At the same time.
Outside Teddy's refuge.
Bang! Bang! Bang!!
Boom! Boom!
The roar of the cannons was accompanied by a hail of gunfire that filled the sky with smoke and dust. Sam and his squad, positioned at a key vantage point, were holed up inside the tower they had cleared earlier, now suppressed by enemies surrounding them with no chance to counterattack.
After saying goodbye to Jason over the radio, Sam and his squad had secured the shooting ports to provide support for their people outside. By the time the cult members realized their base had been infiltrated, Sam's group was already in at least a defensive position.
Originally, Sam's plan had been to eliminate the surrounding enemies and then use light machine guns to fire at critical points. With the cooperation of war snipers, dealing with the enemy wouldn't be too difficult.
Indeed, things were unfolding as he expected—until after killing several guards with a sniper rifle, once the container was dropped into the mall, all the enemy forces began focusing their attack on the tower where they were.
"I'm hit! I need help!"
Hearing someone shout for medical aid, Sam, who had been requesting an attack report, had no time to relax—he was the primary target for all enemy forces, who aimed to kill him first.
After repelling the initial wave, many of the enemy attacked like madmen, relentlessly. Everyone was doing their best to halt Sam's team's advance, and he couldn't understand why. Clearly, none of the people in this refuge were surrendering; all of them had chosen to take up arms and fight back.
Jason's people had clear orders: after the main assault, all enemies were to be eliminated without pause. The snipers racked up the most kills, especially those with anti-tank rifles—perfect for taking out modified vehicles with mounted machine guns.
As for the walkers, they weren't a major issue; they were swiftly dealt with upon appearing. Thanks to Jason secretly dispatching a team to lure away the walkers, they posed no threat in this battle.
Meanwhile, several Humvees equipped with machine guns and soldiers entered the main plaza of the cult base. Many makeshift barricades slowed their advance, but from time to time, helicopters overhead rained bullets, removing the more problematic obstacles.
When Sam learned reinforcements had arrived, he descended the tower stairs and regrouped with his men to begin issuing combat orders.
Unlike Jason, who was fighting dozens in the tight confines of a building, Sam was facing the siege of hundreds in an open area—he was in the midst of a true war zone.
"Machine gunners, fix your aim on the enemy's heavy weapons! Watch out for long-range shots and enemy grenades!"
As he spoke, Sam moved to the left flank—where the situation was most complicated—and began advancing slowly with his team.
Maybe because Sam advanced too swiftly, some of the enemy's heavy machine guns turned their barrels toward him. The enemy smiled mockingly and prepared to open fire.
Boom!
But before the machine gun fired a single round, a sniper bullet pierced the air from outside the base and struck the gunner's head.
When the guard dropped the heavy gun, two of Jason's soldiers at the tower's entrance quickly seized control and, using detailed intel, began firing into the mall's interior.
At the same time, another shot rang out from the building in the rear.
From surrounding the enemy to now confronting them head-on, many of the apocalyptic cult guards split into three groups, exiting through hidden doors to flank the enemy from behind.
The sounds of fierce gunfire erupted from three directions simultaneously.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Boom!
It could be said that for every injured soldier on Jason's side, twenty enemies died. For every casualty, thirty cultists were killed. The experience, training, and gear were vastly different. The cultists lacked vests or helmets that could save lives, making the gap overwhelming.
At one point, someone tried to set up a heavy machine gun on the upper level of the mall, but they were gunned down by a sniper before they could open fire. After two people were killed in the same way, no one else dared to take that death sentence of a position with a 100% fatality rate.
But as the battle dragged on, some cultists suddenly realized the enemy seemed absolutely unstoppable, and their own numbers were dwindling fast.
They were being massacred—at alarming speed.
Sniper rifles continued to reap their comrades' lives. Just now, relying on a rear attack with an element of surprise, they had hoped to turn the tide of battle. But that attack never came. Soon, some couldn't bear the pressure and turned to flee.
Where there's one coward, there's a second—and then a third. Once the first ran, another followed. The remaining fighters, seeing this and realizing their own self-interest mattered most, refused to sacrifice themselves for others. They too chose to break away and escape however they could.
One by one, they turned their backs on the enemy, becoming moving targets.
This battle began quickly and ended just as fast—at least outside the mall. But that wasn't all that surprising.
The guards responsible for external security at the mall numbered around two hundred—men and women with weapons, but no real combat experience, especially not in an actual war zone. They fell quickly under enemy fire. Jason's people, on the other hand, were seasoned soldiers who had served in high-intensity war zones, where gunfire was a daily occurrence.
A few minutes later, when the last cultist was killed, the battle outside the mall was officially over.
Bang! Bang! BANG!
"Don't forget to destroy their heads. We don't want these bastards turning into walkers and delaying us when we start loading up supplies."
"Yes, sir!"
…
Quickly heading toward Teddy's office, Jason and his team inside watched as Sam and the others claimed victory in under ten minutes. Jason raised his hand, checked the time, and grabbed his radio.
"Zz… Now's not the time to celebrate. I need you to take the watchtowers and move carefully. There are still plenty of people inside the mall, and they could be waiting to ambush us."
"We need to stay sharp…"
But as if Jason's words had summoned it, a sudden burst of gunfire erupted from many of the mall's windows, raining down on Sam's convoy. Several were wounded, and there were even a few casualties. The attack had been unexpected—it was a dangerously bold move by the enemy.
The clash seemed to resume, but Jason couldn't focus on that side of the fight. He knew his team could handle it.
One man walking beside Jason looked up at several chambers that had been modified into cells and asked, "But… what should we do with these people?"
Hearing that, Jason turned to look and spotted a dozen survivors in tattered dark clothing and helpless expressions slowly emerging from the ruined building.
"These people were likely imprisoned by the cult… We don't know their background."
Studying their appearance for a moment, Jason said, "Go tell them we're at war with the cult. Someone will release them when this battle ends. If they want to stay here and wait, that's fine. If they want to leave on their own, now's the time."
"Let me try, sir…"
Hearing this decision—and seeing Jason's cold, fierce expression along with the soldier beside him—a woman named Tamara stepped forward and walked to the bars of the cell.
After speaking with the prisoners, several despondent faces lit up with joy, realizing the cult's enemies were reasonable. Some even volunteered to help fight against the cult.
"We're close to Teddy's office. No delays," Jason said as the assault resumed.
…
By this point, Jason's team was clearly on the verge of victory.
The group that had planned an ambush against them had been massacred in seconds thanks to the helicopter's surveillance. It had been a truly foolish move to attempt such a tactic.
"Looks like they're all being wiped out!"
Witnessing the power and strategy of Jason's forces, Nick—who was positioned with his sister and Daryl in a building along with the other snipers—looked down at the corpses scattered on the ground. His nervous tension eased. He glanced at his sister and then at the others in the room.
"Good news—most of the cult's combat-capable members are dead."
"I hope we get the submarine key and get out of this place as soon as possible. I don't like the way it feels here," Alicia said, watching the aftermath of the assault.
"Maybe you're right…" Daryl muttered hoarsely.