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

“I left it in the phone booth up ahead. I’ve gathered all my things back,” Atchison replied calmly. “He’s dead.”

"..."

Vic opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn't come out.

What really happened?

There were seven people when they came out: his team and foreign aid Rafael, but now only he and Atchison remain. Rafael, who had high hopes for them, fulfilled his wish, but the small, thin figure was nowhere to be seen.

His squad held out for a while, but couldn't withstand the overwhelming number of enemies.

The sound of horns blaring came from the distance on the highway behind us, and at the same time, a call came over the radio: "Juliet-1, radio check, please respond."

"What do you mean?" Acheson asked expressionlessly, simply picking up the empty magazines scattered on the floor.

"Respond."

"This is Juliet-1... Communication is good, received."

Vic hesitated for a moment, looking in the direction Raphael had disappeared, "Shouldn't we go too?"

By this time, his voice had lost its tremor and instead radiated an unconscious confidence. Vic naturally believed that Raphael would survive and would certainly not die on his way to their rescue.

In the end, the outcome of this trip seems to have led things in a direction that everyone both hoped for and feared.

Although the time spent together was short and the relationship wasn't bad, it had reached the point where they cared about each other's actions.

The armored Humvee that came to pick them up was equipped with an MK18 grenade launcher and two M2HB heavy machine guns. They looked like they had been installed recently, with lubricating oil even oozing out. The guy who maintained the base must have done a terrible job.

But why didn't you arrive a few minutes earlier?

"Where is Lieutenant Raphael?" a soldier asked as he jumped out of the vehicle.

“I don’t know.” Vic shook his head. “We were ambushed, the situation was chaotic… She broke through from the flank…”

"Proactive?" Atchison met the officer's suspicious gaze, nodded slowly and firmly, and added:

"The lieutenant believed that holding out was pointless; once the two ammunition belts were empty, it would be our end... So, she suggested that we send some men to provide cover in the rear, while simultaneously advancing into the enemy's flank under cover of fire to launch an attack."

"What does she know? How come you didn't die here?!" the captain cursed.

"..."

"What are you all standing there for?" Jacob yelled at the two usually arrogant scouts. "Do you want me to carry you into the car?!"

The two exchanged a glance, composed themselves with their turbulent emotions, and climbed into the carriage with their guns.

Jacob glanced at the small battlefield ahead and the Hummer riddled with bullet holes, and slowly sighed. Something unsettling began to creep in as he returned to his car.

Whose idea was this? He glanced back at the two who had fallen into dejection again; they'd gotten themselves into trouble.

"Want to drive up and take a look?" the driver asked Jacob.

"No need, let's turn around."

"receive."

The driver first picked up the radio microphone and sent out the message that the convoy was turning around. Then he floored the gas pedal and forcibly rammed into the wrecked car, which was burned to a skeleton.

Then the convoy slowly moved away from this unfortunate place.

……

Two minutes later, Raphael appeared at the alley entrance. After briefly observing the remaining traces at the scene, she looked north along the tire tracks.

It seems they've all escaped. Whether they're special agents or the surviving army.

It's really disappointing that I didn't get what I wanted.

Was the negotiation successful? It was somewhat successful, but only a little bit.

As for the Hundred-Eyed Giants squad, did their data retrieval operation succeed? We don't know yet, but hopefully they did. Raphael stood on the desolate street, looking left and right, before finally taking firm steps and heading west along the highway.

It seems I'll have to leave here for now.

Walking down the street, she got bored and started judging the fashion sense of the ELID infected. There was a tear here, and there it was torn into strips by some unknown sharp object. It was definitely a post-apocalyptic style.

Volume 1: The World Before the Great War: Chapter 97 Taking Advantage of the Situation

The more desperately you try to grasp something, the more likely it is to slip through your fingers.

……

In the far corner of the room lay a motionless corpse. His head was shattered, and beside him lay a shotgun, unwanted junk. The barrel was long, but it had two tubes, and there was no sign of a magazine.

The gap at the grip indicates that it's where bullets are inserted, and only two bullets can be loaded at a time.

So the owner of this gun lay here forlornly, along with his weapon, forgotten by all.

As spring approached, the strange smells permeating the city grew even stronger, even in this room. Finally, Raphael had to manage to climb into another apartment and escape the one filled with the stench of death.

This is currently the only place where she can close her eyes for a moment without worrying about being awakened by a knife gently slicing across her throat while she's resting.

Disappointingly, there were two emaciated bodies lying there. Just like the corpses seen at the Washington Park burial site, they were skin and bones, nothing but bones beneath the skin.

She now truly wished that everyone still alive in the City That Never Sleeps would spend the rest of their lives breathing in the lingering scent of death! Raphael disconnected his sense of smell, but it really did no good!

The taste seemed to have seeped into her very bones, stimulating her mind.

Indeed, she had already opened the balcony door and, under the cover of darkness, threw the former owner's body out. Everyone was on the third floor, so the body was mangled to pieces when it hit the ground.

Sorry, old friend, but that's just how it is. Nobody's going to organize a funeral for you.

Shortly afterward, his wife was also thrown off the balcony.

Damn it, even if I block out my sense of smell, there's still a constant stream of strong, pungent stench rising up in my mind.

The house was uninhabitable, so Raphael had to spend the night huddled in a corner of the balcony.

The next morning, as she enjoyed the fresh air on the balcony, she was finally able to take stock of all her spoils: two life support backpacks she had taken from the agents, two pistols, and a certain amount of ammunition for those guns.

This

These pistols were deemed unnecessary and were dismantled and scattered. Only the 9mm pistol cartridges held any significance for her.

The life support kit contained quite a few good things, including plenty of food, drinks, and snacks. If an average person used it according to the standard minimum calorie intake, it could last for at least 6 days.

His personal magazine was already full of loose spare ammunition, and it seemed there was no hope of refilling the machine gun. He had extra bullets, but no ammunition belts.

Considering her current shooting skills, her equipment is now quite complete, provided she doesn't engage in the same intense battles as before.

The other odds and ends retrieved from the corpse seemed completely useless.

As Raphael was engrossed in checking the inventory list, she noticed something unusual. She wouldn't be worthy of being an android if she didn't discover something.

The sound of boots clattering downstairs, followed by a sudden burst of noise and commotion in the stairwell.

"Check the corner!"

"Hold that place!"

"Check the second floor!"

What the hell is going on? She heard the sound of a battering ram smashing against a door, the sound of wood breaking under the weight of the blows, and a roar that challenged the limits of human vocal cords.

"Found her! The footprints are fresh; she couldn't have gone far!"

Ha, so they're coming for me? It seems the agents are still holding a grudge about the humiliation they suffered last time.

Raphael looked around, trying to figure out the best way to go. There were two armed men pacing downstairs, so climbing out the window to escape wasn't really feasible.

Because if things continue like this, they'll definitely start yelling, and then it'll turn into a grueling 1 vs. N battle. The reason she can fight so aggressively is that someone can draw the enemy's attention for her, allowing her to attack from their weak points.

She glanced down the street; life was there, but it wasn't the right time yet.

Suddenly, something flashed past the corner of her eye. She turned her head in that direction…

A group of people in camouflage uniforms crept stealthily along the base of the wall. They looked different from the survivor army; their entire outfit was a light-absorbing black.

"Anderson, watch out! A small group of soldiers is coming." The shouts from the stairs ceased.

The all-black-clad troops outside are about to pass through this area, while the SHD agents downstairs will continue to break down doors.

Their shouting had stopped, but the breaking-down of the door continued.

Raphael thought for a moment, then stood behind the window and aimed at the foremost soldier in the black combat uniform squad.

Oh, not only do we need to fire and kill their scouts, but we also need to let them know the approximate location of the shooter. So, Raphael unscrewed the muzzle suppressor from the XM5.

boom--

The whole street was in an uproar because of that one shot.

The scope stopped shaking, and the soldier at the front tilted his head back and fell backward, his legs naturally folding due to gravity and the movement of his lower limb bones.

He readily gave up his life, thus triggering a gunfight in accordance with Raphael's wishes.

Those guys reacted incredibly fast, firing a barrage of bullets in response, shattering the glass like hail. They hit the window, sending shards of glass flying everywhere, some of which sprayed all over her.

Before she could even think it through, her hands and body had already made their decision, turning the gun barrel towards the gap in the balcony and firing at the soldiers who had spread out into several groups.

Immediately afterwards, the remaining panes of glass in the window frame flew off with a bang. Automatic firearms on the street opened fire in that direction.

It can be seen that most of the bullets fired from those angles outside the building will fly to the top of the wall. Only a few bullets are "lucky" enough to jump into the indoor space, but most of them lose their power to continue to hurt people.

The suppressive fire outside was getting stronger, but she hadn't heard the sound of another group firing yet.

Why not fight back? Raphael was puzzled. She remembered that the SHD agents searching the building had set up a perimeter team outside, and they shouldn't be so silent at this moment.

After all, these agents have always been "arrogant" and like a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.

First, install the sound suppressor, then pretend to be an SHD agent and fire a burst of bullets; that should do the trick.

She changed rooms, casually grabbed a couple of shots from below, which provoked another counterattack.

But this time it was different; Raphael heard a scream. Then, the exchange of fire became indistinct.

The two groups started fighting, following her will.

Boom! Boom!

With each explosion, the floor would tremble slightly, and the old ash from the ceiling would float down.

Book 1: The World Before the Great War: Chapter 98 Handling the Situation with Ease

It seemed they had forgotten who had started the gunfight, so Raphael seized the opportunity, grabbed his small backpack and some valuable loot, and rushed down the fireproof staircase from the inside of the third floor into the alley.

The gunmen may have noticed the figure slipping away through the outer fire escape stairs, but they didn't have the time or energy to look for her.