Moat, blockade line up

 Luli Prefecture, the moat bridge.

A number of armored tanks were gathered on the bridge, not allowing any vehicles or personnel to pass.

In front of the armored tanks, police officers were dressed in protective clothing and armed with guns, staring fiercely at the crowd gathered in front of the moat.

In front of the police officers was a five-meter-high iron fence that had just been erected.

On the iron fence were installed searchlights that illuminated the dark night sky, making the area in front of the moat look like daylight.

"We are from Changzhou, hundreds of kilometers away from Tongzhou, Wuzhou, and Quanzhou. There is no possibility of being infected. Why can't we go through?"

"Qingzhou has fallen, and the disasters in Tongzhou and the other three cities have just begun. We still have a chance. Please don't give up on us."

"I have money. If you let me pass, I am willing to donate all my assets to the country!"

"Please have mercy on me. My child in my arms is only two years old, and the child in my belly is only three months old. Please let me pass!"

All those who gathered in front of the moat, wanting to flee the Fifteen Cities, filled the streets and pleaded with the police officers.

Everyone was shrouded in fear, and everyone was genuinely afraid at this moment.

They didn't want to stay in the Fifteen Cities, didn't want to be abandoned by the country, didn't want to face terrifying and ferocious zombies, and didn't want to die young.

The sound of car horns, pleas, and crying...

Echoed over the moat, lingering for a long time.

Although the disaster had not yet spread to this place, all the people were anxious like ants on a hot pot, and they had lost their composure.

"Please be quiet!"

A military officer on an armored tank held a megaphone and shouted to the noisy crowd: "The country will not abandon any of you, and we do not want to see the disaster threaten your lives."

"But right now, the Zombie King may be mixed among you. If it leaves the Fifteen Cities and crosses the moat, the whole country will face a doomsday."

"Blocking the Fifteen Cities is a reluctant measure taken by the country, but please believe that the country will not abandon you this time. During the blockade, we will provide you with food and weapons through airdrops to help you survive this disaster as much as possible."

"I hope that you and we can unite and face this disaster together, overcoming the difficulties!"

The officer's words immediately quieted the noisy crowd.

"Qingzhou is a precedent. Millions of people died or turned into zombies because of the police's obstruction. How can we believe you?"

A person in the crowd shouted angrily.

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd, which had just quieted down a bit, boiled up again.

No one wanted to believe the officer's words, and no one could believe that the country would not abandon them and share their sufferings.

In their hearts, there was only one thought.

That was to cross the moat and escape from this disaster!

As this thought arose, some radicals directly drove their cars into the barbed wire fence.

Some people who were jammed in the streets and could not drive forward decisively got out of their cars and charged towards the barbed wire fence.

They had to rush out!

Whether the Zombie King was among the crowd or not had nothing to do with them!

They just wanted to survive!

 In an instant, hundreds of people crashed into the five-meter-high barbed wire fence. In the blink of an eye, the fence was deformed and showed signs of being torn apart.

Behind the barbed wire fence, police officers wearing protective suits watched the crowd that refused to listen to reasons and glanced sideways at the officers on the armed tanks.

The armed tanks parked on the congested bridge also raised their dark gun barrels, aiming at the chaotic crowd, waiting for the officers to give the order.

The officer furrowed his brows, and his hand gripping the megaphone was covered in sweat.

The upper echelon had made it clear that no one was allowed to cross the moat, and violence was not to be used against the crowd.

In this situation, he really didn't know what else besides violence could suppress this group of irrational people.

"Everyone, it was wrong of our police station to blockade and kill the fugitives in Qingzhou, but under that situation, if we had stopped them, the fifteen cities would have already fallen by now, and you would have already died. You wouldn't have the chance to gather here now."

"Do you think the police station wants to destroy Qingzhou? Do you think the country wants to? Isn't it to protect the safety of all of you?"

"If you're worried about being abandoned by the country and fear being killed by the police station like in Qingzhou, I'm willing to enter the fifteen cities and face the disaster together with you!"

As the officer was at a loss, a woman suddenly appeared beside him, grabbing the megaphone from his hand and shouting loudly at the agitated and chaotic crowd.

After speaking, the woman jumped off the armed tank and walked straight towards the deformed barbed wire fence.

Seeing this, the people who were charging at the fence regained some rationality and stopped colliding with the fence, instead watching the woman quietly.

Under everyone's gaze, the woman personally opened the barbed wire fence and entered the blocked area.

"The police station will not abandon you, and the country will definitely not abandon you."

"In every disaster, there will be sacrifices and deaths."

"But we cannot retreat because of the disaster or be intimidated by its horror. As a member of the police station, I am willing to stand with you, but I also ask you to cooperate with the police station's work."

"Either go back to your homes and fight the zombies on your own, face the disaster, or choose to unite and fight the zombies together, then wait for the day of lifting the blockade."

"If anyone continues to obstruct and cause trouble here, the gun in my hand will not hesitate!"

Standing in the blocked area, the woman faced the thousands of people who had filled the streets, her words sharp and decisive as she drew the gun from her waist and scanned a group of people with a cold gaze.

The people originally standing next to the barbed wire fence, seeing the woman's serious expression and the police officers and armed tanks outside the fence, felt a sense of fear and all retreated a few steps in unison.

The scene of the Qingzhou blockade killing tens of thousands of fugitives was still vivid in their minds.

With this precedent, no one dared to question the truthfulness of the woman's words.

"I know that even though I'm here, many of you are not convinced or willing to trust me. But I'm telling you, even if you break through this barbed wire fence, and the police officers and armed tanks outside give you a way, you still won't be able to cross the bridge!"

"It's not that we won't allow it, but the people on the other side of the bridge won't!"

The woman pointed towards the other side of the bridge as she spoke.

The people on the streets across the bridge, armed with various weapons, gathered behind the armed tanks and along the moat.

They all looked like they were guarding against thieves.

None of them wanted to see the people in the blocked area cross the bridge.

The people in the blocked area saw this scene and trembled with fright.

They knew very well that the woman was not lying to them; this was the reality.

Just like when the disaster hit Qingzhou, everyone despised Qingzhou and watched the fugitives being killed without sympathy, but instead rejoiced.

"In every disaster, sacrifices are inevitable, but as long as you don't hinder the police station or obstruct its operations, the police officers will always be at the forefront, even if they have to sacrifice, it will be the police station that sacrifices first."

"Now, I'll give you thirty seconds to consider. Do you want to go back and prepare adequately to fight the zombies, or stay here and be killed by me?"

The woman watched the crowd's expressions change and continued in a threatening tone.

Upon hearing her words, under the menacing gaze of the armed police and tanks, ultimately, they all chose to turn back...