Chapter 278: Chapter 278: Zombie Tide Outbreak

With the arrival of the Combat Robots, the military no longer saw a need to hide the news of the Zombie Horde and decided to go public.

The news that an army of over one million Zombies had gathered in the Industrial Park spread like wildfire, instantly causing a massive uproar among the various Mercenary Corps.

It wasn’t just the Mercenary Corps; even the military’s own squads grew restless.

After all, a million-strong Zombie Horde was a terrifying thought.

However, this unrest quickly dissipated after the military announced the arrival of 200,000 Combat Robots.

Many Mercenaries were even itching for a fight, a mix of excitement and anticipation building within them.

Even the most veteran Mercenaries had never seen a million-strong Zombie Horde. The chance to face such an army head-on would give them bragging rights for a lifetime.

Of course, what was most important was that the military’s ace in the hole gave them hope of victory.

As the news spread, with some careful guidance from the military, the various Mercenary Corps displayed soaring morale. They threw themselves into building up the defensive systems with even greater vigor.

As time went on, the situation continued to evolve.

Lin Xinghai, positioned at the very front line, had a crystal-clear grasp of the Zombie Horde’s every move. Now that the military was no longer withholding information, his team also received rapid updates on the progress of the defensive network’s construction.

And for the members of the observation team, every new piece of information sent their emotions on a roller coaster ride.

Their spirits would lift whenever the military’s defensive network was another step closer to completion.

But their hearts would sink again each time the number of Zombies in the horde grew.

"This is agonizing. I’d rather we just get it over with," Zhuo Yongyuan couldn’t help but say after checking on the Zombie Horde again. It was now 3:00 PM.

"I agree. The longer this drags on, the worse it is for us. The 200,000 Combat Robots are already deployed to the outposts, so the most critical preparations are complete."

"Completing the defensive network will only increase our defense in depth; it doesn’t significantly boost our actual combat power. Meanwhile, the number of Zombies is increasing by the minute," Lin Xinghai added, agreeing.

"Sigh... The horde has already reached 1.5 million. What if the Mutated Zombies keep holding back, and the total number of Zombies eventually surpasses what we can handle?" Zhuo Yongyuan said, his voice laced with anxiety.

"Then our only option would be to retreat. But that’s unlikely. The larger the Zombie Horde becomes, the harder it is for the Mutated Zombies to control."

"Haven’t you noticed? As more Zombies gather, they’re becoming increasingly restless. I estimate this horde will peak at around two million," Lin Xinghai offered his conjecture.

Zhuo Yongyuan sucked in a sharp breath. "Two million Zombies! Even if we win, it’ll be a pyrrhic victory at best!"

"Mm, but if we do win, it will absolutely be worth it." Lin Xinghai paused here, his expression turning grave. "But what worries me most isn’t the number of Zombies. It’s the timing of the attack."

Zhuo Yongyuan seemed to realize what he meant. He glanced at the sky and said with a horrified expression, "You mean... the horde is going to attack at night?"

"Yes. There’s a very high probability." Lin Xinghai nodded, then fell silent.

’Even if we know, there’s nothing we can really do about it. Besides, the military is calling the shots. There’s no point in me overthinking it.’

Time crept by. Four o’clock, five o’clock, six o’clock.

The size of the Zombie Horde surged with each passing hour. By 6:00 PM, it had already swelled to 1.8 million.

Although it hadn’t yet reached the two million Lin Xinghai had predicted, at this rate, it was only a matter of time.

Furthermore, as the sun sank below the horizon, the Zombies, which had been relatively calm, grew increasingly agitated.

Even though the Mutated Zombies were constantly trying to suppress them, they were gradually losing their ability to contain the baser instincts of the horde.

Lin Xinghai stood on the roof of a skyscraper, continuously monitoring the situation in the distance with his optical equipment. Suddenly, his pupils constricted. "Send the report!" he said urgently. "The horde is on the move! Prepare for battle!"

Zhuo Yongyuan’s heart leaped. As he relayed the message per Lin Xinghai’s orders, he asked urgently, "What is it?"

"The zombie group on the right is advancing as a single unit. It has to be the Mutated Zombies directing them," Lin Xinghai said.

Zhuo Yongyuan quickly looked for himself and saw that it was true. That section of the horde alone contained over 500,000 Zombies.

An advance on that scale couldn’t possibly be a spontaneous action.

The only explanation was that the Mutated Zombies were in control. They were about to launch their attack.

He immediately relayed this more precise intelligence back to headquarters.

Barely ten seconds later, they received the order to withdraw.

"Lin Xinghai, our observation team’s mission is officially complete. As per our superiors’ instructions, you may return to the Heaven-Sundering Mercenary Corps. We’re to report back as well."

"Also, take this long-range communication device and its encryption key. General Lin Zhengyang told me to give it to you."

"If anything important comes up, you can contact General Lin Zhengyang directly," Zhuo Yongyuan said as he detached the communication module from his Mecha and handed it to Lin Xinghai.

Lin Xinghai piloted his Speed Mecha to accept it and nodded at Zhuo Yongyuan. "Take care."

"Alright! With your skill, Lin Xinghai, I don’t need to tell you to take care. I’ll just wish you great success against the coming horde," Zhuo Yongyuan responded.

"Thanks. Let’s hope you’re right," Lin Xinghai replied with a smile.

After this brief exchange of pleasantries, they all piloted their Mechas and departed swiftly from the skyscraper.

Once they passed through the Industrial Park, they entered the area covered by the defensive system’s firepower.

Here, in what was considered a relatively safe zone, Lin Xinghai parted ways with the members of the observation team.

As Lin Xinghai entered the defensive network once more, he immediately noticed how much had changed since he’d last seen it.

There were more outposts, and they were far more built-up. All sorts of automated turrets and Electromagnetic Railguns were visible nearly everywhere he looked.

Battle lines radiated out from each outpost, with countless Combat Robots patrolling along them.

Lin Xinghai took it all in with a quick glance and didn’t linger. He pulled up the latest map of the defensive points and headed straight for Outpost 108.

Outpost 108 was built around a large shopping mall. What set it apart from the other outposts, aside from its size, was its location astride a major transportation artery.

Any reinforcements for nearby outposts would almost certainly have to be routed through this location.

This made the strategic importance of Outpost 108 far greater than that of any other outpost in the vicinity.

And the force tasked with garrisoning this critical outpost was none other than the Heaven-Sundering Mercenary Corps.