Chapter 57 The Last Honor of This World
Owen dropped the binoculars, his expression visibly grim.
"Reporting, sir!" A soldier standing beside Owen immediately briefed on the latest developments.
"Scott's team has been spotted at two o'clock from our position. They have reached the designated location. Victor Miller's team has reached the designated location at ten o'clock. Second Battalion is in position at five o'clock, and Director Thompson's team is in place at seven o'clock."
"In addition, Keith's team has disappeared in the twelve o'clock direction, completely losing contact. Unknown forces have been spotted in the nine o'clock, four o'clock, and rear directions, ranging from a dozen to several hundred individuals."
"A large number of mutated creatures have been sighted at the intersection of Liberty Tower and Maple Avenue, and the direction of Sunset Boulevard and Target Supermarket. They rapidly approaches our position, and..."
"And what else?" Owen's gaze sharpened as he looked at the outstanding military man who had been following him, a graduate of a prestigious military academy.
The soldier hesitated before speaking, "We are being surrounded by zombies."
Owen sneered, "As long as we are in this city, we will always be surrounded by zombies."
"Sir, what I mean is that a large number of zombies are converging on us from all directions. If we don't retreat within ten minutes, we will be in a tough fight. If we delay for more than half an hour, we might not be able to break out."
Owen said, "So, we only have half an hour to unravel this mystery?"
The young soldier nodded in silence.
Owen rhythmically tapped his fingers on the skylight, determination flashing in his eyes.
He ripped off the Bluetooth earpiece from his ear, leaped onto the roof with the superhuman abilities of a One-Star Evolver, and shouted, "Soldiers, I may have led you into hell."
The soldiers from the First and Third Battalions assembled here turned to look at him.
Owen yelled, "There! Countless monsters are approaching us. If we don't retreat now, we might die here."
Upon hearing this, the soldiers' rigid stances loosened slightly. They had heard the word 'death' and had seen it countless times in the past twenty-four hours, but when faced with death, they still wavered slightly.
"I know many of you are worried about your families far away, feeling lost about the future, and uncertain about why you are still here with this uniform."
"I am the same as you." Owen's voice lowered, "In my hometown, I don't know how my parents are, I don't know if my wife and children are safe, and I don't know if my relatives are alive."
"I am worried, too."
Many were touched by his words, their eyes reddening.
"But!" Owen suddenly grabbed his collar, shaking it as he shouted at the soldiers below. "Are these the reasons we give up? Is this why we abandon our beliefs? Tell me, will we become like this?"
Different degrees of struggle appeared on the young faces below. The soldiers pondered and judged.
"I won't," Owen pounded his chest. "I worry about my family, but I also see the drastic changes in this world, our kind turning into flesh-eating monsters. That damn roulette acts like a drug. I witness an evolution beyond our imagination!"
"Just like those damn games!" Owen began to roar, his face flushing. "I feel like I'm being toyed with! How about you?"
"I feel like a plaything, a clown for others' amusement!"
"I worry about my family, and I want to find them, but I know recklessness won't work. I might not even leave this city before these monsters reduce me to bones. What's the use if my loved ones are still alive if I were dead?"
"So I'll stay alive, get stronger, and head toward my hometown to see how my family is doing! If they are alive, I'll embrace them with tears and protect them with my life. If they are dead, I'll bury them with my own hands, and I'll live well for them!"
"My military career has taught me that to achieve this goal, it can't rely solely on me but rely on this collective strength. This is a principle we knew when we put on this uniform. Have we forgotten it just because the world is in chaos? Are we going to rush out blindly to our deaths?"
"No, I won't do that, and I won't allow my soldiers to do so either! I will ensure your survival to the fullest extent! Do you hear me? To be alive is our goal!"
"Yes!" The soldiers below were moved by Owen's sincerity and determination, roaring back in response.
Owen snarled, "We are soldiers, born for war, and now, it is war! We must become stronger than these monsters, stronger than this world! Only then can we live up to the reputation and honor of our soldiers! Anyway, even if I have to die, I will die in this uniform, carrying the last honor of this shattered world with me to the end! Honor belongs to us!"
"Honor belongs to us! Honor belongs to us!" The thunderous shout seemed to freeze time. The soldiers had completely abandoned their previous doubts, unified in thought.
Yes, it was useless to say anything now. Getting stronger to survive was the prior task. These soldiers understood clearly the contrast of power between individuals and the collective, and they were the ones most willing to believe in the collective.
Owen said, "Now, a powerful opportunity is before us. Victory will make us stronger. Will we give up?"
Soldiers shouted, "No!"
"Good. I've trained you, and you haven't disappointed me!" Owen waved his hand. "Our goal is right in front of us. Now, I command you to move forward! Crush everything in our way! Tonight, those who perform outstandingly in battle will have the chance to evolve! Tonight, I invite you all to drink!"
The soldiers from the two battalions enthusiastically agreed, raising their guns and beginning to advance toward Moon Lake!
William was hiding in a building nearby. He had heard Owen's speech in its entirety and even felt a bit stirred.
There was a hint of envy in his eyes because a team with a collective sense of honor like this, in the late stages of the apocalypse, was almost unimaginable. No one talked about emotions and honor anymore, only about interests.
These things would slowly disappear with the collapse of this world.
But, at least at this moment, the hearts of these soldiers were ablaze.
Perhaps their goals were no different from his. Perhaps some found them ridiculous. But anyone would admire this sense of purposeless momentum and genuine unity.
You might not agree, but you must respect them.
"Good luck to you all," William silently blessed these men.
A loud crackling of electricity sounded not far away, dispelling the emotion that had just arisen in William. He looked up and saw a huge black hole slowly forming by the lakeside!
