Seeing that Roger and Xu Hao seemed to be teaming up to deal with the High Level Zombie, Lin Xinghai's spirits lifted, and he began to observe them closely.
'This High Level Zombie is putting a lot of pressure on me. If I see how others handle it, I'll have a reference for when I have to face one myself.'
After loading the Special Bullet, Roger pulled a high-magnification scope from a pocket on his Combat Suit and attached it to his Tearing Rifle.
Only after completing these preparations did he raise his rifle to aim. Compared to his previous relaxed demeanor, Roger was now completely and utterly focused.
'Is he about to go all out?' Lin Xinghai watched with great anticipation.
Meanwhile, Xu Hao, though he hadn't loaded a Special Bullet, also took out a high-magnification scope and attached it to his Tearing Rifle.
Then, he took aim.
Compared to his usual speed, he aimed for an unusually long time, holding his position for a full five seconds.
Of course, this was also to let the High Level Zombie get closer.
It wasn't until the creature was within 30 meters of the convoy that Xu Hao finally pulled the trigger.
BANG!
A sharp gunshot cracked through the air. Lin Xinghai saw the High Level Zombie, which was charging at full speed, make a distinct evasive movement.
He knew that if he'd taken that shot, the Zombie would have dodged it completely.
But Xu Hao's Gun Technique proficiency was definitely at 60%. His prediction was perfect, and the bullet struck the High Level Zombie squarely in the chest.
Even with a standard round, the Tearing Rifle possessed terrifying Attack Power. A single shot would pass straight through an ordinary Zombie.
Even an Intermediate Zombie would stagger back several steps if hit in the chest.
But this High Level Zombie before them merely paused for an imperceptible moment. Its chest barely bled; the bullet must have been stopped by its sternum, leaving its internal organs unharmed.
For a Zombie, an injury like this was little more than a scratch. After a brief halt, the High Level Zombie immediately corrected its posture and prepared to charge forward again.
However, that momentary pause created an opening. In Roger's eyes, it was a fatal one.
BANG!
The shot rang out. The Special Bullet flew from the muzzle, giving the High Level Zombie no time to react before it struck its forehead and exited through the back of its skull.
THUD!
The menacing High Level Zombie died just like that, causing barely a ripple.
It all looked so simple and effortless; Roger and Xu Hao had each fired only a single shot.
But Lin Xinghai knew full well that this was entirely due to their outstanding Gun Technique.
Roger, in particular, had seized that fleeting opportunity. His Gun Technique proficiency had to be at least 70%.
Of course, this was also a testament to how terrifying High Level Zombies were.
By Lin Xinghai's estimation, if someone wanted to kill one on their own, their Gun Technique proficiency would need to be over 90%.
'It's getting more and more dangerous the deeper we go into the city! Should I increase my Gun Technique proficiency?' Lin Xinghai was lost in thought.
He was certain he couldn't defeat this kind of High Level Zombie even if he became one of the Optimized. His only path to victory was to rely on Firearms.
But in the current situation, he had no opportunity to gather Blood Qi Power.
If he increased his Gun Technique proficiency now but didn't encounter enough Zombies on the way back to the Shelter, his plan to become one of the Optimized would be ruined!
While improving his Gun Technique proficiency would grant a greater increase in combat power, he couldn't even carry a gun inside the Shelter.
The fact that his personal strength wasn't improving left him with a nagging sense of unease.
He had to be especially wary of potential retaliation from the Axe Gang.
'Sigh, I can only take it one step at a time. I'm relatively safe for now. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.' Lin Xinghai shook his head, pushing the matter from his mind and focusing on killing Zombies.
The appearance of the High Level Zombie seemed to be nothing more than a minor incident for the rest of the group.
The veteran Mercenaries didn't even spare the High Level Zombie a second glance during the entire encounter.
It was clearly not the first time they had faced such a situation. They had complete confidence in Roger and Xu Hao's ability to work together.
And indeed, as the convoy pushed deeper, the number of Intermediate Zombies grew, and even High Level Zombies appeared from time to time.
Of course, these High Level Zombies didn't always appear at the rear of the convoy. Sometimes they were at the front, sometimes at the sides.
But regardless of which direction they attacked from, the response was always the same.
Someone would initiate the attack, forcing the Zombie to pause and reveal an opening. Then, someone with better Gun Technique would use a Special Bullet to deliver a fatal shot to the head.
Time flew by. Twenty minutes passed quickly, and the convoy had already advanced seven kilometers.
In the process, Lin Xinghai realized that the convoy's route had been planned out long in advance.
In fact, without such planning, they wouldn't have been able to advance at all.
The city was filled with collapsed buildings, and the original roads were either buried in rubble or completely fractured.
To push deep into the urban center, one had to clear a path for themselves.
The Heaven-Sundering Mercenary Corps had evidently already done this clearing work the last time they entered Tianshan City, which was why their advance was so smooth this time.
However, the unexpected always happens, and this was one of those times.
They were currently driving on a dilapidated stretch of road, its surface riddled with potholes and obstructed by abandoned cars and rocks.
None of this, however, could stop the convoy's advance.
However, when a 10-story building collapsed and fell squarely across the road ahead of them, further progress became impossible.
The building had clearly collapsed within the past few days, so they hadn't been able to clear it beforehand.
Lin Xinghai was curious. 'How do they handle an unexpected situation like this?'
He soon got his answer. The "Heaven-Sundering" and "Celestial Frost," which had been on standby the whole time, finally deployed.
Propelled by their pneumatic systems, the two Mechas leaped lightly off the Armored Vehicles and headed straight for the toppled building.
Naturally, they were attacked by many Zombies along the way.
However, in the face of the Mechas forged from special Alloy, these Zombies were practically nonexistent.
At over five meters tall, the Mechas dealt with these Zombies as if they were kicking soccer balls; a single kick sent a large group flying.
Upon reaching the collapsed building, Fang Tianhe, piloting "Heaven-Sundering," drew the Vibrating Giant Blade from its back.
SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH!
At that moment, the Mecha displayed an agility that belied its size. As its mechanical arms swung with incredible speed, more than a dozen massive, gleaming arcs of light appeared, instantly slicing the building blocking their path into several sections.
Then, the two Mechas transformed into... movers.
They lifted the severed sections of the building and tossed them aside.