The ones chosen for this mission were all elites from the Mercenary Corps.
Their Genetic Optimization Level was at least 40%, with some even reaching 50%.
With their strength and this high-tech equipment, a single person could face four or five Ordinary Zombies—or even Intermediate Zombies—and have no problem at least holding their ground.
However, if they encountered a High Level Zombie with superior physical prowess, holding them off would be far from easy.
If they could kill all the High Level Zombies, then even if they couldn't turn the tide of battle, they could at least stabilize the defensive line.
The High Level Zombies were indeed the key to breaking this stalemate.
However, achieving this was also incredibly difficult.
This was clear from the grim look on Roger's face.
In fact, Roger hadn't been focused on the Ordinary Zombies from the start.
Aside from five Burning Bullets, the rest of his magazine was filled with Armor-Piercing Bullets, all for the purpose of killing these High Level Zombies as quickly as possible.
But since the melee began, he had already fired five shots, yet he had only managed to injure three High Level Zombies, failing to kill a single one.
This wasn't due to any lack of skill in Roger's Gun Technique; it was a result of the current environment.
High Level Zombies have extremely keen senses. The moment they sense danger, they immediately dodge.
Normally, Roger could rely on his vast experience to predict their movements and take them down.
But now, these High Level Zombies were mixed in with the horde, and when they dodged, they would duck behind other Zombies.
With Ordinary Zombies acting as meat shields, even if Roger could predict a target's dodge, the Armor-Piercing Bullet wouldn't have enough kinetic energy left to pierce a High Level Zombie's skull after passing through another Zombie's body.
This was the biggest problem.
After a moment of observation, Lin Xinghai noticed this as well.
His brow furrowed. This situation was exceptionally tricky. 'Even if I spend my Blood Qi Power to level up my Gun Technique now, it won't make much of a difference.'
'The problem isn't hitting them; it's that the Armor-Piercing Bullets lack the power.'
He watched as Roger gritted his teeth and aimed his gun again. The High Level Zombie in his sights instantly sensed the danger.
It moved rapidly, its muscles tensed, ready to leap away at a moment's notice.
Based on the subtle changes in the Zombie's body, Lin Xinghai could even tell that it was about to dodge to the right.
He could even predict the path of its evasive leap with a high degree of accuracy.
Suddenly, an idea seemed to strike him, and his eyes lit up.
After quickly swapping in a magazine of Armor-Piercing Bullets, he kept a close watch on every move made by both Roger and the High Level Zombie.
The moment he saw Roger about to pull the trigger, he fired on instinct without a second's hesitation.
BANG! BANG!
Two gunshots rang out in quick succession.
The High Level Zombie used a companion for cover, successfully dodging the Armor-Piercing Bullet from Roger's rifle.
But it was still hit—and in the head, no less.
Its entire right ear was gone, a large patch of skin scraped away, revealing the skull underneath.
If that bullet had been just a centimeter or two more to the left, the High Level Zombie wouldn't have just lost an ear—it would have been a direct headshot.
Yes, that was the result of Lin Xinghai's shot.
The logic was simple: if he could predict a High Level Zombie's escape path and fire the moment it committed to its dodge, it would be nearly impossible for it to evade a second shot.
But there was a catch: he and Roger would have to be perfectly coordinated, as the window of opportunity was only an instant.
This kind of coordination wouldn't be difficult for Lin Xinghai and Roger. If they had some time to practice and sync up—even just for half an hour—the High Level Zombie would have absolutely no chance of escape.
But right now, they didn't have half an hour. They didn't even have five minutes.
Lin Xinghai let out a soft sigh. 'I knew it'd come to this.' He opened his system panel.
Then, he spent 6 points of Blood Qi Power to raise his Gun Technique proficiency to 70%.
'If there's no time to get in sync, I'll just have to compensate with better Gun Technique.'
At that moment, Roger's gaze shifted over. Of course, he had seen the wound on the Mutated Zombie.
He could also confirm that he hadn't been the one to fire that shot; the angle was all wrong.
He quickly traced the bullet's trajectory back to Lin Xinghai and, in that same instant, understood his intent.
A look of joy instantly replaced the anxiety on Roger's face. In this situation, Lin Xinghai's approach was undoubtedly the most practical solution.
Besides, that last attempt had been so close to succeeding. The only thing they were missing was a bit of synchronization.
"What do you need from me?" Roger asked urgently.
His question seemed to come out of nowhere, and many of the others looked at him in confusion.
"Don't," Lin Xinghai said, shaking his head. "Just keep your original rhythm. I'm confident I can make the shot."
Hearing the confidence in Lin Xinghai's voice and recalling the incredible speed at which his Gun Technique had improved, Roger's spirits were lifted.
"Alright!"
He affirmed, then immediately locked onto the next target.
Roger adjusted his breathing, calming his mind. He did his best to maintain the same rhythm as his last shot, took aim, and fired.
BANG! BANG!
This time, the two shots rang out almost simultaneously. As the High Level Zombie he was targeting tried to dodge, its head exploded like a watermelon.
At the sight of this, Roger clenched his fist tightly.
Clearly, Lin Xinghai hadn't let him down. He had truly seized the split-second opportunity as the Zombie dodged and taken it out.
Now that they had found a method, the rest was much easier.
The two repeated the process, seeking out the High Level Zombies hidden within the horde and killing them one by one using the same method.
Although they occasionally missed, it didn't affect the overall situation.
There were 18 High Level Zombies mixed in with this wave of the horde. With Lin Xinghai and Roger working together, 10 of them fell to their guns in just one short minute.
At this point, the remaining 8 High Level Zombies actually began to slowly back away, a look of terror in their eyes.
'These Zombies seem to be more intelligent than ordinary animals!' Lin Xinghai thought, his eyes narrowing at the sight.
"Kill!" The other Mercenaries' morale surged at the sight.
They had long been suppressing a burning frustration, and now it erupted.
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Here's wishing all my readers an early Happy New Year! I hope you all have good health. To all the students, I wish you success in your studies, and to everyone in the workforce, success in your careers.