Chapter 210 Helpless

Chapter 210: Chapter 210 Helpless

The machine guns joined the barrage, their heavy gunfire shaking the barricade while bullets tore into the charging monsters and grenades exploded beneath their feet, throwing dirt, flesh, and body parts into the air, yet the horde continued charging as though nothing could slow it.

"There are too many!"

"Keep firing!"

"Don’t let them reach the wall!"

Captain Rowan’s voice rang out from somewhere behind the defensive line. "Tighten formation!"

The remaining platoons rushed forward to fill the gaps left by the withdrawn reserves, but there were simply too few soldiers left to cover the entire western line. Men ran from one position to another as officers shouted new orders, yet every opening they managed to close seemed to create another somewhere else.

Stefan’s heart pounded harder. "Untie us!" he shouted, struggling against the restraints around his wrists. "Please! Untie us!"

The guard ignored him and continued firing over the barricade.

"We can fight!" He shouted, his heart pounding against his ears. It was like staring at death in the face.

"No!" One of the soldiers shouted back.

The first monster reached the barricade almost immediately, and before the soldiers could bring it down, another leapt onto the military truck blocking the entrance.

A laser beam split the creature in half before it could attack, but its body crashed onto three soldiers beneath it, knocking them to the ground, and before they could push the corpse aside, five more monsters landed in the exact same place.

Within seconds the truck disappeared beneath the monster’s claws as it groaned under the impact, and a moment later the entire vehicle tipped onto its side, throwing the soldiers behind it off balance.

"Fall back!"

"No! Hold the line!"

"Fall back!"

"No! Hold the line!"

Another monster lunged over the shattered barricade, and a young soldier barely managed to raise his rifle before the creature caught his arm in its jaws. The sickening crunch echoed across the battlefield as the soldier screamed in agony, but the monster only twisted its head harder until his entire arm tore free from his shoulder in a spray of blood.

He collapsed onto his back, clutching the empty socket while screaming so loudly that Stefan felt the agony in his chest, but before anyone could reach him, another monster landed directly on top of him. Its claws punched through his ribs with terrifying ease, and the scream stopped the moment the creature lowered its head and tore into his throat, sending blood spraying across the ground.

Stefan recoiled instinctively, his breathing turning ragged as he stared at the nightmare unfolding only a few meters away.

"Please..." he whispered, looking desperately toward the soldiers. "Please untie us..."

No one responded.

The soldiers couldn’t, if they did they would be defying orders. But their eyes showed distress.

The monsters broke through the line.

Another section of the barricade exploded inward as three creatures crashed straight through it, forcing the nearby soldiers to open fire at point-blank range.

Several monsters collapsed almost immediately, but before anyone had time to reload, another wave surged over the fallen bodies and crashed into the defensive line, driving the soldiers back step by step.

The orderly defense disappeared almost completely as every position became its own battle. Wherever Stefan looked, soldiers were fighting alone, shouting over the gunfire while trying to hold back monsters pouring through every opening.

One soldier emptied an entire magazine into the creature charging toward him, only for another monster to leap onto his back and drive him to the ground. Before anyone nearby could help, several more creatures piled onto him, and his screams were swallowed beneath the snarling horde within seconds.

Stefan struggled desperately against the restraints around his wrists until the rope cut into his skin.

"We can still fight!" he shouted hoarsely, turning toward the nearest guard. "Untie us! Please!"

The guard never looked back.

His rifle continued firing over the barricade as he shouted for more ammunition, his attention fixed entirely on the monsters climbing over the broken defenses.

Stefan slowly lowered his head.

We’re really going to die here... he thought, the realization hitting him harder than the fear itself.

Beside him, Enzo remained silent. His jaw tightened as his eyes followed the soldiers scattered across the western line. Some were trying to pull their wounded comrades to safety, while others stood their ground until they were dragged beneath the monsters, yet even as the defense collapsed around them, no one abandoned their position willingly.

He knew many of those faces. Some had trained under him. Some had stood watch beside him for years. Some had been little more than frightened recruits the first time they had picked up a rifle. They were his very own men.

Now they were dying only a short distance away while he remained on his knees with his hands tied behind his back. His fingers curled into fists.

If only I had one weapon... the thought slipped through his mind before he pushed it aside. Regret wouldn’t save anyone now.

He had done so much protecting this fortress, and as another section of the western line gave way beneath the endless wave of monsters, all he could do was kneel there and watch it bleed.

Far towards the left, the only group still maintaining their barricade was the Lennox Soldiers with Dylan leading them.

...

~~~Outside the fortress~~~

Laurel leaned back against the side of the truck as another wave of dizziness washed over her. The ringing in her ears had faded compared to earlier, but every now and then it returned without warning, drowning out the voices around her for a few seconds before slowly disappearing again.

She pressed two fingers against her temple and closed her eyes briefly.

The truck continued rumbling along the abandoned highway, its tires crushing scattered debris left behind after the red sky. Every few miles they passed abandoned vehicles rusting along the roadside, some with doors hanging open, others reduced to twisted shells blackened by fire.

No one inside the truck spoke much anymore.

The earlier conversations had gradually died away as exhaustion settled over everyone. Some soldiers leaned against the steel walls with their rifles resting across their laps while others silently checked their remaining ammunition for what felt like the tenth time.

Gabriel glanced toward Laurel before breaking the silence. "Commander... are you feeling any better?"

Laurel lowered her hand from her forehead and gave a small nod. "I’m fine."

Gabriel looked unconvinced. "You’ve been saying that for the last two hours."

She offered him a faint smile, hoping that would end the conversation, but instead it only made him worry more.

"You should get some sleep."

Laurel looked toward the darkness beyond the truck. "I can’t."

She wasn’t lying. Every time she closed her eyes, Tina’s face appeared in her mind.