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Location: Forward Listening Post Echo Ridge Time: 03:46 | Day 12 of Infection Collapse
The rain had returned, falling in heavy sheets against the hastily assembled walls of Forward Listening Post Echo Ridge. The outpost's elevated position gave it strategic visibility across the surrounding valleys, but also made it an inviting target.
Inside the main bunker, Logan stood at the central tactical console, red light bleeding across his face as a fresh alert flashed across the System:
> [WARNING: INFECTED CONVERGENCE DETECTED - VECTOR: SOUTH-SOUTHWEST - ESTIMATED CONTACT: 04:12] [FORCE ESTIMATE: 220+ INFECTED | COMPOSITION: MIXED CLASS, 2x CLASS DELTA, 1x CLASS OMEGA (UNCERTAIN)]
Wraith tightened his gloves beside him. "They know where we are."
"No," Logan muttered. "They know what we are."
He turned to Hammer, who was checking the turret lines and prepping emergency breaching charges.
"Status?"
"Turrets green, but limited on spare barrels. The Stryker's still down, the BTRs are combat-ready but low on autocannon rounds. Tank's operational but slow to reposition."
> [WAR CREDITS: 1,812.7]
Logan opened the System interface, issuing a command:
> [SUMMON: INFANTRY SQUAD - GRIZZLY TWO (Tier 1)] [SUMMON: INFANTRY SQUAD - FALCON ONE (Tier 1)] [COST: -600 WAR CREDITS] [Remaining: 1,212.7 WAR CREDITS]
In a flash of blue light at the helipad, two new squads materialized. Grizzly Two wore heavy plate carriers and wielded RPKs and scoped AK-103s. Falcon One carried suppressed SMGs and smoke deployment kits.
Logan met the squad leaders as they approached.
"Grizzly Two, you're fire support on the ridge. Falcon One, you're mobile reserve. Follow Wraith's lead."
> [SYSTEM STATUS UPDATED] [DEFENSE PERSONNEL: 34 Combat-Ready] [BASE STATUS: YELLOW]
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Location: Echo Ridge - Outer Defensive Line Time: 04:11
Lightning carved the sky. Thunder followed. Then came the howls.
The infected broke from the trees in uneven waves. Shamblers first. Then sprinters. Then the twisted ones in riot armor and helmets, moving like men but snarling like beasts.
"CONTACT SOUTHWEST!" shouted Sofia from Tower 2.
The 30mm on BTR-4B opened up, shredding the lead pack. Grizzly Two coordinated fire with Alexandru's riflemen, stitching bullets into the charging horde.
Falcon One moved under cover, lobbing smoke grenades to disrupt flanking paths.
The ground shook.
"Class Delta incoming!" Wraith warned. A mass of muscle and bone slammed into a barrier, sending shrapnel flying.
Reaper One took aim with the minigun and opened fire, barrels glowing red as he tore through the beast's armored flesh. The Delta staggered but kept coming.
Logan dashed forward, detonator in hand. "Reaper, pull back!"
He pressed the trigger.
> [BREACHING CHARGE DETONATED - CLASS DELTA NEUTRALIZED] [+45 WAR CREDITS]
Then the scream hit them.
A shriek that split the air like a missile.
From the rear of the enemy wave came a towering figure—its flesh laced with combat harnesses, belt-fed pouches still dangling from its shoulders. One eye socket glowed red with embedded tech.
> [CLASS IDENTIFICATION: OMEGA-VARIANT | ORIGIN: MILITARY] [EST. THREAT LEVEL: EXTREME]
Logan swallowed hard. "That's not just infected... that's a soldier."
The Omega sprinted forward, vaulting over a rusted truck and slamming into the ridge wall. Debris flew. A Grizzly rifleman screamed and went limp.
"Hold the line!" Petrescu shouted.
The tank repositioned and fired.
> [MAIN CANNON DEPLOYED - DIRECT HIT] [+82 WAR CREDITS]
The Omega reeled but kept fighting. Logan led a flanking maneuver, tossing thermite charges onto its back.
> [OMEGA ELIMINATED - TACTICAL COORDINATION BONUS] [+120 WAR CREDITS] [TOTAL KILLS THIS WAVE: 203] [Total WAR CREDITS Earned: +522] [New Balance: 1,734.7 WAR CREDITS]
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Location: Echo Ridge - Command Bunker Time: 05:46
Smoke rose into the pale morning. Bodies littered the hillside. Burned. Broken. Some still twitching.
Logan stared at the System feed.
> [BEHAVIORAL NOTE: INFECTED DISPLAY MILITARY FORMATION / HIGH-LEVEL TARGET PRIORITIZATION] [RECOMMENDATION: PRIORITIZE INFANTRY COORDINATION | BASE TIER III UPGRADE AVAILABLE]
He turned to the others. Sofia nursed a fractured wrist. Wraith had blood along his temple. Even Reaper One's armor showed dents.
But they were alive.
Echo Ridge had held.
And the war was only getting sharper.
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