Mutagen

Day 43 – 2:27 PM – East Walls, Central Business Park, Bay City, Parañaque, Metro Manila

The remaining members of the horde flew and scattered like flies. This was the worst case scenario during attacks of any infected capable of flight. Still, it was worse this time around. Unlike previous attacks were the attackers were either flies, mosquitos or birds, this time were humanoids. They were bigger but unexpectedly faster. Not to mention that they all behaved unnaturally.

It seemed that the horde found the people atop the walls the most dangerous but the easiest to target. After all, they had no cover of place to hide up there. The military was already planning a project to create bunkers atop the walls but the materials gathered were still not enough for constructing everything. Most of the materials they managed to collect had been used for the walls, other defense structures and housing for the people after all. The construction of the bunkers was already ongoing but the finished ones were nowhere near the area where the current attack was happening.

Normally, the flying infected would attack the settlement from the sky. This was the first time that they closed in on the ground before attacking.

A plethora of gunshots echoed across the settlement from the place of the battle. Atop the walls, the defense forces formed groups where they had their backs towards another forming a circle. It was to ensure that there would be no blindsides for them to be attacked by surprise. The tactic was quite effective. Although there were still casualties, it became harder for the infected to pick them up.

"We got the ropes and harness!"

Several soldiers came up the walls from the stairs while other soldiers protected them. They brought ropes and harness that one of the survivors thought of using when they saw the victims being picked up from the walls and other buildings.

"Everyone, tie yourselves! Hurry up!"

The group of soldiers carrying the ropes and harness ran across the wall distributing the items to everyone. Those that received the items tied their waists to the railings of the wall. With this, the infected would have a hard time picking them up. Aside from that, the infected that would try to pull away their victims would be in a defenseless state instead enabling other people to shoot them.

Despite the countermeasures however, it was still hard to kill all of the infected. There were some lucky shots that made quite a number fall. Still, the infected were learning and became more cunning. Seeing their comrades being killed after trying to pull those who tied their bodies to the wall, the infected focused on those that had yet to do so. Even the soldiers distributing the items became targets.

"UWAAA!"

One of the soldiers that had yet to tie himself to the railings yelled as he felt two arms grab his shoulders and was about to lift him up.

BANG!

The head of the infected burst like a watermelon and its body fell on the soldier's back dyeing his clothes in blood.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Four consecutive shots were heard after that and four infected fell from the sky.

The people on the walls were surprised at the sudden development. The infected they tried hard to kill but were not able to fell one by one with a single shot each. Some could not help but get distracted as they tried to see where the shots came from. They then saw the source they could not help but rejoice.

It was the familiar MB-Sprinter that was parked at the road not far below the wall. Beside the vehicle were several people that had already set up a defense perimeter to guard their sniper. Everyone recognized the vehicle and the people. They were the popular "Team Fairy", the current ace of the military in terms of anti-air combat.

Mei, Odelina, Abbygale and Iola had set up a defense formation with Mei in the center. Iola was beside Mei as the creator of the barrier while Abbygale and Odelina would deal with the infected that fall to the ground but did not die.

A group of women and children, still, no one belittled them due to their achievements. This time for sure, they would still dominate the battle.

At the air, a roar sounded. Everyone saw the male infected leading the horde making that roar. The soldiers immediately shot the infected but before the bullets hit, the infected already moved away from his initial position. Following that roar, the infected flying in every direction changed their target. It seemed that they deemed that the "Team Fairy" was the most dangerous among the people and prioritized to attack them.

There was no doubt about that. The whole horde started flying erratically but all of them were obviously closing in to "Team Fairy" that was on the ground.

The soldiers and survivors atop the walls tried to shoot the infected that flew past them but with "Team Fairy" being inside the walls and the difference in elevation, the attacks they could do was limited. If they insisted on deliberately shooting the infected while facing the inward direction of the settlement, not only that they could damage the structures and kill civilians with stray bullets but there was also the possibility of accidentally shooting the "Team Fairy" on the ground.

Nevertheless, there was really no need for them to shoot.

"Young Miss, how many is there?"

Odelina asked as her arms and fists started to get covered with her bone armor. Behind her, Mei's eyes were moving rapidly counting the moving infected in slow-motion.

"Hard to count. About sixty-two or so."

Mei replied as she continuously shot and emptied the magazine of her sniper rifle.

Out of ten bullets consumed, she managed to hit six. It was not a bad ratio compared to the people at the walls. However, it was all thanks to her ability to slow-down everything in her vision. Many call this ability as [Bullet Time] but in science, it was called [Tachypsychia].

[Tachypsychia], it was the neurological condition where the brain distorts the person's perception of time. For someone affected, the time that was perceived lengthens making things appear to slow down or sometimes, making things appear faster and blurry. In Mei's case, it was the former and it was one of the two abilities Mark gave her and was able to control it at will.

It was something that changed her life.

BANG!

After changing the magazine, Mei started to shoot once more. Unfortunately, what she could handle were only ten round magazines and any larger would hinder her movements to some extent. Still, it should be enough, she was not alone.

The infected started to fall one by one. Of course, not all of them were hit on their head and died. Those that were hit on their bodies writhed in pain as they fell while some were hit on their wings disabling their capability to fly.

On the ground, Odelina and Abbygale moved.

With each punch and stomp, Odelina smashed a head of an infected open. Abbygale on the other hand transformed and dealt with the fallen ones with her little but overwhelming kicks.

Because the two were in the open, they were also subjected to the attacks of the infected. However, those that came for Odelina were instead slammed down on the concrete and were killed. Those that came towards Abbygale caught nothing but air as the little girl could move faster than them.

BAM! TSSSSS!

BANG!

Of course, there were some that were some that managed to close in towards Mei and Iola. However, every time that they did, an invisible barrier would appear in front of them not only stopping their attack but burning them as they made contact.

​ During the time the infected reacted to the barrier, they would fall down to the ground with a hole in the head.

The horde was killed one by one and Odelina managed to restrain two of the infected alive. It was a request from the laboratory and the military and that was why they came in late. Although it was not compulsory, they could get more rewards for the living infected caught.

Seeing that disadvantageous fight however, one of the infected immediately fled faster than lightning. It was the leader of the horde.

When Mei and Odelina saw that infected escaping, they could not help but remember the muscled infected Mark encountered before, an infected with a higher level of intelligence.

It did not take long and the horde was cleared. It was another victory for the settlement but still, quite a number of people died. Every time that there was an attack, it was always like this which made the mood cloudy. This time, most of the deaths came from the soldiers and a few from the survivor groups. The only fortunate thing was that there were no deaths from the civilians inside the settlement. The horde was stopped just near the walls after all.

Another victory where "Team Fairy" earned another achievement…

Not all were happy about this though.

***

Day 43 – 3:15 PM – Government Officials' Residences, Central Business Park, Bay City, Parañaque, Metro Manila

"It's them again?"

Senator Estrada rubbed the bridge of his nose as he received the report of a fully clothed person in front of him.

"Yes, Senator."

"How about the groups we had that participated there?"

"From the three groups, four people died. Seven received injuries from the claws of the infected."

"And that Team Fairy?"

"Only the four main members participated this time. No casualties and no injuries."

Hearing that, Senator Estrada stood up and faced the window with a stern expression.

"That groups… Especially those four are really strong. They also have those two beasts. Unfortunately, they are on the side of the military. That is why we need to deal with them of the military's influence will grow even stronger. The plan to deal with those should not fail."

The senator looked down from his window. He was currently at the seventh floor of the hotel where the most luxurious rooms were located.

"Go back and continue on observing that group."

"Yes sir."

With those words, the fully clothed man melded into the shadows and vanished.

"You know, we can just kill them straight with my men."

Devon who was sitting on the sofa took a sip on his wine glass and spoke.

"We can't. That will be too obvious. Although I hate the military dogs, I don't want an upfront confrontation with them. They have a lot of uses and it will be bad to severely shave their manpower. All I want is power over the people. There will be no point if the people are dead."

Power, that was what he wanted. Money? Connections? Influence? All those were important but all of those could be attained by having power.

Many politicians aspired to be one to serve but as they experience how it was being on the top, many would get drunk on that power. That was why a lot of politicians would not surrender their position easily.

Being on the top, they could manipulate the lives of then people in the country. Receive respect, priority and flatteries as people tried to connect with them. There were a lot of things that they could take advantage of being in the position.

Due to the outbreak however, all those things they worked hard for vanished. Senator Estrada could not accept it. Furthermore, the handling of the settlement was given to the military due to the effects of Marshall Law.

It was totally unacceptable.

To climb up to his position, he did dirty things. Now that the laws were gone, his restraints lessened. Still, he would not show it to the public. He still needed to show a façade to them. Or else, there would be no one to follow him at all.

That was why. He needed to make their deaths look like an accident.

***

Day 44 – 3:22 AM – Mountain Base, Mount Malabito, General Nakar, Quezon

A man panted as he sat on his bed. The shirt he wore was soaked in sweat and he held his throbbing head. On his arm, the crystal was shining. And his eyes were glowing…

…With a light purple color.

"You bastards think I will let you succeed?"

He murmured as his lips let out a bloodthirsty grin.