The air was tense in City A. The scent of gun oil, sweat, and desperation clung to the soldiers as they checked their gear one final time beneath the steel canopy of the underground base. Rifles were cleaned and reloaded, helmets strapped down, and bulletproof vests clamped shut like second skins. Every man here had seen death. Every man here was ready to meet it again.
"Everyone, make sure to bring enough bullets," General Shin Kailun barked, his voice echoing off the walls like thunder. "The situation in City S is unstable. We might have to fight our way through hell. Anyone who's bitten is a liability. I don't care if it's your friend or your brother—deal with it. That's the first and foremost rule. No hesitations. No exceptions. Kill quick. Stop the spread."
He spoke like a man who had lost too many already—and refused to lose anyone else without a fight.
