From Titan Corporation to the Empire of Man

Chapter 699 "We are not your enemies."

In front of the fire station.

The scattered limbs and mangled flesh on the ground resembled a scene from hell, a testament to the brief yet shocking confrontation that had just taken place.

The honor warriors coldly holstered their bolters, checked the remaining magazines, and made sure there were no more active threats in the vicinity.

Amidst the blood mist that had been shattered, more than ten surviving infected were stunned by the powerful electric shocks and collapsed onto the broken concrete ground of the street.

One of them still retained some consciousness, spewing out filthy, incoherent ravings mixed with blood and foam:

"Hahaha, you bunch of bitches! Her womb is mine!"

His words were fragmented, yet carried an almost curse-like madness.

The warriors of honor remained unmoved.

However, a slightly "younger" soldier was quite displeased. He slowly stepped forward, raised his power boots, and controlled the force of his foot as he stepped on the "person's" ribs, causing the person to completely faint.

Lei Ruoya wasted no time.

She switched to her designated channel and gave her report in a calm and concise voice:

"Frontline base, this is Lei Ruoya, coordinates confirmed, Portitch LaPreri town in old-era Canada."

In unusual circumstances, we discovered a large-scale population anomaly where individuals exhibited strong masochistic tendencies and abnormal resilience to injury, and found cross-shaped herpes zoster on each other's faces.

Preliminary assessments indicate that the possibility of an outbreak is extremely high.

Furthermore, we have captured more than ten live infected individuals, requiring immediate deployment of the Biological Department's special operations team for their containment, transfer, and control.

There was a few seconds of silence in the channel, then a reply came through with slight static, in a serious tone: "Received, Glory Legion. We will immediately dispatch a special operations team, which is expected to arrive at your location within fifteen minutes."

At the same time, Commander Vitellius and your men must undergo full disinfection procedures and be placed under quarantine upon completion of the mission to ensure there are no potential infections.

"clear."

Lei Ruoya responded coldly and then cut off the communication.

She raised her hand and immediately ordered: "Four people stay behind, establish a perimeter, and ensure that none of these infected individuals are missed. If there are any signs of the situation getting out of control, immediately break their limbs."

The remaining two followed me into the fire station to assess the situation inside.

"As ordered!"

The honor warriors quickly dispersed, forming four-man formations to surround the unconscious infected, their cold gun barrels ready to reap the rewards.

The other two stood in formation, following closely behind Lei Ruoya, their steps heavy and imposing.

The fire station's gate had been bent and deformed by the violent impact from the outside, and the crude wooden barriers were no match for it.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lei Ruoya stomped down with her magnetic boots, using her toes for leverage, and then kicked out with a bang.

boom--!
The heavy iron roller shutter door suddenly caved inward with a deafening roar and shattered instantly.

Broken planks and iron filings flew everywhere, and some heavy metal objects struck the wall, sparking like flashes of light.

"Break in!"

Two honor warriors flashed in instantly, their helmet screens scanning the dimly lit hall.

At the same time, Lei Ruoya stepped in, her power sword slightly unsheathed, the blade gleaming with a faint blue light in the darkness.

The air on the first floor of the fire station was filled with a strong smell of mildew and blood. The walls were mottled and peeling, and the floor was covered with bullet casings and completely dried bloodstains.

The rudimentary fortifications were pushed aside and scattered, with tables, chairs, and sandbags strewn all over the ground, like remnants of the last line of defense before its collapse.

"Full search."

Lei Ruoya's voice was icy, and beneath her helmet, her gaze swept across every shadowy corner like a blade.

The honor warriors searched the designated areas with perfect coordination, their steps steady, their gun barrels swaying with their bodies, leaving no blind spots.

The helmet's extended beam of light cut through the shadows, dispelling the lurking dark figures.

Every breath was amplified infinitely by the helmet's sound filtering system, sounding suppressed like thunder.

Just then, a faint sound came from the second floor.
It seemed to be dragging footsteps, or perhaps suppressed breathing.

Lei Ruoya slightly raised her head, her cold gaze locking onto the direction of the stairs on the helmet screen, and quickly plotted the three-dimensional structure of the upper passage, indicating potential unknown personnel signals.

She gave a brief order: "There's movement on the second floor. Be careful of fire and avoid accidental injuries."

Buzz—~!
As soon as she finished speaking, she drew her power sword. The blade, activated by the energy, emitted a deep hum, like the tolling of a death knell on the battlefield.

Then, she strolled up the stairs, her figure blending with the shadows, appearing to unsuspecting onlookers like a messenger of death, slowly climbing to the second floor.

The iron staircase on the second floor trembled slightly beneath Lei Ruoya's boots, the dull metallic echo reverberating through the dimly lit floors.

She stepped onto the last step first and surveyed the surroundings.

The layout of this floor is completely different from that of the floors below.

The second floor of the fire station was originally a living and rest area, but due to temporary renovations, it now resembles a hastily built shelter.

The dim emergency lights flickered on and off, the walls were covered in smoke and bloodstains, and the air was thick with the stench of sweat, decay, mold, and lingering gunpowder.

The corridor was piled with scattered supply boxes and worn-out military green duffel bags. Plastic food bags were torn open, and the spilled food was mixed with dust and blood, emitting a foul smell.

In the corner, some hastily dismantled wooden planks and furniture wreckage were piled up and haphazardly pieced together to form a shelter.

Flattened water bottles and empty cans were scattered all over the ground, mixed with a lot of household garbage, indicating that this place had been used as a temporary base by the survivors for quite some time.

At first glance, the entire floor was deserted, deathly silent and oppressive, with only the sound of the wind blowing in from outside the window.

But Lei Ruoya doesn't need to speculate too much.

She knew in her heart that the continuous gunshots earlier were not an illusion, and the barely perceptible fluctuations in aura clearly told her that someone was hiding here.

Moreover, Lei Ruoya's perception far surpasses that of ordinary people, like a predator locking onto its prey.

Her gaze eventually settled on a dormitory door at the end of the right-hand corridor.

The door was tightly closed, its wooden surface mottled from impacts and smoke, and a worn-out "Firefighters' Dormitory" sign was pasted above it.

The air seemed to stagnate behind that door, and the barely audible sounds of heartbeats and breathing gradually became clearer in her ears like drumbeats.

"The room on the right."

She offered a suggestion.

One of the honor warriors who followed immediately nodded, stomped heavily on his magnetic boots, and strode forward.

The warrior was burly, and his armor still reflected a cold gleam in the dim light. He raised his elbow and delivered a heavy elbow strike.

Bang-!
The wooden door was suddenly smashed open, the latch and door frame shattered, and wood chips flew everywhere.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
Almost simultaneously, a sparse burst of gunfire suddenly erupted from inside the room.

Small-caliber bullets whistled out, flashes of light flickering in the narrow space.

Buzz-buzz-!
However, the bullets were immediately deflected upon contact with the Glorious Warrior's automatic shield, the sparks illuminating the dim corridor. Whoosh—whoosh—!
Several ricochets bounced between the walls and ceiling on the second floor, making a sharp, piercing metallic sound, nearly injuring the people inside, but fortunately, no survivors were hit.

"damn it!!"

"Let's give it our all!"

"Run!"

A hysterical scream suddenly rang out, accompanied by the sound of frantic footsteps.

Three men dressed in tattered firefighter uniforms suddenly rushed out of the room.

Their eyes were filled with despair and madness. They gripped fire axes and steel crowbars, and pounced on the honor warrior like trapped beasts.

clang--!
The first firefighter to swing an axe slammed it down on the soldier's breastplate, but the heavy armor remained unmoved.

It appears that the Honor Warrior proactively deactivated his armor's energy shield upon recognizing the "enemy."

Another man wielded a crowbar and swung it horizontally, but it was easily blocked by the soldier's raised left arm. The metal clashed, and sparks flew everywhere.

The third person tried to go around behind, but was blocked in mid-air by the soldier's outstretched arm.

They tried their best, but they couldn't budge this steel behemoth. The Glory Warrior only needed to exert a little force to suppress the three of them, making it impossible for them to move an inch.

At this moment, the scene inside the room was completely exposed to Lei Ruoya and the warriors.

What came into view was a heartbreaking scene.

The once neat bunk beds and cabinets have been overturned and haphazardly piled up to form a makeshift barrier, behind which more than a dozen survivors are huddled.

Most of them were the elderly, children, women and kids. They huddled in the shadows, their clothes tattered, their faces haggard, their eyes filled with both fear and a stubborn refusal to submit.

The cries were suppressed in her throat, along with rapid breathing and uncontrollable sobs.

Ahead of these survivors, only a few adults remained who were still able to resist with weapons.

In addition to the three firefighters who had just rushed in, there was also a middle-aged man in a worn-out police uniform, holding an empty pistol magazine, his face covered in sweat and scars.

His hand trembled slightly, but the gun was still aimed at Lei Ruoya and the soldiers, even though he had run out of bullets.

At that moment, the air seemed to freeze.

The smell of gunpowder mingled with the smell of sweat, creating a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere.

Lei Ruoya stood at the door, the searchlight from her helmet sweeping across the room, illuminating everyone's faces.

In those eyes, there was hostility, despair, and a sliver of desire to survive.

She didn't speak immediately, but watched quietly, as if assessing the value and situation of this group of people.

The three firefighters, who were pinned down at the door, continued to struggle desperately, gritting their teeth and roaring.

"Damn it! Don't hurt them!"

"Come at me if you dare!"

However, their roars seemed futile and pathetic before the indifferent armor of the honored warriors.

Lei Ruoya's gaze narrowed slightly, becoming deep and cold, as if a sharp blade were close to the heart.

She finally spoke, her voice low and unwavering: "We are not your enemies."

With the help of the helmet's sound filter, Lei Ruoya's cold voice sounded particularly steady and powerful, carrying an undeniable sense of authority, yet also a sense of reassurance.

"We are the Glory Legion of the Human Empire." Her voice echoed in the dormitory, shattering the pervasive fear like a solid rock. "Rest assured, everyone, we are here to save our fellow human beings, purge heretics, and eliminate aliens."

These few words, though brief, acted like a spark, igniting the last fragile hope in the hearts of these survivors.

The fear in the eyes of the elderly and women and children who were originally huddled in the corner gradually lessened, and the sobbing children gradually quieted down, looking at the fully armed figures in front of them with confusion and hope.

The three firefighters who had fought desperately finally slowed down and staggered back a few steps, their heavy breathing a mixture of helplessness and relief.

Their gazes remained wary, but no longer filled with the same hostility as before.

Lei Ruoya was not surprised by this level of vigilance.

She knew very well that after experiencing the insane and almost dehumanizing infected people outside, any normal person would inevitably fall into a mental breakdown and doubt everything in front of them.

In particular, her towering armor, cold masks, and otherworldly power, along with those of the Glorious Warriors, were enough to draw an insurmountable line between her and "humanity" in the eyes of the survivors.

She did not take off her helmet.

In this land tainted by plague and chaos, any excessive exposure could bring uncontrollable risks.

She could not confirm the route of transmission of the infection, nor could she determine whether these symptoms were related to the subspace.

Even though her physique far surpasses that of ordinary people, she cannot confidently assert that she can fight against all unknown viruses.

Playing it safe is the only option.

"Guard them," she ordered succinctly.

The Glory warrior who had just been attacked nodded slightly. His tall figure stood between the old and the young, exuding an air of oppression but also bringing a sense of security, like an invisible barrier separating the vulnerable survivors from the unknown threats.

Lei Ruoya then turned around and walked steadily toward the stairs.

The heavy thud of boots echoed in the empty corridor, gradually fading away until it disappeared completely.
When she stepped out of the fire station again, the stench of blood in the air had not completely dissipated.

The corpses and limbs lying on the streets resembled some kind of cruel sculpture, reminding people of the fierce battle that had taken place here. The air was heavy, carrying a sweet, putrid smell that seemed to seep into the bones.

She stood with her hands behind her back, looking up at the sky.

After a brief wait, a deep rumble came from the depths of the sky.

At first it was faintly visible, then it became clearer and clearer.

Before long, several silhouettes pierced through the clouds.

Two sleek attack craft swooped down first, their black coating resembling the wings of predatory birds of prey. Following closely behind, a medium-sized transport boat descended steadily, its open belly compartment flashing navigation lights in the air, like a giant beast opening its gaping maw.

call--!
The air was churned up by the powerful exhaust of the engine, and dust, debris, and bloodstains on the street were swept up, turning into a gray-white whirlwind.

The dilapidated building ruins trembled in the air currents, groaning in pain as they succumbed to the weight of the storm.

The assault boat was the first to approach, hovering at low altitude. The automatic fire turrets under its fuselage slowly rotated in scanning mode, and cold red beams swept across the street, covering every blind spot with the threat of fire.

The transport ship then slowly descended, its massive hull casting shadows over the street. The ground trembled slightly from the impact of landing, and gravel tumbled down.

The roar of the hatch opening echoed through the street as the hydraulic system operated.

Immediately afterwards, uniform figures in white armor appeared at the hatch.

Those were the special operations team of the Biological Department. Their armor had a more compact design, with complex detection modules and reagent tanks attached to the surface. Green identification symbols flashed on their breastplates, symbolizing that their function was not simply combat, but containment, research, and control.

Furthermore, members of these special operations teams were also pushing fixed containment pods.

Those pods were transparent and sturdy, emitting a cold, white disinfectant light from within, like mobile, icy cages designed specifically to confine the infected.
(End of this chapter)