One of the soldiers cleared his throat. "Sir, with all due respect, we don't think we can do that with our numbers and it's out of scope of our work. Isn't there non-combat staff in your summon that can do the job instead of us?"
"What?" Advik Bhardwaj was quite baffled slightly from their response as he didn't expect it. "There aren't any options…"
In order to make sure, he checked his summoning tab and scrolled through the available categories. His eyes landed on a section labeled Non-Combat Personnel—a tab he hadn't noticed before. He tapped on it, and a new interface appeared, listing various support roles.
[Available Non-Combat Summons:
Maintenance Crew (1 Soul each)
Cleaners (1 Soul each)
Administrative Staff (1 Soul each)
Cooks (1 Soul each)
Logistics Coordinators (1 Soul each)
…]
Advik Bhardwaj's lips curled into a grin. "Well, I'll be damned. I guess I overlooked this."
He selected the Cleaners category and summoned 40 of them at once, using 40 souls. They materialized in the office moments later, dressed in simple work uniforms, carrying brooms, mops, and cleaning supplies. The workers stood at attention, awaiting instructions.
"Alright, you'll be responsible for the full clean-up operation—removing zombie corpses, clearing debris, and making this place sanitary. Work in teams and start with the mall's main areas, then move floor by floor," Advik Bhardwaj instructed.
"Yes, sir!" one of the lead cleaners replied, nodding confidently.
Next, Advik Bhardwaj tapped on the Maintenance Crew option and summoned 20 workers. They appeared with toolkits and utility belts, ready for assignments.
"Maintenance crew, you'll assist the engineers with repairs and inspections. Prioritize electrical systems and structural integrity. Report any major issues directly to the engineers."
"Understood, sir," said the lead maintenance worker, giving a brief salute.
Advik Bhardwaj quickly summoned twenty Cooks to establish a basic kitchen setup. Their job would be to prepare meals for his personnel using any supplies found in the mall or hotel storage areas. Finally, he summoned five Logistics Coordinators, who would handle the inventory of supplies and manage resource distribution.
Once the non-combat staff dispersed to their assigned tasks, Advik Bhardwaj turned to the summoned infantry.
"Now that support staff are handling the clean-up and logistics, you'll return to primary duties. I want teams assigned to patrol and secure critical areas: the hotel perimeter, stairwells, rooftop access points, and the mall's major entrances."
"Yes sir!"
Advik Bhardwaj trudged through the silent hotel corridors, making his way to one of the luxurious suites he had cleared earlier. The room, like much of the hotel, showed signs of abandonment but remained mostly intact. Plush furniture, a king-sized bed, and a panoramic window overlooking the city greeted him. He sighed in relief, locking the door behind him.
The bed looked more inviting than anything else at that moment. After a long day of combat, summons, and delegations, exhaustion had finally caught up with him. He removed his gear, placing his HK 416 and tactical vest on the dresser. Flipping a light switch, he was pleasantly surprised when the overhead lights flickered on.
"At least the electricity's still running," he muttered, though he knew it was temporary.
After a quick shower, Advik Bhardwaj settled into the large bed, letting the comfortable mattress ease his tension. Within moments, sleep took over.
The following morning, Advik Bhardwaj woke to the sound of faint footsteps and distant chatter echoing from below. He stretched, feeling far more refreshed than he had in days. After another quick shower, he dressed in his combat uniform and strapped on his sidearm. It wasn't likely that he'd encounter any immediate threats inside the base, but it was better to stay armed and prepared.
Exiting the suite, he made his way down the stairwell to the mall. As he reached the lobby, he immediately noticed a stark difference: the area was spotless. Gone were the piles of corpses, spent casings, and debris. Floors gleamed under the soft light, and the faint scent of disinfectant filled the air. It was surreal—like the apocalypse had never touched this place.
He wandered through the main hall of the mall, marveling at how quickly the cleaners had restored order. While some areas still bore scars of the initial chaos—shattered glass walls and broken store signs—everything looked as presentable as it could be under the circumstances.
"Morning, sir!" Afamiliar voice called out.
Advik Bhardwaj turned to see Sandeep approachingwith a friendly grin. "Good morning. Place looks a lot different," Advik Bhardwaj remarked.
"Yeah, the cleaners worked through the night. Honestly, it's impressive how fast they got it done. You'd almost think we were back in normal times," Sandeep replied, his eyes scanning the gleaming floors. "Oh, and the cooks got the restaurants running. There's still plenty of stock in the storage rooms, so you can grab a proper breakfast. They set up at the lamb steaks, seafood over there."
Sandeep gestured toward one of the restaurants down the hall. Advik Bhardwaj chuckled. "A proper breakfast, huh? Sounds good to me."
"Take your time, sir. You've earned it," Sandeep added with a nod before moving off to check on the patrol teams.
Advik Bhardwaj stepped inside the dinning area, where the rich aroma of sizzling meat and freshly baked bread greeted him. One of the cooks, a burly man with an apron and a confident demeanor, approached him.
"Morning, sir! We've got breakfast ready for you. Menu's limited for now, but I can whip you up some lamb steak and eggs. There's still a lot of food in the inventory, so we're set for a couple of months," the cook explained.
"That'll do. Thanks," Advik Bhardwaj replied, taking a seat at one of the booths.
The cook returned shortly with a steaming plate of lamb steak, scrambled eggs, and freshly baked rolls. Advik Bhardwaj took a bite, savoring the taste. And—it was very delicious. Like he hadn't been in one of the fine restaurants before as the cost of a dish here could reach thousands. He was glad that he could taste it once in his life, and if he has the money, it would have been worth it.
[A/N: In previous chapters, I included some brave lion like soldiers like Sandeep UnniKrishnan, and Abhinandan Varthaman Pilot, and in future I include brave and courageous lioness like wing commander Vyomika Singh, and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi who are participated in Operation Sindoor. And also Israeli Female Soldiers, and American A10 Thunderbolt 2 Pilot will include in future chapters. I will dedicated this chapters to My Indian Army, Navy, Air Force. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.]