"Mm."
William had no objections to the battle plan.
He simply didn't know much about military operations and couldn't offer any useful suggestions.
Still, William asked Andre, "Colonel, how many people live in that town? Are there any survivors?"
"About two thousand. Since the Canadian Military has sealed off the town in accordance with the signed terms, we can't determine the exact number of survivors."
"Oh? Is that so?"
After pondering the answer, William issued an order to the UBCS seated before him:
"Soldiers, if you encounter any surviving civilians, carry out containment measures without exception and classify them as D-Class personnel.
"If they offer strong resistance, you're authorized to shoot them. Don't let what happened in that town leak out.
"We can't let the world fall into panic because of a small number of people.
"Besides, after this incident, control will no longer belong to the government. It will belong to us—Umbrella.
"So remember my orders."
"Yes!" All the UBCS nodded in agreement.
After being assimilated, every one of them had a loyalty rating above ninety.
Although they couldn't reach the level of the USS, they would still carry out William's orders without question.
As for Andre, who was standing nearby, it was impossible for him to feel any dissatisfaction.
The burly old man was even somewhat gratified...
He felt that William truly wasn't as frivolous as he had been before.
After all, decisive ruthlessness was a basic quality that the owner of a monopolistic corporation ought to possess.
"Excellent!" William seemed very satisfied with the UBCS's response and smiled. "This time, I've brought powerful reinforcements for your company. I hope you can complete the containment smoothly!"
"Yes, boss!"
The UBCS company's firepower was configured as follows:
A squad consisted of six people.
Squad Leader: Responsible for command, usually holding the rank of corporal or sergeant.
Rifleman: Carried a large supply of rifle magazines.
Support Gunner: Carried a large supply of rifle magazines and served as the squad leader's deputy.
Point Man: Equipped with a shotgun, submachine gun, and Demolition Equipment.
Machine Gunner: The squad's light machine-gun firepower unit.
Grenadier: Carried a rifle-mounted Grenade Launcher and a large supply of grenades.
A platoon consisted of five squads, with the platoon leader holding the rank of sergeant first class or second lieutenant.
A company consisted of four platoons, with the company commander holding the rank of first lieutenant or captain.
The sky was unusually clear.
There were few clouds to block the moonlight.
Under that night sky, two of Umbrella's large An-124 transport aircraft were flying toward a small town in the west called Athabasca.
Since Halifax City was approximately four thousand kilometers from Athabasca, after William and Andre finalized their operational strategy...
At eleven o'clock on the night of January 27, 2007, Halifax local time, the two An-124 transports rapidly took off.
Carrying 120 UBCS soldiers and three Tyrants, they sped through the sky at an altitude of 13,000 meters.
Because of the three-hour time difference, the UBCS company was expected to arrive over Athabasca at around 12:30 a.m. local time.
Inside an An-124's cargo hold;
Sixty UBCS soldiers were fully equipped, wearing specialized helmets with Gas Masks hanging in front of their chests.
Each of them held a firearm in his arms and sat in his assigned seat.
Some wore tense expressions, clearly feeling uneasy.
Others looked completely unconcerned and could even sleep soundly amid the roar of the engines.
This was Umbrella's first large-scale military Containment Operation.
When they had been recruited, the UBCS soldiers had been informed that supernatural events existed in this world.
Although they possessed absolute loyalty to their boss, they couldn't help wondering whether it was true.
Now, they believed it completely.
The veterans had naturally been prepared long ago, while the recruits still seemed somewhat inexperienced.
Especially because there was a gray-skinned 'person' sitting at the rear of the cargo hold as support.
This left the recruits both frightened and curious. They even felt a faint excitement toward the operation ahead.
"Beep!"
Suddenly...
The indicator light above the rear cargo door came on, and the captain's voice sounded over the intercom:
"Everyone, we're expected to reach the target area in three minutes. Please prepare yourselves."
The commotion prompted the UBCS soldiers inside the cargo hold to stand and inspect their equipment.
They put on their Gas Masks and connected them to their oxygen tanks, checked the seals on their clothing, and inspected their parachutes for abnormalities.
The Tyrants also stood up behind the cargo door, waiting for orders.
The operation commander, as well as the company commander of this UBCS company, Captain Mikhail Victor, stood by the cargo door and shouted to the soldiers:
"You brats, the boss and the colonel have entrusted our company with the first Containment Operation, so we absolutely cannot let down the company's expectations!
"More importantly!
"We have to let those USS bastards see with their own eyes that our UBCS is the main force responsible for the company's military operations!
"Put those Special Forces in their place! Do you hear me?"
"Woo-ah!"
The soldiers' morale soared under Victor's rallying cry, and they all shouted in response.
"Good! That's more like what Company A should look like!" Victor also burst out laughing.
"Beep!"
Immediately afterward, another ear-piercing alert sounded, and the red lights in the cargo hold began to dim.
At the same time, the rear cargo door began to open slowly.
"Whoosh!"
Because of the difference in air pressure inside and outside the aircraft, the airflow immediately began to swirl, and the temperature dropped sharply.
The cargo hold, which had still been somewhat noisy, fell silent. Everyone stared at the indicator light.
Just a few seconds later, the red light went out, replaced by a green one.
Seeing this, Victor grabbed the handrail, waved his left hand toward the outside, and shouted over his headset:
"First Platoon! Get out first!"
"Yes, Captain!"
The Tyrant also heard Victor's order. Wearing only a drogue parachute, its massive body leaped directly out of the An-124's cargo hold.
Thirty UBCS soldiers from First Platoon followed close behind.
In less than a minute, the An-124 had completed its airdrop mission, and the captain said with a laugh over the radio:
"Boys, remember to give this flight a five-star review.
"And enjoy the hunt."
At the same time.
The other An-124 also finished dropping its sixty UBCS soldiers and two Tyrants.
The two large transports then turned eastward in unison and headed back toward Troy Base, leaving the airspace behind.
Not long afterward;
The UBCS company and three Tyrants had dispersed precisely across three sides of Athabasca, forming an encirclement.
Victor's position was on the southern side of the town.
While observing the town, he issued orders to the company over the radio:
"Everyone, put on your night-vision goggles. No one is to act alone. Searches must be conducted by squad.
"Second Platoon, First Squad, deploy the drone into the air and let command see the situation clearly.
"No one is to activate the live-streaming camera on their helmet without orders.
"Remember!
"When you encounter survivors, prioritize containment, with shooting as a secondary measure. Show no mercy.
"When you encounter an unknown creature, determine whether it's hostile. If it shows any inclination to attack, shoot it immediately."
"Yes, Captain."
"Move."
Before you continue