The ships had docked on the island, which appeared to be completely infested with the infected. The estimated population, including tourists, was around six thousand.
"Zz... Have the armored vehicles clear the way. Don't waste high-caliber ammunition—it's unnecessary." John, watching as the island appeared to be overrun, shook his head in mild confusion.
"People on the yachts most likely brought the virus to this island," said Claire, who served as a logistics assistant.
"That's over four thousand people. Surely, half of them are still alive and hiding in their homes. The tourists could've been the cause of the infection too—who knows at this point?" John, dressed in a military uniform, picked up a radio to direct the soldiers.
All the soldiers had basic tactical gear, but Stuart's troops wore black tactical uniforms—and Alan did too, as he believed they were somehow lighter.
Drones were monitoring the number of infected in the surrounding areas and soon discovered that there were people still alive in their homes.
"Zz... A horde of infected is approaching our location."
Alan wasn't participating directly in this battle. He was inside an armored truck, watching drone footage on a computer screen.
"We need to eliminate them without causing too much collateral damage. We should herd all the infected to a designated point and have a bomber helicopter take them out," Alan said casually.
Among the most skilled pilots was Rafael, who immediately took off in a helicopter after receiving the order, aiming to lure the largest horde of infected away.
Considering how easy it was to attract the infected, Alan didn't see the need to waste energy on them, even though they could easily be gunned down with firearms.
"Zz... Field agents, eliminate the scattered infected."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Soldiers with modified, silenced weapons began picking off the infected in the area. With a clear line of sight, there was no room for error—it was too easy to land each shot.
At that moment, the helicopter flew overhead, and before long, a massive crowd of infected had gathered in a single, increasingly distant location.
Alan watched everything through the drone feeds, carefully monitoring the operation. Once he confirmed the infected were all in one place, he simply gave the order: "It's time to finish them—make sure the destruction is focused in only one direction."
Stuart took the radio and ordered, "Now—hit them with everything you've got!"
Within seconds, another helicopter flying nearby redirected toward the horde and unleashed several missiles in an instant.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground trembled, and a cloud of dust rose from the impact zone, spreading outward.
Alan, after confirming the complete elimination of the infected horde, gave the green light for the soldiers to begin advancing.
"Zz... Move in. Everyone clear out the remaining infected."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The few remaining infected—easier to take down than usual—were hiding in alleys or on distant hills. They needed to be eliminated before the area could be declared safe.
In less than half an hour, it was confirmed there were no more infected. The soldiers began sweeping the houses one by one, and to their surprise, there were far more civilians than expected.
All of them were overjoyed to see the army taking control of their safety. They had been waiting for rescue and were relieved to know they hadn't been forgotten.
Tommy handled the conversations. With his greater patience, he was the best suited to explain the state of the world and what was about to happen in this place.
Alan, meanwhile, stood watching the island. This place had now become their new base—a place where everything would begin again.
"We've created a new foothold for humanity."