Long-term salvation

"Number 2 enter," Cashel said on the communication channel, following Number 3 into the house - there was light in the house, in several rooms, but it was all dim light from old incandescent bulbs, casting a layer of shadows of the same color on the cluttered furniture.

The ground was covered in dust and dirt, with footprints clearly visible. Just from the varying sizes and sole marks, it was clear that at least ten people had been to this house. Or perhaps, had they never left? This was definitely not good news.

After entering the house, the blades of the Ozodek scanners on the soldiers' shoulders swayed left and right, occasionally closing, like a person sighing and shaking his head, refusing to step into this area cursed by the real world.

The surrounding environment was too depressing. The strung-together cans and decorations made of unknown animal teeth hung in the middle of the foyer. They were now swaying slightly due to the cold wind blowing in from outside the door, and collided with each other, making a muffled sound.

Because he was wearing a breathing mask, Cashel could clearly hear his heavy breathing. He raised his night vision goggles, turned on the tactical light on his rifle, and kept an eye on the stairs and other rooms where enemies might emerge.

It was torture, Cashel thought, like being in a dark forest surrounded by wild animals.

"Number 1, we've entered through the back door."

A steady voice rang out over the communication channel. It was Tony McKinney, number 4, a native of New Mexico. As the squad's demolition technician, he was diligent and hardworking. Even in the military, he was the one his superiors trusted most and would never cause trouble. Then he followed General Hammer to rob the biological weapons in the arsenal.

"Then we'll begin the advance and cleanup. We need to search all the rooms on the first floor within three minutes..."

Before the captain finished speaking, Cashel noticed that the blades of the Ozodek scanner on his shoulder suddenly turned orange, and quickly opened and closed towards the stairs. Then, several muffled thuds of footsteps were heard on the wooden stairs!

"The enemy is meeting in the main hall!"

"Free fire!"

The piercing sound of gunfire instantly filled Cashel's ears, causing him to open his mouth and breathe rapidly. His finger subconsciously pulled the trigger. The muzzle flame produced by the propellant dispelled the deliberate darkness, and the bright yellow Mk318 MOD0 roared out of the barrel. The killing weapon forged by human wisdom and superb craftsmanship tore through the air, shrieked, and crashed into the head of the hideous attacker!

The bullet drilled a hole in the frontal bone and flew out from the occipital bone, bringing out a little blood, but that was all.

The attacker did not stop moving, and shooting the head was not very effective!

Cashel quickly lowered the muzzle of his gun and fired several more shots through the body wrapped in dirty clothes. Blood flew everywhere, and organs and bone fragments were stuck to the wall at the corner of the stairs, emitting a disgusting dark light in the flickering gunfire.

This time, the attacker finally stopped running. He fell down the stairs and never got up again or uttered a terrifying howl. However, new attackers came running from other directions, holding sharp or pointed objects in their hands, as if these were the few weapons they could use to resist.

These attackers still looked human from the outside, except that their eyes were white like cataracts and covered by a layer of milky white film. However, this obviously did not affect their ability to pounce on the soldiers of the Harpy Eagle Squad.

"Hold the formation!" Captain George Perez, also known as No. 1, a man from Kansas, shouted orders into the communication channel while changing the magazine of his MP5. "No. 4, No. 5, pay attention to the enemy's number. If you can't make it, get out of the house first!"

The sound of gunfire and the reports on the communication channel mixed together, making Cashel frown. The sweat on his back had soaked his underwear and even some on his forehead, but the finger that pulled the trigger was still steady and soft. The short burst of fire knocked down the attacker who was rushing towards him.

In less than two minutes, several bodies lay in the doorways and staircases leading to the other rooms in the main hall. The stench of blood and decay filled the place. Dirty blood spread through the cracks in the floor like a snake, biting and devouring, eventually turning into a slippery pool of filthy blood.

Suddenly, the shrill sound of a chainsaw came from deep inside the house, but with two fierce shots from the shotgun, the sound of the chainsaw gradually died down.

Cashel exhaled slowly, feeling a slight sense of fatigue and uneasiness, but these annoyances were quickly dispelled by the voices of other companions on the communication channel. No one was killed or injured, and everything was fine.

Ten seconds later, Tony McKinney, number 4, came over from the kitchen, leading Milton Estes, number 5. The latter was the team's medic, originally from California. He had once considered attending medical school but couldn't afford the tuition, so he dropped out and joined the Marines. Now, though he'd regained his education, he'd likely be sent to a medical school funded by Atlas, if that was his wish.

"Number 5 found some cans in the kitchen with 'FOOD' labels on them. The other rooms have been cleared out, and then I placed a buzzer alarm at the back door."

Number 4 said this, holding a Remington 870 shotgun with a rail and a series of tactical equipment. He was the one who had just knocked down the attacker with the chainsaw. Pushing the corpse out of the way with his foot, Number 4 walked to the main entrance hall and said to the captain:

"Our medics have made some discoveries."

"It's this 'food'."

As he spoke, No. 5 opened the FOOD can in his hand. Inside was a pool of foul-smelling sticky liquid, like vomit that is vomited out after food is digested in the stomach. Even the battle-hardened soldiers of the Army Without Borders could not help but frown.

"This contains human brain tissue. Some of it is relatively fresh, but most of it has deteriorated or...alienated."

Brain tissue?

Cashel recalled the experience of shooting an attacker in the head but failing to stop him. He then squatted down and turned a corpse over. There was a dirty bandage on the forehead of the corpse, but when the bandage was removed, he found nothing inside:

The head of the corpse was empty, as if the brain had been extracted and disappeared.

Of course, this question has just been answered in the jar in No. 5's hand:

FOOD, food.

[Continue upwards], Rhode's voice came from the communication channel. He had been watching, [The enemy still exists.]

"...Continue going up, we're going to clear the second floor."

Chapter 128: The Bird Flutters Its Wings and Takes Flight

After the Harpy Squad re-shot each corpse, they walked up the stairs.

"It doesn't seem that difficult," muttered No. 2. He walked in the front row, scanning the surroundings with the light of his tactical flashlight. "It's even easier than killing those drug dealers. At least these zombies? Or whatever the hell they are, they can't use guns."

"This is completely different from what the people in Team 1 and Captain Krauser described," Cashel agreed, but he had to admit that killing these living dead was better than killing living humans. "It always feels like something is missing."

The team quickly dispersed after reaching the upper floors, each person guarding a different direction. The second floor and even higher floors had no lights and were extremely dim, so the soldiers turned off their tactical lights and put on their night vision goggles.

"That's because we haven't encountered any real monsters. I even hope I'll never encounter the ghosts in the subway world in my lifetime."

Captain George said, holding an MP5 submachine gun, standing on the middle flank of the team - the corridor was narrow, only enough for two people to walk side by side, not to mention these big and strong soldiers wearing thick protective gear.

"Spread out a little more, boys. One grenade from this formation could kill us all."

"Then my parents can at least get a large pension."

"Shut up, Number 3."

"OK, OK, Jesus, I'm just livening up the atmosphere."

"You can show off your Texas cowboy skills in the next bar, No. 2, instead of annoying the brothers here."

The soldiers carefully moved forward, spreading out in the same way as in the previous groups, and began to clear and check the rooms on the second floor.

Cashel opened a wooden door and felt a chill as he walked in. The blades of the Ozodek scanner suddenly retracted and pointed to a corner of the room - where a strange stone stood - the soldier looked up and saw that the ceiling of the house had been smashed through, obviously the masterpiece of this "stone".

Looking closely at the stone, Cashel discovered that it looked more like an egg, and something had already broken out of the shell.

Thinking of this possibility, the soldier pursed his lips tightly, his heart beating rapidly with unknown fear.

The young soldier stared at the stone. A strange, magical force seemed to be drawing him closer to touch the crack. The clear, complex, countless overlapping bird calls exploded in his mind, but the magnificent and resounding voices were cruelly suppressed, reduced to a fragmented murmur:

The tide is coming...failure...escape...reproduction...grow the tribe...pollution...failure...reproduction...reproduction...reproduction...

This was one of the few words that Cashel could understand among those voices. It was not English or any other language, but an instinctive cry - but it was definitely not his instinct, definitely not human instinct!

The universe unfolded before him, dotted with stars. A storm of thick, dark energy erupted from a dead planet, cracking the earth and extinguishing its core. The storm gracefully yet cruelly relaxed, causing the planet to vanish like scattered ash. No, not vanish, but transformed into billions of meteors of varying sizes that streamed into the desolate space, crossing the sea of ​​stars, spanning time and space, and then...

"Kashel!"

The captain's low shout pulled Cashel out of his trance. Coming to his senses, he found himself standing in front of the stone, leaning over and looking inside, almost rushing in! Realizing what he was doing, the young soldier took a few steps back as if fleeing, his underwear completely soaked with cold sweat.

"Are you okay?" the captain asked. Number 2, following behind him, was pressed against the wall at the door, alert to the situation outside. Noticing his subordinate's eyes frantically shifting away, he reached out and patted Cashel's shoulder, saying sternly:

"If there's anything, you must speak up. I just saw you standing here for almost three minutes!"

"Stone...that stone." Cashel turned his head, but his finger was pointing at the "egg." He took a few deep breaths, trying to restore his heartbeat, but to no avail. "There's something wrong with that stone. Don't get close."

"Stone?" The captain glanced at the stone in the corner of the wall in confusion, but he did not rush forward. Instead, he asked Rhodes:

"Boss, what's your opinion?"

[Put a marker there, wait for me to come and collect it.]

"receive."

"Number 1, we've discovered something new here... There's a dead body, but it's not attacking us."

"Let's go over now," the captain snapped a glow stick and threw it next to the stone. He then glanced at Cashel, patted the soldier's shoulder again, and whispered, "Continue the mission, No. 2."

"……Yes."

Cashel calmed down, didn't dare to look at the stone any longer, turned around and followed the captain out of the room.

As soon as he walked into the corridor, the young soldier saw a strange corpse staggering forward, holding a baby. The baby's head was covered with a small sack. The baby's slender but obviously swollen limbs were sickly pale, as if it was a corpse specimen just taken out of the morgue freezer.

When it saw the newcomer, the strange corpse put on a weird and twisted smile, but was immediately knocked to the ground by several bullets. The baby also fell to the ground, but there was no crying. Only the dull feeling like a heavy object falling to the ground hammered heavily on everyone's heart.

"This baby must be one of the kidnapped ones. We are a little late."

"Then let's deal with these things now."

【Attention, new situation】

The bodies killed on the first floor are standing up again. Except for those with broken spines and legs, they are obviously not individual entities, but are controlled by a higher-level being.

The soldiers looked at each other, and the entire squad fell into a deathly silence. Everyone was somewhat at a loss. Should they turn back and go downstairs, use grenades and bullets to send them to their graves? Or should they retreat first and burn the place to ashes with flames?

Hearing the roar coming closer from downstairs, Cashel suddenly spoke:

"Let's go ahead and go upstairs, where all the answers are."

"In that case... Boss?"

You decide for yourself.

"Then go upstairs! Number 4, prepare to blast, completely blow up that damn wooden board blocking the way, and the rest of you suppress the dead bodies coming up from downstairs!"

The order was given and the soldiers began to carry it out.

Cashel didn't raise his rifle, but walked quickly to the stairs. He saw the corpses - those with holes in the head and abdomen, and those with torn arms and legs. They staggered and swarmed on the stairs, like loyal guards ready to defend their master.

Looking at those hideous, suddenly elongated faces with fangs protruding from their skin and flesh, Kashiel felt nauseous. Amid the sound of his companions' gunfire, he pulled out a grenade and threw it at the end of the line of corpses:

The three men in charge of intercepting the attack twisted and squatted. The roar of the exploding grenade and the shriek of fragments tearing through the air instantly drowned out the screams of the corpses. Then, the soldiers stood up again and shot the legs of the still-moving corpses with their weapons, forcing them to kneel and huddle together on the stairs. It was funny and ridiculous, with a bloody sense of black humor.

An explosion was also heard on the other side, and the debris that had been blocking the stairs leading to the attic was blown away, scattering debris and raising dust.

"We're going up," the captain said. "Number 2, move forward."

"understand!"

Cashel put away his rifle, quickly passed his companions, walked at the front of the team, stepped over the remains of the wooden planks, and walked into the attic carefully.

The attic was unusually dim, seemingly darker than anywhere else in the house. Dry branches were scattered haphazardly. Pushing aside the clutter that blocked his view, the first thing the young soldier saw were cribs, from which came the sounds of babies crying, babbling, and gasping.

Reproduce... expand the tribe...

As if he had thought of something, the soldier reached out his hand and removed the cloth covering the baby - the baby's mouth had turned into a bird's beak!

The baby was still alive, but he was no longer human.

The soldier released his hand and turned to look deep into the attic, where more than a dozen cribs were densely packed together.

Deeper in the darkness, a monster was lurking. It was tall but had a bloated lower body, strong arms, and a mutated and twisted head like a bird's. Its beak was sharp and slender, with fresh and dirty stains - it had just finished feeding, feeding some sticky liquid to the baby in the crib.

It's like a "stork" feeding its young.

The monster opened its arms and made a shrill cry, as if it was about to spread its wings and fly, or as if it was about to protect the babies in the crib.

Don't have any mercy.

Cashel recalled what Rhodes had said, and he kicked open the crib and opened fire on the monster with the rest of the team.

Chapter 129: Fall Down! (3K)

The battle seemed to start in an instant.

No one knew who pulled the trigger first, or who roared in anger between the flickering gunfire, loudly cursing the monster before them, filling the communication channel with noisy noise. But everyone knew only one thing:

Bullets can kill the monster in front of us.

Blood blossomed on the monster's body, embedding deeply into its tense muscle groups, causing it to howl in pain.

Flesh and blood regenerated rapidly, but could not keep up with what was destroyed, and darkness could not provide the monster with enough strength. This was normal, after all, it was alone on this planet, without a tribe, no companions, and even little wisdom that could be passed down through genes - the pollution spreading from another supernatural dimension destroyed all hope.

Hatred and hatred were revealed in those pale eyes, and undisguised malice rolled in from all directions. The next second, the monster waved its arms, knocked aside the crib that was blocking the way, and rushed towards the soldiers of the Harpy Squad like a chariot!

"Get away!"

The roar suddenly pierced Cashel's ears. He lunged forward and felt a foul-smelling wind blowing past him from behind. Then there was the dull sound of a giant object hitting the wall and the crackling sound of the wall breaking.

The dilapidated house trembled under the impact, like a dying old man crying. The dust that had been lodged in the cracks between the wall panels and the ceiling fluttered down, forming a cloud of dust, in which the bullet marks were clearly visible.

Bullets rained down on the monster, peeling off its skin bit by bit, crushing its flesh bit by bit, and inflicting the wrath of human warriors on it bit by bit!

"Die! Your motherfucker, Die!"

The soldiers slowly approached in a semicircle, each one pulling the trigger. Their gunfire was short but uninterrupted, forcing the monster into the corner of the attic, forcing it to curl up and look at the human warrior who brought the judgment with hatred through the gaps between its arms.

"Reload!"

Cashel roared loudly, he grabbed the magazine in his chest and found that it was already empty - this was not right, he had committed a big taboo in battle - but the young soldier immediately pulled out his pistol and fired repeatedly at the monster's head!

The monster's stubby legs had been broken, and even its slender beak had been shattered by a shotgun blast in its vain attempt to fight back! Now, it was just a dying corpse, the first of countless future exploits for the Harpy Eagle Squad.

However, the monster would never sit still and wait for death. It swung its arms violently, dispelling the approaching soldiers, trying to break through the fragile wooden wall and escape into the darkness outside. After a few strikes, the wooden wall shattered, and a cold wind poured in from the hole, blowing away the stench of decay in the attic and also blowing away the monster's foul life fire: