Chapter 62: The Army Is Stationed
Just as Kevin Keane was still savoring the sweet strawberries, Miles Dawson burst in from outside the villa’s main gate, carrying Rollo.
"The army’s here! The army’s here!"
He had been out walking the dogs with Shane Shaw when he suddenly saw a massive procession of armored vehicles drive in. The two dogs were startled and immediately ran back to their respective homes.
The words had barely left his mouth when the dull roar of engines grew closer.
RUMBLE RUMBLE.
It was loud enough to make the ground tremble, shattering the tranquility of the villa district.
"Holy crap! The army’s really here!"
Luna Dawson’s eyes lit up instantly. She grabbed a down jacket, wrapped it around herself, slipped on her slippers, and ran out of the yard.
Kevin Keane shook his head with a resigned sigh and reached out to straighten the crooked hood of Luna Dawson’s jacket.
The vegetation near Luna Dawson’s house had been cleared away beforehand, so the vehicles had no trouble driving up to the front gate.
The group looked toward the convoy. A dozen or so armored vehicles were leading the charge, their wheels crunching over the debris on the road.
Each vehicle was followed by twenty to thirty soldiers in camouflage. They marched with impeccable posture, rifles at the ready and on high alert, projecting an overwhelming presence.
Inside one of the armored vehicles, Private Jack Palmer rubbed his numb hands and leaned toward the window, remarking, "No joke, of all the residential areas we’ve cleared, this one’s got the widest roads! Look at the space between the buildings—you could build two more high-rises and it wouldn’t feel cramped. It must be amazing to live here!"
Finn Pierce shot him a glare, his tone full of disdain. "Can’t even an apple shut that mouth of yours? Haven’t you noticed this place is different?"
Larry Wright, in the passenger seat, had his eyes light up as he pointed out the window. "Captain! There are no zombies here! And a lot of residents are running out. It looks like they’re welcoming us!"
Jack Palmer took a closer look and nodded immediately. "Hey, you’re right! But then again, the walls around this villa district are built like a fortress, and it’s far from the city. It makes sense that there aren’t any zombies."
"Besides, the people in this community are some real tough cookies. They managed to clear out the zombies all by themselves. That makes them a hundred times better than the people in those other neighborhoods who just cry and beg to be rescued!"
While the soldiers chatted among themselves, the residents of the villa district could no longer contain their excitement. Confirming that it was indeed a rescue squad, they threw open their doors and rushed out.
One older woman had barely stepped out of her house before she dropped to her knees on the icy ground with a THUD. "You’re finally here!" she wailed. "I thought I was a dead woman! We’re saved! We’re finally saved!"
Others crowded around the soldiers, sobbing and repeatedly complaining that the rescue had come too late.
"Ugh! Why did it take you so long? If only you had come sooner... sooner..."
Faced with such starkly different emotional outpourings, the soldiers in the convoy seemed numb. Their faces remained impassive, unmoved by the wailing and the accusations.
Their attention remained laser-focused, their eyes fixed on every figure that lunged forward, trying to quickly distinguish human from zombie.
After all, they had been conducting rescue missions for over half a month now and had seen every kind of person the apocalypse had to offer.
Scenes of people throwing tantrums, lashing out, and pointing fingers were already an everyday occurrence for them.
Their sole duty was to proceed with the work of taking control of the various communities within the base’s perimeter.
About half an hour after the armored vehicles rolled past, dozens of construction vehicles drove in slowly and began clearing the obstacles. RUMBLE RUMBLE.
The buckets of the construction vehicles scraped away again and again, clearing all the vines and branches from the ground.
The CRACK-SNAP of breaking branches, combined with the roar of machinery, was enough to give anyone a headache.
Aaron Palmer muttered under his breath as he leaned against a wall, a lollipop stick hanging from his mouth. "Damn, it’s so freaking loud."
Miles Dawson covered his ears. "Tell me about it! I think I’m going deaf!"
Evan Olson watched in silence for a moment before shouting over the noise, "It’s dozens of degrees below zero. The ground is too frozen to dig, so they can only clear what’s on the surface for now."
Not far away, a patrol team was cordoning off a dangerously dilapidated house with cracked walls, using barrier tape.
They slapped a warning sign on it that read: "DANGEROUS BUILDING - DO NOT APPROACH!"
"It’s so noisy! Let’s go back inside!"
Luna Dawson shivered, shrinking into her collar. It was cold and loud, and she quickly urged everyone to head back.
Mrs. Dawson and Wayne Dawson had gone back inside long before. They were busy cooking—after all, nothing was more important than a meal.
The group had just stepped back into the villa when the roar of a helicopter grew steadily louder.
A message boomed from a loudspeaker, continuously broadcasting the takeover notice: "Attention, all survivors! This is the Celestia People’s Liberation Army Rescue Force. We have officially assumed control of the Aurelia Villa District, the Dragon Lake Villa Area, the Aromas Peak Villa District, Autumnwater Estate, and the surrounding regions."
"To ensure the safety of all residents, the following directives are now being issued: First, all survivors must return to their homes immediately and await personnel who will conduct door-to-door registration. Please have any relevant identification documents ready."
"Second, do not enter cordoned-off hazardous buildings or uncleared zones of overgrown vegetation, as this may lead to danger."
"Third, our unit is equipped with ample medical supplies, drinking water, and emergency food. We will provide temporary shelter and basic necessities to survivors after registration is complete."
"Fourth, we ask that everyone maintain order. Do not believe or spread rumors. Obey the directives of the soldiers on site. We will proceed step-by-step with clearing the area, reinforcing security, and rebuilding infrastructure."
"I repeat, all survivors must return to their homes immediately and await personnel for door-to-door registration..."
The clear commands cut through the air, reaching every corner of the district.
In the distance, the army’s construction vehicles continued their work, the roar of their engines mingling with the shouts of soldiers directing the operations.
Aaron Palmer found his gaze drawn to the direction of the military encampment, an unconcealable trace of worry in his eyes.
Blake Blue noticed his expression. "What’s wrong? Feeling homesick?"
The trace of worry on Aaron Palmer’s face vanished instantly. "No. That place stopped being my home a long time ago."
Luna Dawson’s suspicion was piqued. "What’s the matter? Brother Leo, is your family in Kensington, too?"
Miles Dawson looked just as confused. "That’s weird... Brother Leo, what’s up with you?"
Blake Blue glanced at the others. "It’s a family matter. A family matter."
Aaron Palmer’s expression darkened. "My biological father and his hypocritical family are there, that’s all. It’s not important anymore."
Kevin Keane offered some comfort. "It’s alright. Just focus on living your own life. Don’t overthink the rest."
Luna had rarely seen Aaron Palmer like this. Seeing his downcast mood, she decided not to press him, but her curiosity was killing her.
’I’ll just ask Evan Olson for the details later,’ she thought.
A short while later, Wayne Dawson and Rhonda Dawson began bringing the food to the table.
Evan Olson and Blake Blue, always quick to help, rushed to assist with carrying out the dishes and setting the table. Seeing this, Kevin Keane followed their lead. He got up and brought out a platter of steamed fish head with chopped chilies, placing it pointedly right in front of Luna Dawson.
The rich aroma of the food aggressively filled the air. Everyone’s mouth watered as they stared at the full table, and they eagerly picked up their chopsticks to begin.
Just then, Evan Olson spoke up. "I wonder what the military will want to register."
Miles Dawson had a knowing look on his face. "What else? Probably just a headcount, superpowers, stuff like that."
Blake Blue listened quietly before speaking up. "If the military comes to register superpowers, what are we going to tell them? Should we report them truthfully, or...?"
Kevin Keane looked to Luna Dawson, waiting for her decision.
Luna Dawson thought for a moment. "Let’s just be honest about it. There’s no reason to hide anything. Holding back would just make things more complicated and restrictive for us."
Evan Olson nodded in agreement. "True. The government probably has equipment that can detect powers anyway."
Luna Dawson wasn’t worried about that. ’In my past life,’ she recalled, ’the technology to detect superpowers wasn’t developed until the second year of the apocalypse. Even though the country had a half-month head start this time around, I doubt their progress could have been that fast.’