Marvel: Umbrella Corporation

"Team One, we've spotted a mutated zombie. Requesting permission to engage."

"Permission granted. Commence attack at will."

"Yes, sir."

As the conversation concluded in the helicopter, the pilot wasted no time and pulled the trigger.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

A barrage of rockets launched, heading straight for the mutated zombie, aiming for full-scale suppression.

But just as the rockets neared their target, dozens of laser beams streaked through the air, detonating the rockets mid-flight.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The explosions lit up the sky, but the lasers didn't stop. They turned their attention to the helicopters next.

Fortunately, these helicopters were equipped with specialized anti-laser technology. The glass domes at the front refracted most of the beams, and the fuselages were coated with heat-resistant materials.

For a few seconds, the helicopters withstood the assault, but then the mutated zombie adjusted its strategy. Instead of multiple lasers, it focused all its energy into a single beam.

*Crack! Boom!*

The front glass of one helicopter shattered instantly under the intense heat, and the aircraft was engulfed in flames.

It became evident that the zombie's laser was far more powerful than the helicopters could endure. One by one, the aircraft were destroyed.

This devastating loss forced the military commanders to reconsider their approach. Was it worth sacrificing so many soldiers for such a slim chance of success?

As the aerial assault faltered, a new sound filled the air.

*Woo-woo-woo…*

The distant hum of artillery shells echoed as they arced through the sky, targeting the area around the mutated zombie.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The military had anticipated the ineffectiveness of the rockets and prepared a backup plan: heavy mortar fire.

Shells rained down from miles away, stirring up clouds of dust and debris. As long as the zombie's lasers kept firing, the barrage continued.

For over ten minutes, the bombardment persisted, but the zombie remained unscathed. Meanwhile, the fleet of helicopters dwindled from over three hundred to just a few dozen.

Unable to bear further losses, the military ordered a retreat for the remaining aircraft. The artillery fire also began to wane—not due to a lack of ammunition, but because the deafening explosions had attracted a massive zombie horde.

The artillery encampments were now surrounded, their survival uncertain.

Amid the chaos, two convoys advanced toward the mutated zombie. One belonged to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the mutants, while the other was led by Umbrella Corporation's Alpha Team.

The two groups noticed each other but refrained from clashing, recognizing the greater threat ahead. The Alpha Team even intentionally lagged behind, disappearing into the desert sands.

......

In the S.H.I.E.L.D. convoy, Maria Hill sat in the passenger seat of the lead vehicle, her brow furrowed in thought.

"Who are they?" she asked, glancing at the distant convoy.

The driver, Melinda May, an Asian woman with shoulder-length hair and a tight black S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform, replied gravely, "I'm not sure, but they're definitely not allies. Maybe they're after the mutated zombie too."

Maria nodded. "Whoever they are, they can't interfere with our mission."

May said nothing, focusing on the road ahead. She had only recently joined S.H.I.E.L.D. under Phil Coulson's recruitment. Though hesitant at first, the severity of the zombie crisis and her sense of justice compelled her to join sooner than planned.

.......

Minutes later, the dust cleared, revealing the mutated zombie, untouched by the earlier assault.

Tension gripped everyone. In the third vehicle, Ruth clenched her fists, her gaze fixed on the zombie.

"Jack... I'll make sure you can finally rest in peace, even if it costs me my life," she muttered.

The convoy stopped about a hundred meters from the creature. Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Lorna, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Maria, and a group of mutants disembarked.

The zombie noticed them immediately.

*ROAR!!*

Without hesitation, it launched a laser beam.

"Bruce!" Maria shouted.

Banner transformed into the Hulk and stepped forward to intercept the attack.

*Sizzle…*

The intense heat scorched Hulk's skin, filling the air with the smell of burnt flesh. Roaring in pain and anger, Hulk charged forward through the beam.

"Bruce!"

Reaching the zombie, Hulk swung a mighty fist. But the creature effortlessly caught it and roared, flinging Hulk away like a rag doll.

"Gulp…"

Tony Stark froze mid-step, swallowing hard. He knew Hulk's strength—easily hundreds of tons in normal conditions, potentially much more when enraged. Yet the zombie had tossed him aside with ease.

Regaining his composure, Tony activated his suit's weapons, launching mini-missiles and armor-piercing rounds from a distance.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The others joined the assault. Natasha and Barton used high-powered firearms and arrows, while May fired a sniper rifle.

Maria and Ruth unleashed electromagnetic rounds, and the mutants hurled fireballs, ice spikes, and lightning bolts.

Despite the onslaught, the zombie barely flinched. Instead, it charged through the chaos, killing several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents before setting its sights on Lorna.

Recognizing the danger, Lorna summoned several adamantium plates, dropping them in the zombie's path.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The plates formed a makeshift cage around the zombie, momentarily containing it.

The group sighed in relief, hoping the crisis was over.

But their optimism was short-lived.

"Boom!"

A dent appeared in one of the adamantium plates.

"No way... Even adamantium can't hold it?" Maria exclaimed in disbelief.

Lorna rolled her eyes. "Maybe if you'd brought thicker plates. These are barely six centimeters!"

The fight was far from over.

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