As the smoke cleared and the cheers subsided, Ning Yu gazed at the war-torn land before him, his heart filled with mixed emotions. This pyrrhic victory, while repelling the enemy invasion, had severely weakened his forces, leaving them in dire need of rest and recuperation, and even more so, a need to replenish their strength. Expansion was imperative.
"Reporting to the leader, the drone has detected an abandoned industrial park 30 kilometers to the southeast, which is suspected to contain a large amount of usable resources!" A scout ran up and excitedly reported.
Ning Yu's eyes lit up, and he turned to look at Mu Xue: "It seems that even God is on our side. Let's go take a look!"
Upon arriving at the industrial park, the scene before them was exhilarating. Inside the abandoned factory, though covered in dust, the various machines were relatively well-preserved, and there were also considerable undiscovered energy reserves. This place was truly a treasure trove!
The news spread quickly through the team, a mixture of joy at surviving the ordeal and anticipation for the future, with hope radiating from everyone's face. However, as Ning Yu began to formulate a resource allocation plan, an undercurrent quietly stirred within the team.
"I believe that our team suffered heavy losses in this battle, and we should prioritize allocating resources to restore our combat effectiveness as soon as possible!" A veteran member stepped forward and said loudly, his tone filled with unwavering determination.
His words were echoed by several veteran members who had also experienced the fierce battles; they nodded in agreement, agreeing that it was only natural.
On the periphery of the crowd, several new members exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with unease and anxiety. Although they hadn't experienced that great battle, they had contributed to the team's victory, and hearing such a statement was naturally difficult for them to accept.
“That’s not how it works. Victory is the result of everyone’s joint efforts, and resources should be distributed fairly!” a new member mustered his courage to retort, though his tone carried a hint of timidity.
"Fairness? What is fairness?" The veteran member sneered. "In this apocalypse, only the strong have the right to talk about fairness! You newcomers haven't experienced real combat yet, what right do you have to sit on equal footing with us?"
The veteran's words were sharp and harsh, like a razor-sharp blade that mercilessly tore open the team's newly healed wounds. The atmosphere between the new and old members instantly became tense, and a much larger storm seemed to be brewing…
Ning Yu frowned as he looked at the scene before him. He knew that some issues were ultimately unavoidable...
Ning Yu surveyed the crowd, his sharp gaze sweeping over the faces—some filled with resentment, others with grievance, and still others with confusion—and sighed inwardly. He knew that this victory was merely the beginning; the real challenge was just unfolding.
"Quiet down!" Ning Yu's deep voice echoed in the empty factory, lingering for a long time. Intimidated by his imposing presence, the previously noisy arguments gradually subsided, and all eyes turned to him, awaiting his decision.
“I know everyone has their own thoughts. We suffered heavy losses in this battle, and many brothers have left us forever…” Ning Yu’s voice choked slightly as he said this. He took a deep breath to calm himself down and continued, “But we must also see that the new brothers who joined us also paid their dues with sweat and blood. They are also part of our team and deserve the respect and treatment they are entitled to.”
Ning Yu's words were firm and resolute, warming the hearts of the new members and gradually calming their initial unease. However, some of the older members still wore expressions of resentment, muttering under their breath and looking at the new members with hostility.
"I will carefully consider the issue of resource allocation and formulate a fair and reasonable plan." Ning Yu ignored the discontented murmurs and turned to the crowd, saying firmly, "But I must emphasize one point: we are a team, and we must unite to survive in this apocalypse! Any attempt to split the team or sow discord will be severely punished!"
Ning Yu's words struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer. The old members who were originally dissatisfied were intimidated by the cold light in his eyes and lowered their heads, not daring to say another word.
Just as Ning Yu was about to continue speaking, a team member on guard duty rushed over, his face grim. "Reporting, leader, we've discovered some suspicious traces..." He lowered his voice and whispered a few words in Ning Yu's ear.
Upon hearing this, Ning Yu's face immediately darkened. He waved his hand, signaling his team to remain on guard, then turned to look at Mu Xue, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Looks like someone's more anxious than we are..."
"You mean..." Mu Xue frowned slightly, instantly understanding Ning Yu's meaning.
“That’s right, those guys won’t let this go so easily…” Ning Yu’s lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes flashing with a chilling light. “Since they want to play, we’ll play along!”
As night fell, several pairs of eyes greedily stared at the brightly lit factory buildings in the woods surrounding the industrial park. One of them lowered his voice and said in a sinister tone, "Tonight, we'll teach them a lesson and let them know whose territory this is!" In the darkness, several dark figures moved like ghosts among the ruins. They moved swiftly and stealthily, their target being several resource points controlled by Ning Yu's forces. These resource points were painstakingly explored and obtained by Ning Yu's team at great personal risk, but now they had become easy prey in the eyes of the old forces.
"Boss, we've got it!" Outside a secluded warehouse, several men armed with crude weapons were excitedly loading boxes of supplies onto a dilapidated truck. The man in the lead had a fierce face and was the leader of one of the forces that Ning Yu had previously defeated.
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