My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse

As soon as they took down the zombies in the hallway, Adam and one of his team members immediately crouched down to extract the crystal cores from the five corpses, while Fred and Evelyn remained alert, scanning their surroundings with sharp eyes. Evelyn then stepped forward and kicked open the next door, revealing another group of zombies inside. It appeared to be yet another VIP lounge, similar to the one they had just cleared.

Recognizing the opportunity, the group entered the room to search for supplies. As expected, they found similar resources as before and quickly gathered everything they could. They distributed some of the supplies to the other teams before continuing their advance.

There turned out to be three VIP rooms on that floor, and at the end of the corridor stood an elevator. However, they deliberately ignored it and headed straight for the emergency stairs, making their way up to the third floor.

After reaching the third floor, Fred and the others swiftly cleared out the remaining zombies. Once the floor was secured, they made their way down to the second floor, which housed a series of office spaces. After neutralizing the threats on that level as well, Fred came to a sudden stop in front of one of the desks.

He turned to Rose and asked thoughtfully, "Rose, do you think we should bring the computer units back with us? We do have administrative tasks back at the base, and relying solely on paper documents can be inefficient. These computers might be useful for processing data and managing department operations. What do you think?"

His question was casual and subtle, and most of the team didn't notice the exchange. Some were still busy extracting crystal cores from the fallen zombies, while others searched the offices for food and supplies.

After hearing Fred's suggestion, Rose fell into deep thought. With the STAU accompanying them, they had the means to transport just about anything back to the base. And considering the recent advancements, it made even more sense—Dr. Shuveck and Engineer Steel might soon develop a functioning solar panel and had even succeeded in building a lightning-gathering machine that now powered the entire Central Hall and Supply Center.

Given that progress, it likely wouldn't be long before the entire base was running on electricity again. When that time came, the department leaders would undoubtedly need computers to digitize operations and streamline workflows. Fred's suggestion to salvage the computer units might not seem urgent now, but it would definitely be valuable in the near future.

Besides, they had the perfect opportunity—everything they needed was right in front of them. The office was fully equipped with the latest model iMacs, complete setups, large industrial printers, and a variety of other office supplies. It made sense to take everything back and let the department leaders decide how to distribute the equipment as needed.

After thinking it through, Rose nodded in agreement. "You make a good point," she said, tapping Fred on the shoulder. "Let's bring it all back and inform the others later. If they need it, great—we made the most of the opportunity. If not, we can always break it down for parts and repurpose what's useful."

With that, she called over one of the STAU members and relayed Fred's suggestion. Fred, pleased to have his quick thinking acknowledged, he began scanning the room for anything else they could salvage. But before he could act, the STAU had already stored everything—computers, chairs, tables, and all—into his spatial storage, leaving the office completely bare.

The others were left stunned, unsure of what had just happened—everything in the office had vanished, leaving only the bodies of the fallen zombies behind. The entire room was stripped bare. If the STAU could have taken the whole office itself, he probably would have, but unfortunately, he didn't have the capacity to move buildings.

After that, they proceeded down to the first floor. Fred took a moment to scan the area, but the space was mostly a showroom filled with various cars and Jeeps. Toward the far end, the large glass panels that covered mostly half of the first floor revealed what was beyond the showroom, and there was the roadside and the zombies walking about outside. Without wasting time, Fred and the team decided to head straight to the warehouse, where all the brand-new cars were stored.

That didn't mean Fred had forgotten about the showroom vehicles—on the contrary, he fully intended to come back for them. Most of the cars on display were SUVs and off-road vehicles, and Fred wasn't about to leave such valuable resources behind. His plan was simple: take every vehicle they could from this brand and hoard them for future use.

"Do you know where the warehouse is?" Rose asked.

Clyde nodded and gestured toward a door at the back. Without a word, he moved ahead and carefully pushed it open, making sure his movements were subtle enough not to draw attention from the zombies outside, visible through the glass panels. The rest of the group followed quietly, ducking low and keeping their bodies close to the ground as they slipped through one by one.

As soon as they stepped through the rear entrance, they were greeted by a fleet of off-road vehicles and SUVs—all from the Jeep brand. There were easily several dozen of them lined up inside the warehouse, pristine and untouched.

Fred immediately sprang into action, signaling Rakan and his subordinates to secure the left perimeter. He then sent Clyde and Reeve to cover the right side, while he and Evelyn advanced through the center. Rose and the others remained behind, positioned safely under her protection.

While the team in the front moved forward, Rose and her group followed a few steps behind. Meanwhile, the three STAU members began efficiently storing the vehicles one after another into their spatial storage. Their excitement was so obvious.

Before the apocalypse, cars like these had been out of reach—luxuries they could only dream about. But now, they had a fleet's worth of high-end vehicles at their fingertips. The sight of so many rugged, top-tier machines being added to their stockpile filled them with childlike joy. After all, they were still men—and men loved their vehicles.

"Don't get too close to the main team securing the perimeter. There might be danger up ahead," Rose reminded the three STAUs, who had been getting absorbed in storing the cars inside their storage space. The three flinched, realizing they had almost forgotten their surroundings in their excitement. They quickly held themselves back.

Just then, the sound of fighting echoed from up ahead—there were indeed zombies further in. Thankfully, Rose's timely warning kept them from wandering too far. With that, the three STAUs slowed their pace, shifting their focus to admiring the rows of brand-new vehicles. Though slightly covered in dust, the cars still looked pristine, and the sight alone was enough to keep the three of them happily occupied.

"Wait, since there are cars here, that means the dealership must have gas stored somewhere too," Jason pointed out. "After all, when you buy a car, they usually fill the tank with at least some fuel, right?" His reminder made everyone pause—gas was essential, and it would be a waste to overlook any supplies they could still salvage.