Chapter 48

Three months after the outbreak of the rabies virus in Savannah, Georgia, four bedraggled survivors in a hotel were preparing to go up to the rooftop, waiting for the rescue provided by the military. The four individuals in the hotel desperately ran towards the rooftop because it might be their only chance to escape from there. Nobody wanted to stay in a city filled with infected individuals, but within the safety zone established by the military, they could barely survive.

Some tall buildings still emitted plumes of smoke, indicating that survivors were still resisting. During the day, it was unknown how many people managed to survive. The outbreak of the virus engulfed the entire world, and no one could stop its spread, just like nature's revenge on humanity for excessive exploitation.

"Hey, guys. We'll fan out when we break through later. Don't get separated, or the zombies will kill us," a middle-aged man in a white suit instructed in a hotel room on the fifth floor.

"Nick, from what I've heard, the military rescue is scheduled for 9 o'clock. We can charge straight to the rooftop, kill those dogs and bitches along the way, and then wait for the rescue. There are also free infected individuals on the way, perfect targets for us. Not bad at all," a chubby African-American coach next to him, his fighting spirit ignited, swung a baseball bat and disdainfully spoke to Nick.

"Kenneth, I think Nick's plan makes sense," a sunny and handsome young man with a hat among the four said to the black coach. That young man was named Ellis, around 23 years old, with tattoos on his arms, just like Francis.

"I agree with Nick too," added the black woman, Rochelle.

"Alright, then let's get going, using close combat weapons," Nick, the leader of this fragile alliance, commanded.

With a loud bang, the hotel room door was kicked open.

Nick turned on the flashlight attached to his pistol and held a fire axe, walking at the front. Ellis wielded a machete on the left, Kenneth, the black coach, was on the right, and Rochelle held a frying pan at the back. The four of them cautiously walked towards the staircase leading to the rooftop.

At 8:30 in the morning, an armored vehicle drove onto the base's playground. (Due to the rapid spread of the infection, armored vehicles and the like became affordable for the main characters.) Apart from the driver, the original protagonists of Left 4 Dead were inside, waiting in anticipation.

On the playground of the Savannah base, two individuals were currently standing. One was a young man in a suit who appeared serious, and the other was the highest-ranking officer of the base, Dr. William, wearing a white biohazard suit.

"Mr. Bill, hello," Dr. William, the highest-ranking officer of the base, greeted as Bill approached and shook his hand.

"Hello, Doctor," Bill also shook William's hand warmly. The other three individuals didn't say anything, after all, this old scientist was the commanding officer of the base.

Dr. William continued, "Mr. Bill, the military wants you to go to the infected area to search for four survivors with special characteristics. At the same time, your mission is to collect the bodies of special infected individuals to provide material for my research."

"Rescue survivors, shouldn't it be not just us? Are there no robots to carry out the tasks?" Francis, one of the four individuals, complained openly.

"Shut up, Francis," Bill's sharp gaze fixed on Francis as he spoke, then he smiled at Dr. William to show his agreement.

"Alright, old man," Francis decisively ceased his complaints and said with a smile. Of course, among the four of them, Bill held the most authority, repeatedly helping them escape from dangerous situations. Bill's abilities had become the pillar of the group's morale.

"Okay, Doctor, we will complete the mission," Bill said calmly while lighting a cigarette in his hand. Certainly, Bill wouldn't refuse the orders of the base's commanding officer, even if it meant a mission that could lead to death. Because compared to the outside world, this place was truly a "paradise."

"Of course, Mr. Bill. NS-5 robots will accompany you on the journey. Three armed helicopters will take you to Zones B and C to search for survivors. The reason for sending you is that you possess antibodies against the virus, and one of the tasks in Zones B or C is to rescue survivors like yourself." As Bill agreed, Tang Tian, who was standing nearby, explained to the old military man.

In fact, Tang Tian discovered that the team of protagonists in Left 4 Dead was not a single group; characters from both generations were immune to the virus. So when the undercover NS-5 spy discovered the characters from Left 4 Dead 2 amidst the zombie horde, he sent Bill to rescue them. After all, when Tang Tian played the game, he wanted the characters from both generations to meet. Moreover, when Bill sacrificed himself, the two generations of protagonists met, and someone's main objective was to capture all these individuals with special characteristics and create new bio-weapons. This way, someone could wait for Dr. William's research results and then travel to the world of Terminator 3 to plunder technology and battle Skynet.

"Alright, I understand, sir," Bill assumed that Tang Tian was Dr. William's assistant and replied accordingly.

"You may proceed," Dr. William casually remarked. Then Bill and the others boarded the armed helicopters and headed towards the designated locations.

"Boss, why do we need those people?" Dr. William asked Tang Tian, puzzled.

"Because of their unique characteristics, they can help us create new, cost-effective bio-weapons. So, the more of these people we have, the better," Tang Tian explained, leaving Dr. William somewhat perplexed. Of course, Tang Tian knew that in the game, after Bill's death, the military created clones with both the strength of a tank and human intelligence. Therefore, to achieve victory in future battles against Skynet, Tang Tian needed individuals with special characteristics to experiment with new weapons.

In the sky above Zone C in Savannah, three helicopters hovered, searching for potential survivors.

"Mr. Bill, Number 1 hasn't found any survivors," a message from an NS-5 robot in a distant helicopter was transmitted to the helicopter where Bill was.

"Mr. Bill, Number 2 hasn't found any survivors either," another armed helicopter relayed the radio message from the NS-5 robot.

"Mr. Bill, the base has sent a signal stating that there might be survivors in a certain hotel in Zone C. We need to search intensively," an NS-5 unit in helicopter zero reported.

Inside the armed helicopters, an old man wearing a beret sat in the co-pilot seat, observing the surroundings while reading a book. Francis, Louis and the others also kept an eye on the rooftops to see if there were any people there.

"We're here! Please save us! We beg you!" It was just 9 o'clock when Nick, covered in zombie blood, continuously waved his hands to get the attention of the rescue helicopter. Fortunately, the helicopter approached as he shouted.

"There are people on the rooftop, come quickly!" Coach Kennedy exclaimed loudly.

...........

"Are you all okay? Haven't been bitten by those things, have you?" Finally boarding the helicopter as they had hoped, Nick and the others heard Bill's voice.

"We haven't been bitten. Thank you, military. Thank God. By the way, I'm Nick," Nick looked at the old man in front of him, extended his hand, and introduced himself casually.

"Hello, fortunate survivor. I'm Bill," Bill shook Nick's hand lightly and said calmly. At this point, the team of immune virus carriers in Left 4 Dead had been captured and accomplished by someone. Dr.William's new virus plan was nearing its start, and Bill couldn't have imagined that he would become a mass-produced weapon in the future.