Chapter 112: Walking Alone

Xiang Weiguo called Gao Yuan into the room, along with Panxin and Li Jingang, and everyone else had to wait outside.

It's still necessary to be conscious of confidentiality.

Xiang Weiguo unfolded a military map, a one to 250,000 scale, and after spreading it out in front of Gao Yuan, he spoke in a low voice, "Now we need to think about what to do next. Our original plan was to take Xinghe with us to the Supreme Command, but breaking through the zombie encirclement is very difficult and dangerous. However, now that we have Gao Yuan, it's different."

Why is it different? Because Gao Yuan can run faster than the zombies. If he can break out of the zombie encirclement, then naturally it's different.

Pansin whispered, "Commander Xiang, sending only Gao Yuan, isn't that a bit too risky?"

Li Jingang immediately said, "But if we move together and also have to take Xinghe with us, it's even more risky. It doesn't matter if something happens to us, but Xinghe can't have any problems."

Gao Yuan let out a breath and said, "Uncle Xiang, you should at least tell me where the Supreme Command is first..."

But Xiang Weiguo still didn't say. He looked at Panxin and Li Jingang and said, "Right now, only us three know where the Supreme Command is. If you agree to have Gao Yuan go to the Supreme Command, I'll tell him the location. If you don't agree, then I can't reveal it."

Panxin and Li Jingang didn't immediately reply.

After pondering for a moment, Panxin whispered, "At this point, I think confidentiality is no longer the primary concern."

Li Jingang also nodded and said, "Our core objective is to get Xinghe safely to the Supreme Command. Other than that, we can overlook everything. Commander Xiang, I think the location of the Supreme Command can change, but there's only one Xinghe. With this precondition, I think the problem should be easy to handle."

Pointing at Gao Yuan, Li Jingang whispered, "Right now he's fast and strong. If someone has to carry out the task of delivering a message, he's the most suitable. Panxin and I don't have the confidence to break out of the zombie encirclement. Without that confidence, we can only be trapped here, so there's no point in hesitating. Let Gao Yuan deliver the message while we wait for the Supreme Command to send someone to escort Xinghe to safety."

Xiang Weiguo nodded, then finally spoke to Gao Yuan, "The Supreme Command is right here."

He pointed to a location on the map. After Gao Yuan followed Xiang Weiguo's finger and looked over, he exclaimed in surprise, "It's so close to our shelter? Impossible!"

Gao Yuan was bound to be surprised because the place Xiang Weiguo pointed to was very close to their shelter, with a straight-line distance definitely not more than twenty kilometers.

Xiang Weiguo whispered, "Surprised, huh? I was also shocked when Commander Wang told me the location of the Supreme Command. It's too close to our home. Let me also tell you, it's not shown on this map, but if you follow the newly built road from our camp to the west for less than three kilometers, then turn north, and follow the newly built road in the mountains for another sixteen kilometers, that's an entrance to the Supreme Command."

"An entrance?"

"Yes, I don't know the details because it's top secret, but this entrance is the closest to Shimen Shelter No.2. You just need to get there, and once you contact the people from the Supreme Command, they will naturally send someone to escort us."

Gao Yuan looked carefully at the map and then frowned, "Where are we right now?"

Xiang Weiguo pointed on the map and said, "We're here, with a straight-line distance of seventy-six kilometers to the entrance of the Supreme Command. The entire journey will take more than a hundred kilometers, there's a road, but it's best to avoid the main roads."

"Going through the mountains is safer, but it's also farther and more difficult. We've calculated that, with our speed, we would need at least three days."

Panxin spoke up, looking at Gao Yuan, "If it's you, and if you can maintain your speed for a long time, I think one day should be enough."

Gao Yuan thought for a long time and said, "If we go through the mountains, is it possible to take Xinghe with us?"

Gao Yuan didn't want to shirk responsibility or avoid delivering the message; he looked at the map and realized it was indeed possible to take a circuitous route through the mountains from their current position. Although it would be a longer, tougher route, if there were no zombies in the mountains, they should be able to take Xinghe along.

Xiang Weiguo shook his head and said, "No, it might look like it's all mountainous on the map, but the reality is there are many hills in between. Basically, our mountain head is already surrounded by zombies."

Li Jingang spoke with a helpless face, "We've scouted all the nearby terrain over the past sixteen days. Zombies are scattered everywhere under the aliens' deliberate guidance. We're worried that just one zombie spotting us might bring a whole horde."

Gao Yuan thought for a while and said, "Is it possible for me to lure all the zombies away while you take Xinghe with you?"

Xiang Weiguo bluntly said, "That's always been our contingency plan, but first, someone has to break through the zombie blockade and scout out the areas we haven't been able to check. If the distribution of zombies isn't extensive, and you can lure them away entirely, then we'll take Xinghe and leave this place quickly."

In any case, we need the incredibly fast Gao Yuan.

Gao Yuan didn't need to hesitate any longer. After studying the map for a moment, he nodded and said, "Okay, let's do that. I'll scout it out first, and we'll decide based on what I find."

After speaking, Gao Yuan hesitated again and then said with a troubled expression, "But I'm hungry. I'm still very hungry, and what if I run out of energy while on the move? What then?"

This wasn't about Gao Yuan being afraid of death, but such an obviously potential issue had to be taken seriously.

Xiang Weiguo and the other two exchanged glances, then all three of them smiled bitterly together.

"You've eaten everything."

"All the stored food is gone, even Jia Weidong's reserves you ate up, and there's nothing left on this mountain. After that night of gunfire, everything on this mountain has run away, except..."

Xiang Weiguo didn't finish his sentence, but suddenly he smiled and said, "Except for wild chickens, which shouldn't be a problem for you, right?"

Even before his mutation, Gao Yuan could hit wild chickens with stones. Now, wild chickens must be like handy snacks for him.

Gao Yuan smiled, then said cheerfully, "I'll go hunt wild chickens. Once I've eaten, I'll set out."

Li Jingang whispered, "Is the food problem resolved just like that? We haven't finished talking. Should Panxin and I go with him?"

Gao Yuan hesitated for a moment, but eventually said, "I think it's better if I go alone. If both of you come with me, well, it would slow me down."

Li Jingang looked unsatisfied and said, "You mean we'd just be holding you back."

Panxin resignedly said, "Face reality. Him moving with us would indeed only slow him down. Let's forget it. I trust that Gao Yuan can do it."