My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse novel Chapter 514

Fred’s awakened ability made him an excellent backup, which is why he was positioned at the rear.

Like Evelyn, his stamina had been affected by the continuous strain of their actions since the beginning.

He had already infused numerous empty cartridges during their journey.

Whenever they made a stop, Fred would take the time to infuse five to ten bullets—or even more, depending on how long they rested.

By now, he had accumulated several hundred infused rounds, allowing him to manage his spiritual energy efficiently.

Unlike the others, he didn’t need to push himself to his physical limit during combat.

However, the main drawback was the quality of his weapon.

The more he used his gun, the more it wore down, especially the barrel.

After prolonged use, the barrel would reach its limit and eventually explode.

Because of this, Fred had to constantly switch out his firearms and be meticulous when infusing his spiritual energy into the cartridges.

If he wasn’t careful with the amount of energy he infused, the bullets could backfire and explode.

Despite these drawbacks, Fred’s ability proved incredibly useful.

As an excellent marksman, he was able to provide cover for the team from the rear, ensuring everyone’s safety during their movements.

Weapon in hand, he moved cautiously through the warehouse, only calling out once he was certain the area was secure. "The warehouse is clear!"

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

Each member of his team, stationed at different corners of the warehouse, called out from all sides, confirming the area was secure.

Only then did Duke and the rest of the team enter, quickly closing the door and reinforcing it with some wood.

But even that wouldn’t hold the zombies back for long.

Then Evelyn stepped forward from the crowd, her eyes focused as she used her awakened ability.

She manipulated a nearby metal scrap, fusing it seamlessly to reinforce the door.

The result was a sturdy, impromptu lock.

The others couldn’t help but whistle in admiration. It was effortless for her—tearing metal apart or merging it together at will.

Once they managed to lock themselves inside, they collapsed to the ground, their bodies trembling from exhaustion. Their legs felt like they might give out at any moment, and they could sense their energy cores stirring uneasily—almost as if they were on the verge of being pushed too far.

"W-We made it..."

"I thought I’d collapse out there and end up as their dinner." Some of the warriors tried to joke to lighten the mood, but while the rest of the team rested, the two STAU ventured deeper into the warehouse, securing the textiles inside their space.

They were escorted by three to five warriors who still had the strength to move.

Meanwhile, Duke made his way up to the second floor, scanning the area as he oversaw the team, ensuring there were no evolved zombies lurking nearby.

The warehouse was massive, and Duke knew it would take some time for the STAU to gather everything they needed.

As he surveyed the area, Duke realized his team needed time to rest.

With that in mind, he quietly slipped away from the second floor, unnoticed by the others, and exited through the window.

He made his way toward the factory.

If he waited for the STAU to store everything from the warehouse into their space, it would take a while.

Bringing everyone along would slow things down even further.

By the time they fought their way there, nightfall would have arrived, making it risky to stay in a place surrounded by zombies.

Navigating their way out would be nearly impossible, especially if evolved zombies were lurking nearby—an additional danger they couldn’t afford.