C28 The Battle Once Again Began

The shopfronts were arranged in two rows, one on the left and one on the right, with ten shops in each row, making a total of twenty shops.

Han Feng had cleared out half of them, and he wouldn't officially be inside the supermarket until all the shops were emptied.

More than thirty minutes had passed since Han Feng's arrival at the supermarket, and it was nearing noon.

"There's plenty of time left. If you're not scared of ending up as a skeleton, I'm game to keep going!" Han Feng whispered before employing his tactic once more.

Eleventh shop... Twelfth shop...

"Switch attackers!" Han Feng commanded. This was the fourth rotation.

Fourteenth shop... Sixteenth shop...

"Switch attackers again!" This was the final rotation. Soon, all the zombies in the shops along the aisle would be eliminated.

After a little over ten minutes...

At last, Han Feng had eradicated all the zombies from the shops between the supermarket's entrance and exit.

In the process, he encountered nine Second Level zombies, all of which he single-handedly defeated.

Han Feng's current tally stood at 2,185 gold coins.

The deserted first floor seemed like a trap, lying in wait for Han Feng.

"We've come this far, why haven't you appeared?" he mused aloud. Then, after a pause, he added, "Seventh Squad, remain on guard at the entrance, ensuring our escape route is secure. The rest of you, follow me into the supermarket!"

With thirty Red Police Soldiers in tow, Han Feng surged through the supermarket entrance.

By prioritizing the zombies in the aisle behind them, Han Feng's group secured their retreat. Outside the large supermarket, patrol dogs kept watch, ensuring Han Feng would be immediately alerted to any disturbances, backed by formidable firepower to support their strategic advance.

Now, the final step of the plan was to root out the Third Level zombie and exact revenge!

"Sixth Squad, Fifth Squad, head to the warehouse entrance and stand guard."

"Fourth Squad, Third Squad, advance in turns, covering each other. Your target is the second floor."

"Second Squad, hold your position here on guard. If zombies attack from outside, join forces with the Seventh Squad. If zombies from inside the supermarket approach, coordinate with the other squads. You'll act as the mobile reserve unit."

"Second Squad, fall in with me."

"Everyone, prepare for combat! Move out!"

With each command issued, Han Feng's hands shook slightly.

He had never led before, and his orders were riddled with potential errors.

A single misstep could lead to unimaginable consequences for Han Feng and his team.

The weight of such pressure was immense.

Yet, these were the plans Han Feng had painstakingly devised, scrutinized until he could find no further faults.

As the action commenced, squads of Red Alert soldiers sprang into motion.

Squads Five and Six dashed towards the warehouse door, while Squads Three and Four provided mutual cover, advancing in turns.

Han Feng, leading the first team, trailed behind Squads Three and Four.

Watching everyone execute the plan, a wave of unease washed over Han Feng.

"Everything should go off without a hitch... right?" he whispered to himself before addressing Luna, "Vision Link, Gale."

Reopening his eyes, Han Feng surveyed the scene outside the large supermarket.

The streets were deserted...

"So far, so good," he said, disconnecting from the vision link.

Seconds later, Han Feng reached the stairwell connecting the first floor to the second.

"Up!" he commanded, and the Red Alert soldiers ascended swiftly, supporting one another.

All personnel were in position...

Silence filled the still-empty supermarket...

Han Feng's brow furrowed deeper, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.

Thus far, the plan had unfolded as intended, except for the absence of the Third Level zombies. Han Feng had anticipated clearing the adjacent shops first, then trapping the Third Level zombies inside the supermarket. To conserve ammo, they had primarily used fire axes upon entry. But now, there was no sign of the Third Level zombies. Could they be hiding?

Han Feng swallowed hard. No matter, if they were lurking somewhere, and even if they proved too strong, there was still an escape route. If it came down to it, they could fight their way back to the vehicles and regroup for another attempt. This was the contingency plan in Han Feng's mind.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he commanded, "Search! I want him dead!"

With the order issued, a member of the fifth squadron swung open the warehouse door.

"It's empty! Completely empty!" Han Feng's voice was filled with disbelief at the sight of the vacant warehouse.

His brow remained tightly knit as his mind raced, trying to pinpoint the issue, but he couldn't grasp the underlying problem no matter how hard he tried.

There were no zombies on the ground floor. Could they be on the second floor? Han Feng pondered silently.

"Squads five and six, assemble!"

"Woof! Woof!"

At the moment Han Feng finished speaking, an eerie howl pierced the air, startling him.

"Quickly!" Regaining his composure, Han Feng urged the approaching fifth and sixth squads to hasten their pace.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!" The resonant barking reached Han Feng's ears.

"Vision Link! Gale!" Without hesitation, Han Feng activated the vision link.

"Damn it! It's a trap!" Han Feng swore as he saw through the police dog's eyes.

A horde of zombies was swarming towards them from beyond the 100-meter perimeter.

Disconnecting from the vision link, Han Feng swiftly gave his next command: "Everyone, to the exit! Get ready to pull out! Move!"

With that, Han Feng, leading the first and second squads, dashed down from the second floor, joining the fifth and sixth squads as they raced towards the exit.

"I'm such an idiot! How could I think the outside would be deserted!" He berated himself, not slowing his pace for a moment.

He had been focused on clearing them out from the outside, trapping them inside the supermarket, but he hadn't anticipated that the Third Level zombies would lead a "big army" in a classic pincer move. He had underestimated his enemy.

Seconds later, Han Feng and his team reached the supermarket exit, where the seventh squad, already on guard, had engaged the enemy with gunfire.

"Shit!" Arriving at the exit, Han Feng stepped out to see a swarm of zombies charging towards them.

They were Second Level zombies.

A vanguard of dozens of Second Level zombies surged forward, with a massive wave of First Level zombies following close behind.

The Second Level zombies, quick and agile, were there to stall Han Feng, preventing him from retreating promptly.

Han Feng was a mere ten meters from the vehicles, but boarding and making an escape was no longer an option.

"Damn it, I'm going all in!" he exclaimed, raising his pistol and opening fire.

After the Second Level zombies had been decimated, the massive horde behind them closed in.

A "human wall" of zombies bore down on him, and through gritted teeth, Han Feng commanded, "Fight! We have to hold them back!"

Frustratingly, the proximity to the vehicles meant he couldn't resort to powerful weapons like grenades.

Despite the relentless gunfire, the zombie swarm inched ever closer...

"Gale, locate the Third Level zombies! Delay the horde's advance if you must!" Han Feng mentally instructed his police dog.

"Woof!" Gale barked in acknowledgment, his lean frame bolting forward as his powerful limbs thrust against the ground.

With a thud, Gale slammed into the zombies before Han Feng, sending the impacted undead stumbling backward, toppling others in their wake.

The collision caused a minor stampede, giving Han Feng and his team a brief respite.

"All units, watch your fire! Avoid hitting Gale!" Han Feng urgently broadcasted.

Gale had charged directly into the line of fire of the Red Alert soldiers, and Han Feng feared an accidental injury.

Gale rose, too rushed to shake off the disheveled fur, and darted away.

Weaving through the zombie gaps, Gale knocked down many in his path.

Han Feng watched anxiously as Gale plunged into the mass of zombies, lips tightly sealed, his heart filled with silent prayers...

And the battle was only just beginning.

"Da Da Da! Da Da Da!" The staccato of seven machine guns firing in unison echoed through the air.

Han Feng reloaded and took aim once more.

His pistol ammunition was running low. He had taken most of the bullets with him when he left, but after the prolonged firefight, only a few rounds remained.

The zombies continued their relentless advance, their numbers so vast it was impossible to see the end, an endless tide of the undead.

Han Feng swiped at the sweat beading on his forehead, the sense of foreboding in his heart intensifying with each passing moment.