Chapter 89 – A Detailed Account of the Retreat Incident

Di Ping sipped his tea as he engaged in a pleasant conversation with Ge Zhongping, Han Zhongguo, and Lu Guoliang. By now, Ge Zhongping seemed to have forgotten the earlier tensions, his radiant smile never leaving his face. He interacted with Di Ping and the others in high spirits, exchanging views on the end of the world and other matters.

Despite their high positions, these three men were not without humor. Contrary to common belief that high-ranking officials refrain from light-hearted conversation, such interactions are simply rarer when one's position does not allow for such familiarity. In the Empire, holding an official post requires not only capability and background but also an acute awareness of social dynamics and persuasive speech.

At this moment, the three officials treated Di Ping as an equal, if not someone of a higher status. This made their exchange completely free of formalities, and Di Ping, no stranger to the business world, understood the value of reciprocating the goodwill shown by others. As such, the four of them conversed easily and openly.

Though the conversation was casual, much of it centered on the events of the apocalypse. Through their dialogue, Di Ping gained a clearer, more comprehensive understanding of the government's recent retreat, a situation that had been reported on the radio but remained somewhat vague. Now, the truth was revealed in full.

During the retreat, the government had initially intended to keep the general public in the dark, focusing mainly on evacuating the high-ranking officials from the provincial capital. It wasn't out of malice but out of necessity, as the number of military personnel dispatched for the operation was minimal, and their standard weaponry was insufficient to ensure the safety of a large civilian population. As a result, the provincial authorities issued a strict order to prevent any leaks, though, as is often the case, information still found its way out.

By the time the evacuation commenced the following day, over 50,000 people had gathered at the provincial capital, which left the high-ranking officials helpless. While 50,000 may seem like a large number, it was minuscule compared to the city's permanent population of several million. Nevertheless, the large crowd could not be simply dismissed.

The officials set off with the group, but they had underestimated the situation. The large crowd stretched for five to six kilometers, while the military sent only a mere three hundred or so soldiers to assist. It was impossible for such a small force to adequately protect such a large group. As a result, several people were attacked by mutated creatures along the way. Fortunately, the sheer size of the crowd made it difficult for the creatures to strike directly, and they resorted to ambushes instead. While there were casualties, they were relatively minimal.

The journey that morning covered only about four to five kilometers, leaving the provincial officials sweating in anxiety. The military commanders were also frustrated, as the original plan was to pass through the city center and reach the highway entrance as quickly as possible by car. Although driving was dangerous, it would have been much faster. However, at the current pace, it seemed unlikely they would reach the highway entrance before nightfall.

The original plan had clearly become unfeasible. Given the current size of the group, arranging enough vehicles to transport everyone would be a logistical nightmare. Moreover, if they were to walk to Bianzhou, a distance of over 70 kilometers, it would take at least six to seven days at the current pace of ten kilometers a day. This meant they would have to camp out in the wilderness for five or six nights, and conditions at night were far more dangerous than during the day, with the threat of mutated animals escalating exponentially.

Along the route, mutated creatures were constantly spotted lurking in the woods by the sides of the road. It seemed these creatures were following the group, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Yet, no matter how urgent the situation, there was little they could do. The elderly, the weak, and the sick were unable to move quickly, and the group was progressing at a snail's pace. Tears and complaints filled the air as people struggled just to keep moving forward.

Faced with this predicament, the provincial authorities gathered to discuss how to address the growing crisis. Some proposed that a small group of leaders, escorted by the military, should leave ahead, meet up with the forces stationed at the highway entrance, and head to the Bianzhou base. However, this plan was quickly rejected.

Some officials, out of a sense of duty, felt that such an action would violate their duty to serve the people. Others were motivated by self-interest—many of them had family members in the rear of the group, and the advance party would not be able to take many people with them. In the end, this proposal was abandoned without further discussion.

The meeting concluded in dissatisfaction, with growing divisions among the upper echelons.

By midday, the large group had reached the banks of Di Lake, utterly exhausted. Someone suggested taking a rest, and the entire group came to a halt. As more and more people gathered, the noise grew louder. The large crowd, feeling a sense of safety in their numbers, became increasingly unruly, with many shouting and arguing.

Suddenly, a disturbance in the center of the lake caught everyone's attention. The water began to churn violently, as though the lake was boiling. A massive wave surged towards the shore, rushing toward the gathered crowd with terrifying force.

Unaware of the impending danger, the people continued to point and laugh, oblivious to what was unfolding before them. The huge wave crashed against the concrete dam with a tremendous roar, sending water spraying into the air. As the crowd scattered to avoid the splashing water, a massive shadow erupted from the lake.

With a violent leap, the monstrous creature shot out of the water and landed on the shore, opening its enormous jaws to seize four or five people in one bite. The massive jaws slammed shut with a sickening sound, spraying blood into the air. The onlookers froze in shock, unable to process what had just occurred.

As the confusion cleared, it became apparent that the creature was a colossal mutated crocodile, over three meters tall and nearly thirty meters in length. It resembled an ancient beast, unleashing chaos and slaughter among the panicked crowd. Wherever it went, blood and flesh flew. With each bite, it tore through groups of people, and with every swing of its enormous claws, several people were sent flying, their bodies reduced to pulp. Its tail whipped through the air, sweeping dozens of people aside.

Panic spread quickly through the crowd, and the retreat was thrown into disarray as the once orderly flight for safety descended into a frantic battle for survival.