Behind Our Commander, We Stand!

"Da Feng."

Mike quickly gave his instructions, "Xiao Ci is on the way, so keep an eye on these people. Don't get involved with anything else in the city for now unless Xiao Ci gives the order."

"Don't worry, Commander!" Chen Dafeng slapped his chest confidently. "I'll take care of it, you know me!"

As much as he knew, Mike still felt the need to remind him.

Sighing in exasperation, Mike didn't say much more and switched his focus back to his bedroom.

Outside the window, the night was still pitch black, but the city's lights had provided enough warmth to shield the residents from the third apocalypse's dark embrace. Yet, Mike didn't find solace in the city's comforting glow. Dongfang Zhiyuan had SS-level talent, and his potential combat capabilities could very well be at a terrifying SSS-level.

But Mike only had one card to play—the old man. His opponent, on the other hand, could casually hand out SS-level technology hearts.

Mike's mind raced. "If I think about the worst-case scenario... he might already have SSS-level non-talent methods, and his talent could even be SSS-level, just like mine."

"I don't want to compete with you," Mike muttered. "But I need to survive."

Since his first encounter with Xinchang, Mike had always been on the defensive, whether it was dealing with the Xinchang plague or sending troops to Guangling—it was always a counterattack.

But now, Mike had come to a realization: constant resistance wasn't the best strategy. The only way to break the pressure was to strike first.

Even though he didn't want to get caught up in the endless cycle of apocalyptic power struggles like the other commanders, Mike knew he had to think about his own survival and the well-being of his people.

He also realized that if he had understood the gravity of the situation earlier and adjusted his strategy sooner, the situation might have been better. But at the time, Jinling was in the midst of a critical power transfer, and even if Mike had suspected the hidden hands behind everything, there was little he could have done to fight back.

The more Mike understood his opponent's methods and tactics, the heavier the sense of pressure became. He began to understand just how vast their hidden strength was.

Truthfully, Mike felt that any sign of complacency on his part could lead to the worst possible consequences.

And since he had decided to take the offensive, the first thing he had to do was quickly strengthen his own power.

"It's not too late. If he can drain the Jiangnan region, I still have resources from two cities at my disposal!" Mike took a deep breath, narrowing his eyes. "He's given me a perfect excuse to extract more resources without feeling guilty."

In the next moment, Mike picked up the communicator on his desk.

He didn't call the old man directly but instead issued the order through his official capacity, instructing the Jinling Command to act and passing the order along to Commander Dongfang Zhiyuan for execution.

"As the Commander of Jinling, I require the Command Center to immediately compile a comprehensive summary of the materials for shelter upgrades in Jinling and Xinchang!"

"I also require all official pioneer teams in both cities to increase their efficiency by 20%. Additionally, I call on civilian cooperation with the pioneer teams to speed up the process!"

"Furthermore, notify the city's policy announcers and diplomatic staff to draft official documents informing the citizens of both cities that I will be extracting as many resources as possible for the coming crisis."

Mike's tone was resolute, and the staff receiving the orders could hear the unwavering determination in his voice.

"Commander... This notice seems to deviate a little from the policies we've previously established." A staff member quietly pointed out. "Shouldn't we provide a more appropriate and accurate justification?"

Mike had previously emphasized that the collective interest should come first and that no one should take resources that belonged to the people for personal gain. This policy had even delayed Jinling's upgrades after the shelter reached level four because Mike had poured all his resources into city management without taking much for himself.

Now, however, Mike was acting uncharacteristically—ordering a massive extraction of resources, all with a clear intention to use them for his own benefit. This drastic change in policy needed to be explained to the people properly.

"Tell them this," Mike said calmly, without hesitation. "I'm facing a more powerful enemy whose location, methods, and numbers are unknown. I need to become stronger as quickly as possible!"

Mike had no intention of hiding the truth. Lying to the public wouldn't be wise. A certain degree of transparency would likely garner more understanding from the people.

"Yes, Commander!" The staff member took a deep breath and relayed Mike's order to the departments, notifying Dongfang Zhiyuan.

The old man didn't seem surprised by Mike's shift in approach. It was as if he had been expecting it. Without hesitation, he quickly began coordinating the resource allocation between the two cities.

Thanks to Mike's earlier efforts in establishing effective city management and systems, the orders were smoothly carried out. The cities sprang into action like well-oiled machines, quickly pooling vast amounts of resources.

The civilian pioneers, who had the deepest ties with the government, were the first to catch wind of the unusual activity. Before long, the official notice from Jinling was issued.

"To all citizens and organizations in the city, we hereby announce the latest orders from the Commander:"

"We have received intelligence that unknown enemies are surrounding both Jinling and Xinchang, posing a grave threat to both cities!"

"According to Chief Commander Dongfang Zhiyuan's analysis, this is closely tied to the Xinchang plague and the attempted attack on Captain Chen Dafeng!"

"The enemy's strength is beyond estimation. We are still unaware of their precise location, numbers, or full strength, but they are known to be slightly stronger than the Commander."

"Based on intelligence gathered after the Chen Dafeng incident, our command has reason to believe that the enemy has already begun a premeditated campaign against the Commander."

"Effective immediately, all relief supplies are to be suspended and stored in reserves! All official pioneer teams must accelerate their resource collection! All city staff are required to contribute necessary materials for shelter upgrades in exchange for merit points!"

"If any irregularities arise during the resource mobilization, we ask for the understanding of the citizens. If your survival is jeopardized, please report to any department immediately."

"This order has been signed and approved by the Commander. Any other statements are not to be considered."

The release of this new notice immediately caused a stir in Jinling.

The tone of the notice was much more serious and direct than anything that had come before. The citizens could sense the gravity of the situation, with their own Commander now personally involved.

Mike watched the notice go out, raising an eyebrow. He hadn't expected the old man to tweak the content a little. Mike's original intention had been to be upfront with the people—informing them that the situation was dire and that he needed to take action. But the old man had softened the message. The official notice only mentioned that resource distribution would be suspended temporarily and that staff would contribute materials for merit points, without directly stating that resources would be extracted from the general public.

As the Chief Commander, Dongfang Zhiyuan had the right to make adjustments to the orders, which Mike had given him. And Mike understood why the old man did it—he trusted that Mike's immense reputation among the citizens would mean they wouldn't need to hear it directly from Mike himself.

"Looks like the old man's planning something big," Mike muttered, a hint of amusement mixed with a sigh.

The official document had barely been out for ten minutes before the city's chat channels were flooded with messages. Panic spread like wildfire.

"Someone's after the Commander? Is there an enemy stronger than him?"

"Wait, am I seeing this right? Is the official announcement saying the enemy's stronger than the Commander?"

"Is it the apocalypse... or are these enemies human? What happens if the Commander's defeated?"

"Wait, I thought we were past the worst of it. Now someone's trying to ruin the good life we've got?"

The panic was palpable in the chat, but there were also those who remained calm, analyzing the situation and expressing support for the official decision.

"Knowing how our government operates, they wouldn't make such an announcement without solid evidence... and if the situation is this serious, halting resource distribution makes sense. We can manage on our own for now."

"I noticed the Commander hasn't upgraded his shelter much lately. Does he have enough resources to handle this?"

"Is this a sacrifice play? It feels like the Commander might be taking all the pressure on himself."

"Donations! I'll donate whatever's needed! Let's open up the donation channels!"

The call to donate resonated with the people. Soon, almost everyone in the chat began to rally behind the idea of supporting the Commander.

In less than ten minutes, the entire city had mobilized to donate resources, ensuring that their Commander would have everything he needed to face the threats ahead. It wasn't just for Mike—it was for their own survival.

As Mike saw the donations flood in, he couldn't help but feel the weight of the collective will behind him. This wasn't just about one person. This was about everyone, standing together in the face of an uncertain future.