Chapter 37 The Volunteers

Chapter 37 The Volunteers

In the wake of witnessing the girl's extraordinary abilities on the monitor, Richard's concern deepened. He knew that merely increasing their military budget was a symbolic gesture for strengthening their military power.

The sight of a human displaying such superhuman feats had been a stark wake-up call. Richard couldn't help but fear that these individuals could potentially become future adversaries. His own unique ability, which allowed him to summon troops and military hardware, suddenly felt inadequate in the face of such power.

He understood that while his summoned military troops were well-equipped and trained, they were ultimately just humans armed with guns, and the military vehicles were constructed from ordinary earthly materials. The gap between his abilities and the raw power displayed by the girl was evident, and it left him feeling uneasy about the challenges they might face in the future.

He has to know everything about that girl, strengths and weaknesses. However, before he could do so, he needed to strengthen his base first.

"Mark, tomorrow, once the plan is concocted, I want it conducted as soon as possible," Richard said, looking firmly at Mark.

"You mean sir, we do it tomorrow," Mark sought clarification.

"Yes," Richard confirmed.

Mark nodded in understanding, his expression serious. "Understood, sir."

"Good, As for you Sara. I want you to track that girl, and find out where she is hiding. The sooner we are done with the operation tomorrow, the sooner we are going to send a strike team to locate her," Richard continued his gaze now on Sara.

Sara nodded, acknowledging the task at hand, and sat at her station. "I'll get started right away, sir. Based on where she was running, it seemed that she was somewhere inside the Cubao Plaza. Good thing that electricity is still running, we have access to the surveillance cameras in the area."

Richard appreciated Sara's efficiency. "Excellent, Utilize all available resources to pinpoint her location. We need to know if she is alone or not."

"For the meantime, sir," Mark interjected, "Orientation for the volunteer forces will begin shortly. Do you want to observe?"

Richard considered the offer for a moment. The volunteer forces, his little sister is enlisting, there's no way he would miss this one out. "Yes, Mark. I'll join the orientation. I assume that all preparations for the orientation are in place?"

"That's correct sir," Mark confirmed.

"Very well, let's go down to the sixth floor," Richard said, as he and Mark descended to the sixth floor, which had been converted from a parking garage into a bustling training ground. Rows of cars had been replaced by a crowd of people congregating in one area. Before them were tables displaying an array of weapons, ranging from pistols to assault rifles.

Richard and Mark made their way to the front and the moment he made his appearance, the survivors' eyes were all on him.

"That's sir Richard!"

"He is going to watch us?"

"Definitely."

Richard's presence on the training ground immediately drew the attention of the survivors. Whispers of recognition and curiosity spread through the crowd as they acknowledged their leader's appearance.

"Sir Richard!" A man in his mid-thirties waved at Richard.

Richard instantly recognized the man, it was the Chief of Staff for Training and Education, Ryan.

Ryan arrived with a confident stride, saluting Richard with respect as he approached. "Sir Richard, it's an honor to have you here to witness our training orientation."

"I gotta see the new recruits," Richard warmly replied, casting a glance towards the group of volunteers, specifically at his little sister, whom he found looking at him proudly.

"We'll begin in one minute sir, My men with zombies are on their way now. Why don't you take a seat over there and where you can watch the process?" Ryan suggested, gesturing to a row of chairs set up for observers.

Mark and Richard followed Ryan's lead and took a seat among the other observers. He watched as the recruits, including his sister Lisa, gathered around their instructors, anticipation and excitement evident in their expressions.

As the minutes passed, the sound of distant footsteps grew louder, and soon, a group of trainers dressed in padded gear emerged, each dragging a chain of snarling, reanimated zombies behind them. The recruits' eyes widened as they took in the eerie sight.

Ryan stepped forward, addressing the recruits with a stern but encouraging tone. "Listen up, everyone! This is the enemy of the new world. Zombies. They are fast, agile, and would stop at nothing to bite you. Today we are going to teach you different ways to exterminate a zombie. There are two ways, that is shooting at its head and beheading it. I'll demonstrate."

Ryan positioned himself about five meters in front of the chained zombie, his M9 Beretta in hand. The recruits watched with rapt attention as he calmly aimed at the body of the zombie and pulled the trigger. The gunshot rang out, and the bullet struck the zombie's torso. The creature staggered but still stood.

Turning around to face the volunteers, Ryan spoke. "Remember, shooting them in the torso or any part of the body apart from the head won't kill them. It might slow them down, but it won't stop them."

To prove his point, Ryan took careful aim once more, this time directing his shot at the zombie's head. He squeezed the trigger, and the crack of the gunshot echoed through the training ground. The bullet struck the undead creature squarely in the forehead, and with a gruesome splatter, it crumpled to the ground, motionless.

A hushed silence settled over the recruits as they absorbed the lesson. The headshot was the key to dispatching a zombie effectively. Ryan's demonstration had driven the point home.

"Headshots are your best chance at neutralizing a threat quickly," Ryan continued, his gaze sweeping over the recruits. "But remember, it's not easy to hit a moving target, especially in the chaos of a real encounter. Be patient, aim carefully, and most importantly, be calm. Okay, that was easy, right? Now, let's have some volunteers...How about you lady?"

"Uhh...me?"

Ryan's gaze settled on Lisa, Richard's little sister, as she nervously pointed at herself, clearly surprised to be chosen for the demonstration.

He nodded with a reassuring smile. "Yes, you. Step forward."

Lisa gulped, but she stepped forward, determination outweighing her anxiety.

"Have you held a gun before?" Ryan asked.

Lisa shook her head. "No sir."

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Ryan chuckled softly. "Take this,"

Ryan handed Lisa the M9 Beretta, its weight unfamiliar in her hands. She held it carefully, her fingers trembling slightly with nervousness.

"It's a bit heavy..." Lisa commented.

"Now aim at the zombie..." Ryan instructed as another soldier brought other zombies in chains.

As Lisa aimed the M9 Beretta at the chained zombie.

"Remember, when aiming, you should focus on the front sight of the gun," Ryan advised. "Let your peripheral vision align the front sight with the target for an accurate shot."

Lisa followed his guidance. Her hands were still trembling, but she took a deep breath and steadied herself.

"That's it," Ryan encouraged, "Now, slowly squeeze the trigger."

Lisa nodded her finger on the trigger. She applied gentle pressure, and the shot rang out. The bullet hit the zombie's head, piercing a hole through its forehead. The zombie collapsed to the ground.

Ryan patted Lisa on the back, a proud smile on his face. "Excellent job, young lady!"

Lisa sighed in satisfaction. "Uhm sir...are we going to train on different guns?"

"Yes," Ryan confirmed. "So go back and listen to the rest of the topic."

Richard and Mark watched from their seats as Ryan continued the lesson, introducing them to different guns, how they work, and how they differ from one another. He also taught them how to do maintenance on them, and allowed them to fire the weapons with the zombies as their dummy targets.

The whole lesson lasted for eight hours with periodic breaks. But there's a long way to go for them to go out of the field.n(-OveLb1n