Regressed with Omnipotent AI on Zombie Apocalypse-Chapter 161: Strong Defense

The older woman fired shot after shot, but her aim was poor, and most of the bullets missed. Even the few that hit the creature's shell ricocheted off, leaving no visible damage. As the monster closed the distance, panic overtook the older woman. She fired again, but this time, disaster struck—the bullet deflected off the creature and struck Bianca in the back. "Ahh!" Bianca cried out, collapsing to the ground in pain.

"It's over... Bianca! Get up! It's catching up!" the older woman screamed in despair.

"Sister, go! Find a patrolling mechanical dog!" Bianca shouted through her tears. She knew she couldn't escape now. The only way to ensure the others' safety was for her to buy time.

"I'm sorry, Sir Zack," Bianca murmured, her voice choked with emotion. "It seems I won't see you again..." She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face as the monster's footsteps grew louder.

Boom!

A blinding particle beam shot down from the sky, striking the creature dead-on. The intense heat melted through its carapace, blasting it back and sending it tumbling down the riverbank.

Thud!

A tall armored figure landed heavily in front of the creature. Bianca opened her eyes at the sound, her vision blurry from pain and tears. When she saw the scene before her, she froze in shock. "Sir Zack!" she shouted, forgetting the pain entirely as relief and awe overtook her.

Zack flicked open his helmet, revealing his calm face. He turned to Bianca and said, "If something happens, notify the patrolling mechanical dogs immediately. Don't investigate alone."

NYC's mechanical dogs patrolled 24/7, ensuring the area was always secure. "I'm sorry... I caused so much trouble..." Bianca lowered her head, her face flushed with shame. The bullet wound on her back seemed insignificant compared to her embarrassment.

"It's fine," Zack replied evenly. He didn't reprimand her further—his real focus was the monster lying near the river.

This creature, though similar to the Abyss Crawlers captured on satellite imagery, had notable differences. While the Abyss Crawlers had jet-black carapaces, this monster's shell was a light grayish-brown, blending in with the river's sandy silt. Additionally, its lower body lacked the fish tail seen on Abyss Crawlers. Instead, it had multiple shrimp-like legs, giving it the appearance of a giant prawn with a humanoid upper body.

Zack's eyes narrowed as he studied the creature. "Interesting... Could it be a variant of the Abyss Crawlers?" Zack muttered, his sharp gaze locked onto the struggling monster. Its cracked carapace and writhing form intrigued him, but his tone was cold and calculating.

If it was a Abyss Crawlers, it meant they could now enter freshwater, posing a significant new threat. More importantly, this marked the first time NYC had been directly attacked by a sea creature. "Sir, I lack sufficient data to confirm your suspicion," Ego replied. "However, the specimen could be taken back for dissection."

Zack nodded. "Then we'll take it back." He closed his visor and walked toward the injured creature.

"Arghhh!" The monster let out a piercing scream, its jagged mouthparts opening wide as it desperately crawled toward the water. Before it could make any progress, Zack's iron foot, weighing several hundred kilograms, stomped heavily onto its shell.

The creature screeched louder, its body convulsing as it thrashed under Zack's weight. Its sharp, jagged legs clawed helplessly at the ground. Zack remained unfazed. He raised his arm, activating the laser transmitter built into his Apex suit. "Scan the central nervous system," he commanded.

A holographic display illuminated his HUD, showing a dotted line tracing the creature's spine up to its brain. The red laser swept across the creature's carapace with precision, slicing through its central nervous system. The cut rendered the monster immobile, severing its motor functions without killing it. "Where's your refrigerated truck?" Zack turned and asked, holding the lifeless creature in one arm as if it weighed nothing.

"Our truck is in the D-12 fishing area!" Bianca blurted out, her voice filled with excitement despite her injury. She was still starstruck from meeting Zack face to face, completely ignoring the bleeding wound in her back.

Fortunately, the bullet had missed any major arteries. "Alright. Lead the way." Zack walked over to her, bent down, and extended his left arm. A panel on the armor popped open, releasing a burst of emergency medical freezing spray onto her wound. With a faint hiss, a gel-like substance rapidly covered the injury.

"Why... it doesn't hurt anymore!" Bianca exclaimed in surprise. The numbing chill of the gel replaced the sharp pain, and within moments, she could stand and even walk again.

"It's only temporary. The bullet is still inside," Zack said matter-of-factly. "Once you're back, go to the infirmary and have someone extract it."

"Understood!" Bianca nodded vigorously, her wide eyes sparkling with admiration.

Zack followed Bianca and the older woman to the truck. When the other girls saw Zack approaching, their jaws dropped in shock. They scrambled to fix their disheveled appearances, visibly panicking under his stoic gaze.

Zack ignored their reactions and went straight to the truck's refrigerated compartment. He opened the door, and a wave of cold air hit him. Inside, the tiger shrimp fish Bianca and her team had caught earlier were neatly frozen in rows. "So this is tiger shrimp fish?" Zack mused, inspecting the catch. Despite the fish being a key protein source for the base, Zack rarely ate it. The villa area where he lived was stocked with fresh beef, pork, and poultry from Sing Sing Farm's carefully managed livestock. "The meat looks decent," he commented, studying the frozen fish.

With a heavy thud, Zack tossed the immobilized monster into the truck. "Drive this to Tribeca. A mechanical beast will be waiting to escort you," he instructed, slamming the compartment door shut.

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The girls nodded nervously. Without another word, Zack activated the suit's propellers and took off, flying low along the River. Within seconds, he disappeared from view. "Stop staring, Bianca! Get in the car! We need to complete the leader's mission!" the older woman urged, snapping her out of her daze.

"Right!" Bianca reluctantly climbed into the passenger seat, stealing one last glance at the sky where Zack had vanished.

Zack hovered low over the riverbank, scanning the area as he moved downstream. After dozens of kilometers, he finally spotted another creature identical to the one he'd captured. "There's more than one," he muttered, hovering mid-air. He raised his arm, and a mini-missile slid out of his armor. With a soft whoosh, it arced through the air and landed directly in the reeds where the monster was lurking.

Boom!

The explosion sent a massive plume of water and debris into the air, flattening the surrounding reeds. When the spray settled, the monster lay on its back, its shrimp-like legs twitching in the air. Its carapace had been blown open, exposing torn flesh and shattered bones. Though it was dead, its body remained mostly intact, save for the gaping hole in its abdomen. "This thing's defense is ridiculous," Zack remarked coldly, his eyes narrowing as he studied the remains.

The durability of the creature's carapace was impressive, but Zack knew part of the issue lay with his Apex suit. Though still functional, the suit's technology was outdated, particularly its weapons systems. "We need an upgrade," Zack muttered, his voice tinged with frustration as he hovered over the scene.