Chapter 145 The Zombie Tide Arrives

The temperature at the base rose sharply after the rainy season, becoming stiflingly hot and humid, like a sauna. The muddy ground quickly dried and cracked, and dust filled the air.

On such a sweltering and unsettling afternoon, a piercing and shrill alarm suddenly shattered the oppressive silence above the base!

Woo-woo-woo-woo

The alarms blared louder and louder, echoing throughout the base from the highest watchtower in the inner city. The clamor of voices in the outer city was instantly silenced, followed by even greater chaos and panic.

Immediately afterwards, loudspeakers installed throughout the base simultaneously blared, and a steady, powerful male voice, carrying an unquestionable authority, boomed out, drowning out the lingering alarm and the commotion of the crowd:

"Attention, all personnel! I am Luo Hong, Chairman of the Base Management Committee and Supreme Commander of the Northwest Base!"

"Radar and forward outposts confirm a massive horde of zombies is moving toward the base! The vanguard is expected to reach the outer perimeter within two hours!"

"This is not a drill! Repeat, this is not a drill!"

"In accordance with the Northwest Base Wartime Management Regulations, the following order is hereby issued: All registered superhumans, regardless of rank or affiliation with any department or organization, shall immediately proceed to the designated section of the city wall for assembly and to receive unified command and dispatch! All military combat personnel shall proceed to their Level 1 combat readiness positions according to the pre-arranged plan! All non-combat personnel shall immediately return to their residences or proceed to the designated shelters; loitering or gathering on the streets is strictly prohibited!"

"Gentlemen, the rainy season is over, and the zombies have completed a new round of evolution. This zombie horde is unprecedented in scale and poses a tremendous threat! But our walls are strong, our weapons are plentiful, and our warriors are brave! The survival of our base depends on this battle! I urge all those with superpowers and all our warriors to put aside past grievances, unite as one, and defend our homeland!"

"For survival! For the future!"

The broadcast ended, and the alarm blared again.

Ruan Ning, Zhou Min, and Lin Yan were organizing the supplies they had recently collected at their rented apartment. When the alarm sounded, all three stopped what they were doing.

"It's finally here." Lin Yan took a deep breath and gripped the knife tightly. They had already vaguely learned from Qin Li that the higher-ups predicted a large-scale zombie horde after the rainy season.

Zhou Min's face was a little pale, but her eyes were firm: "Go to the city wall to assemble as the broadcast said?"

Ruan Ning had already stood up and quickly checked his equipment: Tang-style sword, water bottle, spare crystal cores, and a basic medical kit. "Let's go. Take what we need. Da Huo, follow us."

With a low roar, the fire tensed its muscles, entering battle mode.

They rushed out of the building. The streets were in chaos as ordinary survivors ran frantically towards what they thought was safe, amidst cries, shouts, and the clatter of things. Occasionally, people in uniforms would shout to maintain order.

From the inner city, squads of fully armed soldiers rushed out and headed towards the city walls. In the sky, several old helicopters roared into the air and flew towards the front lines.

Ruan Ning and his two companions moved against the flow of people, quickly heading towards the nearest entrance to the outer city wall. Along the way, they saw many other ability users also heading to the assembly point, their expressions solemn, but none of them backed down.

Upon arriving at the designated section—the third section of the outer city wall on the west side—a considerable number of people with superpowers had already gathered.

There were military personnel, as well as members of the "Business Alliance," the "Hunter Alliance," and even some lone wolves. Normally they might be wary of or even hostile to each other, but at this moment they all temporarily put aside their prejudices, quickly registered, received temporary identification armbands, and were assigned to different defense squads under the command of the military dispatcher.

Ruan Ning saw Qin Li. He was dressed in combat uniform and talking rapidly with several officers, his expression stern. He also saw Ruan Ning, nodded slightly to her, and gestured for her to wait a moment.

Soon, a soldier ran over: "Ruan Ning's squad? Major Qin has assigned you to the fourth defense squad of the west third wall, responsible for the area from the fifteenth to the twentieth crenellations on the left side of the wall. The captain is a third-tier fire-type ability user from the military, surnamed Zhang. Please report to the wall immediately!"

"clear."

They ran up the steep steps to the city wall. The top of the wall, about five meters wide, was already crowded with soldiers and superhumans.

Heavy machine guns and automatic rifles were mounted on the ramparts, with ammunition boxes piled up to the side. Further away, the outlines of old-fashioned artillery and rocket launchers could be seen. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and a tense atmosphere.

Upon reaching the fifteenth barricade, a middle-aged man with a scarred face and a burly demeanor approached: "Zhang Meng, captain of the fourth squad. You're the newcomers? Ruan Ning?"

"yes."

Zhang Meng quickly sized up the three women and the dog, his gaze lingering on the fire for a second longer: "Alright. The three of you, plus this big dog, are responsible for this area. The zombies can climb, jump, and there might even be variants that can attack from a distance. Remember, conserve your abilities and ammunition, and focus fire on me. The primary objective is to prevent them from climbing the walls! Understand?"

"clear!"

Ruan Ning stood on the crenellation and looked out. Beyond the city wall were open wastelands and obstacle courses that had been deliberately cleared. Further away, dust rose on the horizon, and a low rumble like muffled thunder could be heard—the sound of countless footsteps converging.

The sky was dyed blood red by the setting sun, and the sultry wind swirled sand and dust over the walls.

Everyone held their breath and gripped their weapons tightly.

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye.

The "black line" on the horizon grew wider and wider, like a black tide surging in. The roars merged into a terrifying sound wave, sending chills down one's spine even from this distance.

At the forefront were countless ordinary zombies, dressed in rags, but they were running much faster than in the early days of the apocalypse.

Interspersed among them were many second- and third-tier mutants with unusual physiques, some crawling on all fours, and others possessing special abilities. A few exceptionally tall figures exuding a dangerous aura could even be seen—those were likely fourth-tier!

Behind the horde of zombies, amidst the swirling dust, seemed to be an even larger, slowly moving shadow.

"Ready—!" Zhang Meng's roar rang out from the top of the wall.

All gun barrels and cannon barrels were aimed at the approaching black tide.

At Ruan Ning's fingertips, icy blue vapor began to condense. Zhou Min closed her eyes, her mental energy extending forward like radar. Lin Yan's blade reflected a blood-red light. Da Huo lowered its body, a low, roaring fire rumbling in its throat.

The vanguard of the zombie horde charged into the obstacle zone, triggering pre-planted explosives and traps.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Flames and smoke soared into the sky, and severed limbs flew everywhere. But more zombies, stepping over the corpses of their own kind, continued their charge without fear, their speed increasing!

"Fire!!"