I Have a Modern Weapon Gacha System in the Zombie Apocalypse-Chapter 28: Heading to Pampanga Air Base

April 14th, 2025.

Bayshore Residential Resort 1. The time was five o’clock in the morning and the sunrise was about to break.

On the rooftop, Adrian stood near the center of the concrete landing area along with the three operators chosen for the reconnaissance mission.

Ryan was checking the sling of his rifle while Jake was crouched beside a small equipment bag, going through the contents one last time. Spare magazines, a handheld radio, binoculars, and a folded map were laid out neatly on the ground.

Noah stood near the parapet wall, scanning the horizon out of habit.

From the rooftop, the skyline of Entertainment City was still dark. Most buildings remained silent, their windows black and lifeless. Down below, the streets were quiet except for the occasional infected wandering aimlessly between abandoned vehicles.

The faint orange glow of dawn slowly began spreading across the eastern sky.

"Let’s move," Adrian said as he walked towards the parked Black Hawk whose crew are preparing for their flight.

"Good morning sir," said the pilot.

"Good morning. How’s your day been? You guys ate yesterday?"

"Yes sir, although the snacks aren’t stomach fulfilling, it’s better than nothing."

"Don’t worry, the moment we get our own base, food will be our top priority," Adrian said.

The pilot nodded from his seat. "Looking forward to that, sir."

Ryan climbed into the helicopter first and took the seat near the door. Jake followed behind him, sliding the equipment bag beneath the bench. Noah stepped in last and secured the door gun position beside the mounted weapon.

Adrian climbed in and took the seat across from Ryan.

The interior of the Black Hawk vibrated slightly as the engines continued running. The crew chief gave a quick thumbs-up toward the cockpit.

"All passengers aboard," he said through the intercom.

The pilot glanced back briefly.

"Destination confirmed, sir? Pampanga?"

Adrian nodded.

"Cesar Basa Air Base."

"Copy."

The crew chief slid the side door shut and secured the latch.

Outside, the rotor blades began accelerating, their sound quickly growing louder. The wind from the rotors blasted across the rooftop, sending loose dust skidding across the concrete.

Mason, Cole, and Ethan stood a short distance away, watching the aircraft prepare for departure.

Mason raised a hand.

Ryan returned the gesture.

The helicopter slowly lifted from the rooftop.

The building shrank beneath them as the Black Hawk climbed into the early morning sky.

Through the window, Adrian watched the Bayshore complex grow smaller.

Beyond it stretched the silent city of Manila.

There, the signs of apocalypse were evident with roads and streets clogged by abandoned vehicles, some were burning, others were crashed possibly due to panic.

It reminded him that a base in the metro city would be a bad idea.

Too many people had lived here before the outbreak. Which meant too many infected now wandered the streets.

Adrian shifted slightly in his seat and leaned forward toward the cockpit.

"Pilot," he said through the headset.

"Yes sir?"

"How long before we reach Cesar Basa Air Base?"

The pilot glanced down briefly at the navigation display mounted on the instrument panel.

"At our current speed, about fifty-five minutes," he replied. "Maybe an hour if we slow down for observation once we get close." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Adrian nodded.

"Good."

Ryan leaned slightly closer from the seat across from him.

"So we’ll be there before seven."

"Roughly," Adrian said.

Jake reached into the equipment bag and pulled out the folded map they had brought with them. He spread it across his lap and traced a finger north.

"We’ll pass over Bulacan first," he said. "Then Pampanga."

Noah glanced down from the open door position where he was watching the ground below.

"Terrain gets more open once we leave the metro area."

"That’s what we want," Ryan said. "Less population means fewer infected."

The helicopter continued flying north as the sun slowly rose above the horizon.

Adrian watched the landscape for a moment before speaking again.

"Pilot."

"Yes sir?"

"When we reach the base, don’t fly directly overhead."

"Understood," the pilot replied.

"We don’t have any information if the base is compromised. So we’ll assume that it’s still operational as it is a military base. Military bases don’t fall that easily."

Based on his research from the internet, the air base was home to the 5th Tactical Fighter Wing of the Philippine Air Force. It operates mostly FA-50 light combat fighters. It’s a Korean fighter jet. Though not that he was particularly interested in them—he already had access to better hardware from the gacha system—having aircraft like that still mattered.

Also, it should have aviation fuel reserves and other important hardware such as generators. He hoped it would be abandoned so that it would be easy to claim. If it isn’t, they might have to fight their way in.

After all, those soldiers on the ground wouldn’t just hand over their base that easily.

Fifty-five minutes later, the pilot’s voice came through the headset.

"Approaching Pampanga airspace," he said. "Cesar Basa should be ahead in about two minutes."

Adrian lifted the binoculars and leaned slightly toward the cockpit window.

The terrain below had changed completely.

The dense urban sprawl of Manila was long gone. In its place were open fields, narrow roads, and scattered villages. Rice paddies stretched across the countryside like patchwork patterns.

Noah leaned out slightly from the door gun position.

"Much quieter out here," he said.

Ryan nodded.

"Which is good."

The pilot slowed the helicopter slightly and adjusted their heading.

"There," he said, pointing forward through the windshield.

Adrian raised the binoculars.

In the distance, a long strip of concrete came into view.

Runway.

Beside it stood several large hangars and rows of hardened aircraft shelters.

Perimeter fences stretched around the installation.

"Cesar Basa Air Base," the pilot confirmed.

Ryan leaned closer to the cockpit to get a better look.

Adrian studied the base carefully through the binoculars.

The runway looked intact.

Hangars stood undamaged.

The control tower was still standing.

But something felt wrong. There was no movement in the area.

"Pilot," Adrian said.

"Yes sir?"

"Circle the base. High altitude first."

"Copy."

The helicopter banked slightly and began a wide arc around the installation.

As they passed over the outer perimeter, Adrian scanned the base slowly.

Rows of hardened aircraft shelters lined one side of the runway.

Some had their doors partially open.

Jake leaned forward.

"You see any aircraft?"

Adrian adjusted the binoculars.

"Negative so far."

Ryan narrowed his eyes.

"Too quiet."

Adrian nodded.

"Pilot."

"Yes sir?"

"Try establishing radio contact with the base."

The pilot reached for the radio panel and switched frequencies.

"This is unidentified helicopter approaching Cesar Basa Air Base," the pilot said over the radio.

His voice crackled through the cabin speakers.

"Any station on this frequency, respond."

Silence.

The helicopter continued circling.

The pilot tried again.

"Cesar Basa Air Base, this is unidentified helicopter requesting status and landing clearance."

Still nothing.

The only sound was the steady hum of the rotors.

Ryan frowned.

"No response."

Adrian kept scanning the base through the binoculars.

"Try again," he said.

The pilot switched channels and transmitted once more.

"Cesar Basa Tower, this is inbound helicopter requesting contact."

Nothing.

The radio remained silent.

The pilot glanced back over his shoulder.

"Sir... no response on any channel."

Adrian lowered the binoculars slowly.

Ryan looked toward him.

"Either communications are down..."

Jake finished the thought.

"...or there’s nobody left to answer."

"Well, it’s free real-esta..." Adrian paused as he finally noticed something on the ground. "Shit...zombies, in a military uniform. The base is compromised."

"It’s going to be an easy land grab sir," Ryan said. "We clear the zombies and we own the base."

"That’s right. Let’s clear the area and reclaim it."