CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 92: NIGHTFALL

Wang Dashan’s probing was not yet over.

Feigning an honest demeanor, he said, "Squad Leader Shen, I heard there is a Survivor Alliance in Huacheng. Are you a part of it?"

Opposite him, Squad Leader Shen replied, "No, and besides, that alliance hasn’t sent anyone to discuss the matter with us."

Wang Dashan said, "Joining the Alliance would be good, we could help each other."

"Our leader said that if the Alliance could send over a hundred or eighty kilograms of gold to show sincerity, he might consider it. But why am I telling you this? Let’s go, let’s go."

Wang Dashan slowly walked back, turning his head suddenly on the road: "Squad Leader Shen, I heard there are foreign bandits nearby, do you know about this?"

Squad Leader Shen paused for a moment: "Heard of them, never seen them."

Wang Dashan got what he wanted and slowly walked away with unsteady steps.

Back in the jeep in the distance, he immediately asked Eagle: "Did you get all of it down?"

"Got it all down."

Eagle handed over the notes to Wang Dashan.

In general, there were five points.

1: The water route of the Dawn Army is a flaw, consider a secret infiltration.

2: To enter the city of the Dawn Army, an entry fee must be paid, 500 grams of gold is the price for protection here.

3: According to Squad Leader Shen, the leader of the Dawn Army is not interested in women.

4: To have the Dawn Army join the Alliance, a hundred kilograms of gold are required.

5: The issue of foreign bandits is basically unrelated to the Dawn Army.

After reviewing Eagle’s notes, Wang Dashan nodded slightly.

"That’s about it. I think this information is basically credible. Now we need to go back immediately and devise a strategy."

Eagle started the car: "Do you think we should send troops to attack here?"

"Are you out of your mind? Is this a place we can take by force? Unless our entire Alliance army mobilizes, just our Burning Corps coming here would be suicidal."

After pondering for a while, Wang Dashan said: "Suggest to Leader Pang Yong, we should prepare two plans: one is to use a large amount of gold and silver to infiltrate several people into the Dawn Army’s ranks in advance, hopefully occupying high positions."

"Seize the opportunity at the water route. If the Dawn Army cooperates, that’s fine; if not, we can visit them in the name of the Alliance with eighty hundred kilograms of gold, then launch a surprise attack by land and water, with internal sabotage and external assault. Any sturdy base is always destroyed from within."

Eagle hesitated: "Your plan seems fine, but where would we get all this gold?"

"Fool! Our six Survivor forces in the Alliance, combined, have a population close to ten thousand. Let Leader Pang Yong tell Commander-in-Chief Zhang Zhiguo of the Wangbei Army to gather all the women’s jewelry, and it should be about enough."

"Will it be enough?" Eagle was somewhat skeptical, as Wang Dashan’s plan would require a significant amount of gold.

"If it’s not enough, it’s okay. I’ve heard through the grapevine that the Wangbei Army has ties with the Rakshasa people....."

"What!" Eagle was shocked.

"Don’t tell anyone else, or how do you think the Wangbei Army developed so quickly? Zhang Zhiguo’s brother....."

The two murmured to themselves, and finally, the car started on its way.

Not daring to approach the territory of the Dawn Army, they took a long detour and embarked on their journey home.

********

Ye Fan stood on the watchtower, watching the car leave with one eye open and one eye closed.

Behind him, Advisor Zhongjing was standing there; many of the details were his ideas.

Footsteps approached from behind, and Shen Ruihui came running up the stairs.

"Commander, the task is completed. According to Advisor Zhong’s instructions, I said all those words."

"Oh! You said everything?"

"Yes, mainly involving the gold issue. To become a survivor here, they must first pay an entry fee of 500 grams of gold. And to have us, the Dawn Army, join the Alliance, even a hundred kilograms of gold wouldn’t be enough for negotiation."

Shen Ruihui was smug: "That guy even tried to seduce you with beauty. I told them they wouldn’t succeed."

Ye Fan paused for a moment, squinting slightly: "Are you so sure I won’t fall for it?"

"Of course not, I know what kind of person you are, Commander. I will always protect you from any woman who dares to approach."

After a while, Ye Fan spoke: "Having a subordinate like you really is my luck."

********

The Burning Corps won’t get here in just a day or two. Ye Fan calculated that it would take them close to a week just to make a round trip, and if they are up to something, gathering the gold will also take time.

There’s no need to worry temporarily; it’s better to continue improving the base facilities.

Just as he was about to get to work, he received a call from Xu Haoran.

Xu Haoran brought some unsettling news over the phone.

"Commander, the zombies are on the move!"

"Oh, what’s happening?"

"When we went out on patrol, we found that the surrounding zombies were gone."

"Were they wiped out by other survivors?"

"It’s not that survivors cleared them out, they have relocated. These zombies have started to move collectively, migrating towards a place on the border of Coal City. I quietly followed them for a while, and the number of zombies I saw alone was at least over fifty thousand, and that’s just a part of them."

Upon hearing this, Ye Fan’s worry deepened.

If zombies could move collectively, it would undoubtedly be a disaster.

Chengguan Town is no longer very safe.

Now that the Main City District walls of the base have been constructed, the survivors should be moved.

There’s no time to delay; it must be done immediately.

"Xu Haoran, listen up. Notify everyone to regroup, all survivors board the vehicles, head to Kao Mountain Farm immediately."

"Understood! But, Commander, what if someone doesn’t want to leave?"

"Explain the danger clearly, those willing to come should come. We won’t force those truly unwilling, but make sure to bring my parents, sister, the Su Family Sisters, and Gao Dongliang."

"Yes! I guarantee to complete the mission!"

********

Xu Haoran hung up Ye Fan’s call and immediately organized all survivors to gather.

"Just received a call from Commander Ye, all survivors of Chengguan Town are to set out immediately and follow the troops to the new base!"

This news caused shock among many people.

"Company Commander Xu, where are we going?"

"We’re going to Kao Mountain Farm in Huacheng City, let’s go now. It’s not safe here anymore; zombies might attack the human base."

The survivors looked at each other, but Ye Luo was the first to speak up: "Then let’s go, I happen to miss my brother."

Once Ye Luo spoke, Qu Xiaoming and the students immediately responded.

They were not originally from Chengguan Town, so they had no attachment to this place and all went to prepare and transport supplies.

The troops also began to gather quickly, packing up; departure was imminent.

Ye Jian Country and his wife also started packing. Now that their son was on the other side, and their daughter was by their side, they had nothing left to linger for. It was best for the family to reunite.

Chengguan Town was a flurry of activity.

However, some people didn’t move.

These were about thirty to forty people, mostly native to Chengguan Town.

A man named Li Xiang said, "Why should we leave? We’re doing fine here; there’s food and drink, the whole town is zombie-free. Do those zombies search around like humans?"

"Yeah, zombies have no intelligence. If we stay put, we’ll be fine. Why run around? That’s just asking for trouble."

Led by Li Xiang, these dozens sat still, clearly intent on not leaving.

Xu Haoran gave them a glance, "You are not forced to leave if you don’t want to. The Commander-in-Chief said, those who don’t leave are to keep a month’s worth of rations for themselves, and we will no longer be responsible for your safety."

Even with Xu Haoran’s words, these people remained unmoved.

Li Xiang was a wealthy local who once held a high position. Now, feeling the harsh drop in life quality, he was very displeased.

Several times, he tried to take charge among the survivors, but was repeatedly refused by Ye Jian Country, causing his unhappiness.

Now that the Dawn Army was leaving, it was a perfect opportunity to separate openly.

In his view, Chengguan Town was safe now; staying on, he could truly be his own master.

His relatives and friends all supported him and now publicly stood by his side.

Ye Jian Country glanced at Li Xiang, sighed, and said nothing more, as he boarded the armored vehicle Xu Haoran arranged for them.

"Set off! No resting or stopping until we’re out of Coal City!"

The convoy roared, slowly leaving Chengguan Town.

The two platoons of the Dawn Army, over three hundred sixty survivors, left this land.

Ye Jian Country and his family watched the scenery fade outside the vehicle, feeling indescribably mixed emotions.

There was anticipation, regret, and more so, confusion.

********

As the convoy distanced itself, Li Xiang finally chuckled aloud.

"Folks, we’re free this time. Although Chengguan Town was looted, many homes still have enough to get us through this winter."

His wife responded beside him, "Yes, by next spring, we can farm and produce on our own, never having to look at anyone else’s face again. The whole of Chengguan Town is ours now."

"Hahaha! Great! Let’s have something good to celebrate tonight."

Those left behind excitedly got busy, relieved now that the greater pressure had left.

As long as they don’t move unnecessarily, the zombie threat is non-existent. Whether the Dawn Army was here or not made no difference.

Rice cookers were plugged in, frying pans heated, the atmosphere as jubilant as a New Year celebration.

They were busy till nightfall, then the electric lights turned on, the place illuminated bright as day.

"Cheers!"

"To freedom!"

The group raised their glasses in celebration.

Buzz~~~!

The electric lights flickered momentarily.

The gathered held their glasses, stunned.

Suddenly, all lights dimmed—

At the one-month mark of the apocalypse, the automatic power supply system of the Power Plant completely shut down!

The Power Plants all over Blue Sea Star experienced a similar shutdown.

Thermal plants ceased operating due to a lack of fuel; unattended wind and hydropower facilities functioned autonomously for only a month.

A month later, the machinery stalled.

The land was swallowed by darkness!

No lights came back on; the survivor’s dark night had arrived.

The apocalypse has only just begun!