My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse - Chapter 585

Chapter 585: Chapter 585 Dr. Shuveck and Engineer Steel
When the apocalypse struck, Dr. Shuveck was deep into his research, working on a breakthrough a better solar panel designed to alleviate the strain humanity was placing on the planet.

The project aimed to reduce the harm that energy consumption needed to power cities and mitigate the damage being done to the ozone layer.

Just as he was nearing a major breakthrough, everything fell apart.

Soldiers stormed his research facility, seizing him and his colleagues with brutal efficiency.

They were herded into military vehicles like cattle, along with other vital figures.

As they were being transported, Dr. Shuveck learned from one of the soldiers that his son—one of the nation’s top scientists—was also part of the evacuation.

The government had prioritized the safety of individuals like Dr. Shuveck, believing their survival was crucial to humanity’s future. If civilization had to rebuild from the ashes, people like him would be key to finding a way forward.

Unfortunately, during their transport, disaster struck. The military vehicle was thrown off balance as the driver plowed into a horde of zombies.

The vehicle’s tires rolled over their bodies, but the driver misjudged the terrain—what seemed like a minor incline turned out to be too much to overcome.

With the relentless push of the zombie horde pressing in from all sides, the military vehicle tipped over.

Despite the soldiers’ best efforts to fight back and clear the path, chaos erupted. Many inside the vehicle were injured, some knocked unconscious from head trauma.

Dr. Shuveck was among them, suffering a mild concussion when his head struck the side of the vehicle.

When he regained consciousness, the scene was eerily quiet. The sounds of gunfire, once deafening as soldiers desperately fought to protect the convoy, had fallen silent.

It was clear that most of the soldiers who had been attempting to defend the group had been overrun.

The remaining soldiers could do little but evacuate the remaining survivors as best they could, leaving behind the fallen.

After all, they couldn’t risk sacrificing the entire forest for a single tree. While Dr. Shuveck and the others were undeniably important, the rest of the convoy was equally vital.

The soldiers faced a difficult decision: they could either prioritize saving the larger group, or turn back to protect a few scientists and engineers at the cost of endangering everyone else.

In the end, the choice was clear—securing the safety of the majority was the only option.

The loud gunfire echoed through the chaotic scene, momentarily drawing the zombies away.

Fortunately, the military vehicle was heavily armored, and though it had tipped over, the occupants inside managed to survive.

Among them was Engineer Steel, three armed soldiers, and two researchers from different departments.

With the vehicle inoperable and too heavy to right, they had no choice but to abandon it. Now, on foot, they faced the treacherous journey ahead with extreme caution.

The group was severely outnumbered in terms of combatants—only three soldiers were fit for defense, while the rest of the group consisted of non-combatants.

Two of the researchers, already elderly, struggled to keep pace with the others. Every step was fraught with danger, but survival depended on their ability to move carefully and stay vigilant.

In the end, one soldier gave his life to protect them, and both the doctor and the researcher were overwhelmed, falling behind and being overtaken by the zombie horde, their pursuers closing in fast.

When they could, they traveled by car, but when the roads became impassable, they had no choice but to continue on foot.

Their original destination had been the capital, or one of the government-established shelters and bases.

However, their route was blocked and infested with thousands of zombies. With only two soldiers and limited ammunition, they knew they wouldn’t make it.

Remembering that a shelter had been set up in City B, and that some of their comrades were likely headed there too, the two soldiers decided to reroute, hoping to find reinforcements and complete their mission.

Despite enduring countless trials and surviving the relentless zombie onslaught, the two soldiers ultimately couldn’t make it.

Fully aware of Dr. Shuveck and Engineer Steel’s significance to the government, they knew their primary duty was to get them to safety, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives.

Cornered in a building on the outskirts of City B, with only a few rounds of ammunition left and makeshift weapons at their disposal, the soldiers did what they could to buy time.

They drew the zombies’ attention, creating distractions, while Dr. Shuveck and Engineer Steel attempted to escape undetected.

Sadly, the soldiers were overrun by the sheer numbers of the horde. Exhausted, hungry, and battered from days of fighting, they simply couldn’t hold on any longer.

With no combat experience and no means of defending themselves, Dr. Shuveck and Engineer Steel believed their fate was sealed.

However, by chance, they crossed paths with another group fleeing towards City B— the Evans’ bodyguard and maid. Seeing the two men in such a dire state, the group took them in without hesitation.

Grateful for the unexpected rescue, Dr. Shuveck and Engineer Steel blended into the group and fought side by side with them.

Under the bodyguards’ tutelage, they learned basic combat skills, enabling them to protect themselves and contribute to the group’s survival as they made their way to City B.

The rest of their story unfolded when they were nearing the City B’s base, and they encountered Kisha, who came to their rescue.

Had she not intervened at that critical moment, they would have been wiped out. However, Dr. Shuveck and Engineer Steel had blended in so seamlessly with the group that neither Kisha nor Duke recognized them until much later.

It wasn’t until they took on tasks from the mission board and revealed their true identities that Duke discovered who they really were.

Kisha, on the other hand, only learned of their identity at the last possible moment.

Perhaps Kisha was simply too busy, or maybe she hadn’t paid enough attention while scanning the group while she was checking their morality values using her ‘Eye of The Truth’.

She might not have focused on their names at the time. It wasn’t until she saw the list of people from the central hall that she realized who they were—and it was Duke who casually mentioned it in passing.

That’s why Duke had been carrying the blueprint around. They realized they didn’t need to make a special trip to City D to find the people they had been discussing earlier.

“City Lord,” Engineer Steel said, breaking Kisha and Dr. Shuveck’s reverie, “I also wanted to request your help in finding my son. He’s a brilliant machine engineer, just like me—I taught him everything I know.”

“As far as I can recall, he was supposed to be in City D that day as a guest speaker for a scheduled lecture. I was hoping he might still be there, or at the very least, I’d like to know any news about him if he’s alive or not.”

Kisha glanced at Engineer Steel, noticing for the first time that these two middle-aged men, so dedicated to their work, were now speaking about their sons.

It struck her as unusual that they would mention them now, after such a long silence—perhaps something had occurred while she was away.