Chapter 118 Now it's Different

A person's power is very limited, and in a war, there isn't much they can do, but a superhero is different.

It's very different.

With Gao Yuan present, many things became simpler. Speaking solely of luring the enemy, no one did it better or more than Gao Yuan.

Especially a well-fed Gao Yuan.

The rescue evacuation plan had been decided, involving a twelve-person special operations team, and adding Gao Yuan to the mix made a total of thirteen. They would carry two radios and, if they encountered an unsolvable problem, they would call the base, which would dispatch combat vehicles for the rescue.

Dispatching combat vehicles was a broad concept; depending on the situation, anything from ordinary cars to wheeled armored vehicles, even tanks could be sent.

They would avoid using vehicles if possible, but if it became necessary, Base No. 12 would do everything, even if it meant exposure, to rescue Xinghe.

This was their resolution.

For Xinghe's sake, they had already lost two Stonegate sanctuaries, and Xu Manzhi was willing to risk exposing Base No. 12. The consensus was that for the only and greatest hope seen by humanity, any sacrifice and cost was worthwhile.

Of course, Gao Yuan didn't know with whom Xu Manzhi had consulted and deliberated to reach this consensus.

The two special operations teams went into the field lightly equipped. On Gao Yuan's strong advice and request, the members carried more food with them than ammunition.

And indeed, there were bicycles in the shelter.

The bicycles weren't intended for combat but were used for commuting within the base hidden inside the mountain, suggesting the base's vast scale.

In the darkness, the base's gate silently opened. Gao Yuan stepped out, lifted his bicycle, and waited for the twelve special ops team members to emerge. Then they all began to ride away as silently as they had arrived.

Each person had a phosphorescent night vision device, and Gao Yuan wore one as well, which greatly simplified night cycling.

Although Gao Yuan's physical abilities had been comprehensively and significantly enhanced, his eyesight had not improved as noticeably, particularly his night vision, which seemed stronger but still not significant.

So the night vision device was conspicuously useful.

Gao Yuan rode his bicycle very fast, but it was still much slower compared to the speed he had reached earlier that day, for a simple reason—he had to wait for the special ops team.

Maintaining a silent formation, the bicycle team advanced at a steady forty kilometers an hour. The first third of the trip was all in the mountains, where they were unlikely to encounter any dangers. But once they left the mountains and followed the roads, they would surely pass through many villages and towns, and wherever there were villages and towns, there would most certainly be zombies.

If this had been before, Gao Yuan would have chosen to take a detour, but this time, he decided to go straight through.

The descent from the mountain was mostly downhill, so they were picking up speed. After more than two hours of riding, Gao Yuan and his team met their first challenge.

The highway skirted the periphery of a town. On one side of the road was a valley and on the other, a continuous expanse of houses. In such places, zombies were a certainty, but the number was unknown.

Gao Yuan increased his pace, leaving the bicycle team behind by about a kilometer. Slowing his bike, but without stopping, he rode along the highway.

With one hand on the handlebar and the other clutching a rebar club he'd taken from the base, Gao Yuan scanned back and forth, focusing on the densely housed left side of the road.

He glanced over and didn't spot a large mass of zombies. Actually, looking through the night vision device, there wasn't a single zombie in sight.

But Gao Yuan finally encountered his first zombie, and it was not in the densely-packed houses on the left, but in a ditch on the right where a zombie suddenly sprang out.

The zombie was aggressive, and after Gao Yuan passed by, it chased him at high speed from behind and to the side.

Gao Yuan heard the footsteps and quickly determined the zombie's position. He didn't get off his bicycle because the zombie was already close behind him.

Twisting his body on the bicycle, Gao Yuan swung the rebar with a whoosh and slammed it down.

The 18mm diameter rebar wasn't too thick, but it was heavy. With Gao Yuan's casual swing, the rebar seemed to have the effect of a long sword.

The zombie fell to the ground silently and Gao Yuan didn't even need to slow down; he continued moving forward.

Further on, three zombies appeared in the middle of the road. When they spotted Gao Yuan, they all lunged towards him.

Gao Yuan swung the rebar in his hand.

The rebar, one and a half meters long, required Gao Yuan to grip it at a third of its length to use it flexibly. However, he found that even when holding one end of the rebar, with his powerful swings, the long rebar didn't feel too heavy or uncontrollable.

It was like swinging a long willow branch or a long thin bamboo pole.

The three zombies approached in a staggered formation. Gao Yuan, still on his bicycle, swung the rebar sideways, smashing the head of one zombie, and then raised the rebar and chopped diagonally, bursting the head of the second zombie.

The third zombie was already close at hand, forcing Gao Yuan to exert his full strength to swing the rebar faster.

The rebar made a sharp whooshing sound in the air as it struck the zombie's neck. The third zombie's head rolled off and tumbled to the side of the road, which was slightly sloped.

So fierce, Gao Yuan didn't even need to get off his bicycle; he passed through the town's road quickly and efficiently.

Once out of the town, Gao Yuan stopped his bicycle, circled back on the road, and then rode to the other end of the town, arriving in front of a dozen special forces members who were stopped there.

"Everyone be careful not to make any noise. The disturbance I just caused was slightly loud. Wait and observe for a moment. And, have you all dealt with zombies? Have you fought against them?"

Gao Yuan's question almost sounded like it wasn't directed at special forces members but rather a group of volunteers.

However, out of the twelve special forces members, only one raised his hand.

"I have seen and dealt with zombies, but they were directly inside Base No. 12, so I haven't encountered zombies outside. But rest assured, we all know the characteristics of zombies and how to deal with them."

The team leader spoke softly; their lack of real combat experience with zombies was a significant weakness. But why did Xu Manzhi still send them? Because they were more reliable, had stronger combat capability, and definitely had the necessary resolve.

Gao Yuan whispered, "Lack of experience isn't a big deal. You will gain experience soon enough. Just remember one thing, never fire your guns unless absolutely necessary. There are few zombies here, but if we attract a large group, we'll have to start over."

The team leader nodded and replied quietly, "Don't worry, we wouldn't fire even at the cost of our lives!"

After observing for a moment, Gao Yuan said, "No zombies have come out. Move quickly, and keep close to me."

Riding his bike at the front again, Gao Yuan pedaled swiftly, with the special forces members following at ten-meter intervals. They passed through the town in just two minutes.

This time, no zombies appeared, and their passage was smooth.