Chapter 26 - Lan Cheng's Crisis

The sky was turning light, Wu Ye was awakened by the sounds of gunfire and chaotic screams. He looked around the room, alerted. When he saw Qin Wuhua standing by the window, he asked, "What's wrong? What's going on out there?"

Qin Wuhua had been watching from the window for some time already, and said in a deep voice, "Some people intend to hijack the airplane coming from the capital. Some people ask for the survivors in the refugee camps outside the city to be let in Lan Cheng base, hoping that they'd have a chance to live."

According to the information that was collected about the situation outside the base, the combat effectiveness of the base would not exceed tomorrow morning at the latest. By that time, the zombie's army would be able to enter the base and the first one to bear the brunt of it were the survivors from the refugee camp outside the base. There was no high and thick wall, no guns and bullets shell; they had NOTHING. If Lan Cheng base didn't let them into the base, they would have no other choice but to die.

However, there were at least tens of thousands of survivors in the refugee camp. And once they were allowed to enter the base as an exception, there was no way of knowing whether people would be behaving themselves or harboring evil intentions to Lan Cheng base. If it was the latter case, then the base would be placed in an awkward predicament from being attacked from the back. Another thing was the fact that most of the survivors in the refugee camp were women, children, old, and weak. Their fighting capability was low.

Besides that, it was already difficult to support themselves. They didn't have enough food in their hands to support others. From the perspective of Lan Cheng base upper echelon, letting these people into the base would not help their combat strength. Instead, they would consume a lot of food which could be used to feed the young and strong forces in the base that went out to resist the zombie's siege. To the upper echelon, it was really too dangerous to put these unstable factors in their rear.

But, what else could be done? Should they just watch as these people be reduced to become the zombie's ration outside the base?

Of course, it's not as if there weren't any bases who had left the refugees out there to die. Putting aside those that were eventually destroyed by the zombies, even those who survived found themselves in the position where talents were fleeing from them.

That simply couldn't be helped. After all, anything could happen in the apocalypse. There was no one who could guarantee that they and their families would not become refugees and be placed in the same position one day as well. Rather than becoming a fodder for the zombies when that day came, they would rather devote their efforts toward building up a 'benevolent and righteous' base.

After all, the base was made from iron and would stand tall, but the survivors would trickle out like water. Once the base rating fell down from middle-sized settlement level, the military would withdraw the special guards they sent. The zombie hunters and government personnels would leave. All these meant that the base would be abandoned and there would be no regular delivery of ammunition, gasoline, medicine, etc every ten days. Without these things, the survivors would only lose faster, and the only fate awaiting the base at that point was only destruction.

The upper echelon in Lan Cheng base were faced with a dilemma.

The special guards were now concentrating on fighting the surging zombies outside. They would not rashly took over the supreme leadership of the base until survival had been ensured. Therefore, at this time, they would not interfere with the decision that the Lan Cheng base's upper echelon chose.

Lan Cheng base was originally formed by the survivors. So, the senior officials that was in charge of Lan Cheng base affairs, frankly speaking, were just leaders from the zombies hunting team who stood out amongst the survivors in the beginning. It was unlike other bases where some family had military and political forces backing them with huge roots behind. Or, in other words, the Lan Cheng upper echelon station were in fact not as stable as the ordinary people thought of.

Some zombies hunter, who knew about it and had some strength at the same time, was ready to move at this delicate moment.

What Qian Xin saw was the ferocity of the new zombies and the siege that Lan Cheng base was likely to face. However, what Qin Wuhua saw was the surging tide inside the Lan Cheng base itself. What this upcoming zombies siege brought was not only a bloody battle, but also a change of blood at the upper echelon of Lan Cheng.

During the time when authority changed, opportunities came.

Wu Ye did not understand the twist and turn it took. He simply felt that it was too cold-blooded and cruel to allow his countrymen to be slaughtered just like that. And...since he had the ability to protect them, why should he let them be killed in vain?

"Will Lan Cheng base let those people in?" Wu Ye asked as he got up and went to the window. There was a scuffle in the street downstairs. At the distance, the city guards were coming methodically with weapons and explosion shields on hand.

"Yes, but it will be for nothing." Qin Wuhua looked over at the lofty city wall outside the window with deep eyes.

The world beyond the wall had already exploded.

The special guard had left the base early this morning, and Lan Cheng base had blocked all gates and forbidden anyone to enter.

The survivors of the refugee camp were all terrified. From last night, they had begun crying for help from all the people, kneeling down on their knees. When the night had turned to day, they began to besiege the base. They all hit the walls and gates at all costs, like they had all lost their minds. Their all-out effort to end everyone in mutual destruction made the soldiers manning the wall shudder.

Lan Cheng base attached the most importance to planting. Therefore, there was only one small ammunition factory in the base. As such, in general, it was weaker than the other medium-sized bases of the same level. Lan Cheng upper echelon couldn't do anything but to work hard on the base defense and let countless machines and tens of thousands people to strengthen the base wall day and night. For more than a year, Lan Cheng had added to the weakest part of the base wall, making the wall to 12 meters high, 8 meters wide at the bottom, 5 meters wide at the top, and 55 kilometers long. It is said that it could resist the zombies tide that amount below 3 million, certainly stronger than many settlements of the same level.

But, people were smarter than zombies. They would not only attack the weakest part of the base wall, but also climbed up the wall at all costs, even if they had to step on the mountain of corpses built of their companions.

Outside the base, the refugee camp had become a literal hell on earth.

Inside the base, righteous and willing people were constantly demonstrating their power under the administrative office building of Lan Cheng motto of | Strength | Reveal | Might.

The zombies' tide hadn't arrived, yet the base was already in chaos.

If this momentum was not stopped in time, even if Lan Cheng base is preserved, it was very likely that those at the top would have to be replaced.

At 10 A.M., Ji Xiang, the top person in charge of Lan Cheng base, announced to the whole base through radio——

The first wave of the zombies is expected to arrive at 11 P.M. tonight. All hunters are required to leave the base immediately and exterminate as many zombies as possible. Now. In this eradication operation, all registered zombie hunters who immediately went out of the base to fight can received 1000 rounds of ammunition and 15 litres of gasoline, free of charge.

In this crisis, any excellent zombie hunter team that could hunt 5 new zombies or more would receive an one-year tax-free shop, free of charge by showing the evidence of the new zombie crystal nucleus. Of course, the nucleus would still belonged to the team who manage to hunt the new zombie.

Lan Cheng base had also given the green light for the refugees. As long as each refugees outside could pay 40 transparent crystal nuclei for each person, then they are allowed to enter the base. During the zombies siege, Lan Cheng base would start a special area for refugees to gather and guaranteed that they would be provided with the most basic living security for free until the crisis ended.

During times of crisis, people were more prone to look for opportunities to kill their relatives and friends.

In such a turbulent time, Ji Xiang's announcement was sent out, making Lan Cheng base's atmosphere boiling.

All the people, who were fighting and making trouble, dispersed without exception. Ordinary zombies hunter would never say no to free bullets and gasoline. The zombies siege was not a joke after all. Even if Lan Cheng base didn't give anything, they still had to work hard to survive the zombies. Meanwhile, the powerful zombies hunter team were more focused on the tax-free shop the announcement mentioned.

Even if it would only work for one year, even if it's only one small shop, the word 'tax-free' was enough to make their eyes turned red. So far, only the top team consisting of five zombie hunters that were led by Ji Xiang had the tax-free privilege in Lan Cheng base. Of course, their leadership and decision-making power were much more important than some small tax-free shop, and perhaps in some people's eyes, this commitment was seen as the first step to decentralize the upper-echelon's power.

Lured by the promise of gain and driven by evil.

The situation in the base soon calmed down. Before long, the zombie hunters came out of their home in droves to pick up the promised bullets and gasoline. Outside the base, a small door that only allowed two people to pass side by side, was opened. Hundreds of guards were guarding it with guns visible and the refugees were only allowed to pass after they pay the full amount of crystal nuclei and be tested for infection.

The chance for survival was placed in front of the refugees just like dangling a big chicken leg that you couldn't eat in front of a starving person. The refugee camp, which was already out of order, was in complete chaos. In order to get those 40 transparent crystals, this place had become a real purgatory.

Some people took away other family's only wealth and rushed into the door despite the desperate cries from the family.

Some people intercepted and took the blood-stained wealth from the still warm corpse.

Some people rushed to the middle of the road and sold their wives and children to the people who came out of the base with a ferocious expression.

Some people knelt by the roadside, begging the zombie hunters to be kind enough to save their young children's lives.

Some people resolutely picked up a simple weapon and walked towards the zombie tide…...

A few minutes of walking was enough to see the cruelest and most helpless scene in one's life.

Wu Ye's hand that was holding a rifle in his hand trembled a little before he forced himself to divert his sight elsewhere. The constant sound of crying and pleading that came to his ear made the joy and excitement from making a fortune last night disappeared. There was an indescribable kind of pain in his heart.

Qin Wuhua saw his face had turned pale and knew that he was upset. The only thing he could do was to pat him on the back, silently comforting him.

More than ten kilometers away from Lan Cheng base, the amount of zombies that could be found there suddenly increased. The density was close to that of the hunting area, which meant that the zombie tide was not far away. Most of the zombie hunters stopped here for safety reasons. Only a few zombie hunters who was going after the new zombies were still going in farther. In the distance, the roar of artillery shells in the distance could be heard coming from the special guards fighting in the front line.

Qin Wuhua naturally also wanted to get the tax-free shop reward. Therefore, as early as Ji Xiang issued the announcement, he had already contacted Yang Qi and Yang Li Na, and they helped contact three other first-order peak ability users. As soon as the base gate was opened, a line of eight people went deep into the zombie tide.

Through the improved zombies detector, Ji Yun drove to the places where the zombies were concentrated, all in accordance with Qin Wuhua's requirements. As the amount of the zombies increased, Yang Qi who was sitting in the passenger seat, began to use his ability to clear the way for Ji Yun.

Wu Ye and the others stood and began to shoot at the zombies. Originally, the three new ability users murmured that Wu Ye is an ordinary man, who at first sight was just like a pampered young master. They feared that Wu Ye would drag them down. After seeing Wu Ye's superb shooting skill though, they no longer complained.

Wu Ye focused on shooting with all his heart and soul. He didn't notice that the weak airflow in his body was quietly flowing through his meridians and the fact that his breathing frequency was unconsciously reduced to a very low level. He didn't notice that he had entered some mysterious rhythm nor the fact that he had entered 'basic breathing technique' in the midst of battle.

After marching for another five kilometers, Qin Wuhua saw that there were already many zombies ahead him for several kilometers through his telescope. He also saw that the special guard's tanks and armored vehicles were fighting but could only retreat. Their efforts to fight the zombie tide was barely enough to be called a dense artillery fire.

Qin Wuhua accidentally spotted a zombie that was extremely fast and obviously larger than other zombies in the middle of the zombies group. He looked at it carefully and noted that it was extremely keen, able to constantly avoided the special guard's attack and then rushing towards them quickly afterwards.

At the same time, the system, which had been pretending to be dead after energy overdraft, finally said something:

[Mandatory Task: Guard Lan Cheng base, accepted by default.]

[Random Task: Hunt the third-level mutated zombie.]

"Be careful. I feel like the new zombie is nearby." Wu Ye said as he quickly changed his rifle into a heavy machine gun, asking the system to take over the immediate task for him while the gun was empty.

His speculation confirmed, Qin Wuhua immediately knocked on the back window of the car and loudly spoke to Ji Yun and Yang Qi, "Turn around immediately and set up a roadblock."

After Ji Yun, Yang Qi, and Yang Li Na responded back, just as loud, Ji Yun rotated almost 180 degrees in place, and turned the car around in minutes. Meanwhile, Yang Qi's eyes were closed and a yellow light in front of the car flickered. In an instant, three earth walls of more than one meter thick rose from the ground, shrouding the car, while also camouflaging the wall with the color of rock.

After the wall was built, Yang Li Na immediately mobilized her ability, making the outer layer of the wall glittered like gold. The heavy iron weights that she had carried with her disappearing in a flash. Under the wall, a circle of two or three meters long steel bars with wrist thickness of 45 degrees was grown tilted outwards with a sharp tip that shone brightly in the sun, forcing the surrounding zombies to be unable to get close to a simple 'earthen wall air-raid shelter' style for a short time.

Yang Qi's ability was limited. The construction of 'earth hole' could only cover ¾ of the car's part, leaving the rear part exposed, becoming a short-term platform.

"The target is at one o'clock ahead and is approaching rapidly. No. 1 and no. 2 machine gunners, watch out for targets. No. 3, 4, 5 ability users, use your different abilities to clear up the zombie tide and pay attention to preserving your combat strength."

Qin Wuhua finished ordering, put down the telescope and set up the sniper rifle he bought at a high price.