Chapter 195 - 124: Withdrawal

Chapter 195: Chapter 124: Withdrawal

Intelligence from the outposts regarding the fierce conflict between the new aquatic zombies and the flock of mutated birds was swiftly compiled and reported to the Jiang City command center.

The response was swift, but it wasn’t focused on the new zombies. Instead, it addressed the more pressing threat: the aggression of the bird flock.

The grave voice of A-02 came over the public channel, initiating a roll call check:

"All units, attention. This is A-02. Commencing emergency status check. When your designation is called, respond immediately. Report personnel and outpost structural integrity. Priority report: have you been attacked by mutated birds? Are there any casualties or signs of infection? A-01, respond."

"A-01, copy. Outpost structure intact. No direct attack from birds. Personnel secure. Over."

"A-03, respond."

"A-03, copy. Secure..."

...

The roll call was formal and swift. However, as it progressed down the list, an uneasy atmosphere began to permeate the airwaves. A string of "no response" calls were logged.

"F-10, respond."

(No response.)

"F-11, respond."

(No response.)

"F-12, respond."

(No response.)

...

When the roll call concluded, the results were grim. In total, the callsigns of more than ten outposts had gone unanswered. The loss of contact with F-10, 11, and 12 was expected, as Xu Mo knew they had long been abandoned. But the silence from the other seven or eight outposts almost certainly meant tragedy had struck—the Observers inside had likely perished under the flock’s relentless attacks, or perhaps something even worse had occurred.

A-02’s voice grew even more solemn. "We have confirmed multiple units are offline. All remaining units, go to maximum alert status immediately. Reinforce all potential entry points. Seal observation ports to minimize any external openings. Do not open any exterior access unless absolutely necessary. I repeat, execute maximum alert immediately. Command is formulating a follow-up plan. Keep this channel clear and await further orders."

The orders were clear and firm. Xu Mo didn’t dare delay. Although the bird flock had so far ignored Outpost C-07, he had to take every precaution.

As the observation ports were sealed, the last sliver of outside light vanished, plunging the outpost’s interior into absolute darkness. The air seemed to grow heavier, more oppressive. The feeling of being completely sealed inside a steel coffin was enough to make the weak-willed suffocate with panic. Fortunately, the lighting system was operational. Once the lights were on, things returned to normal.

From that day forward, the surviving Observers had a new daily routine: checking in with A-02 over the radio at a fixed time each day to confirm their status.

"C-07 reporting. Personnel secure, outpost structure intact, no signs of intrusion. Over."

"B-04 reporting. Secure..."

"D-08 reporting. Secure, but the sound of the birds’ impacts is constant..."

Behind every concise safety report lay torturous days and nights spent in darkness amidst a constant barrage of noise.

「Two days later」

A-02 brought news from the Jiang City command center, heralding the end of an era:

"All units, attention. This is A-02, relaying the latest directive from Command. The Jiang City Shelter has also recently been assailed by large-scale mutated bird flocks. Thanks to timely warnings and effective countermeasures, major losses were avoided, and social order remains stable. However, after a comprehensive assessment of the widespread and persistent nature of the current aerial threat, along with the pressure and risk to our forward outposts, Command has made a decision: The long-term observation mission in the Red Star Industrial Zone is hereby terminated, effective immediately. All Observers still at your posts, prepare for evacuation. The specific time, method, and route for extraction will be planned and issued by Command. Remain on standby. Strictly adhere to all orders and take no unauthorized action. I repeat, prepare for evacuation and await specific orders."

The announcement was met with a complex silence on the public channel, followed only by a few sporadic, emotionally-suppressed acknowledgments. Some breathed a sigh of relief; others felt a sense of loss.

Xu Mo had long anticipated this, so he was unusually calm. He simply replied, "C-07, copy," and said nothing more.

’I had imagined many reasons why the long-term observation mission might be terminated. Perhaps the source of the zombies had been found and contained. Perhaps Jiang City’s strategic priorities had shifted. Or maybe they simply couldn’t sustain the resource cost anymore. But I had never imagined that the final straw, the thing that would force Jiang City to pull back its front line, would be these swarming birds from the sky.’

Over the next few days, Xu Mo continued to periodically open an observation port to check on the outside world. The flock in the sky showed no signs of dispersing. On the contrary, they seemed to have claimed the industrial zone—with its periodic supply of zombies—as a stable hunting ground or food source. They remained in massive numbers, circling and even starting to nest. Their shrill cries and the constant flapping of wings became the new background noise for the entire region.

Over the radio, the Observers’ anxiety began to shift from whether they could hold out to whether they could even evacuate safely.

"With so many birds, the convoy is bound to be attacked during the evacuation!"

"We can’t use helicopters, and a ground convoy is an even bigger target. How are we supposed to get out?"

"Do you think Command will send a large force to wipe out these birds before we leave?"

"Are you kidding? What kind of price would they have to pay to wipe out this many birds?"

...

Worries and speculation filled the airwaves, but Xu Mo’s focus was slightly different. He stared grimly at the circling figures outside, his gaze fixed on the most conspicuous individuals. Some of the mutated birds had wingspans he estimated at four to five meters, casting disquieting shadows as they glided through the air. And farther away, on the horizon, he could occasionally spot several even more massive silhouettes moving slowly among the highest clouds. With his eyesight, he could only just make out that they were birds of an unimaginable size, their true scale impossible to gauge.