Eh? You want to try the humanoid girl's iron fist too?

Imagine what it would be like to see the Survivor Army, the Lex Gang, and the Purifiers all working together—that's exactly what Charles Billis is doing.

They patrol together, provide basic combat training, and then conduct joint operations...

Although some say there are reasons behind the cooperation with local forces, Facox disagrees.

"...I have to say, I don't like this combination at all."

He just couldn't understand why these two groups were no match for the army. One group consisted of a bunch of psychopathic blue-collar workers, while the other was a group of ruthless criminals devoid of any humanity.

These people would be of no help to them whatsoever. He would even assert that recruiting them would only complicate matters further.

“It’s not worth doing this for me, but nobody’s going to ask for my opinion anyway. Is that all there is to it? Can you keep your promise, Lieutenant?” Farcaster asked.

“Yes, that’s the information you’ve provided and the value of your existence,” she replied.

After receiving the message, the employer agreed with Raphael's assessment and decided to send people to retrieve the package.

Now, here they are.

Raphael pulled the tightly sealed whiskey from his bag and magically produced two clean glasses.

"This is on me."

“Granfidy, 12 years? Where did you find it?”

"Found it in the Lex Gang's stronghold; those guys ruined a wine cellar."

Raphael spoke casually, but Danny felt there was more to it than met the eye.

"Oh, by the way, watch out for SHD's agents, they're a bunch of lunatics."

"SHD?" Confusion and bewilderment overwhelmed Danny like a tidal wave; he couldn't understand the meaning of the abbreviation.

"Strategic Homeland Security Agency, were you notified or given any other information before you came in?"

"No, Company Commander Willis said he would meet up with you as soon as possible, and then that was it."

Seeing Danny's confused look, Raphael's eyes suddenly narrowed. This was probably the most interesting news she had heard in the last two days.

“That can’t be right?” She stared intently at Danny. “Who exactly are you? Delta? DEVGRU? 24th? ForceRecon? Or some other unassuming but incredibly powerful unit?”

"Lieutenant, you're not actually... right? Then what's the point of getting to the bottom of this?"

Danny downed his drink in one gulp, raised an eyebrow, and said:

"Besides, if the sergeant leaves the epidemic area alive, at least he can survive, isn't that good?"

"Really? The radiation levels inside are like that." Raphael wasn't stupid.

"He probably won't live for more than a few years. Malignant tumors, leukemia, or other sequelae, in short, that sergeant's life experience afterward will not be very good."

When an organism absorbs the energy of nuclear radiation, it causes the molecules and atoms of substances within the organism's cells to become ionized and excited, producing a large number of active particles such as free electrons, ions, and excited-state molecules.

These active particles not only interact with each other, but also break and destroy the molecular bonds of macromolecules in the body (such as proteins and nucleic acids).

On the other hand, it also causes water molecules in organisms to ionize and form free radicals.

These free radicals further interact with other substances within the cell, leading to cell degeneration or even death, and eventually causing metabolic and energy metabolism disorders, resulting in a series of complex changes throughout the body.

The duration of this change process can range from a moment to several years or longer.

Depending on factors such as the type and intensity of radioactivity, irradiation conditions, radiation dose, target organism, site of action, mechanism of action, time of onset of effects, and the functional state of the organism, there will be different biological effects of nuclear radiation.

"Lieutenant, here you go..."

Suddenly, Danny tossed him a syringe; the pale blue liquid fluoresced in the dim light.

“ARA-11029, what is this?” Raphael asked.

"'Anti-Radiation-Infection' literally means that it allows us to stay in a radiation zone and provides some physiological protection."

"Shouldn't we be taking iodine tablets?"

“It’s a different type. Look, this is how it should be used,” Danny said, holding the syringe and injecting it into his thigh. “Oh—hiss—FUCK—ah, that hurts.”

This reaction gave Raphael a chilling feeling.

She slowly lay down on the ground, tucked her military backpack behind her head, and used it as a cushion. Although she was still puzzled, she gradually fell asleep.

But soon, the sound of gunfire beside her startled her awake. The soldiers who should have been on duty at the hideout were nowhere to be seen, and booming sounds came from the direction of the main gate.

Volume 1: The World Before the Great War: Chapter 22 The Underground Hideout Surveillance Center (Seeking votes and support)

After finishing her drink, Raphael lay down on the ground, stuffed her military backpack behind her head, and used it as a pillow. Although she was puzzled, she slowly fell asleep.

But soon, the sound of gunfire beside her startled her awake. The soldiers who should have been on duty at the hideout were nowhere to be seen, and booming sounds came from the direction of the main gate.

She quickly got up, picked up the XM250, and rushed to the outer defensive line.

The bomb exploded on the highway, and the flames were clearly visible in the distance.

On this pitch-black highway, the two sides fought fiercely and chaotically, with fire dragons suddenly appearing here and there, and flashes of light emanating from inconspicuous corners.

After setting up the machine gun, Raphael realized that Joey Danny and all his men had come out.

Behind a makeshift shelter made of debris, she saw a group of dark figures in the flash of the explosion. An enemy fell to the ground after being precisely shot in the head, and then the group quickly advanced through the blockade.

Suddenly, a blinding white flare lit up above their heads.

Raphael lowered his gaze, and as soon as he looked away, he heard the booming sound of bombs.

“This isn’t right, Lieutenant!” Danny yelled at her.

"MK-19 automatic grenade launchers, where did they get them?" Raphael replied, "The explosions will land far away, not towards us. Stay calm, don't fire!"

No one answered; no one wanted to make any unnecessary noise that might attract the enemy's attention. The hideout was not yet fully prepared and could not withstand the continuous bombardment of 40mm grenades.

After waiting a while, Raphael looked up and saw the mutilated corpse dozens of meters away; as if to force her to remember the scene forever, the flare lit up for a few more seconds, then quickly streaked across the sky and fell down without leaving a trace.

The state of alert lasted for an hour, and it was already late at night when everything finally quieted down.

She put away her weapon and crept into a corner to spy on Danny as he arranged the night's security tasks.

He was very skilled, as were the three infantry squads he commanded.

Raphael repeatedly compared the scene before him with the images in his memory and found that Joey Danny's reaction two weeks ago was very different from what he had seen now.

And that syringe that can resist radiation...

Has human biotechnology advanced to the point where it can withstand high-energy ionizing radiation? Or does the injection have a miraculous effect of repairing damaged genes in the human body?

In any case, Raphael made a note of it.

She returned to the spot where she had slept on the floor, and fell into a deep sleep while holding the machine gun.

Danny sat diagonally across the room, examining the M4A1 in his hand while watching the "girl" sleep.

It's strange, isn't it? What normal person would carry two weapons and be wearing a tactical bulletproof vest while running around in a city full of viruses, especially a woman who looks very cute?

The thought of her being able to move freely in and out of the dangerous quarantine zone made Danny think that this girl was suspicious.

The XM5 assault rifle and XM250 light machine gun are products of the Army's NGSW program, but their identification documents show they are Navy personnel. The overall style is quite strange.

Although the Army has placed the order, the equipment replacement process has been slow. Even the National Guard's order hasn't started production yet, so how could the Navy possibly use this stuff?

Danny knew the US military's tradition of "finalizing equipment designation but not purchasing it," so it was no easy feat for the NGSW project to reach the point of equipment replacement.

The reason is that the generals place more emphasis on technological development, because it is no longer the era in which bidding companies submit their designs for free and then try to win the bid.

Projects like NGSW are basically development contracts, meaning the military pays bidding companies to do research and development work.

So from a high-level perspective, this is about developing new technologies and then trying to make them practical, just like every new gun that's being developed now.

Because the M-16 and M4 have established a complete and mature AR system, and because of the existing 5.56mm ammunition, the inertia of their equipment usage is so great that equipment replacement must always take into account the user's habits.

It should be noted that the identification information and the person match, but such a capable woman must have become well-known in the SOCOM and JSOC circles.

The problem is that he had never heard of such a person.

Forget it, just keep a minimum level of vigilance, that should be enough.

Danny looked at the weapon in his arms, while the voices of the other team members chatted hurried past his ears.

Hopefully tomorrow won't be another day of no progress.

……

Just as dawn broke, Raphael awoke from his "dream".

The morning was overcast and a bit chilly. A relatively young man stood on the path leading to the ground. He hadn't shaved for about three days and wore a gray, round-brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes.

He stared blankly at the people passing by inside, then was pushed into another room by two soldiers wearing sterile gowns.

Raphael caught a soldier returning from night patrol, who told her that the young man, who called himself "Brook," had been arrested around 4 a.m.

When he was arrested, the guy said:

"These days, you can hardly see any vehicles still in operation on the streets of New York. The only vehicles that can move are either the military operating in the quarantine zone or the JTF organized by the New York Emergency Response Department."

Joining the military means accepting strict control; those who fail the physical examination will be shot. The situation in the JTF is not much better; their medical facilities have long since collapsed due to insufficient resources.

You were riding in a military green Hummer, you must have come from outside the city, while I... don't want to die.

His words conveyed a sense of despair at the prospect of no future, as well as a feeling of relief at having been given a second chance at life.

He knew as soon as he saw the convoy that the area outside the city was still in normal order, though it might not be as good as before, but it was definitely a million times better.

……

Last night, around 23 p.m.

Taking advantage of the blizzard, Bernie Brooke left his apartment and planned to find some canned food and bottled water at a nearby supermarket.

He has three days' worth of supplies in the apartment. If he maintains the minimum intake, he might be able to last six days, but by then he will definitely be too exhausted to move.

To get through this winter, he must plan ahead. Not only that, he also needs to consider how to get through next spring.

When the temperature rises, those who died from the greenback smallpox virus will surely bring about a second, more troublesome epidemic.

Various sizes of medical-grade masks, 84 disinfectant, medical alcohol, and uncontaminated bottled drinking water—take whatever you need.

What he found regrettable was that there were no weapon shops near the community where his apartment was located; even if there were, they would have been looted long ago.

Damn the New York City government, they've passed far too many strict gun control laws. Bernie thought bitterly, "If it weren't for the hassle of the paperwork, I would have bought a gun long ago," as he cautiously wandered the garbage-strewn streets.

Suddenly, his feet got tangled, and he stumbled and fell onto the soft snow.

—Damn it, shoelaces!