Stronghold In The Apocalypse

Chapter 145: Zombie Incubator

This is the first time Leo's army went south so they met a lot of obstacles from zombies and monsters that got attracted towards them because of how how loud their movements are but it was mostly due to the Three Black Hawks attracting them.

The amount of zombies and mutated beast attacking them didn't really surprise Leo as there really aren't any force around to clean them up except for Leo's group because they only focus on clearing their northern and easter sides and a bit in the western side but the South of them was left untouch, resulting into a nest of monsters and zombies.

"Don't waste your bullets and use your melee weapons instead if you can" Leo standing on top of the tallest house in the village said through the intercom while also yelling at the same as he hacked a Hunter Zombie into two halves.

They just continued moving forward as the tanks just bulldozed forward flattening any zombies that got in their way and Leo and the most of the soldiers just decided to walk on foot and where they would kill any zombie that got too near them.

Leo had segregated his men into three groups for the clean up and had the three Black Hawks provide air support.

Currently, Leo's men are walking around a village called Buxworth near Stockport where they are surrounded by houses and trees on all sides where there are two battle tank for each group moving along side each other at the front as they acted as the vanguard for the group and the rest of the tanks and two HUMVEEs are stationed in a nearby hill where there some lucky survivors cowering in fear in between the tanks and the rest are with the others inside the village..

Everyone is opening fire everywhere as there are multiple number of zombies around them where there are even mutated beast in the mix that would sneak attack the soldiers and the only good thing is that there aren't any powerful zombies or mutated beast that could at least pose a threat to Leo's soldiers and he also made that no one dies by immediately killing all the more powerful zombies and mutated monsters.

This zombies and mutated beast that are attacking them are those just lucky enough to escape the bombardment of the Battle Tanks and the Black Hawk helicopters so they aren't really that much of a threat to them but instead a great way to hone the battle instincts of those new recruits who had never fought numerous zombies on a scale like this at the same time.

The were twenty rescued survivors from the village with varied ages and they are so skinny that it made the soldiers feel pity and sympathy just by looking at them as they even started comparing themselves. Unlike these unfortunate folks were even eating once a day is already a miracle to them and that is on the situation where they are brave enough to go out from their rat holes and search for food in this zombie infested village and those soldiers who saw them felt that they were truly lucky to be living inside Hope 101 where they don't even need to worry about food anymore as long as they took and finished works assigned from the management or they could even join Hunter Teams and hunt and scour food just outside the walls of Hope 101 or even better they could just join the military where food is always provided to them and right now these survivors are drinking milk or fruit juice as the soldiers made sure that they don't eat any solid food for the time being due to their condition.

The soldiers watching over them shook their heads in pity because in Hope 101, they didn't need to starve like these unfortunate survivors that surviving and living the next day is already a miracle.

Suddenly, the rotors of a helicopter sounded from the skies as a CH-47F Chinook is flying towards while producing a defeaning gust of wind as it landed on a flat land near the Tanks as two soldiers came out and headed towards where the survivors are.

"Get up, folks! Rescue's here!" two of the soldiers gestured for the survivors to get up and board the Chinook as the other solders helped those who had a hard time getting up and walking and led them inside the chopper and when everyone finally boarded the helicopter and got comfortable inside.

"Good luck and take care!" one of the soldiers with the expedition army said.

"Yep! You guys too! You guy are lucky having some actions here!" the soldiers who came with the chopper laugh and after the short pleasantries.

The soldiers turned around and faced the survivors as the hatch closed behind them and said to the survivors in a warm.

"You guys are finally going home folks!" they know what these survivors had gone through because they had also been in that kind of a situation before one Hunting Squads rescued them.

And the survivors who heard those immediately let out tears full of relief and joy because they felt like those words said by soldier is the best thing that they had ever heard so far in their life and the kids who were with them also cried even though they didn't really understand why they're parents or guardians are crying!

These survivors who were numb from their despairing situation before finally felt that those dark despairing days are finally gone and a new chapter of their lives is opening up for them as they looked forward to the place they are being brought to with hope, fear and expectation at the same time.

"Look forward to the place were going folks because that place is like a sanctuary for people like us in this dire and despairing times" the soldier once again said something to them before he finally ignored them this time and went to being a strict and disciplined soldier.

Suddenly a little girl around seven years old and wearing clothes that now looked like rags said to the person beside her with a voice full of naivety and excitement, "Big bro, where are these scary looking uncles bringing us?"

A boy around eleven years old immediately glance carefully at the two soldiers with them and whispered happily to his little sister, "We're going to a beautiful place so just sit tight over there okay?"

"Okay! But will there be a lot of food over there?" the little girl said with shining eyes.

The boy smiled as warmly ruffled her head and said, "Yes, there will be a lot of food over there"

"Yey! Then we won't need to worry about food anymore!" the little girl happily hummed as her little feet swung happily from the chair.

The adults watching them smiled as they closed their eyes and imagined how wonderful that place will be.

The two soldiers who was near them looked at each other then knowingly smiled to themselves.

A few more minutes later.

"We're finally back home boys!" a voice suddenly echoed at the back of the cockpit where the survivors excitedly opened their eyes and waited in anticipation for the chopper to land.

*****

Back at the village.

Leo and his army only needed an hour to entirely clean up the whole village and had all rescued survivors gathered at the village center.

Suddenly, a soldier came running towards him and gave a salute before saying, "Report!"

"What is it?" Leo inquired as he stood up after giving some kids some yogurts for them to eat.

"Sir, we found something weird in a backyard in one of the houses here" the soldier said as he really wasn't sure how to properly explain it what that heck is that floating thing is.

"Hmm..how weird is it?" Leo said as he gestured him to lead the way.

"Uhmm...it's a huge chest, sir" the soldier thought for a bit before answering.

"A chest?" Leo said with a question mark floating above his head.

"Yes sir, it looks like a treasure chest but its appearance is seriously weird" the soldier said with a face full of disgust.

"Interesting" Leo said as his curiosity was piqued when he saw the disturbed look on his subordinate while rubbing his chin and while they heading towards that place said by the soldier, occasional gunshots and cannon fire would rang out from time to time.

Two minutes later, they finally arrived in front of a two story house with armed soldiers standing at every corner of the house with one HUMVEE to the front and back.

Leo then entered through the front door and what he saw inside was a mess like a ransacked house.

"Did you guys arrived here with the place like this?" Leo looked back and asked the soldier that brought him here.

The soldier didn't why his boss is asking him this question but he still answered truthfully, "Yes sir. It was already like this since we got here"

'I see.It seems there were people who came to this village before us. Probably a group not from here or its just one of the residents living in this village. How brave of them' Leo thought, seemingly intrigued at how that person or group entered this village and how they left the place with how many zombies and mututated beast scattered about around this place.

Then Leo continued walking and entered the backyard of the house but the moment he stepped foot on the backyard and the soldier just stayed inside the room unwilling to experience that disgusting smell again. Leo wasn't bothered by it but he scowled as a stinky smell assaulted his nose.

And the thing in front of him is really big just as the soldier said. It's size was like a regular size car and it really looked like a treasure chest but the weird thing about it is that it was made of disgusting flesh of a creature or something and there are even those huge flesh like veins wrapping around it and seemingly beating like a heart.

"Oh my god. That is disgusting as hell!" Leo really wanted to puke right now because what he is smelling is intensifying his desire to threw up more when he looked at that disgusting thing in front of him.

Then Leo regained his bearings as he finally noticed that floating letters above it that reads [Zombie Incubation - Evolving].

"A zombie on the process of evolving? So this is how they evolve? It's as disgusting as they are even when they are evolving and so stinky at the same time!" Leo cursed as he equipped his PROTECTOR Class Battle Armor.

"Finally, I can breath properly again" Leo said in relief before he walked towards the [Zombie Incubation - Evolving] as he planned to immediately tear it apart as he doesn't any unknown zombies suddenly popping out of nowhere and causing a ruckus around here when they are already almost finish cleaning up the entire village and make it zombie free place.

The soldier who is watching Leo from the window from the house can't help but murmur to himself in puzzlement, "That's really an amazing ability to have as a mutant. I heard its an ability where you can store things no matter how huge it is. I hope I can become a mutant soon and have the same ability as the commander but why is he wearing his armor. Wait..don't tell me he plans to destroy that disgusting thing? Shouldn't he order someone to bring it and carry it back to the base for the scientist to analyze and learn what the heck is that thing?"

And this time the soldier weren't alone as there are also others who got curious of what is happening inside and came to observe but all of them are ready to fight if a battle erupts!

Leo immediately stopped and with how powerful his senses are now especially when his guard is up. Of course, he certainly heard the murmuring of the soldier watching him from inside the house.

"Ahh! why didn't I think of that?" Leo felt like he is starting to become a muscle head who only thinks about fighting all day that he didn't even considering bringing this thing back to lab for Alastair and his team to research about it when they are done with their current task.

So what Leo did was to immediately put it inside his Inventory space but when he touched the [Zombie Incubation - Evolving], he can't help but give it a few squeeze which resulted in disgusting squelching sound.

"Ohh, even the sounds it creates is making shiver in disgust" Leo said as his body trembled a bit but at the same time curious of what zombies is inside this thing.

*Squelch* *Squelch* *Squelch*

"Even thought I'm touching it through my Armor. I can still that it is soft as woman's breast even thought it looks absolutely disgusting" the Leo right now looks like a pervert along with that perverted look on his face while thinking of something nasty in his head.

"Now, I'm missing my two beautiful ladies" Leo sighed as he finally stored the thing inside his Inventory and at the same time, he finally heard from the soldier he assigned as a temporary commander for the time being is that the clean up is finally over and the village is now zombie free and that every surviving survivor are all now gathered at the village entrance.