"Quick! Support our own! Move, brothers—move fast!"
Someone shouted, "The military convoy doesn't have infinite ammo! If they run out, they're done for!"
As the warning echoed through the area, residents began following the rules of the Urban Disaster Emergency Protocol. In the event of an imminent apocalyptic threat, citizens were allowed to activate personal defense measures and utilize the weapons stored in their shelters.
Soon, windows in nearby apartment buildings swung open one after another, revealing an arsenal of civilian weaponry.
Sniper rifles, assault rifles, submachine guns, handguns... even sci-fi-style mechanized firearms with high-tech flair appeared in view.
What? You think these kinds of heavy-duty weapons shouldn't be classified as civilian-grade?
Sure, in peacetime, absolutely not.
But these were no ordinary times.
This was the apocalypse.
The government, especially under Mike's leadership, had never been naïve enough to demand all citizens fight while denying them the right to be armed. Compared to the elite military firepower in Nanjing, these weapons were barely above entry-level. Against real combat-capable Awakeners, their firepower was nothing.
"Let's go, people! Open fire!"
"Kill those damn zombies! It's time to WORK!"
Gunfire erupted throughout the neighborhood, the roar of bullets echoing in waves:
Ratatatatatat! Ratatatatatat!
Though they were civilians, most had undergone emergency combat training—everyone here had survived months into the apocalypse. They could at least shoot straight, and more importantly, they wouldn't shoot their own. With the military vehicles being armored and the streets wide open, there was no risk of friendly fire or collateral damage.
"Soldiers! Don't be afraid—we've got your back!"
A woman's voice shrieked from a nearby window. "Take this!"
Whoosh!
A rocket launcher screamed through the sky, trailing a bright white vapor trail before crashing into a horde of zombies.
BOOM!!!
The explosion blasted limbs and blood into the air. Residents in lower floors quickly slammed their windows shut, shielding themselves from the gore raining down like a twisted storm.
"You crazy lady! Use something smaller next time!"
"Think about the neighbors! What if someone gets infected?!"
People shouted their complaints while Mike glanced toward the source of the rocket. If he remembered correctly, the woman was part of an officially-registered exploration squad. All of her weapons were government-approved.
"Sorry! I'll adjust my aim next time!" she called back, her voice bright—but it was clear she had no intention of stopping.
Residents nearby turned pale and scrambled to shut their windows, terrified of being caught in her next blast radius.
With armed civilians joining the fight, the zombie advance toward the military convoy slowed significantly. However, the gunfire also attracted the zombies' attention.
Many of the undead began turning their heads, shifting their focus away from the convoy and toward the apartment buildings.
Their speed was terrifying—within mere seconds, they had reached the base of the buildings.
Luckily, this residential complex was built like a fortress. Not only was it bulletproof, but its reinforced construction could even withstand missile strikes. These mindless zombies stood no chance of tearing down reinforced steel doors.
But these weren't ordinary zombies.
They had brains.
They couldn't break through the doors? No problem.
They started climbing.
Taking advantage of balconies, pipes, and any architectural foothold, the undead began scaling the walls like some kind of grotesque zombie-Spider-Men hybrid.
"Hell no! Are these things trained rock climbers now?!"
"What kind of mutant zombies are these?! They run, they hit hard, headshots don't kill them—and now they CLIMB?!"
Panic rippled through the residents.
The intensity of this fourth wave of the apocalypse had become undeniable. These zombies weren't just powerful—they were relentless and overwhelming.
Lower floors quickly sealed their windows and shifted to defensive mode. With zombies climbing so close, residents could no longer use heavy-area weapons without risking friendly fire.
But people weren't about to sit and watch their neighbors die.
"Where are the Awakeners?! I know we've got a ton of exploration team members in this complex!"
"Step up, neighbors need you! The Commander is watching—we're counting on you!"
The call to arms lit a spark in the hearts of the Awakeners hiding in their shelters.
Window after window opened again as combat-class Awakeners began revealing themselves, unleashing their powers from above.
BOOM!
Fireballs exploded in the zombie horde.
Crackling arcs of electricity snaked down the building's exterior, causing climbing zombies to twitch violently before falling like rain.
Some Awakeners used control-based powers, turning parts of the zombie horde against each other—sowing chaos from within the ranks.
The flood of awakened powers slowed the undead onslaught, but elsewhere, many battle-hungry close-combat Awakeners were gritting their teeth in frustration.
"Damn it! The emergency lockdown is still in effect! We can't go out there yet!"
"I'm wasting all this battle potential! When are they gonna lift the restrictions?!"
"Let me out! I swear I can solo this whole swarm!"
The jealousy was real—ranged Awakeners could attack and rack up points without breaking protocol. Meanwhile, melee fighters were stuck indoors.
Suddenly, a deep buzzing echoed from the skies above the neighborhood.
Drones.
Massive swarms of combat drones filled the sky, stretching as far as the eye could see. Each drone carried automated weapons and deployed them with deadly precision.
Explosives rained down, gunfire erupted from machine gun turrets, and grenades exploded amidst the undead hordes.
Mike frowned. "Took them long enough... must be chaos outside the complex too."
This area was a high-priority district, where Mike himself resided. Yet it had taken nearly eight minutes for the first wave of support drones to arrive—and that was all that came.
That meant the entire city was under attack.
And reinforcements were stretched thin.
It wasn't that command didn't care about Mike's safety. These were rules he had personally enforced—always prioritize the majority's safety over his own.
His shelter alone had been reinforced with post-modern defensive tech. Even without protection, Mike could hold out longer than most districts combined.
Just as he was preparing to shift his vision to other areas of the city, a sudden broadcast blared across the neighborhood.
"Announcing Emergency Protocol for the Fourth Apocalypse Wave!"
"By order of the Supreme Commander, the citywide lockdown has been lifted! All combat-class Awakeners are now authorized to engage!"
"Activate your personal battle recorders—your contributions will be logged and rewarded accordingly."
"Current bounty rate: 1 Contribution Point per 10 zombies slain. Extra rewards for exceptional performance."
"Non-combat Awakeners, please remain in your shelters and use forums or emergency communicators to request help."
"Civilians may assist nearby Awakeners in defense and earn contribution points."
"Be advised: Most laws remain in effect. No friendly fire, no sabotage, no unauthorized destruction. Report misconduct for rewards."
"Our new home won't protect itself—humanity needs YOU! Fight for the future!"
The broadcast was citywide—meaning all four major urban centers had lifted restrictions at once.
Mike's expression tightened. "Looks like Command's feeling the pressure."
In previous apocalypses, they'd never resorted to full civilian mobilization. But now? They were actively encouraging mass participation.
The zombie threat wasn't about strength—it was about numbers. Endless, suffocating numbers.
If these creatures had spawned inside residential buildings, the casualties would've been catastrophic.
He muttered, "Even zombies are getting 'mechanic-level upgrades' now... This wave's no joke."
Suddenly—
"Time to rack up some points! Every zombie's a ticket to glory!"
"This is MY moment! Let me at 'em!"
"Zombies? Bah! Bring it on!"
BOOM!
Windows shattered as close-combat Awakeners leapt from upper floors, smashing into the hordes below like comets.
Mike winced.
These guys… they were all acting like little Chen Dafengs. Brash, fearless, borderline insane.
"Damn it," Mike muttered, rubbing his temple. "We've got a full-blown case of the Chen Dafeng Effect. It's spreading."
He couldn't help but chuckle.
Chen Dafeng had become a symbol of heroic recklessness, someone even Command was grooming into a potential city-level combat icon.
Naturally, others wanted to follow in his footsteps.
"Kill!!!"
The close-combat Awakeners tore through the zombies like wolves in a flock of sheep, painting the streets red.
Inside the shelters, their loved ones shouted worried warnings.
"Be careful! If you get bitten, you'll turn!"
Mike wasn't worried.
Anyone living in the core district was top-tier—almost all combatants here were A-rank or above, with barely a handful of B-ranks.
These people weren't just strong.
They were the city's best.
And even they were being swarmed by the sheer numbers of undead.
"The system just keeps spawning them," Mike muttered. "Are we supposed to keep fighting like this… for a month straight?"
He sighed. "And I still haven't even sent out the team to Shanghai…"
Just then, a new system notification popped up in front of his eyes.