Chapter Seventy-Five: The Examination

"Target: the ammunition depot. Move out!" At the command, six warriors outfitted in black SWAT combat uniforms, tactical vests emblazoned with the bold white letters "POLICE," Kevlar helmets on their heads, and clutching 5.8mm Type 95 assault rifles, streamed out of the armored transport one after another. The last to emerge was Zhao Qiang, his face alight with excitement.

Not long ago, Zhao Qiang would have been reluctant to take off such gear once he'd put it on, often fantasizing about what kind of impression he'd make if he strutted around in this striking uniform, perhaps even charming women along the way. Fantasies aside, Zhao Qiang still felt a pang of regret—if only he could lead a team like this, dashing about the world fighting evil, just like the counter-terrorist SWAT teams in Hollywood blockbusters.

Now, that regret was finally being laid to rest. Gazing at the agile, stern-faced soldiers before him, Zhao Qiang was filled with a sudden sense of invincibility.

Damn Wei Tao! Zhao Qiang couldn't help but grumble as he recalled Wei Tao's words before their departure. Usually, when he'd been sent out on missions, he was free to do as he pleased, but this time, even with a squad to command, he had to obey Cai Jiashu's orders. Still, he consoled himself—after all, that guy had once been a platoon leader; his experience commanding small group operations was, admittedly, a bit superior. A real man knows when to yield and when to stand tall!

Lost in these thoughts, Zhao Qiang didn't dare let his guard down. In a team, every member played a crucial role. Wei Tao’s original plan had been to form two squads of about eight people each to rotate through missions. However, after careful selection, only ten candidates made the cut. Thus, they were forced to split into two teams of five. With Zhao Qiang always accompanying the missions, they had exactly six per squad—a perfect number.

They were stationed at a now-abandoned garrison in Changsha, where empty courtyards were overrun with zombies still clad in military uniforms. It was no wonder—when the disaster struck, most soldiers had been in the middle of training, so the sudden catastrophe had transformed these young warriors into flesh-eating corpses.

Cai Jiashu and the others felt their eyes grow moist. This had once been his own unit’s base; many of the wandering figures were all too familiar. Former comrades had become horrifying zombies. Though Cai Jiashu had braced himself for this sight, witnessing it firsthand was still a heavy blow—even a hardened man could barely endure such tragedy.

Sorrow, however, could not interrupt the mission. To avoid attracting more zombies, the team efficiently cleared the courtyard of stragglers with silenced Type 92 pistols, moving swiftly into the heart of the garrison.

For formation, Cai Jiashu chose a double-arrow attack pattern. During training, Wei Tao had taught several representative formations, each suited for different circumstances, to ensure smoother operations.

Zhao Qiang and another soldier acted as the scout team, advancing ahead and covering each other on the left and right. Two more riflemen formed the fire support group behind them, progressing in a right-angled wedge. Cai Jiashu, as commander, followed close behind the fire team, while Chen Ergou, armed with a military shotgun, acted as secondary fire support, advancing in a left-angled wedge at the rear. They had practiced this formation many times; though firepower was not perfectly balanced, in the confined and complex interior, it was the most effective.

The squad advanced rapidly. As they pressed forward, Zhao Qiang, acting as point man, suddenly raised his left fist over his head. Instantly, the team halted, dropping to their knees and aiming their weapons in silent alert.

In the room ahead, three ordinary zombies roamed. In the past, Zhao Qiang could have dispatched them in less than thirty seconds. But this was a test of their recent training—not a solo show—so Zhao Qiang dutifully relayed the situation to his comrades with hand signals and issued a series of attack commands.

The three hapless zombies had no idea they were now surrounded. Since the disaster, these miserable creatures had been trapped in this room, stripped of human memory and operating solely on base instinct. They didn't even realize that opening the door would give them a wider world to wander.

The soldiers were in position. Three of them drew their Type 92 pistols, attached silencers in silence, and awaited the order to strike. The three zombies, oblivious, now each bore an inexplicable red dot on their foreheads.

"Take them down!" Cai Jiashu commanded. Three shots rang out, followed by the dull thuds of falling bodies and the crisp clatter of spent casings. By the time the squad entered, the room’s once-white walls were smeared with sticky splashes of red and white.

The operation went so smoothly that Zhao Qiang found it almost unsettling. The squad’s efficiency was astonishing; every command and movement was carried out in near silence, leaving the zombies outside their route completely unaware that a human team had already infiltrated their territory.

"Infiltration complete. Now comes the real fight. Are you all ready?" Zhao Qiang asked, his expression serious. This final assessment had two parts: silent infiltration and direct assault.

Their objective was the garrison’s ammunition depot—to secure urgently needed arms and ammo for the prison. Six men carrying it all on their backs would never suffice; thus, the armored truck waiting outside was crucial for transport. Wei Tao was at the wheel. For the sake of the test, the mission target had not been disclosed to Cai Jiashu and the others, and Zhao Qiang, who knew the plan, kept silent as well.

To move a large cache, the truck had to drive into the compound, inevitably drawing a horde of zombies from the vicinity. That would be the true test of the squad’s combat capabilities.

With a sharp yank, Zhao Qiang tore open an ammunition crate, the golden bullets spilling across the floor.

"Our goal is to transport as much ammo as we possibly can back to base. Until we have enough, your task is to repel any zombies that dare to harass us! Everyone, replenish your ammunition and prepare for battle!"