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

The recording also mentioned that the radiation was gradually increasing in a way they couldn't understand, and that the range was still expanding.

This is a message left by the Ranger Commander for all First Wave agents operating in the Dark Zone.

Putting aside the radiation issue, the JTF's decision was far too hasty. Thus, without any prior notice, the Joint Operations Force swiftly withdrew from the quarantine zone, and the agents and Rangers operating within the Dark Zone were not notified.

In the area under the Rangers' jurisdiction, numerous rioters using JTF-era weapons and body armor appeared. These rioters also obtained supplies and high-tech equipment that were supposed to be provided to SHD agents.

Not only were the agents and Rangers extremely dissatisfied with the decision, but many workers, police officers, and firefighters who had joined the JTF also expressed their discontent. They believed that the Dark Zone was almost completed, and such a hasty retreat would undoubtedly render all their previous efforts futile.

While the construction crew and JTF's guards were arguing over the retreat order, the guards accidentally fired their guns, killing several workers. This directly led to the split within the JTF. Many dissatisfied workers and firefighters deserted, joining the Purifiers and defecting to the Rangers.

Lieutenant Colonel Bliss, stationed at the public library, noticed something amiss. He learned the details of the incident from former JTF members who came to join him. Considering the failure of the initial mission, he decided to gather these people and organize the "survivor" army to begin their northward retreat.

This damn dark zone, let whoever wants to mess with it mess with it.

Then there's the critical radiation issue. It's tolerable in the peripheral areas, but if you try to go deeper, it will sever the connection between ISAC and the back-end server.

The offline ISAC Assistant couldn't offer much help. Two days ago, in the evening, the guy who broke in during the Gray Wolf Squad's battle with the Purifiers told him that the equipment the Strategic Bureau had prepared for them wasn't perfect.

Not only would pulse scanning cause interference, but all available communication frequencies for agents could also be disrupted.

Even the team's internal wireless communication was severely affected; the intense electrical noise made it impossible to hear what the team members were saying.

ISAC: "...The agent's physical condition does not match the existing data, and the symptoms cannot be determined."

The assistant without network support is not much different from the artificial intelligence used on mobile phones, except that voice control is more convenient.

“Pulse,” Bertrand said.

Instantly, an orange halo rapidly expanded outwards in the AR glasses' field of vision, marking nearby debris and suspicious individuals. No signs of approaching; temporarily safe.

He knelt down on one knee, patted Quinn's cheek, and whispered, "Wake up, Quinn, you can't sleep here."

"Hey, wake up, wake up. You still have a wife waiting for you to come home, wake up."

There was no response. Quinn's eyes remained closed. If it weren't for the faint rise and fall of his chest and the fact that he was still breathing, Bertrand would have thought that his teammate was already dead.

He lay on the ground, his exposed skin faintly showing a bluish-green hue, while the skin on his forehead was a lifeless, leaden color. Deep lines and age spots were beginning to appear at the corners of his eyes, and physiological readings from the ISAC scan showed that Quinn's physiological characteristics were extremely unstable.

Due to technological limitations, Bertrand could not ascertain the exact condition of his comrade and close friend. He could only provide some anti-radiation medication and treat him with emergency measures for acute radiation sickness.

The Geiger counter readings and noise became increasingly aggressive at a visible rate, leaving little time to linger.

Bertrand unholstered his gun and slowly drew it. He studied Quinn's face carefully, trying to etch it into his mind.

Bertrand thought to himself, “It has been a long time since I have observed my companions so closely. When was the last time I observed them like this?”

Oh, I remember now. It must have been during his first training camp at SHD that he was chosen as a team leader and needed to observe and understand his future teammates from all angles.

The thing that appeared in the corner of her eye... Did Quinn ever have sex toys implanted in her face before? I don't think so.

Bertrand slowly reached out, intending to peel away the strange, slightly shiny object clinging to the corner of his eye. The object had a distinctly metallic feel; it was hard and immovable, showing no sign of loosening, as if it had grown out of his flesh.

ISAC: "Target body temperature, 102℉ (39℃); Radioactive material detected, danger!"

"Shut up."

Bertrand took a deep breath and began to verify his rough guess:

"ISAC focused its pulsed scans on Quinn and continued to collect his physiological data. At the same time, it marked the most radioactive body parts."

ISAC: "Radiation source detected..."

Two highlighted areas appeared on Quinn's body, one on his face and the other on his left arm. Bertrand was surprised and confused about his future; why had things turned out this way?

Nuclear radiation can damage human chromosomes, thus affecting normal cell function, causing cell death, and ultimately leading to the dissolution of the body. However, nuclear radiation will not cause the human body to crystallize.

Despite earning a degree in finance from university, Bertrand hadn't completely forgotten his basic physics knowledge.

This doesn't make sense, Einstein, come out and save us!

Einstein: Get lost, this isn't my problem.

Just as Bertrand hesitated, Quinn awoke. His heavy breathing brought not joy, but terror. Bertrand raised his pistol, but did not fire immediately.

"Quinn?"

He received no familiar response. Quinn slowly sat up, his left hand supporting him on the floor, his movements stiff as if bound by invisible shackles.

There seemed to be no threat. Quinn was probably still half asleep, which is why he couldn't recognize his captain immediately.

He turned his head blankly, his eyes bloodshot.

"Waaah..."

Bertrand heard a whimper coming from his companion's throat, and his thumb twitched to deactivate the safety. "ISAC. Record the current situation in its entirety."

ISAC: Recording

. "

“Brian Quinn Jr., this is your captain, Bertrand Philip. If you are of sound mind, answer immediately!”

His response was still a sob devoid of any emotion.

"Today, December 26th at 12:0944, my teammate Quinn woke up from his coma, but he seems to have lost his personality and sanity. If he doesn't wake up, I will have no choice."

—The same heavy breathing was recorded in its entirety by ISAC.

“I don’t understand why Quinn has become like this; his body is changing.”

It's insane. I'm absolutely certain I'm not crazy. There really were metallic-looking things growing on his face. I touched them. ISAC. Take a picture of his eyes. Did you get it?

ISAC: "Recording..."

"Yes, I think he no longer needs his eyes as a visual organ."

Quinn stood up unsteadily, and as he stood, he didn't forget to pick up his M4A1 assault rifle from the ground.

"Don't move!"

Bertrand tightened his grip, his golden finger poised to strike at any moment. Faced with the pistol, Quinn remained unmoved, staggering forward.

"I'll say it again, don't move, Quinn!"

—Clearly, Quinn, having lost himself, has other ways to react to his surroundings, but he is unable to respond correctly to commands.

Quinn remained unmoved, walking slowly but resolutely toward his companion.

Bertrand kept trying to convince him that Quinn had no hope left after becoming like this, but his nostalgia hadn't completely disappeared.

"Don't push me, back off!" he roared, lowering his gun and firing four shots in quick succession at Quinn's legs.

He thought that this should finally stop it.

The 9mm bullets weren't very effective; the rounded bullet head got stuck in the leg, feeling like it had hit a bulletproof vest plate. Although it pierced the vest plate, it didn't penetrate it, let alone cause any damage.

Quinn swayed slightly, but remained standing firm and walked towards him.

—Quinn, he's still a human being.

—Stop deceiving yourself, Quinn is no longer the person you know, Bertrand!

"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah……"

Captain Grey Wolf tossed aside his pistol, grabbed an M4A1 assault rifle, and unleashed a burst of fire. Bertrand only stopped firing when Quinn fell face-first to the ground.

He wouldn't let the past camaraderie forged in life-or-death battles cloud his judgment, but he also knew he couldn't forget that just two hours ago Quinn was a joking and energetic young man; otherwise, he would lose something that was very important to him.

He moved slowly and stealthily, keeping the gun pointed at Quinn's head at all times.

"I'm sorry, my dear friend."

After a bullet entered his brain through the back of his head, Quinn fell completely silent. Blood mixed with some colored fragments flowed out, staining the storage room floor red.

ISAC: "An increase in radiation concentration has been detected."

The AI, seemingly lacking in intelligence, popped up again to remind him. It may be technically flawed, but it's undeniably very useful.

ISAC: "Recording complete."

Bertrand, his eyes red and gasping for breath, continued after a long silence:

"Automatic processing. After reconnecting to the strategic network, data will be sent directly without request. File name: New York Radiation Zone Observation Record - Death of Agent Brian Quinn Jr. Importance level set to: A."

ISAC: "Listed as a top priority."

"Find me the fastest route out of the lockdown area, and remember to avoid high-radiation zones."

"Route updated, estimated arrival time... two hours."

"Two hours? That's great."

Before leaving, Bertrand took one last look at Quinn's corpse, wondering if his final fate would be the same. Would the Purifiers who had been chasing the Gray Wolf Squad also meet the same end?

Book 1: The World Before the Great War: Chapter 26 An Unexpected Encounter (Seeking votes and support)

Kips Bay, East 31st Street, in front of the Harmonia Hotel Plaza.

"Oh, thank you, thank you so much, I thought I was going to die."

Alki Hubost reached out to the bullied civilian and helped him up. Hubost was also happy. Not only because they had saved a good man, but also because they had gained recognition. Only through mutual trust and support can people survive the harsh winter.

Even though the thugs knew they were no match for SHD agents, they wouldn't be thugs if they didn't resort to some dirty tricks and shady tactics.

"Hey, get the hell out of here!"

The speaker wore a dark hood and a dust mask, making him almost unrecognizable. He carried a long, spiked stick and raised his left hand, pointing his middle finger.

"We're just giving ourselves a way to survive."

“We are acting under Order 51. If I deem it necessary, we have every right to blow your head off, you bastard,” Agent Cecilia Ann warned. “Go home. You don’t want to force me to shoot you.”

Perhaps it was because the negotiation method was wrong, or perhaps Cecilia's elegant female figure made her lack sufficient intimidation.

The thugs ignored her warnings.

Some people were foul-mouthed, making lewd jokes without restraint, and even reached their hands out from behind their crotches, finally giving the middle finger.

"Go ahead and shoot if you dare!"

Intense gunfire erupted from the direction of East 32nd Street on Third Avenue. Doug Sutton, the captain of the Noble Squad, stared in the direction from which the sound came. The deserted street exuded a chilling sense of danger.

From the moment I woke up this morning, it had been snowing heavily. The terrible weather made it feel like being in a thick fog, unable to see the streets in the distance, let alone the future.

Even with extremely poor visibility, thanks to Manhattan's grid-like urban road planning, one only needs to know the name of their own street and rely on their sense of distance and familiarity with the city to determine the location of the battle.

Proceeding west along 32nd Street for about two hundred yards would lead to the quarantine zone. The operation within the quarantine zone failed, and after learning of the JTF's retreat order from the SHD network, he immediately realized that friendly units operating inside the walls would suffer heavy losses. Therefore, he decisively canceled the original plan for operations in the Dark Zone and instead remained active in the White Zone.