I Stand for the People, and the People Stand for Me

Mike understood clearly now—this woman didn't care about any trials or tests. What mattered to her was where Mike stood, and she would follow him wherever he went.

The lady's favor was undeniable, and Mike felt he should make some gesture in return. But, in the midst of an apocalyptic world, priorities had to come first.

Mike glanced at the still chaotic city chat, uninterested in engaging any further. He wasn't about to waste time claiming his rightful position as the true commander. After all, this was just another round of calculated maneuvers and public relations—a kind of verbal sparring akin to the rhetoric between two nations.

In an era of public knowledge, there would be voices that rise in protest, breaking the enemy's lies. But when has anyone seen the supreme leader join the fray of a verbal battle themselves?

The job at hand, the mission to save people, must come first. The rest would sort itself out in time.

Mike wasn't panicked anymore, but his resolve remained. He wasn't angry, but vengeance would be served.

He gave a direct order to Jiang Xiaoci to execute the policy. At the same time, he personally took charge, calling for Lin Yue, the chief of staff, and the two doctors, Zhao Siqi and Chen Qiuren. Together with the doctors at the core, they mobilized all medical and industrial talents within the settlement to mass-produce the antidote as quickly as possible.

Mike gave a firm order: "Two days! No more than two days to produce the first batch of antidotes!"

"Disaster relief is like fighting fire! The people are waiting! We must not let them down!"

After issuing orders for the medical team, Mike turned to Lin Yue and delivered a new directive: "From today onward, deploy available rescue supplies, and send the entire force into action! Teams must be assembled and sent to every corner of the city for rescue operations!"

"Each team must include at least one member of the Mad Demon Guard to confirm their identity. Rescues aren't about whether we can bring people back safely; the priority is to ensure that the survivors we contact have no life-threatening issues!"

"Prioritize urgent rescue! If we encounter survivors in critical conditions, prioritize bringing them back to the settlement, with the elderly, children, and women as the highest priority!"

"No restrictions on the rescue zones. Our goal is to save every survivor in the city! The entire Jinling City must survive!"

Mike's tone was stern. Lin Yue, however, responded with great enthusiasm, her voice ringing with conviction: "Mission accepted!"

For Lin Yue, she longed to be recognized as part of the official military identity of this new world. It would allow her to truly fulfill her duty as a soldier—protecting the people.

As for the two official identity verification tools from the country—Mike had no intention of using them, despite the fact they were supposed to provide recognition in the chat. He had already figured it out. These tools weren't about the flashy recognition; they were only designed to help commanders prove themselves while managing real-world tasks.

And this wasn't about his ego or position. He didn't care about titles, he cared about saving lives.

With Lin Yue leading the charge, Jiang Xiaoci also sent out official notices to all the settlements, including the small bear shelter. A formal announcement came, and Mike's position was confirmed by the military: he was now the appointed special operations commander of Jinling.

The settlements received orders for immediate action, prioritizing the salvation of Jinling's survivors above all else.

Mike received a formal document from the military, written with precision and clarity, outlining the responsibilities of the commander and the shelters. Each shelter was ordered to strengthen internal management, ensure sufficient supplies, and enhance their rescue capabilities.

Reading the notices, Mike was stunned by the formality and organization of it all. Jiang Xiaoci was a genius in administrative affairs—everything was meticulously outlined, from large policy decisions down to every last detail. This wasn't just a job; it was a demonstration of the highest level of governance. This was the national government's official, formal process in action, and it left no room for doubt about who was truly in charge.

Meanwhile, at the small bear shelter, Chen Dafen, once a top fighter and feared by survivors, now found himself confused, staring at the assignment he had been given: a disaster relief mission.

His first reaction was disbelief. "This isn't what I signed up for! I was supposed to be a warrior, a king in this world!"

But his sister, Chen Xiaoling, quietly remarked, "Maybe... this isn't so bad. If the country's behind it, maybe the apocalypse won't last much longer."

Chen Dafen scoffed. He wasn't interested in playing the hero. "I'm not here to save people. I'm here to rule!"

As Mike focused on his work, the chat channel started to reflect a shift in sentiment. Survivors who had been skeptical of Mike's leadership began to speak out in his defense, refuting those who tried to discredit him.

The real commander wasn't playing games with titles or popularity—he was getting things done, sending teams into the field with supplies, taking care of the immediate needs of the survivors. The imposters, on the other hand, were exposed quickly for their lies.

It didn't take long before the tide of public opinion began to turn in Mike's favor. The people saw through the lies and recognized true leadership when it was right in front of them.