Not long after, Lao Liu and his two companions returned to the prefab house, their faces full of worry. Clearly, their appeal in the town had not gone well.
Chen Yu did not say anything about this.
He gestured for the three to sit by the fire to warm themselves, and then brewed each of them a cup of hot tea.
A warm feeling washed over the three of them, but they also felt even more guilty.
After all, they were the ones who caused the trouble, and Chen Yu was going to take them to rescue people, but they couldn't find any help in town.
Just then, a series of noisy footsteps and the roar of a car engine came from outside the door.
Chen Yu raised an eyebrow and a faint smile appeared on his lips. He knew that Lin Lele and her companion had arrived with the "militia".
The three men, including Lao Liu, were also very nervous, as this concerned the safety of their brothers.
Seeing Chen Yu get up and walk out the door, the three of them followed closely behind.
Outside the temporary housing, a large group of men and women, dressed in various cotton-padded clothes, had gathered, numbering about 100 people.
Upon seeing Chen Yu emerge, they immediately ceased their conversation and stared at him solemnly.
"Commander, are we going to take down those bastards from the 'joint defense team'?"
“Those bastards are nothing but beasts. I regret that I couldn’t personally deal with those bastards in our town’s ‘joint defense team.’ If I could take down their accomplices, I would do it without hesitation!”
"Commander, give the order! Kill those bastards!"
…………
The crowd was filled with fervor, each person rubbing their hands together, their eyes gleaming with determination and anger. Some of them carried rudimentary weapons, such as wooden sticks, shovels, or even kitchen knives; others wore homemade protective gear, such as helmets and arm guards. Though simple, these items revealed an indomitable fighting spirit.
Seeing the crowd's high spirits, Chen Yu was slightly taken aback; this was truly beyond his expectations.
After all, many people here used to be bullied and humiliated by the so-called "joint defense team" thugs in their towns, and even faced life-or-death threats without daring to resist. Now, they are being asked to fight to the death against strangers dozens of kilometers away, and they have become so brave.
However, Chen Yu quickly figured out the key point: the reason they had allowed the thugs of the "joint defense team" to bully them without daring to fight back was because they had no leader and were just a bunch of loose sand. Even if they wanted to resist, they would be quickly suppressed by those thugs.
Furthermore, those so-called "joint defense teams" are operating under the name of the government and holding official positions. Ordinary people like them can only dare to be angry but not speak out. After all, the "joint defense teams" represent the government. If they rebel now out of anger, they will be purged by the government after the natural disaster ends.
If it were just them, it would be fine, but they also have to consider their families, and even the whole town.
While it may feel good to act impulsively, the anger of the authorities is something that ordinary people in a particular area cannot withstand.
But things are different now. Chen Yu's arrival not only gave them a spiritual leader, but also shattered the "official" disguise of the "joint defense team". They are now a genuine "drought relief militia". Why would they be afraid of a small "joint defense team"?
Therefore, everyone's emotions were extremely high at this moment, and they were eager to settle all their old and new scores with that so-called "joint defense team"!
Seeing the crowd's excited emotions, Chen Yu nodded in satisfaction.
"Soldiers! Our 'Anti-Cold Disaster Relief Militia Corps' is an officially authorized force of justice. It is our duty to wipe out 'Joint Defense Teams,' a group of ruthless bandits who endanger national interests and the safety of the people!" Chen Yu paused here, his gaze sweeping over each person, his eyes shining with determination and trust.
"But before that, I want to emphasize that we are 'soldiers,' not 'bandits.' Every soldier's life is extremely important. It is unacceptable and not worth advocating to fight the enemy with outdated tools like wooden sticks and kitchen knives!" Chen Yu said solemnly.
Upon hearing Chen Yu's words, the group exchanged glances, feeling both moved and puzzled. After all, the current conditions were the only options available, and they didn't have any more suitable weapons.
“Commander, I used to own a hardware store in our town. There are quite a few steel pipes stored there. How about we get the brothers to dig them out together?” a slightly overweight middle-aged man suggested.
Chen Yu shook his head and said calmly, "We are a regular militia, not thugs. What kind of behavior is it to fight with steel pipes!"
"Alright, everyone, stop guessing. I have everything planned." Chen Yu changed the subject. "Everyone, follow me!"
Hearing this, although everyone was still puzzled, they still silently followed behind Chen Yu.
"Secretary Lin, what exactly is Mr. Chen Yu keeping secret?" Qiao Meng, walking at the back of the group, asked Lin Lele in a low voice.
"How would I know?" Lin Lele shook her head, indicating that she was unaware of Chen Yu's specific plans.
"Perhaps while we were away, the officer got lucky and found a bunch of guns while out for a walk," Lin Lele said casually.
“What’s the use? In this low temperature environment, even if you find a gun, you can’t use it.” Qiao Meng shook her head.
She didn't find the claim that Chen Yu had found a batch of guns and ammunition too far-fetched, after all, Chen Yu had recently dug out a batch of grain from a warehouse buried in the snow.
"Perhaps he had anticipated today's situation and stockpiled some special firearms near Qingshan Town in advance?" Lin Lele guessed.
"How is that possible?" Qiao Meng's eyes widened. Lin Lele's statement was too outrageous.
Qiao Meng shook her head and didn't delve any further into the topic. After all, the mystery would be revealed soon, and there was no point in the two of them guessing.
They traveled in silence, and amidst everyone's speculation, the group finally arrived at the snowfield where Chen Yu had previously buried weapons and vehicles, led by Chen Yu.
"Soldiers, now, dig down along this area!" As Chen Yu spoke, he used a wooden stick held by one of the regiment members to draw a circle about 5 meters in diameter on the snow.
Everyone looked on with suspicion, but they still followed Chen Yu's orders and picked up their shovels, sticks, or even their bare hands to start digging.
With many hands making light work, the snow on the ground was cleared in less than half an hour, and a dilapidated warehouse appeared before everyone's eyes.
At Chen Yu's command, the warehouse door was opened.
When everyone saw what was stored inside, their jaws nearly dropped.
"These cars and pistols were prepared for us by the organization in advance of the natural disaster. They have all been specially modified to withstand the effects of low temperatures," Chen Yu explained to everyone.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked surprised and doubtful, but then their faces lit up with excitement and pride.
This is their organization, it's that powerful! They actually prepared so much in advance for this natural disaster.
At this moment, everyone felt an unprecedented sense of identity.
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