Kessler was asleep in the driver’s seat when the panel finally lit up.
Hans almost didn’t wake him for it.
He had spent most of the four hours going through the folders on the SUV’s hood, signing what needed signing, glancing up every so often at Ramp Four, still open, still uncovered.
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[ Construction queue finished for: Pillbox. Please select deployment zone. ]
------
Hans set the folder down and pulled the Radar map forward.
Auer was already crossing over, clipboard tucked under one arm. She had spent most of the wait with the Route One Engineer team while Kessler slept inside the PCV.
"Commander. Same spot as the folder called for?"
"Show me the footprint first."
"Small. The placement angle matters more than the space it takes."
Hans dragged the structure’s flat outline across the map. A faint green shape followed his hand, hovering over the ramp mouth, sliding when he did, fading where the terrain didn’t qualify.
He walked it toward the left edge first, where the Engineer had marked it. Then, on a thought, he dragged it further—toward the Wall line he had just created earlier.
The outline flickered as it crossed the Wall’s boundary, then steadied, locking green instead of rejecting the placement outright.
"It’ll sit against the Wall?"
"It will, Commander." The Engineer leaned over his shoulder to look. "Wall-integrated placement. The performance is slightly... less, but the structure borrows the Wall’s frame for support. Sturdier if you do it that way."
"What kind of performance drop are we talking about?"
"The firing arc will be slightly less, but the Pillbox can still fire on the open sides."
Hans turned the outline back toward the open ramp mouth, comparing the two.
Full arc, standing alone. Or a slightly narrower coverage and a higher durability.
The ramp mouth wasn’t wide enough to need the full sweep anyway.
"Wall-integrated," Hans decided, sliding the outline back against the Wall segment. "No point paying for width I’m not going to use."
He also wanted to test how would that work out.
Soon, he confirmed the marker.
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[ Deployment zone selected. Validating structural footprint, road access, and ground stability... ]
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The System remained silent for several seconds.
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[ Pillbox deployment commencing. ]
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The ground trembled lightly as the anchors drove into the concrete beside the Wall segment.
Loose gravel scattered around the deployment area. Steel plating soon rose from the ground in several sections, forming a squat armored structure against the open ramp.
It was much smaller than the War Factory and the other buildings Hans had deployed. The entire process only took a short while.
A narrow firing slit opened along the front. Something moved behind it, shifting from one side to another before settling toward the ramp entrance.
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[ Pillbox deployed. ]
[ Automated defensive coverage established. ]
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The firing slit moved from one side to another, checking the ramp and the open road in front of it.
A new panel appeared before Hans.
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[ Structure: Pillbox ]
[ Type: Automated Defensive Structure ]
[ Energy Consumed: 40 energy units ]
[ Structural Systems ]
[ Automated Weapon System ]
Equipped with an automatic weapon capable of providing continuous fire against infantry, infected swarms, and lightly protected targets.
[ Targeting Module ]
Automatically detects and tracks hostile movement within its firing range. Can receive targeting information from the Radar Facility when a clear firing path is available.
[ Reinforced Firing Slits ]
Armored firing ports protect the weapon and other internal systems from frontal attacks. The Pillbox’s firing arc depends on its placement and orientation.
[ Operational Effects ]
Provides continuous defensive fire without requiring soldiers to operate the structure.
[ Damage Interaction ]
Highly resistant to small arms fire and ordinary infected attacks from the front. Vulnerable to explosives, heavy weapons, large hostile entities, and attacks against its less-protected sides and rear.
[ Remarks ]
Basic automated defense structure designed for chokepoints, road entrances, and other narrow approaches.
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[ Energy: 900 / 1,200 ]
------
System, my energy is distributed across all construction area?
Hans was surprised. He did not expect that the System was actually this generous for once. Unfortunately, the System did not confirm his question with an answer.
Perhaps, the current situation had already answered what he needed from it.
Left with no choice, Hans stared at the final number for a moment.
Three hundred Energy Units left.
Enough for several smaller structures, but he could no longer ignore the need for another Power Plant if he intended to fortify Westgate properly.
"Run the targeting test," he said.
The Engineer stepped closer to the Pillbox and raised one hand.
The weapon moved behind the firing slit.
It tracked across Ramp Four first, then continued toward the road outside. Its movement slowed near the Wall where the firing angle ended before returning toward the center.
"No obstruction on the main approach," the Engineer reported. "The left side is narrower because of the Wall integration, but the ramp remains fully covered."
Hans walked toward the open side and looked back at the Pillbox.
"What about this side?"
"Partially covered. The second Pillbox from the plan will overlap it."
Hans opened the Route One folder again.
The second marker sat across the ramp, angled inward. Any infected entering through Ramp Four would pass between both structures.
A narrow lane with automatic weapons on either side.
That should be enough for the entrance.
"Queue the second one."
------
[ Gold: 17,565 (-2,500) => 15,065 ]
[ Pillbox queued. ETA: 4 hours and 10 minutes. ]
------
Hans closed the interface.
They did not have to remain there for the entire construction period. The placement could wait until the queue finished.
Behind him, the PCV hatch opened.
Kessler climbed out and rubbed one side of his face.
"Did I miss something, Commander?"
Hans glanced toward the Pillbox.
"Only the entire deployment."
Kessler looked at the structure attached to the Wall.
"Huh. Smaller than I expected."
Auer looked at him with contempt. "You were asleep."
"I was resting."
"You were snoring."
Kessler ignored her and walked closer to the Pillbox. The weapon moved behind the firing slit, briefly tracking him before recognizing him as friendly and returning toward the ramp.
He stopped.
"At least it knows who not to shoot."
"It better," Hans joked. "Otherwise, I just paid two thousand five hundred Gold for another problem."
The communicator at Matilda’s side crackled before Kessler could answer.
"Delta One, this is Sweeper Two."
"Come in, Sweeper Two."
"Survivor group located inside one of our apartment blocks. Requesting engagement protocols."
Hans heard the transmission, frowning upon hearing the words.
A survivor group inside Westgate was not impossible. What Hans worried was whether this neutral marker is really a survivor or a hostile group.
From his understanding, the Radar would not assume the marker color of a particular object not until further contact was established.
But still, it was better to be safe than sorry.
Hans stared toward Matilda.
"Tell Sweeper Two to be cautious, but friendly."
"Understood, Commander."
Matilda shifted back to her communicator.
"Acknowledged, Sweep Two. Establish a security perimeter. Contact team approaches with weapons at low ready. Identify yourselves and instruct the survivors to come out unarmed. Do not breach unless threatened. Report before escalating."
"Copy, Delta One."
The line went quiet.
"Commander, if it is a survivor group, where shall we shelter them?" Matilda asked.
"Route one should be safe," Hans replied.
He opened up the Wall upgrade option and narrowed his eyes. "We’ll hold them here for now."
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