19 Recalled Something Important

Richard woke up, his body gradually emerging from sleep's grasp. He sat up in bed, letting out a tired yawn and rubbing his eyes to clear the last remnants of drowsiness.

"What time is it?" Richard mumbled, his voice still carrying traces of sleep. He glanced over at the digital clock resting in the nearby drawer. The red numbers showed it was eight-thirty in the evening.

Getting out of bed, he went through his usual routine. A quick shower washed away any lingering sleepiness, and he slipped into his military uniform. Without wasting time, he headed to the command center, which was conveniently located in the adjacent unit.

When Richard entered the command center, the military staff inside paused what they were doing and saluted him as a show of respect.

"At ease," Richard motioned with a downward wave of his hand, prompting the military staff to disengage from their salutes and continue their tasks.

The military staffers returned to their work. He caught sight of Mark who was approaching him.

"Sir, did you manage to get some sleep?" Mark asked.

Richard managed a tired smile. "Yeah, finally got some rest. Much needed."

As he settled into his desk, Richard's posture invited further discussion, a subtle lean communicating approachability.

"Any updates I should know about?"

"Uh, yes, sir," Mark affirmed, Mark confirmed as he watched Richard take his seat. "Regarding provisions, the survivors have pitched in—there's rice, bottled water, canned goods, frozen food, and various other supplies. On the operational front, the personnel you brought in before your rest are executing their tasks without a hitch."

Before Richard went to sleep, he purchased personnel from his system to fill the vacant role of Chief of Staff. Each cost 2,500 gold coins, an investment is needed to streamline the bureaucracy of the Blackwatch Private Military Company.

"Were there any survivors who arrived in the condominium while I was sleeping?" Richard asked. After his speech, he received a new type of mission that would reward him for every survivor rescued. In response, he issued a decree stipulating that the Blackwatch would provide refuge to survivors making their way to the Oriental Condominiums.

Mark shook his head. "Unfortunately, sir, there were none. It seems the survivors in the vicinity remain hesitant, possibly fearing to emerge from their hideouts. However, sir, I do have some reservations concerning the decree."

"Hmm?" Richard's head inclined slightly, a nonverbal prompt inviting Mark to continue.

"Well, sir," Mark began. "While the intention behind the decree is undoubtedly noble, we're encountering a constraint. Our current food supplies are not in abundance, and adding more survivors could strain our resources significantly."

"Really? Even with the contributions of the survivors, there's still not enough for everyone?" Richard asked.

Mark nodded his head. "That's correct sir. According to the Chief of Staff of Logistics, the food supply that we have will only last us for five days."

Richard expressed his disapproval with a click of his tongue... During the zombie apocalypse, the shortage of food was always a big concern. He could use his system to buy food, but the only things on offer were MREs and bottled water. Plus, even if he can buy food from the system, it would cost him gold coins – a valuable currency that could be better spent on essentials like ammunition and fuel.

"What's more, sir," Mark interjected. "You're considering expanding our troop numbers, aren't you? But it's worth noting that with every new addition, the demand for sustenance grows as well. Ensuring our troops are properly fed is crucial for maintaining their efficiency and effectiveness in carrying out their duties."

"I know, Mark," Richard acknowledged with a heavy exhale. "So let's address that problem head-on. If we need food, we'll get it. Makati City has plenty of supermarkets. We can loot supplies there. But as we all know, in the apocalypse scenario, supermarkets are one of the hotspots. The go-to for survivors and, unfortunately, for those who might have turned. It won't be an easy task."

Mark nodded in agreement. "You're right, sir. Supermarkets are a double-edged sword—plenty of resources, but also potential danger. I'm also sure that the supermarkets have already been looted."

Richard shook his head. "I don't think so. It hasn't been two days since the apocalypse, I'm sure there's still a lot of food left there."

"So you are considering conducting a scavenging operation, sir?" Mark asked.

"I do. Get me the Chief of Staff of the Army. I want to know what we will need…" Richard trailed off as he remembered something important. "Hold that order. The scavenging operation can wait, my parents, I need to rescue them."

"What is it, sir?"

"My parents are stuck in our house in Montalban Rizal. I have to rescue them…" Richard said as he rose to his feet with a determined expression.

"In that case sir, do you want me to call the Chief of Staff of Special Operations and the Air Force?"

"Yes, I want to meet them in my new office."

***

Building A comprises ten rooms. It's situated lower in comparison to the other floors, as the highest floor is reserved for the condominium's luxurious offerings. When Richard cleared this particular floor, he found it conveniently vacant—some owners were away, and a few units remained unoccupied. Consequently, the thirtieth floor evolved into the command center due to its spaciousness.

Each unit has been turned into an office for the Chief of Staff, a meeting room, and a personal living space and office for Richard.

***

Richard arrived at his office and took in the surroundings. Much like a typical upscale office space, it featured a sleek desk, floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a view of the city skyline, a leather chair and a comfortable sofa, and an array of modern technology seamlessly integrated into the environment.

A knock on the door pulled him from his sightseeing, and Mark entered.

"Sir, the Chief of Staff of Special Operations and the Air Force have arrived," Mark informed.

"Good, let them in," Richard said, making his way to his new desk.

The door opened, and the two officers entered. Richard glanced at the Chief of Staff of the Air Force as he was new to the team. A tall Caucasian in his mid-thirties, a high-and-tight haircut like Graves, wearing a navy blue service dress uniform.

'I should fix my system and change the race of my personnel,' Richard thought as he realized it might be hard to explain to the doubters why Westerners are working for him.

"Sir, Chief of Special Operations, Graves, and Chief of the Air Force, Stephen," Mark introduced, gesturing to each officer in turn.

"Take a seat," Richard beckoned, gesturing towards the chairs in front of his desk.

Stephen, the Chief of the Air Force, took a seat and nodded respectfully. "It's an honor to meet you, sir. It's my first time seeing you."

Graves, the Chief of the Special Operation, followed suit. "I was informed that you have a rescue operation in mind?"

"That's correct," Richard confirmed with a nod. "They are in Montalban Rizal, approximately thirty-two kilometers away from here. The reason I called you is that I want to entrust this operation to you Graves."

"You can count on me sir," Graves confidently replied.

"As for the Chief of the Air Force, I want your counsel. We have Pave Hawks but we don't have attack helicopters. Perhaps you can suggest an aircraft I can buy to support this operation? I'm sure you are debriefed that there are mutated zombies with supernatural strengths and one that can fly."

"I can help you with that sir," Stephen said. "Since we don't have runways, fighter jets are a no-go. For helicopters, we can opt for Apache or Viper."

Richard browsed his system to look for those aircraft. "Apache is not displaying in my shop. I think my level is low enough. But the Viper is on display and it costs 1,400,000 gold coins."

"Well, Bell AH-1Z Viper is a good choice," Stephen replied. "It's a versatile attack helicopter that can provide fire support and engage ground targets effectively.

Richard nodded as he considered the options. "Alright then, I'll proceed with the procurement process…Oh yeah, I forgot, for procurement of new military hardware, all Chiefs of Staff must give me a list of what they need because you know better. I will give the list of available products in my system. Mark, can I trust you in disseminating that news?"

"Of course sir," Mark said.

"When are we going to start the rescue operation sir," Graves asked.

"What time is it now?"