Behind the Scenes: The New Advocate, Li Aiguo

"Sure."

Mike paused thoughtfully for a moment before agreeing to Li Aiguo's suggestion with surprising ease. "We can try banding together. I'm more than willing to join forces with someone like you, a comrade, to protect more people during the apocalypse."

"Smart decision."

Li Aiguo smiled knowingly. "By the way, that guy from Guangling has been eyeing our Dantu for a while. What Comrade Su has done, he could never manage."

"You mean our potential collaboration?" Mike raised an eyebrow, following Li Aiguo's line of thought. "I don't know much about Guangling, but from what you're saying, it seems like the commander there isn't exactly playing by the rules. Is that why you're seeking me out, rather than working with Guangling for stronger military support?"

Mike worded it carefully, but Li Aiguo understood he had to answer seriously. Why, when Guangling was the closest, didn't they seek their support instead of choosing to work with Mike, whom they barely knew? It was a significant question.

"The reason is simple."

Li Aiguo shrugged. "The higher-ups suggested it. Not long ago, they contacted me and told me there was a commander like Comrade Su nearby. They also mentioned that you might be around Guangling."

"They said that if I needed help, I could request it from you, but they weren't sure if you'd agree."

"Ah, so it was the higher-ups who gave the word."

Mike nodded thoughtfully. When General Wang had assigned him a mission, he hadn't mentioned Dantu specifically, but if Mike had gone to Guangling, he'd inevitably come into contact with Dantu. As for why the higher-ups didn't directly recommend Dantu, it was likely part of a test.

A test not only of how Mike would interact with other commanders in the apocalypse but also of whether Mike cared for the people beyond Jinling as much as he did for his own.

"I've heard that in the major cities around the Jiangnan region, you're quite valued by the higher-ups."

Li Aiguo's voice was calm. "A commander who's received initial recognition from above... I'd say, even if you're not perfect, you're certainly a lot better than that guy from Guangling."

Li Aiguo's words carried a deep sense of resignation. He seemed to already understand Dantu's fate—it would not survive independently in the chaotic apocalypse.

As more capable commanders emerged, cities like Dantu, with powerful survivors like Old Xu, would need to attach themselves to a stronger force, as survival in the apocalypse wasn't just about facing the end of the world; it was about dealing with human nature.

"It sounds like you have quite the grudge against him. Care to share more about your past with him?" Mike asked, intrigued.

Li Aiguo shrugged. "It's simple, really. That guy got some ambition he shouldn't have, wanted to annex Dantu."

"Guangling is strong, with a lot of powerful combat survivors. They began cleaning up their city and exploring the outskirts from the very beginning of the Second Apocalypse."

"As far as I know, before that guy even became the commander, he had already unified the city. I think the higher-ups were aware of Guangling's situation, which is why they reluctantly gave him that commander's title."

"After all, even without the title, he'd still hold sway in Guangling."

Li Aiguo paused and then spoke in a quieter tone. "Dantu is too close to Guangling, just a short walk away... When Guangling's people came to contact Dantu earlier, they were still being polite. I was even considering talking with him."

"But during the mid-stage of the Second Apocalypse, some of our own people with ulterior motives were taken by Guangling, and Old Xu's whereabouts got leaked."

"Once Guangling learned about Old Xu, their attitude changed. They grew much more aggressive and began demanding to either cooperate or annex us."

"If it were just about Old Xu, I wouldn't have minded. I know my own worth, and if a commander better than me were to take the reins, I would step aside."

"But this guy, he only cares about taking Old Xu and a few of Dantu's top survivors. As for the rest—the common people and low-level survivors—he couldn't care less whether they live or die."

Li Aiguo rubbed his nose, a forced smile on his face. "Guangling's commander doesn't care about anyone else's survival. He wants Old Xu and a select few to leave, and he's willing to let the rest of the population wait for monthly raids that will destroy their shelters."

"Isn't that treating Dantu's people like livestock? I may not have much power, but I can't accept such outrageous behavior."

Li Aiguo took a deep breath before continuing, his voice quieter. "To be honest, I've tried to talk to that guy more than once. But he's so arrogant, he never listens to my concerns."

"He doesn't view regular survivors as people. He even wants to kill me to erase my influence in Dantu."

"Whether for personal survival or to protect the people, I can't accept Guangling's actions. That makes him my enemy."

"With such a powerful enemy, I need outside support to face Guangling. And Comrade Su here is the best partner for that."

Li Aiguo glanced at Chen Dafeng, who was still busy analyzing his own combat potential, with a hint of admiration. "He's the most outrageous warrior I've ever seen."

Even now, Li Aiguo couldn't believe his eyes. There was someone whose combat talent was so pure, without a single flaw.

"You're not afraid I might be like Guangling's commander?" Mike chuckled.

"Do you think I'm just desperate?" Li Aiguo grinned wryly. "Buddy, do I have a choice?"

"I'm taking a gamble here, putting my trust in the higher-ups' judgment, betting everything on you."

Li Aiguo spread his hands with a nonchalant expression. "I'm laying it all out—I don't expect much. As long as you don't kill me and take care of the people in Dantu, I'm good with whatever else."

"You're not making this easy, are you?" Mike shook his head. "You really don't have any principles."

Mike paused and then added lightly, "The higher-ups did tell me to look into Guangling. It's part of my job."

"Since you're familiar with the situation in Guangling, I think it makes sense for you to command Chen Dafeng and the rest of the army, especially when it comes to dealing with Guangling. What do you think?"

Mike made his suggestion. After all, Chen Dafeng, being an outsider, didn't have the same in-depth understanding of Guangling that Li Aiguo did.

With the intention of cooperation clear, the next step was to deepen that cooperation and build trust. That meant Li Aiguo couldn't be excluded—he needed to be included in their team.

However, Mike's acceptance didn't mean he fully trusted Li Aiguo's words. He still remembered Jiang Xiaoci's warning—to always stay vigilant with everyone.

"You want me to command him?" Li Aiguo asked, surprised.

He glanced at Chen Dafeng, his expression uncertain. Lowering his voice, he added, "Comrade Su, I don't mean to sound harsh, but from my first impression, Captain Chen seems pretty tough... He doesn't seem like someone who listens to others easily."

"This is the military! And an outside force at that! They have strong loyalty and combat power, so they can't just be swayed by anyone."

"It's fine. He listens to me," Mike replied with a smile.

"I'll make sure he understands. All you need to focus on is figuring out how you want to deal with Guangling."

"Deal with Guangling?" Li Aiguo's heart skipped a beat. He had never dared to think of handling Guangling directly.

Mike's words stirred something within him. Could he really handle Guangling?

"I'll leave the rest to you. Let's talk strategy," Mike added, his tone serious.