Novel Full Chapter 49 It’s Going To Be A Long Day Part 3
Chapter 49 It’s Going To Be A Long Day Part 3
It didn’t take long for Richard’s Chief of Staff to gather in the meeting room as soon as he called for it.
In just under ten minutes, all Chief of Staffs who were working in their respective post earlier, now found themselves sitting around a long table with Richard at the head of the table.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Richard began addressing the Chiefs of Staff. “All of you must be wondering why I convened an emergency meeting. The reason is simple, I have received an emergency quest from my system stating that we have to prepare for the wave. And that wave will be happening tomorrow.”
Upon revealing that, the Chief of Staff for Special Operations, Graves asked first.
“Is there any subsequent information about the quest? Like how many of them are we facing, what kind?”
Richard shook his head. “No, what I have said is the only message I got from my system. We don’t know the full extent of the wave but one thing we can be certain of is that it is going to be the worst. Possibly thousands of zombies marching from all directions and among them are mutated zombies.” 𝙚𝙤𝙫𝙚𝒍.𝒐𝙧𝙜
“Then we must prepare for it, sir,” Graves said firmly.
Richard nodded. “That I agree with, which is why I’m purchasing troops from my system, 435 of them. In total, there’d be 850 troops under our command. And then I’m buying military hardware, air and land. I was planning on buying attack and reconnaissance drones but since we don’t have a runway and we are facing extreme circumstances, I’m pushing it off. Instead, I’m going to buy an attack helicopter to increase our firepower.”
“That’s a good decision, sir,” Stephen, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, praised.
“I shall monitor our perimeter through available CCTV cameras. I’ll notify you sir the moment I see a herd,” Sara prudently said, as she, the Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, leaned forward in her chair.
Richard nodded in approval.
“For now, I want the Army that I’ll be summoning hours later to prepare for tomorrow’s wave. The Chief of Staff for the Army shall begin drafting plans on how we are going to protect the square kilometer grid,” Richard said as he flickered his gaze to Philip.
“Consider it done, sir,” Philip responded with determination. “I’ll coordinate with the troops as soon as they arrive and ensure that we have a solid defense plan in place.”
Richard turned to his Chief of Staff for Logistics and Supplies, Maria. “Maria, make sure we have an inventory of all the weapons and equipment we’re getting from the system and keep track of our supplies. We can’t afford any logistical issues during this operation.”
Maria nodded. “I’ll have a team ready to receive and distribute the equipment as soon as it arrives, sir.”
“Great, now that it is settled on the operational side, let’s focus on the survivors should the wave arrive tomorrow,” Richard changed the topic. “Since we have encountered mutated zombies with supernatural strengths and speeds, I think it’ll be dangerous if we have them confined in this condominium. We have to relocate them somewhere that it is easy to protect where all of them can be accommodated—”
Richard was interrupted by Mark. “A university is what describes such a location best, sir. Large campuses with multiple buildings, open spaces, and strong infrastructure. It would be ideal for housing and protecting survivors. Not only that, it’s only a walking distance, about 300 meters from here. It would be an easy relocation as we won’t need any military vehicles to transport them to and fro.”
“That’s an excellent suggestion, Mark,” Richard replied, nodding in agreement. “I think we have settled everything? In that case, let’s announce this to the survivors.”
***
One hour later, in the function hall of the condominium, original survivors and those who were rescued during Operation Reclamation were congregated. All of them looked apprehensive as they didn’t know why they were suddenly called for a gathering.
Richard stood at the podium, flanked by his Chief of Staff team.
Among the crowds, Lisa was nudged gently on her arm by one of her classmates, Angela.
“Do you know what your brother is going to announce?” Angela asked.
“Fill us in,” Angela urged.
Lisa turned to Angela, her brow furrowed with worry. “No, I don’t have the slightest idea. Brother hasn’t told me anything specific. All I know is that something urgent has come up, and he’s taking it very seriously.”
The tension in the room was palpable as everyone awaited Richard’s announcement. Rumors had been circulating among the survivors, things like some would be kicked out due to food supply or something like that, but nobody had concrete information about what was happening.
Lisa glanced around the room, seeing the fear and uncertainty on the faces of the survivors. She knew that the news would be a shock to many, but she hoped that Richard’s leadership and the careful planning of his Chief of Staff team would reassure them.
Richard cleared his throat and began addressing the gathered survivors. “Ladies and gentlemen, I know you’re all wondering why we’ve called you here today. The reason is grave, and we want to be transparent with you. We have received an actionable intelligence that there’d be a major swarm or herds of zombies tomorrow.”
Revealing the news, the survivors gasped in shock and exchanged worried glances. The gravity of the situation was sinking in, and the room grew even more tense.
Richard continued, “I want to emphasize that we are taking this threat seriously, and we are doing everything in our power to protect all of you. We have already taken steps to bolster our defenses. Our men outside Makati will be arriving to reinforce our strength carrying equipment to ensure your safety.”
Lisa watched as some of the fear in the room began to give way to a cautious hope. Richard’s leadership and the presence of his capable Chief of Staff team were making a difference.
“Given that our forces have faced various infections that exhibit different skills and abilities. My Chief of Staff and I have deemed the condominium not safe enough to withstand the upcoming threat. You can see it when we were attacked by a winged infected. That’s why we’ve decided to relocate all of you to a safer location.”
“So you are not kicking us out or something?” One of the survivors raised a concerned question.
Richard tilted his head to the side upon hearing that question, and he chuckled softly “Where did you get the idea that we will kick you out?”
Richard’s response elicited a collective sigh of relief from the gathered survivors.
“I thought maybe we are losing supplies or something…” the man shyly said as he rubbed his head.
“No, we are not kicking anyone out,” Richard reassured them. “Okay, I think I’m done delivering the news and the actions we would take. Are there any questions that you have?”
A woman in the crowd raised her hand. It was Angela’s, standing next to his little sister, Lisa.? Richard gestured for her to speak.
“Where are we going to be relocated, sir?” Angela asked and the survivors hummed in anticipation, clearly sharing her concern.
“We have identified a nearby university campus as the relocation site. It’s named Central Makati University. It’s a place with ample space and strong infrastructure. My forces have cleared it out of zombies so it’s safe. We will be stationing ample troops in the university to ensure it stays that way.”
“What will happen after the threat is eliminated? Will we be returned to the condominium or are we staying there?” Denise inquired.
“Yesterday, the Blackwatch Military Company conducted an operation called Operation Reclamation. We have cleared any threats within a square-kilometer grid with condominiums at its center. The operation was a success and as a result, we have expanded our territory. So after the threat is neutralized you’ll be staying at the university until we have finished planning individual or family settlements. Any other questions?”
No one raised a hand or spoke a word.
“I’ll take your silence as a yes. That would be all, everyone. My men will facilitate the relocation to ensure a smooth transition to the Central Makati University campus. Please follow their instructions and cooperate with our staff to make this process as efficient and safe as possible.”
Richard scanned the room once more, his gaze landing on Lisa and Angela, who were listening intently. He offered them a reassuring nod before concluding, “Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this challenging time. Together, we will face this threat and emerge stronger on the other side.”
As Richard stepped away from the podium, the men began coordinating with the survivors, directing them toward the relocation process.
Lisa, Angela, and the rest of the survivors started to disperse.
However, just as they were about to fall in line, Richard got to them and grabbed Lisa by the arm.
“Eughk—” Lisa was startled as her brother Richard unexpectedly pulled her aside.
“Brother, what is it?” Lisa asked, slightly flustered.
“Nothing, I just want to see you.”
Lisa’s cheek warmed with a faint blush as she realized her brother’s intentions. “Will I be seeing you in the university?”
“Unfortunately, I’ll be busy from here and out.”
“I understand, good luck brother,” Lisa whispered.
Richard gave Lisa’s arm a reassuring squeeze before letting her go and join the line.
As he watched her disappear, Richard cracked his knuckles.
“Let’s get this started.”