The team of 20, including Blackwatch special forces and Navy Seals, commenced their HALO jump over Beijing just past midnight. They jumped from the A400M Airbus at high altitudes, each equipped with oxygen masks due to the thin air and low temperatures at the jump height. Their objective was to land discreetly within a 2-kilometer radius of their target area, where Lin Feng was last reported to be.

As they descended towards their landing zone, the operatives relied on GPS devices to navigate through the night, ensuring accuracy despite the limited visibility. The jump, executed at 25,000 feet, required them to deploy their parachutes at around 3,500 feet to safely reach the ground.

Upon landing, the team quickly regrouped, checking their equipment and confirming their positions. The city below was largely quiet, with minimal light, reflecting the extensive damage and abandonment resulting from ongoing conflicts.

"Shit...this is my first time setting foot in a city that has been blasted by a nuclear bomb," Reynolds commented.

"Fortunately, the nuke was detonated in the air, so radiation is minimal to the point it won’t affect us for the duration of the operation," Graves added, providing some reassurance to the team. "Let’s keep moving. Time is critical."

The group, now fully assembled, began their trek towards the designated target location. They moved in a tight formation, with Blackwatch operatives leading the way, utilizing their navigation tools. As they walked, Graves and Reynolds had a chit-chat.

"So...this is your first time in the field prior to the apocalypse right?" Graves asked.

"Yes," Reynolds nodded his head.

"Where were you at that time?" Graves added.

"I’m in Hawaii, with my girlfriend. I just proposed to her in a day before the zombie apocalypse. Luckily I was able to evacuate her into the safe zone in Hawaii, and she’s been there ever since. I promised to her that one day, we are going to marry in a world where this chaos has ended."

Hearing that, Graves felt a sense of empathy towards Reynolds. "That’s a promise worth fighting for," Graves responded, his voice carrying a tone of respect. "We all have something or someone that keeps us going through this nightmare. Let’s make sure we all get back to fulfill those promises."

"How about you? Where were you when the apocalypse started?" Reynolds asked.

"I’m in the Philippines, having a moment with my girlfriend," Graves said, lying through his teeth. He couldn’t tell him that he was summoned by Richards.

"Oh...you also have a girlfriend huh? You promised her that you’ll be back?"

Graves nodded, maintaining his composed facade. "Yes, something like that," he replied, opting for a vague answer to steer the conversation away from personal details.

The conversation was cut short as they neared their objective. The ruins of the city loomed larger as they advanced, the destruction more apparent with each step. Buildings that once stood proud were now shells of their former selves, windows blown out, facades crumbled.

Suddenly—they heard a screeching sound.

"Contact at ten o’clock!"

One of the Navy Seals called out and when Graves and Richard looked in that direction, they saw a Hunter leaping towards their position.

Graves activated his suit, and Reynolds and the rest of the Navy Seals opened fire. The Hunter faltered the moment the bullets landed on its body, and Graves took the moment of vulnerability as he armed his plasma blade, and then chopped the Hunter’s head.

After dealing with the Hunter, the situation escalated quickly as a horde of zombies, attracted by the noise, began rushing towards their position. The team, already on high alert, prepared for the onslaught. The Blackwatch Special Forces, equipped with their Titan’s Guard suits, stepped forward, their advanced armor lighting up as they activated various defensive and offensive systems.

Reynolds and the Navy Seals, though without the advanced technology of the Titan’s Guard, were no less ready. They formed a defensive line, rifles aimed at the approaching undead. The sound of gunfire filled the air as they opened fire, taking down the zombies with precise, disciplined shots.

Graves showcased the capabilities of the Titan’s Guard suits. With enhanced strength and speed, they moved through the zombies, their weapons—equipped directly into the suits—mowing down the undead. Despite the intensity of the encounter, the team worked seamlessly together, covering each other’s backs and efficiently clearing the area of the threat. The zombies, no match for the combined might of the Blackwatch and Navy Seals, were quickly neutralized, leaving the area once again quiet but for the echo of the last shots fired.

Breathing heavily from the exertion, Reynolds looked over at Graves and the Blackwatch operatives, a newfound respect in his eyes. "Impressive gear," he remarked, nodding towards the Titan’s Guard suits.

Graves, deactivating his suit’s offensive mode, gave a short nod in acknowledgment. "It gets the job done," he replied. "But let’s not linger. We’ve made enough noise as it is. Lin Feng or his watchers could be aware of our presence now."

"We are already aware," a feminine voice reverberated in the field. The Blackwatch and Navy Seals all snapped their heads towards the source of the voice, and there they saw a woman that is familiar to the Blackwatch.

"Seo-Jun," Graves said.

"Who is that?" Reynolds asked.

"She is an associate of Lin Feng, formidable and very dangerous," Graves replied. "She is going to be a pain in the ass. Her abilities are these pinkish thorns that erase matter and materialize it in its corrupted form. For example, she can erase a missile and materialize it and control it under her will."

Reynolds, taking the warning seriously, signaled his team to prepare for combat. "What’s the plan?" he asked Graves, looking for guidance on how to engage a foe they had little experience with.

Graves pondered for a moment, aware that a direct confrontation might not be in their best interest. "We need to avoid her thorns at all costs. Blackwatch, engage with ranged weapons. Navy Seals, provide covering fire and be ready to move on my command."

As Seo-Jun began to advance, her powers became evident. The ground around her feet started to distort, with pinkish thorns sprouting and aiming towards the team. The Blackwatch operatives, relying on their suits’ agility, dodged the initial volley, returning fire with their integrated weapons.

Reynolds and the Navy Seals, though lacking the technological advantage, compensated with their training and precision. They fired in controlled bursts, aiming to distract and pin down Seo-Jun without directly engaging her deadly abilities.

However—the pinkish thorns were tough, their M4 Carbines were simply bouncing off or being absorbed by the thorns, rendering their efforts ineffective.

"Shit...things really have changed huh?" Reynolds observed.