Chapter 60 Brother—

Chapter 60 Brother—

Richard quickly dismissed the notifications cluttering his display. No time for distractions. He grabbed the radio transmitter.

"Blackwatch, what's the status of the university attack?" Richard's voice was steady, betraying none of the urgency simmering beneath the surface.

"Two hunters breached the university perimeter, sir. Our security forces are getting picked off one by one. They can't hold them off," came the response.

"Blackwatch, I need you to divert nearby troops to the university immediately. We're en route. And get me some vehicles."

"Understood, Actual. Reinforcements are on the way, and a vehicle is en route to your location. Stand by."

"Roger that. Out," Richard concluded the transmission. He turned to Andrea, her concern mirrored in her eyes.

"The university... That's where you're keeping the survivors, right?" Andrea inquired.

"Yes," Richard affirmed resolutely. "Among them is my sister, Lisa. I need to reach there as soon as possible."

"I'll help," Andrea offered.

"No," Richard countered firmly. "Your mission is to assist my team in eliminating the Hunters infiltrating the Oriental. They're just standard hunters, and we can deal with them using conventional means. You will ride with me."

"Alright," Andrea nodded in agreement.

Two minutes later, a Cougar 6X6 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle arrived at their location.

"Come," Richard said in a no-nonsense tone, gesturing for Andrea to follow him as he climbed into the armored vehicle. The engine roared to life, and they sped off towards the university,

Inside the Cougar, Richard checked his weapons and gear, making sure everything was ready for the impending confrontation. His weapons were the M32 Grenade Launcher, M9 Beretta, and a tactical knife.

It wasn't a powerful setup, as only the M32 Grenade Launcher could deal damage on the hunter, he would have to buy a powerful small-arms weapon from his system once Andrea was out.

He spared a glance at Andrea, who sat beside him with a determined expression.

"Stop the vehicle here," Richard ordered the driver and the driver immediately hit the brakes, bringing the Cougar to a sudden halt at the intersection.

"This is where you go Andrea, follow that road, it'll lead you to the Eastern Front. It's where most of the hunters are located. Be safe and thank you for the help you have contributed thus far."

Andrea smiled warmly. "You don't have to be so formal with me Sir Richard. I'm younger than you. I'll get off now, and be safe also."

After saying that, Andrea reached for the door handle and prepared to exit the Cougar. She hopped out of the vehicle and ran into the combat zone.

Once Andrea was safely on her way, Richard refocused on his mission. He knew that time was of the essence. With a deep breath, he turned his attention to the university ahead.

"Alright, let's move," Richard commanded the driver and the Cougar drove forward, continuing their trip towards the University.

The University was three hundred meters away from where they dropped Andrea, taking them two minutes to arrive at the main entrance of the University.

While en route, Richard bought a weapon from the system, the Franchi SPAS-12 combat shotgun and twenty 12 gauge shells. It was a weapon known for its close-quarters stopping power, an ideal choice for dealing with the Hunters.

He loaded the shells into the SPAS-12 shotgun, the distinctive sound of shells sliding into the chamber resonating with deadly intent.

After that, Richard opened the door of the Cougar and jumped out with his shotgun in hand, the M32 Grenade Launcher slung across his back.

His team consisting of three soldiers equipped with M4 Carbine, trailed behind him.

Richard rushed inside the entrance of the University and saw claw marks, on the walls, the ceilings, dilapidated classrooms, and everywhere that indicated the brutal battle that had taken place.

"Lisa," Richard uttered his little sister's name and his heart pounded in anxiety. He promised her that he would protect her from this apocalyptic world. He couldn't lose her, she was the only one who remained in his family, and he would do whatever it took to keep that promise.

So without much of a thought, Richard dashed forward, heading towards where the survivors were refuge. He couldn't afford to move covertly and slowly, not when every second counted. n-/OvelbIn

As Richard and his team pushed deeper into the university, they could hear the sound of the gunshots chattering from an assault rifle not far from them. That must be where they are.

"Let's go!"

***

Meanwhile, on the other side of the university.

"Move move!" The soldiers shouted at the panicking survivors as they fired their M4 Carbine at the single hunter whose size and stature fitted the entire hallway.

A wall of lead was the only thing between the survivors and the approaching Hunter. The creature, a hulking monstrosity with mottled, toughened skin and razor-sharp claws, roared in fury as bullets impacted its body

As the soldiers continued to lay down suppressing fire, one of them shouted into a radio, "Blackwatch, we need backup! We can't hold this thing off much lon—"

The hunter pounced forward, closing the distance in an instant, and slashed wildly at everything in front of them.

The soldiers got diced and sliced by the Hunter's frenzied assault.

The survivors, already traumatized, watched in horror as their protectors were brutally slaughtered. Some froze in terror, unable to comprehend the nightmare that was unfolding before them. Others scrambled to find any available cover and at the end of the hallway was the storage room with a reinforced steel door. A few survivors desperately clawed at the door, hoping it would provide some refuge from the ravenous Hunter.

Among them was Lisa and their classmates but just as they were about to reach the door, it was suddenly closed by the people inside.

"Let us in!" Lisa banged desperately on the reinforced steel door. She was joined by Denise, Angela, and Ella, crying and pleading for the people inside to open the door.

Inside, their family members and classmates tried pulling the men who were locking the door but they were assaulted.

"If we open this door, we are all going to die!" said one of the men inside, his face contorted with fear and desperation. He held tightly to the door's locking mechanism, unwilling to let anyone in.

"It's my daughter outside!"

"Look, your daughter or everyone inside? We will not open this door!"

***

Hearing the voices inside the storage room, Lisa stopped banging on the door and fell to her knees.

"This can't be happening—" she stammered, her eyes trembling.

"Is this the end?" Angela's voice cracked.

"I don't want to die here," Denise whispered, her eyes wide with fear as she clung to Ella, who was trembling beside her.

"No—this must be a dream—this must be a dream—" Ella muttered.

Behind them, the Hunter loomed. In its clawed grip, it held the lifeless body of a soldier. With deliberate menace, the Hunter advanced slowly towards the helpless girls.

The creature brought the soldier's head to its gaping maw, and a gut-wrenching crunch filled the air as teeth met bone.

Lisa, Denise, Angela, and Ella, widened their eyes as they watched the gruesome feast. After that, the Hunter threw the headless body aside like a discarded doll, the lifeless form of the soldier crashing into a nearby wall with a sickening thud.

The Hunter's cruel appetite seemed insatiable, and its malevolent gaze remained fixed on the four terrified girls. It snarled with a primal, bloodthirsty hunger, its ghastly visage contorted into a grotesque grin.

"Brother—" Lisa managed to utter a weak plea.