Twelve hours after the “cleaning” operation ended.
The sun was already setting outside, but inside the command post, a gloomy atmosphere prevailed.
General Hamilton sat in front of the monitor screen, watching the huge nuclear crater on the screen, smoking one cigarette after another, lost in thought.
Major Cole walked up to the general with a thick stack of reports in his hand and said, "The search team's on-site investigation report is out. There is no trace of the source of infection."
General Hamilton exhaled a puff of smoke and said slowly, "Even the dumbest dog, after being hit with a stick, will try its best to stay away from the stick... It has hidden itself, and we will never find it again unless it chooses to."
Major Cole: "The reconnaissance drone has just brought news from Utah and Arizona."
General Hamilton didn't even look up: "Bad news?"
Major Cole paused for a moment, then picked up the report and said, "Infected groups have been found in both King George and Seligman."
General Hamilton: "Where are the traces of the army?"
Major Cole: "The 105th and 179th Regiments have each established defensive camps on the state border... After reconnaissance, it has been confirmed that both have fallen."
Hamilton closed his eyes in anguish.
Major Cole: "And in California, someone uploaded a video online. A large flock of infected birds arrived at Echo Park north of Los Angeles in the evening, and they kept circling in the air and wouldn't leave no matter how much they were chased away."
Hamilton's hand holding the cigarette trembled slightly as he managed to utter, "It's only a matter of time before the infection spreads."
Major Cole pulled out a piece of paper and said, "The president has just signed an emergency asylum decree, requiring all states to carry out emergency evacuations in accordance with the decree's procedures."
Hamilton shook his head, indicating that he didn't want to see it.
Major Cole put away all the documents and said to Hamilton, "General, we are near the source of the infection, and we must also take refuge in accordance with the law."
Hamilton opened his eyes, stared at the crater on the monitor, and murmured, "A nation capable of destroying the earth fell to a monster in the end."
Major Cole frowned and reminded him again, "General."
General Hamilton said in a low voice, "Notify everyone to begin evacuation procedures."
After saying this, Hamilton addressed everyone in the room, saying, "You may all leave. Let me have some peace and quiet."
As the soldiers in the command post walked out of the room one after another, Hamilton pulled out a Bible and a bottle of liquor from under the table.
The general opened the bottle and tilted his head back to take a swig.
The pungent, spicy liquid instantly turned his face red.
General Hamilton opened the Bible to a certain page and read in a low voice: "The Lamb opened the seven seals, and the revelation revealed the end."
“There is a grey horse, and the one who rides it is called Death, and Hades follows him; and they are given power to kill a quarter of the earth by sword, by famine, by plague and by wild beasts.”
"Beneath the altar are the word of God and the souls of those who were slain as witnesses."
"The earth shook violently, the sun turned black like a rag, the full moon turned red like blood, and the stars in the sky fell to the ground."
"Holy and true Lord, how long will you not judge those who dwell on the earth and avenge our bloodshed?"
After reading this, Hamilton closed the Bible and took another swig of strong liquor.
Then, he pulled out the pistol from his waist and pointed it at his temple.
Bang!
Gunshots rang out, and in the gloom of the Day of Revelation, another innocent soul was added.
At the same time, Clemens drove Alice and Liz through the National Desert Wildlife Reserve.
We arrived at a small town less than 70 kilometers from the Ship Mountain refuge camp.
Parking the Ford on a grassy area and looking at the red light on the fuel gauge, Clemens said, "We have to find a way to get some gasoline."
Liz opened the map and said, "There's a gas station in the center of this town, and some shopping malls nearby. Maybe we can find some supplies there."
Clemens glanced at the sky outside the car; the sun was slowly setting in the west, and the moon was faintly visible.
“We’ll go together, but be careful,” Clemens said as he opened the car door. “God knows what’s in here.”
The three got out of the car, found some branches to make some simple camouflage for the vehicle, and then set off towards the town center.
After walking for less than ten minutes, Alice found a drinking water tap in the park.
Alice was about to turn on the tap when Liz quickly stopped her.
The latter put on gloves, carefully turned on the tap, and then turned on the flashlight to shine on the water.
As the light shone into the crystal-clear water, the presence of tiny, densely packed black insects became clearly visible.
Clemens said, "The water sources here have all been contaminated. From now on, we can only use bottled or barrelled processed water."
Liz said, "If the water source here is contaminated, it means that there must be infected people in this town."
Clemens nodded, gripped the wrench he'd taken from the car, and said to the two women, "Let's slow down and try to avoid those neighborhoods."
Liz gripped Alice's hand tightly and nodded vigorously.
The three avoided building clusters and tried to choose some open areas with good views as their route forward.
After dodging hordes of infected individuals wandering around, they finally spotted the town's only gas station.
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