!" The squad leader signaled.

A loud click gathered the squad’s attention. The Machine Gunner chuckled, standing back up with a grin.

"Fully reloaded, squad leader!"

"Hmm," Spear One’s squad leader nodded. "Into the fish port, hurry!"

The gunfire and explosions slowly advanced into the target area. By the time they arrived, the sun neared its peak.

The orange spores could be scarcely found here, a complete opposite on the northern side.

"No more radios," the squad leader squinted, then glanced at the Light APC from the distance. "What’s hindering the Guardian GIs for so long? The sniper team hasn’t confirmed yet?"

"Squad leader, should I do it?" The Machine Gunner suggested.

"Don’t," the squad leader shook his head. "The meat shield is too thick. Your MG’s caliber will not be enough to destroy it. Focus on the waves."

"Understood!"

The Machine Gunner returned to his position, spewing bullets from time to time. His sadistic expression reflected from a scope on the rooftops.

Zooming out, Zolyah and Sofia lay prone on the concrete, barely bearing the intense heat if not without the covering cloth.

"Miss me, Bulldog One?" Zolyah reached out to the comms.

"Angel Actual, what’s your status, over?"

"In position," Zolyah chuckled. "A little problem on the pathing. Make sure to yell at Dmitri for me."

On the corner of the rooftop lay the decapitated corpses of a lasher and two zombie children.

A large cut ran across their bodies; their head no longer to be found.

Her spotter, Sofia, warily glanced at Zolyah. What a dangerous Sniper...

"Sofia, no time for dallies," Zolyah reminded. "Bulldog One needs confirmation from our side."

Sofia picked up her binoculars and scanned the perimeter.

"Two lashers on that rooftop on the left, another three scattered on the port side at the right."

Zolyah followed, picking off the special zombies that could threaten the Guardian GI’s deployment.

"Angel Actual, I need confirmation," Bulldog One reminded. "Is the area clear?"

"Being cleared, over."

Zolyah sent a lasher straight back to the first floor. The wall on that side of the fish port’s building collapsed.

From it, the new wave of zombies made their way through.

"Carpet’s clear, Bulldog One," Zolyah frowned. "You have a party on your way."

"Roger that," Bulldog One replied.

The engine roared, pushing the Light APC forward.

"In we go boys!" Bulldog One shouted. As they neared the first hive, the ground surrounding the fish port shook.

Cracks spread wildly, revealing a thick mass of spasming flesh underneath. It swelled like a balloon, popping when it reached its limit.

Blood painted the ground in murky red.

Zombies were birthed from the explosions. Their eyes glowed in red, searching for prey.

"Damn it, we’re surrounded!"

The Army Soldier quickly held the machine gun and fired. The already bloodied earth was bloodied even more.

As the .50 Cal hit the regurgitating flesh, it shook in place. It struggled to move underground, dragging dirt on the way.

It withdrew faster than rabbit a could leap.

"It’s working, yeah! Take that! Dadadadadadadada—"

The Army Soldier had the time of their life, continuously raining bullets around. Amidst his enjoyment, the Light APC suddenly stopped.

His body bent to an alarming degree, almost launching himself out of the pod.

"Damn it, fucking soft on the brakes!"

The driver laughed, slapping the metal sheet. "Alright boys, out you go!"

The hydraulics hissed, pushing the hatch open. With a loud thud, the Guardian GIs rushed into exit.

"Contact on the right," Victor Harlan pulled the trigger. "Dead, moving ahead."

Jack Rowland, the main gunner, followed. On his arms was the deployable heavy Mark 19 Grenade Launcher.

The Light APC provided cover fire, assisting their approach on Spear One’s position.

"Cinder One on duty," Jack introduced. "Sorry we’re late."

"What took you so long?" Spear One’s squad leader complained. "You’re very late to the party!"

"We’ll serve the main dish now." Jack nodded and planted the tripod. The launcher came down hard against the ground.

Concrete. An open sightline. No friendly silhouettes forward. Only the mass of flesh awaiting to be exploded.

Victor Harland, the other pair, knelt, covering Jack’s flanks.

He adjusted the sights, the angle, and the ammo feed. With a loud click, and a pull, Jack readied himself.

"Sending first salvo."