Steal the People? Then Let the War Begin!

This was truly the essence of pinpointing the core issue—no matter how flashy the opponent's moves, you just cling to one point and don't let go!

Mike couldn't help but admire, "No wonder they've been through so many battles. The tactics are truly inherited from their ancestors."

It was just yesterday that Jiang Xiaoci had reminded Mike about this, and today, he saw many survivors putting it into practice with vivid precision.

In a war of words, the most effective weapon wasn't scientific explanation, justification, or proof—it was counter-questioning.

By forcing the opponent into an endless loop of explanation and self-justification, the offensive and defensive balance could be shifted in your favor.

However, as Mike continued observing, he noticed a few familiar shelter names popping up intermittently, occasionally throwing oil onto the fire.

"These guys... they seem to be from the Little Bear Shelter, and there are some local residents too!"

"Is this Xiaoci's arrangement?"

Mike raised an eyebrow and then realized.

Sure enough, Jiang Xiaoci wasn't someone to sit back and wait for a beating. If the opponent wanted to stir up a public debate, Jiang Xiaoci had played a brilliant move—using their own tactics against them.

While the rescue squads were out, he'd secretly positioned a "water army" in the chat channels, fueling the debate with facts, further supported by the actual actions of the rescue team. The goal was to turn the tide on the opponent's public relations strategy.

Once a dispute had begun, doubt would naturally follow. And once doubt surfaced, the people wouldn't care about the words being said—they'd only pay attention to the actions taken.

Over time, survivors who had already benefited from the rescue team would naturally rally to the cause, helping spread the word even further. Jiang Xiaoci only needed to send a few heads to lead, and the rest would follow.

Mike enjoyed his lunch amidst the lively atmosphere of watching the unfolding drama.

It was clear that the people at City Center were beginning to feel the same frustration Mike had felt the previous day. That feeling of helplessness, caught in a web of lies, and unable to defend themselves against the wave of accusations.

"The truth will always come to light," Mike muttered as he closed the chat window with satisfaction, preparing to ramp up his rescue efforts.

But just then, the room's communication terminal beeped.

The screen flashed to life, and Wang Shi's steady voice came through.

"Sir, I have important intelligence to report."

Wang Shi had access to advanced communication technology, making it easy for him to contact Mike directly.

"Go ahead!"

Mike rushed to the terminal, eager for news.

"I infiltrated the City Center as a survivor. Just five minutes ago, I discovered that there was a large-scale troop movement in the City Center. Armed personnel have begun to assemble."

Mike froze at the news. "They're assembling armed forces?"

"Are they planning to attack us?"

Mike rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Was this their strategy? To physically wipe out their competitors?

It seemed like a viable option—but why would they think they could eliminate the commander of Jinling? This was a nationally recognized third-ranked official. Anyone with a little common sense would know that eliminating Mike wasn't going to be easy.

Though the possibility seemed unlikely, Mike remained cautious. He still didn't know the full extent of their abilities and couldn't afford to be reckless.

"I don't think it's likely," Wang Shi replied after a pause. "Let me gather more information."

"How?"

"Eavesdropping," Wang Shi answered simply.

"??"

Mike blinked, a chuckle escaping him.

The simple, no-frills approach to intelligence gathering—it was exactly the kind of thing he expected from Wang Shi.

About three minutes later, Wang Shi's voice came back through the terminal.

"Sir, it's been confirmed. The target of their operation is not us."

"Then who?"

"The survivors inside the city," Wang Shi said in a low voice. "After the reversal in public opinion this morning, they've realized that just relying on propaganda can't draw in any more survivors. They've decided to start using armed forces to forcibly gather survivors from outside into their settlement."

"Wait... what? They're kidnapping people?" Mike almost couldn't believe it.

It was clear now that their desperation was showing. After just a single morning of losing the public debate, they'd abandoned further arguments and resorted to force.

This was a desperate, reckless move.

"Just as I suspected—population is their most critical resource. It's their strength, but also their weakness."

Mike murmured to himself. "They're already panicking after just half a day without new people. That's a serious vulnerability."

"What should I do, sir?" Wang Shi asked. "Should I continue spying, or should I act?"

"Do you have a solid plan?"

Mike pondered. "Chen Dafeng told me they have a way to resist physical damage. Do you think your magnetic suppression will work on them?"

"I'm not sure," Wang Shi admitted, shaking his head. "I've never seen their combat techniques firsthand, so I can't predict how effective it will be. Plus, I still haven't figured out who their leader is. They're cautious with new arrivals and have only provided basic food, no further support or information."

"Then stay undercover and keep gathering intel," Mike said decisively. "Don't reveal yourself yet. You're my blade in the shadows, and I'm not using you just yet."

"Yes, sir."

With that, Wang Shi fell silent and resumed his mission.

Mike quickly dialed another communication line, reaching out to Jiang Xiaoci, who was overseeing the larger rescue operations.

"Xiaoci, Wang Shi has sent some intel," Mike said, relaying the details of what he'd learned.

Jiang Xiaoci's soft voice came through the line. "What do you think, sir?"

"He's definitely up to something. The more desperate they are, the more we need to stay ahead of the game!"

Mike didn't hesitate. "We must act—if they're going to kidnap people, we can't let them get away with it. Even if it means a confrontation, we can't let them take anyone."

"I agree with your thinking, sir," Jiang Xiaoci replied with a smile in her voice. "We'll use their impatience against them—delay them and strike when the time is right."

"But still be cautious," she added, her tone turning colder. "We can't be too sure of their intentions. They might be faking this to deceive us."

Jiang Xiaoci was always thinking several steps ahead. Mike couldn't help but smile. "Xiaoci, I don't think they're as clever as you think. Not everyone's as brilliant as you."

"Sir, there are countless brilliant minds in the world. We must not let our guard down."

"You're right, I'll take your advice!" Mike laughed.

"Sir..." Jiang Xiaoci sighed, before quickly shifting back to the matter at hand.

Orders were given, and two thousand troops, originally scattered to different neighborhoods for rescue efforts, were now regrouped under a new command. With Jiang Xiaoci's new strategy, one thousand soldiers were withdrawn and concentrated, marching directly toward the City Center from four directions.

Mike quickly learned of Jiang Xiaoci's decision and assumed she would be leading a siege, surrounding the City Center to prevent them from sending people into the city.

But unexpectedly, Jiang Xiaoci had something different in mind.

"Sir, surrounding them would lead to direct confrontation. With our lack of knowledge of their strength, this strategy is too risky."

"Then what's your plan?"

"We'll let their small squads spread out across the city. Once they return, we'll strike."

Jiang Xiaoci paused, her voice carrying a chilling edge. "We'll overwhelm them with numbers, divide and conquer."

"Kidnapping people will stir up unrest—an angry populace will give rise to true heroes."