I Have a Modern Weapon Gacha System in the Zombie Apocalypse-Chapter 20: Extraction
The moment the door opened, Adrian finally saw Marco’s daughter. She was about in her early twenties, standing just behind the frame with one hand still on the knob.
She wore round glasses that slightly magnified her eyes. Her hair was cut short in a neat bob that framed her face and stopped just below her jaw. Strands clung lightly to her cheeks, likely from sweat or lack of sleep.
She was dressed in a fitted T-shirt and jeans, but they couldn’t hide her figure. Even in the dim hallway light, it was clear she had a full, mature build. She stood straight despite the tension, shoulders set, trying to look steady.
Her eyes moved quickly past Ryan’s rifle, then to Adrian.
"You... you’re the one my dad talked about?" she asked.
Adrian gave a short nod. "Yes. He’s safe. Your mom and siblings too."
"He just contacted me earlier, thank God that I opened my phone..."
"It’s fortunate he did. We were told you’re not alone here. What’s your name again?"
"Yes... my name is Chandrika. And they’re inside," she said, opening the door fully.
She stepped back to let them in.
Ryan entered first, rifle up but angled low, eyes sweeping left and right. Mason followed and checked the corners near the windows. The rest flowed in behind them, clearing the living area in seconds.
The suite was dim. Curtains were drawn. Furniture had been pushed toward the walls to create space in the center. A few bottled waters and snack wrappers were scattered on the table. The air smelled stale.
"Clear," Ryan said after checking the bedroom door and bathroom.
Chandrika turned toward the inner room and raised her voice.
"Guys, come out. It’s okay. The military is here!"
Adrian glanced at her.
"We’re not—" he started, but stopped. It didn’t matter right now.
A door inside the suite opened slowly.
Three young women stepped out.
They were around Chandrika’s age, early twenties. One had long straight hair that fell past her shoulders, wearing a loose blouse and shorts. Another had wavy hair tied in a low ponytail, dressed in a tank top and jeans. The last had shoulder-length hair and held a phone tightly in her hand.
All three looked exhausted but unharmed.
And like Chandrika, each of them carried themselves well.
They paused when they saw the rifles.
"Are we... are we really getting out?" the one with the ponytail asked.
Adrian simply nodded. "Yes, we should move out now as the zombies are heading to our location as we speak. Drawn by the gunfire earlier..."
"They’re coming here?" one of the girls asked.
"Yes," Adrian said. "We don’t have time. Grab only what you can carry on your body. Phones. IDs. Nothing else."
The girl with the long straight hair nodded quickly and moved to the table, slipping her phone into her pocket. The one with the ponytail grabbed a small crossbody bag and slung it over her shoulder. The third girl shoved her charger into her jeans pocket and stepped closer to Chandrika.
Chandrika adjusted her glasses and looked at Adrian. "How are we getting out?" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
Their eyes widened.
"There’s a helicopter up there?" the girl with the shoulder-length hair asked.
"Yes," Adrian said. "But we need to reach it first."
"Are you guys from the military?"
"I’ll entertain questions once we are up on the rooftop," Adrian said.
That was enough.
Ryan moved to the door and cracked it open. The hallway was still lined with bodies, but from the far end came the sound of movement, shuffling feet and something dragging against the carpet.
"We move now," Ryan said.
They stepped out of the unit in a tight formation. Mason took point with Ryan. The four girls stayed in the center, shoulder to shoulder. Adrian stayed just behind them. Cole and Jake covered the rear. Ethan held the shotgun angled low but ready.
They had only made it halfway down the hall when a door near the elevator burst open.
Two infected stumbled out first, then three more behind them. Their clothes were torn hotel uniforms, faces pale and streaked with dried blood.
"Front," Ryan said.
He fired two quick shots. The first infected dropped. Mason stepped left and put controlled bursts into the next two. One fell instantly. The other kept moving until Jake’s round snapped its head back.
More doors along the corridor began to open.
From one room, a man in a bathrobe staggered out, jaw hanging loose. From another, a woman crawled low before pushing herself upright and charging.
"Keep moving," Adrian ordered.
Ethan stepped forward and fired once. The shotgun blast cleared the left side of the hall, the impact throwing one infected backward into the wall.
Cole covered the right, firing short bursts as another lunged from a doorway. It collapsed mid-step.
"Go!" Mason said.
As they were heading towards the emergency exits, something snapped their attention.
"Help!"
The voice came from behind them, farther down the hallway.
Ryan didn’t turn his whole body. He angled his head just enough to look past his shoulder.
At the far end of the corridor, several doors were open. People were stepping out.
Not infected.
Survivors.
Men in wrinkled dress shirts and slacks. Women in branded blouses and fitted dresses. One older woman still had pearl earrings on. A man in his fifties wore an expensive watch that caught the flickering ceiling light. Two children clung to a woman’s waist. Another boy, maybe ten, stood barefoot on the carpet, staring at the rifles.
They looked like hotel guests. Families. Well-off. The kind who booked suites and flew business class.
More heads appeared from doorways.
Within seconds, there were dozens.
"Please!" a middle-aged man shouted, raising both hands. "Don’t leave us!"
A woman stepped forward, holding a toddler. "We heard gunshots! Are you military? Are you evacuating?"
Adrian counted quickly.
At least twenty-five. Mixed men and women. Four or five children. No visible injuries.
Behind them, from deeper inside the corridor, came the low, rising growl of infected responding to the noise.
Ryan looked at Adrian. "Sir."
"Shit..." Adrian muttered under his breath. He didn’t expect survivors in this hotel.
