<div> Chapter 61: Chapter 61- Cruel
 In the main chamber of the general, all personnel stood in silence as the man himself entered the room. His presence alone made the atmosphere turn heavy. His eyes swept the room before he turned toward Frederik.
 "How’s the southern gate?" the general asked, voice sharp.
 Frederik hesitated for a moment, then lowered his gaze. "Celestia escaped..."
 The general’s expression hardened. "Escaped? After I assigned you five mutants at your side?"
 "I apologize," Frederik responded quickly. "I’ll make up for it."
 A soft, mocking chuckle echoed behind him, Hike, Igor, Cassian, Mira, and Reinar snickering among themselves. Their reaction only added fuel to Frederik’s quiet frustration. It wasn’t entirely his fault, yet he bore the blame.
 Frederik quickly composed himself and added, "She had help... from someone named Julian."
 "Julian?" The general’s eyes narrowed. "The one people have been whispering about recently?"
 Frederik nodded.
 "So the rumors are true... the one with multiple skills." The general leaned back, considering the implications. "Do you know where he went?"
 "No, sir. I had ordered Reinar to pursue them, but... he disobeyed."
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 </div> The general’s gaze locked onto Reinar, who stood off to the side, arms crossed and indifferent. "Isn’t the virus inside you the most advanced one?"
 Frederik nodded again. "But I still haven’t been able to fully control them."
 Without a word, the general raised his hand. A strange pulse of energy surrounded Reinar.
 Suddenly, Reinar let out a low grunt of pain, staggering and clutching his head. The atmosphere in the room turned cold. Every pair of eyes watched in tense silence as Reinar dropped to one knee, trembling under the unseen force.
 The general stepped forward slowly. "I don’t need weapons that can’t be aimed. Disobey again, and I’ll show you just how fragile you really are."
 Reinar gasped for air, nodding quickly, his face pale and sweating.
 The general turned toward the rest of them. "Let this be a reminder. Loyalty isn’t optional. If any of you think you’re beyond command..." he paused, gaze piercing, "you’ll end up much worse."
 No one dared speak.
 The general returned to his desk, his expression calm yet commanding. He sat down and laced his fingers together, then said coldly, "Continue your report."
 Marek stepped forward. "There’s a possibility that Julian possesses teleportation abilities as well. He fought against my [doppelgänger] before, and it’s likely he used that skill to save Celestia."
 The general frowned slightly, deep in thought. "A troublesome power indeed... If that’s the case, they might still be hiding somewhere within this base. Search every corner. And when you find them, kill them on sight."
 "Yes, sir," came the immediate reply from everyone in the room.
 Frederik then hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Sir, why don’t we capture Rayden’s squad instead of eliminating them?"
 The general looked at him, then replied sharply, "Because Rayden’s squad is too loyal, to him. Their trust in their captain runs too deep. They won’t be swayed easily. They’ll resist and disrupt everything I’ve built."
 He leaned back in his chair, his tone colder than before. "That’s why I chose those five. They were weak. Insecure about their abilities. Much easier to break... and control."
 He glanced around the room. "You wouldn’t want mutants running around without a leash, would you?"
 Frederik nodded slowly, understanding the logic now. "Of course not, sir. As always, your insight is... exceptional."
 The general leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing with calculation.
 "Marek," he said, "didn’t you mention something before, about the weapons Julian’s group was using?"
 Marek nodded. "Yes, sir. Their weapons... they’re not ordinary. There’s some kind of energy running through them. I suspect they’re powered by something like zombie crystals."
 The general’s interest visibly sharpened. "Zombie crystals... if they can be used to forge weapons, that changes everything."
 He turned toward the production division standing by. "Prioritize research into zombie crystals. I want full analysis and experimental weapon models started immediately."
 The lead researcher saluted. "Understood, sir. We’ll begin at once."
 The general then shifted his gaze to Frederik. "Split all infected subjects from the gas release into four divisions, stationed at the south, north, west, and east gates."
 "Yes, sir," Frederik responded with a firm nod.
 "We’ll begin mobilizing the remaining civilians as reserve troops," the general continued. "They will support production and food supply lines. From now on, our focus is clear, fortify our forces, and build a new leadership for this world."
 A unified chorus followed. "Yes, General!"
 -------×-------
 Celestia slowly opened her eyes, the dim morning light casting faint lines across the worn-out ceiling above her. As her vision adjusted, she reached out beside her, only to find the space empty.
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 </div> "...Julian?" she whispered, her voice still husky from sleep.
 Suddenly, from the corner of the room, a shadow flickered and morphed into a human form. Julian emerged, stepping out from his [Shadow] with ease. Celestia gasped slightly, startled.
 "Sorry," Julian said calmly, a small smile on his face. "I went to check on the others... and to deliver a message."
 He walked over and sat beside her, pulling out a wrapped package from his inventory. "I brought food, too."
 Celestia sat up, her expression softening. "Thank you," she murmured, nodding.
 They shared the simple meal together in silence, the air between them now gentler than before. After a few bites, Julian looked up at her.
 "We’ll be leaving soon," he said, voice turning serious. "We don’t have much time."
 Celestia nodded again, wiping her hands clean and setting aside the remnants of their meal. "Understood."
 Julian dashed through the broken alleys of the base, carrying Celestia in his arms. Her expression was still distant, cold, but there was a fire behind her gray eyes now, anger, sorrow, and quiet resolve.
 As they approached the inner sector of the base, they saw crowds of civilians gathered, refugees from every corner of the battlefield. Faces filled with fear, confusion, and uncertainty stared blankly at the tall fences and armed guards surrounding them.
 Celestia narrowed her eyes. "Why are they gathering all the civilians in one place...?"
 Julian’s gaze darkened. "If they plan to turn them into soldiers... like the ones we just fought... we have to move fast."
 She nodded, gripping his sleeve tightly.
 Without another word, Julian pushed forward, weaving through the side passages and shadowed corridors until they finally reached the temporary hideout.
 As Julian entered the hideout, the others quickly turned toward him. Relief washed over their faces when they saw both him and Celestia safe.
 Clarissa rushed over, her tone gentle but filled with concern. "Celestia... are you alright? Julian told us about your squad... about what happened to them."
 Emma, trying to lighten the heavy air, smiled. "Don’t worry! We’ll find a way to bring them back. We’ll save them."
 Veronica crossed her arms, her usual confidence undeterred. "Don’t give up just yet. Celestia."
 Aya, standing a bit behind, spoke with her usual nervous tone, "I-I’ll help... however I can..."
 Celestia stood in silence for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, in her usual cold voice, just slightly softer than usual, she said, "Thank you."
 Julian glanced around and asked, "Where are the others?"
 Emma, cheerful as always, responded, "They’re in the next room, talking about the infection—the gas that turned people."
 Julian nodded and stepped into the adjacent room. As he entered, the others greeted him with a mix of relief and urgency.
 "You’re back," Rayden said casually. "We were just discussing the gas. If we want to find a cure, we’ll need to study someone infected—understand the condition, figure out if there’s any way to reverse it."
 Elien crossed his arms. "So we need to capture one of them alive."
 "I’ll do it," Julian said coldly, his tone calm and resolute. "I’ll bring back a body for you."
 Rayden raised a brow. "You mean a live subject, right? Don’t make it sound like you’re bringing a corpse, man. Are you sure you’re up for this? You just got back."
 Julian shrugged slightly. "I’m the best option. I can sneak in and get out before they know I’m even there."
 Lucia lowered her gaze for a moment. "I’m sorry, Julian. We’re pushing this on you..."
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 </div> Rayden chuckled lightly. "He’s right. We really don’t have any shame."
 Julian’s voice remained steady. "I’m leaving now. They’ve already started gathering civilians."
 Lucia’s eyes widened. "What? Civilians too...?"
 Her fist slammed against the table. "That bastard of a General... he’s involving innocent people now?"
 Rayden turned to Lucia, his voice edged with bitter clarity.
 "Hasn’t the General already done that? Forcing civilians to fight on the front lines?"
 Lucia clenched her fists, frustration flashing in her eyes.
 "That was only the men. those who were physically capable of fighting. But now... they’re including mothers, even children..."
 Her voice trembled slightly.
 "This has gone beyond war. It’s cruelty."
 The room fell silent for a moment. Everyone understood what that meant.
 Rayden’s expression darkened. "This is bad... worse than we thought. We really need to move fast."</div>
 

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Chapter 61- Cruel

Chapter 61: Chapter 61- Cruel In the main chamber of the general, all personnel stood in silence as the man himself entered the room. His presence alone made the atmosphere turn heavy. His eyes swept the room before he turned toward Frederik. "How’s the southern gate?" the general asked, voice sharp. Frederik hesitated for a moment, then lowered his gaze. "Celestia escaped..." The general’s expression hardened. "Escaped? After I assigned you five mutants at your side?" "I apologize," Frederik...

Zombie Domination

Chapter 61- Cruel

Zombie Domination - Chapter 61- Cruel