Extreme germ phobia

Chapter 274 Overt and Covert Wars
"Wow, this is really well prepared!" Zhu Yiming exclaimed, staring at the arched dome. "This is the first time in my life I've ever been inside an air-raid shelter!"

Ouyang casually found a corner, put down his backpack, and sat down: "This place is definitely safe, unless the US military happens to drop a bunker buster right on our heads!"

The US military has bunker buster bombs, but the US troops outside the city certainly don't, so the safety of this place is beyond doubt.

Jiang Yuwei sat down next to Ou Yang and asked curiously, "Why is there an air-raid shelter here?"

Ou Yang leaned against the wall, shifting his body to find the most comfortable position: "Either it was already there, so the higher-ups specially set up the office here, or it was renovated after the office moved in... You two sit here for a while, I'll go help!"

"I'm going too!" Zhu Yiming stood up. "Same as always, Sister Wei will watch the house!"

Jiang Yuwei chuckled and nodded, "Go ahead!"

Ou Yang and Zhu Yiming volunteered to join the moving team, working with other staff to carry necessary supplies into the air-raid shelter.

Before long, the moving was finished, and all sorts of things, including food, drinks, and household items, were piled up from the ground to the ceiling.

Moreover, the air-raid shelter already contained a considerable amount of supplies. Ou Yang glanced at it and figured that if used sparingly, it could last for a month even if everyone hid inside.

At least one month!

Conditions inside the air-raid shelter were limited, and there was nothing to pass the time. People gathered in groups of three or five, either engaging in loud conversations or whispering among themselves.

A few people who had nothing else to do simply took out playing cards to play Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game), and before long, the game was surrounded by a group of bored individuals.

Of course, some people also pay attention to the trio, glancing at them every now and then.

Their identities were no longer a secret; what people were mainly curious about was the weapons they carried.

The United States has its own national conditions, and it is also in a special period of rampant epidemic. Everyone in the office is armed, but these things are too heavy to carry, so not everyone carries them with them unless necessary.

In addition, only guards were equipped with rifles, while others were only equipped with pistols for self-defense.

The guards were precisely the group most sensitive to weapons. Before long, two guards, one tall and one thin, came up to them and tried to get close to them, wanting to see the American weapons in the hands of the three men.

Ou Yang readily agreed, removed the magazine to inspect the gun on the spot, and after confirming that there were no bullets in the chamber, handed the rifle to the other party upside down.

This is the rule when handing over a gun; only a complete novice would point a gun at the other person.

The guard excitedly took it and began to examine it inside and out, muttering to himself as he fiddled with it.

After listening for a while, Ouyang finally understood. The gun was secondary; what they mainly wanted to see were the various accessories on the gun, and not only to see them, but also to make a horizontal comparison with the accessories on the 191.

While acknowledging the excellence of American equipment, we never belittle our own equipment. Instead, we provide an objective analysis without any personal bias, and record everything in detail.

Ouyang...

Is this meant to provide ideas for an improved version of the 191?
Who are these two people? They don't seem like ordinary guards.

After a while, the two reluctantly returned M27.

Ouyang asked curiously, "Do you want to see anything else? I also have an M500, a survival rifle, and an MP7 here."

The two guards exchanged a glance, simultaneously noticing the surprise in each other's eyes: "M500? Is this the M500 I know?"

Ouyang pulled out his revolver and handed it over: "The short-barreled one."

The two men were even more surprised. They took the M500 and examined it from all angles. The guard asked curiously, "This isn't very effective against zombies, is it?"

His gaze fell on Glock, who was standing next to Zhu Yiming.

Ouyang nodded: "It is indeed not easy to use, but we have encountered a special kind of zombie. It is very fast and its strength is also unusually great... I don't know how to explain it to you in detail, but in short, Glock is difficult to cause fatal damage, so we have to use this thing."

The guards were taken aback and exclaimed in unison, "A third type of infection?"

This time it was Ouyang's turn to be stunned: "You knew?"

"How could we not know!" Guard Gao exclaimed with emotion. "We just received a notification a few days ago about a special type of infected person, and it required all regions to report similar cases promptly. It turns out you were the ones who discovered it!"

Ou Yang was confused: "Is that so?"

He did mention it to Luo Hui, but what about the widespread notification?
"Quickly, tell me what exactly happened back then?" The skinny guard's eyes lit up, like a child who had just seen a new toy.

Ouyang found it difficult to speak at this moment, unsure of what he could say and what he couldn't. He could only vaguely say, "It was an accident. A lot of old Americans died. We were lucky; not only did we survive, but we also killed the zombies."

"How was it resolved?" the guard pressed. "I mean, how did you deal with this new type of infection?"

Ouyang thought for a moment and said, "Keep the distance and use long-range firepower. The main problem is that this thing is fast, so it's hard to reach it from a distance, and it's dangerous if we get too close."

Upon hearing this, the two men immediately felt much more relaxed. The thin guard laughed and said, "That makes things easier. We can just use sniper grenades!"

He had another thought in his mind: If it were the most advanced observation and aiming system, it could directly capture information such as the target's speed and direction, and instantly provide a precise lead time!
Soldiers only need to follow the system prompts to fire; they don't need exceptional combat awareness or marksmanship—it's a completely foolproof operation.

Ouyang exclaimed in surprise, "You guys have sniper grenades?"

He had heard of this thing many times, but he had never actually seen one.

Before the two could answer, he added in surprise, "Isn't this a business office? How come it's so well-equipped?"

"Hey, what's the big deal?" Guard Gao said nonchalantly. "Isn't this place right next to an epidemic area? Of course we have to be on guard, isn't it normal to have better equipment?"

Ouyang has uneven eyes: Is this normal?
Okay, if you say it's normal, then it's normal, I believe you!

At the same time, outside the city.

The struggle has reached a fever pitch, with more and more Americans dying tragically in the storm; corpses and death are everywhere.

Most seriously, some elderly people who were about to be evicted from the shelters chose to destroy their tents or vehicles at the last minute, causing the number of tents outside the city to decrease rapidly.

Vehicles are not that easy to damage, but once the windows are smashed, the body alone cannot withstand the wind and rain, and ultimately it becomes useless.

As the number of tents and vehicles decreased, the infighting among the elderly gradually returned to their senses.

They were all soaked to the bone, shivering in the cold wind and rain.

It's unclear who first raised a gun, roaring as they charged toward Salleton, but the rest of the old Americans shouted in unison, their heavy steps breaking through the wind and rain as they launched their final assault on the city.

Since we're going to die anyway, why not take a chance?
The highly vigilant guards immediately noticed the unusual activity outside. Old Mi, who was hiding in the building, quickly launched an attack, took up a favorable position on the city wall, and prepared to meet the enemy.

The walls in all other directions are vertical, with only one exit on the east side of the city, which is also the focus of contention between the two sides.

The guards were well prepared, with two DIY armored vehicles parked side by side on the road, completely blocking the already narrow highway.

But the locals ignored everything and flocked here in a frenzy.

Countless bullets pierced the battlefield, mercilessly reaping the lives of both sides.

One side fought for survival, the other for their homeland; the battle escalated to a fever pitch from the very beginning.

The two sides fought fiercely in the rain. The icy rain lashed their faces and bodies, soaking their clothes and hair, drawing away their warmth, and even freezing them into icicles. The guards' hands and feet were numb with cold, and some could no longer endure it, turning around and crawling into the building to warm up.

The plight of the old people outside the city was even more dire. They moved forward mechanically with stiff steps, like logs slowly shuffling forward. The only thing propelling them forward was the city's architecture.

Once you get to the city, you'll have warm houses and delicious food, and you'll be able to survive!
Close, closer!

With a warm house right in front of them, they rushed inside and felt instantly refreshed.

Before long, the warmth turned into scorching heat. Old Mi, whose consciousness was already fading, felt as if he were in a furnace. One by one, they collapsed to the ground, taking off all their clothes.

Soon, the cold wind and rain took away the last warmth, and Old Mi, on his deathbed, revealed a strange smile on his face before his life vanished, leaving only a naked corpse.

The wind and rain continued, and a layer of ice gradually formed on the corpse.

Old Mi, who fell during the charge, was only a part of the group; many more rushed toward the city wall regardless of the consequences.

Before they even entered firing range, the guards couldn't wait to open fire. Gunshots pierced the wind and rain, and bullets struck the charging figures.

Blood splattered, corpses fell to the ground, and the wounded lay on the ground groaning in pain, but no one gave them a second glance.

Bullets from the attacking side were equally deadly, and guards were frequently hit. The prepared medical team would rush in and pull away the wounded guards.

The injured were sent for emergency treatment, and the dead were promptly transported back. In terms of both conditions and treatment, they were far better off than the old Mi people outside the city.

In the midst of the fierce battle, several vehicles sped in from a distance, weaving through the moving crowd and crashing into the armored vehicle blocking the gate.

The vehicle was immediately subjected to concentrated fire from the defending troops. The SUV at the front was riddled with bullets and lost control, crashing off the road and knocking over more than a dozen Americans.

Next up is the second one, then the third one...

Not a single vehicle could break through the guards' firepower blockade.

However, the vehicles attracted a lot of firepower, creating favorable conditions for the American charge, and some Americans took the opportunity to rush to the vicinity of the city wall.

The closer the distance, the higher the hit rate, and the casualty rate on both sides rises sharply.

The wind howled and the rain poured, but it could not extinguish the anger in my heart, nor wash away the hatred that blinded my eyes.

In the office, Duan Shuxun stood by the window, wrapped in a thick coat, as the sound of gunfire pierced through the wind and rain and into his ears.

"How's the situation outside?" he asked.

"I don't know," Secretary Liu replied helplessly. "We can't launch the drones, and we can't contact the city hall either, unless we send someone to check."

Duan Shuxun frowned, glanced at his watch, then looked out the window. He lowered his voice and said, "Notify the guard detachment to immediately enter wartime mode and seize the high ground!"

Secretary Liu immediately tensed up: "Yes!"

The order was quickly relayed, and the guard detachment assembled rapidly, setting up a temporary command post on the spot. The four combat teams braved the wind and rain, carrying full sets of equipment, and rushed out of the office, heading in different directions.

Seven minutes later, a voice came over the radio: "Team Two, in position!"

In the next minute or so, the other three groups took their positions in turn.

At this point, all four groups had reached their designated positions and occupied four high points around the office.

Duan Shuxun ordered, "Ask around, which group can see what's happening outside!"

Secretary Liu immediately complied, listened carefully for a moment, and then looked up and said, "Groups One and Four can see a little bit."

"Report the situation immediately!"

After asking a few questions, Secretary Liu quickly replied: "The fourth group couldn't see very clearly, but they knew there was a conflict in the north, and the first group said the fighting in the east was very intense."

"Order each group to launch drones and gather as much intelligence as possible!"

"Yes!" Secretary Liu immediately relayed the order.

The fundamental reason why drones cannot be launched is that raindrops freeze on them, causing them to fall down after only a short time, resulting in extremely short flight time.

While it's impossible to fly drones over the battlefield from an office, you can still gather some useful intelligence by flying them from nearby high points.

Knowing yourself and your enemy will ensure victory in every battle. Although this is not a war on our side, the outcome of the battle has a direct impact on the safety of the office. Duan Shuxun must obtain first-hand information to accurately assess the situation on the battlefield.

His phone suddenly rang, and when he picked it up, he saw that it was a call from the city hall.

Duan Shuxun cleared his throat and swiped his finger to answer the phone: "Hello, this is Duan Shuxun."

Talivia's hoarse voice came through the receiver: "Duan, I need your help!"

Duan Shuxun cautiously replied, "How can I help you?"

Talivia's voice was urgent: "Duan, the enemy outside the city is attacking our city. The situation is extremely critical. I need everyone in this city to contribute to this war!"

Duan Shuxun frowned even more: "What do you need us to do?"

"Send out all your men to help us defend against the enemy's attack!"

“Impossible!” Duan Shuxun refused without hesitation. “You know we can’t interfere in your internal affairs.”

Talivia exclaimed urgently, "This isn't an internal matter; it's about everyone working together to defend our home, our only home!"

“No, this is your internal affair,” Duan Shuxun replied firmly. “According to the agreement we reached with the Mi Palace, we have neither the right nor the obligation to intervene in your country’s internal disputes. Although we are equipped with weapons, we can only use them to protect our personnel when they are threatened. You are well aware of this, aren’t you?”

"Duan, I really need help!" Talivia played the victim card; one could almost picture her expression through the phone. "I don't need your people to fight, I just need you to help transport the wounded or provide logistical support!"

"I'm sorry, I really can't help you." Duan Shuxun retorted sharply, refusing to cross the line in the slightest.

Talivia refused to give up and continued to try to persuade him, but Duan Shuxun stuck to the agreement and refused to budge an inch.

After a long struggle, Talivia finally gave up: "Okay, I understand."

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Duan Shuxun looked at his phone and sneered, "What level are you at, trying to pull this on me!"

At first glance, it seems that the female mayor was simply desperate and grasping at straws, hoping that the office could lend a hand.

But what kind of behavior is it for the University of Tokyo's office and its staff to intervene in the dispute between the Americans at such a sensitive time?

If someone with ulterior motives uses this as an excuse to make trouble, Duan Shuxun wouldn't be able to explain himself even if he had a mouth all over his body.

Even if he were completely insensitive, he wouldn't fall for such a simplistic scheme.

(End of this chapter)