In front of the Portal to the World Zeta, a massive isolation channel, constructed from special alloy and high-strength glass, had been completed.
Inside the channel, UV disinfection lamps, high-pressure air shower systems, and bio-information sensors were all in place, ensuring that no unit from the opposite world would carry any unknown viruses or microorganisms into the Fortress.
Five hundred warriors of the Shadow Marine Unit silently passed through this isolation chamber without the slightest pause, stepping directly into the purplish-black light curtain.
The scene before them flickered, and the sensation of spatial-temporal shift was fleeting.
The next moment, they found themselves in a huge, half-finished base built in the Overworld style.
The base had an obsidian foundation and walls made of cobblestone and steel blocks, exuding a sturdy yet rustic aesthetic.
Looking around, there were still many Endermen moving blocks according to preset procedures, continuing the base's construction.
Inside the command center, Steve watched all of this through the monitoring screen, while communicating with the system in his mind.
'I remember the system saying there would be a reward for establishing a base in World Zeta. The base is already taking shape, why hasn't the reward been issued yet? What is the current progress?'
**The main body of the current outpost base is complete. After the soldiers clear all zombies in this city, the entire city will be designated as the safe zone base by the system. Rewards will then be settled and distributed uniformly.**
"So that's it, I need to take over the entire city."
Steve nodded knowingly.
Immediately, he issued instructions to the newly arrived Shadow Marine Unit through the command center's communication system.
"Mission objective is clear: clear the entire city."
"Tomorrow, the air force will conduct a Thermobaric Bomb saturation strike on the main urban areas. Before that, you need to complete the clearing of the outer areas and conduct initial reconnaissance within the city."
"Understood."
Inside the base in front of the Portal, the leading Enderman warrior, Captain Morris, codenamed Ghost Shadow, responded in a deep voice.
He then turned to face the five hundred silent Friends behind him and issued a brief but powerful command.
"All units, listen up! Break into five-man teams. Spread out, fan formation. Conduct free search. Move!"
"Yes, sir!"
The moment the words fell.
Whoosh!
Amidst the piercing sound of air being torn, five hundred figures instantly transformed into swirling purple mist, vanishing without a trace.
On the edge of the city ruins.
Morris, with his four team members, silently appeared on the rooftop of a skyscraper.
Biting cold wind swept past them, and the entire city was like a massive tomb, utterly silent.
"Hawkeye One, Hawkeye Two, take high ground for free sniping."
"Specter, Razor, follow me into the street. Maintain communication. Move out!"
Morris calmly issued the orders.
"Understood."
Two team members, armed with specialized sniper rifles, flickered and instantly teleported to the tops of two other tall buildings hundreds of meters apart.
They expertly lay down and set up their sniper rifles. The massive gun bodies and recoil were nothing to them, possessing Overworld Bio physiques.
Through the high-magnification scope, the wandering, sluggish zombies on the streets below became clear, living targets in their eyes.
Bang!
A dull gunshot broke the deadly silence.
A thousand meters away, a zombie's head exploded like a watermelon, splattering foul blood.
Immediately after.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Frenzied gunshots, like popping popcorn, erupted from different corners of the city.
The snipers of the Shadow Marine Unit unleashed an extreme art of hunting.
They would fire a shot, and before the shell even hit the ground, their figures would instantly vanish, reappearing at another sniping position dozens or even hundreds of meters away, pulling the trigger again.
Gunshots echoed one after another, coming from all directions, making it impossible for the zombie horde below to determine where the attacks were coming from. They could only be precisely picked off one by one amidst the confusion and frenzy.
Meanwhile, the assault team led by Morris had already penetrated deep into the street.
Ahead of them, a massive horde of hundreds of zombies, attracted by the gunshots, was jammed in a narrow street.
"Specter, Razor, get ready."
Morris raised his assault rifle, his tone calm.
"Yes, Captain."
The next moment, all three simultaneously teleported, appearing directly in the center of the zombie horde.
Da-da-da!
Flames spewed, and a dense rain of bullets instantly tore through the bodies of a dozen zombies in the front row. They fell limply before they even had time to react.
Roar!
Smelling the scent of the living, the surrounding zombies instantly went berserk, brandishing their sharp claws and pouncing frantically from all directions.
However, just as their claws were about to touch the three figures.
Whoosh!
The three figures vanished again, teleporting to the very rear of the zombie horde.
Da-da-da!
Another round of merciless strafing, and the zombies in the back row fell.
The zombie horde, which had just turned around, once again lunged at empty air.
Teleport, fire.
Teleport again, fire again.
The entire battle turned into a cruel game of cat and mouse.
This horde, consisting of hundreds of zombies, enough to trouble any ordinary squad, was like mice being toyed with by a cat in front of the Shadow Marine squad. They couldn't even touch their clothes, and were slaughtered in repeated teleports and shootings.
Soon, the last zombie fell.
Just as Morris was about to lead his team to a new position, a strong sense of danger made the hairs on his entire body stand on end.
"Watch out!"
A blurry black shadow, accompanied by a gust of wind, suddenly darted out from the shadows of an abandoned shopping mall nearby, pouncing directly at Specter in the squad with a speed that completely surpassed the limits of ordinary zombies.
"Disperse!"
Morris' furious roar exploded in the communication channel.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Almost simultaneously, the figures of the three team members instantly vanished, teleporting in five different directions, narrowly dodging the fatal pounce.
When they reappeared, steadied themselves, and aimed their guns at the previous location, their pupils all sharply contracted.
The attacking zombie was completely different from the ordinary shambling corpses around it.
Its body was leaner, yet its muscles were as knotted as steel, its claws sharp and long, gleaming coldly. Most eerily, its eye sockets were no longer cloudy white, but a violent crimson.
At this moment, it stood still, its deformed head constantly turning at a very high frequency towards three different directions, seemingly trying to lock onto the three who had just teleported away.
"Captain, this guy seems to have some brains."
Specter's slightly startled voice came through the communication channel.