On the southwest side of Lucky Valley Municipality, a motley crowd dressed in various attire was moving in a crooked formation toward the northeast side of the city, led by 10 soldiers draped in black robes.0

The group was dressed in mismatched clothes, and they were made up primarily of local survivors who were formerly scavengers, hunters, and even farmers and herders.0

In the Army, such troops composed of survivors from territories they occupied or ‘non-core populations’ were usually referred to as their reserve soldiers.0

Unlike the well-equipped Army soldiers, these men not only showed signs of malnutrition on their gaunt faces but also had equipment so rudimentary it was inferior even to some of the slightly stronger marauders.0

Each person was issued a Ripper rifle and received either 10 or 30 rounds before battle. Once those were exhausted, they had to pick up rounds from fallen comrades or resort to bayonets for close combat.0

Moreover, they had not undergone any professional training before. At most,...0